Cannabis is now legal in Canada, having been legalized in 2018. However, caution must be taken to grow legal cannabis as there are regulations to be followed.

First, it is legal to have up to 30 grams of cannabis. Additionally, the law allows you to grow up to four of your marijuana plants in a household.

 

Reasons to Grow Your Own Cannabis Plants

The most obvious reason to grow your cannabis is that you can, now that it is legal in Canada.

Growing cannabis plants at home gives the latitude to have control of every step of cultivation. There are various methods and ways to grow cannabis plants, such as using a hydroponic system or having your own super soil.

Most people want to experience the fun of smoking something they have grown. Unfortunately, it is also easy to learn how to grow weed.

 

Different Types of Cannabis Grows

There are various ways to grow your cannabis plant. It depends on your preference. Some people prefer growing cannabis indoors, while others like it outside.

The following are types of cannabis grows:

Outdoor Grows

Weed plants easily grow outdoors. It is cheap because it utilizes the sun and other resources found naturally in the environment. You only need a small space in your backyard. Seasons control the light photoperiod for your outdoor growing cannabis plant.

Indoor Grows

Growing cannabis indoors is expensive compared to outdoors. You will invest in equipment and utilities needed to grow indoors. However, it has the advantage of being able to control all aspects of cannabis growth.

High-pressure sodium grow lights are preferred because they help you produce the best indoor cannabis yield.

Hydroponic Grows

Growing cannabis plants using hydroponics entails using the nutrient-water solution in a medium instead of soil with nutrients. However, it does not have any quality advantage over soil growth.

The hydroponic growing of weed allows you to control the process of growing weed. However, it requires significant financial investment in utilities. It is also a knowledge-intensive method.

Soil Grows

Marijuana grows well on the soil. However, loam soil is preferred because it combines disparate soil types.

Factors that Influence the Grow

Environment 

Your marijuana plants will need enough hours of light because they are photoperiod plants. You could use direct sunlight if grown outside or grow lights if grown indoors.

The cannabis plants also need water; the demand will vary as the plant grows. Nutrients are also critical for their growth.

The weed plants need fresh air from wind or simulated air flow indoors. The ideal temperature is between 55 and 85°F, while humidity should be between 50 and 70%.

Genetics of Your Cannabis Seeds

The first step to a good grow is to pick high-quality cannabis seeds. Cannabis plants are mainly of Sativa or Indica type. However, a mixture of the two strains, known as hybrids, could also be grown.

Sativa causes the “high” and gives its users an energizing effect. It can help get rid of anxiety and stress. It can also stimulate creativity and concentration. However, Sativa seeds are less productive compared to the Indica type. 

The indica type gives a full-body effect where the user experiences relaxation. This type is particularly indicated for people who want to overcome insomnia. They are more productive compared to Sativas and have a shorter life cycle.

Hybrid seeds combine two genetic strains of cannabis, mostly indica and sativa types. Hybridization seeks to shorten the life cycle and boost productivity. As a result, seed banks often develop new strains to get the most desirable outcome.

Feminized seeds only give rise to female plants, which produce flowers and buds. Seed banks provide a 99.9% guarantee that the plants will be female. Using feminized seeds, you will not need to differentiate between male and female plants. Regular cannabis seeds have a 50/50 chance of being male or female. 

Autoflowering seeds can go through various growth phases without changing the environmental conditions. This is because they are not photoperiod plants, and light changes will not affect them. 

Expertise Needed in Growing Cannabis

Typically, you don’t need specialized knowledge to grow marijuana. However, if you are using specialized methods to grow it, such as hydroponics, you will need to be knowledgeable about it.

Equipment and Supplies

The following are requisite equipment before embarking on growing weed:

1. Cheap and wet paper towel.
2. Two Containers – to germinate cannabis seeds.
3. Quality seeds – purchase seeds from a reputable seed bank. Preferably, get feminized seeds.
4. Seedling heating mat (optional).
5. Drying rack – where you will place the buds to dry.
6. Fan and AC
7. Grow lights – for growing indoors.

Method of Grow

Selecting the right genes for your cannabis plants is necessary for an ideal flower yield with high quality. Also, the cultivation system is critical because it determines the cannabinoid components. Most importantly, environmental factors are essential because environmental interactions with cultivation methods can determine the quality of your weed.

Growing weed outdoors is economically viable. However, indoor cultivation gives you control of quality assurance and hygienic standards. As a result, you can prevent potential contaminations. Additionally, you can produce homogeneous batches because the conditions are controlled.

