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Cannabis shows mainstream retail potential


Consumers trust nurseries to guide home production practices by PETER MITHAM


retail opportunities. “They’re already


ABBOTSFORD – Retail nurseries have an opportunity to be the one- stop, go-to shop for home cannabis growers if they’re willing to roll with the newly legalized crop. Commercial nurseries such


as Houweling’s Nurseries Ltd. in Ladner and Bevio Agro Inc. of Langley are propagating plant material for the new sector. Tom Ulanowski, president of Nextleaf Labs Inc. in Coquitlam and an instructor at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, told the Canwest Hort Expo in Abbotsford at the end of September that garden centres could profit from


welcoming, they already have most of the supplies that you need, and there’s an opportunity for you guys to take that market – the soccer moms of the world who all of a sudden are going to be interested in some kushes,” he said. With legalization of


recreational cannabis sales on October 17, adults are allowed to grow four plants for personal use. (There’s a higher limit for medical use.) The catch, however, is that licensed producers are the only legal source of plant material, and just six (of approximately 118) are providing starting material.


Season’s Greetings from


Roll with it: Retail nurseries can be trusted sources of growing information for consumers exploring home production of cannabis in the wake of legalization. FILE PHOTO


BC Cannabis Stores, run by the BC Liquor Distribution Branch, are the only legal source for consumers. They aren't yet selling plant material. Nevertheless, Ulanowski


said government has facilitated legalization of plant material by saying growers simply need to declare that what they have was obtained from a licensed source. “I don’t expect the BC


[Cannabis] stores to be stocking clones anytime soon,” he said. “So if you know someone who’s got cannabis, it’s probably your best way forward without having too many issues. There’s no way of knowing if cannabis is illicit, especially in a plant form.” Growing at home means


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significant cost savings for consumers, regardless of source or purpose. Crops take two to six months to produce. While costs run from less than $300 for outdoor systems to $500 or more for indoor container gardening, the price per gram can be as little as $1 or $2 versus $6 to $12 through designated retailers. Ulanowski expects consumers will approach it


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like home brewing, or find it therapeutic, like other forms of gardening. This is where garden centres enter the picture.


He encouraged nurseries to stock some basic growing tools for consumers, such as cloning trays and plugs, some hydroponic pots, growing media (he recommends Promix or coconut coir) and fertilizer. Grow lights, timers and carbon filters to remove the distinctive smell of cannabis are also important. Cannabis is photo-period


sensitive, and Ulanowski describes Vypr LEDs as “the Cadillac of lights,” with good intensity that promotes flowering and yields. Auto- flowering varieties are not photo-period sensitive, but most people opt for the lighting controls. Temperature control, such as fans, keep the air moving and help limit disease. Sanitation is also important to prevent disease and infestations of pests such as spider mites, thrips and aphids. Growing guides are also


important to help novice growers navigate the challenges. “If you can put together a


starting kit that contains all this at a very good price that allows someone to play with this, then I think you’re going to get some very good traction,” Ulanowski said.


COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • DECEMBER 2018


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