Start growing
Getting started is easy. But before you put seeds in the ground or collect your seedlings, you need to complete these two first and most important steps:
1. Read and understand the rules and regulations.
2. Consult the detailed FAQ.
Done? Now you’re ready to register by clicking below!
Please note that all identification information is strictly for the purposes of this competition and will not be shared or used for any other purpose.
Cultivation and Harvesting Guidelines
Growing Additives
- Conventional or organic fertilizer is permitted
- No use of artificial plant growth regulators or products intended for ornamental use only.
- Strictly no use of banned pesticides are permitted at any point of the cycle. It is your responsibility to ensure the health and pesticide history of any clones being used. See banned list of active ingredients here: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/drugs-health-products/cannabis-testing-pesticide-list-limits.html).
- It is encouraged that you avoid using pesticides of any kind. Just because a pesticide is sold in a store, even a hydroponics store, does not mean it is safe for use on cannabis. There are few products officially authorized for use on cannabis in Canada, the list is here: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/cannabis-regulations-licensed-producers/pest-control-products.html.
- No foliar sprays of any kind may be used after week 2 of flower
Harvesting Notes
- Special care should be taken at harvest to discard any diseased or contaminated plant material. Microscopic visual inspection will be done on all submissions and any that have noticeable issues will be disqualified by the submissions panel without appeal.
- All harvesting, trimming, drying and curing should be done in sanitary conditions with food safe practices and materials.
- It is very important to ensure you have control of temperature and humidity during the drying phase. No outdoor or unventilated drying rooms are permitted.
- The drying process and parameters must be documented in your grow journal and you must be able to maintain a relative humidity level under 60%, with monitoring and daily records. A min/max thermometer/hygrometer is recommended.
- It is critical that your submission is less than 15% moisture content. This is not easy to measure without special instruments, but can be estimated by grinding an average sized dried bud and feeling the moisture level. Above 15% the ground bud will feel damp and won’t stay lit in a joint. At about 6% you can crush a bud with your fingers into powder. You should aim for 8-12%, not moist and not powder.
- Entries that are too moist will be disqualified as mould growth is a risk. There is no lower limit on moisture content but too dry can be harsh to smoke.
- Failure to keep an adequate grow journal may disqualify your submission.
Why we ask for a Grow Journal
Accountability
- A grow journal with basic information such as fertilizer brand, grow medium, pesticides (type, application rate and frequency) allows the organizers and pre-screening committee to ensure safety parameters
- Noting information such as the seed pop date, flower date, harvest date, drying parameters and packaged date can also ensure both safety as well as adherence to the rules and regulations.
How to submit your grow journal
Document your grow at the following stages at the very least by taking a picture of your plants at the following stages. Please tag with #4PlantsCup if you post to social media.
- Seedling or clone stage
- Vegetative phase
- Flowering phase, near the beginning and near the end
- Wet product at harvest – and rosin press process for concentrates
- Drying room with product
- Dried product before packaging
- Final product after packaging and before shipping
We encourage posting images publicly as well as tagging us @4PlantsCup on Twitter and Instagram.
Once the competition has been closed, the curing process is complete, and all related images have been submitted, you will need to prepare your entry for shipping and include a prepaid, pre-addressed envelope with your submission in order to judge other submissions.
Registration and Submission Guidelines
Dried flower
- Once drying/curing is complete, your 28g submission should be weighed and packaged.
- You may only submit one cultivar (strain) per submission, from the same plant (or phenotype if from clone).
- It is critical the flower weight is 28 grams and not less (will not have enough for judging) or more than 30g (would be illegal).
- All submissions will be asked to be sealed in a vacuum bag for shipping. Be careful not to over-compress the bud if vacuum sealing.
- All submissions must be in food grade packaging.
- Any packages that have detectable smell will likely not be forwarded from the post office and therefore disqualified.
- A tracking number is not required but is recommended and an adults signature is required for delivery.
Rosin
- 1 gram of dried flower is equal to 0.25 grams of concentrates. Therefore you may submit 7 grams of concentrate to stay under the 30g equivalent limit
- This may come from more than one plant if you choose. Samples should be packaged in parchment paper in a ziplock bag or glass container.
- NO SOLVENTS are allowed, only heat and pressure may be used for the production of your submission.
- Food grade materials must be used throughout the pressing process.
- You may have someone else assist in pressing your bud, but you should be present to document the process.
Note: Detailed shipping instructions will be sent to participants near the closing time of each category.