Steps on Growing Weed

Growing cannabis follows these steps:

1. Select your cannabis seeds.
2. Ensure you can provide the right environment.
3. Ensure you have to grow lights for growing weed indoors.
4. Find a suitable method to germinate your seeds. We recommend using the paper towel method.
5. During the vegetative stage, allow up to 18 hours of light indoors or 6 hours outdoors.
6. Reduce the light schedule to induce flowering, eventually leading to the budding stage.
7. Harvest the buds and dry them in a cool, dry place. It should take about two weeks to dry because the process is slow.
8. Store the cured buds out of reach of children and pets.

Gather Supplies and Equipment

The initial step to growing marijuana is ensuring you have all the necessary supplies. Growing marijuana is straightforward, and it should not cause you any trouble. The growing process is described here.

Buy Seeds

Fully developed cannabis seeds appear brown and are hard and dry. Therefore, if your seed is green or white, there is a good chance it is not fully developed.

Germinate Seeds

Germinate the cannabis seeds using a cheap paper towel. Lock moisture between two plates lined with a cheap paper towel. Use a seedling heat mat to maintain a temperature of between 70 and 85°F, which is necessary for germinating cannabis seeds.

Cannabis seeds take between three and ten days to germinate.

After germination, place the cannabis seeds in a growth medium. They have now entered the seedling stage.

The seedling stage requires at least six hours of direct sunlight or 18 hours of indoor grow lights.

Vegetative Stage

The plants are now in a pot, and the roots and leaves are developing rapidly. The vegetative stage could take between one and four months. The plants need at least six hours of direct sunlight or 18 hours of indoor grow lights.

Take care to increase the water supply as the cannabis plants grow.

Flowering Stage

The flowering stage takes between eight and eleven weeks. The flowering phase needs six hours of direct sunlight or 12 for indoor plants. Grow lights could be used for indoor plants.

You can induce flowering by reducing the hours marijuana plants are exposed to light.

Flowering Cycle of Cannabis Plant

The flowering cycle is composed of three flowering stages:

1. Flower initiation, where pre-flowers develop in the female plants.
2. Mid-flowering is where plant growth ceases, and buds increase in size. Then, finally, the female marijuana plants produce buds.
3. Later flowering stage, where the trichome grows and the plants start to be sticky. Watch out for harvest time by noting the colour of the pistils.
   Trellising and scrogging may be necessary to get quality buds.

Cutting Your Cannabis Plants

You can prune your cannabis plants during the vegetative stage. It allows the plant to give you the maximum yield. In addition, pruning augments the plants’ growth.

Pruning should begin from the lower branches of the plants.

Drying and Curing Weed

Dry trimming entails letting your marijuana plant dry and then trimming the buds. Wet trimming involves trimming the buds before the plant dries and letting them dry.

After trimming and drying the buds, they are transferred to airtight containers to go through the curing process, where the buds stop losing more moisture and get their flavour.

Storing Weed

Keep cannabis out of reach of children and pets. Store the cannabis in locked containers to prevent accidental use. Consider using safes and lockable cabinets.

Take special precautions with edible cannabis that could be mistaken for typical food. For example, weed gummies look like any regular gummy candy like Zuzili gummies. Therefore, weed edibles should be kept where other cannabis products are stored.

 

Conclusion

Growing cannabis is straightforward and does not require specialized knowledge. However, ensure you have the necessary supplies to grow weed and process it after harvesting. Following the appropriate storage guidelines is essential to avoid getting in trouble with authorities.

If you want to skip the entire growing process, you can buy weed in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Halifax, and any other city in Canada from your choice of cannabis dispensaries.

 

References

1. Alberta, Canada. (2020, July 14). Cannabis legalization in Canada. Government of Alberta | Alberta.ca. https://www.alberta.ca/cannabis-legalization-in-canada.aspx#
2. Cannabis Ontario. (2022, October 17). Find the best cannabis in Ontario. Available at: https://cannabisontario.net/
3. Burgel, L., Hartung, J., & Graeff-Hönninger, S. (2020). Impact of different growing substrates on growth, yield and cannabinoid content of two cannabis sativa L. Genotypes in a pot culture. Horticulturae, 6(4), 62. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae6040062
4. Highest Farmacy. (2022, October 17). Local Weed Delivery in Toronto, Ontario. Available at: https://highestfarmacy.com/weed-delivery-toronto/
5. Government of Canada. (2022, May 11). Growing cannabis at home safely. canada.ca. https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-medication/cannabis/personal-use/growing-cannabis-home-safely.html#
6. Zuzili. (2022, October 17). Buy Zuzili Gummies and Pills Online. Available at: https://zuzili.com
7. Malík, M., Velechovský, J., & Tlustoš, P. (2021). The overview of existing knowledge on medical cannabis plants growing. Plant, Soil and Environment, 67(8), 425-442. https://doi.org/10.17221/96/2021-pse