FREE
THE CANNABIS NEWSPAPER SINCE 1985
Issue 1 - 2015
10 A dab too far
12 Nebula
20 Grafting
23 Kief/Dry Sift
18+ For adults only. Soft Secrets is published six times a year by Discover Publisher BV Netherlands
AMSTERDAM
A year after marijuana legalisation LQ &RORUDGR HYHU\WKLQJ V ˋQH FRQˋUP SROLFH
RRY SENSI-STAR DELAHAZE PANDORA BELLADONNA WAPPA ALL
It's been a year since Colorado became the first state in the US to legalise marijuana, and its impact on health, crime, employment and other factors can now be more empirically measured. So, did it bring about an apocalypse leaving the streets strewn with out-ofwork addicts as some Republicans feared? "We found there hasn't been much of a change of anything," a Denver police officer told CBC this week. "Basically, officers aren't seeing much of a change in how they do police work."
Not only has the legalisation of cannabis not come with a rise in crime, it has also created thousands of jobs, as tourists flock to the city's 60+ marijuana outlets. A local newspaper even appointed its first cannabis critic in April. "So the sky isn't falling?" a CBC reporter asked the officer. "The sky isn't falling," he replied. Impaired driving, property crime and violent crime were all dropping in Denver prior to legalisation, and the trend has only continued. Even drug use among young people is down, the report claims. The state has collected $60 million in tax revenue from sales of the drug meanwhile, $4 million of which has been plugged back into the city through new programmes brought in by its mayor (who remains antilegalisation). Colorado's unprecedented move led to Washington, Alaska and Oregon voting for legalisation, and this week a bill was filed to legalise it in New York. Cannabis remains a Class B drug in the UK, carrying a prison sentence for possession of up to five years. Source: Independent.co.uk
3 EDITORIAL
Looking for a protest vote? Go Green!
With the UK general election looming at the end of Spring, you can certainly expect our media to go into overdrive with the usual shit stirring or flag flying, depending on how far right of the centre their allegiances fall. If you’re a casual follower of politics in the news then you’d be forgiven for thinking that Ukip have now cemented themselves as the third party and that they are your only real option of a ‘protest vote’. And with good reason; Nigel Farage is a firm media favourite with his charismatic, pint-swilling buffoonery act garnering plenty of column inches. But look beyond the headlines and you may be surprised to know that, behind Ukip, the Lib Dems are currently polling fifth and the Green Party is comfortably languishing in fourth. A small percentage shift in votes could land the Greens in third. They’ve already passed Farage’s crew in membership numbers; in fact they have more members than the Lib Dems. Yet, bizarrely, Ofcom has ruled that the Greens should not be considered a major party for the purposes of campaign coverage on television, but decided that Ukip should. At this point, I can sense a few of you grumbling ‘why do I give a shit about the Greens?’ Well, dig a little deeper into some of their policies and all will become clear. Firstly, the Green’s believe in ‘The Common Good’, that politics should benefit all, not just those with the deepest pockets and that a world based on cooperation and democracy would prioritise the many, not the few.
Auto BlackberryKush has been introduced to offer a top quality indica with a heavy hitting stone together with a fresh fruity Kush taste. The Blueberry may slightly, but not always, dominate the Kush characteristics giving a sweeter and fruity influence together with the strong earthy indica contribution from the Kush. Auto BlackberryKush grows vigorously with a strong main bloom and numerous side branches typical of an indica autofem. The majority of plants will show colour in the leaves/buds at harvest, occasionally the hard and compact buds may develop particularly dark colours. Auto BlackberryKush typically reaches around 0.75 - 1 metre and is ready to harvest about 10 weeks after germination when grown on a 20/4 light cycle. Auto Blackberry Kush will appeal to growers wanting premium quality genetics capable of delivering extra sticky XL harvests with a really strong body stone. A visually beautiful automatic Kush which produces top quality effects together with great taste and aroma. A superb new auto which has it all, highly recommended. Suitable for Outdoor, Indoor and Greenhouse Genetics: Indica Dominant Yield: XL Seed to Harvest: 10 weeks www.dutch-passion.nl
AutoBlackberry Kush
Auto BlackberryKush is an automatic cross between Dutch Passion original Blueberry and a dark coloured resinous Kush hash-plant selected from the DP gene bank.
