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Atomical Haze ® In this issue:
BHO (Butane Honey Oil) ›› 8
Amsterdam to call for legalised marijuana cultivation The Amsterdam city council is urging the national government to give local authorities the power to allow legal marijuana protection to supply coffee shops/cannabis cafes. A majority of city councillors have voted in favour of the plan, which they say would remove the criminal element from the supply chain. Currently, the city’s so-called coffee shops are licensed to sell small amounts of marijuana and cannabis for personal use. And while possession is not legal, the police turn an official blind eye to people having less than five grammes. But the shops are largely supplied by big drugs traders and the council wants to set up its own plantations to keep out the criminal element. The city councils in Groningen, Utrecht and Rotterdam have already made similar pleas.
Outdoor UK 2013 ›› 28
Nevertheless, the likelihood of this happening is virtually zero because justice minister Ivo Opstelten is totally opposed to the idea, local newspaper the Parool pointed out. He argues it would break not only current Dutch drugs laws but international and EU treaties as well.
Travel report: Belize ›› 49
Issue 2 - 2013
At the beginning of April it emerged that the ruling VVD and Labour party are divided on plans to get tough on ‘grow-
in both houses of parliament to ensure the proposal becomes law without the Labour party.
shops’, shops where supplies for growing marijuana are sold - mainly to private individuals. The VVD wants to continue with the previous government’s plans to make ‘preparations and enabling illegal marijuana cultivation’ a criminal offence. Most opposition parties back the proposal, meaning there is enough support
VVD parliamentarian Ard van der Steur said the new law would make it difficult to supply coffee shops but that parliament should not ignore opportunities to tackle organised crime. At the moment, the police are powerless to act if they find a building kitted out to grow marijuana, complete with lamps and watering systems, but no plants, he said. ‘The new law will make this possible.’ Source: dutchnews.nl
3
Dutch Passion have given a pleasant surprise to the outdoor growing community with the news that AutoFrisian Dew is now available. The original Frisian Dew has been one of the most successful outdoor varieties in recent years so the auto version will be popular with outdoor and greenhouse growers of all kinds. AutoFrisian Dew uses Dutch Passion’s proven Frisian Dew genetics to give a tough and mould resistant variety which takes 10-11 weeks from seed to harvest. Plants usually reach around 1 metre tall, with a strong main bloom and lots of good quality cannabis. AutoFrisian Dew is described as a strong and hardy variety, an auto that has been bred specifically for the outdoor grower. In Southern Europe she can be planted outdoors in April. More Northerly growers from the UK and Scandinavia should wait until May before putting her in a sunny outdoor location or greenhouse. Dutch Passion describe AutoFrisian Dew as their “preferred auto for outdoor growers, our toughest and most resilient auto yet” AutoFrisian Dew has taken 2 years to create with all the breeding work and selection taking place in Holland. “It was one of those varieties that the outdoor growing community have been telling us to create for several years. We had numerous requests to produce and release AutoFrisian Dew, finally we are satisfied with the result. AutoFrisian is a reliable producer of an early-season outdoor harvest” explained Dutch Passion. AutoFrisian Dew seeds are available only in feminized form. www.dutch-passion.nl
AutoFrisian Dew
Legal Marijuana Sales In USA Set To Quadruple By 2018
U.S. legal marijuana sales are projected to hit $1.5 billion this year, and that could look like nothing in just a few years. Data from Medical Marijuana Business Daily shows that total sales could quadruple to $6 billion by 2018 on the back of legalization efforts in Washington and Colorado, as well as the growing medical marijuana industry.
Such growing support has led marijuana-tied businesses to pitch their companies to Wall Street investors, the Los Angeles Times reported in March. Take Vincent Mehdizadeh, founder of MedBox, an automated weed dispensing machine company. He’s seeking $20 million from investors in anticipation of potential expansion.
The two states both legalized the recreational use of weed in November. Elsewhere, 18 states and Washington, D.C. have made medical marijuana legal, while 10 others have formal measures pending to legalize medical marijuana, according to the National Cannabis Industry Association.
“Everybody’s loosening up a lot because they realize the momentum has shifted and the financial world is going to have to make room for this industry,” Mehdizadeh told the LAT. “Wall Street and investment banks are going to have to come along for the ride, eventually.”
That’s reflective of a wider acceptance of the drug. A recent Pew Research Center poll discovered a majority of Americans support pot legalization for the first time in more than four decades. As many as 52 percent of Americans support legalizing weed — 45 percent do not — and nearly three-fourths say the amount of money spent enforcing marijuana usage laws is not worth the cost.
Thinking about investing in the marijuana industry yourself? Be sure to keep the risks in mind. It was reported last year that 500 of the estimated 3,000 U.S. marijuana dispensaries either had been closed by the government or shut down in the past year.
Source: Huffington Post (NY)
top quality made easy.
pass it on!
Check out our website www.plagron.com for tips&tricks
5
Attention Readers! Fancy a FREE packet of FEMINISED seeds from ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS? 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 Royal Queen Seeds! E-mail your entries to SSUK@softsecrets.nl. 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!
E-mail: SSUK@softsecrets.nl
What a fitting image for the start of our outdoor season. They’re some good looking outdoor nuggets. Hope this gives you readers something to aspire to… in more ways than one!
6
Outdoor growing, Spanish style; just look at those beauties! We may not have a hot climate, like our Spanish brothers, but outdoor growing in the UK is getting more and more popular. Go find yourself a secluded spot and get your guerrilla grow on!
PRODUCT FLASH DUTCH PASSION INCREASES PRODUCTION OF CBD SKUNKHAZE In 2012 Dutch Passion announced their collaboration with the CBD Crew in order to offer CBD SkunkHaze. This is a new breeding project which allows CBD to be present at similar levels to THC and results in a very satisfying ‘stone’ which is proving as popular with recreational growers as it is with medical growers. The ratio of CBD:THC is approximately 1:1 and the pot produced gives a deeply enjoyable experience which is felt to be particularly useful to medical users. The ‘high’ is pleasurable yet not too intense. Definitely a good stone, but a little different to what most people are used to with a somewhat different cerebral element. However, the initial volumes of CBD seed produced were only enough to supply the Dutch Passion website sales. But a recent substantial increase in production of CBD seeds has been successful, the CBD SkunkHaze is now available to all the Dutch Passion resellers/dealers with immediate effect.
In response to numerous requests from their customers and re-sellers Dutch Passion have added a 25-seed packet of feminized Skunk#11 to their collection. The 25-seed pack comes in response to those that wanted a bulk-buy option at an affordable price. Dutch Passion chose Skunk#11 as it was their first variety to sell a million seeds, it is a very consistent and stable skunk selection that delivers good yields of very strong pot. It is also famously easy to grow. “This is a great value pack, 25 seeds of a top quality hassle-free variety, get them while you can” said Dutch Passion from their Amsterdam head office.
DUTCH PASSION UPGRADE SEVERAL AUTOFEM VARIETIES Dutch Passion has upgraded the performance and quality of three of their original AutoFem varieties. Taiga and Tundra become Taiga#2 and Tundra#2. PolarLight#2 becomes PolarLight#3. “The upgrades are important to our customers” explained Dutch Passion “It completes a top quality AutoFem range which has something to offer to every grower. Whether you want taste, yield, a top quality ‘high’ or all of these.”
Dutch Passion are also hinting that they will have more announcements to make in the coming months regarding a possible new CBD variety. We will keep you informed as we hear more.
Dutch Passion continue to invest heavily in AutoFem breeding, claiming that many of their customers now routinely grow AutoFem’s alongside traditional varieties and achieve similar results in terms of quality. “If you haven’t grown a modern AutoFem then you will be amazed at how good they have become, just as good as traditional varieties” claimed Dutch Passion.
www.dutch-passion.nl
www.dutch-passion.nl
8
EXTRACTING
From BHO to Budder Thanks to the guys from Growland in Spain, who opened their doors to us to share their experiences and knowledge, we are going to learn how to perform a butane cannabinoid extraction. Growland is a specialised flower shop – that is, a grow shop – that opened in Madrid with the desire to add something positive to the cannabis community. These guys have specialised in extractions and are happy to teach all they know to anyone who wants to learn. And we don’t mean classic dry or ice pollen extraction, nor the modern NitroHash technique... we’re referring to pure cannabis oils: a delight for the palate, a crazy rush Miky Pérez and an unbeatable medicinal effect!
Tavern with all the necessary material and equipment Summing up, BHO (Butane Honey Oil) is a cannabinoid extraction carried out by making butane flow through marijuana. The liquid that comes out after the components have been mixed, when the gas has completely evaporated, leaves a residue that is as breakable as the most fragile glass when it’s cold and is identical to honey (in colour, texture and density) when it’s hot – hence its name.
For this BHO extraction, we used the following tools: a steel tube, which can also be made out of a different material or even surgical steel, but as far as quality-price ratio goes, Growland recommends a steel tube (diameter or length only change the quantity of weed and butane to consume); a 50-micron steel mesh screen covering one end of our tube and some kind of clamp to fasten it (never use rubber bands, as butane dissolves them); a rubber cap with an opening in the centre for the diameter of our tube; butane – it’s easiest just to use gas cylinders for refilling cigarette lighters (the quality of our extraction will depend on the quality of the gas we
Painting the surface with gas and cannabinoids
use); two pots to cook in a bain marie – they must fit one inside the other (it’s best to use glass pans); some blades or cutters to collect our oil easily and conveniently. This is the basic material needed to carry out a good-quality extraction but, as we already mentioned, we’re also going to learn how to make budder, which means we’ll also be using a couple of machines to clean it – a small vacuum pump connected to a desiccator and a Petri dish (a small scientific glass plate) to place the extracted material on for cleaning.
The extraction process Now everything we need is set out and our raw material is ready. As far as weed goes, we don’t really have to use buds of the highest quality (although the higher the quality, the better the result); we can also use remains or dry cuttings from our own plants. We pack as much weed as will fit without too much pressing into the tube, cover it and place it in the freezer for an hour. If the tube is metal, we have to use gloves or cloths to hold it, after freezing and during the extraction process. Then we heat the water until it boils for our bain marie with glass pans; once they’re in position and hot, we can begin the extraction process. We connect the gas cylinder with its corresponding mouthpiece to our tube’s rubber cap and aim the other end
olive oil) which makes it much easier to adjust the specific dose for each patient in order to obtain only the desired effects without risking noticeable psychoactive effects (in other words, to avoid hallucinations). On the other hand, this material is easily transportable, requiring just small quantities due to the high cannabinoid concentration.
What do we need? This “honey” is very popular in the United States, Holland and Canada both amongst more sybaritic circles and especially amongst medical users. These oils are especially useful for exclusively medical users as they can be diluted with other oils (for example,
To carry out a perfect extraction with no gas residue or remains, the guys from Growland recommend that we use good quality material – not just as far as the raw materials go, but also regarding the tools themselves.
We collect it all and spread it in the Petri dish
9
Budder close up As the finishing touch to the previous article, where we saw how to clean BHO with a vacuum pump to obtain Budder, we’d like to leave you a photo collection of this process; the photos were taken by the Grow / Ripper Seeds team. Notice how the oil swells La Grow – Ripper Seeds when it is vacuum-purged.
The extraction swelling in the desiccator towards the bain marie pans. The next step should be carried out outdoors. As we squeeze the container, the gas is purged and starts flowing through the weed; a brown liquid starts coming out a few seconds later. As the liquid gas with the cannabinoids comes out, we start painting the surface of the tray, discharging the extraction evenly. It’s better to do this in two rounds, using half the container, waiting a few minutes and then repeating. The more marijuana we use, the more gas we have to use. The ratio comes out to more or less double
High-quality BHO r eady for consumption
the gas for the weed we use. Extraction is now more or less complete; all that’s left for us to do is remove the gas.
Budder Most people don’t have a vacuum pump and a desiccator at home, so they usually remove the gas by puncturing gas bubbles and raking the extraction with a toothpick. Then we gather it all up with a blade and spread it in the Petri dish. With all the “butter” greased, we place the Petri dish in the centre of the desiccator, close it, connect it to the vacuum pump and turn it on. What happens next is truly surprising – the entire extraction starts swelling and turns into a sponge before lowering again. This is the gas that is separating from the cannabinoids. The process can be repeated as often as we like; all we have to do is place the Petri dish in the hot pans and again in the desiccator, as often as we like. We usually carry the process out up to five times before considering it “ready for consumption”. The result is a high-quality extraction, an authentic BHO that is completely free of gas and has a THC concentration between 60% and 70%.
