Newbie who wants to get in to growing

[bgb27]

Hello Everyone,

My name is Brent, I'm a college student in the state of Florida and recently decided that I want to make a living out of growing and selling medicinal marijuana in another state once I graduate. I recently changed my major to Business - Finance and will be minoring in Horticulture.

Just to get a feel for hydroponics, I wanted to buy a hydro set and start growing tomatoes in my house. Do you guys have any opinions/info on what set I should start with? I was thinking like a six plant set up. I've been trying to do my research, but I figured I'd just come out and ask. I was thinking ebb and flow would be the best for me. Also, if cost isn't a very big issue, whats the best lighting you recommend?

Thank you!
Brent.

 

[Twisted694]

Hey man, I just posted a thread about my first grow over, but it's with real ganja and in soil (rather than hydroponics). I spent several hours of the last few days reading all the stickies and much more on this forum. It helped me great man and it'd be a good start for you too!

 

[TruenoAE86coupe]

There is next to no money to be made in Medical states at this point, watch for the new comers and get out there and set up as fast as possible. Expect to spend between 500,000 and 1 mil to get set up and going for any actual production/store front profit.

You do not want to try to grow a warehouse full of cannabis hydroponically, it has too many fail factors, is too tough to teach to employees (can't do this shit yourself, just try a single 2lb run trim by yourself!), and when things go wrong it takes out huge numbers of plants. Soil and CoCo are almost exclusively used by large legal grows.
Just for a reference in Colorado at this point (can't even open a new MMC right now) there is around $50,000 in licensing fees, not including a lawyer to understand it all. This doesn't include anything else, just the state saying ok.

 

[bgb27]

Is it really that tough to get started? What about WA or Canada? My initial thought was Colorado after talking an attorney there, referred my NORML. I've been doing my research. I have no idea where you're getting that $50,000 figure for licensing though.

Right from Colorado's medical marijuana site
"The Colorado Board of Health approved the Department of Public Health’s proposal to reduce the application fee. Effective January 1, 2012, the application fee is reduced to $35 per application."

I was told for the person in charge, the licensing fees go up to about $250, because you're paying for your background check.

I appreciate your concern by advising me that it's difficult to get started, but it's something that I really want to get in to, and it's a dream that I'm really passionate about. Thank you.

 

[TruenoAE86coupe]

I thought you said you wanted to open a shop, thats what that was based on.
Here in Colorado as a caregiver you can only have up to 5 patients (and yourself), and cannot sell for profit, only to cover the expenses of growing the meds. You cannot sell to anyone who is not your patient and certainly not to MMC's. Long story short, if you want killer buds and a great place to live, come to Colorado, but don't plan to make money selling here.
Every time it gets legalized in a state everyone who can runs out and gets all the patients they can and equipment, within a couple years (since Obama took over) the prices have dropped to nothing. An oz is easy to find for $200. If you really sit down and do the math with someone who truely knows you will find that unless you are pushing federal limits and breaking medical laws anyways, there is no way to make a living off of it.
Every week or so someone comes on here with this great idea that they are going to learn how to grow, go to a medical state, grow the best buds ever and make a fortune. Most often people give up after laws change and head home.
Good luck, but its not the cash haven they make it out to be, and its a lot of back breaking labor that you better have love for the plants to be able to do with any success or quality.

 

[TruenoAE86coupe]

If you are passionate about it, go to a medical state, get a real job and grow as a hobby like the rest of us. Don't plan to make a living at it.

 

[Ccoastal]

there is no way to make a living off of it.

i have tried telling many many people that.

Ccoastal

 

[bullwinkle60]

Fuck the naysayers, don't get discouraged go for your dream before it's tool ate and life has passed you by.

 

[bgb27]

Fuck the naysayers, don't get discouraged go for your dream before it's tool ate and life has passed you by.

Thanks man. It's something that I'm really passionate about doing, but I just want to go about it the legal way. I figured by the time I get out of school and get ready to go move there will be a clearer sight of what state/country would be the best to move to. I just wanted to start growing something now so I can learn early on. I mean I'm only 19, and still have a lot of time to go before this becomes a reality. If I can't support myself with it when the time comes, I will still have my finance degree from the 14th best undergraduate program of public schools in the US, I can find a way to make money. My family has been in the restaurant business for as long as I can remember, and will only be a certain amount of time till I inherit the family business if need be.

 

[Filthy Phil]

Well Brent, I half agree with above. The half I agree about is it can be difficult setting up, costly as well. Opening a club is a clusterfuck of shit to get through. And....competition is pretty fierce.

The part I disagree about is the insinuation ,perhaps, that it cant be done. While there is a ton of competition, I will say that the market is dominated by unprofessional business people. Like all businesses, the savier you are, the higher you rise to the top.

But...beware. Unless your bud comes out top notch, or you have insanely low overhead, it will be hard to turn a huge profit. Competition is heaviest in the quantity category, not in the quality category. Basically...bring your A game, and be prepared to put your cock on the chopping block...its a serious wager to involve yourself in. safer a bet: open a hydroshop. Sell shovels and pans to the gold miners, you dont need to get in there digging for it yourself to make money off it.