So far so good, all sounds pretty common sense, if a little vague. Well, if common sense is what you’re after then check out their drug policy… ȏ 6PDOO VFDOH SRVVHVVLRQ RI GUXJV IRU SHUVRQDO XVH ZRXOG EH FRPSOHWHO\ decriminalised. The starting point would be advice to policing authorities to caution rather than prosecute for offences of all drug possession for personal use. ȏ 7KH UHFRPPHQGHG VHQWHQFHV IRU VPDOO VFDOH VXSSO\ ZRXOG EH QRQ FXVWRdial options. ȏ $ OLFHQVHG QRQ VWDWXWRU\ VHUYLFH ZLOO EH HVWDEOLVKHG WR SURYLGH DQDO\VLV RI any drug regardless of source. The service would be available for a small fee both to organisations and to members of the public and would be confidential (they’ll basically sanction drug quality testing). ȏ $ SURSRUWLRQ RI WKH ILQHV DQG DVVHWV RI FRQYLFWHG GUXJ WUDIILFNHUV ZRXOG be used to fund research into drug use and reducing drug related harm. Sound interesting? Well here’s the clincher… ȏ &DQQDELV ZRXOG EH UHPRYHG IURP WKH PLVXVH RI GUXJV DFW 7KH SRVsession, trade and cultivation of cannabis would be immediately decriminalised and will roughly follow the Dutch model (hopefully very roughly considering recent developments in Dutch law!). ȏ 7KH WUDGH LQ &DQQDELV ZRXOG WKHQ EH WKH VXEMHFW RI D 5R\DO &RPPLVVLRQ with a view to establishing a fully legalised, controlled and regulated trade. Now, we’re certainly not suggesting that any of you good readers will be swayed to vote for a political party based on their drug policy alone. So, get online, do some research and make your own mind up. In the meantime, here are a few other headline policy snippets to keep you going; an increase in the minimum wage to £10 an hour, environmental sustainability, higher taxation on corporations operating in the UK and the phasing out of ‘factory farming’ animals. Sound good? Then vote wisely and who knows, maybe this time round we could end up with a coalition government that hold some common sense policies for a change. Happy voting!
READERS’ MAIL Hi SS, this is Cheesy Dick from Big Buddha seeds resting against P\ ȴDQFHȇV ORYHO\ WLWV DV LW ZDV IDOOLQJ RYHU XQGHU LWVȇ RZQ ZHLJKW I grew it in coco in 15l pots with a 600watt MH for all of the veg DQG WZR ZHHNV LQWR ȵRZHU WKHQ D ZDWW +36 WR ȴQLVK LW R Ζ XVHG &DQQD $ % +HVL %RRVW DQG +HVL SN WKHQ ȵXVKHG IRU a week and half. I got just short of 6oz, which I was well happy with. Hope you like my Cheesy Dick! Speak soon hopefully.
Attention Readers! Fancy a FREE packet of FEMINISED seeds from
Wow! Serious buddage and serious boobage! We’re surprised \RXU ȴDQFH GRHVQȇW IDOO RYHU XQGHU WKH ZHLJKW RI WKRVH EDG ER\V \RX KDYH QR LGHD KRZ GLɝFXOW LW ZDV QRW WR ZULWH D joke about her giving us a Cheesy Dick, whoops, too late!). Anyway, very good growing mate. We like the continuation of the MH lamp two weeks into ȵRZHU WR KHOS FRQWURO VWUHWFK
DINAFEM? Then send us a picture of your grow room or best cannabis plant, including a visible copy of Soft Secrets, and we’ll send you 3 seeds. Should your photo happen to feature your beautiful wife or girlfriend wearing a sexy microbikini or super hot lingerie, you will receive 6 seeds. Photo of the Month will even receive 9 prime quality feminised seeds. With compliments of Soft Secrets and DINAFEM!
E-mail your entries to SSUK@softsecrets.nl. 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
These were under 1 x 600w HPS light in a 1.2x 1.2 tent, 4" Rhino FDUERQ ȴOWHU H[WUDFWLRQ )LYH ZHHNV RI YHJ DQG WZHOYH ZHHNV RI ȵRZHU $OO done with House and Garden feeds and %XGGKDV 7UHH ZKLOVW ȵRZHULQJ )URP the end result I would say the Buddhas 7UHH PDGH D PDVVLYH GLHUHQFH IURP P\ ȴUVW DWWHPSW DW WKLV +RSH WKDW PDNHV sense I am really baked! Looking good, sir. No word on the strain, EXW IURP WKRVH ORQJ ȴQJHUHG OHDYHV DQG WKH H[WHQGHG ȵRZHULQJ WLPH ZHȇUH SUHWW\ VXUH you were enjoying a lovely Sativa whilst typing your letter! One observation from what \RXȇYH WROG XV WKDW ȋ IDQ DQG ȴOWHU PD\ EH OK during the cool winter months, but you’ll want to be upgrading in size before the Spring gets here.
Hello my name is Leigh. I’ve been on holiday in Amsterdam and I spoke with a guy from a nice shop and he advised me to send you this pic. Maybe I will appear in your great newspaper! We like a classy lady here at Soft Secrets, you even made it to Readers Wife of the Month! A big thank you to the guy who suggested you send in the picture and, Leigh, on behalf of the entire United Kingdom, we can safely say we’d like to see more of you!
