Seeding the Home Grow

The Seeds of Change

Arizona’s home grow laws open the door for hobbyists.

What would convince you to grow your cannabis at home? Research from New Frontier Data (NFD) found that of the 6% of cannabis consumers who grow at home, 32% grow to avoid pesticides. Nearly half (52%) do it for convenience and 46% grow at home because it’s cheaper than purchasing retail. With the passage of Proposition 207, Arizonans 21 and older can legally grow up to six plants at a time, or up to twelve if there’s another adult in the residence.

It’s an exciting time to be a home grower. For decades cannabis cultivation has been a whisper told in secret only to the closest of friends. Now, growers can discuss their techniques openly in public forums, on the internet, and in-person at one of the many cannabis expos held across the country. Arizona’s new laws allow home growers to plant their crop in any enclosed area of their property. As long as it’s locked away from minors and invisible to public view, it’s good to grow.

Often the biggest hurdle to starting one’s own grow is, well … starting it. Finding seeds can be a challenge in a new market like Arizona. Some dispensaries offer clones or seeds for public sale. Several websites will ship directly to customers. Landra De Loach, CEO of Rocket Seeds said she hopes to encourage home growers while supporting the cannabis industry. “Our goal is to support small breeders and farms across the globe,” De Loach said. “We are helping set a standard for small home grower needs while working to make sure the privilege of growing at home is not taken away.”

Many home growers are using the plant medicinally and require specific strains or varieties to treat their ailments. One difficulty when growing from seed is tracing the genetic lineage. To combat this issue, Rocket Seeds partners with Seed Tracker Technology to offer personalized QR codes to breeders. The result is a scannable packet which allows customers to see the lineage of the seed as well as the planting and harvesting dates. These QR codes also detail when the seeds were packaged and offer growing advice from breeders.

With a reliable source of seeds, home growers can get started on their cultivation journey. The first few grows are always a bit tricky, but thanks to widespread legalization there are many resources to help the novice grower.

Noah Wylie, master grower at The Mint Dispensary in the East Valley told the Arizona Republic home growers should take it slow. “I warn people … crawl before you walk. Learn to get your plant to grow all the way to fruition, harvest it, dry it, cure it,” Wylie said. “Then you can build from there. Don’t run out and buy thousands of dollars of equipment.”

With more information available to the public, more people can take the power of the plant into their own hands. After all, what’s the number one reason people decide to grow at home? According to NFD, 70% of home growers do it just because it’s fun to have a green thumb. Why not give it a try? At the very least, you know you’ll enjoy the fruits of your labor. ❖

Photos Andy Diaz