2011 03 UK by SoftSecrets

FREE 18+ For adults only. Soft Secrets is published six times a year by Discover Publisher BV Netherlands

Issue 3 - 2011

News from around the world

In this issue: A WINTER IN ROSALES Jim Brown’s account of over wintering in Ceuta, the duty free Spanish Enclave that stands opposite the Rock of Gibraltar on the North coast of Morocco. Although not on the normal tourist routes, P.P.Rosales is a great place to meet the locals, both Spanish and Moroccan. Accommodation is cheap although not entirely free. The P.P. in front of Rosales stands for Prison Penitentiary.. ››

POT BEARS AND DOPEY CROCODILES: ECO SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR GARDEN

PERSONAL SECURITY This article takes a look at some of the latest tactics and methods of detection deployed by ‘the state’ and some of the ways growers can minimise their chances of being nabbed. ››

HYDRO OVER HAND WATERING: AEROPONICS Aeroponics may be seen by a percentage of growers as too expensive, complicated or advanced to be considered as a method for growing at home. In reality, the aeroponic systems available to the home grower are straightforward to use and cost little more than any other hydro system. ››

PIRATES OF THE HIGH SEEDS Today, it’s not just Chanel, Prada and branded cigarettes that are being faked and pirated. The names and intellectual property of well-known quality weed strains are being increasingly ripped off too – but without the protection in law granted to legitimate businesses. Soft Secrets spoke to Simon, old school seed breeder extraordinaire and owner of Serious Seeds ››

In late 2010, BBC News and other major media organizations reported that police raiding a marijuana farm in Canada were astonished to find black bears guarding crops. At first, officers were frightened that the animals might be dangerous but the bears did not behave aggressively. They just played around with the cop car and wandered off. Then they sat and watched the raid. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police arrested two people and confiscated more than 2,300 marijuana plants. When officers realized the friendly beasts were used to human contact and just happy to be around, they even decided to pose for pictures within a few feet of the pot bears. “They were tame, they just sat around watching. At one point one of the bears climbed onto the hood of a police car, sat there for a bit and then jumped off,” said sergeant Fred Mansveld. “We also found a pot belly pig and a little raccoon sleeping on the bed in the house. It was friendly, it tried to climb one officer’s leg. The pig was a little frantic at

the sight of police, but the raccoon was pretty laid back about the bust and took it all in stride.” Later, the police issued a statement that “a pair of marijuana growers used a team of wild animals including black bears, raccoons and pigs to guard their illegal drugs operation near the US-Canadian border.” This strange tale became even stranger after someone stole the confiscated pot from the police locker and tried to protect it with sticks of stolen dynamite, rigged with homemade fuses. The officers also found a grenade, a 12-bore shotgun, and two rifles. The Marijuana stash was seized again. The owners of the Happy Farm have been arrested on charges of production and possession of a controlled substance. They are also facing animal cruelty charges. In Canada, feeding bears is illegal as it increases the likelihood of bears coming into towns and cities to look for food. Officials say the wild guardians of the garden may have to be put down. However, public pressure is growing to protect the bears and British Columbia’s Environment Minister Barry Penner says the government is now looking at options to save the bears.

covered on the 10th March; a young alligator named Wally and his owner were busted among the plants. The sensitive press immediately dubbed the beast ‘the watchgator’. There was actually no evidence of animal abuse; on the contrary, the animal had been “very well cared for” according to the animal welfare hostel Wally was taken to – “perhaps even a little too well” (see photo).

MEDI-WEED NEARLY OVERTAKEN VIAGRA The American marketing bureau Sea Change Strategy has estimated that sales of medical marihuana in the USA will top 1.2 billion Euros in 2011. Such sales will put the green alternative close to overtaking sales of Viagra; the erection pill is good for an annual 1.3 billion dollars in the USA.

WALLY THE WATCHGATOR The combination of drugs and animals is always good for a bit of emotion, as the media well know. With hardly any time to digest the Canadian grow-op guarded by bears story, we are already blasted with the latest case of cannabis-related animal abuse. In the annex of an illegal medi-weed shop in Riverside, California, a grow-op was dis-

If the black market is included, the cannabis industry could be bringing in anything between 13 and 25 billion Euros per year. Continues on page 3

3 The Sea Change report predicts that the number of states in which medical marihuana may be sold will double over the next five years.

Continued from front page Information about hiring a stand, sponsoring and volunteer work can be found at: www.hempfest.org.

At the moment nearly 25 million Americans have the right to a doctor’s prescription for medical marihuana, although barely 730,000 people take advantage of the right, of which 92% are inhabitants of California and Colorado.

HEMPFEST IS NOT A FESTIVAL This coming August (19-21), the city of NDRANGHETA GARSeattle will for the 20th year be hostDENS IN AUSTRALIA ing the Seattle Hempfest. With around Just don’t call it a festival, because the organizers emphasize that Hempfest is in fact a ‘protestival’.

The Australian police is convinced that the local chapter of Ndrangheta (the Naples mafia) is busy with the large-scale cultivation of cannabis in the Riverina District, a highly fertile agricultural region of south-western New South Wales.

On various stages in three city parks, dozens of speakers and acts will be performing. There will be a dance stage as well as an extensive market of cannabis-related products.

You could call it a commercial scale of guerilla growing, with the usual hiding place of maize replaced by grape vines and orange groves.

Hempfest depends entirely on sponsors and volunteers, making it an excellent chance for companies to put themselves in the spotlight of the American market, currently experiencing explosive growth.

Following a five-day operation at the end of March in the region, more than 10,000 top quality weed plants were ripped out and incinerated, sending an estimated 15 million Euros up in smoke.

Genetic background: Type: THC level: Outdoor harvest:

Powerplant x Lavender Sativa/Indica high early October

A perfect plant that produces long, large buds that resemble fox tails. Towards the end of the flowering period, its leaves acquire a metallic lavender shade. The calyx to leaf ratio makes it an easy plant to trim. This variety produces an extremely intense, penetrating and intoxicating scent; it is rich in RHC and its organoleptic qualities are nearly perfect. Welcome to Cotton Candy’s paradise of flavours and colours. Photo: Delicious Seeds

Cotton Candy

250,000 visitors anticipated, it is the biggest cannabis event in the world.

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Cotton Candy Readers Letters Product Rosales, part 1 Personal Security Weeds The War on Drugs is 50! Hydro culture Piracy in seeds land International Cannabis Community Lebanon Rootzone Questions to Jorge Charlie Veitch and the Love Police Ask Ed The adventures of Spliffer A stoned selection Grow Diary Mataró Blue: Part One Lights Shop reviews

3 5 8 11 15 18 19 21 25 28 30 35 39 43 45 50 52 54 57 60

PAGE 3 GIRL DEAR SOFT SECRETS PRODUCT FLASH REPORTAGE SECURITY HORTICULTURE COLUMN DR. DEE HYDROPONICS INTERVIEW COLUMN LAZYSTRAIN TRAVEL GROW WITH LITTLE LEBOWSKI JORGE CERVANTES INTERVIEW ED ROSENTHAL COMIC MUSIC REVIEWS GROW REPORT ADVANCED INDOOR GROWING REVIEWS

5 Readers Stuff

Attention Readers! Fancy a FREE packet of FEMINISED seeds from DINAFEM? Then send us a picture of your grow room or best cannabis plant, including a visible copy of Soft Secrets, and we’ll send you 3 seeds. Should your photo happen to feature your beautiful wife or girlfriend wearing a sexy microbikini or super hot lingerie, you will receive 6 seeds. Photo of the Month will even receive 9 prime quality feminised seeds. With compliments of Soft Secrets and DINAFEM! E-mail your entries to SSUK@softsecrets.nl or send them to our PoBox. NOTE: All entries are handled with the utmost discretion. We don’t publish out of focus pics, and we don’t like photos of plants in veg stage. It’s fat buds & sweet babes we want to see!

PoBox 17250, 1001 JG, Amsterdam, Holland E-mail: SSUK@softsecrets.nl

TUTTER Nice use of a tent. Put holes in the bottoms of the pots and set them in a tray. The improved drainage will help prevent ailments such as root rot.

From a reader in Allicante (Spain)

Dear Soft Secrets ! This Is a unknown plant grown In my chicken pen ouitside , Fed on bat guanokalong and natrual chicken manure . unfortanaly you could not see the hole plant but it made a whopping 21 Ounces . BLH & SJB <3 Outdoor plants really show how well cannabis can do in a natural environment, 21 oz is a great harvest. Make sure you age any fresh chicken manure for at least a year (or compost it first) as it starts out very “hot” and can burn plants easily. Pretty scarf, she’s a bit on the hot side as well.

Here are some photos of my Shiva Shanti from Sensi seeds these are clones with 9 weeks just love your magazine it should be in Portuguese too thanks keep up the good work ANONYMOUS Shiva Shanti is a blending of Garlic bud, Kush and Skunk. A nice thing about growing clones is that as long as the mother plant is female, the cuttings will also be female, and they tend to have very similar growth to each other.

Pineapple Chunk PENNY Penny has a nice plant. Pineapple Chunk is a Pinapple crossed with a double dose of Skunk with the addition of Cheese x Skunk #1. Nice looking buds. Be careful of over fertilizing, the dark green shiny leaves can be an indication that nutrient levels are a little high.

Thought i would send you some pics at my first attempt at a grow of cheese.these were from clones using house and garden multi zyme with 1 component aarde then bud xl and shooting powder. would of been at a loss without your paper and mates in grow shop trade, so I’d like to thank u all. thought id include bit of mi missus’ ass as well for you all. thnx again, keep up the good work. DAV GB Excellent first grow, well done. Cheese is a variety of improved Skunk. Congratulations to both you and your wife for winning the Soft Secrets Photo of the Month! Your Mrs. is a stunning woman, thank you both for sharing. To show our appreciation, we are sending you 3 Dinafem feminized seeds for the plant with our cover, 3 more for your lovely wife, and 3 more for being our photo of the month, for a total of 9 feminized seeds! Make sure to send us more pictures to let us know how you make out with them.

Hi, these was grown in b&q soil nothing special just water straight from the tap cold - with a bit of tomato feed - cut down 2weeks early due to the smell & house visits. Big bang grown under a 400w built in small cupboard space regards Big Bang is a Greenhouse cross of Skunk, Northern Lights, and El Nino. Great use of a 400 watt in a small space. The bud formation is tight with little wasted stem space. It is a shame that you had to cut her early, we will send you some seeds to try again.

F & R, FRANCE Beautiful buds, very well grown. Buds this size on such a small plant is an accomplishment to be proud of. A bit of ginger can be very soothing for all sorts of ills, and she looks like a much better choice for garden decoration than a common gnome.

ANONYMOUS Unfettered breasts and promising buds under an open night sky. A lovely garden of delights.

Make sure the electrical cords aren’t in the tray, and that each have a “drip loop” so if the cord becomes wet the liquid will collect and drip off before reaching the electrical socket. Clean up any fallen leaves and plant matter, as insects and molds can develop in the refuse.

PRODUCTS

BUDDHAS TREE PK 9-18 Buddhas tree are currently the only suppliers of the first true PK 9/18 hydroponic soluble solution, which is by weight not volume and is safe for plant consumption in the EU. We are fortunate to have our own bio-chemist who is rated in the top 4 in the world and formulates the NPK fertilizers for many of the world’s record breaking food crops. The agricultural bio-chemist has worked alongside growers with decades of experience to bring to you the safest flowering booster product currently available on the market! PK 9-18 increases plant uptake of nutrient and the plants natural oils and sugars thus making heavier yields and more potent crops. It achieves this by breaking down enzymes in the roots of the plant which creates healthier roots, encourages more uptakes of phosphorous and potassium. We challenge any company who produce PK nutrients or boosters to have their products tested by EU regulators and a head to head on crop quality. Buddhas Tree 9/18 is to compliment all existing nutrients as it is used alongside them and not to replace them. No bling, just safer flower boosting

AN OPTIMAL YIELD WITH SOIL MIXTURES FROM PLAGRON The quality of potting soil has a huge influence on a successful cultivation period and harvest. Clever growers make no concessions when it comes to getting off to the perfect start: the soil mixture. Plagron offers the most extensive range of soil mixtures of proven quality. Something to suit every grower. From completely pre-fertilised potting soil for beginners up to soil mixtures for growers with more flexibility. For the more experienced grower who wants to decide how much and which nutrients the plant is given, Plagron offers a range of top quality liquid fertilisers, additives, boosters and soil improvers. All either fully organic or bio-mineral based.

Currently available in 1litre bottles only! Usage: Hydroponic: 0.8Ml per litre Coco: 0.8Ml per litre Soil: 1.5Ml per litre This booster degrades faster in soil as it is a hydroponic soluble solution, thus using double the strength. Distribution trade enquiries please call the number below. Unit 8, park road industrial estate, timperley, altrincham, manchester wa14 5qh +44(0) 1619 622077 » www.buddhastree.co.uk

ATA ORGANICS FLAVOUR Atami has developed this liquid organic smell and taste enhancer for the organic grower. It is a fertilizer on the basis of beet molasses. It has a very good effect on the taste and smell of the finished products, and the characteristic taste of the particular species is preserved.

All the soil mixtures from Plagron reproduce the natural soil conditions for air and water management. The difference between the various potting soils is the extent of pre-fertilisation. Lightmix, for example, is a minimally fertilised substrate making it ideal for fervent growers who know exactly what they want. At the other end of the scale is Royalty-mix, which is completely pre-fertilised for a minimum of 6 weeks with the very best organic fertilisers. An ideal product for beginners, as all you need to do is simply provide water to obtain excellent growth.

Available in 1L and 5L.

These are just two of the comprehensive range of soil mixtures from Plagron. You can also choose cocos; the perfect substrate for intensive root development, fast growth and high yields. Cocos can even be re-used. All the soil mixtures from Plagron are packed in discreet bags and if required in neutral boxes. Everything for perfect results! Visit www.plagron.com and download our new catalogue.

» www.atami.com

» www.plagron.com

From just plain simple to highly sophisticated, all Bio Nova ways are incredibly effective.

You decide which way to grow!

Would you like to grow things, but lack a green thumb? No problem! Use The Basic Way and be overwhelmed by the success of your effortless input! Are you a passionate grower who wants high quality? Use The Dedicated Way of growing, it will blow your mind! Or are you that perfectionist, who knows exactly what he is doing and why? The Professional Way will be your path to ultimate satisfaction!

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Your green companion in every way!

9 ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS LAUNCHES NEW AUTOMATIC SPECIES. For the past four years, the Royal Queen Seeds company has been an important actor on Europe’s constantly expanding cannabis seed market. Thanks to reasonable prices, the high quality of the seeds and active participation in creation and distribution of female seeds and the so-called “automatic” species, Royal Queen Seeds has become an extremely prominent company. Due to the enormous success of their so-called autoflowering species, Royal Queen Seeds has decided to launch several new species on the market. Royal Haze Automatic: If you cross a Dutch classic such as Amnesia Haze with a Ruderalis and a type of Skunk, you will obtain a spectacular plant, in every sense of the word: an automatic Haze that flowers in just nine weeks from bud to harvest! Northern Light Automatic: The other great classic, Northern Light, has been crossed with a Ruderalis strain to create another classic: Northern Light Automatic, a species that flowers even more rapidly than any grower could dream of! Royal AK Automatic: The well-known AK-47 crossed with a Ruderalis strain to create a genetically stable automatic species.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS NOW PACKAGES SEEDS AUTOMATICALLY Royal Queen Seeds has recently introduced a Hapamatic automated packaging machine for packaging seeds. The implementation of the Hapamatic machine, already used for years in the medical sector for packaging large quantities of medicine, is a logical step for Royal Queen Seeds. Boy Ramsahai, owner of Royal Queen Seeds, explains: ““Today’s cannabis consumers know exactly what to pay attention to when purchasing highquality seeds, and good packaging is of fundamental importance, not only because clients expect the correct number of seeds but also because they require them to be selected and packaged with care. Our seeds are hand-chosen before being machine-packed; great attention is given to factors such as humidity in the air and temperature, and the selection and packaging processes take place in a sterile environment. With the new system, our seeds are protected from the light and sterilised. For information: Royal Queen Seeds » info@royalqueenseeds.com » www.royalqueenseeds.com

WILMA PLUGS UNIT CREATE YOUR OWN GREENHOUSE IN A FLASH! Place the lid on the tray upside down. This creates a mini greenhouse. It provides a favourable environment in which seeds can germinate excellently. Characteristics of Wilma plugs unit: t 4VSQSJTJOHMZ SBQJE SPPUJOH BOE HSPXUI t 1MVHT TXFMM WFSZ RVJDLMZ BOE BSF JNNFEJBUFMZ SFBEZ GPS VTF t 4FFE QMVHT BCTPSC XBUFS FBTJMZ INSTRUCTIONS 1. Swell the plugs with 30 ml of water per plug (total 150 ml). 2. Sow the seeds one by one on each plug. 3. Snap the lid onto the greenhouse upside down. 4. Open the air blade once the plants start growing. DURING THE CULTIVATION t .BLF TVSF UIF QMVHT SFNBJO TVGGJDJFOUMZ NPJTU EVSJOH UIFJS HSPXUI t 5IF XBUFS MFWFM TIPVME OPU FYDFFE NN t 8IFO UIF QMBOUT BSF MBSHF FOPVHI ZPV DBO QMBOU UIFN JO B QPU USBZ HBSEFO The Wilma Plugs Unit is a natural and environmentally friendly product, especially made of coconut shells. This natural resource is able to recuperate rapidly and is therefore CO2 emission-friendly.

ATA ROOTFAST Ata Rootfast is a 100% vegetable root stimulator that creates a good root production and increased resistance of the plant. Applicable to any medium. APPLICATION Add daily to every watering of the plant during week 1 and 2. DOSAGE (1:1000) 1ml per litre of water WARNING Store at room temperature. Shake well before use. Keep out of reach of children. Not suitable for swallowing. DERIVED FROM Laminara Digitata and Ammonium Phosphate. » www.atami.com

MEDI-ONE Medi-One is the best selling 1 part nutrient in North America created by Green Planet Nutrients and endorsed by Dr. Paul Hornby. Medi-One has established a cult following throughout the cannabis community from coast to coast.

Dr. Hornby recommended

MEDI-ONE 4-3-3

The ooh is from what is in it and the aah is from how easy it is to use, just adjust the pH and off you go. This is a one part grow thru bloom organic nutrient and the results are absolutely spectacular for such a simple system. Medi-One is the obvious choice for somebody growing in soil or soilless mix and wants the very best results. Contact your local hydroponic store for your supply today and be part of the phenomenom. » www.mygreenplanet.com

REPORTAGE

A Winter in Rosales Jim Brown’s account of over wintering in Ceuta, the duty free Spanish Enclave that stands opposite the Rock of Gibraltar on the North coast of Morocco. Although not on the normal tourist routes, P.P.Rosales is a great place to meet the locals, both Spanish and Moroccan. Accommodation is cheap although not entirely free. The P.P. in front By Jim Brown of Rosales stands for Prison Penitentiary. High in the Riff Mountains of Morocco, green fields of cannabis plants sway in the warm mountain breezes. The precious marijuana is protected from the winds by Lebanese cedars trees and guarded from thieves by Berber mountain men with sickles, swords and Uzi machine guns. The growing of the cannabis plants and the production of hashish is illegal; yet vanloads, busloads and truckloads of high quality hashish are ferried down the mountain day and night. The police and the customs, aware that the smuggling is concentrated on the single-track highway, content themselves setting up roadblocks at intervals. They know which way to look and which vehicles to stop. It was Friday morning in early December 1974. We were stopped at customs as we attempted to cross the border into Ceuta from Morocco and funnelled into a warehouse-sized garage, the double doors closing behind us. I switched off the engine and looked at Harry. The armed border guards hustled us out of the van. A grey haired man climbed into a set of white overalls. He smiled across at us. His assistant arrived carrying a bag containing torches and measuring rods, drills, spanners and other tools of their trade. Their job was to catch drug smugglers.

