Growing Your Own Medical Marijuana? When Can You Smoke Your Home Grown Buds?

One of the great things about Missouri’s Marijuana laws is that medical card holders can apply to grow their own plants. If you’re new to cultivating your own cannabis crop, you may be wondering when it’s okay to smoke those buds you’ve been nurturing.

Thinking of Growing Your Own Medical Marijuana?

If you’re considering growing your own medical marijuana in the state of Missouri, but don’t know how to get started we’ve got you covered. Click HERE for our quick overview and Q&A guide to cultivating your own cannabis.

How Many Plants Can I Grow?

According to the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services, if you have a Missouri cultivation card, you are allowed to grow up to six flowering plants (this term refers to the buds that contain THC). Additionally, you may have six non-flowering plants and six cloned plants grown from clippings. This allows each home cultivator a total of eighteen plants.

When Can I Harvest My Medical Marijuana?

A simple tip to knowing when your marijuana is ready to harvest is to look at the color of the plant’s pistils and trichomes.

Pistils

Pistils are the parts of the plant that look like little hairs. If they’re mostly white, the plant isn’t ready. If they’ve mostly changed to orange or brown, harvesting time is near.

Trichomes

Trichomes are the plant’s little resin glands. They look like small orbs, and also change color, starting out transparent and turning milky white at harvest time. In a nutshell, if your pistils are orange or brown and your trichomes are milky white, your crop is ready.

If you’re looking for a handy guide to harvesting cannabis, Grow With Jane has a step-by-step guide that’s full of detail and easy to follow.

Can I Smoke My Buds Right Away?

You’ve spent time cultivating these plants, and you’re ready to enjoy the fruits of your labor. But, to get the most out of what you’ve grown, you’re going to need to wait a little longer and take the time to dry and cure your buds.

How Long Does it Take To Dry Marijuana After Harvest?

Generally, it takes 1-2 weeks to dry your marijuana once harvesting is complete. Drying is an important step that you’ll want to pay special attention to. If you do it wrong, you could ruin your entire crop with mold. Drying is a process that is worth doing right. Girls in Green has a detailed guide on how to properly dry your buds, including a simple at-home technique using a cardboard box.

Can I Skip the Drying Phase?

If you’re planning on smoking your marijuana, the short answer is “probably not.” Freshly picked buds can’t be smoked because they’re wet. There are some crude methods that will allow you to smoke the bud minutes after being picked, but the THC won’t be in it’s psychoactive form. This means all you’ll be doing is inhaling extra-harsh smoke without the medicinal benefits.

There is a method known as “water curing” that skips the drying phase and leads to a smoother smoking experience when done properly. But, if you’re new to cultivation, the process may be more advanced than you’re ready for.

Some cultivators freeze buds immediately after harvest, but this is not intended for marijuana meant to be smoked. This is done with the goal of extracting live resin in order to make cannabis products. For a consistent, quality smoking experience, you’re going to want to take the time to dry them after harvesting.

Is There a Way to Quick Dry My Buds?

If you simply cannot wait for relief, and want to smoke your buds as soon as possible, there are several techniques for doing a quick dry. 420 Magazine has an extensive guide that includes a plethora of methods such as microwaving, using a toaster oven, and even leaving them under your couch.

What Does it Mean to Cure Marijuana?

Curing marijuana is the process of slowly removing excess moisture from your buds in a controlled environment. It’s a slow step that can take weeks, but is necessary in order to prevent your crop from spoiling. Drying marijuana removes a lot of the precipitation, but the curing process handles excess moisture that can cause mold and spoilage. I Love Growing Marijuana details the curing process, explaining the do’s and don’ts of this vital step.

So… Can I Smoke My Medical Marijuana Now?

Did you wait to harvest until your plant’s pistils were orange and its trichomes milky white? Did you take the time to properly dry and harvest your cannabis crop? If the answer is yes, then congratulations - your bud is ready to smoke.

Of course, you and anyone else who partakes in your harvest will need a valid Missouri medical marijuana card. If you don’t have one yet, our doctors can help take you through a quick and easy evaluation process to see if you qualify. Just give us a call at (877) 303-3117 CLICK HERE to schedule an evaluation.

---

Doctors Who Care. Relief You Can Trust.

At Missouri Marijuana Card, our mission is helping everyone achieve wellness safely and conveniently through increased access to medical marijuana. Our focus on education, inclusion, and acceptance will reduce stigma for our patients by providing equal access to timely information and compassionate care.

Call us at (877) 303-3117, or simply book a medical marijuana evaluation to start getting relief you can trust today!

Check out Missouri Marijuana Card’s Blog to keep up to date on the latest medical marijuana news, tips, and information. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to join the medical marijuana conversation in Missouri.