5
6
PRODUCTS
NEW!
0DJLF7UXɞH Grinder Everyone knows that truffles do not taste all that good. Sometimes intake even results in nausea and loss of energy, since there's more adrenaline working the bloodstream. To face this problem we have developed the truffle grinder. The truffle grinder splits the amount of grinded truffles in equal parts, which makes it easier to consume. The benefits of grinding your truffles: - They are passing faster in the body system - No nausea after chewing - Smoother intake - Equal parts by sharing a portion - Easy to swallow with water - Better effects trough less adrenaline*) *) vomiting causes a higher amount of adrenaline in the blood system. Adrenaline makes you more alert and is also a painkiller. Adrenaline downplays the effect of Psylocybine. Manual - Put truffles into the grinder. - Put the upper part on the lower part and give it a good push. - Turn the upper and down parts opposite each other. - Repeat till you got a substance like peanut butter.
Tips and tricks: - Add a few peanuts to the truffles before grinding. Raises the taste with 100%. - Try some fresh basil leaves together with olive oil and you've got the best truffle pesto ever! - Try to grind your weed in the grinder. I comes out a little bit more rough than out of regular grinders. Specially recommended for vaporizing. Send your own tricks and prescriptions to: info@magictruffles.com You can buy the grinder in the better smart shops or at www.chillsandthrills.com and: www.magictruffes.com
Crazy LEDs DQQRXQFH Holographic Series 1® LED Grow light
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7KH +RORJUDSKLF 6HULHV LV WKH ILUVW WR XVH DGYDQFHG KRORJUDSKLF RSWLFDO GLIIXVHU WHFKQRORJ\ ZKLFK FRPSOHWHO\ mixes the different light wavelengths DQG SURGXFHV DQ HYHQ GLVWULEXWLRQ RI WKH OLJKW ILHOG ZLWKRXW RSWLFDO KRWVSRWV 7KH OLJKWV XVH : RI KLJK SHUIRUPDQFH /(' WKH ZLOO UHSODFH D : +36 7KH OLJKWV HPLW YLUWXDOO\ QR KHDW DQG VKRXOG KDYH RYHU of their light intensity even after KRXUV RI XVH ZKLFK ZLOO EH PXFK PRUH WKHQ \HDUV IRU PRVW KRPH JURZHUV More information and orders at www.crazy-leds.com
New varieties from Dutch Passion Dutch Passion have announced the release of 4 new cannabis varieties. AutoEuforia is an autoflowering version of the original photoperiod Skunk classic, the happy euphoric high is the most notable benefit of this variety. AutoBlackberry Kush uses genetics from Blueberry and Kush to produce an aromatic variety with resinous dark coloured buds. Both varieties take around 10-11 weeks under 20 hours of daily light and are heavy yielders of strong cannabis, on the same quality level as a potent photoperiod variety. Forest Dream is a photoperiod sativa variety with a really potent high and is suitable for both indoor and outdoor
growing. Outdoors she is ready to harvest at the start of October and can reach 3-4 metres high with very heavy yields. Frisian Duck is one of the most unusual varieties to come from Dutch Passion, the webbed leaves are largely unrecognisable as cannabis. The Frisian Dew x Ducksfoot cross can be harvested outdoors in late September with good yields (late March in southern hemisphere). The real beauty of this variety is that it can be very difficult to identify as cannabis making it an ideal variety for urban garden and greenhouse growers. www.dutch-passion.nl
9
Does Cannabis Kill Cancer? Medical Cannabis Bike Tour Funds Landmark Clinical Trials The race is on!... A landmark independent medical investigation into the potential of cannabis as a cancer cure is due to begin in 2015, thanks to funds raised by sponsors of The Medical Cannabis Bike Tour. At a press conference in Madrid, On November 27th, The Medical Cannabis Bike Tour handed over 100,000€ to begin clinical trials, in which cannabinoids (THC and CBD) will be used with anti cancer drugs as a first line therapy to treat 30-40 brain cancer patients. The check was accepted by scientists from the University of Complutense in Madrid and the chief investigator of the Spanish Group of Neurooncology (GEINO), Dr Juan Manuel Sepúlveda. GEINO hopes to begin the patient trials in September 2015, once medical authorities have agreed on the protocol and ethical procedures. At the press conference, the Medical Cannabis Bike Tour also announced that it will be taking the tour to northern Europe in June 2015 with a 420km route through Holland, Belgium and Germany. The tour began in 2012 with just two participants, and last year attracted over 50 from all over Europe and North America. In 2015, MCBT
independently. This will be a new window for us and we are going to try very hard to change patients’ lives through this study.”
organizers have set their sights on 100 riders and volunteers. It hopes to raise another substantial amount WRZDUGV WKH HVWLPDWHG Ȝ LW will cost to stage the clinical trials.
