Colin Danny Allum was sentenced at Wagga Local Court on Wednesday after he had pleaded guilty to cultivating a prohibited plant at his home.

Police officers turned up at the 50-year-old's Turvey Park home after calls about a separate incident, where a family member told them to check out the backyard.

There they uncovered a shed with a small hydroponic set up with a tent, heat lights and fans set up with 18 cannabis plants.

Allum told officers that he would water and fertilise the cannabis with a pH-appropriate mix every three days, explaining he bought the fan to keep the plants cooler to help them grow.

IN OTHER NEWS:

He also told them he started growing the plants in April with a family member, which was the second time he had tried cultivating them.

In court on Wednesday, solicitor Aakash Prasad said Allum had grown the plants for his own use after developing an addiction two years ago.

Mr Prasad said Allum was addicted to much worse substances and had beaten that, but was now using cannabis heavily.

"This has been a big wake up call for him," he said.

"He is quite remorseful for his actions, and he understands he needs to do something about this addiction. He has been abstinent since the day of offending."

Magistrate Miranda Moody said the number of plants was "quite significant personal use", adding that Allum had a "historical" record with the last offence in 2009.

"He clearly has an addicted personality and is now smoking a great deal of marijuana," she said.

Magistrate Moody fined Allum $1000 and sentenced him to a 12-month community correction order with the condition he engages in drug and alcohol counselling.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: