Should You Grow Your Own Weed or Buy It? | Growing

The legal, recreational cannabis community is about as diverse as it gets when it comes to customer demographics. Whether you're young or old, sick or well, or are just looking to take the edge off after a long day at work without having to worry about breaking the law, the wonderful options available at your local dispensary will be able to get you right.

Due to that incredible variety of options, however, finding exactly what you want or need when it comes to either medical or recreational cannabis can be a little bit complicated. That's where home growing comes in!

This article is going to break down the why and how to grow your own weed, exactly how much growing your own marijuana costs in the long-term and gives you a firm idea of whether it's cheaper and smarter to just head to your local dispensary nearby the next time you're considering buying weed.

Let's start by breaking down some of the costs associated with growing cannabis at home.

Cannabis Home Growing Costs

If you live in a state where home growing is legal, either for medical or recreational use, there are some initial costs you'll need to swallow to get your plants started. First and foremost, you'll need to get the seeds themselves.

While this might not seem like a crazy difficult task on the surface, the reality of the situation is much, much different. Getting quality seeds with good genetics will make a world of difference when it comes to growing your own marijuana. It's not as easy as just looking at a list of strains, picking your favorite, and throwing it into some potting soil. You'll need to make a hefty initial investment into the seeds themselves, then grab some top-quality soil, fertilizer, lighting and heating fixtures, irrigation and watering technologies, etc.

So exactly how much is it to grow weed? Well, that depends on the type of investment you're looking to make. To get top-quality homegrown cannabis crops, you'll need to splash the cash on getting top-notch equipment to supplement it. Generally, this equipment will cost most folks a few thousand dollars.

Pros of Homegrowing

As long as you have the money and time it takes to properly care for and invest in your plants, there are plenty of pros associated with growing your own weed.

Firstly, you'll be able to control what pesticides are used on your plants. After all, you'll be the farmer who can make their own choice about what does or doesn't go into their plants. On top of that, you'll get higher yields from homegrown plants. If you're a fan of quantity when it comes to cannabis, home growing is an option to consider. You'll be able to take in and enjoy every bit of the cannabis you grow instead of the dispensary-mandated portions. While the initial investment might be high, the cost of growing marijuana will likely even out in time based on the high amount of yield you'll receive.

Cons of Homegrowing

Like most things in life, there are some clear cons to consider before you make the full leap into the growing world that might make someone question if growing marijuana is worth it compared to buying it from a dispensary near me.

Firstly, the initial costs are high. Most people don't have thousands of dollars laying around to buy top-notch soils, fertilizers, watering systems and other necessary equipment you'll need to successfully grow at home. Another factor to consider is space. If you don't in a state like California that has favorable conditions for growing outside, you'll need the space inside to set up a grow room. Not everyone has that type of spare space in their living spaces. Plus, the process of growing cannabis at home can be both smelly and time-consuming. You'll need to take precautions to contain the smell of your homegrown plants and set the time needed aside to care for them properly.

Dispensary Costs

On the other side of the coin, let's explore some of the costs associated with heading to a dispensary nearby to pick up some cannabis. If you live in a recreationally legal state, your only costs will be the prices you pay for the products themselves. If we're talking about a medical dispensary, things get a little bit more complicated. First, you'll need to spend that money getting a medical cannabis card of your own. Usually a few hundred to be seen by a licensed cannabis doctor, then a few hundred more to the state for the card itself. Once you have the card, the only costs to consider going forward are the prices for the products you're interested in and renewing your medical card when necessary.

Pros of the Dispensary

Just like any other service industry thing, the price of labor and convenience is factored into the price of the product. For example, if you opt for an ounce of dispensary-bought cannabis flower over homegrown, the costs of someone else growing, drying and packaging that cannabis is baked into the price you pay. In essence, you're paying for the convenience of not having to do that yourself. With dispensaries, it's as simple as grab-and-go. Another pro to consider is that the dispensary has a massive array of different products. Whether it's concentrates, edibles, pre-rolls, or just some RSO, they have many different forms of cannabis products ready and waiting for customers. If you opted for home growing, you would have to take the time, effort and costs along with that. Sometimes, it's just easier to buy some vapable THC-infused oil than it is to make it yourself.

Cons of Dispensary Bought Cannabis

Buying cannabis from the dispensary is just like eating out at a restaurant. While you likely could have stayed home and cooked something healthier, nearly as good, and controlled exactly what went into it, sometimes it's just easier to pay someone else to do all of that for you.

For those who have serious concerns about pesticides and other chemicals going into their cannabis, buying from the dispensary compared to home growing is likely a tough sell. On top of that, the costs of buying medical cannabis products in states without mature legal markets like California, Colorado, Oregon or Washington are often sky-high. Medical cannabis growers know they are people's only source of legal cannabis and often charge more money for lower-quality products simply because they can.

The Bottom Line

For those looking for more control over their cannabis, those who have spare space, and those who are looking for a more refined cannabis experience and live in states that allow for home growing, growing their own marijuana is a great option for them.

For those looking for simplicity in purchasing and consuming their cannabis products, the convenience of not having to grow and care for the plants themselves, and those without the spare living space to set up a greenhouse or grow room, buying from the dispensary is likely the way to go. At the end of the day, it's all about figuring out what's best for you and your lifestyle in the long run.

Have you tried growing your own cannabis at home or do you prefer store-bought? Share with us in the comments below!