* If you click a link on this page and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.

Best Cannabis Grow Book

Last Updated: March 23, 2023
Roy Stevens
Product Review by Roy Stevens

With so much growing information freely available online, many growers may wonder if there is even a need for the trusty old paperback cannabis book anymore.

It’s a very good and valid question, with many cannabis growers of differing opinions.

Some cannabis growers will prefer to get their information online through open forums and cannabis blogs.

Whilst others may find out the majority of the info they need from other growers by word of mouth.

All are just as valid as the next but in our honest opinion, there is still a need for paperback versions of cannabis grow books, as they are so packed full of useful info whilst at the same time being very affordable.

Let’s not forget, there are many knowledgeable and experienced people from the cannabis industry/community that have released guides or books on the subject of growing cannabis.

To have all that experienced growing knowledge in the palm of your hand is an invaluable tool to possess.

And let’s be honest, you can never have too much knowledge when it comes to cannabis cultivation.

As easy as looking something up on your computer may be. Nothing beats having the very best cannabis grow book at your side at all times.

It offers the cultivator a quick goto resource that is always just an arms length away.

Remember, the more you know, the better cannabis grow!

Our Reviews
1

Marijuana Cultivation Reconsidered

The Marijuana Cultivation Reconsidered by Read Spear, takes a different approach to your standard cannabis grow book.

Instead of following the traditional format that we’ve seen so many times over the years. Spear, instead opts for a more scientific approach.

That’s not to say the average grower won’t take away anything from this book, as it covers a wide range of topics so will be an interesting read for all.

Just be aware it’s not your standard beginner grow book/guide.

If that’s what you’re looking for, then we suggest picking one of the other growing guides featured in today’s list.

The information it does contain would probably be more of an interest to your intermediate/professional grower with years of experience.

There are a couple of downsides to this book though, the main one being that it only comes in a Kindle edition.

So if you were hoping to add another grow guide to your collection, think again.

A bonus of the above, is that The Marijuana Cultivation Reconsidered is exceptionally well priced. Beating most other grow guides currently available.

Consistently rated 4 stars and above, and recommended by a multitude of growers worldwide, The Marijuana Cultivation Reconsidered grow book is well worth its place in our top 5 cannabis grow books.

Pros

  • Excellent price
  • Rated highly
  • Scientific approach
  • Easy, informative read
  • Covers a wide range of topics

Cons

  • Only available on Kindle
  • Not the best for the very inexperienced growers
2

The Cannabis Grow Bible

One of the most popular books on our list, The Cannabis Grow Bible by Greg Green is a good go to book for any beginner or experienced grower looking to find out a bit more info on cannabis cultivation overall.

Realizing not every grower will employ the same growing techniques, The Cannabis Grow Bible tries to encompass a wide range of topics and knowledge. Rather than be overly specific on one or two subject areas.

From the history of cannabis through to growing techniques as well as harvest, The Growers Bible is a fairly easy and info-packed read. At 689 pages long, with many helpful pictures throughout, most growers should be okay with this book. Even the more greenhorn of cannabis cultivators will have an easy time with this book.

Having traveled far and wide to learn everything he can about the plant; Cannabis. Greg Green, the author of The Cannabis Grow Bible, is one of the most knowledgeable and experienced growing experts in the cannabis industry.

You can see why The Cannabis Bible is still one of the most recommended growing guides by cultivators from around the globe.

Pros

  • Updated edition
  • Highly rated & recommended among growers
  • Knowledgeable author educated in botany & plant horticulture
  • Competitively priced

Cons

  • A fair proportion of outdated info
  • Structure could be better
  • Not the best for someone completely new to cannabis
  • Some incorrect information
  • Lacking info on some of the newer technologies
3

Marijuana Grower's Handbook

The Marijuana Grower’s Handbook written by Ed Rosenthal, is one of the most popular and well thought of experts in the cannabis industry. With 30 years of knowledge and experience, you would be hard pressed to find a more respected voice in the cannabis community.

At 510 pages long, The Marijuana Grower’s Handbook goes into enough detail to keep most growers happy. Yes, it lacks detailed info on some of the newer techniques and equipment but were it falls short in that respect, it more than makes up for with the detailed growing information is does contain.

Packed full of useful info, from the anatomy of the cannabis plant to the plants growing environment, grow room setup and the different stages of growth. The Marijuana Growers Handbook has it all.