Part 1

Harry and I had come to Morocco to buy hashish – an easy decision. We couldn’t afford to buy as much dope as we wanted in Britain. We didn’t care that much about it being illegal; it was the early 1970’s, love and peace and revolution. We had taken the back seats out of a Morris Traveller van. The alterations were simple and, we thought, effective. The missing seats were replaced with a plywood floor. A hatch was cut out to access a false bulkhead behind the spare wheel. The whole area was carpeted and tacked down. After searching for a while, the grey haired man and his assistant had found nothing. They stopped and the elder man rested, he raised his eyebrows and looked towards us his eyes crinkling at the corners. I was beginning to think that we had gotten away with it. The assistant left the garage by a side door. A minute later he returned with a scrap of paper in his hand and checked the number plate of the van. “Si Si.” He confirmed. The search began again. The customs men had already taken out the spare wheel and prodded about in the recess. The grey haired man walked around the vehicle slowly. He studied the interior of the van again. He took out a measuring stick and pushed it into the

FOLKSTONE, EARLY DAYS space for the spare wheel. He read out the measurements to the younger man who jotted them down on a scrap of paper. Then he did the same along the top of the carpeted floor. There was a discrepancy. He turned and smiled. We were escorted to a waiting police van and taken to the Ceutan police station. We were the first of the weekend visitors

to the jailhouse. There was a concrete block bed, a thin blanket and nothing else in the cell. In the evening a shaven headed Moroccan was dragged into the jail, kicking and muttering. He lay where he was thrown and fell into a drunken stupor. When he came to, he said his name was Dadi and smoked most of our cigarettes.

OUTDOOR

We were escorted from the police station cells where we had been held for the weekend, handcuffed, wild looking, unwashed and uncertain of what was going to happen. We were hustled into the waiting police van and taken to court to hear the charges against us. Apart from five kilos of zero-zero high quality hashish, what did they have? Easy pickings we soon discovered.

the Moroccan, was escorted to another part of the prison. There were no regulation prison clothes. Our money, we were advised, would be held at the reception area and could be changed at any time for prison’s paper token (5 and 10 peseta denominations) currency. With 225 pesetas to the British pound, it seemed that Rosales was going to be a cheap place to over winter.

The delousing centre was adjacent to the court. The guards un-cuffed us and left us at the entrance to a concrete shower block. We stripped and put our clothes into a fumigation box. The showers were switched on and we ran through the boiling spray. The man who ran the facility was a dark Spaniard with oily hair, styled like a cowboy rocker. He shaved off one side of Harry’s hair and beard, creating a Before-and-After mug shot: carefree hippy from one side, sinister looking skinhead convict from the other. With a turn of the head and a scrape of the razor our lives were transformed.

There were two main cellblocks in the male section of the prison, called brigadas. One for Europeans, the other for North Africans. In the European brigada there were 14 double bunks. We were soon to realise that every time there was a spare bunk another person would be arrested at the customs post. We figured we would be out in a couple of days. The guard agreed, just as long as we could raise some money for bail.

Spain was a fascist regime controlled by the military. We were marched before a desk of army men outshone by their medals. Words were spoken and papers were passed around, signed, shuffled

He said we could expect 15 years. I smiled and tried to correct his English, explaining the difference between days, weeks, months and years. He was adamant. We had already been sentenced to three years for the contraband, he explained. Fifteen years was to be expected for the more serious crime of Offences Against Health and Public Order.

HE SAID WE COULD EXPECT 15 YEARS. I SMILED AND TRIED TO CORRECT HIS ENGLISH, EXPLAINING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DAYS, WEEKS, MONTHS AND YEARS. HE WAS ADAMANT. and handed back to the officials. In minutes we were out of the courtroom, loaded into a prison van and driven out to P.P. Rosales. The joke was over. I strained to see out of the vehicle as we approached the Penitentiary on the outskirts of town. The big gates were opened and we disembarked in a courtyard and shuffled through a second set of doors and up to a circular glass reception area. The floor was tiled and gleaming. The police escort handed us over to be processed. We were dealt with by a warden who spoke a little English. Dadi,

Numbed, I looked into the cell. The bunks were arranged around the wall. The only light came from the windows that were barred but not glazed. It was cold and damp. The guard indicated an empty double bunk next to a hole-inthe-ground toilet. A thin, stained mattress sagged through a few strands of wire. We threw down our bags and followed the guard back downstairs. He opened a gate to an enclosed cobbled yard, the stones shiny from feet going nowhere. Small groups huddled in corners with coats and blankets over their heads attempting to stay warm. One or two marched up and down military style. The winter sun did not reached the yard. The prison was built for maximum Summer shade. I hunched my shoulders to the cold and tried to take in the scene. To the right was a covered walkway that led to an eating area. A large wooden trestle table and two benches were the only furnishings.

FRONT VIEW OF ROSALES PRISON

If it rained, the walkway and the dining area would be the only places to shelter. At the bottom of the walkway and past the canteen the toilet block was situated: six holes in the ground. We had arrived in time for lunch, the main meal of the day. A Yugoslavian approached us and introduced himself as Mike. He had been arrested with a few grams of hashish and was awaiting money from home. He only needed the equivalent of £60 to pay his fine and get out. His father, who had been a General in Tito’s revolutionary army, had left him in Rosales for six months figuring that the experience would do him good. He took us through the regime. We were given our only prison possessions: an aluminium bowl and a spoon. First it was shopping time. Twice a day the shop opened for stamps, cards, toothpaste, sweets, cigarettes and most important for me, wine. The authorities treated all Europeans as being alcohol dependant and allowed a daily wine ration akin to the rum tots in the British navy. We were allowed to purchase two glasses of wine a day. One before the

and sporting a smart pair of baseball boots arrived to distribute the food. Walking alongside him like a psychopathic presidential bodyguard was his minder. We were pushed to the front of the queue. We soon found out why. The baseball booted Ceutan began to serve up the food. The ladle skimmed the surface of the soup. We were dished up a bowl of grey water and handed a baguette, a sardine and an orange: a three-course meal. There was a wellestablished hierarchy in this place, and soup-wise we were at the top. With luck maybe we could make it to the bottom where the nutrition was. The guard rattled the brigada cage. I awoke in the freezing prison cell. It was a relief to get out of the sagging bunk. Breakfast was a sweet cocoa drink and stale bread. After eating we were lined up in the cobbled yard for an official head count. Those important enough, mainly the Ceutans, set off for their privileged or created positions. Some Moroccans had low paid jobs weaving baskets in the prison workshop. The rest of us were set to work cleaning up the jail. Three Moroccans arrived with

WE WERE MARCHED BEFORE A DESK OF ARMY MEN OUTSHONE BY THEIR MEDALS midday meal and one before we were returned to the Brigada for the night. We could buy as many cigarettes as we could afford, a packet as cheap in the jail as on the outside. We bought a large glass of vinegar wine, choked it down and followed Mike back across the yard. A small tough looking guy wearing a military style jacket was holding out his aluminium bowl like a beggar on the streets. He laughed with bleary eyes as a tall youth wearing a long black leather coat emptied the contents of his mouth into the awaiting bowl. “Legionnaires.” Explained Mike. We congregated with the others milling around the eating area. Two prison orderlies brought the midday meal in a large metal urn, taking great care not to disturb the contents. A dapper Spaniard dressed in flannels and blazer

a washtub full of hot water, cloths and mops. One supervised as the other two young men dipped the cloths into the hot water, wrung them out and handed the steaming rags to the other prisoners. This cloth rinsing had an obvious coveted perk, warm hands. We hadn’t seen Dadi since arriving in Rosales before he sauntered up to the steaming tub and removed the three youths with a look. He nodded towards Harry and me. We stepped forward and plunged our cold hands into the hot soapy water and began our new job with vigour. Next issue: Our heroes witness the violent election for brigada Capo. Jim Brown is now 65, retired and living in Edinburgh.

S L ! CA ES LO PL R U SAM YO EE SK FR A R SE A FO

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Auto

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$XWRÀ RZHULQJ THC: 18% CBD: 1,4% CBN: 0,4% Indoor Blooming: 5 weeks. Indoor / Outdoor Harvest: 8 weeks from the germination. Height: 40-90cm. AUTO

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3 seeds 20€ / 5 seeds 33€ 10 seeds 66€

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First genetic evolution of BigDevil. )HPLQLVHG DXWRÀ RZHULQJ YDULHW\ and high-class, in response to the demand of our customers that UHTXHVWHG ODUJHU VL]HG DXWRÀ RZH ring we selected this gene, which reaches a height of 1-1.5 m. More productive and more aromatic than its previous version, and compact resinous buds with numerous side branches. Sweets and incense aromas with hints of Skunk.

First evolution of the Fast Bud geQHWLFV $XWRÀ RZHULQJ VWUDLQ RI JRRG yield with big buds with plenty aromatic resine. New strain more productive and aromatic. It produces very strong and plenty lateral brances, that reach a height between 40 and 90 cm. Strong effect and sweet aromas with exotics shades coming from its Diesel legacy. $XWRÀ RZHULQJ RI YHU\ IDVW À RZHULQJ

$XWRÀ RZHULQJ THC: 19-20%. CBD: 1,1%. CBN: 0,3%. Indoor Blooming: 6 weeks. Indoor / Outdoor Harvest: 9 weeks from the germination. Height: 100-150cm. AUTO

$XWRÀ RZHULQJ THC: 17%. CBD: 0,8%. CBN: 0,4%. Indoor Blooming: 5 weeks. Indoor / Outdoor Harvest: 7 ½ weeks from the germination. Height: 40-90cm. AUTO

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10 seeds 84€

3s. 19,90€ / 5s. 33€ 10s. 66€

Blue Black x Maple Leaf Indica x White Rhino

1st Price Indoor Bio Cannabis Champions Cup

Black Jack S. A.D. S.1 Sweet Afgani Delicious ®

Black Domina x Jack Herer

Jack 47

Jack Herer x Ak 47

Black Domina Self-Pollination

Indica/Sativa: 90%-10%

Indica/Sativa: 50%-50%

3 s. 24€ / 5 s. 40€ 10 s. 80€

3 s. 19,50€ / 5 s. 32,50€ 10 s. 65€

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3s. 14,90€ / 5s. 24,80€ 10s. 49,60€

Ice Cool

Indica/Sativa: 40%-60%

3 s. 33€ / 5 s. 55€ 10 s. 110€

3 s. 29,30€ / 5 s. 48,80€ 10 s. 97,50€

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Snow Fruit Sweet Cheese Double White ®

Indica/Sativa: 90%-10%

Indica/Sativa: 30%-70%

Indica/Sativa: 60%-40%

3 s. 29,70€ / 5 s. 49,50€ 10 s. 99€

3 s. 19,50€ / 5 s. 32,50€ 10 s. 65€

Indica/Sativa: 30%-70% 3s. 17,50€ / 5s. 29€ / 10s. 58€

Wild Rose

Indica/Sativa: 35%-65% 3s. 21€ / 5s. 35€ / 10s. 70€ ®

Indica/Sativa: 40%-60% 3s. 21€ / 5s. 35€ / 10s. 70€

Indica/Sativa: 40%-60% 3s. 19,50€ / 5s. 32,50€ / 10s. 65€

Indica/Sativa: 70%-30%

3 s. 22,50€ / 5 s. 37,50€ 10 s. 75€

Cream 47

Mohan Ram

Cream Caramel x AK 47

Indica/Sativa: 50%-50%. Indoor Blooming: 9 weeks. Outdoor Harvest: Beginning October.

Indica/Sativa: 85%-15% 3s. 20€ / 5s. 33€ / 10s. 66€

Ganesh Spirit Flash Back#2 Psicodelicia Botafumeiros ®

Green Poison

White Widow x Great White Shark

3 s. 24,90€ / 5 s. 41,50€ 10 s. 83€

Sweet Tai

Big Price Drop!

Secrets Ingredients

Indica/Sativa: 25%-75%

Cheese x Black Jack

AUTO

3 seeds 24€ / 5 seeds 40€ 10 seeds 80€

NYC Diesel Line

Indica/Sativa: 90%-10%

Secrets Ingredients

$XWRÀ RZHULQJ THC: 18%. CBD: 1,1%. CBN: 0,5%. Indoor Blooming: 5 weeks. Indoor / Outdoor Harvest: 2 months from the germination. Height: 70-80cm.

10s. 58€

3 s. 18,50€ / 5 s. 30,50€ 10 s. 61€

First evolution of the genetics of Speed Devil, developed during the 2009-2010 season. In this version of the Speed Devil, has been increased the average size of the plants that reach around 70-80 cm. In this version ZH DOVR ¿ QG D ELJJHU IRUPDWLRQ of se in crystals with an aroma much more intense, sweet and PXVN ZLWK À DYRUV WKDW UHPLQG to yeast and cheese.

3 seeds 19,50€ / 5 seeds 32,50€ 10 seeds 65€

*Big Devil #1

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Speed Devil #2

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3 seeds 22€ / 5 seeds 36,50€ 10 seeds 73€

Indica/Sativa: 30%-70% 3s. 19,50€ / 5s. 32,50€ / 10s. 65€

Indica/Sativa: 25%-75% 3s. 26,50€ / 5s. 44€ / 10s. 88€

3 s. 28,50€ / 5 s. 47,50€ 10 s. 95€

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C/ Dr. Nicasio Benlloch nº36-38 · 46015 · Valencia · España · +34 963 890 403 · Fax +34 961 934 843

Sale prohibited to people under 18 years old. Seed for coleccionist use exclusively. It´s ilegal to make them germinate. They´re not for agriculture purposes. Consult laws about cannabis aplied in your place of residence. Sweet Seeds will not be acountable for ilegal use of this seeds done by third parties.

SECURITY A quick glance at the local newspapers these days is more than enough to see that Her Travesty’s boys in black are routing the pot community at the moment. Unfortunately, growing cannabis has become a high stakes game of cat and mouse and the enforcers of their law are coming up with ever more technologically advanced and devious methods of detection. This article takes a look at some of the latest tactics and methods of detection deployed by ‘the state’ and some of the ways growers can minimise their chances of being nabbed. By The Professor (Ed Williams)

Growhouse detection techniques are becoming quite sophisticated now, with new methods being piloted in various places… Dutch cops are passing out scratch n sniff cards in residential areas in a sinister attempt to get communities to inform on their neighbours. They’re also piloting ‘smell guns’; I’m not sure of the range or accuracy of these things but they obviously work by detecting the sweet waft of cannabis in the air. Odour is becoming a big security issue so if you want to keep things tight then get on top of it from the beginning - there are plenty of products on the market for dealing with this but it’s hard to beat a charcoal filter and a chimney vent. If you can’t get access to a chimney vent and charcoal filters are too expensive for you then have a look online, or ask your local hydroponic shop for the latest advice/ products. Ozone generators, which work by removing organic compounds from the air, are recommended by experts. If you’re working to a tight budget you can get cheaper fixes to the odour problem

– there are various odour-neutralising gels available which you can blow your stinky air across, you can also get hold of Bad Odor Blocks (made by II Rep-Z, Inc) which can be used to mask any incriminating smells. If anti-social odours are making your life difficult then seek expert advice immediately! A lot of people get caught out by their energy consumption as well. We know that the cops and British Gas have teams that actively trawl through consumption statistics looking for the tell-tale signs of pot houses – avoid British Gas like the plague. SWEB are also known to volunteer suspicious consumption patterns to the police. It’s anybody’s guess as to how many other electricity companies are working with the police in this way. One

way you can obscure you power usage is to get your electricity and gas from different suppliers. When you fill out all the forms for the electricity company tell them you have electric everything and you use it all a lot – especially computers and electric heaters. Then, make a concerted effort to minimise your use of electricity for everything apart from your grow op. You can disguise things further by staggering the on times of your flowering and veg rooms, and by putting extra lights in that only come on for a few hours here and there – try to be creative with your power usage. Cops are getting clever with heat detection as well. We all know about the heat sensitive eye-in-the-sky, but, for some time now, local bobbies have been using

hand-held thermal imaging viewers. When they get bored they drive around housing estates checking out roofs and windows for suspicious heat signatures. This obviously means that growers have to be careful how they get rid of the excess heat generated in grow rooms – venting out of a slightly open window or a corner of the loft is no longer a safe option. A further development of heat detection techniques is laser temperature guns; these guns supply the user with an accurate digital readout of surface temperatures. The best option for getting rid of any excess hot air is to vent it out of a chimney – by the time it gets to chimney pot level it will have cooled considerably and you have the added benefit of any pungent odours being dissipated across the roof tops. If you have to vent it out

16 parked on the side of the road and you look like a bleary-eyed Worzel Gummidge but live in a 3 bed semi in suburbia then it’s only a matter of time before you’re gonna be ringing the cell buzzer to ask for some toilet paper. Equally, the same applies to wandering around looking like some sort of pimped-up hip hop star if you’re living on an estate where the majority of people cut their own hair and eat dried porridge oats with tap water for breakfast. Drawing unnecessary attention to yourself when you have a permanent crime happening in your spare room isn’t the cleverest thing to do!

