It’s Time to Explore California’s New Budding Hobby – Where It’s Legalized, Anyway

You don’t have to have a green thumb in order to benefit from California’s Proposition 64. 

This proposition has secured your right to grow six marijuana plants, indoors or out, just so long as you adhere to the rules established by your local area. 

Cannabis prices have risen sharply, up to 40% higher in some places due to tightening regulations and increased taxation. Growing your own marijuana has become an attractive endeavor for people who are sticking to a budget. 

But do you have to have a green thumb? Not at all. 

It might not be as easy as hopping over to your local nursery and picking up some started seedlings, like you might with tomatoes or cucumbers. But it’s also not overly challenging. 

Here’s how to start.

Do Your Research

Look into a seed bank that ships to the USA – you will have trouble purchasing seeds from other states, as they can’t be shipped across state lines. It may take you a lot of time to come up with a good list of reputable seed banks. 

You can research the various seeds you think you might be interested in by checking out websites like Leafly. Here, you can get more information about the growing requirements and best uses for different strains. 

Once you’ve settled on a variety you want to try, call your local dispensary to ensure they have the clones or seeds you want in-store. Make sure you ask a lot of questions about what they have to offer – it’s important that you purchase from a reputable stock. 

You don’t need to have a medical recommendation in order to purchase seeds, but you should frequent a licensed store. You’ll also want to have your ID handy. 

Should I Grow a CBD Garden?

Not interested in getting a buzz? Growing marijuana can still be for you. THC is the active ingredient in cannabis, the one that is known for creating a high. 

However, cannabidiol, or CBD, is growing in popularity and does not cause the feelings of “being high” but instead treats symptoms such as pain, anxiety, muscle spasms – even seizures. There’s some blossoming scientific research to suggest that CBD may have major pharmaceutical implications  – but we’re not quite there yet.

You can grow CBD-rich starts or seeds in your backyard, though. Consider some popular CBD strains like Sour Tsunami, Charlotte’s Web, or Ringo’s Gift. There are new varieties released every week. 

Deciding on Seeds vs. Clones

Seeds are going to be harder for you to plant and cultivate, especially if you are a beginner, but they will be cleaner and more profitable in the long run. 

However, if you’re a newbie, clones can offer a bit of security. Every seed can yield either female or male plants – there’s no way of knowing what you might get, but males are useless to growers. Females contain the flower buds that contain the medicinal molecules of cannabis. 

Starts, on the other hand, are always female – you’ll get what you paid for, in other words. However, clones are more expensive upfront and they can sometimes contain residual pesticides, too. 

What’s more important when you’re setting up your marijuana garden is to make sure you choose a strain that will work well for your growing area. You want to pay attention to the maturity time, size, light requirements, yields, and other factors, too.

Bring Your Wallet

You don’t need to spend a fortune in order to start growing marijuana, but you’re going to need to be armed with some serious cash. Clones – what you might hear referred to as “starts” in other types of plants – are cuttings from another plant that contain the exact same DNA. Planting a clone is a good way to ensure you will get the exact type of plant you’re looking for. These usually start at about $15.

Seeds will cost you more upfront. They come in packs of ten, so they’re more of a bulk-buy, but are usually at least $100 per pack. That said, one tiny seed can produce an entire marijuana plant with over a pound of marketable marijuana on it – a market value of over $1,500. 

Serious start-up investment, but serious yield and profit in this budding new hobby, too.