2022 Reflections: Current State of Cannabis for Growers

Originally Published on: Dec 24, 2022

by Nebula Haze

Hey there! As 2022 comes to a close, it is clear that the cannabis industry has undergone significant changes and growth over the past year that has shaped the industry in exciting ways. From new states legalizing cannabis for recreational and medical use, to the continued expansion of the market and the emergence of new products and technologies, the cannabis industry is constantly evolving. In this article, we will explore 7 key trends and developments in the cannabis industry as we look back on the year 2022. Get ready for some insider cannabis knowledge!

1.) LEDs are the Emperor of Grow Lights

Spider Farmer, Mars Hydro, and HLG are currently leading the market for LED grow lights for growing cannabis plants indoors in a home environment. Right now these companies are innovating the most for home growers (especially HLG which is often copied by the others).

1. Watch out early next year as all the companies put out their 2023 LED grow light models.
2. LEDs tend to be getting smaller, lighter, and easier to use
3. Fewer plant growing problems and less plant stress (used to be an issue, especially with older technology LEDs)
4. Faster vegetative growth
5. Bigger yields
6. Improvements on bud quality and even increased THC. Since they first started selling LEDs for cannabis on a wide level around 2010, they’ve been promising they’ll be able to figure out how to use the custom spectrum offered by LEDs to “hack” cannabis plants to grow in ways that are better for grower goals than they grow under natural sources like the sun. This year that really has started to come to fruition. It’s been over a decade, but they’ve proven their predictions were right.
7. I had the opportunity to speak to the people running HLG at the Cannabis Business Conference in Las Vegas 2022, and their work with live cannabis plants in the midwest is riveting. They made me promise not to share the experiments they were already running, but going into 2023 I’ve never been more excited about grow light technology.
8. Learn about great LED grow lights for growing cannabis along with estimated yields.

LEDs are the best grow lights for most cannabis growers

HIDs like MH/HPS combo and LECs/CMH can only compete in limited situations

1. These used to be the undisputed best of the grow lights for growing cannabis, but they’re old technology now
2. Both are still a great choice in a cool grow room where the temperatures are dropping below 70°F (21°C)
3. MH/HPS is still the cheapest way to get started growing big amounts of weed as a 600W HPS setup costs less than $500 for everything and can produce over a pound easily.
4. LECs are better for trichome and terpene production, though may get lower overall levels of THC. Idea for someone doing extract who cares a lot about terpene content.
5. Other than that, all HIDS are typically beaten by LEDs by: ease of use, yields, electrical efficiency, bud appearance, and even potency/THC. The new lights are amazing.

LEDs won the war against “big bulb” grow lights

2.) Seed companies are shuffling around, changing both management and location

1. Things are changing. There were a lot of developments in seed companies in 2022
2. Some seed companies tried to move to the United States and then moved back because the regulation here was not as friendly as Europe
3. Lots of seed companies were bought and sold, so their management has been changing, putting growers in flux
4. Rise of American seed banks like Get Seeds Right Here and Seeds Here Now
5. The main things holding American seed banks back are issues with banking and legality at the federal level. Once cannabis is legalized, this industry is set to explode and I anticipate we’ll be seeing a lot of new and different cannabis seed bank choices appearing overnight

3.) Breeders are expanding cannabis genetics

1. Breeders abound. After the pandemic put everyone at home in 2020, the breeding scene exploded and major advances in cannabis genetics happened in just a few years, a huge increase in pace compared to the decade before.
2. Some strains are consistently producing up to 30% THC. That means of ALL the physical matter in the buds (after they’re dried – buds are mostly water), 30% of everything that’s left is pure THC. That’s pretty amazing when you think about it. Buds these days get you plenty high, and more THC at this point isn’t necessarily making them better. It seems breeders are starting to pay more attention to the other compounds inside weed that change their effects or moderate THC.
3. That means as we go into 2023, I think we’re going to be seeing a lot more strains specialized to specific needs of the end user, like strains that are designed to make you happy, chill, creative, etc. Technology and breeding techniques are going crazy!

