For many, gardening is a kind of zen activity with myriad benefits. And even if you don't have a green thumb, it's easier now than it ever has been — thanks to products that simplify the process, like grow kits and automatic watering systems. Turns out, that extends to growing your own cannabis, too. In fact, with its ever-increasing legality, now is one of the best times to try your hand at cultivating your own weed.
As long as you're ready and willing to learn how to grow your own pot plants, the process isn't as complicated or unapproachable as you might think. However, if you need more of a nudge to convince you to conjure up your own crop, that's why we're here. From cost-effectiveness to self-education, sharing with friends and family to creating your own unique blends, and more, these are the seven reasons you should grow your own cannabis.
It Can Be a Lot More Economical in the Long Run
The initial investment for growing a pot plant can be as much or as little as you want (though success will vary). Just keep in mind: if you start growing without the right equipment, you might run into some issues. While you could easily spend thousands of dollars on your setup, our guide to growing your first weed plant offers up a collection of equipment that'll run you under $500, which is a much more reasonable amount to spend on your first go — although you could probably get away with spending even less.
For instance, Surna (a cultivation technology brand that specializes in building grow houses) says it costs about $325-$650 per square foot to start. Granted, these are commercial estimates where brands would be building full facilities, but the data remains relevant. Similarly, Leafly (one of the most trusted online brands related to cannabis — specializing in connecting customers with growers and dispensaries, providing a legal online space to shop for weed-related gear and products, and offering up a wealth of cannabis educational tools) has a handy breakdown showing an average cost of under $2,ooo for a non-commercial 6' x 6' grow space.
While that might seem like a fair chunk of change at the offset (and I still think you could jerry-rig a grow space for around $200-$300 or less to start with just a plant or two, although your plants might not be the most productive with a bottom-barrel setup), it's really the long-term economic benefits you're looking at here. Take California, for example: According to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, cannabis had a markup rate of 75 percent — meaning the increase in price from wholesale to retail — in 2022. While it's not a 1:1 comparison (you still have to invest time and money into the care of your plants, and you won't see the same kind of savings as growers operating at a large scale), you could be saving at least 75 percent of the money you'd normally spending at a dispensary (as wholesale prices are dictated by the total cost of cultivation and growers still generally turn a profit).
What's really eye-opening, however, is when you see the costs versus the savings of buying versus growing. Goldleaf, an online publication specializing in peer-reviewed cannabis research, breaks it down like this: "A heavy cannabis user will spend nearly $20,000 at dispensaries in [five] years," while a grower consuming the same amount will only spend $3100 across that same span of time. That's a difference of nearly $16,000.
To break it down in more manageable terms, a crop of weed that would cost you $100 at a dispensary should only cost you around $25 (or less) to grow yourself (not necessarily including the initial grow house investment, but that will be offset over time by the savings, too). Yes, that's not exacting math (and I may be fudging the numbers a bit), but the point remains: It's cheaper to grow on your own than regularly buy at a dispensary.
If You Have Favorite Strains, You Can Make Sure They're Always Available
There was a time, not so long ago, when the weed you smoked was the weed you could get. But the increasing legality (and, by proxy, availability) has opened up a brand new world, one in which you might actually grow fond of a particular strain (and there are a lot of really great weed strains). But, the opening up of the market also means you're going to be faced with competition in the form of other consumers. As I can tell you firsthand, some of your favorite weed products will sell out at some time or another (Smokiez makes some of my favorite edibles, but they're often hard to come by because they sell out a lot).
If you grow your own weed, however, you don't have to worry about that as much — at least when it comes to raw flower. That's the beauty of plants: you can grow one, use its seeds to grow another, and keep that cycle going virtually ad infinitum. This way, if there are widespread shortages at dispensaries — as was recently the case in Missouri, and there were fears of it in Maryland — you won't be affected (as much).
You Can Make Your Own Unique Blends
Are you a fan of making cocktails? Does the idea of mixology entice you? Well, there's no reason you can't do that with your cannabis, as well. Take a little bit of one plant, mix it together with another, and see what happens. You might just discover a blend that's perfect for you (or certain occasions, activities, etc.).
If you grow your own cannabis plants, you're free to do with them what you so choose (within the legal limits of the law, of course), including mixing bits of all of them together (like you might have with fountain drinks as a kid). Granted, you can do this with dispensary-bought cannabis, too, but this way is a much more manageable investment. Item Nine Labs has a handy guide on how to do this, why you should, and the benefits therein.
You Can Share with Friends and Family
If you get pretty good at growing (or very lucky, whichever comes first), you might actually end up with more flower than you can consume — yes, cannabis does have an expiration date (around 18 months total, but as little as six before losing potency). If you find yourself in the unique position of having a surplus, you might want to share the wealth with your friends, family and others in your orbit.
Just make sure, before you do it, that you're familiar with the legalities of doing so in your place of residence. For instance, New York State regulators say you're allowed to give weed as a gift to anyone over the age of 21, so long as you're not trading it for other goods or services. Connecticut has similar rules, as does California. Don't bend those rules, however, or there may be serious consequences; New York, for instance, classifies "intent to sell a controlled substance" as a Class D felony, which can cost you up to 2.5 years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine.
You'll Gain a Better Understanding of the Cannabis Plant (and Other Plants)
One of the best ways to learn about something is to immerse yourself in it. Want to learn a new language? Surround yourself with people who speak it, and you might pick it up more quickly. Want to learn how to play guitar? Practice playing one regularly. Want to learn more about cannabis? Grow your own plant.
Actually cultivating a weed plant yourself will help you better understand everything about the plant, including the parts of the plant — e.g. its pistil, cola, trichomes, etc. — what it takes to craft a good batch of smokable nugs, and perhaps even nudge you toward figuring out what you can do with parts that might otherwise be wasted. In fact, it may actually help you acquire and nurture a love of gardening in general. Maybe you'll even start growing your own vegetables or at least keep those houseplants alive for longer.
Exercise More Control Over Your Exposure to Chemicals
As is the case with just about all consumer goods, you can never be absolutely certain what goes into your weed. Even growers who claim full transparency could be fudging the numbers a bit. This academic study published in 2019, in fact, found that pesticides used during cannabis cultivation were "common" and that "high levels of the pesticides are transferred into the cannabis smoke." Unfortunately, there are also a lot of potential health risks that come with human exposure to pesticides, including things as seemingly benign as skin or eye irritation to those much more serious, like cancer and nervous system damage.
Granted (and not to be alarmist), those risks are probably extreme cases, but you can still curb your exposure greatly by growing your own cannabis. This is because the weed you grow on your own will only have the chemicals in and on it that you put there. So unless you're hosing down your plants with pesticides and other chemicals, you're cutting that risk almost entirely by growing on your own.
Because You Can (and It Isn't That Hard)
You don't even really need any of these other reasons. Curiosity is reason enough. So long as it's legal to do so in the place where you live, growing your own cannabis plant can be as simple as just wanting to give it a shot. Even if you fail, you'll still acquire valuable, useful knowledge that will help you make choices in your shopping and smoking habits down the line.
Just make sure you're not going in completely blind — if you want your plant to survive to harvest time, that is. Find a reputable source that can nudge you in the right direction (we've got a growing guide right here to get you started), and have at it! Worst case scenario, you're out a few bucks. Best case: you've got a hefty, healthy crop that will pay dividends in some way or another. Who knows, you might even have a new hobby to keep you busy (and knee-deep in good bud).