“always remember that old military nugget of wisdom: loose lips sink ships”

of a window or corner of your roof then make sure you let it run through a good length of ducting first, this’ll give it time to cool down a bit… And if you’re growing in the attic then do us all a favour and sort your insulation out – as you should know, 21-25 degrees is the optimum range for pot plants and if you’re stabilised at those sorts of temperatures then you shouldn’t raise to may heat-detecting eyebrows. Intelligence, the oldest source of detection in the book, is undergoing a technological revolution as well. Pre-bust we have to deal with the social psy-ops like Catch a Rat where the media is flooded with misinformation and worst-case scenarios before people are encouraged to and offered rewards to grass on their neighbours. We’ll talk about dealing with this in a minute… It’s in a post-bust situation that the use of technology is becoming far more threatening: cops can access social networking sites after you’ve been arrested – be very careful what you talk to your mates if you use Facebook. The agents of the matrix are also using computer technology to cross reference phone numbers they find on confiscated/ seized mobile phones – digitally communicate at your own risk, assume that all your communications will be monitored and always remember that old military nugget of wisdom: loose lips sink ships. As well as being aware of the latest tactics and detection techniques being used by ‘the enemy’, there are a number of simple, common-sense ways by which you can minimise your chances of popping up on their radar… The last thing you need when your growing is that old, Tory-voting, Daily Mail reading, fascist-in-denial who lives next door thinking you’re up to no good. Nightmare neighbours can be a constant source of paranoia and worry but there are three main areas you can focus on to minimise this issue; your appearances, front door traffic and work. As far as your appearance goes, try not to wander around with a neon sign that says I’m a ganja farmer flashing over the top of your head! If you’ve got a knackered van full of empty rizla packets and beer cans

Front door traffic is a dead giveaway as well – a constant trail of pale, edgy and bedraggled crusties coming and going is as suspicious as no one coming and going at all… Work is the third big issue that’s going to get noticed by your neighbours; wage slaves and tax-payers know they’re being screwed so they take comfort from knowing that those around them are being shafted just as hard, and it pisses them right off to think that the cat who lives next door manages to live a nice life without being mugged by the state. Getting and keeping a job in the present climate isn’t easy, but if you can then it goes a long way to boosting your neighbourly credentials as far as that Tory-voting old biddy that lives on the corner is concerned. Playing it safe with your neighbours is all about risk minimisation. If you’ve got nothing to hide then lay about all day every day getting mashed, invite every man and his dog around for a party in the evenings and live life however you like, but if you’ve got an illegal secret garden then you’d be a fool not to play the game. Another factor you have to consider when you’re thinking about personal security is transport. If you can do without a car or a van then great, save yourself the expense, hassle and attention that goes with running a motor. Vehicles are a necessary evil for a lot of people though, so if you have to have one then be careful how and when you use it in this never-ending game of cat and mouse… If you’re a visitor to a local hydroponic shop then get someone else to give you a lift, or park your car a good mile away and wear a baseball cap when you go there. Hydro shops are frequently watched by the rozzers and people have been turned over by thieving scrotes attaching GPS trackers to cars parked outside growshops, they follow the signal home and pay you a visit when you least expect it. If you ever have to do any driving around with illegally bulging pockets then try

and do it at rush hour – this is a popular time of day for the uniforms to visit their feeding troughs, do their paperwork or disappear off into the woods with their partners to play kinky games with their cuffs and truncheons… It’s also the hardest time of day for them to chase you and the most awkward time of day for them to pull you over and block a busy carriageway. If you ever get stuck in front of any matrix agents on the roads then play it cool – the worst thing you can do is keep looking over your shoulder, checking your mirror or start fumbling with your pockets with a panicky look plastered all over your ugly mug. Also, it’s so obvious it’s barely worth mentioning, but keep your vehicle legal – if you get pulled over because you aren’t insured and you get caught with some weight then you deserve all the pisstaking that’s thrown your way! If you’re the sort of grower that has excess amounts of bud or cash knocking around then you need a good, reliable stash as well. Not only will this help you sleep a little easier but it could also be the difference between a fine, suspended sentence and being locked up. The best way to go about this is to bring a good, trusted mate into the equation, someone who keeps their nose clean and their mouth shut. Sort them out for doing it and you’ll have an ally you can rely on whenever you’re in need. Along with your stash, you’ve got to pay mind to your traceable assets – the more you have the more the courts can take away from you, it’s as simple as that. Growing in rented property has its drawbacks but if you get caught you won’t lose your house. Don’t visibly own any more than you can afford to lose, and get your cash stashed or alibied. There are a few security precautions you can take in your actual grow room as well. Set your equipment up properly – don’t leave heavy lights dangling from bits of string and double check your watering channels; if you set fire to or flood your property, or, even worse, your neighbours, then you’re going to be in a whole world of uninsured shit. Try and be careful of light pollution as well – 600W or 1kw of yellow sodium light blasting out of your window can look like you’re putting out a call to the Thunder Cats! Keep tents zipped shut and curtains

drawn when the lights are on, but, just to satisfy your neighbours’ curiosity, open your curtains whenever you can. Another good tactic is to line the floor of your room with recent newspapers at the beginning of each crop. By doing this you can argue that this was the first time you tried growing pot. Remember to change the newspaper every crop though, if you’ve got 3 year old newspaper lining the bottom of your grow room it isn’t going to look too good! Remember to get rid of old rootballs and stalks as quickly as possible as well. If you pay heed to all these tips then you’ll significantly narrow your chances of getting rumbled. However, people get nicked for growing pot every day and if you play the game long enough then, sooner or later, it’ll probably happen to you. If the shit ever hits your fan then the first thing you have to worry about is your own mouth – do not talk to the police, do not tell them anything without getting independent legal advice first, even if you have to wait in a cell for a few hours until it arrives. Cops can be very persuasive, they’re trained to be and they deal with people like you all day every day, but don’t be taken in by their manipulative demeanour. Waiting a few hours for legal advice before you talk to them can save you untold troubles further down the line.

HORTICULTURE

Weeds

dens. This in turn created a whole genepool of domesticated plants which cannot survive without human intervention. Most fruits and vegetables fall into this category since they no-longer survive in their wild state and rarely grow feral when placed in competition with truly wild plants.

In this issue of Soft Secrets we shall take a closer look at the subject of ‘Weeds’. Unlike other plants which are usually grouped together into families or Genus, the weeds are grouped together into non-related plant groups by horticulturalists. Most simply, a ‘weed’ can be described as ‘a plant which grows in the places that other plants disdain’. Many of these ‘unwanted plant species’ , as we shall discover, are often the most invasive and sometimes most productive plants in the garden. Those plants which farmers and gardeners often seek to eradicate and/or remove from society completely.

One reason for the inability of domesticated plants to grow wild is usually related to the reasons they were initially cultivated. For example, those domesticated species which are grown purely for the production of their leaves, roots, fruits and flowers, do not expend as much energy into seed production as their ancestors did. This ultimately produces weaker seeds (if/when seeds are aloud to form). Another reason why domesticated varieties grow weaker than their wild ancestors is because of the controlled environments in which they are kept.

by Lazystrain

Here we shall firstly discuss the character of weed species in contrast to domesticated plants. Secondly we shall look into peoples perceptions of ‘weeds’ within society and the reasons why Cannabis has been prescribed the title of ‘weed’. Finally we shall compare Wild Cannabis in relation to the Domesticated Cannabis people cultivate and smoke.

possible so that its offspring can live. This is especially important with annual weed species which only naturally live for one season. Many weed seeds do however lay dormant for many years until conditions are suitable for germination. As individual weed species colonise new areas of land their capacity to produce offspring increases. In this way a single seed carried by the weather, bird, beast or human may grow on to ‘mother/farther’ a whole population of plants in the future. The majority of weeds are in fact just as typical and as adaptable as their ancestor were in their ability to produce offspring in the same area. This is perhaps the real key to the weeds survival and success. The real fascination for Botanists is the means via which certain weed species have, since the introduction of humans, tailored their seed distribution techniques towards specific environments. This is especially the case within urban habitats where weed species can be studied and

The watering down of domesticated species ultimately has a trickle down effect; whereby once strong and healthy weedspecies start to loose their ‘survival factor’ within a managed setting. Without carefully observation domesticated plant species are further liable to loose the natural vigour they once possessed as they become standardized with excessive in-breeding. This in turn leads many botanists to believe that the natural chemi-

Weed (also known as Cannabis) Outside of a horticultural context, the word ‘weed’ only really means one thing – Cannabis. As we have already discovered the word ‘weed’ is a derogatory term that seeks to highlight the existence of an unwanted plant species in society. Cannabis belongs to one of the most adaptable family groups and has arguably been a ‘weed’ ever since seed baring plants first inhabited the planet. To place things into perspective, as a wild plant species, Cannabis sativa has outlived the dinosaurs, the doomsday book, the dodo, and was a weed before humans were chimpanzees. Unless napalm strikes every valley of the Himalayas, Central Africa, Southern Europe and San Francisco, then sure thing is Cannabis sativa will probably still be growing wild as a weed species long after humans are extinct. As an annual weed species Cannabis sativa naturally grows in spring and seeds in late autumn. After which the plant dies back into winter and the seeds are deposited in wet ground. Here the male and female seeds sit until the following spring, when the whole cycle starts again. The point were Cannabis became a “Weed” was at the point it became unwanted within society. Today there are well over one hundred plant species in the UK alone which are classified as weeds. Throughout

Weed Species All plants stem in origin from wild species. Likewise every plant species on the planet has its own preferred environment where it likes to live. While people have learnt to assimilate certain plant species towards domesticated environments the majority of plants found on the planet are the weeds. Many of these weed species have evolved over millions of years to adapt themselves towards a variety of different environments as a means of survival. To fully understand the nature of weeds it is therefore important to understand the basics behind their botany. All weeds have the ability to invade otherwise vacant spaces of land for several bio-mechanical reasons. This relates to each individual weeds’ morphology and metabolism. The method via which weeds are propagated is also critical to their means of survival. Weeds are generally those plants that have learnt how to best propagate themselves in nature. This involves both a plants efficiency in the ability to multiply in order to produce offspring, and its ability to further distribute its offspring over otherwise unpopulated areas. Certain weed species rely extensively on their invasive underground roots or rhizomes as a means of propagation, while other weeds rely completely on invasive methods of seed dispersal. As annual weeds grow their main purpose in life is to procreate and produce seeds. Some weeds invest their energy into producing only a few seeds per flower, while others may produce millions of seeds per plant. Once a weed has invested its energy into seed production it must next devise a means of spreading its seeds as far and as wide (or as close and as local) as

THE FERAL NATURE OF EVEN DOMESTICATED VARIETIES OF CANNABIS, AS A WEED SPECIES, MEANS THAT MANY VARIETIES TAKE ROOT AS SEEDS IN AREAS OF EVEN POORLY CULTIVATED GROUND appreciated against an otherwise sterile background. The complexity and ingenuity involved in the distribution of certain weeds is part of their natural history. Many weed species have evolved to produce seeds that are more durable and vigorous then their domesticated counter-parts. Interestingly, from a scientific perspective, most weed species also provide a much richer density of habitat to support native fauna than their domestic cousins. This is an important factor to consider when aiming to eradicate unwanted plant species from the garden in favour of weaker ones.

cal content of many of the domesticated plants we consume as humans have already started to diminish. One of the questions we can explore as canna-culturalists is whether or not Cannabis has become less of a ‘weed species’ during the process of its domestication? Before doing so however we shall briefly discuss some of the reasons why Cannabis is considered a ‘weed’ species.

history these plants where often recognised for their culinary, medicinal or holistic use. Unfortunately today via the process of industrialization and urbanization too many people have lost contact with the plants their ancestors held knowledge about. Gradually weed species were replaced by domesticated plants and proceeding generations inherited the ideology of ‘gardening’ instead of ‘foraging’ for medicine and foodstuffs.

Domesticated Species The majority of the plants we grow in the garden today have been domesticated originally from weed species by humans. Moreover many domesticated plants have, via selective breeding, lost their ability to grow wild as weeds in their natural environment. Several domesticated plant species do however still retain their ability to grow feral if allowed to do so. However the longevity and survival rate of domesticated plant species, especially surrounding urban environs, is often short lived. The ‘survival factor’ found within all wild species of plant has been purposely bred out of most domesticated species. This occurred as plants were managed into uniformed lines for farms, parks and gar-

DANDELION SEED HEAD

COLUMN

Many Happy Returns! The War on Drugs is 50! Dr John Dee Yes, quite amazingly, it’s fifty years since the beginning of “The War on Drugs”. Only some of the religious wars of the Middle Ages and Early Modern period dragged on for anything like as long, and really, the drug war is the same sort of thing, with believers on one side and non-believers on the other.

ROADSIDE WEED Many ancient species, got lost during this mindless process. Most notably those plant species that no-longer fitted in with the machinery of industrialized societies, as well as those which prevented capitalist systems from making money. Such plants were first restricted in their growth, and later specifically targeted as social outcasts. Gradually social-engineers drew up a list of weed-species that botanists held in disfavour. Somewhere at the top of the list sat the genus ‘Cannabis’ - a weed that grows in the places that other plants (and humans) disdain. The feral nature of even domesticated varieties of Cannabis, as a weed species, means that many varieties take root as seeds in areas of even poorly cultivated ground. Providing the ecological conditions surrounding the cannabis seed is suitable for survival, then cannabis acts like any other weed species. Hemp Farmers in the USA were acutely aware of this as Cannabis sativa grew feral (like barley) in their fields - several seasons after planting. This is because unlike many other cultivated crops the seeds of Cannabis (and barley) have retained much of their survival instinct.

Cannabis plants grow completely wild in the hedges. The origins of which date back to the King Henry(s) (I – V). One of which decreed that all farmers in the borough must grow Hemp / Cannabis for the production of rope; to defeat the nations they were then quarrelling against (the Spanish and French). They seed of which grew feral in proceeding seasons and ultimately established itself to become part of the Native Wild Flora of Britain. Cannabis ruderalis (the base stock of all auto-flowering varieties) has been growing wild in Russia and Siberia for centuries. Other than being a valuable wild source of animal fodder in winter, textile and rope material, the seeds were also collected for the manufacture of candles and soap. Unlike domesticated varieties of Cannabis these wild ‘hemp’ varieties were however devoid of the THC substance that gets people high or stoned. This lead the earliest breeders (in Asia perhaps 10,000 years ago) to experiment and source the most potent varieties of Cannabis to smoke. The only way the culture of smoking could progress further was via domestication.

Domesticated Cannabis As a result of mismanagement Cannabis sativa grew wild in hedges, in Kentucky and Nebraska and yokel farmers called the unwanted plant species “Weed”. The name stuck like hashish does to a rolling paper in summer and the ‘anti-marijuana brigade’ in the USA moved in on the term. After which the general public started calling marijuana weed instead.

Wild Cannabis Today Wild Cannabis still exists in a few places on earth. The mountains of Buhtan, India, and Nepal, are usually the first places that mystically spring to mind. However there are a few other unknown places where Cannabis still happily grows wild. Some of these are feral varieties of Cannabis from recent imports, while others grow completely wild in a natural state often with ancestry dating back hundreds of years. For example in Dorset, the quaint little county by the sea in southern England,

“PERSONAL SECURITY: KEEP IT TIGHT“

Unlike its wilder cousins, Domesticated Cannabis has always been well kept, well feed, and carefully homed. ‘Well-fed’ literally means to be watered or fed from the well. With regular watering domesticated Cannabis crops grew faster, with more health and vigour, than their wild siblings on the edge of the village. Some weeds were more manageable, more reliable, or more productive than other weeds. The seeds of which were always kept for the next season or the season after. Gradually these weeds became the domesticated varieties of Cannabis that people recognise today. Arguably the strongest and most efficient of all the ‘weed’ species on the planet, in its ability to propagate, colonise new areas, and hibernate for several years, in both a wild outdoor state and indoors in a domesticated setting, is Cannabis sativa/ indica. Hopefully human-nature can be more kind towards Cannabis as a weed species in future.

“PIRATES OF THE HIGH SEEDS”

So; former US president, former CIA spook and publicly proven cheat and liar Richard Nixon made the first actual use of the phrase “War on Drugs” in 1970, but the actual origins come with the 1961 UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. As an aside here, note the use of the word “narcotic”; properly speaking, this means “drugs derived from opium, or opium-like compounds, with potent analgesic effects associated with significant alteration of mood and behaviour and with the potential for dependence and tolerance following repeated administration”. So in the strict sense, this should refer to opium, heroin, morphine and all the rest of them, but of course it doesn’t, and anything the conservative, middle aged and middle class lawmakers take a dislike to is lumped in also, which is why weed finds itself so classified. It always seems to me that the “potent analgesic effects associated with significant alteration of mood and behaviour and with the potential for dependence and tolerance” bit could just as easily be applied to alcohol, but there you go; perhaps a number of the aforementioned lawmakers were men who liked a drink. Anyhow, it is indeed half a century since the beginning of The War on Drugs and, let’s be fair here, only the most deluded among us could regard it as being in any way a success. To use the UK as an example, back in 1961 the “drug problem” was pretty much zilch. The small number of dependent users could get maintenance prescriptions for their particular poisons and the lid was kept on everything without too much of an effort on the part of the police. Pharmaceutical crimes and transgressions were largely covered by The Poisons Act, principally aimed at “over prescribing” and dodgy pharmacists. Come 1961, the UK non-drug problem is seen as an actual problem; the adage “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is summarily ignored and before you know it we’ve got junkies up and down the land, floods of drugs of dubious quality available up and down the land, and criminal cartels lavishing in wealth on an obscene scale. And that’s just the UK: let’s give a nod to destabilised governments in Central and South America, narco-terrorism, zillions of drug-related murders and so on. Fifty years on, there are a growing number of groups and organisations who have taken upon themselves the laudable task of ending the war on drugs. This is, as I say, a most laudable intention, but one wonders where they plan to start given the smoke and mirrors quality of the entire “war”. There’s no definable enemy as such; there are no clear cut “goodies” and baddies”, as this depends on which side of the fence your sympathies lie. Now, as in 1961, it’s a war of ideology, which is to say “We, the power elites, don’t want people using these things and that’s how it’s going to be”. However, there’s a big difference between 1961 and 2011, and that’s the sheer number of people who use drugs of one sort or another. The number of recreational users has increased almost exponentially and continues to do so. I’m a pragmatist: we’ve put up with 50 years of this nonsense and now it’s time for a change. But don’t wait for it to happen or expect others to take responsibility. Wake up! Make it happen! Otherwise, it’ll drag on for another 50 years.

dimethyltrypamine777@hotmail.com

“HYDRO OVER HAND WATERING PART 4: AEROPONICS”

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HYDROPONICS

Hydro Over Hand Watering Part 4: Aeroponics By Little Lebowski

It’s time to step it up a level and go for the big leagues! Aeroponics is the growing method of choice for cultivating high value crops across the globe, from commercial production for UK supermarkets to small scale production in the NASA space station! Aeroponics may be seen by a percentage of growers as too expensive, complicated or advanced to be considered as a method for growing at home. In reality, the aeroponic systems available to the home grower are straightforward to use and cost little more than any other hydro system. If you can maintain a nutrient tank, check EC and adjust pH, then you can handle an aeroponic system. Get ready for some monster yields!

What is Aeroponics? Aeroponics is a growing method whereby the roots of a plant are suspended in air and constantly sprayed with a mist of nutrient solution. No growing medium is used, other than a propagation cube if the plant was started from seed, the roots of

Plants that are grown aeroponically have constant access to nutrient solution and oxygen; taking up much more water and nutrients than plants that are hand watered. The more oxygen, water and nutrients that a plant can absorb, the bigger the yields they will produce.

Why Aeroponics over hand watering pots? t 6MUJNBUF TQFFE PG HSPXUI BOE massive yields – aeroponic systems offer the maximum possible exposure of plant roots to water, nutrient and oxygen. The more availability of these three key elements the plant has, the faster it will develop and, ultimately, the more it will yield. t 'BTUFS UVSOBSPVOE PG IBSWFTUT o UIF rapid growth that aeroponics offers, allows growers to shorten the vegetative period of their growth cycle and get more harvests per year. t )FBMUIZ SPPU [POF o OP HSPXJOH medium is required whatsoever, this means a reduced risk of soil borne pests and disease.

AEROPONIC CLONERS ARE A GREAT METHOD TO PROPAGATE CLONES, FAST!

Types of Aeroponic system Aeroponic Propagators There are a number of aeroponic propagators on the market and most of them work on the same principle. Designed specifically for clones, growers can benefit from a much improved success rate, as the lack of growing medium used means the propagation environment is kept sterile.

SMALL SCALE CLONERS ARE A PERFECT FIT FOR A SMALL GROW ROOM AND CAN EVEN FIT INTO A SMALL WARDROBE OR KITCHEN CUPBOARD! the plant grow into a chamber or channel where they are fed by misters, sprinklers or spray heads that deliver the nutrient solution via a pump. Aeroponics can be used to grow plants full cycle and also produces excellent results when used to propagate clones.

t /FWFS VOEFS GFE PS VOEFS XBUFSFE and no nutrient build up – plant roots have constant exposure to all of the water and nutrient they require, they uptake whatever they need and, in the majority of aeroponic systems, whatever is left drains away rather than building up in the root zone.

Clones are placed in a tray using neoprene clone collars - some of the propagators available use a mesh pot and a collar - the stems of the clones are suspended underneath the tray, inside a misting chamber and are constantly sprayed with a mist of nutrient solution. This constant supply of nutrient, water and oxygen, combined with the lack of restrictive growing medium, encourages roots to develop rapidly from the stem of the clone. The fast root development allows you to get your grow started earlier. Clones developed aeroponically will also have stronger, thicker roots that are less prone to transplant shock. Some of the better aeroponic propagators on the market are supplied with a dome lid that allows you to control the airflow and humidity and harden the clones off before you transplant them on.

Recirculating Low Pressure / Droplet Aeroponics

HEALTHY AEROPONIC ROOT DEVELOPMENT!

These systems are readily available from grow shops across the UK and, compared to high pressure systems, are low cost and low maintenance. They use a low pressure water pump to deliver a constant supply of nutrient solution in the form of a spray.