Dr Sepúlveda told the press conference, “We want to thank the Medical Cannabis Bike Tour. It is a privilege to be given the opportunity to follow this research
The ground breaking trials are the result of many years study by scientists at Complutense University, who have been studying the effects of cannabinoids on cancer cells. Their research has shown that the active compounds of cannabis restrict tumour growth and can kill cancer cells. Dr Velasco, one of the scientists fronting the research, said, “It is fantastic to have a well respected organization such as GEINO backing our research. We hope these clinical trials will provide the scientific evidence to explore the possibilities of using cannabinoids in cancer treatments.” Luc Krol, founder of the MCBT, said, “This is a historic day. The money we continue to raise will fund programs like this and, we hope, provide real scientific evidence to support anecdotal evidence suggesting cannabis cures cancer. I would like to invite people to join our cause. We are an international force and our cause continues to be a great adventure!” www.medicalcannabis-biketour.com
10
BACKGROUND
A DAB TOO FAR?
Cannabis extracts are huge business in the legal marijuana market across the pond, the ‘pure hit’ on offer from concentrated Cannabinoids provides medical (and, of course, recreational) users with an intense, and long lasting, effect. And, with extracts containing anywhere between 70 and 90% active By Litle Lebowski compounds, it’s easy to see why they’re so popular. Check out the online ‘menu’ from any Colorado-based dispensary and you’ll be met with a bewildering array of oils, dabs, wax, shatter and budder, each one looking shinier and tastier than the last… I urge you to do this on google, it’s fascinating! The extract market is taking America by storm and – while the origins of concentrates can undoubtedly be traced back to the jelly butane hash RI WKH ȇV Ȃ WKHUHȇV QR GRXEW WKDW the current popularity stateside has accelerated its current impact on European shores. Now, for those of you that don’t know, Cannabinoids can be extracted from plant material in a number of ways, the most unobtrusive being dry sieve; using sieve screens to separate trichomes from plant material, or water extraction; using ice and multiple micron-level screens (bubble bags) to separate the trichomes. Whilst these methods achieve perfectly wonderful and potent extracts – Ice-o-lator anyone? – to achieve a true ‘concentrate’, solvents or CO2 must be employed to strip the plant material of its desirable compounds. CO2 extraction is the least toxic form of extraction in the sense that it has the lowest environmental impact. It involves CO2 being kept in a fluid state by holding it above its critical pressure point (hence the term ‘supercritical’ extraction) and forcing it through the plant material. The CO2 acts as a solvent and strips everything out of the material to create the extract. This technique is also used to decaffeinate coffee beans. CO2 extraction is incredibly difficult to perform without the use of expensive high pressure equipment and, whilst it is commonly used in the US, it’s very much out of the reach of the small scale, domestic producer. Which brings us onto the more common solvents used… Solvent extraction techniques involve running or ‘washing’ a solvent through ground up plant material, the active compounds dissolve into the solvent and are then left behind in the form of a concentrate once the solvent has been evaporated away. The most common solvents used are butane gas and
isopropyl alcohol, both of which are soluble in water which means that once the initial run has been performed the extract needs to be gently heated either on a coffee plate, oven tray or vacuum oven to get rid of the trapped solvent. This is called purging. Still with me? Good. Now at this point some of you may well be thinking to yourselves that heating up flammable and explosive solvents sounds like a one way ticket to losing your eyebrows… and you’d be right. When done in a controlled, well ventilated environment the process is relatively safe, but when the environment isn’t controlled it’s anything but safe. Underground extraction labs are making the headlines for all the wrong reasons. In Colorado last year explosions in homemade extraction operations hit the newspapers at a rate of around 3 per month, taking up almost as many column inches as reports about meth labs. Baking Bad! The fear amongst European cannabis activists is that accidents will also begin to increase in frequency over here. Nothing would harm the movement for legalisation and normalisation like a regular flow of Daily Mail-baiting explosions in residential extraction labs. That’s not to detract from the fact that someone will get seriously hurt in the process. So we caught up with ‘Kev’ an experienced hand at the extraction