4.) Legalization seems to be speeding up in many places

1. Several new states legalized weed and home grow, though some states legalized growing only for businesses but not home growers
2. At a federal level, many bills about legalization have been voted on and passed in the U.S. Congress between the two houses, though so far we haven’t had any really big bills that made it through both and came into law. It’s hard to predict what will happen on the cannabis legalization front in 2023 as that tends to be when our election politics for 2024 election pick up in earnest. I could see Congress trying to pass something because weed legalization is popular with the majority of Americans, but I could also see them shying away from legislation because it is not a topic that drives a lot of voters (unfortunately the weed supporters never turn out in the numbers that polls show support legalization, while those opposed to legalization seems much more driven to vote than those who support legalization) so politicians may not want to “rock the boat” until after the 2024 elections.
3. Other countries are legalizing. Canada and Uruguar led the world in cannabis legalization years ago. Thailand legalized recently and already seems to have created a thriving and growing market that’s partly aimed at tourism very cool. South Africa has also been forging ahead with legalization as they position their country to be the “California of Africa” when it comes to weed
4. The War on Drugs is finally dying down. There don’t seem to be that many places making it more illegal, which is cool.

5.) More options for grower to make growing easier to get started and best of all CHEAPER

1. Wide available of “hot” soil and “just add water” soil mixes specifically designed for growing cannabis.
2. Cost of grow equipment has started to fall, especially for LED grow lights and fans.
3. Prices of nutrients have surprisingly been falling as well. For example, the General Hydroponics Flora trio had reached levels of $50 for 3-pack of quart bottles earlier this year, but hhave fallen to $35 for the same sizes, which is actually a lower cost than it’s been for decades. Quality is the same. Pretty cool!
4. Cheaper better options.The fact that the cost of equipment and high-quality nutrients are staying the same or going down is a pleasing development in a time filled with massive cost inflation of many goods.

Growing cannabis at home is easier and cheaper than its ever been

6.) As full legalization approaches, a greater fight against home grow is emerging by big businesses

1. Unfortunately, this isn’t a good thing from 2022. The sharks are circling the budding cannabis industry and they want all the profits for themselves
2. Big Business is trying to make home grow illegal. Many companies are actively and successfully lobbying state politicians to include prohibitions, strict restrictions, and years-long delays surrounding home grow (growing weed at home) in states that are legalizing weed for businesses to sell.
3. They want that sweet sweet money all to themselves, and people growing better weed at home for $20/ounce cuts into the profits of selling subpart moldy weed for $300-400 ounce or more.
4. Engaging in politics is crucially important. We need every single grower and weed supporter to be politically active at the local and state level surrounding home grow
5. Bother your politicians and tell them it’s wrong for businesses to be allowed to grow and sell weed, which is often poor quality or unsafe, while their customers are prohibited to grow better safer weed at home for themselves. Politicians need to be hearing that this is a problem from their constituents. Even if they don’t have legalization on the table in your state, every time they receive a call or letter, they’re more likely to talk to other politicians about it.
6. Make your thoughts known. We need you as part of the army to fight as a unit towards legal home grow for everyone. Please, get involved. Write a letter. Make a call. Even go on ChatGPT and get it to write you a personalized letter or script. (here’s how to do that, or copy a pre-written letter)

Big Weed wants a monopoly. Cannabis businesses are fighting the legalization of home grow. We need your help!

7.) Smoking the flower is still the most popular way people use weed (though edibles, hash, and concentrates are becoming more popular)

1. People still prefer smoking weed.
2. I’d gotten the impression from the media that no one was smoking flower anymore and everyone was using edibles and other derivatives like hash or oil to ingest their weed.
3. Smoking the straight buds is still the most popular way people use weed (though edibles, hash, and concentrates are becoming more popular).

The most common way to ingest weed is to smoke it (joints, bongs, pipes, one-hitters, etc.)

Summary: Cannabis growing research, legal changes, and trends

1. Knowledge explosion. Led by breeders, grow light companies, and commercial growers, the knowledge of “what makes cannabis thrive” is being expanded at every moment
2. More options are available to home growers to now than ever before to making it easy to grow great cannabis
3. Cannabis is being legalized everywhere, but there’s a strong fight by companies against legalizing home grow
4. It’s up to all of us to get involved with our local politics and try to expand and protect legal growing

I can’t wait to see what happens next year. 2023 has the potential to be another excellent year for cannabis growers.

See you next year!
Nebula Haze

Co-Founder of GrowWeedEasy.com