Ready, set, grow! The Seed Company holds cannabis growing 101 workshop

The Seed Company by E.W. Gaze is gearing up for the advent of legal marijuana with workshops dedicated to teaching people how to grow weed at home.

Medical cannabis expert Chris Snellen and other experienced growers held what they believe to be the first ever growing course in Newfoundland and Labrador on Sunday in St. John's.

At $85 a person, the session sold out quickly, said assistant manager Jackson McLean.

He said it wasn't just young people who attended either.

"A lot of them are older people who have medical issues that they need cannabis for, and they have some gardening experience, and they want to put those two things together and grow their own medicine," said McLean.

Hydroponic growing popular

At the session, both soil and hydroponic methods of growing were discussed, as well as seed selection, vegetative stage growth, and proper storage.

McLean says marijuana plants are easy to grow, but it's more difficult to make sure you get a good yield from them. 

"You gotta get the right lights, the right setup, the right ventilation to get a really good end product," he said.

According to McLean, the cost for a full setup can range from $800 to $1,000. 

He said hydroponic devices are something new for the Gaze Seed Company and customers have been asking for them.

"It's really a whole new frontier that we're getting into," he said.

"Hydroponics is growing without soil. So just put in water and you add nutrients to the water and then the plant roots go in and soak it up through the water."

The store isn't allowed to sell marijuana seeds yet, and is still waiting to learn more about how legalization will work, said McLean. 

But on Sunday, he said everyone in attendance had or was planning to get a medical marijuana licence.

"We want to make sure people are excited and empowered to start growing cannabis themselves," he said.

Another sold-out growing session is planned for June 10, and McLean said he expects the store to offer more workshops in the future.

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