UNDERGROUND EXTRACTION LABS ARE MAKING THE HEADLINES FOR ALL THE WRONG REASONS game and picked his brains about how to get the best extracts without blowing yourself into the neighbour’s front room! Soft Secrets: Hi Kev, thanks for speaking to us mate. First of all tell us what kind of extracts are you producing? Kev: Hi Soft Secrets, good speaking with you. We currently make the hemp oil and the shatter. We have been experimenting lately and made different forms of the oils, we have made wax and also some honey oil. It’s time consuming to make, and bit trickier, but worth the hassle in the end. SS: What extractions techniques are you using? K: We use two different extraction methods for the different extracts that we produce. If we want to make the shatter, wax or honey then we will us the butane extraction method. If we are making the hemp oil then it is done using the IPA (isopropyl alcohol). The different methods give you different end results. The butane give you a much more purified form of extract which makes it good for smoking, the IPA method also extracts a lot of the plant compounds due to how it has been stripped. SS: Was it a steep learning curve? Did you have any accidents? K: I spent two days over in Spain leaning how to make the oils safely, otherwise I wouldn’t give it a go, as too many things can go wrong. No accidents while I was learning. I spent the first day just watching so I didn’t make any mistakes, one mistake could be your last! SS: Let our readers know your top 5 tips for extracting safely. K: OK, here are my top five; ȏ ΖI \RX DUH HYHQ VOLJKWO\ DFFLGHQW SURQH GR QRW WU\ WKLV
ȏ 1R VPRNLQJ RU XVLQJ HOHFWULFDO equipment (including mobile phones and kettles). ȏ 0DNH VXUH \RX DUH LQ D ZHOO YHQWLODWed area with fans. Outdoors is best. ȏ 8VH WKH FRUUHFW HTXLSPHQW ȏ 'R QRW WU\ WR UXVK WKLQJV E\ XVLQJ naked flames at any point in the whole process. Kev then introduced us to a guy who'd had a nasty accident during an extraction session. Here's what he had to say... “Hello Soft Secrets, first of all I was using a simple method of extraction, i.e. honey bee extractor, butane gas and a Pyrex dish. The extraction took place in a friends flat. I was finishing up after quite a big extraction session, many butane gas cans were used and I was about to purge the gas off. Then, my friend flicked the kettle switch and suddenly I was engulfed in a fire ball and explosion! I suffered burns to both arms and face and was in a hospital burns unit for New Year’s Eve and for a few days after. It wasn't the first time I'd done extraction and I was strait back to the extractor about a week after! I could have done it better by doing it outside and my final words are ventilation is key!” So, there you have it. Do it the safe way and make sure you don’t end up as a Daily Mail headline. Safe extracting.
12
STRAIN REPORT
Nebula
REACHING FOR THE STARS Text & Photos: Green Born Identity – G.B.I.
She’s not as old as the stars in the sky, but in the world of professional cannabis strains, Nebula – which means star cloud – belongs to a group of cannabis VWDUV WKDW DULVHG TXLWH D ORQJ WLPH DJR ΖW ZDV LQ ZKHQ 3DUDGLVH EUHHGHU Luc created Nebula and chose this name for the strain’s “stellar qualities”. So 1HEXOD ORRNV EDFN RQ D SURXG \HDUV KLVWRU\ DOUHDG\ VKHȇV D ILUVW JHQHUDtion Paradise classic that thanks to its excellence has successfully sustained its firm position within the famous Paradise strain assortment. Her mostly indica lineage consists of an unknown US strain crossed with the 0DVWHU :LGRZ VWUDLQ ZKLFK EDFN WKHQ LQ ZDV D WK JHQHUDWLRQ :KLWH Widow hybrid. From Master Widow, Nebula has inherited that legendary super-rich Widow resin content, while a sweet-fruity aroma and high yield potential was brought in by the US strain. With its open growth structure, she is very suitable for a sea-of-green setup, Paradise recommends to put 20 plants on one square meter, the yield is to be expected to amount
up to 500 grams then. The plants require a flowering time of 60-65 days to ripen. Nebula isn’t choosy with regard to grow mediums, performing well on hydro, coco or soil. Her buds are described as thick, even “obese” when receiving plenty of light. Nebula smokers are enjoying a “transcendental and cerebral,
sometimes even a little psychedelic” high, carried by a THC content of 7KLV VWUDLQȇV VXSHUE SURILOH LV made perfect by a sickly-sweet smell and a very honeyed fruity flavour. Due to this, Luc feels that Nebula deserves the nickname “honey pot”… She can also be grown outdoors very well in temperate zones between 50º n.L. and 50º s.L., maturing in the middle of October and delivering yields of 500-600g per plant. Nebula won the Copa La Bellar Flor Cup 2005 in Spain, took second place at the High Times Cannabis Cup 2005 and third place at the Highlife Cup 2004 (hydro category). The Doc wanted to be taken to the outer realms of the cannabis sky and decided to test-grow Nebula, using a package of three feminised seeds. Germination was as reliable and fast as usual with Paradise strains, after three days, the young seedlings appeared above the Jiffy pot surface and stretched toward the light that came from a 600 W MH bulb which also supplied plants of two other strains. He planted them into 11 litre pots filled with Plagron Standard Mix soil, pimped
