How much does it cost to grow weed?

People cultivate and grow marijuana plants for a variety of different reasons. Perhaps you are underwhelmed with the quality of the weed you purchase or you just want to bring in some extra cash.

Either way, it’s important to be able to answer ‘how much does it cost to grow weed in your area?’

Some people grow purely for medicinal reasons and others grow for social reasons. Without a prescription, you’re likely going to be stuck with low-quality, overpriced weed—a problem that leads a lot of people to grow their own.

Today you’ll learn what to expect when you’re growing your own indoor and outdoor cannabis crops.

Growing marijuana plants isn’t difficult as long as you put enough time and effort into the hobby. Spending just a few hours every week can produce some fantastic results.

If you’re growing just for yourself, then you don’t really require huge yields. A starter kit costs as little as $80 and can give you a nice start.

Of course, growing marijuana always comes with some risks that vary depending on your location. 

New marijuana growers frequently ask things like, “What kinds of yields can I anticipate?” or “How much good marijuana can I get from a single plant?” or “How much money can I save by growing my open weed instead of buying at a dispensary?”

Of course, every situation is different and many variables determine how much usable marijuana you will end up with.

Indoor vs. Outdoor growing costs

Cost of growing marijuana outdoors

If you’re growing purely for private use, then marijuana cultivation doesn’t need to be that pricy. Growing outdoors is easiest because all the things needed to grow marijuana are essentially free.

The sun rises every day, the plants get water from rain, and the soil is full of nutrients. In reality, to grow outdoors, all you have to do is buy some marijuana seeds.

It’s less expensive to grow your own marijuana

Going to the dispensary is not terribly expensive. It’s certainly less expensive than buying it on the street used to be.

Depending on how often you go, those trips can add up pretty fast. When you factor in things like gas, one trip to the dispensary can end up costing you a pretty penny.

Growing equipment costs some money at first, but once you get a good crop going it’s a lot less expensive than going to the dispensary.

Of course, buying pots and growing your plants in fertilized, nutrient-rich soil could improve your results exponentially. Here’s a little example of some basic requirements if you want to grow your on weed with a budget:

Basic cost requirements for an outdoor grow op

Cost Estimates of Growing Cannabis Outdoors

Reward of growing marijuana outdoors

For some, growing marijuana might just be about having your own home-grown weed. But, you really have to tend to your plants and make sure they’re happy, so to speak.

Everyone can grow cannabis. If you can’t grow indoors, then maybe try your garden or a terrace on the rooftop.

Forests, parks, cornfields, or a friend’s garden are also applicable locations to grow weed outdoors.

How much cannabis can you expect when you grow weed outdoors?

That depends on how many plants you grow.

Simply placing your seeds on some dirt and letting them sprout without proper nutrients or care will get you maybe a few ounces of marijuana.

With perfect conditions outdoors, you can yield up to around 18 ounces (500 grams) for each plant. It’s important to have at least two meters of space between the plants.

The plants also need enough water and marijuana fertilizer without contracting any diseases or being attacked by pests. Containers (if you use them) should be the 50-liter (15-gallon) variety.

Germinating the plants early in the season allows them to grow much larger.

It may be in your best interest to germinate the seeds indoors so that you have total control over the temperature and humidity..

How much does it cost to grow an acre of weed?

To summarize the production cost to grow your own marijuana estimates as ranging from $175 to $616 per acre. (Those costs are both per acre and per year since they presume one harvest per year.) _Source

Download my free marijuana grow guide and start growing high-quality strains

When I grew my first plant I felt so proud of myself. I watched this living thing grow from a tiny sprout to a glorious, lush, green, plant. It felt like how I would imagine raising a child would feel.

You get to watch the fruits of your labor quite literally blossom before your eyes, and in the case of growing your own cannabis, you get to smoke it.

You’re in control

When you grow your own cannabis you are the one who gets to be in control.

You feed your plants the nutrients you want, you choose whether to grow hydroponically, whether to go organic, you name it.

The choice is yours. If you get good enough maybe you can cultivate your own strain.

You could make a little money

If you get good enough at growing your own cannabis, you can make a little bit of money, maybe even a lot of money.

All the growers that I know, make a good living selling their wares to various retail establishments.

Wouldn’t you rather make money doing something you love than spending your days at a 9-5, right?

I certainly don’t have a problem running into people I know at the dispensary, but I know some people would rather not announce to the world (or at the very least, their boss and/or coworkers. Growing your own cannabis is more discreet than going to a dispensary any day of the week.

Growing your own cannabis is not as hard as it might seem. If you can grow a houseplant, then you can surely grow your own cannabis.

All you have to do is make sure that you have the right setup, and give your cannabis plants the TLC that they need. As I understand growing your own cannabis is like riding a bicycle: once you master it, it’s a skill you will never forget.

Growing your own weed may be good for your health

Although growing marijuana is still illegal in most states without a license, there is a move to make it legal and expose the many great advantages that marijuana actually possesses. 

From a young age, many people have been taught to say no to drugs. 

This is a common activity for concerned parents. 

However, it is past time to bring to light the advantages of marijuana that include growing it for medicinal purposes. 

Health advantages have been coming to the forefront for years, ever since the first marijuana clinic was opened to sell pot that was prescribed to patients with certain medical conditions.

The more medical studies that have been done on pot, the more it has been proven that it is healthy for certain medical treatments. 

