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Is growing weed worth it

Is Growing Weed Worth It? Let's Find Out!

You're here because there's a shortage in your area, and you've had enough. Perhaps your state just legalized marijuana, and you're asking yourself, is growing weed worth it? Spoiler alert: it is, and today, you'll find out why.

Cultivating weed is so much cheaper than buying pre-trimmed buds. You don't have to deal with dealers, and you get guaranteed quality. There are many more reasons to grow weed and few not to, and we are here to run through them all.

Let's dig deep to help you answer the all-important question, should I grow weed at home?

Potted weed indoors
Potted weed indoors

Can you legally grow your own weed?

Farming marijuana is big business but is still technically illegal. The federal government currently considers THC a schedule 1 drug alongside heroin.

Many states are becoming more progressive by taking the smart approach of legalizing, taxing, and regulating cannabis. If you live in one of those areas, this one question follows: is it worth it to grow your own weed now that you can? 

These are the states where you can legally grow weed for recreational or medical use in the US:

  • Alaska
  • Arizona
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Hawaii
  • Illinois
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nevada
  • New Hampshire
  • New Mexico
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont
  • Washington

The cannabis industry is highly regulated in these areas, and with restrictions strictly in place. Most local governments limit the number of plants an individual can grow at any time. There are nuances of what you're allowed to do in each state, so do your diligence.

Is growing weed worth it?

Cultivating cannabis is rewarding in multiple ways. Many states are making it legal, too, getting residents to wonder, is growing weed worth it?

Here are the most compelling reasons you should cultivate cannabis instead of relying on dispensaries.

You get more cannabis

Don't buy your supply from somewhere else when you can get lots of weed for less by cultivating at home. This factor alone carries the most weight for people asking, is it worth it to grow your own weed?

Most states have a limit of 6 flowering plants at any one time for an individual, which is more than enough to last you throughout the winter after your harvest.

Multiple buds of weed
Multiple buds of weed

Because you can

Should I grow weed? We believe that you should cultivate cannabis if you can. It's an amazing time right now if you're in a legal state, so don't take this opportunity for granted.

Costs less over time

Successive growing cycles amortize the costs of growing cannabis. It's okay to stumble on your first grow, but don't get discouraged. Veteran cultivators even recommend early misfortune as a rite of passage for new growers, who learn to avoid similar problems in future grows.

The more you grow, the more you gain. Medical marijuana patients should especially cultivate weed, considering the exorbitant prices they pay for their meds.

It's easy

Should I grow weed? Is it difficult? What are the chances of success? These are all important questions of first-time growers. In reality, it's as simple as gardening gets. With little intervention, mother nature does most of the work, and you only nudge it in the right direction.

Veteran cultivators reckon nurturing marijuana is similar to tomatoes—not the most complicated thing to do. It's even more straightforward when you get strains suited for beginner growers. They're more forgiving, only requiring rudimentary gardening skills.

Quality control

You don't really know what you're putting in your body when you get weed from dispensaries. Maybe the supplier used chemicals or pesticides that are not ideal, or the buds did not cure properly. You can only tell after your purchase.

On the other hand, at-home cultivation puts everything under your control. Having options pushes the needle as you weigh growing your own weed vs. buying.

Variety

The growing your own weed vs. buying debate is a question of variety, too. You may crave a strain that works for you but is not accessible in your area—it happens to most of us. That's an easy barrier to cross when you purchase from seed banks and cultivate at home.

Maybe you're looking for a specific attribute on a particular strain, like its taste, aroma, THC, or CBD content. Or you're seeking something trendy. Whatever you want, we've got you, but your local dispensary might not.

Convenience

Is growing weed worth it? Think of all the time you spend going to dispensaries when you can grow even better at home.

Your caregiver or dispensary could be so far away. Most people don't live where they can access all the strains they love, making the choice of growing your own weed vs. buying pretty obvious.

A great hobby to pick up

Gardening isn't everybody's cup of tea, but many people feel like it's an outlet for stress relief as well as something fun and productive to do with your time.