13 few more hits made him feel like levitating above the ground, the mental Nebula rocket had left the earth station and was about travelling to the stars. “When I had finished the whole spliff, it was a heavenly feeling then: While that enormous deal of sativa power kept me flying and reaching for the stars, I also felt thoroughly stoned, like wearing those green spectacles of careless happiness.” That ethereal trip lasted for about one and half
with 5% expanded clay and horn chippings. Growth was very stout and bushy in the first weeks, with a lot of side branches vividly coming off the nodes. When four weeks of vegetative growth had passed (The Doc had meanwhile added another 600 W MH and one 400 W HPS bulb), the three Nebulas, without having been pinched back or bent down, looked almost ball-shaped, with impressive side-branching and lush green leaves. And they were remarkably homogeneous, having arrived at heights of 44, 46 and 47 cm which was low, but The Doc expected that a noticeable stretching effect would set in during IORZHULQJ +H LQGXFHG IORZHULQJ E\ UHGXFLQJ WKH GDLO\ OLJKW SHULRG IURP to 12/12, at the same time replacing those two 600 W MHs by two 600 W HPS lights. It took the three Nebulas six days to reveal their female gender, with those first preflowers having become visible. After two weeks of flowering, The Doc reported: “Nebula is waisting no time: The first rose-shaped little flower clusters have already emerged along and on top of the branches. As expected, a strong stretching effect has taken possession of the plants, they’ve grown to heights of about 60 cm now and will keep on stretching for a few more weeks I guess. Wow, there are dense long flowering side branches in abundance, these fruitful plants are a sheer pleasure to look at.” Two weeks later, he continued: “The buds have been rapidly gaining size. And their flowering structure is much appreciated - lots of calyxes are produced and fairly little leaves. Already coated by goodly amounts of resin glands, those parental Widow genetics are really making no secret of their presence. Still no differences at all between the three plants, Nebula seems to consist of only one, extremely stable phenotype – Chapeaux, Luc!” The stretching effect lasted for about 4.5 weeks, leaving the three plants ZLWK DOPRVW LGHQWLFDO KHLJKWV RI FP Ȋ6WLOO D PRVW DPD]LQJ XQLIRUPLW\ȋ The Doc praised after five weeks of flowering, “and the buds are gaining weight like hell now, simultaneously impressively enlarging their silvery-white resin coatings, I can already see the stars shining! And there it really is, that most sweet and fruity smell Nebula is famous for.” The next two weeks saw the three Nebulas prepare for the finish, after seven weeks of flowering, a majority of stigmas had turned reddish-brown, and the buds seemed to have reached their big final size more or less, but The Doc supposed that the calyxes would keep on swelling a while longer. One week later then, two of the plants proved to be totally ripe, after 56 days already - which was surprisingly fast with regard to those 60-65 days officially stated for Nebula. The third plant took regularly long, The Doc harvested it after 61 days. He reported: “The three plants have grown to ILQDO KHLJKWV RI FP DQG NHSW WKHLU YHU\ EXVK\ JURZWK DQG EORRP SDWtern until the very end. From the bottom to the top, I am excitedly looking at countless dense voluminous buds that are most copiously drenched in resin, as if they were sprinkled with icing sugar - this phenomenal resin scenario strongly reminds me of that legendary White Widow level of resin content, indeed. And Luc hasn’t promised too much about Nebula’s sweet smell - the mouth-watering aroma given off by those tons of resin glands is simply fantastic, really markedly honeyed with a touch of fruit, it reminds me of a special orange blossom honey I brought home from Italy years ago.” 240 grams of dry rock-hard Nebula buds had been produced by the three SODQWV H[FHOOHQW JUDPV RQ WKH DYHUDJH 0XFK WR 7KH 'RFȇV GHOLJKW WKDW beloved honeyed aroma had not changed at all during the drying process. He eagerly smoked his first Nebula spliff and already the first toke impetuously rang the sativa bell in his head. The taste was expectedly yummy-yummy honeyed and organic, pleasantly mild, delivering nothing but fruity sweetness. A
hour, then The Doc slowly landed again, spending another 30 minutes in the Nebula earth station’s recovery tank before feeling completely downto-earth again. “A highly remarkable buzz that was”, KH HQWKXVHG Ȋ \HDUV DQG WKDW Nebula sky rocket can still take you for a most exciting journey. Thanks for the flight, Captain Luc! I will certainly be on board again soon…”
Strain
Nebula (Unknown US strain x Master Widow)
Vegetative stage
here: 4 weeks
Flowering stage
here: 2x 56 and 1x 61 days, 60-65 days in general
Medium
Plagron Standard Mix with 5% expanded clay and horn chippings, 11 litre pots
pH
Ȃ
EC
Vegetative stage: 1.2–1.5 mS )ORZHULQJ P6
Lights
Up to 2x 600 W MH + 1x 400 W HPS in the vegetative stage, [ : +36 [ : +36 LQ WKH ȵRZHULQJ VWDJH
Temperature
r&
Air humidity
40-60%
Watering
by hand
Fertilisers
&RPSR $OJRȵDVK
Stimulators/Additives
Hesi SuperVit
Height
DQG FP
Yield
240g
15
GROW WITH STONEY TARK ONE SNAP TO SUCCESS
Super Cropping
farmers will actually pierce the stem then add a piece of wood through it. They believe it adds flavour and produces the better fruits.
