How Much Does It Cost To Grow Weed?
It would cost $301.48 for a grower to grow a cannabis plant. Costs include a pot, 5 gallons of soil, a seed, an exhaust, a fan, a grow tent, and a grow light with 1000W of power. On top of this, the electricity consumption cost should be computed and added. But remember that this is an upfront cost. You can reuse almost all of these items after a few cycles. The prices would eventually go lower than computed.
Growing cannabis is a skill that every stoner should try learning. Aside from the fact that it makes a great hobby, it also allows the grower to stock up without breaking the bank. One advantage of growing cannabis on your own is that it costs less than buying your stash on the regular. But how much does it cost to grow weed?
How Much Does It Cost To Grow Weed?
Why Should You Grow Weed?
It might be surprising that it would take $300 to grow a marijuana plant. But then again, remember how much a cannabis plant yields. On average, a marijuana plant in perfect conditions could grow 17.5 ounces of weed or 500 grams.
According to Oxford Treatment Center, the national rate of weed per gram is $7.59 on average. If you’d think of it, 500 grams of weed would cost you $3795 when bought in stores. Compare that to the cost you’d spent on supplies which starts at $300, plus added electric charges. It still doesn’t come close to the amount it would cost you to buy it from growers.
Of course, it comes with a lot of work. Cannabis plants need time and attention to grow. But imagine the amount of money you’d save from buying. Aside from that, you get to control the quality of weed you’d produce.
What Do You Need For An Indoor Grow Room?
Time and heat are catalysts for decarboxylation. Decarboxylation through heat could be instantaneous by lighting a joint or blunt before smoking. Heat through fire activates the cannabinoid content in these rolls that cause stoned effects. Vaporizing is also another way of decarboxylation through heat as it heats the material for inhalation.
Meanwhile, decarboxylation through time happens when we dry newly-harvested weed. Activating THCA by drying is not as instant as converting THCA by setting them on fire. Drying takes an approximate time of 7-10 days. Aside from drying, the process of curing also activates cannabinoid content through time.
What Do You Need For A Basic Indoor Grow Room?
Before we can estimate growing costs, it would be helpful to know the things we need. Here are three things you need to have to start a basic garden.
1. Pots
Pots either come in a plastic material or a fabric material. Plastic pots last longer than fabric pots which only last for 2-3 seasons at most. However, fabric pots are better since they help develop strong and fibrous roots.
Meanwhile, plastic pots often cause root binding in plants where roots outgrow the plastic pot and eventually entangle themselves in the soil or growing medium. Root binding could cause unwatered plant-like symptoms such as wilting, discolored leaves, and stunted growth.
2. Soil
Soil comes in different pack sizes. It often comes pre-packed in a 5-gallon sack which is good enough for one plant. For beginners, choosing between coco coir and regular soil could be a big decision to make. Coco coir provides more air to roots as it is less dense compared to the standard growing medium. It is notable to use during the germinating and seedling stages because it will promote healthy roots and plant growth. But when the plants are ready for transplant, it is best to change into regular soil with nutrients.
You can reuse soil after a cycle finishes. According to GrowVeg, it needs to dry in between cycles to reuse again. Therefore, someone who maintains a garden can reuse the same bag they first bought as long as it stays in good condition.
3. Seeds
Seeds come at varying prices as it depends on the seed type and strain. What you can do is invest in the first seeds that you are buying. It may cost much the first time. But you can clone the mother later on, which wouldn’t cost you anything. In that way, you only spent once on seeds and rely on the process of cloning to reproduce other plants in the next season.
Other Things Needed To Grow Weed
There are other tools needed that need estimates in costing. These things will come in handy after a while. But not during the first few weeks of the cannabis plant’s growth period. It pays to invest in these things because it would help a plant to reach its full potential.
1. Grow Tents
Grow Tents are essential as they are controlled environments where you can monitor the growth of cannabis plants indoors. Assuming that you don’t have a spare room or an empty closet at home, grow tents would work as small enclosures for gardening. They are great for blocking out light which is essential during the vegetative and flowering stage of cannabis plants.
