Tahlequah has plenty of medical marijuana dispensaries for those with state medical cards, but patients could save money in the long run and enjoy the fruits, or buds, of their labor by growing their own.

A patient with an Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority license can legally possess six mature marijuana plants, and six seedling plants. The start up for those new to "gardening" depends on how much cannabis they would like to grow, and which method they would like to use. A grower could plant seeds or clone indoors using the traditional soil method, or could take the hydroponic route by growing it in a reservoir of water - or take the clone or seeds and throw them in the dirt in the backyard.

Jackie Guinn, owner of Jus Grow Me in Tahlequah, said she would start beginners with a few pots, lights to use inside their homes, and soil for under $500. However, if people want to take it further, they could get a setup that costs upward of $1,000.

"The price is going to depend on how many plants you're going to do," said Guinn. "It depends on what lights you want to get. I've got lights that start at $130 and on up. I would probably start them off with a little clone in a 1-gallon pot."

Whether it's a potted plant or using the hydroponic method, Guinn said a grower should give the plant 18 hours of light and six hours of darkness while it is in its vegetative state. She would water it about every other day and give it a variety of nutrients. Once the plant reaches about knee high, it can be transplanted into a 5-gallon bucket.

"You would keep that in its vegetative state until it reaches about 4 feet high," said Guinn. "When it starts to flower, it's going to double in size, and if you're growing indoors, that's kind of hard for most people."

Once a plant reaches about 4 feet, the grower should transition it to its flowering stage. That requires a different set of nutrients, which would help the plant yield more buds and avoid starvation.

"When you go into flowering, you need your blooming nutrients to help produce the buds, the THC, the CBDs, and your trichomes," said Guinn. "Those are always important, because the higher CBD and THC are going to eliminate your pain."

Miracle-Gro should not be used on cannabis. It contains to much nitrogen, which would give the plant issues once it reaches flowering stage. Guinn said another factor is making sure the plant's water has the appropriate PH balance.

"Tap water is the worst for your plants," she said. "It can burn them up. The PH needs to be between 6.5 and 7. If you use distilled water, you've got to make sure you add Cal-Mag, because distilled water does not have it and your plants need that. Rain water is the best for them."

Those who plant their marijuana outside should make sure the plants don't get too much water, or else they will be susceptible to root rot. Guinn recommends raisers a tarp to cover the plants if it rains too much.

Growers need to look out for mites and other bugs. There are a variety of organic pesticides or other natural ways of getting rid of pests, such as using lady bugs. Cultivators should also be on the lookout for mold and mildew.

"If that happens, you need to just throw them all away. It's not healthy to make any kind of medicine out of that at all," said Guinn. "You've got to keep your humidity in your tent or your room just right. That's a very important step, because if the humidity gets too high, it can cause mold or mildew on your plants."

After the plant reaches flowering stage, the grower can start to harvest anywhere from 60 to 90 days. It depends on what he would like to get out of the plant. Guinn said examining the plant's trichomes, which are small resin glands found on the flowers, will help one decide when it's time to harvest.

"Your trichomes will start out [in the flowering stage] as clear," said Guinn. "Then, it goes to cloudy, and then it can go to ember. When it goes to cloudy, you can harvest. It's higher in THC when it's cloudy. You get higher CBD when it turns to the ember color. The trichomes are the little crystals all over your leaves."

Jus Grow Me offers free classes for people looking to start their own small grow operations. Students can learn about cloning, hydroponics, starting a plant in soil and more. While it may seem complicated at first, Guinn said it takes little time to get the hang of it.

"Every day check on your plant," she said. "Once you start growing your plant, it gets pretty easy. You get to know your plant and you can tell if you have a deficiency. All they've got to do is call me and we'll get them through this. We're all about people growing their own natural medicine. It's the way to go."

Learn more

To find out more information about growing cannabis or classes at Jus Grow Me, call 918-822-3634.

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5Ws+1H: How It's Done: Card holders can save money by growing their own - Tahlequah Daily Press