Pros

  • Respected author/voice in the growing community
  • Not overly long, short & insightful info
  • Highly popular & rated
  • Competitively priced
  • Covers a wide range of topics
  • Easy to read & digest
  • Contribution by Tommy Chong

Cons

  • Some outdated info
  • Latest techniques & equipment is lacking
  • Can be thought of as basic to intermediate for the more experienced grower
4

Ask Ed: Marijuana Success

Have you ever wondered how the Guru of Ganja grows cannabis during any season?

Ed Rosenthal lays bare a lifelong culmination of tips, tricks, and knowledge of cultivating cannabis year-round in his latest book – Ask Ed: Marijuana Success.

Join us as we provide a first-look into Ask Ed: Marijuana Success. From the cannabis fields of Morocco to Ed’s Bay Area backyard – you’ll find a wealth of cannabis cultivation techniques that will keep your stash jars filled year-round.

Whether you’re preparing to grow cannabis for the first time or you’re a decorated grow master – Ask Ed: Marijuana Success offers entertainment and knowledge on each page.

Our Take on Ask Ed: Marijuana Success

Upon learning that I would have an exclusive opportunity to review Ed Rosenthal’s upcoming book Ask Ed: Marijuana Success – I couldn’t have been more thrilled.

Anyone that’s been in the cannabis industry over the last three decades is at least familiar with the name Ed Rosenthal. Part of the old-school cannabis scene, Ed Rosenthal finds himself helping the next generation of cannabis cultivators along with useful, albeit at times utterly scattered, tips on growing cannabis.

From the introduction to the conclusion, I was thoroughly pleased with the breadth of information that Ask Ed: Marijuana Success contains.

What We Liked

First and foremost, the selection of tips that Ed describes is spot on for any cannabis cultivator. Ed goes over a handful of techniques on topics such as cloning, pruning, irrigation, lighting, indoor growing, outdoor growing, strain selection, and maximizing yield.

Here are the notable characteristics that I enjoyed in Ed Rosenthal’s new book.

Ingenious Tips From Around The World

In Ask Ed: Marijuana Success, one of the most touched upon topics of the entire book is about cultivating cannabis during any season – indoors or outdoors.

Throughout his far-flung travels, Ed visits cannabis gardens in Jamaica, Morocco, Hawaii, and the United States to learn how local cannabis cultivators tend to their crops in the face of natural barriers.

For instance, Ed presents ingenious tips from Jamaican cannabis farmers, who, being located near the equator, grow cannabis year-round.

From his field notes and pictures, we can clearly understand how the dense planting of small cannabis plants can generate a bountiful harvest when you’re only left with short daylight hours during the winter months.

First, early flowering and close planting both discourage plants from branching out. Instead, the plants put their energy into growing a single straight stem. When they flower, all their energy goes into growing bud along it.”

Another instance was from his expedition to the cannabis paradise of Ketama, Morocco. Ketama is found on the hillsides of the Rif Mountains and is littered with marijuana fields that would make any cannabis enthusiast faint.

The method of dense planting with the sole intent of harvesting the main bud is the lesson learned from Ed’s adventure in Ketama, Morocco.

From Morocco, you’ll travel to the exotic cannabis fields of Molokai, Hawaii, where local cannabis cultivators harness HID or CFL lighting to extend the vegetation of their cannabis crops outdoors to increase the overall size of the plants.

By doing so, the Molokai cannabis fields overcome the short day lengths that promote flowering instead of vegetative growth. Ed brings this lesson full-circle by showing you how you can utilize supplemental lighting to vegetate your greenhouse crop during the fall and winter months.

A Clear Guide

Ed Rosenthal boils everything down in a way that anyone can understand. For me, this is a crucial element that shines throughout Ask Ed: Marijuana Success. There’s nothing worse than an author that over-complicates a subject – especially when that subject is on growing cannabis.

The vast majority of cannabis cultivators can agree on a simple principle – KISS (keep it simple, stupid). Although Ed doesn’t expressly mention this quote, he does keep his verbiage humble and to-the-point.

Whether describing his harvesting technique or how to build your own nylon wick irrigation system – Ed presents everything clearly in a step-by-step process with detailed pictures.