Grow tents come in different sizes. The smallest grow tent could fit a plant or two. Meanwhile, it can go as big as being able to insert 25 plants with enough spacing inside. In some instances, online supply shops bundle grow tents with other tools like timers, pH testers, and clippers for a small additional price.
2. Grow Lights
The grow lights that you’ll pick should have adjustable wattage. In that way, there is no need for you to buy multiple lights in different wattages for the individual stages of growth. One of the most-recommended LED lights online has an option that optimizes the lights for the vegetative and bloom stage. Grow lights are cheap and could save you a lot on electricity charges.
3. Exhaust
Cannabis plants are known to smell during their first few days of the vegetative stage. Exhausts help in eliminating odors produced by the plant. Along with other anti-odor products, your plants will not smell as much as expected.
4. Fans
Indoor growing also requires air circulation or ventilation. Air circulation keeps optimum levels of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) in grow rooms. Constant air movement trains the stems and branches of plants to become thicker and vigorous.
Fans could help aid in air circulation. They are usually cheap and portable too. Desk fans would work well in small spaces as they can be put on top of a table and do not require much space to function.
How Many Plants Can Fit In A Grow Tent?
Grow tents are essential in securing the optimum setup to grow plants indoors. They come in different shapes and sizes, with different prices. There is a rule called 4 square feet per plant. This rule allows the plants to grow with enough space for foliage without overcrowding the grow tents.
For example, you have a grow tent that’s 10’X10’. The area of this grow tent is 100’2. Dividing it into 4’2, you’d get 25. In this case, 25 plants can fit in a 10’X10’ grow tent without overcrowding the space.
How Much Light Is Needed To Cover A Canopy?
After computing the number of plants that could fit in a grow tent, it is now time to calculate how much wattage of light is needed for each plant to get enough. According to LED Grow Lights Depot, the optimal light wattage for 4 square feet per plant space is around 50W to 75W. Using the example above, a 10’X10’ grow tent housing 25 plants, multiplied to 75W each plant gives you 1875W.
Therefore, for the light to be sufficient in a 10’X10’ grow tent housing 25 plants, a grow light which could 1875W of light can suffice the needs. Online supply stores sell lights that can produce at least 1000W per light. Get two of those should be good.
How To Compute Electricity Costs In Growing Weed?
The formula in computing the electricity cost for the entire growing period is:
The cost of electricity in the US depends on each state. But on average, it is at 13.19 cents per kilowatt-hour. Let’s say you want to grow one plant indoors. A cannabis plant needs 75W of light for it to get an adequate amount of light.
Computing the vegetative stage which lasts for 56 days on a 16/8 light cycle:
56 days X $0.15828/day = $8.86368 for 56 days
Computing the flowering stage which lasts for 84 days on a 12/12 lighting cycle:
84 days X $0.11871 = $9.97164 for 84 days
8.86368 + 9.97164 = $18.84
Therefore, one cannabis plant with light cycles 16/8 and 12/12 for 56 and 84 days would have an electric consumption cost of $18.84 throughout the whole growth period. Computing for other electrical appliances like fans and exhausts could use the same formula. Change the values of time depending on the hours used and the wattage per tool used.
Estimate Of Growing Weed
As of writing, these are the prices in online supply stores. These prices could change in time. Also, take note that these costs are upfront costs. It’s possible to reuse every item in this list.
| Item | Price (USD) |
|---|---|
|
|
5.69 ea 5.20 ea |
|
2. Soil |
39.95 / 5 gallons |
|
3. Seeds |
Ranging from 4.00 to 25.00 |
|
4. Exhaust |
99.95 |
|
5. Fan |
Ranging from 16.95 to 550.00 |
|
6. Grow Tents |
Ranging from 99.95 to 2159.00 |
|
7. Grow Lights |
Ranging from 34.99 to 514.99 |