Also...go seminoles!

 

[bgb27]

Hahhaha thanks Phil, I appreciate the input. I definitely want to go about this the correct way. I'm not getting a degree for no reason. I appreciate the help. But one thing, GO GATORS!

 

[TruenoAE86coupe]

You are majoring in "Business-Finance", so then lets look at this realistically, how much money do you need to make a month to cover all expenses and make a "living" growing? Start with this and go from there. We will get into crop failure issues and the fact the electric bill still has to be paid later.

Also i hate to be the nay sayer, if you had come in asking for advice on how to set up, i would have been thrilled to help, but you hit a nerve when you said the same thing i hear here all the time, "I want to move to a medical state and make a living selling the locals my weed".
Its no where near that easy......
If you want to grow for you and your buddies and get a real job while you learn this trade (just like any other trade what they teach you in school does not make up for experience), then when you have your shit on lock down and money in the bank start working at not having a 9-5 anymore.

 

[bgb27]

I never said it was easy, and I'm not discrediting the fact that it is hard, laborious work. It's something I want to do and I'm willing to risk the fact that it may be difficult to start up. It doesn't make it a bad idea just because you wouldn't do what I'm doing. I have a financial backing, and I'm not going into this alone. I want to provide a product and unique shopping environment that's relaxed and comfortable. I may not be going about asking my questions in the manner that you wish, but I did ask questions in my original post. Maybe hydro wouldn't be the way to go. Instead of discounting what I have to say, it would be much more beneficial to help me make my own decision on what i need to do and what i dont need to do. And if you don't wish to help me, I'm sorry that you feel that way.

 

[Ccoastal]

lets put it like this, ive spent most of my life in this town. i know all the elements of it and am involved with a lot of growers from cash croppers to co-op caretakers and hobbyists.

now, even with a detailed knowledge of the area and a reputation for having really dank organic meds, it would be extremely difficult to make a living off just cropping according to the medical laws.

in Oregon anyway (i believe most states except CA are the same) you can charge only enough to cover expenses. no more.

now what expenses are is still kinda fuzzy, you can set up a grow house and be reinbursed for the rent, electricity, water, nutrients, and soil. but you can not be compensated in any way for the time you put into the garden.

technically i believe you could be compensated for the food you buy for the grow house as it is part of an expense, although you MUST keep a full detailed record of everything you buy. and even then, you can not make a profit.

to figure what you can be reinbursed for, you must add up all the expenses (no fudging! they can check if they really want to) and divide by the harvest, which gives you the price for each ounce that you are allowed to collect donations for. (medical community relies on donations, not sales. that is a crucial term)

Ccoastal

 

[Illegal Smile]

I never said it was easy, and I'm not discrediting the fact that it is hard, laborious work. It's something I want to do and I'm willing to risk the fact that it may be difficult to start up. It doesn't make it a bad idea just because you wouldn't do what I'm doing. I have a financial backing, and I'm not going into this alone. I want to provide a product and unique shopping environment that's relaxed and comfortable. I may not be going about asking my questions in the manner that you wish, but I did ask questions in my original post. Maybe hydro wouldn't be the way to go. Instead of discounting what I have to say, it would be much more beneficial to help me make my own decision on what i need to do and what i dont need to do. And if you don't wish to help me, I'm sorry that you feel that way.

Damn kids these days - can't tell 'em anything!

 

[bgb27]

Alright, well if I would have known there was no support for newcomers here I wouldn't have even given it a shot. So much for trying to explain yourself on the Newbie Board. You guys are real helpful.

 

[Illegal Smile]

Alright, well if I would have known there was no support for newcomers here I wouldn't have even given it a shot. So much for trying to explain yourself on the Newbie Board. You guys are real helpful.

I predict you will fail on snottiness alone.

 

[scubatc]

Yeah I would stay away from medical if you wanna just make a quick buck but if thats what you wanna do more power to you bro! You just gotta be careful and be ready to get shut down. Just because the local law says its ok doesnt mean the the federal law says its ok. Check out some documentaries on medical stores, They have em on netflix and the stores seem to go through a lot with the feds to keep em going or starting over. If your gonna run hydro just make sure you have more than enough room for your plants. I started in a bubbleponics system with 6 plants and within 3 weeks I over grew my system and have to move all my plants to their own 5 gallon buckets cause right now my roots are getting tangled and my leaves are overlapping with the other plants.

 

[TruenoAE86coupe]

Sorry previous members have ruined it for you.
Ask us how to grow hydro we will be all over it, but tomatoes are not our knowledge base.
You said grow for a living, i tried to point out most legal grows (large enough to make a living at) do not use hydro, that was advice.
Start over with a new thread leave out making a living at it and you will get better results.
I do apologize, however you can only tolerate so much before you just start throwing everyone in the same catagory when they say things like this.
Good luck, plant a seed and learn all you can. Learn to grow your own and go from there, if it is meant to be your calling it will be!