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Build a Soil; from Scratch By: Jeremy Silva
Have you ever thought about how a bagged soil company settles on a recipe? What about where they get the ingredients from? Can you trust the soil companies? There are so many soil products on the market and most manufacturers are getting all the same ingredients from the same sources and getting them bagged all at the same facilities. All that changes is the label and exact ingredients used. There is little regulation in the industry and the only approval for a Label is if you are citing NPK numbers or fertilizer claims. Besides that, you can list your most expensive and attractive ingredient First on the label even if that ingredient happens to be in the lowest concentration in the soil. This allows companies to list ingredients that sound incredible but then fail to back them up with actual quantities used. Then as a soil company gets larger they have to buy in large scale and start looking to the most affordable sources for ingredients such as, City Waste, Bio-Solids, Poultry Waste, Cattle Waste. Think like a big company for a minute and compare bagged soil to our food industry but with less regulation, then you can see how weird the situation truly is. Thankfully there are a number of decent potting soils on the market but none will compare to making your own from scratch. So, let’s say you have decided to make your own soil from scratch and are willing to do whatever it takes to make the best. Well, where do you start? There are so many recipes out there!!! There is so much talk online in the organic forums about creating an ideal soil. Many different recipes from many different growers. Some claiming their soil is the best, others indicating that you should use spikes of nutrients and layers of different soil. It's challenging as a new grower to actually decide on a recipe and then stick to it. One of the many things that growers do when using bottled nutrients, is change nutrient brands all the time.
Usually looking for the ultimate grow product that will finally allow them to purchase a good grow. This mentality usually wears off after a few runs but it's important not to start that mind set all over again in organics. If you are brand new, start to learn why each ingredient is added to a mix. Once you have that understanding you can easily make a mix from scratch from components that you have available locally or regionally depending on your budget. All Credit for recipe to Clackamas Coots
Step #1: Design The Base Mix Ratios. This is benchmark to use at first and then start tweaking based on your situation. 1:1:1 This means that there are 3 main components at 1 part each. Example: To make 15 gallons of soil. 1 Part would be 5 gallons. 1 Part Sphagnum Peatmoss, Coco Coir, Leaf-mold, Etc. 1 Part Aeration material like lava rock, pumice, perlite, rice hulls etc. 1 Part Vermicompost or plain compost. The recipe that I prefer is a little more complicated and is as follows. 40% Sphagnum Peat Moss 25% Vermicompost 20% Pumice 15% Par Boiled Rice Hulls You’ll notice that if you combine the rice hulls and pumice it’s basically a 1:1:1 mix with just a little less vermicompost as I like to top-dress with more.
Step #2: Adding The Minerals & Nutrients: Consider each ingredient and why it's being added. Also consider that many organic approved products just aren't as good as others. The top ingredients that are popular that most organic growers avoid are as follows: Blood meal, bone meal, guano, soy, cotton, corn and many other soil conditioners that come from potential GMO crops etc.
A brief explanation of using Cubic Feet as a measurement: Most soil companies sell their soil by the Cubic Foot as do we. But there is a big difference between what constitutes a Cubic Foot. When looking up the Volume for a “DRY” cubic foot in gallons you’ll find 6.4285 gallons. But when looking up the “Liquid” volume for a Cubic Foot you’ll find 7.4805 gallons. Well you won’t be surprised to find that most home gardeners use 7.5 gallons as a cubic foot but most soil companies use 6.4285 gallons per cubic foot. This will explain why you have less soil in some bags than others from two different companies. To be clear, we use 7.5 Gallons at BuildASoil.com for all of our soil bagging and measurements for addition of amendments. Here is a recipe that has been proven with soil testing at labs to have a very ideal ratio of nutrients and minerals. 1/2 Cup per cubic foot the following: * Neem Cake and/or Karanja Cake (NPK, Micro Nutrients and reported Bug Defense all in one) * Kelp Meal (NPK, Micro Nutrients, Growth Hormones and many other benefits) * Crustacean Meal (Crab and/or Shrimp Meal) (Calcium, Nitrogen and Chitin along with other benefits)
4 Cups per cubic foot of a mineral mix: 1 Cups Glacial Rock Dust (diverse assortment of minerals) 1 Cup Gypsum (Calcium and Sulfur) 1 Cup Oyster Shell Flour (Very available Calcium to help buffer PH of the Peatmoss) 1 Cup Basalt (Paramagnetic Rock Dust from lava flow that is high in micronutrients) The Nutrients added above cover all the NPK and all the micronutrients and I could explain why each ingredient is added all day long, but I encourage you to do your own research. Now let’s say that you had access to a range of Fertilizer amendments to use, which ones should you choose? I like to choose the best product and also the most economical. For instance Guano is really expensive and typically only brings one or two things to the table. Where as Kelp Meal is fairly affordable and brings every nutrient and micronutrient with it along with growth hormones and other secondary benefits. Would it be better to eat Red meat all day long or maybe a little fish protein with some vegetable protein? Same for your soil! No need to get all crazy with Blood meal when we can use, Crustacean, Neem, Fish etc. and all of the ingredients I just mentioned bring tons of secondary benefits whereas the Blood Meal only brings Nitrogen and some salt.
