If you’re a cannabis lover, one of the best things about living in Colorado is the ability to grow your own from home. In Part 1 of our Colorado Home Cannabis Grower’s Guide we covered everything you need to grow legal cannabis at home, including specific laws, plant limits, and important rules about sharing your grow. (If you need more information on that, be sure to check out Part 1.)
Here, in Part 2, we’re going to be covering the logistics of home growing cannabis. Whether you’re a first-time grower, or you’re looking for some tips to take your existing home grow to the next level, these tips will help you start the process right. Here are some of the early considerations you’ll need to make before you start your first grow.
Should I Grow from Clones or Seed?
Ready to Grow, Check Out These Blogs for Tips and Tricks
- Taking Care of Your Clone
- Tips To Successfully Transplant Cannabis Grown From Seed
- What Is IPM and Why Is It Important?
Perhaps the most common question we receive is “should I grow from clones or from seed?” While there’s no “right” answer, there are some distinct differences between growing cannabis from seed and raising a clone. Klone Colorado offers both clones and seeds, but which you choose will depend on what you are looking for.
Benefits of Growing from Clones
Clones are cuttings taken from female cannabis plants and rooted using a simple propagation technique. This method creates perfect genetic copies of what is already confirmed to be a female plant with strong genetics, eliminating the guesswork often involved in growing cannabis, since male plants are undesirable and can be destructive.
In addition to the guarantee of a female plant, growing cannabis from clones can save you time and money. Because clones are rooted cuttings of mature plants, they do not need to go through the tender seedling stage, saving you weeks of grow time and delivering a heartier, healthier plant from the beginning. In a similar vein, because clones are cut from existing plants, they cost less to produce and therefore cost less to purchase.
Thanks to our partner Terrapin Care Station, Klone now offers premium clones to home growers at select locations. Available throughout Colorado, find your local participating Terrapin Care Station here.
Benefits of Growing from Seed
There are a few reasons a home grower might choose to grow from seed. While clones are an excellent, easy, and hearty option, growing cannabis from seed does reduce the risk of introducing pests into your grow room. Clones may carry pests or diseases from the mother plant, whereas seeds offer a ‘clean’ start. However, pest/disease transfer from clones is extremely rare, and shouldn’t be a top consideration when growing cannabis.
The largest benefit of growing from seed is timeline flexibility. If you aren’t quite ready to start growing, but you do want to start purchasing supplies, seeds can be stored without issue for months at a time. For this reason, some growers like to stock up on seeds and keep them stored away for the right time to plant.
While we specialize in clones, Klone also offers premium cannabis seeds in several locations around Colorado. Check out the Find Us page to find a store near you!
Choosing the Right Grow Environment
If you’ve already read Part 1 of this guide, you’ll know that location is super important when starting your home grow. Colorado law requires that you keep all plants in a locked, secure place out of view of the public. This gives you approximately three options for where to grow: the house, a garage, or a greenhouse.
Growing in a House or Garage
Most home growers choose to grow in their home or garage since these environments are typically easier to control. If you live in a home with people under 21, you will need to take extra precautions to secure access to the plants, but otherwise, this option is fairly easy. Choose somewhere where you can control temperatures, light, and access. Cannabis plants have specific growing needs and can be temperamental when not treated properly.
If you don’t have the right space already in your home or in a garage, an indoor grow tent may be a good option. Tents not only help with environment and security but can also help reduce smell, increase efficiency, and reduce the risk of contamination and pests.
Growing in a Greenhouse
If you have some outdoor space at your disposal, growing in a greenhouse might be your best option. Since Colorado requires home growers to secure their plants in an enclosed space not accessible by the public, you can’t grow openly in your garden. You can, however, grow in a greenhouse, which allows you to enjoy the benefits of outdoor growing with some of the benefits of indoor growing! Basically, it’s the best of both worlds.
Greenhouses are fairly inexpensive, and many gardeners manage to DIY their own greenhouses to great success. As long as your garden has plenty of sunlight and enough space for your plants, you’ve got a prime location for a home grow.
Now that you have decided whether you want to grow from seed or clone, and have an idea of what you’ll need to do to prepare a space for your grow environment, you’re one step closer to enjoying home-grown cannabis! Be sure to check out our blog for more parts to this guide, and visit Klone Colorado to find a local store carrying premium clones or seeds.