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11
EVENTS GIRLS AND GIVEAWAYS!
Spannabis 2013 The biggest show in the Cannabis industry celebrated its tenth birthday with a bang! Bigger, better and busier than ever; Spannabis 2013 was one hell of a By Little Lebowski weekend.
really do them justice... there were some stunners out there! It’s great fun wandering around the various booths, picking up samples as you go and having a good chat to the exhibitors
Spannabis has always been the king of the trade show calendar, but with stiff competition from the likes of CannaFest in Prague, GrowMed in Valencia and ExpoGrow in Irun, it felt right that the tenth anniversary show was on a much larger scale than usual.
walk down some of the aisles without getting crushed by people trying to get their hands on a few bottles of free nutes. Have a little search on Youtube and you’ll be able to find some videos on the mobs pushing through the barriers and grabbing a few handfuls. Still, I guess all publicity is good publicity. Another good thing about Spannabis is that some of the bigger Spanish grow shops have started to exhibit. Chatting to them gives you the opportunity to find out what is going on in the Spanish market; what strains people are growing and what products are selling well. One of the things that really surprised me is that, despite the weather being well suited to growing outdoors, more and more Spanish growers are taking things indoors. The shops that I spoke to said that the indoor scene has really exploded in the last two or three years
the market wants something that offers a quick turnaround and is nice and simple to cultivate, Auto’s are the answer.
WHEN YOU’RE BEING HANDED A PROMO BAG BY A SCANTILY DRESSED, VERY ATTRACTIVE SPANISH GIRL, IT CAN BE PRETTY DIFFICULT TO REFUSE!
Stepping off the plane on the Thursday before the show, I was hit with an unfamiliar feeling... it actually felt a bit nippy! In my five years of visiting Spannabis, I’ve usually been greeted with a nice bit
as people have moved to the bigger cities to find work, they no longer have lots of outdoor space like they did when they lived in smaller towns or villages in the countryside. There are lots of small-scale, one light growers. All cultivating themselves a nice bit of bud to smoke and avoid paying the dealers’ high prices for shit weed. – most of them are so friendly, they are only too happy to talk you through their latest product. After all, that’s why they’re exhibiting… to get growers to try new things and entice them to try their brand. As with most of the trade shows, you can get a bit weighed down with all of the free goodies being handed out. Better to be a bit selective and pick the products you are actually interested in, rather than grab everything in sight. Having said that, when you’re being handed a promo bag by a scantily dressed, very attractive Spanish girl, it can be pretty difficult to refuse!
of sun. A welcome break from the shitty British winter! Not so much this year. In fact, on the Friday of the show, it actually rained!
As well as free samples being handed out, there were some awesome giveaways by the exhibitors. On the Sunday evening, I saw some lucky guy win a complete grow room set-up worth eight grand! He got given everything; lights, fan, filter, nutrients, systems and all wrapped up in a nice 3m x 3m grow tent. Talk about a gift that keeps on giving... what a win. Plus the exhibitor didn’t have to dismantle their booth and drive it back home with them, smart thinking!
Luckily there was plenty going on in the show hall to raise the body temperature. Walking through the entrance doors of the - pyramid shaped - Fiera de Cornella, visitors were greeted by a bevy of beautiful Spanish promo girls. All hired by the exhibitors to hand out freebies and entice guests onto their stand. The pictures don’t
Not everything was plain sailing though, a quick read through the Spannabis Facebook page when I returned home revealed a few comments from disgruntled visitors complaining that the crowds caused by some of the nutrient sample giveaways were dangerous. I must admit, it was a little annoying not to be able to
They seem to have brought the outdoor mentality and techniques indoors with them. Organic feeds are really big business in Spain, with all the main nutrient players pushing their organic products rather than their mineral feeds. The growers like to keep it simple and cheap, which makes sense for a market that is still deep into economic recession. As far as strains go, it’s now heavily biased towards Autoflowering seed varieties. Literally all of the seed banks that were in attendance were promoting their Autoflowering catalogue. I guess when
Now there is so much competition in the market for Auto’s, we’re starting to see all of the big seed banks developing Automatic varieties of their big name strains. It was really making my mind work overtime on the plane journey home; day dreaming about owning a nice little Spanish apartment, with a rolling harvest of different Auto varieties on the go. That’s what you get for smoking before flying! If you’ve never made the trip out of the UK to one of the European trade shows, Spannabis in Barcelona is certainly one to consider. It’s still the industry’s biggest trade show and the one show of the calendar where the exhibitors really pull out all of the stops. Great girls, awesome giveaways and some great products are guaranteed... just don’t bank on the weather being warm! What are you waiting for? Get that ticket booked now! Safe travels and happy growing.
12
PRODUCT FLASH
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Content Growing tray This tray with transparent lid gives the seeds the perfect environment to develop. 12 germination plugs These plugs take care of the correct pH, EC and air/water balance. 250 ml Seedbooster Stimulator for safe, quick and vigorous germination of seeds and healthy root development. Including manual in 12 languages Do you have any questions? Please contact the service desk via servicedesk@plagron.com For additional information about Seedbox and other products, www.plagron.com
MicroLife is packed full of essential soil organisms like Mycorrhiza sp., Bacillus sp., yeasts and enzymes combined in an organic blend of algae, bone meal, cacao pellets, lime and compost. This product not only stimulates the growth of microorganisms, it also stimulates the growth and flowering of all plants with the addition of a variety of trace elements and natural hormones. The unique composition of MicroLife enriches and stimulates soil life, which in turn enhances the soil structure, rooting and overall health of all plants. In this enhanced environment, organic and inorganic soil particles blend optimally, creating a more efficient air/water economy. Nutrients are made more bio-available. Within a short period of time the effects are noticeable. With a nice woodsy smelling, airy, soil mixture, you have an environment in which any plant develops visibly better. Ingredients: Bone meal, cacao pellets, lime, clay minerals (Bentonite) Compost and Ascophillum Nodosum
Micro organisms: Mycorrhiza sp. (Endo en Ecto): Glomus intraradices Glomus deserticola Glomus mosseae Glomus brasillianum Glomus aggregatum Gigaspora margarita Glomus clarum Pisolithus tinctorius Glomus monosporus Laccaria bicolor Glomus etunicatum Laccaria laccata Bacillus sp.: B. licheniformis B. pasteurii B. amyloliquefaciens
Rhizopogon amylopogon Rhizopogon villosuli Rhizopogon fulvigleba Rhizopogon luteolus Sceloderma citrinum Scleroderma cepa
B. subtilis B. laevolacticus B. Azotofixans
Also present are other microorganisms working as antagonists and producing antibiotic effects such as fungi of the Penicillium, Trichoderma and Aspergillus families. In addition, there are Actinomycetes from the family of Streptomyces and nitrogen binding bacteria of the Azotobacter string. The amino acid Glycerine and small amounts of the vitamins C, B1 and E are there too. Finally, the clay minerals and algae are good resources for a large variety of trace elements, which are needed for the healthy development of soil life and plants. Using this product will bring a higher yield with fewer illnesses or root problems and a much higher stress resistance, which will in turn prevent plant shock and loss. Photosensitivity will increase which will result in higher yields, especially for crops grown with artificial light. Dosage: 1 – 2 kg per m³ potting soil or per 25 m², depending on the soil quality. Repetition while changing crops: 1 kg per m³ potting soil, work the product in well. www.bionova.nl
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During flowering, around 80% of the plants acquire purple or reddish tones in the buds and some of them even develop purple leaves too. After harvested and dried the buds gain a very dark purple tone, almost black.
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: 60%/40% Indica/Sativaing: 7 weeks Indoor Boom est: Mid September Outdoor harv
: 70%/30% Indica/Sativaing: 6 weeks Indoor Boom est: Early September Outdoor harv
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29,90 €
Collector packages contain 2 seeds from each variety properly labeled
Gifts Attitude Seedbank * Avalon Bush Ltd. * Tangy * The * Basil www.tangygifts.co.uk www.cannabis-seeds.co.uk www.avalonwholesale.co.uk www.basilbush.co.uk
Distributors in Ireland
Wholesalers * Ireland www.irishseedbank.com
C/ Dr. Nicasio Benlloch, 36-38 · 46015 · Valencia · España · +34 963 890 403 · +34 963 473 730 / +34 963 404 289 (Wholesalers) · Fax: +34 961 939 618 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.
14
STRAIN REPORT
Allkush – More than just Kush One of the new feminised strains from Paradise Seeds is named “Allkush”. So nothing but Kush? Taken genetically literally, no - It’s more than just Kush, because Allkush is a mostly indica strain with a quarter part of sativa, she was bred from an Afghani indica and a Southeast Asian mostly sativa strain. Allkush is Paradise Seeds’ former strain Sheherazade, a long-established classic from the early days of Text & Photos: - G.B.I. Paradise. A full body massage! Sheherazade is the gorgeous heroine in the Arabian legend The Thousand and One Nights. Allkush, the former Shererazade strain, however needs con-
very hard top colas, making her perfect for sea-of-green cultivation. After the onset of flowering, the plants don’t stretch very much any longer. Outdoors the Allkush strain reaches maturity around mid of
warm body relaxing sensation that feels almost caressing, like having received a sensitive relaxing full body massage. Luc from Paradise Seeds describes this sensual aspect of Allkush as follows: “The effect starts in the lungs and sexual organs then rises throughout the other parts of the body rapidly until you feel completely at ease and cannot longer suppress a big grin on your face!” But this grin thanks to the sativa influence stays vivid, not becoming a freeze-dried grimace, the 25% sativa influence does provide enough head freshness, in addition to that strong body stone. According to Paradise Seeds, Allkush is an excel-
THE THREE PLANTS HAD ARRIVED AT HEIGHTS OF ABOUT 65, 75 AND 85 CM, HAVING PRESERVED THEIR PURE INDICA GROWTH PATTERN - THICK, FAT AND COMPACT - UNTIL THE VERY END. siderably less time than 1001 days and nights to ripen, she manages to do so within 56-60 days of flowering, with an indoor harvest potential of up to 450 grams per sqm. Allkush plants are growing very compact, bushy and low, with little side branching an lots of big rounded,
October, being able to achieve a height of up to two metres and a yield of up to 400 grams per plant. Abundant amounts of resin and an average THC content of 15-18% do effect a very strong high that naturally is mainly characterized by vast indica power, providing an intense deep
lent medical strain as well. She has a very mouth coating, deep musky-sweet Kush aroma and flavour, typically Kush - a true delicacy for any Kush afficinado. Her extremely rich resin content makes her a great hashish production strain, she’s „a queen for hash production”, as Luc puts it.
The Doc, a die-hard Kush fan, couldn’t withstand this highly alluring Kush strain profile and germinated three feminised Allkush seeds from a five piece package. As usual he also grew some other strains along with Allkush and therefore had to restrict the number of seeds to be sown. One week after all the three seeds had successfully sprouted, The Doc reported: “They all have the same size and are about 3 cm tall”, and one week later: “One can easily recognise their indicadominant nature, with broad leaves. They are about 5 cm tall now, three internodes have emerged meanwhile.” After two weeks of growth under two TLC 150 lights, the three Allkush plants were transplanted to 11 litre pots and, together with the other strains, placed into the actual grow room which was equipped with two Plantastar 600 W HPS lamps. The Doc: “The plants’ volume has doubled, and also side branching has started to develop. One of the plants has slightly twisted leaves, but I suppose that this will sort itself out in time (it did, indeed). The plants are having five internodes now, growing very stout, compact and strong, the main stem is about to lignify already. Growth seemed to be
15 “Good that my air exchange system does work so well…” slow in the beginning, but that impression was falsely suggested by that very stout growth patternI think. Anyway, growth has undoubtfully taken up pace now.” Four and a half weeks after germination, after 31 days, The Doc induced flowering by reducing the daily light period from 18 to 12 hours. The three Allkush plants at that point of time had reached a height of about 30 cm, with an amazing number of 15 internodes resulting in extremely compact and bushy plants, laden with dense branches. The blooming quickly took over, and very early already, the first female preflowers became visible that shortly after passed into true full flowers.
immense resin gland development the Allkush plants were showing, he supposed that their resin coat would be far above average and spectacular in the end. The plants’ smell already was highly sweet and spicy, very penetrating so that The Doc said to himself “Good that my air exchange system does work so well…” After 42 days of flowering, he reported: “She is a plant that produces dense hard nuggets with tons of resin. One can instantly smell that she’s a Kush dominant strain. I think that in the next two weeks of flowering, a lot of things are yet to happen with their already stunning buds. As the upper big shade leaves took away too much light, shading the lower leaves and buds, I took some of these off so that also the lower
the first one, and the other two or three days later.” And then, on the 60th flowering day, all the three Allkush plants had been harvested. By the way, there wasn’t any male flower on the three feminised Allkush plants. The Doc: “Harvest was quite a sticky affair, cutting off and manicuring such a large amount of fat super resinous buds. They are incredibly stinky, giving off a true Kush odour.”
