Now that weed is officially legal in Canada, more and more cannabis lovers are starting to experiment with growing their own weed.
Of course, though some of the best weed in the world come from Canada, it’s not exactly the easiest thing to grow here because the climate can be, to put it lightly, finicky. All plants need specific, unique conditions to be successfully grown, and cannabis plants are no exception.
The nice thing though, is that it’s legal (every household can have up to four cannabis plants) to grow your own weed, and it’s relatively straightforward to create the conditions indoors to grow healthy plants. (Outdoor growing is another thing and is more challenging since there are more factors to take into consideration, but we’ll get into that a bit later.)
Why Does Canada Have the Best Weed?
There is an abundance of black/grey-market dispensaries on the street in cities across Canada, but for more discreet buyers, the best mail order weed in Canada isn’t hard to find either.
The best outdoor weed strains Canada must have specific properties—not only does it have to be mold and disease resistant, it also has to be strong enough for the climate up north, which is tough for plants once you hit late September.
And remember that mold-resistance? It’s especially important in October, which gets rainy and cold. This makes things difficult for outdoor growers because it really limits the varieties of cannabis they can choose from.
However. There are a few strains that do well in these conditions.
- Manitoba Poison: great for beginner growers
- Critical: resilient strain, good for colder temperatures
- White Widow: very potent, and its frosty and white-brushed appearance apparently deters insects from trying to eat it as well
- Texada Timewarp: excellent for areas that experience bad weather—this one is particularly mold-resistant
- Fast Girl: also very mold-resistant
For indoor growers, you have to be really careful not to overwater your plants, as that’s also how you can inadvertently cause mold to grow. “The whole problem with over watering is that you’re depriving the plants’ roots of oxygen. Their roots need oxygen or they start to rot they become susceptible to disease and the plant doesn’t grow well,” says Ryan Taylor from 7ACRES.
Or you know, you could just buy weed online in Canada too if you’re not a fan of having to grow your own. We’ve got some of the best weed dispensaries up here in Canada after all.
Growing a Cannabis Plant
If you’re serious about growing your own cannabis plant, you’re going to need some weed supplies. Good news: in Canada, it shouldn’t be too difficult.
Here’s your shopping list:
- A (good) light source: That whole stereotype about shady weed operations in houses with rows and rows of lights? It’s accurate. You’ll need a strong light to keep your cannabis plants happy. Ideally, your lights will come with timers so they can simulate the day/night cycles outdoors. According to Deron Caplan, a PhD in cannabis horticulture at the University of Guelph, “If the plant has more than 12 hours of daylight it will remain in a vegetative state. Extra light will help the plant will grow quickly, as it stores energy into its leaves and stems.”
- Soil: Every plant needs soil. Do a little research into what kind of soil your strain of cannabis needs.
- Liquid fertilizer: You want good weed? You’ll need to have the best soil for weed plants. It’s their food, after all. Hot tip: Make sure it’s got the “7-5-6.” (aka. 7% nitrogen (N), 5% Phosphate (P2O5), 6% Potash (K2O))
- Thermometer: Cannabis plants are like Goldilocks’ bowls of porridge: not too hold, not too cold. Make sure you’re always aware of their temperature.
How to Grow a Cannabis Plant
There are a ton of step-by-step guides out there that will teach you how to grow weed indoors and outdoors, but here’s a quick breakdown of what you should keep in mind before you start growing.
- Do you have a grow room? You need a space to put these babies, so make sure you have a closet or small room that can house all your gear—and the plants. If you’re new to growing cannabis, start small. Makes things much more manageable.
- What lights will you use? Will you want industry standard lights? Just like with the lights in your home, you can choose from LED and fluorescent. (And more…)
- Carbon dioxide, please. All plants need CO2 to grow. How will you get this into your grow room?
- Water your plants. Well, obviously. But don’t overwater, because that will make your plants moldy. Not good.
Where Can I Buy Weed Online in Canada?
As you probably know by now, there are many Canadian online weed stores. Some claim to have the best Canadian weed strains, most will say they have medical weed, while others specialize in edibles.
Regardless, you’ll need to have your ID ready as online weed shopping is still regulated. The government is still learning about how to best track and record cannabis transactions (and make sure that only 19+ adults can get their hands on cannabis), and there will probably be kinks in the process for a while.
The alternative, of course, is to take a stroll around the city and buy weed in dispensaries, though most of them right now are technically illegal since retail licenses are slow to be issued by the government. If you’re lucky enough to come across a dispensary in your neighbourhood that you like, you might want to ask them if they have plans to get a license (or if they’ve already applied and are waiting to receive it).
If you don’t want to leave your house to get cannabis, here are a few online weed stores to check out:
Ed n’ Bills – The most delicious edibles you’ll probably ever taste.
Bud Express Now – Fast delivery, good customer service. Sorry, we had to include ourselves on this list.