Note: If you only have access to Blood Meal, you will be fine and can totally use it, I’m not trying to get on a high horse and look down on people that use these ingredients. I’m only hoping to give reasons to look for better ingredients when those choices are available and providing some reasons for those that want them. All in all, I’d rather see a Blood, Bone and Guano Mix over a synthetic nutrient grow all day long.... but if you start looking into the environmental impact of some of the ingredients we use you’ll quickly consider making your own soil from totally local ingredients and once you have an idea how well this recipe performs you can start tweaking it to use what is available in your region. Some Recommendations for custom soil building: MORE isn’t always better. Consider the Kelp, Crustacean and Neem Fertilizers that I recently recommended. Suppose a hypothetical situation where they all take exactly 6 months to be completely broken down in the soil and offer little to no benefit to the plant any longer. Well, adding twice the amount will still lead to a depletion in 6 months... it’s not like having twice the kelp will last twice as long, much better to top dress some a little later or incorporate into teas. Most soil recipes have a total of 1.5 - 3 cups of Total fertilizers added per cubic foot of Mix. I like to keep things really minimal knowing I can always add more later and topdressing is so easy when you pre-mix with vermicompost. No worry about burning. The other reason I like to add small amounts of simple ingredients is because it allows you to diversify the soil with ingredients you haven’t added later on. For instance, my recipe doesn’t call for Alfalfa, but I love the stuff and make tea’s with it all the time, no reason to have it in the soil and in the tea. But if you never want to brew teas you could always top dress. It’s up to you. Take it to the next level with Home made Vermicompost and you’ll have a soil better than 99% of the growers out there. Here is an excellent recipe from the guy who really got my brain thinking, Clackamas Coots: “This is the compost that I started with: 1 c.y. organic barley straw 12 lbs. basalt rock dust 2 c.f. roughly chopped Comfrey as the Nitrogen source 5 c.f. pumice (1/4" size)
When the material ramped back down to 100F or so I added the following: 3 lbs. kelp meal 3 lbs. a neem / karanja meal mix that I had made because I was bored - obviously 1 lb. organic alfalfa meal 1 c.f. roughly chopped Comfrey leaves 1 c.f. roughly chopped mint mix Peppermint, Spearmint, Thyme, Cilantro, Holy Basil (Tulsi) and chopped Rosemary 3 lbs. organic fish meal 3 lbs. crustacean meal. I loaded this into #150 SmartPot and dumped about 3 gallons of worms that I harvested from other set-ups also using SmartPots. Basically 3 gallons is somewhere around 10 - 11 lbs. of worms. I covered this with barley straw to reduce evaporation in the bedding material. A year later I harvested over 28 lbs. of worms, thousands and thousands of cocoons (using a 1/8" screen which will capture the cocoons) and this specific batch of vermicompost is what I'm currently using. It's all about patience - it takes time to create premium humus. Dat's it!
CC Then just mix it up as such: 1/3 Humus 1/3 SPM or Leaf Mold 1/3 Aeration (Rice hulls/Pumice/Lava Rock) A bit of time and effort is required at the front end for sure. After that's done, just add water.” Mixing the soil together: Recipe for about 18 Cubic Feet of soil or 135 Gallons. I like to use a big tarp when making soil by hand. (1) 3.8 Cubic Foot Bale of Sphagnum Peat moss will expand to about 6 cubic feet when opened up. That means that you could make about 15-18 cubic feet of soil with one 3.8 cubic foot bale of peatmoss depending on your final percentages.
I like to break up the peat moss into a flat thick layer on the tarp and then dump the castings on top of that. Then dump all the minerals and fertilizers on top of that followed by your aeration amendments and mix thoroughly. Every once in awhile I take the edge of the tarp and flip the soil back to the middle and keep mixing.... sometimes I move the soil from the left side of the tarp over to the right side of the tarp and then back to the middle just to make sure it’s all mixed well. All in all, don’t get to freaked out about things being mixed exact because it’s all organic and very forgiving.