Indica hammer fastened the doc to his couch In the end, the three plants had arrived at heights of about 65, 75 and 85 cm, having preserved their pure indica growth pattern - thick, fat and compact - until the very end. After The Doc had slowly dried those fat rock-hard nuggets, as usual
grab that glass of water from the table and drink it! Nevertheless he feels Allkush is to be recommended for being smoked in the evening time rather (“it could serve very well as an effective soporific”, he said) during daytime it would probably sedate the user too much, at least if he has to perform heavy physical work or intense intellectual work. So The Doc put both thumbs up for the Allkush strain, he was totally taken by this Kush strain that, indeed, also did provide a lot of resinous leaf material for making hashish. G.B.I.
Cultivation data for Allkush Paradise seeds Genetics
Two weeks after flower induction, The Doc already saw nice little flower “roses” on top of the branches that became larger and larger in the following weeks, increasingly being coated with resin glands. Height growth noticeably continued in the first five weeks of flowering, however, to a different degree, the three plants measured about 55, 65 and 75 cm after five weeks of flowering, but still were extremely compact and bushy, exhibiting numerous thick roundish top buds on the main stem and branches. The Doc was quite excited about the
branches and buds can receive enough light to form proper thick buds.” One week later, The Doc kept on enthusing about Allkush: “The buds are still becoming harder and harder, being frosted with abundant white resin layers. Their aroma is seductively sweet and musky, heavily kushy, a true enjoyment. Flower stigmas for the most part have turned brown, so I think there’s still one week to go till harvest.” After 56 days of flowering, The Doc noted down “The end of flowering is definitely going on. In one or two days I will harvest
effecting a slight fermentation during the drying process, he weighed them and was stunned by the proud outcome of 330 grams which left him highly satisfied of course. And about the Allkush high – “Wow superb!”, to say it with one word from The Doc, the Allkush buds did deliver a first-class indica hammer with a tremendous body stone effect that lasted for a very long while, a totally dazed Doc felt like fastened to his couch at first, but after a while, the slight sativa up-high effect in the head, as described by Luc, also took place, keeping a deeply relaxed Doc from falling asleep and enabling him to finally
Allkush (75% indica, 25% sativa) Vegetative here: 31 days after growth germination Flowering here: 60 days, in general 56-60 days Medium Plagron Standard Mix with 5% expanded clay and horn chippings, 11 litre pots pH 6.0–6.5 EC Vegetative stage: 1.2–1.6 mS Flowering: 1.6-2.0 mS Light First two weeks of growth: 2x TLC 150 lights After two weeks of growth: 2x Osram Plantastar 600 W HPS Flowering: 2x GIB Lighting 600 W HPS + 1x 400 W Osram Son T plus Temperature 24-30°C (day) 20-22°C (night) Air humidity Vegetative stage: 40–60% Flowering: max. 50% Watering By hand Fertilisation Hesi Bloom Complex, HeSi Phosphor Plus from the 4th week of flowering Additives/ Nitrozyme, HeSi SuperVit stimulants and Root Complex, Enzyme Height 65, 75 and 85 cm Yield 330 g
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18
GROW WITH GRUBBYCUP
Water Water is a fundamental requirement for gardening that it is paradoxically often given little thought. As small children, we learn that plants need water to grow, but then it passes by without much in the way of further explanation. For those willing to look a little deeper, here is some of the rest of the story: Water occurs naturally on Earth in three forms: solid (ice), gas (steam, vapor, and humidity), and liquid (water). It also, pos-
wastewater cost as part of the process. Neither distilled or reverse osmosis water contain nutritional elements in significant amounts.
by Grubbycup
boiled off, and cooking it done. At higher elevations, the boiling point of water is lower due to the drop in pressure. The higher the altitude, the lower the boiling point of water, and the longer food must be boiled to heat to a given temperature. For example, water boiling at 212 degrees will cook eggs faster than water boiling at 190 degrees. Pressure cookers use the other side of the same principle, water under pressure boils at a higher temperature, so immersed food heats faster.
In contrast, as long as tap water is suitable for drinking, it should be suitable for growing plants in (the reverse is also true, if you can’t grow a plant in your tap water, don’t drink it). EC or ppm testing of available tap water will give an indication of suitability. Two common contaminants for tap water are calcium carbonate salt, and magnesium, which are found in “Hard” water. Since this can be a source of calcium to plants, nutrients developed for hard water generally take this into account, and therefore contain little or no additional calcium. Another common contaminant in city water is chlorine, which plants do not need in very high quantities. To vent
FROZEN SNOW AND ICE ARE IMPORTANT FOR WATER STORAGE THAT RELEASES IN SUMMER MONTHS WHEN PLANTS NEED ADDITIONAL WATER FOR GROWTH. sesses unusual but useful surface tension properties. These make water useful for a variety of biological purposes. At sea level, water will freeze under 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius), and boil (at sea level) at 212 degrees
While not technically a nutrient, but the transport agent for nutrients, water is an important requirement for growing healthy plants. Slight under watering is less detrimental than slight over watering, so if in doubt, run towards the dry side. The quality of the end solution is in part
off chlorine from tap water, fill watering containers each time just after watering. Checking the quality of the source water will assist in fine tuning a garden, but tap water clean enough to drink will often work well enough. Water (H2O) is made of a collection of molecules having two hydrogen atoms, and one oxygen atom. It is particularly well suited as a solvent for many materials. Hydrophilic (water loving) materials like many of the salts dissolve easily in water, while hydrophobic (water fearing) substances such as oils do not. Because water molecules have a positive charge on the side with the two hydrogen (H) atoms, and a negative charge on the oxygen (O) side, they are attracted and attach easily to many other molecules. One reason that salts are so often used as nutrient sources, is that they also have a positive and
(NO3), which can allow it to provide two of the macronutrients (Nitrogen (N) and Potassium(K), heavy on the K). Organic nutrients are often less miscible, and should be shaken to create a suspension each time before use. Pure water has no electrical conductivity, so an EC or PPM meter will read zero conductivity. As the water becomes more contaminated with salts and other conductive materials from fertilizers, the nutrient solution will become more electrically conductive, and the meter will show higher values. The information gathered with a meter, coupled with the specific nutritional needs of the plant, can be invaluable to maintaining a suitable nutrient solution, but keep in mind, EC and PPM meters only display the total amount of electrically conductive contamination present, not specifically what the contamination is. These meters do not give the specific N-P-K values. A solution with a high Nitrogen (N) content may give the same reading as a solution with a high Phosphorus (P) content. Underwatering is a smaller error than overwatering. If plants are slightly underwatered, they will usually signal by getting droopy, and respond favorably within hours when watered. Overwatering is both more traumatic and has a longer recovery. If you do happen to drown your plants, don’t give up, just try to learn from the experience, and try again. If your tap water is of a very poor quality, you may have to filter it before use, or use drinking water to hydrate your plants. pH is a value between 0 and 14 to denote how acidic or basic a liquid is. Pure water has a pH of 7, solutions with a pH value lower than 7 are called acids, and solutions with a pH value higher than 7 are called alkaline or basic. Strong acids will corrode and dissolve many substances,
Clean water is necessary for life. Fahrenheit (100 degrees Celsius). Freezing water will cause it to expand, and become less dense than its liquid state, which is why ice will float on water. Frozen snow and ice are important for water storage that releases in summer months when plants need additional water for growth. Water vapor is caused by evaporation or boiling water. The amount of water vapor in the air is recorded as humidity. High humidity gardens are prone to molds, and low humidity gardens are prone to spider mite and other insect infestations. Under normal circumstances and pressure, the temperature of liquid water will not exceed its boiling point. At sea level, water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit (100 degrees Celsius), and won’t get any hotter, since at that point it will turn into a gas and escape. Rice cookers use this principle to tell when the water has boiled off. As long as the bottom of the cooker doesn’t exceed the boiling point of water, the device knows to continue cooking. When the temperature raises past the boiling point of water, it means that the water has
determined by the quality of the initial water used for the base liquid. If local water is of poor quality, reverse osmosis filters or other filtering systems can be used to clean it. Distilled water has been boiled into steam, which has then been collected, and cooled back into a liquid. It is the purest form of water generally available. Pure water such as distilled water should be microwaved with care, because if heated in a clean smooth container it is possible for the water to become “superheated” which means that the temperature in its liquid state is above the normal boiling temperature. This can become dangerous when a contaminant or edge is introduced, such as dipping a spoon in it, as that can trigger a violent almost instantaneous boiling response. If the starting water is not pure (such as filtered or tap water), or if a contaminant is added (like coffee, tea, or sugar), then the water will boil normally. Reverse osmosis water is also a very pure form of water, but incurs a high
Surface tension draws water together to form connected shapes. negative side, but are held together with a weaker ionic bond. Water molecules attach themselves to either side of the salt molecule, and break them apart, dissolving the salt into the water, and releasing the nutrient element in the process. This is why many chemical hydroponic solutions make use of salts dissolved in water. Potassium nitrate for example, will seperate into both potassium and nitrate
and strong bases such as lye can cause deposits and damage to organic tissues. The ideal range for nutrient solutions is around 6.0-6.2. If you are within a half point or so, don’t bother adjusting it. Proper pH is more critical in hydroponic systems than soil gardens due to the additional buffering properties of soil. Radically incorrect pH can cause physical damage
19 to plants due to the caustic properties of acids and bases, and less severe imbal-
allows for both the transport of water up growing media to plant roots, and up
the plant also requires oxygen in a more available form. The level of freely avail-
HIGH HUMIDITY GARDENS ARE PRONE TO MOLDS, AND LOW HUMIDITY GARDENS ARE PRONE TO SPIDER MITE AND OTHER INSECT INFESTATIONS. ances have an impact on the solubility of plant nutrients. Adjustments to pH are made by adding the opposite. Acids have positive hydrogen ions, and bases have a matching negatively charged acceptor. When the two combine, they combine to neutralize each other. If the solution has
the roots and along the rest of the plant as part of respiration. A key component to plant health, particularly in hydroponic systems is a sufficient amount of available oxygen. While oxygen is a major component of water,
able oxygen in water is known as its dissolved oxygen (DO) content. Airstones and fountains are both used to increase DO. Since the amount of air that water will hold is dependent on temperature, the warmer the water, the less air it will hold, and the more important proper aeration becomes. Cool winter water tends to have higher DO than warm summer water.
Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid. During heating or curing, the tetrahydrocannabinolic acid will release it’s carbon dioxide and become tetrahydrocannabinol in a process called decarboxylation. This is why cured bud can get more “potent” with age as it cures, and why cannabis used for cooking should be heated at some stage. During smoking or vaporization, the high temperatures allow for rapid decarboxylation, but particularly in only partially dried buds this may be incomplete. The longer the time period used, the lower the temperature requirement for the reaction.
If the amount of dissolved oxygen drops too low, it creates conditions for anaerobic (air hating) bacteria to develop. Anaerobic bacteria are the rotting and spoilage bacteria responsible for the foul odors in stagnant water. Properly aerated water is conducive to aerobic (air loving) bacteria are the beneficial bacteria that assist in composting and healthy plant development.
Water is an important part of gardening, and an improved understanding of its properties can help understand how many gardening concepts fit together. Like people, plants will die from lack of water faster than from a lack of nutrition, and also like people, drowning will kill faster than dehydration. This precious resource is one of the fundamental necessities of practically all life, but due to it’s current abundance, is all too often treated without the respect it is due.
One way that the plant will use the oxygen it takes in, is in the eventual creation of
Peace, love and puka shells, Grubbycup
Currently a plentiful natural resource, pollution is reducing the amount of clean water available to support life. a pH value too low (is acidic), add a base to raise the pH. If the solution is too basic (pH too high), an acid is added to lower it. Water is required for photosynthesis. Light energy is absorbed by the plant, which divides the water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen is combined with carbon dioxide (CO2) to form glucose. Water has a high surface tension, it sticks to itself very well (cohesion). Submerged molecules can attach on all sides to each other, but the molecules on the surface do not have water molecules above them to attach to, and so they hold tighter to their neighboring water molecules. This creates tension along the surface, allows water to “bead” into droplets, and allows for capillary action to force water to rise within a narrow tube. The water will “stick” to the walls (adhesion), and surface tension will pull to try to form a droplet (cohesion), supplying an upward force. This
Water is the single most important need cannabis has for heathy growth.
