While the federal government still deems it a crime to grow or possess weed, more and more states are legalizing marijuana. So far, the recreational use of marijuana has been legalized in 22 states, along with Guam and Washington DC.
That said, as the legalization of cannabis spreads, more and more people are becoming interested in growing it. And while growing weed may not be rocket science, it does require some know-how. In this post, we'll focus on the practical considerations for growing weed from seeds when growing the plant for your personal use versus when growing it to share.
Let's dive in.
An Overview of How to Grow Weed from Seeds
Like any other type of gardening, weed growing is a skill developed over time. It's easy to learn but takes time to master. However, there's no reason to be intimidated by the thought of growing your own weed.
A good place to start is to understand the fundamentals of cannabis growing. Doing so will help you make sound decisions early, ensuring you produce high-quality weed and maximize your yield. Some of the essential steps that will give you a solid knowledge base for becoming an excellent weed grower include:
- Choosing the right cannabis seeds
- Understanding the soil, air, water, light, temperature, humidity, and nutrients requirements for growing weed
- Understanding the blooming period of cannabis
Knowing the best practices for harvesting, drying, and curing weed to get the best quality buds.
Factors to Consider When Growing Weed for Personal Use vs. Growing It to Share
The requirements of growing weed for personal use are different from those of growing it to share with others. Here's a look at the factors to consider when it comes to growing enough weed plants for personal use compared to growing weed plants more as a hobbyist.
Size Requirements
The amount of space you require for growing weed for personal use differs from that you require for growing weed for sharing. With that in mind, different states have restrictions on the number of marijuana plants that someone can grow in their private residence for personal use. Basically, the number of weed plants you can grow for personal use range between 3 and 12, depending on the state where you reside. Given this restriction, you'll need a considerably smaller space to grow weed for personal use.
Conversely, you'll need a slightly larger space for growing weed for more than your personal use. Ideally, you should use a sizeable grow room or micro grow room for growing weed for more than your personal use. A 6x6 grow space will do.
Whatever your purpose for growing weed, space your plants 3-4 square feet apart to accommodate outward growth for each plant. You should also provide several feet of growing room above the plant.
Cost
The cost of growing weed for personal use also differs from that of growing the plant for sharing with others. Typically, you will spend more growing weed for the latter purpose. The reason for this is that you'll need a larger real estate for growing the plants. This means that you'll have to spend more money on buying seeds, water, electricity, equipment, and other things you need to grow high-quality weed buds.
Typically, the average cost for starting an indoor cannabis grow ranges between $325 and $650 per square foot. The operating costs will also vary depending on the decisions you make during the buildout and every day after you begin the cultivation process. One way of cutting your operational cost is by using energy-saving bulbs or using solar power instead of electricity as a source of heat and lighting for your plants.
The Level of Care Needed
Whether you are growing weed for personal use or to share with others, there are certain requirements that you need to meet to ensure that you produce high-quality weed. Some of the best practices you want to maintain include ensuring the weed plants have the right amount of nutrients, water, temperature, and humidity. Also, you need to keep the growing process clean, right from when you plant the seeds to the harvesting time. Failure to do this may result in you producing low-quality weed or realizing low yield.
Growing weed for sharing with others may demand a higher level of care, especially if you are growing a considerably substantial amount of weed. Remember, you need to tend to each weed plant individually, meaning if you have a lot of plants, you'll spend a lot of time caring for them.
That's not to say that when you grow weed for personal use, you don't have to put in effort. As mentioned earlier, if you neglect your plants, you'll harvest low-quality weed buds.
Equipment Requirements
The type of equipment you require for growing weed will depend on the scale at which you want to grow the plant. If you want to grow weed for your personal use, it probably means you will grow it on a lower scale. Some of the equipment you may need include grow bags or grow pots, a small oscillating fan to circulate air, light, LED bulbs, and a water source, among other equipment.
When growing weed to share with others., it may mean that you are growing the plant on a slightly larger scale. This means that you may need more equipment. Some of the equipment you may need when growing weed on a slightly larger scale include a grow room or tent, racking stations, grow lights, fans & proper ventilation, temperature & humidity controls, drying equipment, trimming tables & storage, grow systems, and carbon filter.
As you can see, you will spend more on equipment when growing weed for sharing with others, especially when you are doing so, on a large scale, than you would growing for personal use.
Wrapping Up
Whether you are growing weed for your personal use or for sharing with others, certain things are constant: you need to have the right equipment, invest adequately, and care for your plants in order to realize maximum high-quality yield. Additionally, you need to be conversant with the legal requirements of growing weed.
Looking for weed seeds for starting your weed cultivation project? Look no further than Kind Seed Co. We offer a wide range of weed seeds, including feminized sativa, feminized indica, and feminized hybrid. Check out our seeds catalog to choose the best weed seeds to grow.
