How Much Does It Cost to Grow Marijuana?
Because of the strong demand for marijuana products, most consumers try their hand on growing their own supply. And most of the most common questions that beginner growers ask is how much does it cost to grow cannabis at home? Can you grow marijuana on a budget? We will answer these questions according to the different ways to grow marijuana at home.
There are many ways to grow cannabis at home and this may vary depending on different factors:
- The amount of space you have in your home – a larger setup will cost more
- Your budget – if you have an unlimited budget then you can go for the best growing equipment in the market!
- Your expertise in growing cannabis – it’s going to cost more if you’re new. Cannabis growing is not learned in a day. Most successful growers use a trial and error method to perfect their skills and this costs more.
- The number of plants you are allowed to grow – growing only one, two or three plants is not as expensive as cultivating five or more.
Basic growing needs
The amount of space that you have in your home which you will use to grow cannabis will affect the cost of growing the plants. If you can only afford a small cabinet or a growing tent then you may expect to pay less. Growing cabinets and tents may be purchased online with complete accessories or just the tent or cabinet only.
When you buy a complete growing tent, expect to pay around $150 to $200 for a set. Don’t worry about the cost because the tent includes growing lights, reflectors, fans, and pots. You may also find growing tents with growing soil and nutrients included. You only need to add your plants. A simple tent costs less at around $100, maybe even cheaper depending on the type of material used.
The price you pay for a growing tent may vary depending on the size of the tent. Larger tents that can accommodate 6 mature plants can cost more while a smaller tent which can only take 2 plants is the most affordable. The latter is best for a grower who’s growing cannabis for the first time.
Meanwhile, you can do without growing tents and make your own growing area. However, we recommend buying a complete set because making your own may cost more. This is why.
Growing tent sets come with complete accessories BUT these are mostly the very basic type of accessories for lighting, fans and tent material. A first-time cannabis grower might settle for this simple, generic setup but a seasoned grower might think of tweaking his setup. This is going to make it more expensive in the long run.
So if you think that making your own growing set up is better and you have an unlimited budget, we recommend the following:
- LED lighting with multiple color combinations at 1000 to 1200W for maximum coverage
- 2 large USB exhaust fans
- Mylar reflector sheets, or better
- Large pots with holes
- Dehumidifier
- Digital thermometer and hygrometer
You can purchase these growing equipment from local stores or online shops. Usually, gardening supplies will have everything you need.
Nutrients and supplements
Your cannabis plants will grow better and will have improved chances of growing healthy and strong when you give them the best nutrients and supplements. Basic supplements and fertilizer mixes are available in most gardening stores. But if you want nutrients specifically made for cannabis, you can find these from specialty shops.
The price varies depending on the manufacturer, the formulation and the size of the container or pack. High-end products may cost more while products made locally are typically more affordable.
You might think of making your own compost or fertilizer to augment the cost of growing cannabis but we advise against this especially if you are new to cannabis growing. Homemade fertilizer mixes may not be accurately formulated to provide the nutrients that your plants need. You might end up ruining your plants and your investment! Commercially-prepared mixes will cost more but are accurately made to prevent costly mistakes.
Soil and growing medium
Different soil mixes are available in most garden shops. Cannabis love growing in sandy –clayey soil because this provides better water and nutrient absorption and drainage. This type of soil also helps oxygen reach the roots better and this improves plant health.
Sandy –clayey soil preparations are available from local and online garden shops. Products that can also augment soil health are also available but it’s up to you if you want to use these.
Growing containers
Pots and other types of growing containers may be purchased almost anywhere. You can choose from basic clay pots to fabric pots. These are very affordable and you can buy these in bulk too if you want to grow more plants.
Cannabis seeds or cuttings
Cannabis seeds and cuttings are available in local or online seed banks. If cannabis growing is permitted in your area or state then you may have no problem purchasing these. It would also be more affordable from where you are since it’s legal to buy supplies.
But if it is illegal to buy, grow and use cannabis in your country or state, expect prices to soar. Also regular or photoperiod seeds are the cheapest types of seeds to buy in most seed banks.
The most expensive types of seeds are feminized seeds, autoflowering seeds, and autoflowering feminized seeds. You can also expect to pay more for landrace seeds. But the price of buying seeds may be augmented by using promo codes, special deals and discount offers.
Usually, local and online seed banks offer free seeds for a certain amount of purchase or every purchase. You may also qualify for free delivery or shipment offers if your purchases reach a certain amount.
You may also buy seeds and supplies during certain times of the year to get more discounts and deals. It is often cheaper to buy supplies during 420 or April 20 and during the holidays.