21
BACKGROUND The “Glasgow Effect”
AFTER INDEPENDENCE...WHAT?
Possibilities for Drug Policy in Scotland On the 18th of September 2014 the population of Scotland aged 16 and over will be given the opportunity to decide whether or not they want the country to split from the rest of the UK. It’s by no means a cut and dried done deal. For one thing, there are simply so many areas that are either grey or just not talked about at all that it’s currently impossible to make an informed decision. As one might expect, where the pro devolutionists say one thing, the anti devolutionists say the complete opposite. Clearly both of them can’t be telling the truth. One issue that has been avoided like the plague is drug policy. Apparently, it’s been avoided because it’s of “marginal”
legally continue to be an EU member should independence happen, but all that aside, what the statement means is that Scotland could, in practice, legalise cannabis (or indeed anything at all, but let’s stick with weed) and let everyone get on with it, potentially making a big dent in the prison population, making a huge section of the population no longer criminals and giving the police a break by stopping the nonsense of busting dope smokers and small time growers and allowing them to focus on real criminals. And, of course, as the North Sea oil and gas inexorably run out, the economy will desperately need to create new revenue streams and the legalisation (rather than
Here’s the thing; if we do another bit of fiddling about with the figures, just as when Scotland is removed from the UK then the health of the rest of the country is immediately improved, the same thing happens when we remove Glasgow from the Scottish figures. By John Dee
still has a rural and farming economy in need of a boost just as much as the urban economies. The large scale growing of weed (for both hedonic and non-hedonic purposes) could be exactly the, er, “shot in the arm” that’s required. On the other hand, critics will be able to spot a potential downside to the idea; Anyone not from Scotland looking at our numerous substance related health and social issues might counsel moving with extreme caution when it comes to the whole issue of drug or even just cannabis legalisation. And, on the face of it, of course, they would be absolutely correct to do this as, if one
THE ECONOMY WILL DESPERATELY NEED TO CREATE NEW REVENUE STREAMS AND THE LEGALISATION (RATHER THAN DECRIMINALISATION), AND CAREFUL REGULATION OF CANNABIS AND HEMP PRODUCTS WILL CERTAINLY PROVIDE THIS interest (this in a country where more than 25% of the population have ‘fessed up to using some sort of controlled substance); however, we’re of the view that it’s being avoided because in all likelihood it hasn’t really been considered in terms of Scotland as an independent country; the fact is that, come September 19th next year, it’s quite possible that Scotland will be able to introduce any drug laws she wants. And as, at the end of 2010, the EU ruling council made the statement saying that they (the EU): “...will not block any initiative of EU Member States to start the legal regulation of cannabis and other currently illegal drugs” Now there are a whole lot of questions around whether or not Scotland will even
decriminalisation), and careful regulation of cannabis and hemp products will certainly provide this. We have great swathes of land currently sitting unused which could be turned over to growing of weed (though it is quite possible that said land may well belong to some absentee landlord “media personality” celeb type; it’s not known what the plan is for this kind of thing in an independent Scotland might be either. But let’s not get into that.) So there is the space, there is certainly the expertise; we know many people who are either current or previous growers of grass and many more who could certainly turn their hands to it in a situation where it was legal to do so. I’m thinking here about farmers; for all our claims of modernity and so on, Scotland
Yes, if one takes Glasgow, or rather Greater Glasgow out of any of these equations, the picture immediately changes quite drastically. This is known in sociological terms as the Glasgow Effect. Essentially, Glasgow has such a large number of people who eat crap food (there are some places in the city where fruit is only eaten at Christmas and where people think chips are vegetables:
looks at the statistics around the relationship that Scots have with legal and illegal intoxicants, the picture looks absolutely grim. Okay, here are a few facts. No doubt many of you reading this will be acquainted with these already but here goes anyway; The UK tops the league, pretty much, in terms of illegal drug consumption, alcohol consumption, substance abuse and addiction and all the rest of it. This is misleading, and if one looks at the statistics for the UK by country, a different picture emerges: take Scotland out of the equation and the rest of the country suddenly improves overall. This is because it’s Scotland that actually has the higher concentration of these problems, yes? Well, yes. On the face of it, at least.
true), smoke, drink and have generally really bad lifestyles (in some parts of the city the average life expectancy of men is 61: also true). So: highest rate of various cancers, highest rate of liver disease, highest number of problem drug users and by far and away the highest number of drug related deaths. So, if we look at the figures for the rest of Scotland with Glasgow removed from proceedings, the prevalence of all of these plummets and the picture suddenly looks remarkably different. We don’t want to get all socially aware and preachy here regarding the prevailing problems of Glasgow. We do think, however, that a legal cannabis economy may also give Glasgow a badly needed boost and with more money in the coffers then attention can be turned to all the other social problems there. So. Politicians! There is a lot of potential here. Don’t be frightened! Let’s get this out and give it an airing!
22
REVIEW
Grotech Distribution Grotech Distribution is an established Hydroponic Wholesaler based in the South East of the UK. The company started distributing in 2005 and since then the company has gone from strength to strength and as a result have now expanded and moved to new, larger premises.
reflection of their commitment to a professional and efficient service. Grotech are also official distributors of Agrolux Lighting, Can Filters and Fans, Grodan grow media as well as distributing Grow Tents, MDF and Steel Box Fans, Ducting, Ventilation, Lighting and much more..
The people behind Grotech have been in the industry for well over 18 years and they continue to refresh their knowledge and service to ensure the UK Hydroponics shops can order what they need when they need it.
Grotech are always striving to be at the forefront of the Hydroponics industry
In their own words: ‘Here at Grotech we aim to provide the best service possible for our customers. We source quality products from reputable manufacturers around the world known for their reliability and value for money. We provide a fast, efficient delivery service throughout the UK and local businesses are able to utilise our own delivery service for an even quicker service. Same day delivery can be offered on orders placed before 11am. Prices are constantly monitored to ensure good price brakes are available for customers that want to buy in bulk. Sound advice is always available’. Official distributors of Plagron Nutrients have seen them establish the Plagron brand as the most requested nutrient in the South East of the UK. This is a good
and this can be seen in their commitment to source new products as well as applying their years of experience to re-design existing products by making them even better and more affordable for the end user. Considerable time, investment and effort has been put into making sure they can source the best products and as a result pass on any saving they make to the customer as this
will ensure repeat business and good customer loyalty. Grotech are expanding quickly and have a lot of products to be launched into the industry over the next few months. The Grotech Team are here to help with all your Hydroponic Wholesale needs, they know their products and will always strive to provide sound advice and guidance on what products will best suit your business needs. www.grotechdistribution.co.uk grotechdistribution@hotmail.co.uk
25
INTERVIEW
On the way to the top with high quality feminised seeds
By Robert B.
Royal Queen Seeds is one of the fastest growing seed companies in the world. Just four years ago, the company got off to a flying start, and improvements in its genetics have since followed in quick succession. The company has already made a name for itself with high quality feminised seeds. Growers already rank Royal Queen Seeds among the top companies, alongside many existing companies such as Dutch Passion, Sensi Seeds or Greenhouse Seeds. It was time for an interview. Soft Secrets therefore sat down for a chat with the European Director of Royal Queen Seeds, Maico. Soft Secrets: Is Royal Queen Seeds constantly improving its genetic material? Maico: Yes. We are constantly working on our gene pool, in which we are not only developing our own growing pro-
How does Royal Queen Seeds ensure that it only delivers fresh seeds? All our seeds are packed and numbered. This allows us to trace any batch and know which batch a package is from. We
aroma and strong scent, the regular hybrid really is best.
Blue Mystic
How should a grower choose between autoflowering and regular strains? Autoflowering strains are designed for
CANNABIS IS MORE THAN THC OR CANNABINOIDS ALONE. WE HAVE TERPENES FOR TASTE, TEXTURE, SCENT AND YIELD. ALL CHARACTERISTICS YOU SHOULD TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WHEN MAKING A SELECTION. convenience. Novice growers enjoy the ease with which they are grown, while commercial growers in turn appreciate the rapid flowering. Autoflowering is ideal if you have limited space, the weather is bad and you have little time. Since we only sell feminised seeds, all our autoflowering strains are a dream for beginners. Fast, easy and feminine, not to mention a very decent yield.
Critical
gramme, but also searching for the latest hybrids. We want to at all times be able to offer our customers the best and latest strains.
obviously do not sell seeds that are past their expiration date. Fortunately I can say that such a thing rarely occurs, because we sell almost everything we buy.
What do you recommend to growers of autoflowering strains when it comes to the size of the pot and repotting? Generally speaking, autos do not become very big and they already begin blooming after 3 to 4 weeks. This does not give the roots a chance to grow wide in the pot. Because time is limited, it is recommended not to repot autoflowering strains. Small strains such as Royal Dwarf may be fine with 12 litres, but larger strains such as Northern Lights autos need up to 20 litres. That is the maximum.
Some growers prefer regular strains to autoflowering strains, because the THC content in autoflowering strains is said to be low. What do you have to say about that? It depends on your requirements. As mentioned before, time, space and possibly scent are factors that play a role in the consideration to buy auto instead of regular. But when it comes to strength,
And what about the light cycle with autos? There seems to be much debate about this. We do not provide an opinion about this, because every grower has his own meth-
od. Moreover, the debate about what is best for autoflowering strains is far from over. Growers can figure out what works best through simple trial and error.
26 Beginners can start with any autoflowering strains on our menu. Success is almost always guaranteed. More professional breeders could consider Shining Silver Haze or Amnesia Haze, both winners of multiple cups. It requires a little more patience and love, but it will be well worth the wait. Nothing beats a Haze strain! Haze is currently extremely popular all over the world. People do not only want good weed, they also want to smoke quality weed. We have just launched a few sensational autoflowering strains combining the best of two worlds. We now have auto-Amnesia, auto-White Widow and auto-Jack Herer. And Haze Berry just came out, a cross between Blueberry and Silver Haze. The yield is just as bold as the taste. Do you deliver all over the world? Yes. However, we advise potential customers to consult the laws in their own country before placing an order. We have a strict policy when it comes to privacy, because we know like no other how important it is to our customers. All customer-related data is encrypted. Even if we were to fall victim to a hacker attack, it is still impossible for them to obtain information about our customers. Royal Queen Seeds has a medical label. Can you advise potential customers what strain is suitable for which illness? Each patient has different needs, which are dependent on his or her illness. We at Royal Queen Seeds do not give medical advice because we are not medically trained. Patients should consult their doctor or another qualified person to find out what strain is best for them. Some people may benefit from high CBD levels and others from higher THC levels. Thanks for this conversation! www.royalqueenseeds.com Royal Bluematic How popular are the autoflowering strains of Royal Queen Seeds? Extremely popular. Autoflowering strains are gaining ground in the market. That’s because the genetic material is better, the THC content is increasing, as is the yield. And with that in mind, you can get two outdoor harvests per season. How does Royal Queen Seeds produce its autoflowering strains? All autoflowering strains have Ruderalis genes. Nevertheless, autoflowering strains can still yield up to 20% THC. Growing with Ruderalis is problematic because you cannot clone mother plants. Selections are thus taken from entire generations instead of from individuals. It takes a lot of work to successfully cross a Ruderalis with an Indica. This process takes 5 generations. Once you have a stable Ruderalis hybrid, it can be crossed with any other breed. The strength and the yield of the autoflowering strains have substantially
Royal Queen Seeds on Facebook: RQSeeds increased since the Ruderalis of the 90s. But it is quite simply inherent to the nature of the Ruderalis that autoflowering strains never become as strong and large as female poly-hybrids. Does Royal Queen Seeds mainly breed with high THC values in mind or are other criteria used? THC content dominated the scene in the past. But CBD is undoubtedly the cannabinoid that everyone wants to see. Cannabis is more than THC or cannabinoids alone. We have terpenes for taste, texture, scent and yield. All characteristics you should take into account when making a selection. We also look closely at flowering times and effects. Plants must not only grow large and have a high yield, the taste should also be something special. Taste and effect are therefore very important criteria for us. What kind of Royal Queen Seeds would you sell to beginners and pros?