Young plants or rooted clones are placed in mesh pots and suspended in a misting chamber, or channel, that sits on top of a nutrient solution tank. The roots are constantly sprayed with nutrient solution whilst being suspended in air and grow down into the chamber. All of the unused nutrient solution drains back into the tank to prevent nutrient build up, water-logging and potential restriction of oxygen to the roots.

High Pressure / True Aeroponics Most commercial aeroponic applications involve high pressure aeroponic systems; this is where water and nutrient are delivered to the plant roots via a high pressure pump and misting system or atomiser. The systems are used to cultivate high value crops – such as lettuce and basil – and, in order to exploit maximum yield, are usually part of a complex set up that monitors and adjusts air and water purification, nutrient sterilisation and environmental conditions. For domestic cultivation and smaller set ups, high pressure aeroponics can be cost prohibitive and difficult to maintain – high pressure spray heads can become easily blocked if used with concentrated nutrients and additives.

What type of grower is Aeroponics good for? Aeroponic propagators are spot on for raising clones quickly and easily, ideal for; t -BSHF TDBMF HSPXFST MPPLJOH GPS B quick turnaround on clones. Some of the bigger cloners on the market can fit over 100 cuttings and will have them ready for transplant in under 10 days! t 1FSDZ HSPXFST TNBMM TDBMF DMPOFST BSF a perfect fit for a small grow room and can even fit into a small wardrobe or kitchen cupboard. They are suitable for any type of grow, as the clones can be transplanted into any medium or hydro system.

22 t (SPXFST XIP IBWF FYQFSJFODFE problems raising clones in the past. No growing medium means a sterile root zone, stronger roots and less risk of disease or transplant shock. Aeroponic growing systems are better suited to smaller scale set ups; t 1FSDZ HSPXFST MPPLJOH GPS UIF OFYU level in hydro. For experienced growers looking for bigger yields, aeroponics can offer unrivalled growth rates and those extra ounces that they have been chasing! t (SPXFST XIP VTF BO BFSPQPOJD propagator, as their plants can be transplanted directly into the system and will ‘take’ almost immediately, with little risk of transplant shock. t (SPXFST XIP EP OPU IBWF UIF GBDJMJUZ to dispose of lots of soil or coco. The only growing media used is propagation cubes or, if propagated aeroponically, no growing media at all. No bags of waste to throw away after you harvest. t 4FB PG (SFFO UFDIOJRVF NPTU BFSPponic systems allow plants to be spaced close together and the rapid growth experienced allows the veg period to be cut down to just a few days.

The Three Steps To Aeroponic Heaven! 1. Use an anti blocking agent. Adding an anti blocking agent – like Canna D Block or Atami ATA Clean - to your reservoir will keep things flowing freely. Both high and low pressure aeroponic systems run the risk of the sprayers blocking with nutrient salts. 2. Leave the pump on 24/7. For optimum results, a plant’s roots need constant access to water, nutrient and oxygen. Remember that aeroponics is a ‘bare rooted’ technique and there is no buffer surrounding the roots. Turning off the pump, even for a short period, could potentially damage them. 3. When propagating clones aeroponically, allow the roots to develop depending on the growing method that they will be transplanted into: If transplanting into soil or coco, remove from the propagator after the roots have grown 2 or 3 inches long. Carefully pot up into 3 or 4 inch pots and grow on for a few days before transplanting on into larger pots. If transplanting into an aeroponic system, remove from the propagator when abundant roots have grown 3 to 4 inches long and transplant directly into the system. A good tip for transplanting into an NFT system is to grow the roots to around 5 inches long and punch a hole in the bottom of a 3 inch rock wool cube, sandwich the clone between two halves of a propagation cube (rock wool or root riot) and place into the 3 inch cube, allowing the roots to trail through the punched hole and directly onto the NFT tray.

Quick Q&A with an Aeroponic Grower When can plants be transferred to an aeroponic system? Cuttings that have been started in an aeroponic cloner are ready to transplant as soon as the roots are two or three

THE AEROFLOW – AEROPONIC CHANNEL SYSTEM

inches long. The beauty of growing aeroponically from start to finish is that you don’t have to wait for the cuttings to root into a growing medium; this can cut your propagation time down by a good few days. If plants have been started in a propagation medium like rock wool cubes, root riots or jiffy pellets, then they are ready to transfer into an aeroponic system as soon as they are rootbound, the outside

can successfully keep light out of the rooting chamber and space your plants into any configuration you want. How high should EC be set? Aeroponics is a ‘bare rooted’ hydroponic technique, the root zone is an air chamber or channel that contains no growing medium. Although this means that the roots will uptake as much oxygen, water and nutrient as possible, it also means that there is no buffer (or protection)

off the nutrients. If the EC remains the same, you have hit the ‘sweet spot’ and the plants are taking up the nutrient and water at an equal rate. Will plants need to be supported? Yes, absolutely. Plants that are grown aeroponically have no medium surrounding the roots and are therefore not supporting themselves like plants grown in pots and compost do. It is a good idea to set up plant supports as soon as the plants go

IF YOU CAN MAINTAIN A NUTRIENT TANK, CHECK EC AND ADJUST PH, THEN YOU CAN HANDLE AN AEROPONIC SYSTEM of the medium should be covered in white roots. If you transfer before white roots are visible, then the root zone can become saturated, best case scenario the plant develops slowly, worse case the roots are starved of oxygen and can develop root rot! How should plants be spaced? This will depend entirely on your style of grow. Aeroponics lends itself very well to sea of green, particularly if you are growing using cuttings, because of the speed of growth. The cuttings can be propagated in an aeroponic cloner, transferred into the aeroponic system and literally vegged on 18 hours of light for a couple of days – just enough time to allow them to get established in their environment - before being switched to flower.

against overfeeding. Any mistakes in dosage can potentially damage the plant and there is no medium to flush through; if you overdose on nutrients, then you need to change all the solution in the reservoir. When your plants first go into the system, add the nutrients at 50% of the manufacturers recommended dosage and keep checking the EC every few days. If the EC drops, the plants are taking up nutrient at a faster rate than they are taking up water, you can top up with an increased dose of nutrient. If the EC rises, they are taking up water at a faster rate and you need to back

into the system, as it can be difficult to do once the growth has started, particularly when using a grow tent where access to the plants to the rear of the system can be tricky. The type of support depends on the type of grow; if you are going for a sea of green then pea netting should be sufficient, if you are going for a longer veg time and bigger plants, then roller hooks or yoyos will be needed to support those trees! Ready for some rapid growth and monster buds? Get down your grow shop and grow aeroponic!

If you choose to grow less plants and go for more yield per plant, then space them out to allow one plant per square foot. Vegging plants for a longer period in aeroponics will require more maintenance in terms of training and pruning – otherwise you can literally fill your growing space with foliage in a couple of weeks – but you will get rewarded with yield. Aeroponic buds can be enormous! The majority of the aeroponic growing systems on the market have predetermined plant spaces set out on the lid or channel, by ‘plugging’ any unused spaces with neoprene collars you

THE AMAZON – LOW PRESSURE, RECIRCULATING AEROPONIC SYSTEM

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INTERVIEW

Pirates of the High Seeds The Internet has been a huge boon for growers around the world, especially those who are not in the position of being able to browse real life shops for their growing needs. The days of popping over to Amsterdam or asking a friend to send or bring some back are over. But as with the rest of the Net, the cannabis seed business is a victim of the ease with which ideas can be ripped off and copied. The Net, it seems, is a haven for fly-by-night merchants, cyber-squatters and pirates. Today, it’s not just Chanel, Prada and branded cigarettes that are being faked and pirated. The names and intellectual property of well-known quality weed strains are being increasingly ripped off too – but without the protection in law granted to legitimate businesses. Soft Secrets spoke to Simon, old school seed breeder extraordinaire and owner of Serious Seeds, whose award-winning household names such as Bubblegum and AK-47 are among the worst hit by this scurrilous activity. Soft Secrets: You were talking about ripping off the names of weed strains. Simon: Yes; it may sound like a trivial thing, but I don’t think it is. It’s a widespread thing. If you’re buying seeds off the Internet by name, lots of times you will find what you get is not what you anticipated. Lots of people are trying to parasitize on the popularity of certain names. They build pirate websites, sometimes not selling anything at all. People “buy” something by credit card and never get anything. If they’re lucky they get bogus seeds, and only if they’re really lucky do they get the real thing. It’s very widespread, it’s written about in forums and so on, and it filters back to me. When did you first become aware of this problem with piracy? Before I had started my own business. I was a grower back then, when you had Skunk and Northern Lights already and in Amsterdam there were shops with seeds with those names way cheaper than the original. So pirates have been there from the start – because it’s lucrative, and we operate in a world that is not really protected like regular companies are. They can make lawsuits and all the rest, but

in our business we are far more limited, especially when you are operating internationally. People know that. Growers are basically victims. They pay for all those people who parasitize on them, basically. I also get emails regularly from people “I bought these AK seeds from this shop – are they real?” Sometimes they are and sometimes they’re not. Serious Seeds has a shop list of legitimate shops on its website which sell the real thing. We guarantee this. People can ask whether shops not on the list are real or not. It has happened already that companies copy the packaging too, right to the last detail, selling the seeds as if they are real. Serious Seeds is the only company as far as I know who individually number each seed package, and we keep a database of that. This is only because of this problem. We are also the only company that guarantees our seeds - to protect the customer. If they buy seeds and they have a bad experience – even if they fucked up themselves – we give them new seeds. We want them to have a good experience with our seeds, so we go very far with our customer service. We have a list of

legit sites, they can call and check ‘is this a good one or not?’ It’s all to protect the end customer. How much are pirates typically making on ripped off seeds? How much cheaper are generic seeds compared to branded AK-47 seeds from you? AK-47 is not the most expensive seed but it is certainly not a cheap one either. Its sort of ‘upper middle class’, let’s say. So 80 Euros for 11 seeds. And that is interesting enough for pirates to want to copy. And with virtually no chance of them being caught. Very little, yep. So would you like to see or would you advise other companies to be as careful as Serious in documenting and labelling their varieties? Copying what you’re doing. You can see that the main interest of establishing companies is still making money. So the fact that nobody does it is already pointing in that direction. Nobody else is doing it, and I’m not here to advise other companies. But we have done it since Day 1. I started to sell the

Jules Marshall also Black Lists too, but I don’t visit forums a lot so can’t say where for sure. I’ll give you an example of one case – Ontario Seed Bank, OSB - a shop from Canada. He’s been operating for a couple of years, takes the whole back cover of the High Times for an advertisement. He used to buy Serious Seeds from us. But at some point we got a couple of complaints very close to each other from their customers, and from the type of the complaint it was clear that these were not Serious Seeds they were getting. The packaging was sort of mine but not totally. So I called the shop, talked to the owner, said ‘hey man, I’m getting complaints here and they’re not getting Serious Seeds from you; you’re obviously selling seeds as if they were Serious’ – and he didn’t even bother to deny it. According to him he wasn’t doing anything wrong. He had been selling our seeds for a while, and now he was selling his own seeds as if they were Serious. His first line of argument was that he had to deal with possible complaints, and blah blah blah. Basically: ‘what do you care? If they have complaints I have to face them.’ I said “No, you’re making money while giv-

GROWERS ARE BASICALLY VICTIMS. THEY PAY FOR ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO PARASITIZE ON THEM. seed tubes and now almost everybody is doing it, especially the Spanish companies. So you can see that they take over good ideas but not the full labelling. It is a lot of hassle to do it, checking numbers, fielding complaints. The idea usually is just to sell them and wash your hands. I don’t know exactly how other companies deal with complaints. Are there independent websites where growers can discuss among themselves which seeds or sellers are legit, which websites are not to be trusted? I have seen such sites, although I can’t remember where I saw them. There are

ing us a bad name; they come to buy our seeds, not your copies.” He thought it was perfectly fine to do that, and is still doing it. From customers I know, he’s doing it with other companies too. That’s how weird it can get. I guess when the seeds business was mostly confined to Amsterdam or Holland, you could put out inquires, maybe find out what was going on through your personal networks and had a bit more control, but with the Internet it’s almost impossible. I found out a couple of months ago that nowadays…This business started with

26 All we can do is try to protect our interests and name as best we can. What you also see is people start a website and start selling seeds and after three months shut the whole business down and start a new thing. They’re even harder to track down. Another ting you see is…Paradise Seeds contacted me – no I contacted them, a couple of years ago. Their website is called paradiseseeds.com, and someone else started a site called paradiseseeds. nl. They look very similar but are not, and the rogue site is attracting attention away from the original site. They sell seeds of course, and are registered in Canada. But it’s very hard to find out who’s behind it. So a customer has to not just look at the name but also look at the company who is producing it. If those two are matched, and you also find out what the packaging looks like, then the chances of success are greater. Also look at the website of the company to see if it is a legit shop. You have to look at all these things to boost your chance of success; don’t just go by the name. small seed companies, Sensi Seeds and so on. Now it is all about big companies in Spain growing massive amounts of seeds and selling to everyone. So now there are coffee shops or grow shops and bars or whatever, selling them under their own name. Several coffeeshops in Amsterdam are starting to sell seeds under their own name, they’re all bought from a big producer - and guess what? They started selling seeds which are originally Serious names: Bubblegum, Chronic - popular names. So just pinching your names and sticking them on their own seeds? Yep. The coffee shops that are buying them, they don’t know enough about this issue; they are not in the business and know no better. They are offered seeds under these names and they buy them and sell them. Luckily I found out right away and since it was not a deliberate action against Serious Seeds, they agreed to stop using my names. So you have to be on the lookout even here in Amsterdam. It’s happening in Holland, let alone internationally. A company in Amsterdam – Spliff, just started selling Bubblegum, AK-47 as if it’s completely normal. Nirvana started selling AK-47 until I spotted this at a Cannabis Cup a few years ago and said ‘what the fuck is this? You’re using my name. You have to stop immediately.’ Finally they understood my point. That is also difficult: people who did not lift a finger to make seeds themselves – they have no clue how much time it takes, they just start selling seeds with somebody else’s name, so they don’t appreciate the problem. Nirvana promised they’d change the name and they did – to AK-48! As a variant; variations on names is common throughout the industry. AK-47 is probably the most copied name in the business. It means when I pay for an

ad in a booklet or guide or whatever, right next to my entry is an AK-48, a Jack 47, Kaya 47, Oké 47, Olé 47, AK 74, to name only a few. All copies of the original AK-47. They all seem like equals in the booklet but I see them as copies and in my opinion, not really living up to the original. But when you see them all printed together it looks like they are all in the same league. Especially when all you can have printed is the name and flowering time, and its not permitted to mention all the awards the strain has won. To take part under those conditions is just degrading to the original and to my company. So what should growers do to safeguard their choice of seeds? The best thing is to check which company has made the seeds. Unlike the name of the seeds, this is seldom copied. Like I said, I went along with the name changes by Nirvana, White Label seeds and others but there are still a lot of companies selling AK-47 at some point. After my intervention they changed the name to something referring to or close to AK-47, which is fine. But my concern is that the customer when he smokes alone or with friends, some AK-47, and at some point decides: that’s what I want, goes to the shop and asks for AK-47, that he shouldn’t be confused with names that are the same or similar and he’s not getting what he wanted. That is my main concern. If something just reminds you of AK-47, then it’s OK by me. There are seeds called OK-57, Armageddon 47, and Jack 47. Like that it is clear that they were derived from AK-47, but there is no danger of confusion with the original. Or so I hope. I guess one answer is to do something like they’re starting to set up in America, where you treat the marihuana industry like any other branch of the agricultural industry, with complete documentation from seed to consumer. Yes, that’s one way, but you have to pay a lot of money for such protection. My

names are protected in Benelux. There have been cases and law suits about names already, but in European courts they have a hard time not to burst out laughing, because they think it’s funny. But what is the difference to this and if Mr. Heineken was there or a cigarette company? I tell you what the difference is: we’re dealing with a very relaxed, nonpoisonous product, while they are selling really dangerous drugs – except, theirs is legal and ours is not. It’s all about money.

Wow, there’s a lot to say about this subject. There is. I mean, you don’t want to moan about it all the time, but it is also good for the end customer, because they pay the price, so I think we have a responsibility to warn them, to make them realise that this is going on. Before they buy their seeds. So there you have it; ultimately, it’s back to the old Caveat Emptor – buyer beware.

COLUMN

International Cannabis Community The International Cannabis Community is a loose group of millions of people who share a passion for cannabis. Although unaffiliated, today this sub-cultural collective are joined together at an international level at cannabis cups, trade shows, cannabis exhibitions, parties, and via online forums. Orientated by the potential liberation of cannabis use and cultivation within society (aka ‘cannabis normalization’) the International Cannabis Community is now a growingby lazystrain force in society. Figuratively the International Cannabis Community promotes the ideals of a ‘New Cannabis Order’ similar to the New World Order. Mostly in the sense that the International Cannabis Community desires the “law of cannabis” to be totally in favour of “legalization”, “decriminaliza-

Shopkeepers, and Regular Seed Breeders. Those figures within the “cannabis industry” that are recognised publically by their names and faces. Next sit the Medi Users, Activist and Campaigners, Editors and Writers, who are widely known for contributing towards ‘cannabis culture’ across the globe. Next come the Amateur and Feminized Breeders, Clone Keepers, Commercial Growers, Smugglers, and Cannabis Dealers – who whilst by name remain unknown, arguably keep the whole scene floating. Then sit the millions of Home Growers. And finally the whole pyramid is supported by the billions of people who at one stage or another have been a Cannabis Smoker. Unlike other global pyramids (systems of order) it is quite normal and acceptable for a Home Grower to smoke a spliff with a Professional Breeder ; for the Shop Keeper to provide a Cannabis Smoker with their first grow kit ; for the Home Grower to supply the Medi Activist with a charitable flower ; and so on. In this way the International Cannabis Community has few boundaries, inhibitions, or limitations. Ultimately everyone within the International Cannabis Community

creed, cast, race or religion. Arguably the International Cannabis Community is then as rooted as any other international group in existence. Politically the International Cannabis Community is as riddled with as many lobbyists, con-artists, fraudsters, tricksters, and charlatans as there is on the television. This aspect of the International Cannabis Community is in many ways its biggest downfall. Where big egos, money, and personal issues have in the past generated rivalry, malice, and general disharmony within the wider Cannabis Community (especially amid the on-liners). Ultimately however the International Cannabis Community is governed by one thing – Cannabis; which is ruled by Nature. Thankfully the International Cannabis Community (for the most part) completely rejects and often ignores many of the illogical rules that have been imposed upon Cannabis as a plant in the past. The International Cannabis Community does however (in majority) agree to a loose set of its own guidelines. The division between Cannabis and Children being

THANKFULLY THE INTERNATIONAL CANNABIS COMMUNITY (FOR THE MOST PART) COMPLETELY REJECTS AND OFTEN IGNORES MANY OF THE ILLOGICAL RULES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPOSED UPON CANNABIS AS A PLANT IN THE PAST tion” or “liberalization” - without any arguments or questioning. Militant aspects of the International Cannabis Community (those that peacefully wage war with seeds and clones) take things further still and advocate “Cannabis Freedom For All” as their international stance on the matter of cannabis affairs. Just like a global government, the International Cannabis Community has its own order of hierarchy and perceived structer. At the top of this mythical, yet very real pyramid, sit the Professionals,

(except a few Medi Users) entered into Cannabis’s culture at the same level of experience, initially as a first time user. One reason that International Cannabis Community is still globally prohibited is for the fact of its transient nature. The fluidity between members means that the International Cannabis Community cannot be easily controlled by any one person, co-operation, or corporation. For example, the International Cannabis Community holds no boundaries over aspects such as colour, class,

the most popular idea, and an aimed reduction in the relationship between Cannabis and Crime being the other. Political governments however have little to gain and much to loose in supporting such radical ideas and therefore do the least to support such social changes. In parody, the International Cannabis Community has been forced into forming it’s own Secret Army. An Army which trains its combatants the art of flowerpower; a philosophy of peace, love, and unity, and how to grow cannabis and

make hashish. The Generals of which rally their troops daily, arming them up with the genetic material and information needed to overgrow the planet. Each cell in this weed-web of cultivation is so loosely affiliated to the cells and networks besides them, that it soon becomes near impossible to observe any of them in their natural setting. The nucleus of which is as untraceable as the ideology of Mother Nature itself; an ideology that has been with us for tens of thousands of years. Certain physical aspects of the International Cannabis Community such as the computer server of the former website like overgrow.com can obviously be confiscated by the global authorities. As can gardens of flowers and distribution outlets. In the majority however the International Cannabis Community is still as accountable as a cloud of smoke. In the continuing battle between the International Cannabis Community and its global oppressors, an ideological war is conducted peacefully and mindfully by all but a few cannabis users, yet often met by direct acts of violence and abuse by those who wish to prohibit its cultivation and use. Esoterically the forbidden knowledge that Cannabis imparts is shared by anyone that finds time to communicate with the plant on its many different levels. Increasingly as a result of globalization, technology, and cheaper air-travel, the spiritual gap between members of the International Cannabis Community grows smaller and stronger every year. The International Cannabis Community has evolved into a transnational body of freethinking people, with the natural resources, and often the buying power to make real and lasting social and cultural changes. Gradually as the International Cannabis Community cleans up its own image, and educates “non-cannabis people” on a global scale, then the “cannabis people” will slowly win their up-hill struggle to free cannabis and themselves forever.

