As more states approve the grow, sale, and possession of cannabis, there’s more attention being paid to the grow. The media is full of advice on soils, seed, and systems to grow.

There’s a bit of a split here between advice to and by professional producers and to and by amateurs. I’ll leave the pro advice to the professional farmers. But, indications are that more folks are growing their weed at home.

Growing your own cannabis is not like raising geraniums. It takes the information, supplies, and skill you might associate with raising orchids or African violets. “Growing” cannabis requires knowledge of breeding, carefully selected soils and nutrition, and lots of patience.

Another difficulty is trying to address those who are satisfied with raising one or two plants and those who have defined grow rooms where they develop a crop of ten or more plants. But, if you’re thinking of growing your own, it makes sense to put things in context.

9 reasons why it is time to grow your own:

1. Money savings: If you’ve been shopping at legal dispensaries, you must have felt some sticker shock. The taxes laid on the product to satisfy the state’s concerns have amped up the price. And, if you’ve relied on your neighborhood in the past, you must be surprised by what they’re getting for a “dime bag” these days.

Whether you use a little or a lot, you can save money by growing your own. Even if you have some startup cost, it should pay off. And, if the price is not your motive, you may want to ensure quality, organic production, and personal taste. Growing becomes a rewarding hobby for many who become experts in cultivation, harvesting, and curing product for themselves—and maybe a small group of friends.

2. Perfect favorite strains: Users get into home growing to cultivate their favored strains. If you find a strain you really like or one that treats your medical problems, you might find bargains in raising your own. If you weigh the cost of raising the stash you need against the store price, it should make sense to grow your own.

You can select the seeds you want from the buyer you trust and develop the plants you favor. With enough experience, you can grow several strains at the same time, and you might even learn to breed.

3. Quality control: When you buy from a neighborhood dealer, you have no idea where it came from and how it was raised. If you buy from a dispensary, you are trusting the vendors’ claims on growing conditions.

But, one problem with the products coming from agribusiness farms is that they are flattening the product, homogenizing it with large production methods. Growing your own guarantees your full control over quality and purity. It allows you to manage irrigation, heat, light, pesticides, and nutrition.

4. Make it better: Raising your own cannabis lets you play with the product. You can experiment with fertilizers, soil ingredients, and pesticides and their effect on your strains. It might allow you to enhance potency or harvest at the peak of the season.

You might go for plumper nugs, richer trichomes, and fuller harvests. It could develop or increase your passionate interest in the hobby, and you might stumble on something you really like.

5. Easier than you think: There are more tools and equipment available at reasonable prices. They make growing you own more fun and cheaper than you think. You can buy portable grow rooms, automated irrigation systems, and specialized lighting and humidity controls without spending a fortune.

There is more reliable information and advice online, more how to lessons, and more reviews of equipment. There are more packaged goods creating shortcuts for you. Manufacturers of soils, additives, and tools are building trust among shoppers and growers.

6. Learning process: Growing your own cannabis is a hands-on learning experience. Trial and error, success and failure will teach you more about the plant. Home growers find themselves drawn into the botany and biochemistry of cannabis.

It becomes interesting, fascinating and just plain fun to grow, manipulate, and perfect your own product. You might even join forums and conversations on farming with other novices like yourself.

7. Control your stash: If you grow your own, you control the stash you want or need. Growing it, curing it, and storing it, you can master a revolving inventory with just enough of various strains for your regular and future needs.

In fact, you may be inclined to overproduce at the start when all you need is enough fresh for your daily or occasional needs. While you can store cannabis well, you don’t want to stash more than you can use.

8. Use it all: When you grow your own cannabis, you have control of the entire plant. You have access to all the parts that you don’t find conveniently in dispensaries. You can gather the seeds, stems, leaves, and trim for use in other formats.

You’ll have everything you need for edible recipes, creating tinctures, producing oil, or processing as drinks. You have everything you need to prepare cannabis derivatives from teas to lotions to soaps.

9. Treat the ill: Growing your own allows you to pick plants that will serve your specific medical needs. You can choose the strains that ease anxiety and depression or those that reduce inflammation and spasticity.

Growing your own assures 100 percent quality control over the preparation of your medicinal cannabis. It lets you eliminate toxic pesticides and synthetic nutritional supplements.

It is Time to Grow Your Own Cannabis

An increasing number of states have legalized growing cannabis. Their legalization has extended you the right to grow cannabis (within some limitations in some states). It’s now you right to grow what you need for medical or recreational use. And, you’ll be joining more and more people doing the same.