Once your soil is mixed up, you can plant immediately into it and add a compost tea to kick start the process. With that being said, it always works a little better if you let the soil sit in a big pile to homogenize or “Cook.” Without the use of Bloods, Bones and Guano’s it shouldn’t burn any plants but will be ready to use faster with the pre-digestion of the nutrients in the soil. When making soil in big piles above 200 gallons things heat up really fast and will need to be turned every couple days until the heating stops and you are then ready to use the soil. I hope this short and simple home made soil tutorial can help you make your own soil, because once you do, you’ll never go back to bagged soil ever again.
If you have any questions; check out BuildaSoil.com’s blog!
Mendo Montage
[Mendo Purps x Crystal Locomotive] “Mendo Montage was created from a project started with much help and guidance from Jojorizo (RIP 2007). Selection was made from 12 Mendo Purp females and we used a stellar Crystal Locomotive male. This strain shows real stability and potency. The buds are tight and stacked with trichomes. The effect is potent and displays excellent 'couch-lock' properties. Mendo Montage contains wonderful grape and candy flavors and rich purple with lavender colors.� Genetic Facts S/I: Hybrid 8 - 9 Weeks Easy to grow and vigorous. High Yields Very potent medicinal qualities.
Mendo Breath F2 [Mendo Breath F1 x Mendo Breath F1] Mendo Breath F2 is another elite variety created by our good friends over at Gage Green. Outstanding genetics meet in this cross - the OGKB, arguably the most sought after GSC cut, and Gage Green's heavy hitting Mendo Breath male. Addition of the Mendo Montage added better vegetative growth and nodes to the OGKB. Discover an assortment of vanilla, caramel and mint chocolate mixed with fresh berries. Phenotypes may range from faster flowering to longer flowering phenotypes. Some may need up to 10 weeks to fully finish. Only a small percentage of phenotypes will yield purple traits, so if you find her, embrace her. These are some rare genetics, bred with positivity and love, only from Gage Green Group.
Genetic Facts: S/I: Hybrid Yield: Medium to High Flowering time: 8-10 Weeks Effect: Sedative, meditative
In my eyes, there are only a few varieties that stand out in the flooded world of cannabis genetics, and the entire Mendo-line from Gage Green Group sits among these elites. (More information on this line soon!) We hope you enjoyed the photography submitted by the Group themselves. When grown to their potential, these genetics are the standard of the industry. Learn more about these guys and their message @ GageGreen.Org. There are many distributors that carry Gage Green; if you’re legally able to acquire genetics from seed; I trust and recommend The Attitude Seed Bank or Natures Green Remedies.
Cotyledon A cotyledon or “seed leaf” is a significant part of the embryo within the seed of a plant. Upon germination, the cotyledon becomes the embryonic first leaves of a seedling prior to the first set of “true leaves.”
This is a custom cannabis/botany glossary to help you understand commonly used terms among growers and breeders. This will be updated frequently. Please send any correction suggestions to info@planttheland.com A.C. Hood / “Air cooled hood� Air is pushed or pulled through an enclosed reflector around a high intensity bulb to remove the heat generated by the bulb.
Active hydroponics systems: use a pump to supply the solution to the various cannabis plants on timed intervals. The solution is typically re-circulated throughout the system and the plants, which is the biggest difference between the management of the two systems. Flood and drain/Ebb n Flow, Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) are examples of active hydroponics systems.
Allele: is one of a number of alternative forms of the same gene or same genetic locus.
Angiosperms: are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by characteristics including flowers, endosperm within the seeds, and the production of fruits that contain the seeds. Angiosperm means a plant that produces seeds within an enclosure. (Cannabis, Hibiscus, Roses, Lavender, Tulips, etc.. are all flowering plants, and classified angiosperms.)
Annual: a plant that completes its life cycle and dies within one year.
Anther: pollen-bearing part of the stamen.
Apex: the tip; the point furthest from the point of attachment.
Asexual reproduction: reproduction that does not involve the gametes; i.e. vegetative reproduction (cloning). Aeroponics - is the process of growing plants in an air or mist environment without the use of soil or an aggregate medium (known as geoponics). The word "aeroponic" is derived from the Greek meanings of Aero- (air) and ponos (labour). Aeroponic culture differs from conventional hydroponics, aquaponics, and in-vitro (plant tissue culture) growing. Unlike hydroponics, which uses a liquid nutrient solution as a growing medium and essential minerals to sustain plant growth, aeroponics is conducted without a growing medium.
Blade: the lamina or flattened part of a leaf, excluding the stalk.
BHO - Butane Honey Oil. A method of extracting the trichomes from plant matter. Butane gas strips the trichomes from the plant matter, and collects on a dish. The butane is evaporated away, leaving a very high potency oil.