5. Abscisic Acid ( ABA )
Stoney Tark
With over a decade and half experience in growing this wonderful herb, I have come across many techniques through books, growers and videos about how to induce bigger plants and fatter fruits. The one technique I have used ever since I was a youngster growing Dutch bag seed IURP P\ IDWKHU V VWDVK LQ WKH V ZDV 6XSHU &URSSLQJ Super cropping is considered the opposite of LST which is low stress technique. The beauty of the LST is that is does not cause the plant to suffer any shock or cause a great deal of stress. When the tip of the plant is bent downwards, the plant naturally sends an array of various hormones through the plant. These hormones send signals to the remaining shoots that they need to become the new main shoots..until the main shoot grows back to its normal height and finds itself upright again. This is the basis of how LST works. Super cropping however is a way of physically snapping the stem almost like a broken arm in a cast effect producing a ' super ' plant. The plants then depend heavily of natural growth hormones. There is a lot more that actually goes on inside the plant during super cropping and I shall break this down now into the 5 general classes of hormones found within the plant kingdom. These 5 groups of hormones will give you a good insight into the role of each one, how the plant depends on them at the exact times in order to repair and grow to the best of its natural ability.
5 GENERAL HORMONES CLASSES AND WHAT THEY DO: 1. Auxins:
Responsible for the close of stomata during water loss or stress, Abscisic Acid will stop the absorption of CO2 and the uptake of available nutrients accordingly..so a quick release hormone that aids in seed dormancy and life span.
SUPER CROPPING
Now that you understands how these hormones are active within the plant, we can now look at super cropping. I really like to super crop as it has many benefits. A super cropped plant will become bushier, stronger, have woody lumpy stems and wider shoots for greater transport. Also they yield alot more in my opinion.
The Techniques:
The plan is to break the inside of the stem and force it to build a new cell wall which shall be repaired through an abundance of the hormones listed above. The break will repair like a knuckle on a finger. You will see the stem grow almost twice the size in the part that was broken. The benefits of this break mean a continuation of hormone and a greater capacity of the plants
THE KNUCKLE WILL GROW QUICKLY AND AN ARRAY OF STRONG SHOOTS WILL EMERGE.
This is the most commonly known hormone. It is the acid ' Indole-3-Acetic Acid ( IAA ) and is produced in shoot tips, seedlings and developing flower sets. When the top of a plant is removed known as ' topping ' the plant will produce Auxins to repair the plant tissue that has been removed. At the same time this hormone is sent downwards from the tips of the plant which inhibits lateral bud growth. This is how the plant produces bushy stocky plants. Auxins are also responsible for producing adventitious roots from cuttings. It also has a role of controlling the aging and dormancy of seeds. So it a good idea to start seedlings off in a mild solution of seaweed or some type of ' thrive ' supplement. It is also handy to know that Auxins will promote more fruit sets if it senses Auxins from seeds being grown within the plant. So even though you had a seeded crop..on one hand the plant would have responded by swelling up that bit more.
2. Cytokinins:
This hormone most commonly found in seaweed plays a big part in the entire development of the plant. It is responsible for active cell division and promotes lateral bud development. Cytokinins work together with Auxins to such a degree that the following observations have been made. High levels + Low Auxin = Grow Shoots Low Levels + High Auxin = Grow Roots
3. Gibberellins:
There are over 75+ groups of Gibberellins that have been discovered within plants. They are so common that they are named and numbered as GA1, GA2, GA3, GA4..and so on. They are abundant in young shoots and seedlings. Stem elongation is partly determined by Gibberellins. You may have heard of Gibberellic Acid before, the one that is often used is GA3. This also aids in germination rates especially with older seeds that are more stern to be cracked. Experiments on dwarf plants that were sprayed with Gibberrellic Acid actually grew to normal plant size whilst normal plants that were sprayed became huge.