Ice
28
OUTDOOR UK 2013
The Great Outdoors
By Little Lebowski
they receive. This makes them a safe bet for pulling some decent outdoor weed, because you can basically plant them out when the weather is already nice and warm, safe in the knowledge that they’ll be ready to harvest within 60 to 90 days. Yes, it’s true that the plants will be far smaller and produce a lesser yield than regular photoperiod sensitive varieties, but – if you plant a few Auto’s out as a contingency plan – you’ll be guaranteed an outdoor harvest. Plus, if the weather is decent, you could even get two crops in over the summer! When planning Auto’s into your outdoor grow, you’ll need to treat them a little differently to your regular plants. Firstly, since the flowering period is determined by age rather than light hours, you’ll be cultivating them from seeds, not cuttings. A cutting taken from an Autoflowering plant will just start flowering and you’ll end up with a plant like a lollipop!
trees, I’m going to sprinkle a smattering of Autoflowering strains.
Take a look at some of the online seed providers and you’ll see a huge variety of Autoflowering varieties. In fact, most of the big seed banks now produce Auto versions of their best-selling strains, so it’s likely you’ll find your favourite strain is available as an Auto.
Autoflowers are great for outdoor growing in the UK. They are a non-photoperiod sensitive variety of Cannabis which - in layman’s terms - means that you don’t have to rely on the days getting shorter in order to get them to flower. They will automatically start to produce bud sites and begin flowering two to three weeks after germination, regardless of the amount of light hours
Your plants will need to be started off indoors, but this doesn’t mean you’ll need to splash out on a full on grow room set up. You can get everything you need for a few quid. Get yourself a cheap high dome propagator, some light mix soil, some 10cm pots and a 125w CFL lamp (make sure the colour is in the white / blue spectrum). Sow your seeds in the pots filled with light mix, wait for them to germinate
Beautiful outdoor Mohan Ram Towards the end of March, as the first indoor crop of the season is getting close to harvest, our shitty UK weather usually starts to change. We wake up in the morning and the sun is already up. That big winter parka jacket gets used less and less. We buy a new pair of white trainers and take the gamble that they won’t get trashed from mud and slush. Our thoughts start to turn towards spending a little more time in the great outdoors, preferably cultivating our favourite plants. Unfortunately, as I sit typing this... inside my house... with the heating on full... there is two inches of snow on the ground outside and the temperature is around freezing point. It’s the start of April! This time last year we were in the middle of a heat wave, now it’s fucking freezing! If there’s one thing that you can guarantee with the British weather, it’s that it’s totally unpredictable, and that can cause problems for us growers. Take last year for example; nice warm March and April, followed by a crappy cold and wet May. Total crop killer! This year, who knows what will happen? At the moment, it feels like we’re sat in the middle of a particularly bad winter. Maybe the cold snap will finish and we’ll have a great May with plenty of sun and a few light showers; ideal for planting out in, followed by a nice warm, sunny summer. Personally, I’m not going to put all my eggs in one basket this year. Alongside a few, carefully chosen, outdoor locations in which I’ll attempt to grow some
A buried fabric container of All Mix will keep them fed for weeks
and then bring them on for a few days under the CFL lamp. Then you’ll need to harden them off for a few days; remove the propagator lid and keep the CFL around 60-80cm above the tops of your babies. Finally, it’s time to get them ready to go outside. If you’re lucky enough to have a garden, stick them in a shady spot during the day and bring them in at night. After a couple of days you’ll really notice them go a darker shade of green, then they’ll be ready to go outside permanently without suffering too much shock. Auto’s stay fairly small, so they’re a good option for hiding amongst a few vine plants in a greenhouse or pot plants in a back garden - provided you’re not directly overlooked by any snooping neighbours! Or, why not go guerrilla? Hide a few plants in a hedgerow or sunny clearing. Wherever you plant them out, it’s a good idea to protect against the local wildlife by placing a cylinder of chicken wire around each
29 young plant. This’ll keep the rabbits off your precious plants. Since Auto’s have a shorter growth cycle and are much smaller than regular varieties you may want to feed them differently. When planting a regular strain outdoors, it’s a good idea to use slow release organic fertilisers like worm castings, bat guano, bone meal and feather meal. These can be added to the top
soil over the roots of plants transplanted directly into the ground and will break down over a few months and release feed to the plants. To really maximise the shorter growth cycle of an Auto plant, you can put them in small fabric containers of All Mix – 5 to 9 litres - and bury them in the ground. This heavily fertilised soil will feed the plants for the first 6 weeks, so the plants will only
require additional feed for the final few weeks before harvest. If you’ve picked a spot that has easy access and you don’t mind visiting the plants often, just hand feed them with an organic bloom feed once per week. If you don’t want to visit the plants that often, just add some bat guano to the top soil – although you will still need to water this in once a week, unless it rains (which it
probably will!). With many Auto strains taking just 10 weeks from germination to harvest, if you stagger your crops and plant out a couple each week, you could be harvesting once a week from August to the end of September. That’s a heart-warming thought, whatever the weather! Happy growing!
Cannabis and Memory Well, well; who would have thought it? After all this time, after all these years of the “cannabis affects your memory”, it turns out that there is something in the claim after all. Only the most blinkered dope apologist could really say that it has absolutely no effect on memory whatsoever; as those with even the most casual acquaintance with dope will be able to attest, it can have the most marked effect on memory... or what is perceived as the memory. I’ve written about this before, so won’t dwell on it here: let’s just say that getting stoned and forgetting what you were saying mid way through a sentence isn’t really the same as cannabis causing memory problems. I get “lost” in digression all the time and sometimes have no idea what it was I started talking about. A lot of people quit dope because of the perceived effect on memory. Some swear that everything returns to normal after a month or two of abstinence, while others swear that it never comes back. What these two camps have in common is that neither seems to think that anything other than the cannabis might be responsible for their memory problems. Over the years, I’ve heard people suggest that there might even be a link between the effects of cannabis on memory and conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. More than that, cannabis might actually in some way be a cause of Alzheimer’s. Now here’s the thing. Alzheimer’s is the primary cause of dementia among the older strata of our population. Bit by bit, cells and neural pathways die and the brain slowly shuts down leading to memory loss and eventual death. Thanks to “the wonder of science”, we can all live longer and experience the joys of Alzheimer’s, along with other elderly delights such as incontinence, age-related cancers and so on. But I digress (see above). I was talking about Alzheimer’s; it’s a terrible thing and prevalence is expected to treble in the next 50 years or so. If current population predictions are correct, we’re going to have a huge elderly population in years to
Dr Dee
come and a concomitant upsurge in AD going along with it (Hey! Live longer and be miserable! But at least you won’t remember it!). However, there is a growing body of evidence indicating that, rather than cannabis possibly causing AD, it might actually protect against it. So, after all the bad press, all the anti drug propaganda, myths and downright lies, it seems as though the “active” parts of the cannabis plant - that’s largely THC - can actually control inflammation in the brain and promote neurogenesis (that’s the growth of new neural pathways) even in cells damaged by age or trauma. And here’s the good news: there doesn’t appear to be any need to wait for the pharmaceutical industry to jump on the bandwagon with “marijuana medicine” at hugely overinflated prices. It seems as though having a little toke of nice, average strength grass, with no tobacco in it (people in the UK, take note) each day will do the trick. In rather the same way as an aspirin or a small glass of red wine each days have known medicinal properties. One thing, though, is that it seems to work best with pretty average weed; using the artificially pumped up THC content hybrids may (emphasis on may) do more harm than good, so beware, and go for the natural, straight out of the ground types.
Really, who would have thought it? Dr Dee Caveat: Obviously, these results – in common with most results involving cannabis science – should be approached with some caution, and anyone intending using cannabis as a protector against cognitive decline does so at their own risk. References...see, for example: Bilkei-Gorzo, A (2012) The endocannabinoid system in normal and pathological brain ageing. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B. 367 (1607): 3326-3341. Eubanks, Rogers, Iv, Koob, Olsen, Dickerson and Janda (2006) A Molecular Link between the Active Component of Marijuana and Alzheimer’s Disease Pathology. Molecular Pharmaceutics 3 (6): 773-777. Szalavitz M (2012) How cannabinoids may slow brain aging. http://healthland.time.com/2012/10/29/how-cannabinoids-may-slow-brain-aging/
30
COMIC
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33
GROW WITH ED ROSENTHAL
The future of commercial marijuana cultivation space is high. Other factors that keep the industry competitive are economies of scale and automation. Greenhouses range in size from about one-half hectare to about 10 hectares. The average size is one and a half hectares. However, the trend is towards larger greenhouses and this is where much of the cutting-edge technology is used.
I recently took a tour of some commercial greenhouses in the Netherlands and of some of the controls and machinery factories where the equipment is manufactured. However, before we look inside the Netherland greenhouses, let’s think about “large-scale” indoor gardens in the United States. Most of them have between 20 and 100 lights. I’ve seen a number of gardens in which the grower started with 20 to 30 lights. When the grower wanted to expand, s/he built out another space duplicating the first one several times, each time with some modifications. While these might be profitable and the changes lead to higher efficiency, these are market gardens. Although commercial, these small units and spaces usually cannot
Seeding machine. A seed is inserted into each plug as the tray moves along the conveyor. Every plug receives a seed at a uniform depth. This machine handles hundreds of trays per hour.
The Netherlands has cold, moist weather, poor quality soil, and river water high in dissolved solids after traversing Switzerland and Germany. It has a small landmass, high land and labor costs and is urban; yet, in monetary value, it is one of the world’s largest agricultural exporters. This has come about through the cooperation of agricultural research univer-
sities, government-sponsored research at centers such as in Ede Wageningen, farmers, and manufacturers of agricultural equipment. The Netherlands boasts about 10,500 hectares of greenhouses.* These are used to grow vegetable crops, potted plants, cut flowers and ornamental bulbs. All of these are high-value crops so the return on the
Plug-filling machine fills each plug with planting mix and then gently tamps it down.
Biological pest control. Here parasitoids are being released against aphids.
34 utilize appropriate technology like that used in larger spaces. It is the difference between gardening and farming. While the garden technique is profitable and requires only a nominal investment of €760 to €1,150 a light, it has very high operating costs consisting of energy and labor. Using farming techniques, growers can get as high a quality by lowering both costs. The cost of controls and machinery will initially be much higher, but there will be a fast return on the investment.
was spent developing a consensus for a 2016 legalization initiative in California. However, when I looked around, there were few young people in the crowd and there was a lot of grey hair, belonging to the formerly young activists.
Until recently, U.S. growers had no incentive to invest in machinery or turn their gardens into farms. The threat of government interference was enough to stymie investment. However, the tide seems to have turned.
It might be fitting that many of the same people who started the movement in the late 20th century plan to complete their tasks during the next presidential election cycle. The consensus is (and I agree with it), that: The upcoming initiative will be well worded, well funded, and most importantly, successful. Another cause for optimism is that the oldest 12 percent of the 2010 voters, those who were the most anti-legalization, will have passed on. New voters who are more likely to vote pro-pot are replacing them.
California NORML held a regional conference last January at Fort Mason, an urban National Park in San Francisco. Attendees celebrated the Washington and Colorado initiative victories that legalized marijuana for anyone over 21 years old. Time
The next day after NORML’s regional conference, the NCIA, (National Cannabis Industry Association) held a meeting in Seattle, Washington. Both the entrepreneurs and the investors were a far younger group of people than attended the
Readout from the optical scanner shows the computer’s analysis of the seedlings.
NORML conference. This seemed fitting too. This was the second surge. They were building on the activists’ foundation.
I had the feeling that this younger group, rather than many of the people already gardening, will create the cultivation transition. They are very business-minded, open to new ideas and technology and, although passionate about cannabis, they don’t have the same romance and wonder, the same intimacy with individual cannabis plants that is typical among gardeners. It seems apparent that legalization will spur consolidation and that larger operations will result. Employing appropriate technology not generally useful in gardens will reduce growing costs. Dutch tools will play a major roll in the change from gardening to farming in the United States. The new developments do not spell the end of market gardening. In Marijuana Grower’s Handbook I described the Tomato Model:
Optical seedling sorter. An optical scanner is programmed to select only seedlings that meet certain parameters so that all of the transplants are uniform. Claws come down from above and each grabs a single plug that is transplanted into a larger container.
