Cannabis Plants ‘Gateway’ to Vegetable Gardens
A survey explored the habits of cannabis gardeners and found out that many develop a passion for growing veggies, too.
Survey reveals that planting cannabis at home might lead to a life-long passion and admiration for gardening. One in four cannabis growers reported they planted tomatoes, as well as other vegetables and herbs, years after first picking with homegrowing cannabis. This new gardening trend seems to be particularly popular among Millennials.
It’s high time to change the discourse on how we talk about cannabis (if you still haven’t, this is your last chance). Stop saying that cannabis is a gateway drug to using other stronger drugs. Start saying growing your own cannabis is a gateway to growing a range of other edible plants and herbs in your private garden.
From Cannabis Growers to Committed Home Gardeners
Growing cannabis can make you wanna start a vegetable garden. A lot of people, especially among the younger generations, cannot resist the lure and the opportunity to connect with the earth. Growers who’ve started working in a garden with the sole intention to plant and harvest their own buds, eventually continue to take care of other crops as well, at least that’s what the results from a recent poll suggest.
A new survey run by Florida-based resource and education initiative Homegrown Cannabis Co., claims that roughly two-thirds of home growers started planting other plants such as tomato and basil after seeding their first cannabis plant.
Nearly one in four respondents out of 1,237 interviewed individuals said they planted their first tomato years after cultivating pot for the first time. Their new-found passion led them to work with a range of vegetables, fruits and herbs.
“We’ve been saying it for years, once people experience the joy of growing their own cannabis, they can’t stop. Cannabis isn’t a gateway drug, it’s a gateway crop,” said Jessica Hanson, Co-founder and Managing Director of Homegrown Cannabis Co., Yahoo Finance reported.
Respondents said that growing cannabis helped them build confidence required to cultivate other crops. Perfecting their cannabis homegrow skills made it easy to maintain an edible garden. Another mentioned perk was that having your own vegetables helped cut on grocery bills.
“Cannabis teaches patience, attention to detail, and care, the same skills you need to grow healthy tomatoes. Plus, they pair perfectly in the garden. One for your salad, one for your soul,” Hanson added, Yahoo Finance reported.
While tomatoes seem to be the most popular edible that cannabis gardeners were keen to try on in their yards, survey respondents said they’ve also made effort with basil, strawberries, chili peppers, cucumbers, lettuce and pumpkin, often using the personal produce for home-cooked meals.
There Is Generational Shift in Home Gardening Habits
According to the poll, 62% of Millennials who participated in it, said they grew cannabis before they also started tomatoes. That represents a significant increase, compared to just 29% of baby boomers who found themselves on the same path in the garden. The trend appears to be prevalent in legal states, however, interest in self-producing veggies is also noted in non-legal states where cannabis growing remains a close-lipped activity.
It wouldn’t be the first poll to suggest Millennials are genuinely more interested in gardening than their predecessors. Few more surveys attest to the fad. According to one of them, more than 18 million Americans turned to horticulture following the pandemic, most notably observed among Millennials, with 65% increase, followed by Gen Z who have 44% increase.
The trend could be partially explained by the fact that Millennials are currently the largest working demographic group in the U.S., who’ve also entered their home-buying years. As a generation they were also brought up with fairly normal views on cannabis. They do not have the stigma and they apparently appreciate homegrown buds.
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Stephen Andrews
