Growing cannabis easy if you have the right gear
Owner of garden supply store lays out what you need to nurture four plants
When federal legalization comes Oct. 17, adults in most provinces will be allowed to grow up to four cannabis plants per residence for personal use.
Justin Cooper, the owner of Pacific Northwest Garden Supply, expects some of them to come to one of his eight stores in B.C. for a grow setup.
Cooper, 45, has been running his hydroponics and garden supply business for 25 years, since the boom of “B.C. Bud” in the early ’90s.
While his clients tend to be largescale producers — some operating with federal medical-access licences and some licensed producers — he anticipates increased interest in home-grow following legalization from Canadians seeking to yield a pound every few months or at least pick up a new hobby.
“There’s a barrier to entry for people cultivating, there’s a fear associated with, ‘Oh, I don’t know what I’m doing,’ ” Cooper said.
“Really — and I might sound very self-serving here — growing weed indoors is one of the most fun things you can do. I’m not kidding.”
Once Canadians have acquired their licensed seeds or seedlings from a vendor approved in their province (in B.C., the liquor distribution branch will sell seeds), they will need to set aside a grow room, space or self-contained unit such as a grow tent.
Here’s some recommendations from Cooper for a simple starter kit:
CONTAINERS
Cannabis will grow in terra cotta pots from the local hardware store, though first-time growers can buy systems which use gravity to automatically distribute fresh nutrient solution to 15-litre pots. These systems run about $200.
MEDIUM
Growers should start with a simple peat-perlite or coconut coir medium in which to grow their four plants. Bags of these run $25 to $30 and are enough to cover at least four plants.
NUTRIENTS
Many beginners go with the $60 “2 Part Dual Fuel Kit” that contains six 500-mL bottles, including two fertilizer mixes, a flavour and aroma enhancer, a carbohydrate, a propagation solution and a bloom formulation. It comes with a feeding schedule and contains everything needed to take four plants all the way to the last weeks of flowering.
LIGHT
To simulate natural sunlight, light-emitting diode and ceramic metal halide rigs are best for beginners. This is the most expensive part of a home-grow kit, with ceramic systems running $500 and up, and quality LED systems starting at $1,000. High-pressure sodium lights can be found for much cheaper but emit plenty of heat, which can become a safety hazard. Growers should be wary of cheaper lights found on auction websites, which can arrive faulty and come with no warranty.
FAN
A small, $25 clip-on fan works wonders for heat and humidity control. As well, the constant movement helps the plants’ stalks grow stronger.
FILTER
Canadians like to think of themselves as good neighbours and an activated carbon filter is a good way to maintain that reputation while growing cannabis. A fan and filter rig should cost about $250 and keep the dank, sweet smell from the plants at bay.
Novice growers should pick up a book to help them learn how to use their gear. The Grower’s Handbook: Teachings of the Garden Sage by David Robinson is Cooper and his staff ’s favourite. Grow-room glasses ($70-$200) which protect the eyes from intense grow lights, are also a good idea.
Coming next: A cannabis expert describes the process of raising a cannabis seed into a healthy plant