Every size organization is involved in commercial tomato production— international corporations, large farmers who market nationwide, local farmers, and market gardeners. Yet home gardeners grow most tomatoes in the U.S. Washington State’s law does not allow personal cultivation. But this is not likely to deter home-growers. The two most expensive operating costs of cultivation are labor and power for light and climate control. With legalization both those costs will be reduced. Employment in the medical marijuana industry has always paid a steep premium over the same class of employment in other industries. This is the result of the inherent risks created by the current legal situation. As these risks decrease the premium will follow.
Close-up of seedling-sorter claws.
With less risk many people who have hesitated to work in a garden or dispensary will no longer be inhibited, so there will be a larger pool of potential employees, which also tends to push wages down.
35 days are long, but it’s overcast much of the time. Even when it’s sunny the light isn’t intense. Winter brings very short days and weak sunlight. Even so, sunlight powers most photosynthesis and electric light is used to supplement it. Controls determine either the amount (intensity) of light being delivered or the Daily Light Interval (DLI), which keeps a count of how much light has been delivered during the day, a sort of meter for light similar to an odometer for distance. Controllers use these measurements to turn lights on and off.
Net LEDs are hung between rows of hanging tomatoes in greenhouses so lower vegetation gets more light.
The key to the Netherland’s success at farming as far as labor is concerned is not to push wages down, but to run extremely efficient operations in which most labor is performed by specialized machinery or with tools that increase worker efficiency. Light is another matter. The weather in the Netherlands is cool and damp. It’s at latitude 52, the same as Quebec and some Alaskan islands. During the summer the
Controlled water spray is used to lower temperature and raise humidity in greenhouses. Another unit creates a fine spray that covers the roof and lowers greenhouse temperature but doesn’t affect humidity.
CleanLights are attached to this cab that runs along a track in a rose greenhouse. The fluorescent-like tubes emit a ray that kills germinating powdery mildew spores. Each plant receives the light for about two seconds daily. This treatment keeps the farm free from powdery mildew with only spot treatments of pesticide.
If there are considerable savings in the Netherlands using natural light for plant growth, consider the U.S. state of Colorado. The state receives 300 days of sun each year and, because of altitude, it gets a bright light, so supplemental lighting would not be used as much. It will be hard for an all-electric grow room to compete with free power. So there will be a switch among serious commercial growers to sunlit systems. Colorado is just an example. From Florida to Maine, the cost of production is much lower when sunlight factors into the equation. Cogeneration systems may be feasible for some large greenhouses. Propane is burned to power a generator. The exhaust gas, primarily CO2, is collected and compressed for use later or used directly in the
37 greenhouse during the lit periods. So the fuel is used to power a generator, heat the greenhouse and supply it with CO2. This cuts power costs further.
AUTOMATION The first stabs at automation in the North American marijuana industry have been the manicuring machines, climate control, irrigation and fertilizer injection. Some of the trimmers are tools that make the individual more efficient, but the tunnel machines moved a step away from manual labor since they trim automatically. Unfortunately, at this point, they have to be hand hand-fed. Automating this step, will free up a lot of labor. Every part of the cultivation, harvesting and manicuring process can be automated. Tools to speed pot-filling, planting, fertilizer injection, transplanting, pruning, pest control, moving plants, cutting, manicuring, drying, and packaging will decrease the amount of labor required
to produce a finished bud or other marijuana product. Most of the technology I saw on my last trip to the Netherlands was geared towards larger operations. But simpler versions are available. They are not quite as automated but are appropriate for a space of a quarter hectare and up. Some are portable so a rental business might be possible. Adopting modern agricultural technology for marijuana will result in more uniform higher-quality produce because the plants will be quantified and provided for all the time without the vagaries that often accompany manual production. This will also result in lower production costs and more efficient use of resources. *Total Area of the Netherlands is about 33,700 square kilometers as compared to the United States, roughly 9,800,000 square kilometers
Floating trays are used for short-season crops. Sea of green marijuana beds could use this method and the plants could easily be grown using this technique in these units.
Filling machine for large containers eliminates a laborious task. CleanLights are available in a hobby model in the United States.
Thousands of containers can be filled per hour.
Two-hectare greenhouse uses HPS lamps to supplement daylight on an overcast winter day. Even the dull light of the far north winter saves considerable power. In summer far less electric lighting is needed.
38
MUSIC
A Rebel with a cause Since his time as Rebel MC. and chart topping hits, ‘Just Keep Rockin’ and ‘Street Tuff’, (described by artists such as Dizzee Rascal as ‘the birth of grime’), Congo Natty has travelled far and wide – both inside and out. A single lock of hair can reveal much, and, possessing dreads that almost reach the ground, this guy sure has NUFF to say. With a new album imminent, his own label Congo Natty Records and deep involvement in several other collective projects such as Congo Natty Bass and UK Fyah, Congo Natty has become the voice of the U.K. jungle movement. By Kaz Peet Soft Secrets caught up with him over a spliff or two… S.S. What first drew you towards making music? C.N. I was always drawn to music. Music was always there, I grew around it and I grew with it. Where I was actually brought up, for the first few months, apparently was a soundman’s house and there were speaker boxes all around the house and all that kind of thing. So music has always been there.
pillar, on the ground doing your ting. And then inside you there’s another energy, and that’s Rastafari. It was always there for me, but it came apparent in 94. S.S. Can you describe how Jah guides you in both music and everyday life? C.N. Firstly, I would say in everyday life, we all have a voice inside us. The problem is… the voice has got two different
S.S. The metamorphosis from Rebel MC into Congo Natty obviously reflects your personal awakening to and love forJah Rastafari. In what way did this come about? C.N. Well, I would say on two levels. On one level, through divine inspiration and on another level, I would say, it was always there but it was suppressed. We grow in a society that suppresses us. It’s a society that tells us to sit down, shut up, do this, do that, you’re this, you’re that. They give you names and they give you titles. So things like, I didn’t like my hair cut from when I was a yout, I didn’t like a comb in my hair, I didn’t like people touching my hair; but, I would have to go to the barbers. I didn’t even overstand that … it was only when I took on the realms of Rastafari that I realized… it’s something that’s in you and it came out and it grew. In a way we’re like the butterfly. Seen? The fact that as a ras now you’re just this cater-
why as a Rastafari, we say that there is a higher, supreme creator, and we say that he came to the earth in the form of a man, Haile Selassie I . As a Rastaman, Jah gives us choice, we have total freedom. Jah guides my life through prayer, through reasoning with him, through talking with him like I would with my mum or my dad. He’s there – he’s always been there but we were suppressed so much as youts that we didn’t even know about our inner self. Through the music now, it’s dis - right … four hundred years we weren’t allowed to make no music. We couldn’t play no drums, we couldn’t sing, all we could do was play the songs that the slave master gave us to sing. There was definitely no drumming, maybe a fiddle. So now, we had these riddims inside us and for four hundred years we couldn’t let them out. After slavery was, so called abolished, and these people could just do their ting, suddenly, they started to make this music. This music was different from any other that people had heard. I’m talking about the blues, I’m talking about jazz, I’m talking bout dis music that comes from the sons and daughters of slaves. Now, I see myself as a modern day slave. S.S. Singing Songs of Freedom? C.N. Singing Songs of Freedom. I’m still in the slavery and I’m hopefully gonna get out of it. S.S. Is smoking ganja part of your daily ritual? C.N. Yeah. The ganja is the antidote, seen? Babylon tinges everything with some kind of poison and ganja is the antidote. S.S. What does it do for you? C.N. It gives me time to think and reflect, having a spliff gives me a time delay that can make all the difference.
inputs. One is light, truth, peace, calm and harmony; the other one is anger, lies, hatred and the rest of it. Seen? This is
S.S. Do you make music when you’re high? C.N. Yeah, because the herbs is part of the music. The frequencies that are around us are not good for us, and that’s why we
have to get in the zone to make music otherwise we just gonna make music like everyone else. The herbs is part of the process of, just blessin’ up ya session. S.S. There’s a strong tradition in reggae music to sing about ganja. Have you made any ganja tune? C.N. On the label, Congo Natty – many ganja tune. I didn’t start smoking till 94, and it was like a veil coming of me and I became more and more powerful in everything that I was doing and more focused. The opening of my mind to the reality of herbs was a revelation and that’s why it’s illegal because it opens up your mind. S.S. Do you have a favourite ganja tune? C.N. From when I was a yout …many. There’s many favorites’; the ganja tunes dem like anthems. Also there’s the economy – the poor people and the street people of Jamaica, without the ganja would be even poorer. It’s the most versatile product that is illegal – it can heal many sicknesses. Reggae music changed my life, and reggae music wouldn’t be reggae music without ganja. The recording session would begin with the blazing of the chalice. So we are ganja farmers really, because when we make our jungle tunes we are harvesting spiritual works and this is something that links with people all around the world. They relate to the energy and the 360 of Rastafari. S.S. There’s a new album coming out that’s been a long time in the making – a musical depiction of the journey from Rebel MC. to Congo Natty. This must be of important personal significance to you? C.N. Yeah. Every tune I make has a message; each tune on the album is for a reason. I put the mic down in 94 because I felt that I had said what I wanted to say and Jah said that “now you must build riddims and voice the sound of the U.K. and bring the dancehall culture and the rap and the soul together because this jungle music is your reggae.” Like Jah gave Bob Marley reggae, he gave us jungle.
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JORGE CERVANTES
2012 Backyard Garden Transplanting Date: 15 May 2012 This year I started with good strong clones – 2 Queen Mother x Elvira, 2 Apollo 13 and 2 Lamb’s Bread x Mother Teresa –from an expert indoor medical gardener. They were in 12 cm pots and 30-45 cm tall, overgrown. The roots were in fair condition, even though a few were brown, most were strong, white and vibrant. I left the little clones outdoors in the shade and brought them in at night for three days. The 15th of May, I removed a few lower branches and transplanted them about 25 cm deep. Planting deeper gives the roots a cool moist environment and the subterranean stems would grow new strong roots in about a month.
The surface of bare soil was 150 degrees C, 12 cm belowground temperatures climbed to 30 degrees C. A 15 cm layer of straw mulch cooled the surface to 21 degrees C and 12 cm belowground to 18 degrees C. Plants began to grow 3-6 cm daily.
Shade cloth protected the recently transplanted clones from intense sunlight and kept soil cool the first three weeks after transplanting. This photo was taken the 3rd of June after plants were established and started to grow. To mount the shade cloth, drive a few lightweight posts into the ground around the interior of the raised bed and drape 50% shade cloth to over the new tender cuttings and staple to posts. They were planted during a cool spell that lasted several days. The weather reports are right much of the time! The shade cloth was removed week later, but I put it back on for a few more days when the weather got hot.
By the 12th of July, plants had outgrown the bed and needed support and bending. The new 120 cm wire fence with 15 cm squares around two thirds of the garden provides support to bent branches. I left the shady sides open to provide easy access to the interior of the bed. I trained branches on the perimeter through the 15 cm squares in the fence to provide stability. Bending slowed upward growth to keep plants below the fence. Bending branch tips also promotes bushier growth.
By the first week of June established clones are growing well and need no protection from intense sunlight. Planting earlier takes advantage of less intense sunlight and cooler temperatures. Plants have a chance to become established before warm weather sets in. On the 7th of June, the temperature of the raised bed is about 30 degrees C during the heat of the day and about 22 degrees C 6 cm deep. The raised bed helps when the days are cool before the soil warms. After two days sunlight was heating the bed to temperatures that slowed growth to a crawl.
Overgrown bent plants needed thinning below to allow for air circulation and promote growth aboveground that receives intense sunlight. I always cut branches and leaves off with pruning clippers to avoid wounding plants. Pruning off lower branches also helps provide air circulation in between plants.
42
The plants used so much water that I installed a drip irrigation system to water plants daily. The drippers were unable to supply water evenly. I also watered heavily as needed with a wand with a breaker head that oxygenated the water. By 24th of June, plants are consuming more water and kept on the every-other-day schedule of about 40-230 liters in the entire 180 x 300 cm bed.
Apollo 13 was the first to come ripe, a full two weeks earlier than the rest of the garden. This image was taken a few weeks before harvest.
By the 21 August the plants had overgrown the 180 x 300 cm raised bed. You can see the top branches starting to shoot upward and small bracts and stigmas starting to grow on buds that are forming. Here is a view of a Queen Mother x Elvira branch of flower bud that was shot the same day, September 27, as the previous image of Apollo 13. Notice the bud is bigger and slower to mature.