TRAVEL

The Word From The Lebanese Street For such a small country, Lebanon really does have a big pair of balls. It also has a well-known history of cannabis cultivation. Production of their famous Red Leb was pretty much eradicated after the long and brutal civil war that ended in 1990 but rumours have been flying around that the old ganja fields have sprung to life again. Soft Secrets has been to have a

months in nick if they can’t afford a decent lawyer. A couple of weeks to a month are common sentences. Some of the local guys were obviously smokers – their bloodshot eyes, tattoos and cagey attitudes gave them away. These guys kept their distance from us though, they didn’t mind having a chuck-

– the Zeaitars and the Jaafars. These families are scary enough to keep the Hezbollah, the cops and the Lebanese army out of their territory. They are also engaged in a hot conflict with each other. They don’t count their money, they weigh it, and they don’t use banks either – they use their own stash houses, they have their own security forces and make

POWER IN THE NORTH BEKAA RESTS WITH TWO MAIN MAFIA-STYLE FAMILIES. THESE FAMILIES ARE SCARY ENOUGH TO KEEP THE HEZBOLLAH, THE COPS AND THE LEBANESE ARMY OUT OF THEIR TERRITORY. nose about to see if there is any substance to these tantalising rumours. On the eastern side of the Mount Lebanon mountain range lies the Bekaa Valley. It’s no secret that the northern half of the Bekaa is where the vast majority of Lebanese hash cultivation takes place... Baalbek, the gateway to and the administrative town of the north Bekaa, was our starting point; this is a town planted firmly on the tourist trail thanks to its spectacular Roman ruins. It is also a town where you can buy Hezbollah t-shirts in most of the shops and the cops are swarming; they’re strapped with M16s and dressed in military-style urban camouflage – they’re basically urban soldiers. A few weeks before Soft Secrets arrived a group of Estonian cyclists were kidnapped somewhere in the Bekaa, at the time of writing they are still kidnapped. Just as we were settling in and getting a feel for the place, around midnight on our first night in town, we were treated to the ear-splitting CRACK! CRACK! CRACK-ing of a couple of hand guns being fired only a few yards away from our hotel room – this mission was obviously going to require a good deal of tact and caution. The first step in getting access to these fabled fields of green was to try and find a local guide; someone who knew the business, had the right connections and wasn’t afraid to take a stranger deep into the pressure cooker of the Bekaa. This was a lot easier said than done though. After making friends and building trust with some of the local hoods in the pool hall we managed to get a bit of a handle on the situation… The locals are scared of the cops. Spies and informants are common – it’s a familiar story; people who get nicked get pressured into giving up the names of other smokers, those unlucky enough to get ratted out get a call from the cops and told to give themselves up for a piss test. A positive test can mean anywhere up to 5

le with us but they left it to the friendlier few to give us some of the information we were asking after. Maybe our lack of a common language was the only real barrier, whatever the case, it was clear that under the circumstances we’d have to hang around a lot longer than we could afford to before they’d give us any more than a general conversation about our favourite subject matter. It was time for a change of tactics. Once we got out of town and did a bit more digging we found people more willing to talk. Power in the north Bekaa rests with two main mafia-style families

enough wedge to keep some useful politicians on their payroll. Pot isn’t their only business either – they’re mixed up in a whole load of other nefarious activities, but that’s none of my business or yours. The guys who run the north Bekaa are serious motherfuckers. Soft Secrets also found out that in 2009 pot growing was becoming a popular earner for a lot of small-time Lebanese farmers. This was having a lowering effect on prices and starting to infringe on the business of the Zeaiters and the Jaafars, so they called in some political favours from their pocketed politicians. External

By The Professor

pressure was also being applied to the Lebanese government to ‘do something’ about the country’s growing hash production. A new policy of zero tolerance was adopted and a big show was made of burning fields of weed and blocks of stash, busting small-time growers and bullying users; hence the now dicey situation that the average Lebanese smoker now finds themselves in. Another traditional pot growing region of Lebanon is the Qadisha Valley. Separated from the Bekaa by the Mount Lebanon range, Bcharre, the largest town of the Qadisha, is the stronghold of the Maronite Christians and the Christian militia known as the Lebanese Forces. The Lebanese Forces were prominent during the days of the civil war and word is that they’d get proper blazed before they went into battle – evidence of the fighting in Bcharre can still be seen in a few bullet-ridden garden gates. I’d managed to hook up with a new wing man for this little trip into the mountains – Rocky is an ex-US soldier with an Arabic family name, Arabic language skills and retired on a disability pension. He is also a recovering heroin addict. I was looking forward to the garden gates that this guy’s name and language skills might open for us, but his unbound enthusiasm nearly screwed us within the first five minutes of arriving in town… We went to ask a couple of local’s directions to somewhere, they gave us our answer and then Rocky just blurted out ‘You have any hashish?’ They looked like we’d just asked them to shoot a baby, ‘No, no, no. No drugs in this town, no hashish.’ Then we realised we were standing right outside the police station, there were a couple of cop cars and cops milling about around us. Every time we ventured into town after that the uniforms were never too far away. We kept a low profile for the next couple of days. Two days later, minus Rocky, we made ourselves known in the local shisha bar. It was here that we turned up our first promising leads of the mission – we accepted an invitation to a poker game at the home of a daily stoner, Bob (not his real name). Bob is a very interesting character – only half Lebanese, he’s already been to prison three times in Lebanon for possession and is currently waiting for his fourth trip to court for the same offence. The first time he got caught he did two weeks: ‘If you get caught with hash out here you’ll probably go to prison. They’ll piss test you to see if you’re a smoker – if your test is negative but you get caught with some shit they’ll charge you with intent to supply. If you give someone a puff, just one puff, then that’s

31 When the crop is harvested in the autumn it gets chopped up and left to dry in sealed rooms. As the plants dry, their oily residue collects on the walls of the room. When the plants are dry the trichomes get bashed off and sieved in a similar fashion to how they do it in Morocco (see SS 2011 Iss. 1 pp21/22). The oily residue is then scraped from the walls of the drying rooms and added to the hash powder before it is blended and pressed – this is what gives the hash its famous red colouring. As for the hit, true Red Leb is a trippy, long lasting creeper, and a strong one at that. Red Leb isn’t the only type of hash they produce in Lebanon either. The second quality is known as Yellow Baaly – this is hash produced in the traditional North African way, dried and bashed. The Yellow Baaly hits the smoker quickly but doesn’t last as long as the more potent Red.

sharing and they can lock you up for three years if they want. If you sell a little bit to someone then that goes up to five years.’ Bob was born into the Thoauk family (there are various different spellings of this famous name). The Thaouks/Chaouks/ Tawks are the major mafia-style family of the Qadisha, they’re also rumoured to be the force behind the major Lebanese crime gang operating in Australia. Typical of our luck so far on this trip, Bob had been out of smoke for a few days and was still trying to get hold of some: ‘I have a friend in Beirut, he’s got some great hydro but it’s US$300 an ounce. Because of the police clamping down on the outdoor fields and chains of supply people in Beirut are starting to grow hydro weed in their houses. In the Qadisha now there’s no real organised grow ops*, some people have a few plants in their gardens – one of my friends got seven kilos off one plant last year! ’

Beirut, the capital city of Lebanon, has its own smoking scene, and its own troubles… ‘Smoking in Beirut is very risky; four years ago a friend of mine got into trouble and he ratted on a lot of people. I’d been friends with him since kindergarten but he still ratted me out – the cops called me up and told me I had to go for a piss test, the test was positive and I had to spend a week in prison. I was only a 21 year old college student but I got locked up with rapists and murderers – it broke up my relationship and my parents took it really badly. I haven’t smoked a joint since then.’ ‘A lot of the dealers in Beirut are dangerous people. A friend of mine went round to see a dealer to score some hash, when he left the dealers house the cops were waiting right outside for him. He went to prison.’ The cops in Beirut are corruptible as well; another smoker told us that ‘it’s legal but

not legal, everyone does it but it’s taboo. A friend of mine got caught smoking a joint in his car but he comes from a very wealthy family so he could pay the cops off, it cost him a lot of money though.’ There are still a lot of smokers in Beirut, but after the 2009 clampdown fear of grasses, spies and potential prison time keeps the circles pretty much closed to outsiders. People don’t like to smoke in their houses either; cars are one of the last safe places left for people to smoke so they spend a lot of time on the roads. One guy, another student, told me: ‘I love to smoke, last year I did 60,000km in my car!’ This is all politics and fringe talk though. What is it that makes Red Leb so unique? What makes people risk prison time every day of their lives just for a smoke? Why is it said to be the strongest hash in the world? Soft Secrets has found all that out for you as well!

Despite merciless cops and their corrupt political class, the Lebanese are strong people, and they hate being bullied. A lot of the post-civil war generation are divorcing themselves from their parents’ conservatism, racism and politics of division; they’re getting into acid, ecstasy, one love and fuck the government, and once they’ve got a few beers inside them they’re quite willing to talk to foreigners about their way of life and the problems they deal with. Considering all the other problems the country is plagued with (like rocketing property prices, low wages, religious and political turmoil, stubborn conservatism, corruption and gross inequality) it is obvious to see that pot smokers are being targeted and scapegoated by politicians and cops who are too complicit in or too scared to deal with the real problems of the country. Maybe one day, when the sell-out slave drivers are finally overthrown, we might all be able to enjoy smoking some of the best hash in the world free from the worry of persecution and prison time – with everyone I spoke to about it, one statement kept cropping up… Legalise it!

He also told us that a fair price for our sought-after red Leb was between a hundred and a hundred and fifty US dollars an ounce**. He tried a couple of other people he knew but drew blanks on every call – ‘Sorry man, it’s not normally like this.’ He didn’t say as much but I suspected that a big part of their difficulty in getting sorted lay in their bad relations with their Muslim neighbours just across the mountains, that and the fact that the local cops were obviously enjoying the upper hand in the pot game at the present time. *I also heard that there were still small, 200 plant commercial crops being grown around Bcharre. ** For those with good connections in the Bekaa, US$150 is said to be able to buy 200 grams.

“PERSONAL SECURITY: KEEP IT TIGHT“

“PIRATES OF THE HIGH SEEDS”

“HYDRO OVER HAND WATERING PART 4: AEROPONICS”

Kuchi

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Have you been growing for a while? Are you at the stage where no matter which new nutrient, additive or growing method you try, you just can’t seem to better your last yield? Think you’ve got the most out of your growing environment? Maybe it’s time to try something By Little Lebowski completely different. In this instalment of Grow with Little Lebowski, we look at a few techniques for the advanced gardener. By ‘advanced gardener’ I don’t just necessarily mean those of you that have grown for years, tried different methods of cultivation from hand watering to hydro and can consistently get good yields from your environment. I’m talking about those of you that have got your grow room dialled and are willing to try something a little bit new, those of you that are willing to take a risk or two

Play at nature! In an indoor garden, you control and manipulate every element that your plants need to develop – if ever there was an ideal hobby for someone with a god complex, its home growing! – and this level of control can, in theory, extend to taking charge of the seasons. To an extent, if you are growing now, you are already doing it. Think about it, when you switch your lighting to 12/12 you force your plants to flower by reducing the

if ever there was an ideal hobby for someone with a god complex, it’s home growing! in pursuit of the highest possible yield and, most importantly, because you are curious to see what will happen if you push your plants (and yourself).

amount of ‘daylight’ hours they receive, fooling them into thinking the colder weather is on the way and it is time for them to reproduce.

So, all the growers out there that are reliant on the grow room to pay your bills may want to look away now (or just read on and get a mate to try these techniques out), only the risk takers and thrill seekers out there - with a spare lamp just crying out to be used - need apply.

What happens when you take this one step further? What happens if you do bring on the ‘cold weather’? There are two possibilities here, one relates to increasing the yield and the other relates to bringing the crop to an early finish, without reducing quality.

For those of you that are still with me, keep an open mind. We’ll start with a simple (as in relatively easy to understand and achieve) concepts and work our way up to the more challenging stuff. Fire up a fun stick (something clear and uplifting) and read on…

Night time temperatures – the difference between day time and night time temperatures is referred to as the DIF and it is widely agreed that increasing the DIF has a positive effect in steering most plants towards flowering. When

growing indoors it is pretty straightforward to record day and night temperatures using a simple max / min thermometer. It is also straightforward to drop the night temperature, because the biggest source of heat – the lamp – is off during the night period. During the veg stage, you will achieve optimum growth by keeping the DIF constant, use a fan heater, or similar, to raise the night temperature once the lamp is off. Measure your min night temperatures and set the heater on a timer to warm the grow room throughout the lights off period. For the flowering stage, the optimum DIF is around 8ºc to 10ºc, so if your maximum day temp is around 28º c, aim for a night temperature of around 18ºc. This drop in temperature forces sugars held in the plant towards the buds.

This is because as the air temperature cools, the plant will cool with it, the leaves hold less mass than the buds and so cool at a quicker pace causing the sugars held in them – that they have been producing all day – to be moved to the flowering sites, where they advance bud growth. Bring on the autumn – otherwise known as Vernalisation, this technique can be utilised to deliberately finish a crop early without compromising too much on the quality of the end product. Certain plant species actually require a period of cold temperatures to induce flowering, for example strawberries in the garden will only start to produce fruit after the cold ‘snap’ in winter. However, for the majority of plants – the good lady, Cannabis, included – cold periods will cause pigments (green coloured chlorophyll) in

EXPLOIT PLANT STRESS TO INCREASE FLOWERING SITES

36 superfluous to requirements. Usually leafy foliage that sits under the main canopy is removed, as it no longer receives much light and is therefore unproductive. By removing this foliage during the start of the flowering period, energy is diverted to bud production and, while this undoubtedly stresses the plant, it will result in faster bud development and – ultimately – improved yields.

ROOT PRUNING POTS INVOLVE A COMMONLY USED STRESS TECHNIQUE – AIR PRUNING the leaves to retract, this is why certain strains of Cannabis will turn purple or blue if grown in colder conditions. During the flowering period, buds require more and more sugars to develop properly and reach full potential. These are created via the pigments in the leaves trapping light and converting it to sugar (photosynthesis). If the temperature in the environment is deliberately lowered, the pigments retract and the plants metabolism will begin to shut down. You will literally be simulating nature – the onset of the cold weather – this will trigger a release of hormones within the plant, which will ‘finish’ the crop early and the plant will then begin to die back. Obviously yield will be compromised, but the actual quality of the end product will be far superior to just chopping the plant early. A helpful technique for commercial situations.

Stress to impress! This is perhaps the most challenging concept of all and one that is only recommended for those willing to take a risk, throw caution to the wind and try something completely different. Over and under feeding, too much heat or humidity, pest attack, cold roots; a stressed plant is an unhappy plant, right? To an extent, yes; but there is a school of thought out there that believe that some stress can be good for the plant and can be utilised by the grower to steer the plant in the right direction. Most growers will already be deliberately stressing their plants to their own advantage. Don’t believe me? How many of you employ the following tactics…? Topping and Fimming – a very common stress technique used to force the plant to bush out and grow laterally, developing additional flowering sites as it does so. Topping simply involves removing the growing tip of the plant to make it more productive, i.e. rather than developing just one main cola, more side shoots develop and more bud sites are formed. Thinning – this technique involves removing branches and leaves that are

Root pruning – any grower who has ever vegged using rock wool cubes on a ridged tray or grown their plants in an air pot or fabric pot, has utilised the root pruning technique. This involves allowing the very tip of the root to come into contact with the air, which dries it out until it eventually dies back. This stressful occurrence forces the root to put out a secondary root branch, which in turn is pruned by the air and puts out its own secondary root. Root pruning causes the plant to develop an increased root mass, which - in turn – means an increased level of nutrient uptake and faster growth. These deliberate stress inducement techniques are helpful tools for every grower and it’s pretty clear how they affect growth rates and yield. But what about inflicting deliberate harm on the plant? This is where things get a bit risky. From my own experience, I can recall an example where stressing plants through drought appeared to spurn on a spell of rapid growth:

(and soberly, which is even more embarrassing!) turned off the pump that was running the sprinklers and left the grow room for the day. When I returned, the clones – which had only gone into the prop the day before – had wilted to the extent that they were now laid flat on the tray of the propagator! Thinking there was nothing to lose; I turned the pump back on and kept my fingers crossed. Within three hours they were upright, within four days they had rooted out and then went on to become some of the strongest and biggest yielding plants that I have grown. Could it be that a dose of stress in their early stages boosted them to become stronger later in their development? Maybe. A mate of mine had a similar experience when he was unexpectedly kept away from home over a weekend. When he returned his four young seedlings – at that point in 3” soil pots – were wilted and the edge of the leaves had started to

steering plants towards the flowering – or generative – phase. Note that during the vegetative phase the way to attain the best results - i.e. keep the veg period as productive and short as possible - is to water frequently at a low EC, ensure the root zone doesn’t dry out and keep day and night temperatures as constant as possible (as stated earlier, this is commonly known as the DIF). For those brave enough to embark on something new – and already have 100% confidence that all of your environmental factors are correct - give these a try once you have switched to 12 / 12… Raise the nutrient strength – this is best experimented on a strain that you have grown before and which you are familiar with the tolerance to nutrients. When entering the flowering period, raise the level of feed to just under the upper tolerance of the strain. The higher concentration of nutrient around the roots, restricts the uptake of water and stresses

Most growers will already be deliberately stressing their plants to their own advantage crisp. Eleven weeks later, he set his grow room record yield with them and says, to this day, that they were the most ferocious growers he has ever encountered.

the plant; steering it towards flowering. Note: this technique is more straightforward in recirculating hydro than soil or coco, as you can measure nutrient uptake and strength easily, using an EC meter.