People with prior gardening experience find it easy to grow cannabis. Those without consider it pretty easy to pick up, too. Either way, the fruits of your labor make it well worth the effort, and you might end up falling in love with the process.

You're helping the situation

Many legal states are reaping the rewards of fewer mass incarcerations after decriminalizing cannabis. Is it worth it to grow your own weed? For the right cause, it is.

No one can deny a black market for marijuana exists, but that niche is becoming smaller by the day in the states where growing is legal. People no longer have to buy from shady dealers when their gardens provide everything they want and need.

Marijuana seedling
Marijuana seedling

Growing your own weed vs. buying: pros and cons

Growing weed doesn't have to be complicated. Read, learn, observe, and deal with some failures. Treat growing weed like any new skill, and you'll master it with time. These rules only apply if you decide to make the first step, though.

You first have to ask yourself, is it worth it to grow your own weed, or should you buy it from a dispensary? Here's why you'd opt for the latter option.

Confusing laws

The cannabis industry is growing at an unprecedented rate, and governments are struggling to catch up with regulations. This mudiness translates to your situation as an aspiring cultivator.

There's usually a ton of documentation to fill if you want to grow commercially and a lottery system to win bids. It's a huge undertaking for any potential entrepreneur wondering, should I grow weed?

Just because growing for personal use is legal in your area doesn't mean you can't get in trouble, either. A landlord, state, county, or municipality may not let you cultivate without a license, and even then, you have to think about crop numbers and other specifics.

Learning curve

Cultivating cannabis needs you to be informed on many subjects, making you wonder, is it worth it to grow your own weed? There's a lot to learn to grow like a pro, from nutrients to lighting, watering, training, and strain selection.

Labor-intensive

Busy people considering growing your own weed vs. buying should keep this factor in mind. You'll need to invest a significant amount of time in your garden. For example, trimming is best done manually and it gets time-consuming, as do many other cultivation tasks.

Initial cost

You'll spend lots of money for your first indoor grow setup. The good news is that your first harvest alone should cover that. You get an incredible return on investment, but not everybody can afford it.

It's a gamble

Are you willing to stick your neck out by growing your own weed vs. buying? What if the results don't match the description? There are many variables to consider, and you'll usually get a phenotype different from what your dispensary sells unless you're growing clones.

Getting similar results every time is also difficult if you haven't dialed in all the gardening conditions of a farmer you're trying to emulate.

In the end, is growing your own weed worth it? Yes, but it's up to you to decide whether it suits your situation. 

Here's a summary of the pros and cons of cultivating your own cannabis plant.

Pros

Cons

You get lots of cannabis for a lower price.

Stringent and confusing laws: conform to the regulations in your region.

Cultivate because you can—a privilege many don't have.

Learning curve: back to agriculture school.

It's easy: just like growing tomatoes.

Labor-intensive but worth it with backing.

Quality control: you get what you want

High initial cost, but you'll quickly forget about that.

Variety: The sky's the limit on strains an indoor grower can cultivate.

It's a gamble the first couple of times.

Convenient: No fuss or fight.

 

A great hobby to pick up.

You're running the bad guys out of business.

Marijuana on the balcony
Marijuana on the balcony

Of all the plants, marijuana leads

What a time to be alive. You're now asking yourself, is growing weed worth it instead of could I even do it? Global news is even teaching people how to cultivate pot!

The pros outweigh the cons, and the time is ripe. Remember the following as you plan your cannabis garden:

  • Abide by the nuances of cultivating cannabis laws in your region. 
  • Refrain from spreading the word of your plant to avoid unsolicited attention.
  • Always buy marijuana seeds from Homegrown Cannabis Co., where we stock over 400 top-quality, verifiable marijuana seeds, including strains that are great for beginners.

We have tons of educational resources from legends like Kyle Kushman to help you. You'll learn how to foster the healthiest marijuana plant and turn your delectable buds into edibles, tinctures, hash, or whatever else your heart desires.


About the author: Parker Curtis

Parker Curtis has around a decade of cannabis-growing experience, specialising in soil-less and hydro grows. He’s mastering outdoor, greenhouse, and indoor grows.

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