First time growers are finding the cultivation of marijuana more difficult than they had previously thought. This will not come as a surprise to long time cannabis growers, who know that effective cannabis cultivation takes patience, expertise, and above all experience gained through time. The best cultivators will have had experience growing marijuana for years, while many “new kids” on the block think that they can jump right in to make a huge profit margins. In poker terms, these people might be known as fish. Cultivating top quality marijuana takes a lot of time and skill, as well as dedication and a passion for horticulture.
Business people who think they can step right in and produce premium grade marijuana on their first attempt are in for a rude awakening. Famers who have experience growing other crops might stand a chance, but it is not a smooth and easy transition and there is a learning curve. Some people might get crushed. And with regulations and quality control on the rise, it might get even more difficult to grow properly. Aside from simply generating a high yield there are regulations coming into play which will govern other considerations such as the environment, the smell, quality and efficiency of the whole growing operation.
First Legal Marijuana Season over
In Massachusetts, the first season for legal recreational marijuana growth is drawing to a close. And many recreational growers have experienced the shock that first time inexperienced medical growers felt, with less of a financial backlash. According to Cambridge resident Mary Beth DeGray said.:
I’m a little disappointed. I thought it was going to be a little easier…It really takes a while to get a product that’s smokable.”
The ultimate conclusion is that cannabis is complicated. There is an overwhelming number of items to take into consideration when cultivating your own recreational marijuana. First, you need to ensure that you have adequate space for your plants, bother vertically and horizontally. You need to make sure it is well ventilated and away from public view. You need to carefully research your own cannabis strain, as each has specific tendencies. You have to take electricity costs into account and give the plants appropriate light with your chosen method, 12 hours of light with 12 hours complete darkness in the flowering stage depending on the plant. You also have to get high quality seeds that are female.
Marijuana Complications
And this is just the beginning, before you have even planted a single seed. You need to take the PH of the soil and the nutrient feed into consideration, as well as watering frequency. It is a delicate balance between light, darkness, the PH of the soil, water and nutrients that has to be just right. And then there are other pests which have been known to destroy cannabis plants, such as mites, mold and mildew. And this is for the safest type of operation, indoors. If you want to grow outdoors and obtain maximum harvest then the learning curve is going to be even more steep. If this is a success then there is the curing, pruning and drying process. Many inexperienced growers who get to the final stage decide to store their product incorrectly, only for it to develop mold and go stale quickly. There is so much to growing marijuana, that the first couple of attempts may well not be a success. But like all businesses and all endeavors, the more times that you fail the more you will succeed. A possible alternative is simply to buy your own marijuana from experienced and well regarded vendors.
Many people are raving about the benefits of organic produce and marijuana is no exception. People want everything they consume to be 100% organic. The issue is that to grow marijuana 100% cleanly is incredibly expensive. However, this again depends on the skill of the grower. Some are able to produce high quality outdoor plants for $200. Others might spend up to $3000 on expensive indoor operations, with $150 a month spent on electricity. If you want to grow outdoors choose a strain of marijuana that is suitable to your climate at the very least.
ProVerdeLaboratories is an organization that tests marijuana up to an international standard, looking for pesticides, heavy metals, and residual solvents, and measuring potency levels.According to Christopher Hudalla, ProVerde Laboratories founder and chief scientific officer:
In order to grow very cleanly, it’s expensive…It’s very hard. “In general, the difference between the homegrown and commercial cannabis his company tests is minimal… Potency, as well as the amount of product, and how clean it is of contaminants depends on the growers’ level of expertise and how much the grower is trying to get out of a plant.”
Failure to Success
With time, the people who grow marijuana will learn what it takes. There was a certain amount of naiveite by some growers who thought it was as simple as growing geraniums. But there is a lot of thought and expertise involved. There can be a lot of fun in learning and mastering the process and selecting the strain that is right for you. The most important thing is to take the time and the effort to do the homework and start off small. Even with all the preparation in the world there is still a 50% or so chance that the plant will fail. Just figure out where you went wrong and start again. Without failure, there will be no success, but this does not mean that anyone has to be rash or impulsive. Give it the best shot possible and stick with it. And if all else fails just purchase your marijuana online.