BX/Backcross: a crossing of a hybrid with one of its parents or an individual genetically similar to its parent, in order to achieve offspring with a genetic identity which is closer to that of the parent. Backcrossed hybrids are sometimes described with acronym "BX", for example, an F1 hybrid crossed with one of its parents (or a genetically similar individual) can be termed a BX1 hybrid, and a further cross of the BX1 hybrid to the same parent (or a genetically similar individual) produces a BX2 hybrid. (P1 x P2 = F1) (F1 x F1= F2) (F2 x P1 = BX1) (BX1 x P1= BX2)
Calyx - The round outer portion of the plants bud.
Canopy: in cannabis gardening, the canopy is usually defined as the top portion/area of your cannabis garden.
Capitate: with knob-like head; of an inflorescence, with the flowers unstalked and aggregated into a dense cluster; of a stigma, like the head of a pin.
Carbon filter - A method of deodorizing air coming from or inside a growroom, by passing the air through a layer of activated carbon that absorbs and eliminates odors.
Carpel: is a female reproductive structure of a plant consisting of the Stigma, Style, & Ovary.
CFL/Compact Fluorescent Light - A fluorescent light about the size of a standard incandescent light bulb that can be used in any standard light socket. Used most often for starting seeds, clones, and in micro grow applications. Note that the wattage to go by is the actual wattage, not the equivalent wattage ie, a 42 watt CFL that says equivalent to 150 watt incandescent would be counted as 42 watts, not 150.
Chelates: The word chelate is derived from the Greek word for “claw�. In fertilizer technology, it refers to inorganic nutrients that are enclosed by an organic molecule.
CHELATION in soil increases nutrient availability to plants. Organic substances in the soil either applied or produced by plants or microorganisms are the natural chelating agents. The most important substances having this nature are Hydroxamate Siderophores, Organic Acids and Amino Acids.
Chlorophyll: a green pigment in chloroplasts, essential for photosynthesis.
CO2/Carbon Dioxide: is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of 2 oxygen atoms each covalently double bonded to a single carbon atom. Plants take in CO through pores, called stomata, in their leaves during daylight hours. They give off oxygen at the same time, the results of a process called photosynthesis. When supplemented with CO2, photosynthesis is increased and therefore, the plants growth rate increases as long as all other limiting factors have been met.
Coco/coir: similar to soilless, utilizing the inside layer and hairy bark of coconuts as the growing medium.
Cool tube - Air is drawn through a glass tube that surrounds a high intensity bulb to remove the heat generated by the bulb.
Cotyledons: primary leaf or leaves of an embryo, also known as seed leaves.
Curing- preparing the buds for long term storage by allowing them to “age” in an area that equalizes the moisture in the bud.
Cutting/Clone: a branch or shoot of a plant that has been removed and rooted independently, producing a new plant with the exact physical characteristics of the original plant (aka the mother).
Dicots/Dicotyledons: a flowering plant whose embryo has two (or rarely more) cotyledons or “seed leaves.”
Dioecious: species that have the male and female reproductive structures on separate plants. Cannabis is primarily dioecious, meaning unless the plant is hermaphroditic; the plant will be either entirely male or female.
Diploid: with two full sets of chromosomes in the nucleus of a cell; having two complements of haploid chromosomes, that are the two complete sets of chromosomes, one from each of the parental gamete. This is expressed symbolically as 2n, where n = the gamete number of chromosomes.
Dominance: in genetics is a relationship between alleles of one gene, in which one allele is expressed over a second allele at the same locus. The first allele is dominant and the second allele is recessive. In genetics, when one allele is dominant to another, the oldest convention is to symbolize the dominant allele with a capital letter. The recessive allele is assigned the same letter in lower case. (Rr) In complete dominance, the effect of one allele in a heterozygous genotype completely masks the effect of the other. The allele that masks the other is said to be dominant to the latter, and the allele that is masked is said to be recessive to the former.
Deep Water Culture: A style of hydroponic growing that utilizes a deep reservoir of nutrient aerated by an airstone. Generally the reservoir is a five gallon bucket. The plant rests in a netted pot, filled with hydroton or another inert media. The roots grow through the netted pot into the nutrients below, allowing for very large root systems. RDWC connects the buckets in a continuous system with a pump and an additional reservoir, known as a recirculating DWC.
Ebb and Flow. A hydroponic style of gardening that utilizes tables a shallow pan or table for the plants and medium, and a separate reservoir of nutrient solution. Using a pump connected to a timer, the nutrient solution is pumped into the table until it fills, and then allowed to drain. The "flood" of nutrients soaks the roots and wicks in to the medium, then 'ebbs' back into the reservoir, allowing the roots a chance to dry out and breathe.
