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As big producers duke it out over the multi-billion dollar recreational and medical cannabis markets ahead of legalization, some small businesses are turning their attention to amateur green thumbs who are showing unprecedented interest in the art of homegrown bud.

The federal government’s proposed legal regime, expected to be implemented in July, will let adults grow up to four cannabis plants per home, regardless of how many people live there. Among the hundreds of exhibitors at the Lift Cannabis Expo on Saturday were vendors pitching the DIY approach to getting from seed to smoke.

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“It’s not hard to grow at home,” said Daniel Ortega, retail coordinator for Pacific Northwest Garden Supply, which sells cannabis-growing equipment at eight locations in B.C. “Basically, what makes it hard is not having the proper advice.”

New home growers walk into Pacific Northwest’s stores eager to take up a hobby but unsure about where to start, so staff share knowledge passed down from small growers who have had years of successful crops, Ortega said. Many amateurs don’t know how crucial it is to ensure the proper pH balance and staff will help them find the right soil and nutrients for the job.