Now, I’m not recommending that you bring your plants close to death then try and bring them back from the brink, far from it. But there are a couple of techniques that are fairly well documented in

Dry out the root zone – despite my earlier anecdote, we are not talking about letting your plants completely dry out to Once, when bringing on eight clones in the extent that they wilt. Instead, reduce an aeroponic propagator, I accidentally the frequency of feeding so that the roots begin to dehydrate slightly; this will stress the plant, encouraging earlier flower development. There is no need to change the actual volume of nutrient solution that you feed the plant, just alter the times that you feed – increase the duration between feed periods by 10% - 20% this allows the media to dry without causing irreversible damage to the roots themselves. Note: this technique should only be attempted when using a growing method where the roots are surrounded by a growing medium. It should not be utilised in ‘bare rooted’ hydro techniques such as NFT and aeroponics where turning off the supply of INCREASE THE DIF. LOWER NIGHT TEMPERATURES nutrient solution to the roots can quickly CAN STIMULATE PRODUCTION cause damage. The technique is, however, well suited to drip irrigation where it is easy to control the number and duration of feeds per day. For example, if growing using drippers and clay pebbles and feeding six times a day for 10 minutes, adjust the irrigation to three times a day for 20 minutes. Same volume of feed, but the longer duration between each irrigation period will dry out the root zone and stress the plant. Not only should these techniques force your plants into earlier flowering, but the application of this stress should also divert energy into bud production, resulting in a higher overall yield. WORTH THE RISK? DEFINITELY! Good luck… and don’t say I didn’t warn you!

GROW WITH 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.

Power Plant is still one of the strongest growers and heaviest producing plants.

Seeds, Soil and Lumens I started to germinate seeds between wet paper towels. I put them on a plate covered plastic wrap and put the plate in a desk drawer. Then I started doing research online about growing this wonderful plant. I planted the first couple of seeds when one-inch-long white roots started to grow. I let the others continue to sprout and planted them as they showed white roots. I had forgotten about the rest of the seeds that were still germinating. When I lifted the paper towels, there were three seeds that had roots about 3 inches long and they had tiny leaves starting to grow where the seed shell was. I immediately planted them with the little leaves sticking out. Are my plants going to survive? I’m using two 75w blue grow bulbs 12 cm above plants, 24 hours a day. The first seeds that I planted sprouted, but they haven’t grown since. The soil dries fast after watering and gets kind of crusty. Some kind of moss is growing in some of the containers too. RODNEY Germinating seeds is not the problem it is the preparation and grow room goods that are stifling growth. Planning is paramount for successful indoor gardens. Prepared growers have everything they need before starting to grow. Yes, you did wait too long to plant the seeds and leaving them to develop leaflets could stifle development. But, the biggest problems you have are the soil and lighting. The soil becomes crusty because it is full of clay. My guess is that you dug it up in the back yard rather than purchasing light fluffy potting soil. Backyard soil is most often poorly suited for indoor cultivation in pots because it has too much clay, is too acidic or alkaline and controlling moisture and fertilizers in it is very difficult. The crusty clay cap is formed when the clay washes to the surface. This is similar to the way a fine cap of the fine particles in concrete come to the surface when it is poured. This cap is as hard as a rock and very difficult for seedlings to penetrate. Furthermore, the soil is difficult to penetrate for roots and drainage is so poor that little air is held in the soil. Roots require oxygen in order to take in nutrients in the soil or those provided by fertilizers. Outdoor soils are also full of insect eggs, fungus spores, bacteria and moss. Using the soil invites all of these maladies to attack your wonderful plants. Two 75w blue grow bulbs 12 cm above plants probably compounds the crust on the soil by drying it out quickly. Change lighting to compact fluorescents or a single HID. Compact fluorescents are less expensive. You can buy 65w compact fluorescent floodlights at a discount store for about 25€. Or you could buy a 175w metal halide for less than 120€. Both lamps are much more efficient than the blue incandescent grow bulbs. Efficiency is measured by the amount of lumens produced per watt of electricity used. For example a 75w incandescent lamp yields about 17 lumens per watt and a 175w metal halide produces 80 LPW. After the initial investment of buying the lamp, you could use the same amount of electricity and produce 14,000 lumens with the metal halide and only 2,550 lumens (not enough to grow descent bud) with the incandescent grow bulbs.

Male pre-flowers develop 3-4 branch internodes from the top of the plant. Look for a small little nub that later turns into a pollen sack.

GROW WITH JORGE CERVANTES Cracked Leaves The leaves on my plants are cracking in half and developing light and brown spots. Overall leaves are light green and do not look healthy. What can I do? They’re about 10 cm tall with 4 pairs of leaves. MALTE You have definitely got fertilizer/nutrient lockup. The problem has existed from the beginning, but it is only now that you recognize the problem because of the plants physical symptoms – discolored weak brittle leaves. In general this means that plants have suffered a general overdose of nutrients. The soil is packed with fertilizer salts (nutrients). Some of the nutrients are being taken up faster than others which causes uptake of some nutrients is blocked. I am not sure about the pH of your water. In Denmark, the pH ranges from below 6 to above 8. This could be your problem. It could also be the EC (electrical conductivity) or the concentration of nutrients already in the tap water. Since Denmark is surrounded by water and sodium and calcium are probably at high levels. Sodium, in levels above 50 PPM (parts per million) will block other nutrients from being drawn in by roots. If your water is packed with nutrients such as sodium, chances are that you will need to run your water through a reverse osmosis device to remove the toxic nutrients. Once the water is clean, you can add the prescribed amount of fertilizer to make the nutrient solution. But, for the time being, you have to flush out the excess nutrients in pots. Flush out the nutrients by pouring 2-3 liters of water for every liter of soil in the container. An 11-liter container would require a flushing of at least 22 liters. Here is a quick rundown on the macronutrients and symptoms of deficiency and toxicity. Nitrogen is the most common nutrient deficiency. Symptoms include slower growth lower leaves become yellow between veins. Yellowing progresses through leaf before it drops off. Stems and leaf undersides may turn reddish-purple. An overdose of nitrogen causes excessively lush foliage that is soft and susceptible to stress including insect and fungal attacks. Stems become weak and may fold over easily. The vascular transport tissue breaks down and water uptake is restricted. Roots develop slowly and rot easily.

Grow as many seedlings as possible to set outdoors this summer. You can germinate seeds between paper towels or sew seed directly in soil. Remember to keep soil evenly moist!

Sexing Seeds I started out with 20 seeds and got 10 females. I sexed all 20 plants with a 12/12hour light/dark light cycle not knowing about taking cuttings. They flowered for three weeks before switching back to 18/6 light cycle. They have been on 18/6 for 3 weeks and the signs of female are not going away. Do the small clusters of female pistils shrivel up as it goes back to veg or do the little white hairs mature? Should I pinch off the small clusters of white pistils? Also, the top leaf branches turned red what does this mean? LUKE After all the stress these plants suffered, 50 percent came out female and they are still alive. Think about how cannabis plants have been growing naturally for millennia. The days are long in summer and short in the fall. The long nights and short days of autumn trigger the flowering process. When you play with Mother Nature’s schedule, plants get confused, real confused. These ladies were close to half way through flowering and then forced to revert back to vegetative growth with shorter nights and 18-hour days. Generally plants take about a month to start to resume normal growth. Such a light shock will cost plants at least a month of lost growth and later the plants could continue to show stressed development manifested by more leaves and branches and leaves could have sporadic growth. The little white hairs or female pistils will likely stay there but will probably discolor. Six weeks after germination you have a classic case of nutrient lockup due to buildup of fertilizer salts in the soil. The problem has probably been there for a week or two before showing a purple stem, outward signs of phosphorus deficiency and the grow room could be too cold at night or during the day. If this is the problem, it is provoked by clayey, acidic and soggy soil. Deficiencies are most common if soil pH is above 7 or below 5.8 and has excess iron or zinc and has chemically bound up phosphates. Or the redness could be a characteristic of the variety you are growing. To remedy toxic nutrient lockup, flush your soil heavily with a very light high quality hydroponic fertilizer solution. Pour two gallons of one-eighth-strength nutrient solution for every gallon of soil in the pot. A 5-gallon pot would require at least a 10-gallon flush. All the bad locked up salts will be flushed out the drain. Set plants in a sink or a bathtub to facilitate drainage.

Lack of phosphorous causes stunted growth. Leaves are smaller, bluish-green and often with blotches. Stems, leaf stems (petioles) and main veins turn reddish purple starting on leaf underside. Leaf tips of older leaves turn dark and curl downward. Leaves severely affected develop large purplish-black dead blotches and die. Flowering is often delayed and buds are uniformly smaller. Deficiencies are aggravated by clayey, acidic and soggy soil. Deficiencies are most common when the pH of the growing medium is above 7 and phosphorus is unable to be absorbed properly. The soil is acidic (below 5.8) and/or there is an excess of iron and zinc. The soil has become fixated (chemically bound) with phosphates. Excessive phosphorus interferes with calcium, copper, iron, magnesium and zinc stability and uptake. Toxic symptoms of phosphorous manifest as a deficiency of zinc, iron, magnesium, calcium and copper; zinc is the most common. Potassium deficient plants often appear healthy, but soon older leaves, first tips and margins, followed by whole leaves turn dark yellow and die. Stems often become weak and sometimes brittle. Plants become susceptible to disease. Potassium is usually present in soil, but locked in by high salinity. A potassium deficiency causes the internal temperature of foliage to climb and protein cells burn or degrade. Evaporation is normally highest on leaf edges and that’s where burning takes place. Potassium toxicity is difficult to diagnose because it is mixed with the deficiency symptoms of other nutrients. Too much potassium impairs and slows the absorption of magnesium, manganese and sometimes zinc and iron. Look for signs of toxic potassium buildup when symptoms of magnesium, manganese, zinc and iron deficiencies appear. Below are the suggested soluble salts fertilizer recommendations for indoor cannabis cultivation. Values expressed in parts per million. Element Nitrogen Calcium Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium Sulfur Copper Boron Iron Manganese Molybdenum Zinc

Limits 150 – 1000 100 – 150 50 – 100 50 – 100 100 – 400 200 – 1000 0.1 – 0.5 0.5 – 5.0 2.0 – 10 0.5 – 5.0 0.01 – 0.05 0.5 – 1.0

Average 250 200 75 80 300 400 0.5 1.0 5.0 2.0 0.02 0.5

INTERVIEW

Charlie Veitch and the Love Police Self proclaimed anarchist , antimatrix combatant, peace activist, and satirical comedian Charlie Veitch opposes the New World Order. The main ‘weapons of mass enlightenment’ that Charlie uses while making his popular online videos include a hand-held camera and a megaphone. While his band of merry mischief-makers ‘The Love Police’ issue out on-the-spot hugs (not fines) to the regular police, forward intelligence units, and community support officers. Lazystrain Charlie Veitch’s forward thinking approach towards issues surrounding civil liberties and freedom of speech while earning him many supporters has also bought him a few critics. Not least amid the establishment itself, who arranged for Charlie too be incarcerated for 24 hours prior to the Royal Wedding. Soft Secrets then arranged a brief interview with the Love Police’s chief inspector to discover his views about society and cannabis. Who are the Love Police? The Love Police are the world’s only anarcho-absurdist film group. We are a nonorganised collective of human beings who have escaped the Borg, and are currently engaged in spreading the truth about reality to the general public. We try and be funny, because as we all know, these are difficult subjects and comedy helps people to reflect on their lives. What did you do before joining the Love Police? Immediately before I started The Love Police I was a banker selling investments and life assurance (greed and fear) to private clients. I also joined the British Army Reserves and was training to be an Officer, ready to go and be a cannon-fodder grunt for Empire. But hey, I had to “go there” to get where I am today. Juxtapositions and opposites and all that. When did you launch cveitch.org and why? The website was launched around Christmas of 2009 to provide a home for my film work and writings.

The fact it is “illegal” (according to the corporate state mafia) should not put anyone off. In truth, this is a spiritual test. You need to “break the law” to enjoy it. This opens up your heart towards rebellion and “thinking for yourself”. The Government has no legitimacy in deciding whether a natural plant is legal or not. Fuck them. Do whatever you want. I think it’s still illegal because the British people haven’t evolved emotionally or psychologically enough as a nation. We are a little bit behind the Dutch in this respect. but the cracks are appearing. The Police will not arrest you for small quantities of weed. And the mainstream media is generally positive and comical about “stoners”. What are your views on medicinal cannabis use? I use cannabis to help with the pain in my spine. I am a practitioner of medical marijuana use. Remember, we are all free, so if it helps your ailments, DO IT!

Because no-one has the right to search you. It’s simple. Any Police who do are in contravention of natural law. They are committing a crime against the fabric of reality itself - that we are born free, we live free, and we die free. How would the Love Police deal with the issue of cannabis in society? Cannabis is a natural plant that grows all over the world. It brings peace, giggles, and good sex to hundreds of millions of people. I enjoy smoking cannabis with friends. I find it a very spiritual plant which allows me to explore ideas. Cannabis should be legal in all countries, but it is not. This is evidence that governments do not want people to be free. My advice is to ignore laws which contravene natural laws. Just don’t get caught by the corporate ruling mafia (the state). When did you first discover cannabis? I was 16yrs old on Ipanema beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I smoked and coughed hard whilst watching birds sail over big

Is “conspiracy to cultivate cannabis” another “pre-crime” taking place? Sounds like another ridiculous fake law CHARLIE IN ACTION in the battle against personal freedom. Remember, there is only natural law and common law. If the state mafia cannot waves with surfers. I properly began to prove you have harmed, injured, or made enjoy cannabis at the age of 17, but what someone suffer a loss, then there is no really made me a big fan was a trip to crime. Pre-crime arrests, such as mine Amsterdam with my brother at the age before the Royal Wedding, show that the of 19. system (what I call The Machine) is scared about losing power. We are winning! Did your cannabis use have any mind altering effects? Is there any specific message that you I did an IQ test at the age of 17 before I would like to put out to the readers of started smoking cannabis. Then I repeated Soft Secrets? the test at 27, and my intelligence had Yeah. Never forget you are a pure conactually increased by 4 IQ points. Cannabis sciousness reflection of The Source (the is a hilarious substance which allows me to universe, the Absolute, the Divine - God) see the Goddess, and realise that after all, going through ethical soul-training on everything is but a beautiful dream. I can a holographic planet called Earth. Your see why it is a threat to the insane industri- role is to figure out what is love, what al world. When I am stoned, I see through is truth, what is beauty, and to stick to the many veils erected to keep us blind. your convictions regardless of what the With cannabis, I wish no one any harm. demons may try and tell you otherwise. It’s truly a beautiful substance. Harvard Live free - Die free. You are the be all and University has just released a study show- end all of existence, you are human, you ing how THC can cut cancer-tumours by are beautiful and infinitely loved by your 50%. Cool, huh? (smiles) Creator. There is divinity in everything around you, and don’t forget to be gentle Why do you think cannabis is still crimi- on those who attack you; anger is the nalized and made illegal in the UK? birth-pangs of love.

Where does the Love Police stand on law and order? We are subject only to natural (common) law between equal human beings. All other enforcement is by the ruling mafia. Basically, if there is no injured party, there is no crime. For example the non-payment of tax - no one should be forced to pay money to evil people. Why are the Love Police opposed to ‘Stop and Search’ on the streets?

CHARLIE IN LIVERPOOL

CHARLIE AND THE REGULAR POLICE

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tems because each diode emits light in an unusually narrow spectrum. The minerals used to make it determine LED fixtures the spectrum are more expens the diode emits. HID lamps emit ive than HID lights, most of but they save their light in spectrums that money in the long run: are not very useful to the plant. With LEDs, fixtures UÊ LED lamps can be design use less than ed to provide half the plants the electricity with exactly of HIDs per the spectrum unit that they need of PAR light for maximum produced. At growth. $.10 a kilowat t, LEDs will save By tailoring the diodes’ $215 per light specyear when compa trum to plant requirements, red to the cost LEDs can be of running a more efficien 1000w HID t PAR produc twelve ers. HPS lamps hours a day. deliver more total light per watt of input, UÊ LEDs last but LEDs are longer than HID twice as efficien bulbs. 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8-9

45 HARDWARE STORE EQUIPMENT

UVC LIGHTS

Can I use the HPS, MH and CFL lights that are for sale at hardware stores or should I just go to the hydro store and buy them. I don’t trust that the hydro store is safe because of all the stories I hear about the police. FRANKIE

Do germicidal UVC lights have any place in an indoor garden? Are they as harmful to plants as they are to humans? I am looking for ways to provide a cleaner environment for the plants. JASON

Usually the lights sold in hydro shops, which are designed for indoor cultivation, are a better “fit” than lamps available at the hardware store.For example, hardware store high-pressure sodium (HPS) and metal halide lamps (MH) usually have wattages no higher than 125 or 150. Their reflectors are designed to throw light over a broad, rather than a compact area, and none of these models feature aircooling.

Germicidal UVC lights are used to kill microorganisms floating in the air. Powdery mildew and other fungus spores are exterminated as the light is passed over them.

The same holds true for compact fluorescents (CFL’s). The models sold in hydro stores have higher wattages and reflectors that direct the light down to the garden. I have never seen these reflectors in hardware stores.

Ed Rosenthal is recognized worldwide as a leading authority on marijuana. In his 30-plus years as America’s “guru of ganja” he has written or edited more than a dozen books about marijuana cultivation and social policy that cumulatively have sold over one million. His first book, Marijuana Grower’s Guide, is the only title on marijuana cultivation to be reviewed by The New York Times Book Review. After almost two decades, his Ask Ed advice column continues to answer questions on all matters of marijuana from readers around the world.

Using dedicated equipment becomes more important as the size of the garden grows. If you are growing less than a M2 you may find that it is not too inconvenient to set up a system using more smaller watt lamps. However, small watt HPS and MH lamps do not convert electricity to light as efficiently as 400 or 600 watt lamps. I understand your reluctance to be seen around a hydro store. This was primarily a problem in the U.S. and not in EU countries for years; the heat has been turned on in England, France, and Holland recently. Once U.S. Justice taught the police how profitable prohibition can be, they changed their attitude about this sweet herb. If you don’t want to be seen visiting a hydro store perhaps you could send a friend who isn’t growing. Another idea is to order your goods over the phone or internet and have it delivered to a “drop” address that will never be used for growing. Sometimes used hydro equipment is available for resale on the internet, Craiglist, or on bulletin board notices.

SUMMER’S TOO HOT

The lights can be used to clean the re-circulating air of a closed space or to cleanse incoming air in a ventilated space. These lamps can substantially eliminate powdery mildew problems by reducing the spore population in the air. In Holland, some rose growers have eliminated powdery mildew problems by using UVC lights. The rose plants are on a conveyer belt of sorts. Each day they pass through an arch of bright UVC lamps. Each plant spends about one second under the lamps. Any spores that are on the plant are eliminated.

HAIR FERTILIZER Is it true that hair is a good nutrient? How much hair do you need to use? SIEMENS 649 Hair is an excellent source of nitrogen (N). It is composed of about 15% nitrogen and under 1% each of calcium (Ca), iron (Fe) and phosphorous (P). There are several ways that you can use it: I have used it to heat up compost piles. It quickly decomposes as it supports microbial activity in the pile.

I have some plants in 15 gallon white containers on my roof deck. It gets great sun and fresh air, but it can get too hot. On sunny days, it can reach 38°. What should I do to protect the plants from too much heat? SUPERFOOFY

It can be mixed into the soil before planting. It gradually releases nutrients as it slowly decomposes. Rather than providing just a burst of available nitrogen it provides it over an extended period.

As the temperature heats up the plant’s metabolism and rate of photosynthesis increases up to a point. At about 32° the photosynthesis process shuts down as the plant goes into stress mode and uses its energy to transpire water to cool itself. On days when a substantial portion of the day is above this temperature the plant photosynthesizes for just a portion of the lit period.

If you are planning on collecting hair from a barbershop or salon, remember that a fairly large percentage of it is colored using synthetic dyes. Generally speaking, dyes are very small molecules that may be persistent, so it is probably not good to put directly into the soil. They are more likely to break down in the microbial ferment of the compost pile.

