There are things to know before you grow
Research has shown gardening is therapy and forest bathing brings harmony to our well-being. Anyone who has bitten into a vine-ripened cherry tomato; used their teeth to scrape fresh peas from the pod; clipped roses from the front yard, snipped herbs from the backyard trug…walked in a forest after a rain… well you get it, right? Drawing strength from nature is simply wonderful. Enjoying the harvest from a garden is simply wonderful. So arguably, growing Cannabis would be, simply wonderful. Unfortunately, homegrown Cannabis is not easily found, nor possible for everyone. There are jurisdictional regulations limiting people from growing Cannabis freely. Property owners may place limits on renters and those living in apartments or condos probably have agreements preventing them from growing even one plant let alone a garden. But if all the barriers are removed, and you are an individual who gains strength when socializing with plants, then starting a small Cannabis Garden is an intriguing wellness path worth exploring.
If you want to grow, there are things to know. Recreational growers can share their harvest, but selling it is illegal. As your flowers begin to ripen and depending on your ventilation, neighbours may complain about the smell, creating hassles gardeners simply do not need. You should factor in the cost of equipment and energy consumption, but these upfront costs eventually equal out after multiple harvests. There are also conflicting government policies preventing potential home growers from finding seeds or clones to start a garden. Within the fine print, many directives state a garden cannot be near daycares or schools. This is rather befuddling considering the raw Cannabis plant is less harmful than a potted Dieffenbachia which if eaten can cause fatal swelling of the upper airway; especially in children. It is important to review jurisdictional expectations, as many of the home growing Cannabis regulations are written by prejudicial authors who do not understand the plant.
There are difficulties to growing a garden. It requires work, time, specialized equipment, space, and knowledge. However, you can decrease the work, costs, and need for specialized equipment by growing outdoors, or simply placing one plant at a south facing window. Treat this plant as you would any other house plant but, like roses or orchids, you will need to gain specific knowledge to ensure you get the flowers you expect. After the harvest, sending your beautiful flower off to evaluate the terpenoid, flavonoid, and cannabinoid percentages is costly, which is why most home growers do not take this step. If you want to gain a deeper understanding of your harvest, especially those who are using it as medicine, ensure you budget to evaluate the cannabinoids and other compounds found in the plant you grew.
A substitute to homegrown is to buy locally grown substances from farmer’s markets or specialty shops. This is not possible with this misunderstood plant. It is perplexing, as tourism offices across the nation promote local breweries, wineries, cideries, and distilleries. Inviting tourists to sample these local craft industries is a curious paradox for those who understand the devastation alcohol has on communities--yet this does not happen within the Cannabis industry. In most jurisdictions, a farmer of Cannabis cannot sell their harvest directly, limiting the tourism dollars available to this budding industry. Currently, the system is such, those who are looking to taste fresh locally-sourced Cannabis legally, must grow it themselves.
The same sense of wellness gained from growing houseplants or harvesting a backyard garden happens with Cannabis. Buying Cannabis from a legal dispensary may have advantages however, there is a huge knowledge gap with knowing how your plant was handled before and especially after harvesting. We gain a better understanding of the final yield as we know the methods, fertilizers, pest control, and harvesting techniques used. Poorly handled, Cannabis loses a large amount of trichomes and will never age in plastic gracefully. Home growers are in control of every aspect of the grow and harvest. When properly trimmed, dried, cured, and stored, the Cannabis flower will age well in glass, as does a fine wine. Ultimately, a competent grower will know more about their harvest than any budtender will know about the commercial weed they are selling.
Manitoba is soon to enforce the Cannabis Act by allowing residents the opportunity to grow four recreational Cannabis plants indoors. Do not fear. Growing four indoor plants will not devalue your dwelling. Placing a plant in front of a window is not harming the children in your neighbourhood. If you live where it is allowed, this very remarkable plant, misjudged by many, grows well outside. If you like to grow tomatoes, peas, apples or herbs, add Cannabis to your gardening plans. It is not quite forest bathing, but a short stroll through your very own Cannabis Garden will bring you joy. And we all need more joy right now.
KN