E.C./Electrical Conductivity : the measurement of the amount of nutrients in a solution. (May be expressed in multiple values (PPM, TDS, EC - consult your meters manual)
Embryo: a young plant contained by a seed.
Endosperm: a nutritive tissue in a seed.
F1, F2, F3 Generations: the “F� in this term refers to which filial generation the offspring resulted from crossing two different parents.
P1 x P2 = F1 F1 x F1 = F2 F2 x F2 = F3 F3 x F3 = F4 F4 x P1 = BX1
Family: a formal group of one or more genera with features and/or ancestry in common; the term for the principal rank between order and genus.
Feminized Seeds: are seeds that have been created through various methods (usually STS or over-flowering) without the use of (actual) male pollen. A female is sprayed with the STS, shortly afterwards, the female will usually put out pollen which is collected and re-applied to another female to create the first generation of feminized seeds. This results in seeds without male DNA. (XXxXX vs XXxXY) When these seeds are flowered, they should be all female plants. However, feminized seeds are generally seen as more prone to become hermaphrodites because the process used to feminize the line surfaces a hermaphroditic gene.
Fertilizer: is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soils or to plant tissues (usually leaves) to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants.
Fertilization: a term representing the union of male and female gametes.
FIM Technique: stands for 'fuck I missed'. FIM refers to the attempt to cut the growth shoot of a plant so that it grows into multiple branches instead of one. The phrase comes from how easy it is to miss the tiny growth shoot.
Filament: the stalk of a stamen
Flushing - the process of removing nutrients from your plants. In soil this is achieved by running plain water through the soil (usually double your soil volume). In hydro, it is achieved by removing the nutrient solution and replacing it with plain water.
Foliar Feeding: an application of a nutrient solution to the leaves and above ground portions of the plant, as opposed to the roots. Foliar feeding should not be done while the plant is exposed to high intensity light, as the drops can act as magnifying glasses and burn the leaves.
Genus: a group of one or more species with features or ancestry (or both) in common. Genus is the principal category of taxa intermediate in rank between family and species in the nomenclatural hierarchy.
Gamete: a cell or nucleus that fuses with another of the opposite sex in sexual reproduction.
Gene pool: the range of genetic variation found in a population.
Genotype: the genotype of a cannabis plant (any organism) is the inherited map it carries within its genetic code. Not all cannabis plants with the same genotype look or act the same way because appearance and behavior are modified by environmental and developmental conditions. Likewise, not all cannabis plants that look alike necessarily have the same genotype.
Germination: of seeds, describes the complex sequence of physiological and structural changes that occur from resting to growth stage. Germination occurs when the “sleeping” seed encounters moisture, which consequently starts the growth process.
GPH/Gallons per hour: the rating of a pumps capacity to move water. Check the pump information carefully, as the GPH falls as your distance from the pump increases.
Gymnosperm: a seed-bearing plant with ovules born on the surface of a sporophyll; includes, among others, conifers, Ginkgo, Gnetum and cycads. Gymnosperm translates to “naked seed.” (Conifers, Ferns, etc.. do not produce flowers, produce naked seeds, and are classified as gymnosperms.)
Hand pollination: the controlled act of pollination. I.e. -Using a Q-tip or a paint brush to apply male pollen to a female’s flowers instead of Open-Air-Pollination.
Herbaceous: not woody; usually green, and soft in texture.
Hermaphrodite: the word is used in botany to describe a flower that has both staminate (male, pollen-producing) and carpellate (female, ovule-producing) parts. Cannabis is primarily a dioecious plant, bearing either male or female reproductive organs only, unless the plant hermaphrodites, which consequently produces both male and female organs on the same plant.
Heterozygous: if the two alleles are different, the organism is a heterozygote and is heterozygous
Homozygous: if two alleles of a given gene are identical, the organism is called a homozygote and is said to be homozygous with respect to that gene.
Host: in botany, a host plant is one that supplies food resources and substrate for certain insects.
HPS/High Pressure Sodium. A type of high intensity lamp used for growing plants indoors. The lamps give off an orange light, often thought to simulate late summer and fall sun. Generally used for flowering plants, but can be used during vegetative growth as well.
Hybrid: a plant produced by the crossing of parents belonging to two different named groups, e.g. genera, species, varieties, subspecies, forma and so on; i.e. the progeny resulting within and between two different plants. An F1 hybrid is the primary product of such a cross. An F2 hybrid is a plant arising from a cross between two F1 hybrids (or from the self-pollination of an F1 hybrid).
Hybrid Vigor/Heterosis: is the improved or increased function of any biological quality in a hybrid offspring. An offspring exhibits heterosis if its traits are enhanced as a result of mixing the genetic contributions of its parents. These effects can be due to Mendelian or non-Mendelian inheritance.