Flower-filled branches have grown 30 cm or more in the last two weeks. Notice the Apollo 13 plant in the right foreground. The buds are clearly much more developed than others. Note the Queen Mother x Elvira branches on the left are not as far along flowering. They received light from a nearby window during the nighttime.
This photo of a branch of flower buds of Queen Mother x Elvira from the same plant as above. It was taken the same day, September 27 as the previous two images. It is underdeveloped and smaller overall because it received light during nighttime hours from a nearby window.
Take advantage of the planting weather If the good early spring weather turns bad, build a plastic greenhouse Trellis with nylon netting Water as needed Each parcel has specific water dynamics always let plants direct your actions
By the third year I knew from observation that:
Here is a photo taken from an upstairs window. The plants are from 150-220 cm tall. The flower buds are starting to get so heavy that they weigh down branches.
1. 2. 3. 5. 6.
Plants received 4-6 hours direct sunlight during vegetative growth Plants received 3-4 hours direct sunlight during flowering Roots get hot when sunlight shines on soil and need cooling Planting early takes advantage of heat and hours of sunlight Growing tall varieties takes advantage of limited sunlight
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45
INTERVIEW
The People Speak! About a month back I found myself down in London, partaking in one of my favourite past times; wandering into a local grow shop and having a good old chinwag with the bloke behind the counter. It fascinates me how different areas of the UK prefer different growing styles, nutrients, lights and strains, plus – if they’re not too busy with customers – the owners generally like to have a natter.
cuttings from Big Buddha seeds. They were vegged 3 weeks in 15 litre pots of 60/40 mix (coco/clay balls). Jiffa: 240x120 grow tent with three 600w lamps, 10 inch outtake and 6inch intake. I am also using an EcoTechnics Evolution controller, growing in coco, run to waste
Super Lemon Haze, day 48, grown by Flipmode with various clones. Flipmode: Current grow is GrowLab 2.4 x 1.2 tent, with 2 x 600w dual specs, a 10” filter reduced down to 8” Airforce 2 fan, a 6” RVK for the intake. I’m hand feeding in coco, currently got some Super Lemon Haze on the go. Yasm: My grow room is approximately 115cm x 120cm, hand built into the apex of my loft from 80mm kingspan lined with thermawrap (doubled on the roof ) and mylar. Light is a 600w dual spectrum. Extraction is an 8” TD silent with Rhino filter. Intake is 5” drawing from the bathroom cupboard which is always nice and toasty. I run lights over night for optimal temps. My current grow method is timed drip feed, 3 times per day all during lights on. I use adjustable drippers to compensate for increased evaporation in pots under the light. I run 16 drip lines into 3 litre pots of coco, 8 in each titan tray. My current and last run (and next, haha!) are Smottie BX. Good yielder and the strongest smelling herb in flower - good or bad - I’ve ever grown.
Chiesel, day 46, grown by Dave
Anyway, over a brew, the Londoner began to tell me about a booster that he swears by and promotes to his customers and how the feedback was incredible; customers coming back after a week and saying that they needed a bigger filter to cope with the smell, customers saying they had to use it half dose because it was stinking out their apartments! Just awesome! Not knowing too much about the product in question, I did what I always do to boost my knowledge on something new; I hit the forums. After chatting to a few
SS: Hi guys, tell us a bit about your grow room set up - size, lights, strain, growing method? Evil Pixie: I just have a small cabinet grow with various strains on the go. Icki: My grow room is purpose built in my loft. It’s only 1.6m tall at its highest point and 1.2m x 1.7m floor space. Lighting is a 600w digital ballast MH and Sunmaster HPS lamps. I’ve also got 200w under floor heating and 2x 4 feet tube heaters. Recent grow was UGORG NoName and UGORG#1, usually use the scrogging method. Plants are in 20 litre pots filled
with coco, top fed by hand each day with the run off removed. Dave: I grow in a 120x120x200 grow tent, using T5 lamps in veg and then a 600w in bloom. At the moment I’m growing some White Widows and some Chiesel
Flipmode: I’ve tried most nutes; 1, 2 and 3 part. But I use Growth Technology Ionic 1 part nutes. I’ve always found them great and good value for money. I used PK13/14 for a long time, but switched to Advanced Nutrient Hammerhead 9/18 a few years ago and found that ratio much better. Now I use the Buddhas Tree 9/18 and it’s much better than any other PK I’ve used. I also use Plant Magic MagneCal – which is great - and am just trying Buddhas Tree Meta-BOOST which is looking very promising. The Plant Magic MagneCal really helps to maximise the PK and stop any Cal/Mag deficiencies too. Yasm: I’ve never really been one for adding all sorts to my nutrient, I have however used Ionic PK Boost, which marginally improved yields, not drastically, but for 10-15 quid I wasn’t complaining. I’ve also used House & Garden Bud XL, which improved yields further, but again only by maybe an ounce or so, which could have easily been down to environment. Icki: In the past I’ve used Dutch Pro Explode and House & Garden Shooting Powder. Both were good. Dave: I’ve used Advanced Nutrients Hammer Head PK 9/18 before and BloomBastic from Atami. Both of those gave me good results. Jiffa: I’ve tried all kinds of boosters and used Advanced Nutrients high yield kit for a while; great results, but too many bottles for my liking. I’d been using VitaLink Buddy for about 5 years as my main booster before switching to Buddhas Tree. I really liked the ease of use and got good results at the right money. SS: What made you try the booster that you’re using now? Evil Pixie: I have always steered clear of additives as a rule but, as I was only growing a small amount, I wanted to get the most out of them and was lured in by promises of higher yield. I’m using
SS: What about nutes and additives? Icki: The nutrients I’m using are Dutch Pro A and B Grow and Bloom, Multi Total, Take Root and Advanced Nutrients Cal Mag. Evil Pixie: I use the Plant Magic range, as it’s just easy and I get great results. Dave: I’m hand feeding with VitaLink nutes , Cannazym, Superthrive and House & Garden Roots Excellurator. Jiffa: I use VitaLink Coir as a base nutrient, I like the KISS schedule! Yasm: I’m currently using Ionic Coco nutes, I also use VitaLink coco and both
I HAVE ALWAYS STEERED CLEAR OF ADDITIVES AS A RULE BUT, AS I WAS ONLY GROWING A SMALL AMOUNT, I WANTED TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THEM folk online and being sent some very tasty bud pictures, I thought it would make a nice article. So, thanks to the modern marvel of instant messenger, I interviewed a few of the growers. Say hello to Evil Pixie, Icki, Dave, Jiffa, Flipmode and Yasm…
By Little Lebowski
do a sterling job for the price. Even if I do change nutrient regime, I’m definitely after this experience with Buddhas Tree - using it in every crop, maybe unless my filter is on its way out and I’m too skint to get a new one!
NoName, day 55, grown by Icki
Buddhas Tree now because I didn’t have to rely on my own intuition/gambling skills at the hydro shop, instead it was literally put in my hand as a sample bot-
46 tle by a friend at the Manchester show. Before that I was using Green Fuse, which was good, but I could never say I noticed anything noticeable within the cured flowers. That’s why I was open to an alternative brand. Icki: What made me try Buddhas Tree was recommendations off a few friends and I was intrigued by the PK 9/18 as opposed to PK 13/14. Jiffa: After hearing great feedback from my local shop I gave Buddhas Tree a go. Flipmode: I know a few lads from the
Lot 5 Evo, day 40, grown by Jiffa south coast that grow on a big scale and they absolutely love the stuff, so I thought I`d have to give it a go and it speaks for itself really once you start using it. Yasm: I was recommended it by a good trusted friend and I read a few reports from respected growers all who rate this product, now I can see why. SS: What differences have you noticed to your previous grows? Evil Pixie: I always like to add the boosters I have tried at week 5, because I feel I have more to look at to be able to judge if they do work. I just go off my eyes and senses and I noticed with the PK9/18 there was a better overall shape and structure to the buds, even the very bottom small popcorn bud was denser than previous grows. It’s proved itself to me with noticeably full-
White Widow, mid-flower, grown by Dave
er buds, more uniformity and thickness. Icki: The yield since using Buddhas Tree is up by a good few ounces, compared to the stimulators I’ve used in the past. But what you really notice with this is the
the biggest difference comes from the amount of resin and terpene production. The smell levels go up another level and it gives a nice density to your colas. Yasm: Aside from the bud size, there’s the
obvious they care about its safety, as do I, but the important thing is that it works. Yasm: I grow for myself and supply a few mates, all recreational users, well one guy reckons he’s a medi user but there’s fuck
I HAD TO TAKE A DAY OF WORK TO FIT A NEW FILTER WHILE ALL THE NEIGHBOURS WERE OUT. I DIDN’T DARE CHANGE THEM OVER DURING THE EVENING! density of the bud. The trichome production has definitely come on early since using this. Also, the day after each feed of the Buddhas Tree PK9/18, they absolutely stink! After using on my last NoName grow I’m totally impressed. I’m not usually one for using too many additives and this fitted the bill perfectly. Dave: The Buddhas Tree gives better density and yield; I’ve seen an increase in trichomes and flavour/aroma, best of both worlds, really. Yasm: This is my first crop using Buddhas Tree PK - due down in about 5 days and I have to say, I’m already extremely impressed. Yield is already looking like my best ever, without doubt. The buds for plants in 3 litre pots are enormous. I didn’t anticipate this and my usual 3 bamboo stakes for support have failed miserably, haha! There’s entire colas flopping everywhere, I just couldn’t keep on top of it, caught me off guard big time. But it’s all a learning curve, and I’ll have 6 stakes in each pot next time. Jiffa: To be honest, my yields have always been quite consistent, but there’s definitely something going on with the smells and taste when using Buddhas Tree, everything tastes so full when compared to other boosts I’ve used and I see general all round better health to the buds. Flipmode: I’ve upped my overall weight since using the Buddhas Tree gear, but
smell. I know this is a stinky strain, but with this PK 9/18 it could easily become a significant security risk if you didn’t have a decent filter. In fact my last filter was a couple of years old and it got that bad that I had to take a day of work to fit a new filter while all the neighbours were out. I didn’t dare change them over during the evening! It really is potent stuff. I didn’t dare up the dose to 0.5ml per litre, as suggested, until I’d swapped the filters. Which meant I never actually got round to increasing it for 2 weeks, so I’m sure on the next run I’m gonna be even more impressed. SS: So, how much of a consideration is it to you that the elements that you feed to your plants are considered food safe? Evil Pixie: I grow for my own supply. That might be why I have never really bothered properly with stimulators in the past, because of the unnecessary additions. I don`t really put much thought into it, maybe I should. Icki: I grow just for me, I keep the best buds and bubble anything remotely airy. Dave: All that I grow, I grow for myself so safe nutrient is important Jiffa: I grow for myself mainly, but a lot gets made to oils and medi creams for sick folks needing medication. Flipmode: I like the fact that they find it important to make it to EU regulation it’s
all wrong with the lazy work shy shite. I’m 100% confident this run is gonna be the most popular yet, smell is a big positive, the smellier the better and, after using the 9/18, it’s already the weediest smelling weed I’ve ever grown, and that’s before chop and a cure. I’m gonna have to keep it in a kilner jar, inside another kilner jar! Evil Pixie: I don’t use a lot of chemical nutes and would try to always use a fairly organic approach with the odd exception, but safety of the nutrient is definitely an important thing for me. Icki: Safety is high in my priorities. I want to know that whatever I feed my plants are, firstly, good for them and also not problematic for myself. I’m pretty careful to lower the EC near the end of flower and flush for a few days, to ensure I get quality more than quantity. Jiffa: Safe end product is totally paramount in my mind. Yasm: Personally, nutes being food safe isn’t my number one concern. However, given the side by side choice of food safe and not food safe, I’d probably go with the food safe. Mainly because I don’t want any residual shit being inhaled into my lungs. I don’t even know if that’s possible but either way, I’d rather have food the safe chems. SS: Cheers guys, thanks for your thoughts and those lovely bud pictures! Happy growing
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49
TRAVEL
Nightmares in Paradise Belize is a small country on the Caribbean coast of Central America: its home to the world-famous Blue Hole, they speak English and the local Garifuna people reckon themselves to have something of a Ras Tafarian culture going on. The country also has a formidable reputation for drug related violence and corruption and it’s been hitting the international headlines recently courtesy of the internet mil-
The Professor
“It’s fucking crazy here man, the police caught me with less than one gram of hash. They’re rough too, they hurt you in the bollocks and push you around a lot. When I got to prison they locked me up with eight cop killers – four young guys who killed a cop in a fight and four older guys who killed a cop because he cheated them. We were all on one fucking heavy ten metre long chain – at least fifty kilos, everywhere
THEY LOCKED ME UP WITH EIGHT COP KILLERS lionaire John McAfee – did he really set up a meth lab in his basement, go wild and shoot his neighbour in a row over his dogs? Or was he innocently extracting antibiotics from local plants whilst being set up by the Belizean authorities for knowing too much about their corruption? It depends who you talk to, everyone in Belize says one thing while he says another. Whatever happened in and around the McAfee mansion is history now, but the country is still a bit of a mental place, especially when it comes to drugs, cops and the law, so SSUK popped over to suss just how toker-friendly this supposed paradise really is... Before you travel to any foreign country that you’re thinking of taking drugs in it’s wise to have a look at their laws first, and this applies especially
we went we had to carry this fucking chain. They wouldn’t let me see a lawyer or speak to anyone, if you get locked up here you’re guilty until you’re proven innocent, you have no rights and if you’re a foreigner you don’t even get bail so it’s impossible to prove anything. They say you have rights but when it happens for real you have no fucking rights in this country. After two days in jail they sent me to court where they gave me a five hundred dollar fine, if I couldn’t pay they tell me I have to work it off in prison for a dollar and a half a day. I asked to see their evidence but they didn’t even test the hash so there was no evidence. After the case was heard they took me to the ATM in my fucking court chains, make me take out the money and then they take me to pay the fine. After they let me go I tell them fuck you, I want to complain
to Belize because their drug laws were written by Satan, or possibly his evil dominatrix. No-one’s quite sure. Either way, 1990 was the year that the Belize Misuse of Drugs Act first spat in the face of its people.
