Jorge Cervantes

QUESTIONS TO JORGE

Jorge Cervantes is the author of: Marijuana Horticulture: the Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower’s Bible in English and Spanish, Jorge Cervantes’ Ultimate Grow DVD, Indoor Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor Bible, Marijuana Indoors: Five Easy Gardens, Marijuana Outdoors: Guerrilla Growing and Jorge’s Rx. He writes for 12 magazines in 6 languages. Jorge’s books are published in Dutch, English, French, German and Spanish.

White Walls

I am sending you this email because I have seen your video and think its top notch! I have been following it very carefully and want to make a small room. The only thing is I can not find Visqueen plastic anywhere and not even sure where to look. Could you give me some advice as to where I might find it? I live in Southern Ontario if that might help with some companies that you might know of.

Skattered

You can use paint to cover the walls in your new grow room and it is available locally at your hardware store. Try using white paint. I like using white latex semi-gloss enamel because it is easier to clean than flat white or white with a matte finish. You can also use Foylon, Mylar or white plastic. All work well. Foylon and Mylar are more expensive but more reflective. A good reflective material will increase light on the perimeter of the garden by as much as 20 percent.

You can find all of the above products at most hydroponic stores. Simply go to www.google.com and type in the search words “Mylar” “white plastic” or “Foylon.” Remember to compare pricing!

We had a lot of fun filming the first Jorge Cervantes’ Ultimate Grow DVD in beautiful British Colombia, Canada. I must say that Canadians are some of the best growers in the world. Check out my newest video shot in California. It features 4-5 kg. plants, http://www.youtube. com/profile?user=jorgecervantesmj. Water and fertilize plants when they need it. You will need to develop a little bit of experience to gain the skill necessary to harvest a great crop.

It takes a lot of light to penetrate the dense foliage in a garden. Small wattage lights cannot keep up with a 600w HP sodium.

CFLs and Big Buds

I am broke and want to grow a crop. Can I use a compact fluorescent lamp (CFL)? What is the minimum amount of light necessary to flower a plant?

Dave

Cannabis needs quite a bit of light to grow dense heavy buds. It is considered a “high light” plant, which means that it requires a lot of light – full sun – to reach full genetic potential. In other words plants under a 400, 600 or 1000w lamp will produce the biggest tightest and fullest buds providing the plants receive all the other necessities they require – nutrients, air (CO2) above ground and oxygen below ground, heat and a suitable substrate to anchor the roots.

When plants receive less than optimum amounts of these necessities they do not reach full genetic potential. A 65w compact fluorescent lamp, CFL, supplies right at the minimum amount of light to produce “respectable” buds. But it does not supply enough light for most sativa-dominant strains to reach full genetic potential.

This year I grew two plants in 11 liter containers, one sativa-dominant and the other indica-dominant under three 65w CFL lamps. The buds were nice and resinous, but the weight was low, about 30 percent less than if grown under a 600w HPS.

Career Move

I am a student with aspirations to go into the horticultural field. I have much love for plants, especially marijuana. Do you know of any way I can get into the movement within an actual career field? I want the ability to help the marijuana movement.

Joe

I receive about 10 such requests every week. A few years ago I got only 1-2 per week. This marks a very exciting trend. Now there are many more young conscientious growers that are more interested in changing the world than making a shitload of money.

Education is the key to your future and success with your goals. Enroll in a local community college with a major in botany but take as many horticulture classes as possible. Work during summers at a nursery and do all the jobs possible. Learn everything you can about all plants. Get your hands dirty. Spend two years as a student studying horticulture and botany. Find a good advisor that will direct you into a good biology and or botany program. Continue with school and continue working with all plants during you time off. Get a good solid background in botany and horticulture both intellectual and practical.

Read everything you can about growing and breeding cannabis. Apply your knowledge from the university to our favorite plant. The reason I suggest you follow this path is because through all the years the breeders and growers that have had the best “luck” are all well educated with biology, botany or science degrees. You will definitely provide the most help for the cannabis movement as a well educated member.

If you live in Europe, Spain and Switzerland are the best countries to grow. In America, California is the best state to grow cannabis. Hit this site, http://www.oaksterdamuniversity.com/ to see the education opportunities available in California. There are a total of 14 US states that have approved medicinal cannabis. Always buy quality seeds from a reputable company such as Euphoria from Dutch Passion.

Painting walls white is the easiest way to increase light around the perimeter of the garden.

Algae and Nitrogen

If I remember correctly plants in hydro need nitrogen, but algae growth that leads to stem rot is a side effect. I’ve seen nitrogen filters online but thought they would be pointless. I am wondering if there is nitrogen isotope or usable mixed nitrogen molecule that can be absorbed by the plant but not absorbed by algae?

Marleys Ghost

All higher plants need nitrogen and nitrogen is often associated with green leaves. Algae are green, but do not necessarily need nitrogen found in fertilizer to grow. Using scientific terms like nitrogen isotope and nitrogen molecule sound impressive but such terms are complicating the subject and missing the point. Nitrogen is part of the air we breathe and is most often readily available to plants via “grow” fertilizers.

Look at the conditions that cause algae growth and don’t get bogged down with scientific theory and terms. Algae grow on moist surfaces in the presence of light. Remove one or both of the elements (light or moisture) and the algae will disappear. Removing moisture is difficult but blocking light is very simple, just cover the growing medium with plastic or something to exclude the light and the algae cannot grow. You can also run an algaecide in the hydroponic nutrient solution.

Stem rot, pythium or damping-off, is promoted by excessive moisture and lack of air in the growing medium. Sure algae can lead to stem rot, but this is because similar conditions are required for algae growth and stem rot.

When to Water and Fertilize

At flowering stage, how often should I water? How often should I put fertilizer in the water?

Wilo

This question is impossible to give you a firm answer. I can only give you guidelines. My best advice is to water when the plants need irrigating and fertilizer when they need nutrients. There are many variables that dictate a plant’s water and fertilizer consumption. The age of the plant, container size, soil texture, temperature, humidity, and ventilation all contribute to water needs. Change any one of these variables, and the water consumption will change. Good ventilation is essential to promote a free flow of fluids, transpiration, and rapid growth. The healthier a plant, the faster it grows and the more water it needs. Small plants with a small root system in small containers must be watered often. Water frequently–as soon as the soil surface dries out. If exposed to wind, the small plants will dry out very quickly.

I like to use simple rules of thumb or in this case the rule of finger. When you can stick your finger into the container of a one to two-month-old plant and it is dry down to the first knuckle, about an a half inch to an inch, below the surface, it is ready to water, that is as long as drainage is good. For example, four-week-old clones flowering in 2- to 3-gallon containers need to be irrigated once or twice daily. Flowering marijuana uses high levels of water to carry on rapid floral formation. Withholding the water stunts the flower formation. Plants that suffer wind stress dry out much faster. A moisture meter, about $30, will take much of the guesswork out of irrigating. Remember that many times soil does will not hold the water evenly, and it develops dry pockets. Checking the moisture with a finger provides an educated guess but can damage the root system. A moisture meter will give an exact moisture reading without disturbing the roots. Lightly cultivating the soil surface will help the water penetrate the soil evenly and help avoid dry pockets.

As for fertilization, I recommend that you follow the manufacturer’s guidelines, because all fertilizers are not created equally.