There are two ways that you can help the plants during this stress period. One method is to keep the plant roots chilled to 20-21°. The cool roots help to cool the canopy.

Both of these methods are used in planting mix/soil-based gardens, not hydro gardens.

Another method is to use micro-misters that emit very small droplets of water that immediately evaporate and cool the surrounding air. This can cool the air up to 10°. One method uses an evaporative cooling device with an oscillating fan. A tube carries water from a reservoir and drops it onto the spinning blades that smash it into tiny bits. A single fan can cool about 18 sq m. Another way of cooling with micro-mist is by using micro-misters that emit the small droplets. A pump that creates water pressure in the misters is part of the set-up. You may be familiar with these misters as they are sometimes used at public gatherings during the heat of the summer.

CUT LOWER BRANCHES I have 11 plants growing in a sea of green (SOG) system. They are in the third week of flowering. I noticed the lower side branches are not going to produce much. Is it OK to cut them off so the plant’s food and energy can focus more on the bigger top branches? CARLSON

The mist evaporates before it has a chance to touch the leaves so there is no problem with water damage. Growers who have used light deprivation for early flowering sometimes produce buds that are loose, rather than tight, as a result of summer heat. Using a mist system controlled by a thermostat installed at the top of the plant canopy solves the problem.

Germicidal lamps come in an enclosed unit so the light remains unseen, protecting your eyes from the harmful rays. They are used in restaurants, food processing centers and other spaces that require a clean environment.

HERMPHRODITES A young female hermaphrodite is a danger to the garden because the pollen could fertilize many flowers.

Yes, they can be removed. In your SOG system all the action takes place at the top of the canopy. When light hits an opaque surface such as a leaf it gives up almost all of its energy. The only spectrum that passes through is infrared, which is not used in photosynthesis, but is used as a signal by plants to elongate to grow out of the shade. As a result leaves underneath the canopy are in shade and do not produce sugars. Instead they receive energy from the plant, emit moisture and block airflow. For all of these reasons they are a detriment to the plant, which will do better without them.

46 GREEN DRAGON TINCTURE

PYRETHRUM

What is “The Green Dragon”? How is it made? STARWARSFAN

How long is pyrethrum toxic to humans? I sprayed some plants three times with it to control mites on plants that had just started flowering and am concerned that they will be toxic even if I stop using this pesticide now. Does pyrethrum break down and if it does how long does it take? Will this crop be OK to use? RICK RITCH

Green Dragon is a liquid concentrate that is made from leaf or bud. It is made by soaking dried marijuana in alcohol for several weeks at room temperature or speeding up the process by heating the alcohol to about 21° for about an hour. Here’s the recipe: 1.) Grind the leaf or bud. Use about 30 grams leaf or 5 grams bud in 250 cc’s alcohol. 2.) Heat leaf or bud in a 40° oven until it is crisp. This decarboxalates the inactive THCA(acid) molecule, which releases water and CO2, and becomes the psycho-active THC. By keeping the temperature relatively low, the terpenes, the odor molecules, which also give marijuana its “ personality”, are preserved, rather than evaporated. 3.) Optional Step- Soak the grass in cold water. The chlorophyll and other water solubles dissolve in the water and are removed so they won’t dis solve into the alcohol solution. 4.) Soak the marijuana in high proof alcohol such as 90% grain neutral spirits or over-proof rum (150 proof). DO NOT USE RUBBING OR ISOPROPL ALCOHOL. IT IS POISONOUS AND OFTEN CAUSES BLINDNESS. Soak at room temperature or a little warmer for three weeks in a glass container. Keep the solution in the dark.

Pyrethrum is a natural pesticide made from the dried flowers of C. cinerarifolium, a member of the daisy family that is closely related to chrysanthemums. It has been used as a pesticide for plants and gardens, stored foods and for humans and livestock for hundreds of years in its native area, Dalmatia, the northern Caucasus. Today, 90% of the pyrethrum we use is grown in Kenya. The chemical pyrethrin is obtained from the seeds found in the dried flowers by soaking them in water. Pyrethrin is both toxic and repellant to all insects. It works by opening their sodium ion channels, which regulate their nerve signaling. As a result the neurons fire continuously, which fatigues and inactivates the affected muscles. In quantities that they are likely to encounter it, pyrethrum is safe for most wildlife including birds and mammals. It is toxic to fish and marine invertebrates and is harmful to amphibians and reptiles. Natural pyrethrum biodegrades in the presence of sunlight and oxygen in a few days. Pyrethrum has been used agriculturally, for personal hygiene (de-licing) and as an insect repellant for a long time. It is considered one of the safest pesticides available. In fact, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture considers it the safest.

If you are using the cooking method, raise the temperature to 70° and soak the solution for about an hour. Alcohol boils at about 78° so the temperature should remain below that to prevent vapors. Use an electric, rather than a gas appliance to heat the alcohol. Use a cooking thermometer to check temperature of the liquid. Indoors use a stove with an overhead hood. 5.) Remove the marijuana from the liquid using a coffee filter. 6.) The Green Dragon solution is ready to be used as is or it can be refined and concentrated.

There are some precautions that should be taken when using it. According to the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services Hazardous Substances Fact Sheet (Rev. 2002) and similar fact-sheets, it should be used with caution. First, avoid breathing either the dust or spray because low exposures can irritate the lungs, resulting in coughing and wheezing. High exposure can affect the nervous system, resulting in headache, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and restlessness. It can also cause an allergic reaction on the skin. Subsequent low dose exposure can cause rashes and itching. It can also cause an allergy with asthma-like symptoms that include coughing, wheezing and chest tightness. These symptoms are rare with occasional use, but become more serious with frequent or continual exposure.

To concentrate it gently raise the temperature to about 78° so the liquid simmers and evaporates.

As a safety precaution cover your body completely by wearing a long sleeve shirt, gloves, hat, and goggles. A respirator or at least a mask also reduces exposure. These measures are more important when pyrethrum is applied indoors, and the vapors are more likely to linger.

One way to refine it so the non-oil solubles are separated from the psychoactive THC and terpenes is to add a small amount of petroleum ether (which is a restricted chemical in some jurisdictions) and some water to the alcohol in a wide mouthed jar. Shake or stir the jar or bottle. Three layers will emerge. The water level absorbs the water solubles such as chlorophyll and other pigments so it turns dark green. The alcohol layer is pale green. The petroleum ether selectively solubilizes the THC and terpenes but remains fairly clear. Let it sit out and you will be left with a gooey oil that is extremely potent. Another idea is to add the concentrate to some alcohol and let it sit in open air for a few hours, The petroleum ether will evaporate leaving a purified alcohol solution.

Some pyrethrum products are formulated with an additive, piperonyl butoxide (PBO). It is a pesticide synergist that works by inhibiting insects’ detoxification mechanism, thus making the pesticide more effective. Tests show that repeated exposure during pregnancy results in lower mental development of infants. For this and pyrethrum’s own effects, pregnancy should preclude application or exposure. Pyrethrum with PBO is not considered organic. Pyrethroids are synthetic versions of pyrethrum. They are more persistent because they resist breakdown from sunlight and oxygen better than the original. They are usually formulated with PBO to increase their effectiveness. They are more likely to cause adverse reactions in mammals, including humans, but are less harmful to reptiles.

There are many ways to use Green Dragon. My favorite way is to use a dropper to release drops under my tongue, sublingually. The solution is quickly absorbed through the mucous membranes in the mouth and gets into the blood stream very quickly providing me with a “smoking-it” type high within a few minutes. I have also used it in drinks and placed drops on food. They go through the digestive system, which changes the chemistry a little and gives you an “eating-it” type of high.

ROOT APHIDS I have been battling root aphids. I have watered with nematodes twice in two weeks. Now the aphids are walking around on the floor but they are still in the root zone. I set a pyrethrum fogger to take care of the exposed live aphids. I am about to water the soilless planting mix with Botanigard. Then in two days add more nematodes. Do you have any suggestions? DAN Most of your efforts are effective. Beneficial nematodes attack most soil dwelling insects. Use pyrethrum as a drench, rather than as a spray or a bomb. This way it gets directly to the insects. Botanigard contains spores of Beauveria bassiana strain GHA. This fungus attacks soft-bodied insects, causing their deaths. It can also be applied as a drench. All three of these treatments can be used concurrently to attack the pests. Botanigard is available in an organic formulation called sold under the name, Mycotrol A. The pesticide “Ed Rosenthal’s Zero Tolerance” is an herbal mixture that is often used for root pests. It is also effective.

These buds are weeks away from full ripeness. Picking them now would be like harvesting green peaches.

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49 HERMAPHRODITES FOR FEMINIZED SEED

SNAILS

I am under the impression that to get feminized seeds you cross a hermaphrodite with a female. But I have also heard that about 50% (or so) of those crossed seeds will be hermaphrodite plants and would have to be pulled anyway if an all-female crop was wanted. J.D.

I am having a problem with snails. I am looking for an organic remedy to protect my garden from them. Is there anything I can use without wasting my precious beer? MARSHALL WALDEN

There are several methods of producing feminized seeds, but using hermaphrodites is not a fruitful method. About half the plants will be hermaphrodites and they are harder to detect than males. There are several methods for creating all female seeds. One way is to let buds ripen. Sometimes a few male flowers appear just as the buds ripen. These flowers, which are harmless because the bud is about to be harvested, contain viable pollen that only has female genetics. Be carefully collecting the pollen and using a watercolor brush to pollinate select buds you can produce a small number of seeds. The second method, and the method used commercially by marijuana seed breeders uses silver containing chemicals silver nitrate and/or silver thiosulfate to chemically alter sexual expression. The resulting male flowers have only female genetics so the resulting seeds produce only female plants. The process is described in more detail in the new edition of Marijuana Grower’s Handbook.

There are a number of things you can do to protect your garden without too much effort. First, remove hiding places that are attractive to them and where they are likely to hang out. They are active at night and on foggy and rainy days. During the day they enjoy a cool moist area such as under boards, and in holes along fences, in debris or tall ground covers. Removing these spaces from the garden makes it far less attractive to them. On the other hand, creating specific moist spaces where they like to congregate can make hand trapping easy. A few boards in the shade or some watermelon rinds make excellent temporary shelters. Once they are apprehended they can be drowned or stepped on and then thrown into the compost left in the garden. Since they are attracted to moist areas, it is best to water early in the day so the surface has a chance to dry off. Using drip rather than watering large areas limits their territory somewhat. Beer or a combination of sugar, water and yeast attract the mollusks. To implement the plan dig a little hole and place the container top at soil level. Fill it half way with the beer or sugar-water solution and wait till evening. The creatures will sense the odor and make snaillines to it, fall in and drown. The snail pub is effective for a radius of about two feet so your garden may require a number of local protective cups.

TINCTURES In medical states many vendors produce tinctures for sale in dispensaries. Sub-lingual tincture are fast acting, easy to use and unobtrusive. Here a patient is self-titrating.

MESSED UP FLOWERING CYCLE The lights in my garden were supposed to be on a 12/12 light cycle for the last 40 days. Yesterday I went into the room and noticed that I had knocked off a segment on the timer so the light was on for 8 hours, off for 15 min and then back on for 3hours 45 minutes. The buds are not growing and the leaves look twisted and weird. The buds have not gotten any larger for 3 weeks. The white hairs are dying on most of the top flowers. If I put them back under the proper light cycle now, will they be OK or should I pull them? VINCE Plants measure the number of hours of uninterrupted darkness, not the number of hours of light. The small interruption of the light cycle was not long enough to affect the plants’ flowering. All it did was stop photosynthesis because of lack of light. According to your calculations, the plants were getting a total of 12 hours uninterrupted darkness so their flowering should be quite normal. However your description of the leaves and the lack of growth leads me to believe that there were other problems with the light cycle, in which the dark period was interrupted with light early or late in the cycle each day. I would try to salvage the harvest by making sure the timer is working correctly and the plants are getting 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness each day beginning at the same time. The buds will exhibit a little more growth, and then they ripen up within the next 30 days.

The two easiest ways to protect the garden from snails is using copper mesh or powdered iron phosphate. Snails and slugs secrete a slime that helps them move. Researchers think that the copper reacts with the slime electrically and disrupts their nervous systems. Copper flashing, screen or soil can be used around a garden or raised bed perimeter or placed around trays of seedlings or containers with young susceptible plants. If you are placing it around a raised bed or garden perimeter try to eliminate the population from the protected area. The barrier traps any crawlers that are in the enclosed area. Iron phosphate powder is widely available under two brand names, Slug-Go and Escar-Go. Scatter the powder all around the area you are protecting. When The mollusks come in contact with it they stop feeding and go to hiding places to die in private. It is pet safe, can be used in organic gardens and is very effective. A single treatment sometimes lasts an entire season and it is economical enough to use to protect large areas.

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MUSIC REVIEWS

By Kaz Peet

Run Tingz Cru ft. Topcat, Blackout J.A & Lady MC Summer Time EP RUN TINGZ RECORDINGS Fixed up and looking sharp, this budding, homegrown collective from Bristol are set to take the world by storm. Established in 2010 by G. Tactix and LXP, Run Tingz Recordings showcases and represents a unique style of reggae influenced jungle and drum n bass music that is fresh, edgy and jammed full of positive vibration. This fourth release from the stable is a sun drenched, double A side – just in time to lively up the dance for the summer festival season. ‘Sweet Sunshine’ features the original ganja smoking herbman hustling, sensimilla smuggling…one and only Topcat! Toasting his unmistakable style over another reggae soaked Run Tingz riddim; this energetic track is reminiscent of sweet summer ravers’ brocking out on the beaches. The bubbling bass line on the flipside showcases the labels very own Blackout J.A and the award winning female artist Lady MC, with a lovers-rock infused drum n bass number. The infectious melody in ‘I Got Love 4U’ really sets of the charm in this summery swinger and is already blazing up dance floors across the globe.

Creation Rebel Starship Africa ONU SOUND Re-released as part of the ongoing 30th anniversary celebrations of the On-U Sound label, Creation Rebel’s Starship Africa is the greatest sci-fi dub soundtrack never put to film. Produced and arranged by Adrian Sherwood and created by some of the greats from the On-U stable of musicians (including Doctor Pablo, Crucial Tony, Style Scott and Eskimo Fox), it is one of the finest moments of British Dub. Compared to acts as far afield as Tangerine Dream and the Grateful Dead, Starship Africa is a truly psychedelic dub experience, spread over just two tracks (albeit broken down into five- and four movements apiece), that stands among the most intriguing of Sherwood’s early work. This album is a criminally underrated masterpiece and essential headphone listening. ORIGINALLY RELEASED ON THE LABEL IN 1982, THIS NEW EDITION ALSO INCLUDES FOUR BONUS TRACKS PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED OUTSIDE OF JAPAN. DON YA LIDS, BUILD UP A BIGGEE AND SPACE RIGHT OUT!

THIS RELEASE IS GUARANTEED TO GET THE MAN DEM BOUNCING AND GAL FAM GRINDING – A SUMMER ESSENTIAL!

Jazzsteppa Hyper Nomads

The Deptford Beach Babes Sunbathing On A Vinyl Floor RIM RECORDS This second album from The Deptford Beach Babes is a fully flavoured lick of South London exotica. Preferring to ride the crest of a wave rather than merely treading the sidewalk, these bold pioneers reveal the previously unexplored link between the Californian seashore and the streets of Deptford. Drawing upon other sways along the way, fabulous surf guitar and rocking bass lines mingle deliciously in a heady atmosphere created by gypsy drama, flamenco passion, blues yen, a hint of Middle Eastern promise and pure, unadulterated rock n roll. Jane Ruby, the glamorous, bee-hived babe fronting the infamous Naked Ruby, particularly shines in ‘Floored’, a lamenting, yet having it little number.

STUDIO ROCKERS Jazzsteppa’s release their debut album-‘Hyper Nomads’ on the Studio Rockers label. The album features three of the standout tracks from their previous singles along with 12 brand new tunes, interspersed with several cheeky skits. This electrifying LP advances the duo’s unique and masterful ability to both fuse and transcend genre boundaries, blending the perennial vibes of dub, blues, swing, acoustic, big-band and Dixie-land flavours with the rhythmic contagion of contemporary dubstep and electronic music. An internationally acclaimed electronic music duo, Jazzsteppa combine cutting edge digital production with acoustic instruments. Fusing hard-core rave sounds with Dixieland, jazz and blues, to create a unique brand of dance music. Forming in 2007, the outfit has also pioneered the live dubstep sound. Their own label has pushed up and coming artists such as Borgore (Tel Aviv) and Tomb Crew (UK) into the limelight, and regularly collaborates with other major players in the dance music world, with a co-release with revered UK imprint, Ninja Tune imminent.

THIS QUIFF QUIVERING, TIMELESS MUSIC WILL CONTINUE TO WASH A SURE TIDE OF SORROW ERODING, FOOT STOMPING FUN AND FRIVOLITY WHEREVER IT IS PLAYED – ROCKING UP SUN SOAKED AND DISTANT GOLDEN SANDS OR A NICOTINE STAINED PUB IN THESE OLDEN LANDS.

‘HYPER NOMADS’, A SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENT OF MUSICAL AMALGAMATION, AS NOT ONLY THE GENUS BUT ALSO THE GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE OF MELODIC AND HARMONIOUS INTERSECTION MAKE FOR A SUCCESSIVE COLLECTION OF EUPHONIOUS TRIUMPHS, PRODUCE AN INFECTIOUS AND ADDICTIVE ALBUM THAT IMPROVES WITH EVERY LISTEN.

DJ Shakra & Mandjou Koné Wamian - DJ Shakra Maian Mix GARDEN HOUSE RECORDS Released on 12” vinyl, this latest project from San Francisco-based Audiokin Design is destined to inspire and uplift the dance floors across both clubs and festivals this summer, and beyond. A collaboration between Malian singer Mandjou Koné and master percussionist Ben Issacs (co-written, produced and arranged by David Jenkins) the song is dedicated to Mandjou’s great great great grandfather who was the ‘Michael Jackson of Mali’. Wamian reportedly lived until he was over 120 years old. Mandjou Koné was born and raised in West Africa in the countries of Mali and Burkina Faso. She was born into the Konés, a well-known Griot family. The Griot people of West Africa are world renowned for their unique ability to record events carefully and accurately, passing history from one generation to the next. One cannot learn to become a Griot; rather one is born into it, along with the responsibility to preserve the culture. As a young girl, Mandjou assisted her Griot father in keeping his band alive by singing, dancing and playing instruments like the djembe, bala, dundun, kora and tama. She also danced and performed with the National Ballet of Burkina Faso. With her brother’s group Surutukunu, Mandjou toured Europe extensively as lead singer; she was then invited to come to the United States to help translate a documentary about the last 40 years of her family’s musical tradition and history. The film, entitled Great Great Great Grandparents’ Music, went on to win several awards from the Pan-African movie world. A PROPELLING AND DELICIOUSLY DEEP ACID BASS LINE, AIDED BY DEFTLY SHAPED ELECTRONICA, FLOWS NATURALLY AND EFFORTLESSLY WITH TRADITIONAL PERCUSSION (SUCH AS THE BALAPHON) CREATING SHIMMERING WAVES OF RHYTHM. THE POTENTLY BEAUTIFUL VOICE OF MANDJOU BLOWS SURE WIND TO THE SAILS. WHILE IT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE, FOR SOME YEARS AT LEAST, TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY HER WORDS, THE ESSENCE OF THIS COMPELLING AND REMARKABLE AFRICAN PAST REVERBERATES THROUGHOUT THE SONG, TRIGGERING POWERFUL VISUAL IMAGES AND A FEELING OF HAPPINESS AND HARMONY. Including two monster remixes by B. Smiley and DJ Majitope along with a dub mix from DJ Shakra, this is a sonic connection to our archaic phuture!