– who do I complain to? They laughed at me and tell me the case is finished, if I wanted to complain I had to complain to the judge, but with no lawyer how the fuck was I supposed to know any of this? ”
Under their law a first offence for possession of ganja is going to cost you a minimum of two nights in the cells and a fine of between US$500 and US$1500:
Second and third possession offences get even stronger, get caught a third time and you’re going to be facing a fine between twenty five thousand and fifty thousand US dollars.
When it comes to trafficking charges it gets even crazier. Anything over sixty grams of weed is considered a dealing offence and if you get caught with stash between sixty grams and five kilos then you’ll have three to ten years to think about how you’re going to scrape together the five to fifty thousand US dollar fine the court is obliged to throw at you. Other delightful little clauses of Belizean drug law include:
If controlled drugs are found in shared premises then all are considered guilty until they can prove their innocence. If controlled drugs are found on your premises you get done under trafficking laws and you forfeit your property. You have to prove you were ignorant of their presence. If known drug users/traffickers visit your property you are committing a criminal offence.
50 This last one is particularly cruel; it means that once a convicted drug user/dealer has been released it’s pretty much illegal to have anything to do with them. The severity of these laws means that the green streets of Belize are ridden with parasites, liars, thieves and cheats. It’s a cut-throat game out here – if you’re a tourist trying to buy weed on the street in Belize City or any of the major tourist
“You have to be so careful here man, if you give them the money before you see the weed they’ll just give you a small bag of crap and a shitstorm of lies – that’s if you ever see them again. And a lot of them are working with the cops – I was drinking with a guy in a bar, just a tourist I met that day, he was a good guy. When I went for a piss I came back and he was in handcuffs and getting pushed out of the bar by the cops – one
THEIR OUNCES WEIGH ABOUT TEN OF OUR GRAMS centres you WILL be ripped off, your ears will be constantly assaulted and insulted by dangerously desperate fuckwits scheming after the cash in your wallet. You’ll be promised ‘hydro’ or ‘high grade’ only to be given mouldy old bush weed. The weights and measures system in Belize is different as well – their ounces weigh about ten of our grams and their eighths come in at around two g. “I made friends with this guy for about a week when he offered to sort me out
with an ounce of ‘hydro’. He told me to give him a hundred dollars up front and if I liked it I could give him the other fifty. I had no reason not to trust him, but when he came back he gave me this shitty little bag of really bad weed and acted like he did me a big favour. He really pissed me off, told me he didn’t know about ounces and grams and ‘all that drug stuff man’, he really played me for a fool. I got angry with him and then he told me a load more bullshit before saying he was gonna go get another bag for me and he was sorry and he really wanted to give me a good deal. ‘I be back in ten minutes’ he tells me, five hours later I saw him again and I was seriously pissed off, he greeted me with a big smile and an apology: ‘sorry man, I can’t get you any more, unlucky, brother...’ We had a fight. There was no chance of getting my cash back, or any more weed, so I took the rest of my money’s worth in violence. They understand that here, if they have to take a bit of a hammering cos they ripped someone off they’ll take it, but don’t go over the top or you’ll probably get killed.”
guy offered to sell him some weed and before he even put it in his pocket the guys friend arrested him, he was a cop, dressed in plain clothes and drinking at the bar like everyone else, it was a total set up but you just don’t fuck with the police here, they worse than gangsters, they like to fuck people’s lives up for a couple of hundred dollars. This guy had to go to jail and pay the fine; they get loads of tourists like that. The cops here are evil bastards, last week four of the local ones got found out to be corrupt
so they got moved to a different town – every month different cops come and go and they’re all corrupt, they send us one corrupt cop after another and they never sack any of them.” Tourists, expats and locals alike, no one has a good word to say about the Belizean police: “The police here are fucking assholes; if you have some weed in a packet of tobacco then they weigh the tobacco as well and just say “Well it’s all together so we weigh it all together!” They really fucking asshole man, I had maybe a few leaves and a seed of some crappy weed in my tobacco, not even enough for a joint and they still arrested me. Those fuckers put me in prison for two days with some real bad people, a murderer and two rapists. In court they told the magistrate my ‘package of drugs weighed eighteen grams’ and that I resisted arrest so he gave me the maximum fine – one thousand five hundred US, I had the money but I had to stay in jail three days till I paid it all, every day they took me to the ATM in my chains to get the money.”
Thanks to their crazy laws, as well as the liars, thieves and cheats on the streets the drug game in Belize is not far short of a cops free-for-all. That uniform is a license to maraud - if you’re a bad motherfucker who likes destroying people’s lives for personal profit then the Belizean Police force is the place for you! Having said all that, these domestic drug politics are in stark contrast to the international soundbytes emanating from the Belizean government. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Dean Barrow, Belize have aligned themselves with Colombia, Mexico, and Guatemala in calling for a revision of the global ‘war on drugs’ regime being played out in the international arena. The primary motive behind this push is to lessen the drug associated violence plaguing Latin America but no Belizean leader has the courage to stick his neck out and call for the drastic action that’s needed. Instead they meekly and apologetically call for a ‘reduction and regulation’ of current policies. They’re a supposedly sovereign nation waiting for permission to change their own domestic laws. A little digging into the history and timing of their drug laws is quite interesting. Between 1983 and 1989 Belize was one of the highest recipients of US aid on a per capita basis. During 1990 and 1991 they negotiated sizeable loans with British and American banks. The drug laws were passed in 1990. This pattern is consistent with many countries around the world – Bolivia, Jamaica and India to name but a few; they all revamped their drug laws with frightening viciousness at a time when they were in desperate need of large international loans to keep their economies afloat during a global recession. Evidence of direct US/UK manipulation/ pressurising of Belizean drug laws is hard to find, but coming during the hysteria of Reagan’s crusade against drug users it would be consistent with history – fall into line with us on the drug war and we’ll sort you out with some cash, which you can then spend on military hardware we’ll sell you to fight our drug war... Maybe there’s a link in Belize, maybe not, but it fits a pattern. How about Belizean weed though? Is it even worth bothering about? There may be some decent smoke in Belize, as bush weed goes some of it’s not too bad but as far as we could figure out this was as good as it gets – high grade and hydro only exist in name to convince tourists to part with their hard-earned Queens heads. The amount of bullshit you’ll have to go through to get hold of something decent on the street also means it just isn’t worth the effort, and half a dollar a joint weed never tastes good when you’ve paid five dollars a joint for it. Just for the record, and so you know what to pay without being screwed over by some fake wannabee rasta, the smaller bags of bush weed, the two gram ‘eighths’, go for no more than five Belizean dollars and an ounce will set
you back fifty Belizean, or twenty five US. Weed is available everywhere here despite the law, but half decent green is hard to find and when you do its expensive – twenty Belizean (US$10) for a two gram bag. So, if you were thinking Belize as a potential ganja-friendly tourist destination then think again. The best advice we got about the country turned out to be the last bit of advice we got from a local expat before we arrived: “What the fuck are you going there for? Their weed is shit, and it’s fucking expensive – and if you wanna go out and buy it on the street you better take a knife with you. That’s a violent place man, so many people come through this hostel with stories about the dealers and cops in Belize it just isn’t funny, and it’s getting worse – the only reason I’d ever go to that country is to dive the Blue Hole, and then I’d take my smoke with me – the weed in Guatemala and Mexico’s a lot cheaper, and usually a lot better.” Still, the future for pot heads in Belize isn’t all bad. With states in the US now legalising recreational use and new scientific discoveries about the plant being made every week the whole rationale for the war against drug users is looking
decidedly shaky – there’s no way Latin American leaders are going to let their countries get dragged further into the violent nightmare of prohibition whilst US demand for their product is being legalised. At least the debate seems to be moving in the right direction: if/ when Belize eventually gets permission to humanise her drug laws everyone in the country will breathe a huge sigh of relief. With the exception of all those dirty cops of course.
World War Weed: Tales from the Trenches, the debut book from The Professor, is now available through the website www.worldwarweed.com, or from The Dam Good Headshop on Ebrington Street in Plymouth.
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SHOP REVIEW / INDEX OF ADS / COLOFON
OH YEAH! Headshop & Dr.Chronic
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Advanced Seeds
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Amsterdam Seed Center
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Angel Grow Hydroponics
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Big Stone River Indoor Garden Centre
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Bio Nova
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Buddha Seeds
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Critical Hydroponics
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Dr. Blooms Hydroponics
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Dutch Passion
36
Ed Rosenthal
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Grass-O-Matic
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Grotech Distribution
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Grow Green II
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OH YEAH! is the leading headshop in the South East of the UK which has been Established since 1991 and with their online website www.drchronic.com they have firmly positioned themselves as a leading supplier of all Head related paraphernalia.
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Growing Underground
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Growryder
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The company is now under NEW ownership and you can already see the positive changes being made to the business. All the leading seed banks are stocked, some of which include: DNA/ Big Buddha/ Serious Seeds/ Royal Queen Seeds/ CBD Crew/ Barney’s and many more as well as all the smoking paraphernalia any individual could need!
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Indica Sativa Trade
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Jorge Cervantes
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LTT
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Maidstone Hydroponics
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Money Tree Hydroponics
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Mycologics
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Nirvana
10
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19
Having visited a lot of Headshops throughout the UK I can see how much effort is being made by the new owner to confirm the company’s position as a leading supplier of Head related products and there are not many I have seen that stock the high quality pieces available in this shop. More affordable prod-
OH YEAH! Headshop 00 Southchurch Road Southend-on-Sea Essex SS1 2LX (t) 01702 611209 (w) www.drchronic.com
Marihuana plants grow really well during a nice wet summer; the green ladies are just mad about high air moisture levels and develop extremely fast when allowed to mature exposed to one. So it’s a shame that a lot of rainfall can also create problems in the soil in which the plants are growing, becoming much too wet. That is why you should always make sure that the substrate is good and airy, so that excess water can easily drain away.
Hesi Hollinwood Hydroponics Hydro 2 Grow
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Paradise Seeds
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Paradise Seeds
16-17
Plagron
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Procare
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Royal Queen Seeds
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Seeds of Life
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Shayanashop.com
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: info@softsecrets.nl Editor: Cliff Cremer Contributors: Little Lebowski, Ed Rosenthal, Jorge Cervantes, Dr. John Dee, Grubbycup, the Professor, Kali Mist, Buddy Kush, Sativa Diva and others Comics: Jim Stewart Editorial adress: E-mail: ssuk@softsecrets.nl Advertisements: E-mail: info@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.
7
Smokin Vinyl
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Southern Hydro Centre
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Southwest Headshops
29
Stanford Hydroponics
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SuperStrainS
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Sweet Seeds
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31
Triangle Hydroponics
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UK GroWorks
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UK Skunkworks
48
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: June 28 2013
Atami
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