Although we’d love to describe each guide that Ed presents in Ask Ed: Marijuana Success – we’d have to write our own book to achieve this. Here are topics that contain easy-to-follow how-to’s:

  • How to Increase THC potency
  • Setting up automated irrigation systems
  • How to tell when your buds are ripe
  • Spotting deficiencies
  • Harvesting and Drying indoors and outdoors
  • Picking the right cannabis variety for you
  • And many more

An Honest Perspective

Furthermore, Ed isn’t afraid of being honest, as he displays in a quote regarding his winter harvest:

When I showed some of the buds to visitors, they were unimpressed. The buds were small, and although fragrant and heady, they weren’t very tight. However, I was more than satisfied because this was a winter crop started in February and harvested in April. I didn’t expect big buds, but I did produce a decent harvest using the winter sun.”

Most cannabis growers, especially those who’ve been in the “game” for a long time, would never admit to producing a lackluster cannabis crop. However, Ed dives headfirst and owns up to any shortcoming by presenting a well-hidden fact in the cannabis industry – that cannabis doesn’t always look like a High Times photoshoot.

This honesty is necessary for all cannabis growers to understand because it allows you to grow as a cannabis cultivator.

What We Didn’t Like

Although we have a lot of positive things to say about Ed’s Ask Ed: Marijuana Success – there is a single aspect that we didn’t enjoy.

Although Ed bestows us with seemingly limitless information and knowledge – the book is fairly scattered. Instead of presenting subjects in a linear manner, you’ll find yourself reading about “how to choose a cannabis strain” to suddenly “how to harvest” on the next page.

Although this aspect won’t decrease the amount of information you’ll learn – it does disrupt the natural flow of the book.

Overall, we rate Ask Ed: Marijuana Success with 4 out of 5 stars. The sheer amount of information regarding cannabis cultivation is extensive, which is indispensable for any cannabis grower.

The fact that Ed shows us that we can grow cannabis during any season is creative, useful, and outright ground breaking. By smashing down the barrier of seasonality, Ed shows cannabis growers that creativity prevails.

Ultimately, Ed Rosenthal shows us that, as cultivators, we have a profound connection with the plant itself, and that growing our own marijuana unlocks an important perspective.

Using the grass that you grew provides a pleasure that cannot be matched by a gift or purchased weed. It’s a connection to the wheel of life.”

If you’re ready to sit shotgun with the Guru of Ganja and learn everything there is to know about cannabis cultivation – then let Ask Ed: Marijuana Success be your guide.

If you’re ready to discover more, join us at The Highest Crop – your number one source for all-things-cannabis.

Pros

  • Kindle & Paperback Edition
  • Great Price
  • Established Author

Cons

  • Chapters Could Flow Better
5

Cannabis: A Beginner's Guide to Growing Marijuana

Cannabis: A Beginner’s Guide to Growing Marijuana is one of the more popular books/grow guides featured in today’s list.

Written by Danny Danko, who, when not writing cannabis guides can be found writing for High Times Magazine, as well as judging in the Cannabis Cup.

With over 30 years experience, Mr Danko seems more than qualified to speak on this subject.

Cannabis: A Beginner’s Guide to Growing Marijuana can be thought of as a basic but informative guide for anyone just entering the world of growing.

For the more experienced grower, you can probably give this one a miss. Unless of course, you’d like to add it to your collection.

It covers enough overall topics to get you started, with plenty of illustrations and pictures, but isn’t exactly ground breaking and most of this basic information can be readily found online.

That being said, for the beginner, this is a useful guide to get you started and point you in the right direction.

It’s competitively priced and is consistently rated 5 stars. All in all, it’s another viable option for all the beginner growers out there.

Pros

  • Great for beginners
  • Easy to read
  • Good price
  • Experienced author
  • Paperback & Kindle edition available

Cons

  • Basic info for the more experienced growers
  • Basic illustrations that take up informational space
6

The Essential Cannabis Book: A Field Guide for the Curious

When it comes to marijuana — not everyone is a cannabis know-it-all.

From parents trying to understand what weed is to your on-the-fence friend — knowledge is the fine line between cannabis acceptance and reluctance.

The Essential Cannabis Book by Rob Mejia will fit perfectly on your new coffee table if you’re ready to fast-track your cannabis knowledge. Whether you use it as a conversation starter or the jump-off point for your new medical or recreational cannabis obsession, The Essential Cannabis Book has it all.

Join us as we review The Essential Cannabis Book by Rob Mejia. From the medical potential of cannabis to crafting delicious edibles – you’ll have the bare essentials of marijuana at your fingertips.

The Basics

From the moment I read The Essential Cannabis Book by Rob Mejia, I quickly realized that essential doesn’t mean in-depth. After mulling each chapter over, I realized that I missed the point.

