If you are anything like me, you barely have the time to make your own dinner, let alone tackle all of the DIY projects you’ve wanted to do for years.
But when it comes to growing my own cannabis, I make the time. And if you live in one of the many states like Oregon, Colorado, Alaska, California, Nevada, Massachusetts, and Maine, where personal cannabis cultivation is now legal, you should too.
Why? Well, outside of the fact that it saves me money and I know exactly how it was grown, the cannabis that I grow tastes, smells, and feels better than anything I can get at my local dispensary.
And that’s not because I’m a professional grower. I am, in fact, a novice who grew his first two plants just last year. Full disclosure: I found home cultivation resources so lacking during the process that I started a company to help fill the void.
To their credit, professional growers have decades of experience, refined technique, and a deep understanding of the plant itself. It helps them create a quality product, and I’m still heading to my favorite dispensary if I want to try a new strain.
My claim of better taste, smell, and feel is not a claim that I’m somehow the Doogie Howser of cannabis. Nor is it just one more unneeded example of someone with a God Complex.
The reason my homegrown cannabis tastes, smells, and feels better (yours will too) is actually due to something psychologists have dubbed the IKEA Effect. It also explains why the beer you brewed with your buddy years ago tasted “fantastic”, despite what your girlfriend may have thought at the time.
In the IKEA Effect study, researchers found that participants who constructed their own physical objects (like furniture) valued them five times higher than participants who were simply asked to value those objects on the shelf. Since our psychology plays such a huge part in perceived utility/enjoyment, the IKEA Effect is likely the biggest driver in the resurgence of DIY over the past decade.
Don’t get me wrong; if you are diligent in your process, you have a great shot at growing herb your friends will be seriously impressed with. Even if you don’t get top shelf bud on the first go around, I can guarantee that the personal pride you feel will be worth the journey alone.
This post was written by a guest contributor that wishes to remain anonymous.