Hydroponics: a method of growing that does not rely on a nutritional substrate such as soil. All the nutrition that a plant would normally obtain from the soil is mixed into water in certain concentrations to allow for maximum growth. The plant gets all of the nutrients it needs to grow from the water solution.
Inbreeding: the production of offspring between closely related parents leading to a high degree of similarity; self-fertilization, BX’s, and F2’s (and higher) are examples of inbreeding. There are many pros and cons with inbred lines . IBL/Inbred Line : a genetic line that has been stabilized through inbreeding to consistently produce plants with uniform traits. (Parents -Female x Male) P1 x P2 = (Progeny) F1…..F1 (female) x F1 (male) = F2….F2 x F2 = F3. F4 x F4 = F5 etc..
Indica - A type of cannabis that is usually associated with shorter, squatter plants with shorter flowering periods. Indicas are usually associated with a narcotic body stone.
Indigenous: native to the area, not introduced.
Inert: to be inert is to be in a state of doing little or nothing.
Inflorescence: several flowers closely grouped together to form an efficient structured unit; the grouping or arrangement of flowers on a plant. Internode: the portion of a stem between two nodes.
ISO - Isopropyl alcohol. Used to extract trichomes from plant matter. The Isopopyl alcohol strips the trichomes from the plant matter, and is then evaporated away, leaving a high potency oil.
Kingdom: the highest generally employed category of the taxonomic hierarchy, above that of division (phylum). Leaf: an outgrowth of a stem, usually flat and green; its main function is food manufacture by photosynthesis
Landrace - A genetic line of plants that occurs naturally within a given region, without human influence on their characteristics.
L.E.D./Light emitting diode: is a two-lead semiconductor light source. It is a basic pn-junction diode, which emits light when activated. When a suitable voltage is applied to the leads, electrons are able to recombine with electron holes within the device, releasing energy in the form of photons. This effect is called electroluminescence, and the color of the light (corresponding to the energy of the photon) is determined by the energy band gap of the semiconductor.
LST/Low Stress Training - A method of growing that slowly trains the plant to a specific height or shape. The training usually starts young by tying down the branches and growth shoots.
Lumens: is the SI derived unit of luminous flux, a measure of the total "amount" of visible light emitted by a source.
Lux: is the SI unit of illuminance and luminous emittance, measuring luminous flux per unit area. It is equal to one lumen per square meter.
Mendelian genetics: is inheritance of biological features that follows the laws proposed by Gregor Johann Mendel in 1865 and 1866 and re-discovered in 1900.
Mendel's Laws of Inheritance Law of Segregation: During gamete formation, the alleles for each gene segregate from each other so that each gamete carries only one allele for each gene. Law of Independent Assortment: Genes for different traits can segregate independently during the formation of gametes. Law of Dominance: Some alleles are dominant while others are recessive; an organism with at least one dominant allele will display the effect of the dominant allele.
Limiting Factors: In no particular order, Lights, Water and O2, Nutrients, Temperature, Humidity, & CO2 are considered to be the limiting factors that determine a plants growth rate. If one or more of these limiting factors are imperfect, it will ultimately diminish the plants full potential.
Meristem: an actively dividing tissue. (Apital meristem: growth tip)
MH/Metal Halide: a type of high intensity lamp used for growing indoors. The lamps give off a whitish blue light, assumed to simulate the spring and early summer sun. Generally used for vegetating plants, but can be used during flowering as well.
Medium/Media: a collection of organic/inorganic materials which provides a suitable home for a seedling or cutting to grow in. (hydroton, coco, pro-mix, peat, etc… are examples of media.)
Monocots/Monocotyledon: a flowering plant whose embryo has one cotyledon or seed leaf.
Monoecious: where the male and female reproductive structures are in separate flowers but on the same plant.
Mutation: an abrupt and inexplicable variation from the norm, such as the “doubling up” in flowers, changes in color, or habit of growth.
Mycorrhizae: are beneficial fungi that penetrate the roots of most plants in nature. This symbiotic relationship is beneficial in that the plant provides sugars to the fungi, and the fungi enhance nutrient uptake for the plant. There are two major groups of mycorrhizae: ectomycorrhyzae and endomychorrhizae. The 'ectos' do not actually penetrate the cells of the roots, but are found between the intercellular spaces. Ectos have been found to be able to utilize a range of organic compounds such as proteins, peptides and amino acids. However, these fungi are restricted to coniferous tree species (gymnosperms) and Ericacious (heath/ bog) species where soil breakdown of amino acids is minimal.
