Table of Contents
- Growing Weed at Home in Canada
- Can I Grow Weed in Canada?
- Tips for Growing Cannabis in Canada at Home
- Growing Weed in The West – British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba
- Growing Weed in Ontario
- Growing Weed in The North – Nunavut, North West Territories, Yukon
- Growing Weed in the East Coast – New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, New Foundland, P.E.I.
- Growing Weed in Quebec
- Making Organic Soil at Home
- Growing Weed in a Home Garden in Canada
Planning on expanding your vegetable garden to include some extra greens this year?
If adding cannabis plants to your home garden is on your summer to-do list, first take a look at these important tips on how to grow weed in Canada.
Growing Weed at Home in Canada
Canada is a unique country, given its many different climates ranging from extreme dry heat to salty ocean views to intense cold winds and ice. As the people of the Great North know, some provinces experience harsher winters, extreme frost, and stronger winds, while others are lucky enough to have longer summers and fewer cold months.
Whether you’re in the Maritimes on the east coast, Ontario, Quebec, up north, or out west, growing cannabis plants will present different challenges and requirements.
Each province has also established its own set of rules regarding legal ages for cannabis consumption. That also means that if you plan on growing weed at home, it’s a good idea to make sure you’re old enough!
Can I Grow Weed in Canada?
Have you tried to grow your own weed at home? Worried about getting in trouble?
Good news! Growing weed at home is perfectly legal for many parts of Canada! We are here to show you exactly how to grow weed in your small home garden.
Of course, planting and growing weed in your home garden can be more complicated than you think. Not to mention following the laws and regulations. Before you throw your seeds and soil down, here are a few important things to keep in mind.
- Cannabis laws in most Canadian provinces allow anyone to grow up to four non-medical cannabis plants at their personal residence.
- You have to be over the age of 19 (or the legal age of purchase and consumption in your home province) to grow cannabis at home.
- If planting indoors, you must keep plants in a separate, locked space away from kids and pets.
- If planting outdoors, you’re required to install a locked enclosure of at least 5 feet tall.
- Renters should check with their landlord before planting cannabis in the yard.
Depending on your province or where you’re located, growing weed at home has its own unique challenges. Here are some tips and ideas for growing weed in your home garden in Canada.
Tips for Growing Cannabis in Canada at Home
Regardless of where you’re located, growing cannabis plants can be tricky. It’s a skill that can be difficult to master right off the bat.
Here are a few tips for home growing that every weed plant-parent should know about.
- Start your seeds indoors in January or February.
- Plants being moved into an outdoor garden should be between 16 and 24 inches high.
- Choose strains that are best suited to your local climate and outdoor growing. (unless you plan on keeping your plants in your house or garage).
- Maintain a regular watering schedule.
The location you choose for your plants is also important. Choose a spot with lots of direct sunlight. They need LIGHT!
Cannabis plants also need plenty of space to themselves, so if you don’t have a designated cannabis spot in your garden, consider planting in large pots for easier portability.
Don’t forget about the mold! Another important factor to remember is moisture. Monitor your plants for yellowing or discoloration that could indicate mold. And if you’re in an area of Canada prone to rain storms and long, wet springs, look for a naturally mold-resistant strain.
Do you live in a wet area? Making sure that your flower is free of mold is an important step to growing weed.
Growing Weed in the West – British Colombia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba
Growing weed at home in BC and Alberta is a growing trend among cannabis enthusiasts. The climate and long warm season make the western provinces an ideal place for growing weed.
Given the slightly warmer climate along the west coast of Canada, it’s possible to plant your garden as early as mid-May. The long weekend known as “Victoria Day” is a great time not only to kick off the summer with camping and outdoor barbeques – it’s also a great time to plant your cannabis plants.
Some cannabis strains bred to flourish in BC’s climate include
- Girl Scout Cookies seeds
- Gorilla Glue seeds
- Bruce Banner seeds
- White Fire OG seeds
Try to schedule your harvesting season before the first frosts of fall or winter hit. Saskatchewan sees frost slightly earlier – around the first week of September – so remember to plan your harvest accordingly.
Folks living in the mountains or higher altitudes, keep some coverings handy to protect your plants on cold nights.
