Growing Tips ►
R eady , S et
by Jason Mispagel , contributing writer
et ─ GROW !
You may find growing giant plants to be your new favorite hobby .
Jason Mispagel is the co-owner and operator of Year-Round Garden , a grower ’ s supply center serving both home and commercial customers since 2016 . His extensive growing experience in hydroponics and soil dates to the early days of legalization in Colorado , where he served as one of the state ’ s early caregivers . Year-Round Garden . 1225 W 103rd St , Kansas City , MO . 816.216.6917 – FB : yrroundgarden ● IG : @ yrroundgarden
32 January 2023
As more and more people around the country gain the freedom to grow their own cannabis without fear of legal repercussions , it seems like the perfect time to revisit a “ getting started ” article . Even if you ’ ve never grown a plant ( of any kind ), cultivating cannabis for personal use is absolutely within your capacity . In fact , you may very well find it to be your new favorite hobby . Beyond the enjoyment factor that comes from consuming the fruits of your labor , there ’ s also a comfort in knowing every detail about its production .
While marijuana sold through dispensaries is certainly subject to extensive and highly regulated laboratory testing , there ’ s a different level of confidence in having raised the plant on your own from seed ( or clone ) to harvest . I ’ m in no way suggesting dispensaries don ’ t have an important role in the cannabis community . They do . A comparison could be made to buying produce at the grocery store . Although you tend your own vegetable garden , you may need to supplement with food from the store , or there may be a variety you want to eat but wasn ’ t one you planted . Additionally , you may value clean growing methods , so you shop in the organic aisle . You trust that the food meets the standards you find important , but there ’ s no way to be absolutely sure unless you grew it yourself .
That ’ s where the home grow becomes so appealing . Whether your goal is to supplement your dispensary purchases or replace them entirely , gaining control over inputs such as soil , fertilizers , and pesticides provides peace of mind in the product you ’ re consuming . For this article , though , we ’ re going to outline a simple strategy for the novice grower to experience immediate success while also highlighting the basic principles of cannabis horticulture . This is not an all-encompassing “ grower ’ s bible ,” but rather one specific example of how to grow your own .
So , how does one begin growing their own cannabis ? It starts with acquiring seeds or cloned plants , whether from a friend , a reputable seed dealer , a grow shop , or a dispensary . If you ’ re starting from seeds , see our write-up from the August 2022 edition of The EVOLUTION Magazine titled “ A Propagation Primer — It Starts with Seeds ” for details on how to germinate them effectively . As a firsttime grower , it ’ s important to note that only female plants will produce cannabinoid and terpene-rich buds . So , you ’ ll want to be sure you ’ ve either purchased feminized seeds , have female clones , or are aware of how to determine the gender of plants grown from “ regular ” seeds . Check out “ Cannabis Plants , What Plant is Male , Female , and Hermaphrodite ” from the August 2020 edition for an explanation on gender determination .
Once your seed has sprouted or you ’ re in possession of a clone , it ’ s time to prepare the environment to house your plant throughout its lifecycle .