He pleaded guilty to one count of producing dangerous drugs.
Lawyer Elizabeth Smith, acting for Tester, said the 52-year-old manâs shed caught fire after he started the generator during a mass power outage.
The court heard his neighbour alerted him to the fire, with Ms Smith saying his shed wound up âburnt to a crispâ.
âHe obviously wasnât turning his mind to the fact he had a couple of plants out the back,â Ms Smith said.
Ms Smith labelled the find a âchance discoveryâ for police, saying Tester had read about the benefits of marijuana for sinus issues but had not used the plants.