Following a successful election night for Democrats in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, Minnesotans are looking, for the first time, at the possibility of legally growing their own Cannabis. With this election, the Minnesota DFL Party held power in the Minnesota House of Representatives while taking control of the Minnesota Senate, meaning they now have the opportunity to bring a bill legalizing recreational marijuana to the desk of Governor Tim Waltz, who has pledged to sign it. Waltz has also said that legalization of cannabis is likely to be one of the first bills to pass through the new DFL-controlled legislature in 2023. He has even gone so far as to start inviting people to the signing ceremony.
Though we do not yet know exactly what Minnesota's new law will look like, we can get a pretty good idea of what it is likely to include by looking at the proposed law that passed the DFL-controlled House during the last legislative session, but which was blocked by the Republican-controlled Senate. That language successfully passed out of 12 committees in the House and is, therefore, likely to be the starting point for the 2023 effort.
That previously language would have allowed adults to legally carry up to 1.5 ounces of dried flower on their persons. It would have established a licensing infrastructure for the commercial sale and distribution of Cannabis products. It would also have allowed individuals to cultivate their own Cannabis plants and the keeping of up to 10 pounds of dried flower in any private residence.
If that language becomes law, Minnesotans will be able to grow up to 8 Cannabis plants (up to four adult and four juvenile plants) at one time. For those who rely on Cannabis for medical reasons, the potential for growing their own could be life-changing.
While Minnesota has had a medical marijuana program in place for several years, those who have been enrolled in it say it is difficult to access and very expensive. As a result, many people who could benefit from Cannabis use have not had a natural, affordable option available. With the recent change to the political landscape, that is likely to change very soon and Minnesotans are already beginning to plan for it.
With that in mind here are some basic Cannabis growing tips (for planning purposes) from our friends at Humboldt Legacy Farms:
Cannabis plants require a lot of light and a long growing season. Think about this was you plan for your ideal growing location.
Cannabis plants require rich, fertile soil and a fair amount of water. They are tropical plants that need nutrition, light and heat. You will want to think of these things when thinking about how you plan to grow.
Different strains of Cannabis plants produce different levels of hundreds of different cannabinoids, each with different effects on the body. Each strain, therefore, can have different benefits, from aiding in sleep to reducing pain or controlling of seizure disorders. You will want to become familiar with the different strains while thinking of your primary purpose for growing.
Cannabis plants naturally flower in the fall, after the daylight cycle becomes shorter. When the natural sunlight gets shorter, artificial growing lights are needed to prevent them from flowering. Alternatively, artificial darkness needs to be provided in order to stimulate flowering during the summer months of the year. The exceptions to that are some "auto-flowering" strains, which automatically flower at a given age.
Cannabis plants are prone to various garden pests. As a result, organic pest management plans are essential for success.
Different strains of Cannabis plants grow to different sizes, with smaller plants being only 3 feet tall and larger ones getting to be more than 10 feet in height.
With all of that in mind, we are enthusiastically thinking ahead to a potential future growing season in alignment with Minnesota law and will keep you all posted about our progress.
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