As Master Gardeners, we are often asked about how to care for cannabis plants. We felt that it was important for us to be educated not only about cultivation and care, but also the current laws related to cultivating cannabis at home.
We were fortunate to have two knowledgable and experienced medical marajuana producers, Joseph Goldfarb and Luis Hoxha attend our February meeting to inform us with up to date knowledge.
Joseph Goldfarb brings more than a decade of experience in the industry as a licensed cultivator and cannabis educator, operating cultivation projects in California and Ontario. Joseph has extensive knowledge of regulations, licences and authorizations in the cannabis industry. Joseph specializes in implementing and evaluating training solutions across various delivery channels (Instructor-Lead, e-Learning, and Self-Directed), developing cannabis curriculum, integrating learning technologies and implementing tools of assessment for colleges, businesses and organizations.
Luis has over a decade of medical cannabis cultivation experience. He is highly regarded by major players in the cannabis industry for having a wide range of specialized knowledge and an eye for detail. Luis has studied many types of growing practices, including hydroponics, aquaponics, flood and drain, ebb and flow, and organic grow methods. Luis is extremely capable of identifying nutrient needs, preventing plant diseases and deficiencies as well as developing effective pest management techniques.
Some information Joseph and Luis shared with us:
- Each household can legally grow 4 cannabis plants. These cannot be accessible or visible to children. It was suggested that they be grown in a hoop house.
- You can gift a cannabis plant but only in it vegetative state. It is important to remember you can share but not sell.
- In Canada, it is legal to mail cannabis, fly with cannabis, and transport a cannabis plant if it is still in a vegetative state.
- When growing cannabis, you want to keep the female plants and destroy the male plants.
- Like all plants, cannabis requires nitrogen, phospherous and potassium for production. Good soil is important. Good living soil is best.
- Air circulation is necessary to avoid powdery mildew. Keeping the bottom leaves trimmed will help with this.
- Cannabis is a resource hungry plant requiring lots of water.
- Clover is a helpful companion plant.
- The healthiest way to consume cannabis is to juice it. Pick the leaves from your plant and add them to your smoothie.
- Aphids or spider mites can be a problem. Lady bugs are your best defense.