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Colorado lead the country by passing Colorado Constitution Amendment 64, legalizing recreational marijuana in their state. According to this state law, adults aged 21 and older can legally possess or grow marijuana for their own use, within certain parameters.

If you are a Coloradan looking to grow some pot for your own use, know that you can only grow up to six plants and that no more than three of those plants can be in the flowering stage. You must also make sure the plants are grown in a closed, locked area. Smoking in public in against the law and you cannot possess it on any federal land like national parks. Note, too, that you may not legally possess more than one ounce of marijuana at a time.

You can cultivate, but you can’t sell your crop—only licensed dispensaries can legally sell Boulder Marijuana —but you can give it away. Colorado law says that if you grow your own pot, you can legally gift an ounce to another person aged 21 or older.

Since the most marijuana plants require 12 hours of light and 12 hours of complete darkness, it might be difficult to find a locked, private place to grow them. A closet will work if you just want to grow a plant or two, as long as you can block any light. You can purchase grow boxes or even use a five-gallon drum if you are looking to keep your crop small. If you really want to grow up to six plants, you will need a room or basement to adequately cultivate your plants.

You can start from seeds to determine the type of pot you’d like to grow. There are thousands of strains; hybrids of the indica and sativa varieties. You may not get a viable plant the first time you try, and researching the seeds to determine which will give you the best flowering plants is a good idea, especially if you are a novice grower. If you decide you really want to invest in marijuana cultivation, you will need to invest in some temperature gear to ensure your crop gets the proper heat, moisture and light to effectively grow.

A good place to start if you are a novice grower would either be the internet, to gather as much information as possible before you start, or visiting a boulder marijuana dispensary in town to gather some intel from professional growers. They can give you some good tips to get you started. You can either purchase the seeds online or from the dispensary, but you will want to ensure they are seeds from a female plant, as they are the only ones that produce flowering plants. You can also buy a clone plant or, if you know someone over 21 who grows, they can gift you a clone from one of their plants.

If you set up a room to grow your plants, you may want to invest in a heat lamp, one that puts out 400 to 600 watts, one that can be situated at arm’s length directly over the blossoming plants. The lamps will radiant a lot of heat, so to keep the room at 75 degrees for optimum plants, you will want to keep a portable air conditioner on hand. When the lights are turned off, the room should remain about 69 degrees. If the room gets too hot, the plants will grow slower. You will also want to invest in a hygrometer from a local growing facility to maintain the humidity levels in the room. In small, enclosed spot, the humidity level will rise every time you water your plants, otherwise you can rot out your plants or they can develop “bud mold”, effectively destroying this plant’s crop. Setting up a dehumidifier will help keep this in check. Once you have mastered the crop, you may decide to incorporate a carbon dioxide canister to help your plants produce stronger and bigger yields.

For the best product, you will want to grow the Indica hybrid plants, the ones that produce the “mellow” high associated with medicinal marijuana. These plants don’t grow very tall, only to two to three feet, which is perfect for a small growing area. While regular potting soil will work, but a premixed version of soil available at grow stores is preferable. Watering the plants also requires special care. While regular tap water can be used, it should be left out for a period of at least 24 hours to let all the chlorine evaporate. Apparently, marijuana plants can “overdose” on chlorine, so filtering the water may save your crop.

There are also hazards to growing your own pot plants, including mold, and a potential for fire. Since marijuana grows in a relatively humid environment, the potential for mold growth and airborne mold spores are prevalent, possibly causing health risks to those who live there. Also, with the heat lamps in place, there’s more of a chance of a house fire due to an excess of electricity usage. If you incorporate a carbon dioxide canister to produce bigger crops, the hazards increase, including the chance that the CO2 tank can explode!

Only you can decide if you want to take on the chore of growing your own marijuana, but if you live in a state where recreational marijuana is legal, it might be best just to purchase it from a reputable grower. Obviously, there is a great investment in growing your own weed, both in time and money. You will need to constantly monitor your plants, as well as invest in their maintenance. You can anticipate a several thousand-dollar investment to start and keep your plants in a healthy state. When you consider the initial cost of the marijuana seeds, a lighting system, a portable air conditioner, a dehumidifier, a CO2 tank as well as the increased heating, cooling and watering costs, and you have a lot of money. However, if you like having your own strain on hand for personal consumption or you appreciate the satisfaction of growing, then the investment of time and money might be worth it for you.