The Health Benefits of Growing Your Own: A Closer Look at the Cannabis Plant

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The Health Benefits of Growing Your Own: A Closer Look at the Cannabis Plant

Why home cannabis grows are so popular right now.

62 million Americans reported consuming cannabis in 2022 (about 25% of the population). And an increasing number of those people aren’t just buying it. They’re growing it at home.

Let’s dig into why…

Home grows put the consumer in control of what goes into the cannabis plant. No pesticides. No unpredictability around potency. No unknowns about what you’re actually consuming.

The simplest way to start growing cannabis at home? An indoor autoflower grow.

Autoflower cannabis plants differ from traditional photoperiod strains because they bloom and harvest based on age, rather than light cycle adjustments. Autoflowering makes growing cannabis easier for beginners with limited space.

There’s no substitute for starting with a quality set of autoflower seeds. That’s because the chosen strain dictates the cannabinoid profile of the plant, growth speed, and even final quality.

Considering your genetics make or break your grow… that’s important.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

1. Why Growing Your Own Cannabis is Important For Health
2. Understanding The Real Health Benefits of Cannabis
3. How An Indoor Autoflower Grow Fits Into This
4. Setting Up Your Indoor Autoflower Grow

Why Growing Your Own Cannabis is Important For Health

The origin of your cannabis is something most users never consider.

Until their reason for consuming is health-related.

Commercial cannabis products drastically vary in cannabinoid profiles (THC, CBD, etc.), potency levels, and even what they’re grown with. Cultivating at home remedies all of those concerns. People can pick their desired strains, monitor every input used, and feel secure harvesting clean cannabis they know isn’t mixed with anything they don’t want.

As you may know, THC and CBD are the two most prominent chemical compounds found in cannabis. Here’s what you may not know…

Both THC and CBD serve different purposes for different consumers based on their unique chemical makeup.

THC produces the psychoactive high most cannabis users know and love. CBD is a nonpsychoactive compound that’s shown very promising therapeutic benefits.

Does your body need more THC or CBD? Or perhaps some combination of both? Figuring that out is infinitely easier when you grow cannabis yourself.

Understanding The Real Health Benefits of Cannabis

Alright — let’s cut to the chase here.

What are the science-backed health benefits of cannabis?

Researchers took a look at over 2,500 scientific cannabis studies and published their findings in the medical journal JAMA. The review concluded cannabis absolutely does have science-backed health benefits… but limited to a “small number of indications.”

Translation: Cannabis isn’t a magical cure-all substance.

But it can offer specific health benefits when used appropriately.

Top Medical Benefits of Cannabis Include:

• Cannabis as a Pain Killer – Researchers compared cannabis to opioids specifically for non-cancer pain. Both seemed to provide similar relief, but fewer patients discontinued cannabis treatment.
• Cannabis for Nausea – Anyone who’s spent anytime studying cannabis knows alleviating nausea from chemotherapy is one of cannabis’ strongest strengths.
• Improving Sleep Quality & Overall Life Satisfaction – Patients using medicinal cannabis in Australia had documented better sleep quality and overall satisfaction with life months after starting treatment.
• Cannabis and Appetite – Cannabis has shown time-and-time again to help increase appetite. Could be great news for folks requiring higher caloric intake or fighting diseases that limit appetite.

One study, in particular, has everyone talking right now…

The study referenced above also cross examined cannabis dispensaries with federal opioid overdose data. Communities with local access to cannabis dispensaries had 30% lower opioid overdose rates.

Cannabis users are swapping opioid pills for cannabis.

And it’s making a big enough impact to be noticed on a federal level.

Keep in mind there’s always going to be a risk to cannabis use. Understanding strains, proper dosing, and consuming responsibly all come into play when discussing cannabis’ health benefits.

That being said, growing your own always puts you in the best position to make informed decisions. When cannabis is grown at home, there are no hidden factors.

Growers know exactly what’s feeding their plants throughout the lifecycle.

How An Indoor Autoflower Grow Fits Into This

Here’s a fun fact most new growers don’t know until it’s too late…

It matters what kind of cannabis you decide to grow.

For those set on growing indoors, you want to choose an autoflower cannabis strain. Autoflower cannabis stays small, produces a high yield, and eliminates a lot of the hassles that scare beginners away.

Benefits of Growing Indoor Autoflowers Include:

• Quick Grow Cycle – Get an autoflower seedling in the ground, and you can expect harvest about 60–70 days later. Fast turnaround.
• Small and Compact – Autoflower cannabis plants rarely grow past 1–2 feet in height. Making them perfect for tents, closets, and small rooms.
• Less Management – Since autoflowers don’t rely on adjusted light cycles to begin harvesting, you won’t need to manage a strict light schedule. No dangling timers or dark rooms.
• More Growing Cycles Per Year – Each autoflower plant takes about 2 months from start to finish. That means you could seasonally grow 3–4 crops per year with a consistent planting schedule.
• Easy For Beginners – Autoflower cannabis plants are more resilient to growing mistakes. Expect to make a few during your first grow. Autoflowers can handle things like small nutrient missteps and accidental changes to light schedules.

Autoflowers are great for new growers looking to keep it simple.

Setting Up Your Indoor Autoflower Grow

You don’t need to drop $500 on your first indoor grow. But there are a few key steps you should take to optimize your grow.

Starting With The Proper Lighting

Give your plant somewhere between 18 and 6 hours of light per day from seed to harvest. LEDs work best if you’re growing inside a tent or closet.

Investing in Proper Soil

Keep your soil light and airy. Autoflower plants have sensitive roots and don’t require too many nutrients early on in life.

Maintain a Consistent Temperature

Try to keep your grow area between 20–25°C (68–77°F). Temperatures above and below this range slow down growth and diminish yields.

Airflow Is Key

Keep air moving for two big reasons. Humidity will drop (preventing mold from growing on your plant). And ventilation is super important during the flowering stage when bud growth begins.

Lastly, pay attention to…

Pot Size Matters

Try to start with a decent-sized fabric pot. Something in the 8–15 litre range should work for most autoflower strains. One other note on autos: don’t transplant them.

Your plant will thank you if you get these 5 things dialed in from day one.

You’ve done the work. Let nature do the rest.

Final Hit: Grow Your Own Cannabis for Best Results

Did you know THC destroys cancer cells? Apparently it does!

Truth is, there are always going to be new benefits discovered about cannabis.

Why? Science is constantly researching cannabis and sharing their findings with the world.

What won’t change?

Homegrown cannabis cultivated from seed will always offer the highest level of transparency into what you’re actually consuming.

For better or worse, cannabis affects every person who tries it differently.

By growing at home, you have the power to adjust your cannabis to your specific needs. Not the other way around.

Plant doesn’t know your name. But it can still help you feel better.

Start with good genetics, keep it simple, and watch your plant flourish.