The Essential Cannabis Book isn’t meant for cannabis experts and aficionados. Instead, it’s the perfect source for those in need of a guide. We all need to start somewhere, and for those that need an introduction into the world of cannabis, The Essential Cannabis Book does the trick.

The Essential Cannabis Book acts as a foundation that new cannabis enthusiasts can build their knowledge on. As you learn the lingo and enter a world filled with trichomes, you’ll be ready for anything.

The world is quickly changing its opinion about cannabis, and there’s no better time than now to breathe in easy-to-understand information.

Now, let’s take a look at what makes The Essential Cannabis Book a joy to read.

New Perspectives

In life, gaining a new perspective is essential for growth. As you learn how to look at a subject from a new angle, your opinion may change — for better or worse.

Page after page, I quickly noticed that Rob Mejia wants his readers to share the value of perspective. Mejia accomplishes this by interviewing a multitude of cannabis advocates, entrepreneurs, researchers, lawyers, and more.

It’s a breath of fresh air to read what drives other people in the cannabis industry. Whether it’s because of racial injustice or the realization that cannabis is medicine — Mejia interviews a wide range of individuals. These interludes serve a great purpose — to show a cannabis company’s face and the reasoning behind the product.

For most people, the perspective of the cannabis industry is a legal black market, where cannabis products are sold to users who want to get high. Instead, the words of nuns, advocates, and lawyers help put the ever-growing cannabis industry into perspective.

Everything You’ll Need To Get Started

The Essential Cannabis Book is the shotgun approach at its finest.

From the moment you open the book, you’ll find many cannabis topics at your fingertips. Here’s a list of what you can expect to see as you dive into The Essential Cannabis Book:

  • The History of Cannabis
  • Cannabis Science
  • Cannabis Varieties
  • Cultivation Methods
  • Medical Benefits of Cannabis and Hemp
  • Storing Cannabis
  • Consuming Cannabis
  • Cooking and Eating Cannabis

All of this within 160-pages? Yes.

Once again, this is not an in-depth guide. Instead, I view The Essential Cannabis Book as a tool that will get your foot in the door. There’s enough information to pique your interest at some point.

A Personal Connection

In his introduction, Mejia points out that his cannabis journey began while his sister was battling cancer. From this point on, cannabis was no longer a distant drug — it was a potentially therapeutic substance that can help those in need.

As I read The Essential Cannabis Book, Mejia’s voice never felt disingenuous. Instead, his charisma for medical and recreational cannabis elicited a definite feeling that I’m in an industry that cares. Overall, Mejia’s passion for cannabis is contagious, and I can only imagine how new cannabis enthusiasts will feel as they read The Essential Cannabis Book.

Recipes That Anyone Can Make

Another valuable aspect of The Essential Cannabis Book is that it provides easy-to-follow guides on producing cannabis oil or butter. Furthermore, the recipe list is extensive and features a wide variety of healthy options that users can whip up in a moment’s notice.

The Essential Cannabis Book Isn’t For Everyone

As I mentioned, The Essential Cannabis Book is ideal for those that are new to medical or recreational cannabis. If you already have a clear foundation of cannabis knowledge, you can skip over this book.

Additionally, if you’re interested in the interactions between cannabinoids, terpenes, and the endocannabinoid system, you won’t find them in The Essential Cannabis Book.

Lastly, The Essential Cannabis Book misses an entire niche of dabbers. As cannabis concentrate use continues to skyrocket, I can only hope that Mejia decides to include more information regarding extracts, such as shatter, live resin, and rosin.

Overall, The Essential Cannabis Book by Rob Mejia is an excellent primer for anyone that wishes to learn about cannabis. Although it doesn’t feature much in-depth information, The Essential Cannabis Book makes its mark as an ideal introductory guide.

Once readers finish The Essential Cannabis Book, they can move onto more specific arenas of cannabis, such as cultivation or cannabinoid science.

Ultimately, I believe that The Essential Cannabis Book by Rob Mejia is a surefire introduction into the exciting world of cannabis.

If you’re ready to learn more about cannabis — then you’re in the right place, as The Highest Crop has everything from cultivation tips to strain reviews and everything in between!

