WASHINGTON:  Raw cannabis juicing is a lifestyle discipline that I wholeheartedly embrace, but it requires a lot of effort and plants. For the past few years I have relied on the kindness of other cannabis growers to supply me with raw cannabis they were otherwise discarding or allow me into their gardens to defoliate their plants. This year, however I started tackling the idea that I can grow my own for juicing.

The very idea of growing my own is an intimidating one. I don’t have much privacy or property and I live in a rainforest that only gets sunshine in the summer. Plus my research on what is required for a raw juicing routine has suggested that I need to have 30 plants so as to be able to juice one a day. This is not legal or sustainable for me. So, I’m trying to see what kind of raw cannabis experience I can have with a few plants and if it would still be beneficial.

Last summer I grew a couple of plants but they did not produce much, were stricken with spider mites and powdery mildew,  and turned out to not something I wanted to eat. This year has been a different story.

My garden didn’t get any bigger, but my plants sure did. I started with healthy clones in nutrient rich, organic soil and they grew into trees that I have had to work to keep smaller than my fence so as to keep them as discreet as possible. I also planted mint, sage, and lemon balm around my garden as a potential bug barrier. So far any growing issues have been minimal and spider mites are non-existent. That in itself feels like a huge accomplishment.