The proliferation of legalized marijuana across the country has led to the introduction of all sorts of terms never before mentioned in modern culture. One such term is ‘ditch weed’. It is a term that cannabis users with many years under their belts are familiar with. To everyone else, the term doesn’t mean much.
So, what is ditch weed? Furthermore, is it any better than cultivated weed? Keep reading to find out. You will discover that there is a lot more to cannabis than the rather simple debate over its legal status.
Marijuana Is Cannabis
For starters, marijuana is a variety of the cannabis plant, and there is more than one variety. Industrial hemp is another variety, and it is differentiated from marijuana by the volume of THC it contains. Federal standards dictate that cannabis plants with up to 0.3% THC are classified as hemp. Any plants with more THC are classified is marijuana.
When people discuss weed, they are usually talking about marijuana rather than hemp. That leads directly to the question of ditch weed.
Ditch weed is defined as cannabis growing outdoors and without any help from human beings. By contrast, cultivated weed is cannabis that is being grown as a direct result of human efforts. It can be grown inside or out. It can also be grown from seeds or cuttings.
It Is not Wild Weed
Ditch weed’s two defining factors might lead you to believe that it is the same thing as wild weed. But guess what? That assumption would be incorrect. Wild weed is a completely different plant altogether. Wild weed is the purist form of cannabis in that its growth has never been influenced by human activity. It is completely natural, completely wild in every aspect.
According to Cannigma contributor Jessica Reilly, ditch weed is not wild weed. Rather, it is more of a hybrid product. The best way to understand it is to imagine cultivated weed being grown outdoors mixing with truly wild weed in a field a few miles away.
Reilly explains that cannabis is wind pollinated. That means the wind picks up the pollen from a male plant and deposits it on the female plant. This is how most ditch weed starts. Truly wild weed is pollinated by cultivated plants in a neighboring field. That pollination results in ditch weed.
Most Ditch Weed Is Hemp
Riley goes on to explain in her piece that most ditch weed is actually hemp. In other words, it is CBD-dominant. If it contains any THC, the volume is likely going to be pretty low. However, this is not to say that it is impossible for ditch weed to be THC-heavy. Anything is possible.
Does the dominant cannabinoid matter? That depends on why you choose to use cannabis. If you were to take a look at the UtahMarijuana.org website, you would find discussions about both THC and CBD. Both have medical applications. Both are utilized for health and wellness purposes. But if you are looking to get high, CBD isn’t going to help. Ditch weed probably isn’t your best bet.
In terms of CBD quality, ditch weed is not likely to be better than a cultivated product. Remember that cultivators produce cannabis plants under tightly controlled conditions designed to maximize quality and potency. Ditch weed grows in an uncontrolled environment and so is subject to the whims of nature.
In short, ditch weed is cannabis that grows outside of human intervention. It is a more natural plant, but not necessarily better than cultivated weed. You may or may not like using it.