Pros

  • Great for beginners
  • Easy read
  • Insightful, yet not not overly long

Cons

  • Lacking Information on extracts, shatter, live resin, and rosin
7

Homegrown Marijuana

Homegrown Marijuana book by Joshua Sheets. Focuses mainly on hydroponic growing and its systems. This book probably isn’t the best option for anyone growing with soil or with an outdoor grow.

Saying that, if you are growing hydroponically, then you can do much worse than opt for this guide.

Clear, concise, and easy to read, the beginner grower will have no problem understanding the terminology or growing techniques provided in the Homegrown Marijuana grow book.

Affordably priced, highly rated and recommended by other hydroponic growers, the Homegrown Marijuana book is another great addition to the growing library of grow guides.

Covering topics such as nutrient solution, grow media, watering, all the way through to harvesting your crop. The Homegrown Marijuana grow book really is a steal at this price.

Pros

  • Covers hydroponic systems
  • Reasonably priced
  • Easy to understand and read
  • Written by an experienced horticulturist
  • Great for beginners growing hydroponically

Cons

  • Does Not cover other popular growing systems
  • Not as detailed as some other guides

The Choice is Yours

When deciding on what cannabis grow book to purchase, the choice is ultimately yours. I know, fairly obvious, but it’s true.

As you’re probably already aware, growers will very rarely setup their grow rooms exactly the same.

Equipment will differ, growing techniques will differ. In fact, almost everything will be different, right down to the nutrients you choose to use.

Cannabis cultivators will also have varying experience when it comes to growing.

There will be some things that are always true of growing, and most experienced authors will undoubtedly include these things within their growing guides.

But that’s not to say, every grower or potential cannabis grower should read the same books.

Some guides will certainly be aimed at the beginner grower, whilst other books will be aimed at the more experienced grower hoping to find that nugget of information that will turn their okay cannabis yield, into a great yield!

So do your research thoroughly before deciding on what book to buy, and ultimately what/whose advice you choose to follow.

What to Look out for When Looking for the Best Cannabis Grow Book

There are a couple of things to consider before making that final purchase:

Topics: What are the topics/areas of interest/growing that the author will cover within their cannabis growing guide?

This is an important question, as some authors will really focus down on where their educational or growing expertise lies.

Whilst others may include a wide range of topics.

Terminology & Readability: How easy is the growing guide to read and understand?

If aimed at the more experienced grower, will you have trouble understanding the terminology and growing techniques?

Is the author easy to read overall, has he or she included a lot of extra fluff when they could have filled the pages with more instructional information.

Target Audience: Look at the title, read reviews, book insert etc. Try and find out who the author had in mind when writing his or her guide.

If you’re a beginner you don’t want something overly complicated, and vice versa.

If only a basic manual, as a cannabis cultivator of many years do you wish to top up your knowledge of the basics? Or will reading a basic guide just bore you to tears.

Very few experienced cannabis growers will want to reread the basics.

Authors experience & Trustability: Check out the author and their experience in the industry.

Look at their reputation in the growing community. Online forums are great for this kind of thing.

Affordability: Price is another important factor, if it’s only a short manual, does the books content warrant the price tag? If the answer is no, then stay clear.

Format: What format does the book come in? If you’re looking to add to your collection, then you’ll no doubt be after a paperback or hardcover edition to add to your library.

On the other hand, some growers won’t be too fussed about the format so will have no concern buying on Kindle or Ebook.

In fact, some guides have excellent starting prices and will only be available on Kindle in some instances anyway.

Recap

After much deliberation, our pick out of the top 3 featured today is…wait for it…Well, actually we’ve picked 2…

The first being Marijuana Cultivation Reconsidered, written by Read Spears.

Only available on Kindle and offered at a very good price, Read Spears delivered a cannabis grow book completely different to the many already out.

It may not be the best for beginners just entering the world of cannabis cultivation.

For the intermediate/experienced growers, it offers wonderful insight to the science behind growing. What more can you ask for!?

Our second choice for the growers that would like to add another valuable addition to their bookshelf is, The Cannabis Grow Bible, written by Greg Green.

Now in its 3rd edition, this ever popular growing guide covers a wide range of growing topics in an easy to read format.

Although lacking in terms of some of the newer growing equipment and systems now utilized by growers.

The Cannabis Grow Bible still sits comfortably near the top for many cultivators worldwide.

So there you have it, a comprehensive round-up review and guide on some of the best cannabis grow books currently available.

Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed today’s review. If so, let us know in the comment section below!

The Highest Crop Team.

Share the Love

If you found this post useful, please let others know about it by sharing it.