Those that suffer from Multiple Sclerosis are finding relief from tics, muscle spasms and neurological effects. 

Marijuana has also been known to help reduce anxiety and treats not only migraines but also premenstrual syndrome.

Some of the latest medical studies show that weed helps those afflicted with ADD, ADHD and Tourette’s syndrome.  Normally these disorders would be treated with prescription drugs that tend to have negative side effects. 

When they were treated with pot there were no proven negative side effects.

What does all of this have to do with you? 

It is quite simple really.  The legalization of pot could help millions of people lead better lives.  If you could grow your own marijuana or legally purchase it from a local grower then you could potentially lead a healthier and happier life. 

A particular type or strain of marijuana may prove to benefit your health conditions better. 

If you were allowed to grow it at home legally, you could essentially produce pot for medicinal purposes for the greater good. 

In order to begin growing your own pot, you will need to know a little bit about pot and the processes used to grow the cannabis plants.

Cost of growing marijuana indoors

Growing indoors can also be inexpensive.

CFL grow lights can provide you with an adequate yield without any spikes in your electric bill.

An indoor weed grow room with only a few plants doesn’t require a fan and/or carbon filter to reduce the smell.

All you really need are seeds, soil, pots, CFL grow lights, and a small fan, which should only cost around $139 (or less if you’re good with your hands).

Comparison of Indoor Growing Setup Cost

Professional systems for growing indoors that produce higher yields generally only cost a few hundred dollars.

You can buy a plug and play grow box from our friends at GrowersHouse or build a small grow room yourself.

Example of shopping list for a basic indoor grow with prices:

Cost of a pro indoor marijuana grow with pricing and list:

Rewards of growing your own marijuana indoors

Good grow lights are one of the most important factors when growing indoors and a large part of your average startup costs when setting up your indoor grow.

Veteran indoor marijuana growers can achieve yields of around 1 gram (0.035 ounces) per watt of light.

For example, a 400-watt HPS lamp can produce around 400 grams or 14 ounces of good marijuana.

An indoor grow room containing 1200 watts of grow lights will translate to 1.2 kilograms or 42 ounces of good marijuana.

The correct indoor grow equipment, nutrient quantity, air quality, space between plants, and other important factors all contribute to the success of any indoor grow garden.

For beginners, the yields will probably look like the following:

An average of around 1.5 to 2.0 oz  (3.5 oz for advanced growers) with 200-watt CFL lamps in a grow cabinet that measures 3.5 x 1.5 x 6.5 ft.

An average of around 3.0 to 5.0 oz  (9.0 oz for advanced growers) with a 250-watt HPS lamp in a grow cabinet that measures 3.5 x 1.5 x 6.5 ft.

An average of around 4.5 to 9.0 oz (14 oz for advanced growers) with a 400-watt HPS lamp in a grow room that measures 3.5 x 3.5 x 7 ft.

An average of around 5.0 to 10 oz (21 for advanced growers) with a 600-watt HPS lamp in a grow room that measures 4 x 4 x 8 ft.

An average of around 9.0 to 18 oz (36 for advanced growers) with a 1000-watt HPS lamp in a grow room that measures 5 x 5 x 8 ft.

Feeling motivated to start growing your own marijuana? Grab some high-quality seeds at my seed bank!

References:

• https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/working_papers/2010/RAND_WR764.pdf
• https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes452092.htm
• https://www.ncsl.org/research/health/state-medical-marijuana-laws.aspx

FAQs about the cost of growing weed

Is it costly to grow marijuana outdoors?

Growing outdoors is easiest because all the things your marijuana plants need are essentially free. They can get light from the sun, water from rain, and nutrients from the soil. In reality, to grow outdoors, all you need to do is buy cannabis seeds.

What are the considerations for indoor cannabis growing?

The correct equipment, nutrient quantity, air quality, space between plants, and other important factors all contribute to the success of any indoor garden.

How much money do I need to grow weed?

The cost of growing weed can vary depending on several factors such as the size of the operation, the quality of equipment and materials used, and the specific strains being cultivated. In general, setting up a small-scale indoor grow operation can cost anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, while larger commercial operations can require tens of thousands of dollars or more in initial investment. It’s important to factor in costs for equipment, supplies, seeds or clones, utilities, and ongoing maintenance expenses when budgeting for growing weed.

Is it profitable to grow weed?

Growing weed can be profitable, but it largely depends on several factors. Factors such as the cost of production, market demand, and legal regulations in your area can all impact the profitability of growing weed. In states where marijuana is legal, there may be a high demand for quality products, making it potentially profitable to grow and sell weed. However, competition from other growers and fluctuating prices in the market.

Is homegrown weed more expensive?

Homegrown weed can be a cost-effective alternative to purchasing from dispensaries, as it allows individuals to control the growing process and potentially yield a higher quantity of cannabis for personal use. The amount of weed one plant yields can vary depending on several factors such as the strain, growing conditions, and experience level of the grower.

Can you make money growing your own weed?

Growing your own weed can be a lucrative endeavor if done correctly. The amount of weed one plant yields depends on various factors such as the strain, growing conditions, and expertise of the grower. On average, a well-cultivated plant can yield anywhere from 1 to 3 pounds of weed.

Have you ever grown your own cannabis? Did you find it costly or more of a good source of extra cash? Please share your experience or leave questions in the comments.

Happy growing!

Robert