If you’re a new grower looking for the cheapest way to grow weed plants, there are several things you can do to lower costs to get started. Cost is usually the biggest concern for new growers, as it can be expensive to get all the equipment you need. But you don’t need to spend a lot to grow killer weed. Here are some tips:
Starting with seeds is generally cheaper than starting with clones, as clones can be expensive to purchase. If you buy regular seeds, remember about 1/2 will be male and will need to be discarded. The female plants can be easily cloned.
Feminized seeds have half the cost of regular seeds since you avoid male plants. But it’s better to clone regular seeds than feminized, so if you intend to clone then stick with regular seeds.
If you are able to start with clones you’ll be sure to get female plants. It’s easy to take cuts to make additional clones for future grows, which saves lots of money in the long term, offsetting any initial costs.
Using a humidity dome will let you propagate clones easily. A free alternative is to cut the bottoms off of 2 liter soda bottles.
Use soil or coco coir
The cheapest way to grow weed with coco coir is to use bricks like this one from Canna Coco.
Soil is generally cheaper than other types of growing mediums, but don’t skimp and get the cheapest soil available. Get soil made for growing cannabis. Using yard soil or compost means introducing bugs and potential diseases.
Consider growing weed in coco coir if you’re looking to grow hydroponically, it’s not more expensive than soil. It’s much cheaper to buy bricks of compressed coco versus buying bags.
You can grow either coco or soil in fabric pots, but you could also reuse plant containers you have (sanitize them first!) or use grow bags.
If you have a sunny location, you can use natural light to grow your cannabis plants rather than using indoor grow lights. Outdoor plants likely won’t get the same yield or bud quality compared to indoor plants, but if you pick a very sunny location you can still get good results.
If you are growing cannabis plants indoors, HPS grow lights have a lower initial cost than LEDs. But over time you’ll need to replace the bulbs and absorb the higher energy costs, so over the long term LEDs become more cost-efficient over HPS. It’s possible to buy a decent 100w LED light under $100, but it’s better to spend a bit more to increase wattage.
Indoor growing also requires equipment such as fans for circulation and ventilation, carbon filters, and other accessories. If you don’t want to spend a lot setting up your grow area, stick with the sun.
Make your own nutrients
Low cost nutrients like General Hydroponics FloraSeriesare cheap nutrient line with proven results.Rather than purchasing pre-made bottled nutrients, you can buy nutrient salts and mix them yourselves. For first time growers, this may be overkill as you have enough other stuff to worry about. Most nutrient brands aren’t all that pricey for the base nutrients, but watch out for the supplements.
Bloom enhancers are expensive—they can be replaced with molasses, but you won’t get the same results. Same with rooting enhancers, enzymes, and other additives. Using them properly will increase yield and can more than offset their costs. But you can get by without them if you’re really looking for the cheapest way to grow weed plants.
Consider a lower-cost nutrient line like General Hyrdoponics FloraSeries. GH is cheaper than some of their competitors and a good value. We like to use Canna Coco
Use recycled materials
The cheapest growing container for weed plants are plastic grow bags.Look for recycled materials to use in your grow setup, such as old pots, trays, and containers. Or use plastic grow bags to save money. Paint grow room walls with flat white paint instead of getting a grow tent. Be cautious about buying used equipment online—you might be buying spider mite eggs or other diseases so the savings won’t be worth it.
By following these tips, you can save money while growing cannabis plants. It’s important to do your research and plan carefully to ensure that you are able to provide your plants with the care they need while staying within your budget.
They don’t call it “weed” for nothing, it’s fairly easy to grow. But while just planting a seed in the ground is the cheapest way to grow cannabis plants, but in order to maximize quality you’ll need to spend a little more to get the results you’re after.