Some cannabis strains that will do well with a mid-September frost timeline include
- Afghani Kush or Purple Kush
- Northern Lights
- Lemon Haze (an auto-flowering option)
Unfortunately, if you’re located in Manitoba, growing cannabis plants is illegal. Although the province could still get on board with the 4-plant rule, it’s currently against the law to grow weed at home in Manitoba.
British Columbia has long and warm summers that make it the ideal climate to grow cannabis.
How To Grow Weed in Ontario
Like Canada as a whole, the province of Ontario is home to very diverse climates. If you’re living in northern Ontario, you might be surrounded by forest and be used to long, heavy winters.
Southern Ontarians get a longer and warmer summer. When the weather is fine for poolside hangs, it may not be the best for your cannabis plants. Ensure you have access to easy watering for your plants when temps reach 30 degrees and above.
Some of the best weed strains to grow outside in Ontario are
- Skywalker OG
- Black Widow
- Wedding Cheesecake, or Albatross – Gelato Cake
Growing Weed in the North – Nunavut, North West Territories, Yukon
Brrr – the tundra-like northern provinces and territories of Canada are home to some of the coldest seasons in North America. Planting cannabis up north has more challenges than most areas of Canada.
For starters, growing outdoors is difficult due to the short warm season. You’re likely better off growing indoors. If you insist on growing in an outdoor garden, opt for auto-flowering strains with shorter flowering times.
A few cannabis strains to grow in the north of Canada include:
- Auto Shark
- Gorilla Glue
- White Widow
- Gelato Auto
- Blackberry Auto
Whichever strain you choose, be sure to get a good start on your plants indoors before transferring to outdoor movable pots.
Growing Weed in the East Coast – New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, P.E.I.
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and P.E.I. have plenty of great locations for starting your personal cannabis garden. The Maritimes are ripe with an abundance of nature and fertile soils that make it an agriculturist’s paradise.
The downside to growing on the east coast is the longer, colder winters.
The provinces on the east coast are likely to get frost a few times after Victoria Day weekend. Like those living up north, cannabis growers living in the Maritimes are better off waiting until after June 1st to plant their gardens.
East coast cannabis planters would also do better by planting in mobile pots. If a particularly violent day a-la Mother Nature hits, you can temporarily move your plants indoors.
The weather can be unpredictable! Make sure to plant your marijuana in mobile pots to avoid the worst from happening!
How To Grow Weed in Quebec
Like Manitoba, Quebec has some strict laws in place for cannabis purchase and consumption.
In Quebec, the legal age to buy cannabis products is 21 – a few years older than most Canadian provinces. The francophone region also restricts residents from growing cannabis plants at home for personal use. So Montrealers, stick to your vegetables this summer!
Making Organic Soil at Home
Organic or living soil is soil that hasn’t been chemically altered for growing. The purpose is to cultivate fully organic plants.
Thanks to its complex blend of nutrients, bacteria, and fungus, organic soil has many benefits for cannabis growing and farming. Organic soil provides natural nutrients to your plants while requiring less maintenance and yielding a lower cost for home growing than hydroponics.
To produce organic living soil for your home-grown cannabis plants, the trick is to encourage the natural relationship between the soil and the plant. Some things to remember when cultivating organic soil for home growing are:
- Maintain a well thought-out water technique and plan
- Fertilize your soil with organic ingredients such as peat moss, compost, and worm castings
- Manage the roots of your plants regularly
- Keep pests away through natural methods
After a few cycles, your organic soil will develop a natural symbiotic relationship with your plants, cultivating healthier and stronger cannabis plants over time and providing natural pest repellant.
How To Grow Weed in a Home Garden in Canada
Wherever you are in Canada (besides Manitoba and Quebec for the time being), growing cannabis can be a great pass time and an excellent way to really appreciate your weed.
It just hits different when you grow it with your own two hands!
Successfully cultivating and growing cannabis plants is a skill that some of us take for granted. Remember that it takes patience and practice. The first year you plant cannabis at home, take plenty of notes and observe how your plants interact with the environment.
And for our final tip – keep your hands off. Cannabis is an ancient plant that’s spent thousands of years learning how to grow on its own. Don’t mess with your plants too much and let them do their thing. It’s nature, after all.
There’s something different about growing your own marijuana!
In Need Of Seeds For Your Home Grow? – We’ve got you covered!
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Sources:
Leafly – How to grow weed in your home garden—with tips for every province
CTV News – Know before you grow: The new rules for planting pot at home
Green Seal – Top Outdoor growing cannabis tips