Neem oil: a broad spectrum botanical insecticide, miticide, and fungicide treatment derived from the seeds of the neem tree.
NFT /Nutrient Film Technique: a hydroponic method growing that allows a thin trickle or 'film' of nutrient solution to constantly pass of the roots to provide nourishment, but not so much that the roots cannot breathe.
Node: the location on a plant where branches and new growth are produced.
NPK: expresses the amounts of (N)nitrogen, (P)phosphorus, and (K) potassium in the fertilizer/soil.
Nutrient overdose/deficiency: plants can be prone to nutrient toxicities/deficiencies if you’re measurements aren’t ideal based on the plants age. Assumingly so, young cannabis plants, depending on the variety, desire a lighter feed than middle-aged to older plants. All plants require a specific range of macro nutrients, secondary nutrients, and trace-elements to sustain optimal growth.
Order: a group of one or more families sharing common features, ancestry, or both.
Organic Nutrients: are developed from naturally occurring substances.
Ovary: the basal portion of a carpel or group of fused carpels, enclosing the ovule(s).
Ovule: a structure in a seed plant within which one or more megaspores are formed, after fertilization it develops into a seed.
P1: the “P1” term describes the parents, usually of two different varieties used in breeding programs to create a new hybrid, the offspring will now be labeled as F1’s.
pH – Acidic/Alkaloid level of a nutrient solution or soil. 0-6 (Acidic) 7 (Neutral) 8-14 (Basic).
Parasite: an organism living on or in a different organism, from which it derives nourishment.
Parasitism: is a non-mutual symbiotic relationship between species, where one species, the parasite, benefits at the expense of the other, the host.
Passive hydroponics systems: is a method of growing plants without soil, peat moss, or bark. Instead an inert porous medium transports water and fertilizer to the roots by capillary action. Water and fertilizer are held in a reservoir and conducted to the roots as necessary, reducing labor and providing a constant supply of water to the roots. In the simplest method, the pot sits in a shallow solution of fertilizer and water or on a capillary mat saturated with nutrient solution. “Pot culture” is passive hydroponics at its simplest.
Pheno/phenotype - Certain unique characteristics of a plant that set it aside from other plants of the same genes. Plants grown from the same seed stock often show unique characteristics like smell, coloring, and flavor.
Perennial: a plant whose life span extends over several years.
Perlite: an amendment often added to peat, coco, & other various soil mixes to add aeration and water retention to the medium without affecting the pH or E.C.
Petal: in a flower, one of the segments or divisions of the inner whorl of non-fertile parts surrounding the fertile organs, usually soft and conspicuously colored.
Petiole: the stalk of a leaf.
Photosynthesis: the process by which sugars are made from carbon dioxide and water in cells containing chloroplasts; the chemical energy required from solar energy in the presence of the pigment chlorophyll.
Pistil: -a single carpel when the carpels are free. -a group of carpels when the carpels are united by the fusion of their walls.
Pollen: a powdery mass shed from anthers (of angiosperms) or microsporangia (of gymnosperms); the microspores of seed plants.
Pollination: the transfer of pollen from the male organ (anther) to the receptive region of a female organ (stigma).
P.M./Powdery Mildew: a fungus that attacks plants identifiable as a powdery film on the surface.
PPM Parts Per Million - Measurement of the amount of nutrients in a solution. (May be expressed in multiple values (PPM, TDS, EC - consult your meters manual)
Punnet Square: The Punnett square is a diagram that is used to predict an outcome of a particular cross or breeding experiment. It is named after Reginald C. Punnett, who devised the approach. The diagram is used by biologists to determine the probability of an offspring having a particular genotype.
Radicle: the part of an embryo giving rise to the root system of a plant.
Rhizome: a perennial underground stem usually growing horizontally.
Rhizosphere: is the narrow region of soil that is directly influenced by root secretions and associated soil microorganisms
Root: a unit of a plant's axial system which is usually underground, does not bear leaves, tends to grow downwards, and is typically derived from the radicle of the embryo.
Root hairs: outgrowths of the outermost layer of cells just behind the root tips, functioning as water-absorbing organs.
Revegging: returning a plant to a vegetative state after it has begun flowering. Normally used in reference to a plant that has completed its flowering cycle and been harvested, but can also refer to a clone that was taken from a flowering mother. Generally, revegging is used to preserve genetics after harvest.
RW rockwool - A growing medium that comes in cubes or slabs, easily identifiable by its green color.
Sativa - A type of cannabis that is usually associated with taller plants and longer flowering periods. Sativas are usually associated with an up, energetic head high.
Scale: a reduced or rudimentary leaf, for example a leaf or group of reduced/rudimentary leaves around a bud.