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GROW REPORT

FROM SEA OF GREEN TO JUNGLE!

Grow Diary Mataró Blue: Part One It was that time again! The jars were getting empty and the summer getting closer, time to get the grow on before the hot weather really kicked in and made cultivating indoors a little trickier. After visiting the Spannabis Expo in Barcelona earlier in the year, I picked up a few different strains that I had heard about and I was keen to get some of By Little Lebowski those Spanish seeds wet! The Strain From the four or so packs that I picked up in Barca, the Mataró Blue from Kannabia was most tempting. A three way cross between one of the seed bank’s most indica rich blueberries, an original Afghan Mazar and a Black Domina – one of my personal favourites; I was expecting strong, resinous buds and a pretty big hit. This would be one to look forward to!

Extraction: 8inch RVK fan and an 8inch Carbon Filter. A little bit overkill, but it was leftover from an earlier two light, 1200 watt grow. I used a speed controller to drop the fan speed down to about 70%, more to kill the noise than the actual rate of air exchange – I always thought the more air exchange, the better - but it

The MG and PK additives are even more concentrated than the nutes, with a starting dose of 0.25ml per litre and finishing at 0.5ml. They are much more concentrated than any other liquids I have used, so I would need to keep my wits about me. No smokes before feeding, I didn’t want to get these measurements wrong!! From reading the Kannabia website, the Mat Blue can handle heavily fertilisation. Sounded like a good match. The compost used was Special Mix Light. As the name suggests, this is the lighter, less fertilised version of Gold Label Special Mix – the well known, heavily fertilised compost – one that I have used a few times with nice results. The less fertilised

MASSIVE FAN LEAVES! rates, but they are certainly not essential – so if you are just starting out and are a bit cash strapped, concentrate on a decent light and extraction set up.

LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT MY SEA OF GREEN WAS ABOUT TO TURN INTO A JUNGLE!

The Set Up I decided on a sea of green grow as the shortened veg time would hopefully mean I would get my harvest in before the hot summer months arrived. For those that aren’t familiar, the sea of green technique is where you fill your grow room with plants spaced close together and flower them early (within one to three weeks), this theory being that you get a decent harvest from a lot of smallish plants – that’s the theory anyway! The current grow room is towards the top of the house and the warmer temperatures can be a problem, this made me steer towards soil. I know that growing hydro in warmer temps is certainly possible, but I fancied less maintenance for this outing and it had been a while since I had a got my hands dirty! The rest of the set up was as follows; Environment: HOMEbox Original Tent, one metre square size. I installed an 8inch oscillating fan to keep the air in the tent moving around.

sounds like a vacuum cleaner in the tent! However, the good thing about it is that I could always up the air exchange if the weather turned warm. Lighting: 600 watt dual spectrum HPS with a euro reflector and magnetic ballast – cheap and cheerful, but all you need really! Nutrients and Compost: This one would be a full Gold Label soil grow as a good mate of mine passed me a few bottles from their new nutrient line to try. This comprises of; - Roots – concentrated root stimulator, looks like treacle and smells nice and organic. - Soil A+B – the base nutes, pretty concentrated dosage rate that start at just 0.5ml per litre and finishes at 3ml per litre - Ultra MG – the growth stimulator, used at the end of the veg stage and continued into flowering. - Ultra PK – the bloom stimulator, used for the last 5 to 7 weeks of flowering.

TUNE IN NEXT ISSUE FOR THE FLOWERING JUNGLES PICTURES!

mix is certainly very light and fluffy and gave more control over the amounts of nutrient that the Mataró’s would be receiving – very handy considering the concentration levels of the liquids!

Propagation and Vegetative Period Ten feminised seeds went into some wet tissue paper and straight into the airing cupboard where they had the wet, warm and dark environment that they needed to germinate. Three days was all the girls needed to crack and from there they went into small - 3 inch - pots filled with the light mix and into an unheated propagator. I kept things pretty simple with this grow; no propagation cubes, heated propagators or even a cfl propagation light, I just used the HPS lamp from the start and kept it around 30 inches from the top of the propagator. There is no doubt that specific propagation equipment will improve your success

I let the seedlings get established for a couple of days then added some of the root stimulator on the first feed, there is some nutrient added to the light mix, so there was no need to add any additional until the first pot up. The Mat’s really seemed to like the root stim – and the amount of light they were getting from such a young age - they were sitting a good 6 inches tall a week after the first feed; time to be potted up into the larger square pots. After two and a half weeks of vegging the Mat’s underwent some incredible lateral growth – we’re talking fan leaves the size of my forearm! They were only around 10 inches tall, but had just packed on girth and were ready to be switched to flower; all was going good, little did I know that my sea of green was about to turn into a jungle! Keep an eye open for part 2 in the next Soft Secrets to check out the flowering, harvest and – most importantly – the smoke report!

THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS! THEY’RE ESCAPING FROM THE TENT!

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ADVANCED INDOOR GROWING

Light, Wavelengths and Intensity Light is one of the most important aspects to a successful garden, and serious growers should understand at least the basics. by Grubbycup Light Light is energy specifically; it is a form of electromagnetic radiation. The two components of light are the electric and the magnetic fields, which are set at right angles to each other. These fields are synchronized together and collectively are known as an electromagnetic field. Electromagnetic radiation travels in a wave from a source.

Wavelength Although the speed of the wave is constant, the frequency or wavelength is not. The speed at which the same point on the wave passes by a point in space is the frequency. The distance between wave crests is its wavelength. A wavelength is literally the length of the wave. Even though specific numbers are often used as a boundary, electromagnetic waves are a gradient. Where one color starts being a different color is more an approximation than a hard line. The order of longest to shortest wavelengths is: radio waves, infrared (heat), visible light, ultraviolet, x-rays and gamma rays. The human eye only uses a small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum to see. These wavelength of visible light are between about 790 and 390 nanometers. This visible light is further broken down into colors. The long wavelength end of the visible light spectrum is perceived as red, and at the short end of the spectrum is violet. Approximate values by color: Red 700-625nm Orange 624-600nm Yellow 599-670nm Green 569-500nm Blue 499-465nm Indigo 464-426nm Violet 425-400nm Light waves slightly too long to be red are called infrared, wavelengths slightly too short to be violet are called ultraviolet. Objects appear to be the color of the light they reflect. If all colors are absorbed by a leaf except for green, then the leaf will appear green. The wavelength of the electromagnetic field determines its color if visible, or its type if not. Photosynthesis in plants makes best use of light with wavelengths from peaks at the red, blue and violet bands. Chlorophyll a is the blue-green pigment in plants,

“PERSONAL SECURITY: KEEP IT TIGHT“

and two peaks of absorption occur at 665nm (red) and 465nm (violet-indigo). Chlorophyll b is the yellow-green pigment in plants, and absorbs light at two peaks of 640nm (red) and 450nm (indigo-blue). The valley between the two spikes – between 600 and 500nm (the green and green-yellow bands) – is not used as much, and is reflected by the plant. An ideal light source should supply wavelengths including 665-640nm (red) and 465-450nm (indigo). A rule of thumb is that ‘cool’ lights lean toward the blueviolet side, and ‘warm’ lights tend toward the red-orange side.

Intensity

A METAL HALIDE (MH) LAMP WILL GIVE OFF

Waves not only have length, but also have height, or amplitude. The greater the amplitude, the brighter the light. A light at 550nm will appear green, either dim at low intensity or bright at a high intensity; however, the color remains the same. The greater the intensity, the more energy is being transmitted. A lumen is the light of one candle. A lux is that light from one meter away spread over a square area one meter wide. A full moon on a clear night lights at about one lux; a well-lit indoor room is about 400 lux and bright sunlight is about 100,000 lux.

Lighting Efficiency Power comes from some source, such as a wall plug, and goes through a process to give off light. How much of this power is converted to useful light is the lighting efficiency. If the process produced 683 lumens per watt used, perfect efficiency would be achieved. Fire gives off light, but most of the energy is expressed in the infrared wavelengths, and therefore it is not well-suited for growing plants. Incandescent lighting has an efficiency of about six percent (10-30 lumens per watt). LEDs are also about six percent (2060 lumens per watt) efficient although in theory they could be made more efficient. Fluorescents measure at 10% (30100 lumens per watt), metal halides/MH around 14% (70-125 lumens per watt) and high pressure sodium/HPS at 15% (60-140 lumens per watt). The excess heat generated by lighting systems is often the largest source of waste heat in a garden.

Matching the Light to the Space One number that is often listed is the lumens, which includes all the light given off (including the less-used wavelengths), but at least it is an estimate with which to work. The amount of light that hits the plants drops off as an inverse square to the distance. At two meters, the lux is reduced to 25% and at three it is reduced to 11%.

“PIRATES OF THE HIGH SEEDS”

MORE OF A GREEN LIGHT THAN AN HPS

RED LIGHT HAS A LONGER

IF AN OBJECT REFLECTS GREEN LIGHT,

WAVELENGTH THAN BLUE LIGHT

THE OBJECT WILL APPEAR GREEN

A plant that is twice as far from the light source only receives a fourth of the light. A plant three times as far only receives a ninth. If a 400w bulb gives off 50,000 lumens in an area one meter to a side, then the bulb gives off 50,000 lux. These lights are used for areas .5m to 1m to a side. This same bulb could be used to light an area two meters on a side, but at only 12,500 lux to the plants. A 600w giving off 95,000 lumens at one meter still delivers only 23,750 lux at two. Good for 1-1.25m gardens.

OBJECTS AT TWICE THE DISTANCE ONLY RECEIVE A QUARTER OF THE LIGHT

A 1000w bulb may give off 130,000 lux which would be overkill for a one meter, but 32,500 lux over a two meter space is more reasonable. These are well-suited for gardens of 1.5m to a side. If you measure your grow space, you can draw out different scenarios until you find one you like. For example, in a space 1.5m x 3 m, two 1000w lights, two or three 600w lights or three 400w lights could be used as a general guideline. However, make sure you can deal with any waste heat the lights generate as cooked plants perform even worse than under-lit ones do. There are many factors involved in choosing the lights for an indoor garden; the better informed you make yourself, the better the chances are you’ll be happy with the results you get.

HIGH PRESSURE SODIUM (HPS) LIGHTS GIVE OFF A LOT OF ORANGE AND RED LIGHT, BUT NOT MUCH GREEN

LIGHT EMITTING DIODES (LEDS) CAN BE USED TO TARGET SPECIFIC WAVELENGTHS. THIS UNIT EMITS

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MOSTLY RED AND INDIGO LIGHT.

“HYDRO OVER HAND WATERING PART 4: AEROPONICS”

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SHOPREVIEWS

8 Ball Hydroponics Birmingham 8 Ball Hydroponics can be found in Halesowen, Birmingham. Tyran and Mark have over 10 years experience in horticulture and good advice is always available. 8 Ball Hydro’s immediate success can be seen in how within only 1 year they have already moved location to satisfy the growing demand for their services and product selection. The new shop is just down from their first premises and offers a discreet loading bay to the rear of the shop which is ideal for bulk orders. They provide a good quality, friendly and reliable service for all your indoor gardening and hobby needs and want to help you to begin growing plants of your choice in your own home. All Hydroponic equipment, extractor fans, grow trays, pots, lights are on sale, and

if they do not have it in store it will be ordered and in store within 48 hours. Nutrients on sale have been chosen to suit all requirements and the usual suspects are available to purchase: Canna, Atami, Plant Magic Plus, Vitalink and 8 Ball have exclusive distribution of ‘Ghetto Juice’ (ask in store for more details)! 8 Ball is always competitive on price so be sure to ask for price comparison.

8 Ball Hydropnics: 301 Long Lane, Halesowen, Birmingham B62 9LB (t) 0121 5599811 Opening Times: 10:00 – 18:00 (mon-sat)

Brit Crops Hydroponics Portsmouth Brit Crops Hydroponics is Portsmouth’s local hydroponics supplier, located on a small industrial estate with loads of free parking just north of the city centre, and minutes from the M27 and A3 motorways. Brit Crops view themselves as the pick of the Hampshire hydroponic shops and you can see why the minute you walk through the door. The Brit Crops shop is packed with the latest hydroponics equipment and supplies, and they offer a wide range of the leading name products at great prices! The store is well laid out with plenty of displays to wander around to see how various hydroponics systems work, as well as lighting set-ups, good soil selections, and stocks of nutrients. Brit Crops has only been established for a short period of time, yet already their wide product selection and value for

Brit Crops Hydroponics Unit 9 Oj’s Industrial Park, Claybank Road, Portsmouth, Hants PO3 5SX Tel: 02392 669 111 » www.britcropshydroponics.co.uk

money is difficult to beat in the south of England. Owner Mark has over 12 years of horticultural experience and is always happy to assist with any queries you may have. Nutrient ranges: Canna, Canadian Xpress, Advanced, Bio Bizz, House and Garden, Growth Technology, Plant Magic + and many more. Brit Crops is the ultimate BRITISH stockist for all your hydroponic requirements.

Hygrow Scunthorpe & Hull Hygrow 1, Scunthorpe was established in November 2009 and the business has gone from strength to strength providing good advice with great product selection. Due to the success of the first shop, Hygrow I – Unit C, 55 Sunningdale Road, South Park Industrial Estate, Scunthorpe DN17 2TW Tel: 01724 842212 Hygrow II – Unit 3, 30 Oslo Road, Suttonfields Industrial Estate, Hull HU7 0YN Tel: 01482 833455 The Head Shop – Unit 4, 30 Oslo Road, Suttonfields Industrial Estate, Hull HU7 0YN Tel: 01482 833643

Hygrow II has now been opened in Hull. If this wasn’t enough the owners have collaborated with well known companies to open a Head shop and can now cater for all the requirements of the modern day smoker, specialising in souvenir seeds. Every effort has been made to ensure the ‘grower’ has all the necessary equipment to begin their indoor/outdoor growing and should one shop not have what you need; you can almost guarantee the other will. The Hygrow brand is here to stay and have made sure that all the leading Brands are available and well stocked! They have exclusivity on Metrop, a leading nutrient brand from Holland. The owners are experienced horticulturists and are ‘official’ endorsers of Metrop so can offer great advice when using this

particular nutrient. Also in store the new ‘mini-max’ 150w digital ballasts.

10% off In-Store price’s when you buy on eBid!

INDEX OF ADS / COLOFON

Money Tree Hydroponics Hampshire Money Tree Hydroponics can be found just a short drive from Junction 3 of the A3(M) and under 15 minutes drive from the A27 Havant Bypass/A3 junction. The shop is in a great location on Furzehill Farm, just outside Waterlooville. It has one of the best logos in the Hydroponics Industry which reflects the clean, professional business standards the owner sets. This allows both the shop and website to provide a great level of service and product selection to make sure you can get the most out of your ‘home growing’. Money Tree Hydroponics Unit 6, Furzehill Farm, Sheepwash Lane, Waterlooville, Hampshire PO7 6TU Tel: 023 9225 0966 » www.moneytreehydro.co.uk

When you enter the shop, the layout and products available will suit all levels of growers from the beginner to the experienced. The owner has over 10 year’s horticultural experience which is always on hand if required. The shop is very well stocked and all hydroponic supplies are available: Ventilation and filters, trimming tools to grow lights including the NEW ultra efficient Mini Max 150 light! Grow room kits have been specially selected and can be delivered to your door. Grow tents and grow tent kits for all types of spaces from small to large. Nutrient ranges available are: Canna, Advanced, Bio-Bizz, House & Garden, Atami, Hesi and many more.

Cream Caramel, Sweet Seeds

Index of ads Name

Colofon Page

8 Ball Hydroponics 61 Advanced Seeds 17 Ashford Hydro 56 Atami 13 Atami 64 Attitude the 4 Aztec Garden 59 Big Stone River Indoor Garden Centre 59 Bio Nova 8 Bio-G-Power 63 Bristol Genuine Seed Bank 58 Brit Crops 61 Buddha Seeds Bank 10 Buddha Seeds Bank 41 Buddhas Tree 55 Bushman 58 Cheshire Hydroponics 55 Clever Green 1 Clockwork Horticulture 47 Crystals Coffeeshop 58 DavesHydroLand.com 61 Delicious Seeds 27 Devil’s Harvest Seed Company the 42 Dinafem Seeds 23 Distribuciones Marianas 24 Down to Earth Kent 56 Dr. Blooms Hydroponics 1 Dutch Passion Amsterdam 51 Dutch Passion Maastricht 51 Ed Rosenthal 44 Essex Hydro-Garden 58 Eva Female Seeds 24 Flash Seeds 53 Green Fever 58 Green Planet 48 Gro-Rite Hydroponics 58 Grow 2 Go 61 Grow Green 59 Grow World Hydroponics 61 Growers Shop the 59 Growing Underground 25 Hayzee Hydro 28 Head 2 Head 58 Hesi 1 Hesi 2 Hockley Hydro 15 Hydro Lab 55 Hygrow II 53 Jorge Cervantes 38 Libertarian 53 Medical Seeds 35 Money Tree Hydroponics 51 Mycologics 59 Nirvana 20 Odyssey Hydro 61 One Love Hydroponics 58 Paradise Seeds 47 Plagron 32-33 Plant Magic Plus 7 Procare 59 Pyramid Seeds 48 Rapid Roots 1 Red Eye Jungle 56 Royal Queen Seeds 29 SamSara Seeds 37 Seedmadness 11 Seeds of Life 49 Smokin Vinyl 61 Southern Hydro Centre 59 Sweet Seeds 14 TGC Trading 53 Triangle Hydroponics 59 UK GroWorks 51 UK Skunkworks 56 Urban Jungle Hydro 55 Wellingborough Hydroponics 61 World of Seeds 37

Soft Secrets is published by Discover Publisher BV P.O.Box 362, 5460 AJ, Veghel, Netherlands Telephone: +31-(0)73-5498112 Fax: +31-(0)73-5479732 E-mail: uk@softsecrets.nl Editor: Cliff Cremer Contributors: Ed Rosenthal, Jorge Cervantes, Jules Marshall, Lazystrain, Dr. John Dee, Grubbycup, Little Lebowski, The Professor, Kaz Peet, Smokedout and others Translations: Jules Marshall Comics: Jim Stewart Editorial adress: Soft Secrets, P.O. Box 17250, 1001 JG, Amsterdam, Holland, E-mail: ssuk@softsecrets.nl Advertisements: James Telephone: +44 (0)751-4273810 E-mail: james@softsecrets.nl A word from the publisher: The UK government has embarked on a process of relative liberalisation towards the use of cannabis, and cannabis activists are engaged in broadening this engagement. Several local councils and police chiefs now actively support a Dutch-style coffeeshop system as a way of separating soft and hard drugs, as it has proven to do in Holland. Whether they are finding their way to new coffeeshops or growing for their personal supply, cannabis users are a menace to no one, and are causing no discernable social problem. Some politicians and commentators are calling for the outright legalisation of marihuana. Let’s wait and see how the debate develops during a period of relative peace between all sides of the argument. In the meantime, the publisher hopes Soft Secrets will show the public a positive side to the normalisation of cannabis use, and is anxious to offer a forum to both pro- and anti-legalisation advocates. This assumes that the publisher does not necessarily agree with everything that appears in articles and advertisements. The publisher therefore distances himself explicitly from published statements or images that might give the impression that an endorsement is being made for the use or production of cannabis. Nothing from this publication may be copied or reproduced in any format without prior permission from the publisher and other copyright holders. The publisher is not responsible for the content and/or point of view of advertisements. The editors take no responsibility for unsolicited submissions.

Next issue out: August 26, 2011

The T eb bling ing bling b ng for fo your your p plants nts

! ATAMI B.V. 3

3 ! 3 !!! 3 T.