If you were among the Albertans who bought cannabis seeds for home-growing before supply sold out, experts say it is time to start planting.
“If I was starting from seed, I’d be putting them in the ground now,” advises Jim Hole, horticulturist at Holes Greenhouse and also the vice president of cultivation at Atlas Growers.
Under the new laws, Canadians are allowed to grow up to four plants at home.
Holes has many tips for those who want to try:
“At home no big deal you can put them into peat moss containers regular soil they germinate quickly the seed comes up in a matter of days.”
“If they’re going into containers you’ll want to have about 20 litres, think of a 5 gallon bucket like that, for one plant. If you’re going into the garden, great, you can put it into the ground and you’re set to go.”
“It’s going to get to maybe two to three feet wide. They get to be very big plants, so you want to think about that if you want to space them out.”
“You want warmer weather, lots of sun, these are definitely not shade plants.”
He also warns cannabis plants are “heavy feeders” and need fertilizer, and that auto-flowering varieties will grow better in Alberta—if any seeds can still be found for sale, that is.
Alberta Gaming Liquor and Cannabis started selling seeds in January through AlbertaCannabis.org, but the site is currently sold out.
Some retailers who ordered stock before the supply challenges may still have product, but for many, that’s not the case.
“(Seeds) haven’t been in the catalogue for at least… six to eight orders,” estimated Destiny Carriere, president of Stony Plain’s Daily Blaze.
“We were the first place in Alberta to actually receive a box, but they haven’t been available since.”
AGLC said it updates its inventory weekly, so seed stock could become available in the coming days. A four-pack of seeds averages about $60.
Albertans can only legally purchase recreational cannabis through the AGLC site or provincially licensed brick-and-mortar stores.
AlbertaCannabis.org does not ship to addresses outside of Alberta. Oppositely, online purchases from outside the province to an Alberta address are not permitted.
With files from Nicole Weisberg