ScrOG - Screen of green. A method that utilizes fewer plants trained to grow along a screen to insure all budsites get equal light. Normally grown plants will generally develop one or two main colas at the top of the plant, smaller buds on the sides, and 'popcorn*', or very small buds on the bottom.
Scrubber aka carbon scrubber Used to control odor, carbon is packed in a porous layer between around a central core. Air is either drawn or pushed through the carbon. The micron sized pores in the carbon, combined with a slight charge, trap odor molecules, bacteria, and other particles inside the carbon. the air is literally scrubbed clean by being forced through the carbon.
Seed: a ripened ovule, consisting of a protective coat enclosing an embryo and food reserves; a propagating organ formed in the sexual reproductive cycle of gymnosperms and angiosperms
Selective (plant) breeding: or artificial selection is the process by which humans begin to breed plants for particular traits.
Self-pollination: also called selfing, is the acceptance by stigmas of pollen from the same flower or from flowers on the same plant, which means they are self-compatible. (S1)
Shoot: is usually the aerial part of a plant; a stem including its dependent parts, leaves, & flowers etc.
Slab - one meter of grow medium, usually referencing rock-wool or coco coir.
SoG - Sea of Green. A method of growing that uses several small plants as compared to fewer large ones. The plants are kept small, and encouraged to grow only one main cola. This allows more plants to be grown in the same area. The phrase comes from the impression you get from looking at a garden grown this way, ie just a sea of green buds. Also known as the plantlet method.
Soilless - A Hydroponic method that utilizes pots like a standard soil garden, which can be handwatered or utilize a standard soil irrigation system. The pots are filled with inert medium, usually a mixture of perlite and vermiculite that retains water much like soil. However, all nutrients come in the hydroponic solution, there are none stored in the medium, as in soil.
Species: a group, or populations of individuals, sharing common features and/or ancestry, generally the smallest group that can be readily and consistently recognized; often, a group of individuals capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. The species category is the basic unit of classification, the category of taxa of the lowest principal rank in the nomenclatural hierarchy.
Spider mites - Spider mites are members of the Acari (mite) family Tetranychidae, which includes about 1,200 species. They generally live on the undersides of leaves of plants, where they may spin protective silk webs, and they can cause damage by puncturing the plant cells to feed. Spider mites are known to feed on several hundred species of plants, and cannabis is no exception. They’re one of the most feared infestations among cannabis gardeners.
Stabilization: is a type of natural/artificial selection in which genetic diversity decreases and the population average stabilizes on a particular, uniform trait value.
Stamen: the male organ of a flower, consisting (usually) of a stalk (filament) and a pollen-bearing portion (anther).
Stoma/stomata: a pore; a small hole in the surface of a leaf (or other aerial organ) allowing the exchange of gases between tissues and the atmosphere. A significant role of the stomata is for respiration and transpiration. The collection of CO2, the release of excess water vapor, and other gases.
Style: an elongated part of a carpel, or group of fused carpels, between the ovary and the stigma.
Super-cropping A method of growing where the stem hurd is lightly crushed, forcing the plant to make new pathways that can result in a higher yield.
Taproot: the main, descending root of a plant with a single dominant root axis.
Terpenes: are a large and diverse class of organic compounds, produced by a variety of plants, though also by some insects.They are often strong-smelling. They may protect the plants that produce them by deterring herbivores and by attracting predators and parasites of herbivores. Many terpenes are aromatic hydrocarbons and thus may have had a protective function. The difference between terpenes and terpenoids is that terpenes are hydrocarbons, whereas terpenoids contain additional functional groups. They are the major components of resin, and of turpentine produced from resin. The name "terpene" is derived from the word "turpentine".
True breeding: in cannabis horticulture, is a line of genetics that always passes down certain phenotypic traits to its offspring. A variety is referred to “breed true� for each trait to which this applies. In Mendelian genetics, this means that an organism must be homozygous for every trait for which it is considered true breeding.
TDS Total Dissolved Solids - Measurement of the amount of nutrients in a solution. (May be expressed in multiple values (PPM, TDS, EC - consult your meters manual)
Topping: Pruning the plant by cutting off the top to encourage lateral branching.
Trichome - a structure on the skin of the cannabis plant that contains the THC and other desirable cannabinoids found in cannabis. Trichomes also house terpenoids and flavonoids.
Vermiculite: an organic amendment that creates air channels and allows the soil mix to breathe. Mixing vermiculite in flower and vegetable gardens or in potted plants will provide the necessary air to maintain vigorous plant growth. Where soils are sandy, mixing of vermiculite into the soil will allow the soil to hold water and air needed for growth.
Zygote: a fertilized cell.