4. Ethylene:
We most commonly know Ethylene as Ethanol. The Hydro Carbo gas which is produced from amino acids when any stress occurs. Ripening occurs when Ethanol is available. The roots actually produce quite large amounts just before flowering, to allow blooming to commence as strongly as possible. Have you ever heard about the old farmer technique of pushing a small fishing knife through the stem before harvest and leaving it in like a stab wound victim? For those who are familiar and the idea of piercing the stem with a knife is out of character for them..then here is the method to this madness. It is used as a ripening technique. As severe as it may seem.. It is used across the world in many farming and agriculture styles. Mexican
needs become more available through the new larger stem walls. There are different ways to snap the stem. One way and the easiest is to pop the stem with finger and thumb at the each point up to the 3rd internode. You can pop once or up to 3 times or more in one hit as Kyle Kushman likes to do. Another way is during LST or scrog, when you have the shoots tied or pinned down, is to break and snap the stems. These can be pinned down and remain fixed flat. The knuckle will form quickly and an array of strong shoots will emerge. In order to control canopy height, super cropping is very effective at fixing the top part of the shoot at a horizontal angle. The end result will be almost like a number seven and the top of the shoot will continue to grow up right as normal. This is very useful when you are in growing in a sea of green or scrog scenario and wish to maintain an even canopy height. It is advised to perhaps tie down with mild force the stem, after it has been bent
Feminized Seeds
Autoflowering Seeds
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16
www.RoyalQueenSeeds.com and snapped. Avoid touching and leave to set. Even if you over do it and end up with a thread holding the stem together, you can hang the break over the strongest part and allow to set. These types of breaks or freak accidents do happen..just as in nature so do not be too disheartened. All can be mended.
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My personal favourite technique which I have developed..is to hold the main stem at the highest point when the stem is around 1cm wide. Then I twist the stem around and squeeze till I hear the inside break and make a popping sound. I make sure I keep the twist tight and firmly move the plant in between the highest fan leaves till it sets. I find doing this makes the stem literally twist and set creating one long break as appose to one part of the stem. I then foliar spray just to add weight from the water and nutrient mix to the leaves. After the plant sends repair hormones everywhere it can, you will see it does not really stop doing so, even after the new knuckle has formed.You will also note that the stem grows lumpy and you will see stretch marks around the skin and stem. I like to do my super cropping during veg. Try and avoid snapping branches during flowering as this much stress can cause problems. Aslong as you do not snap too excessively, you should notice within a week the plant explode and really get ready for a bumper harvest. Have a play with snapping and see how certain strains react..and remember those natural hormones are hard at work so let nature do the rest! "
Summary:
In effect, you are purposely releasing all these hormones to the plant, at the snap of a stem. It is one of the best ways to really push your plants limit and also a great way to imitate a falling branch in nature or an animal walking through a patch of vegging cannabis plants. I first got introduced to super cropping when a branch fell from an old tree into a corner I was growing in. To my devastation.. It was one of the greatest lessons I have ever learnt..and that is nature will always show us the way! "
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CLASSIC STRAINS
Blueberry
17
Sativa Diva
DJ Short's Blueberry is one of the most legendary Canadian indica strains in the modern international Cannabis community. Strain Name: Nation: Breeder: Genetics: Origins: Flowering: Outdoor Harvest:
Blueberry Canada DJ Short 20% sativa / 80% indica (Purple Thai & Highland Thai) x Afghan Indica 40 to 55 days 50 to 60 days or around mid-October
DJ Short's Blueberry
Over the years, Canada has been overlooked at having a competitive stake in the early commercialised Cannabis scene. While the history of the Dutch efforts at collecting and creating many famous pot strains is well documented, some folks may have forgotten about the activities of various Canadian and American growers and breeders in the 1970s. As the Hindu Kush, Skunk #1, Afghani and other pioneer varieties were being developed in Europe, a group of dedicated folks who were scattered around the western coast of North America were simultaneously working on the early hybrids that would forever change the reputation of the 'American' weed scene. One of the results of these experiments is DJ Short's Delta 9 Blue Collection of Cannabis genetics, most notably, the Blueberry itself.
History of the Origins of Blueberry
DJ Short is known as one of the seminal Canadian Cannabis breeders, although he himself is American. Earning his spot as one of the most skilful and storied breeders in the history of commercialised hybrids, DJ Short combined hand-selected landrace varieties with carefullystabilised, pure-bred strains to create some of the most legendary names in the industry. Much of this selective breeding was executed at the time with genetics collected by some of the more prodigious pot people of Oregon and California. The Blue family of Cannabis was mostly created from four powerhouse strains: Highland Oaxaca Gold, Highland Thai, Chocolate Thai and Afghan Indica. Noted for its blueish hue and lavender-tinged, blueberry-scented buds, the Blue family of weed generally offers a slightly trippy high that is offset with the clear, pure, sedating effect of true indica genes. Of those, the sativas were pure, landrace varieties, meaning that they offered an unfettered version of the most desirable traits available from their corresponding geographical regions. Mellowing this sativa blast with a reliable, relaxing Afghan means that the Blue family of pot allows growers to selectively cultivate whatever particular combination of traits that they prefer, whether related to cultivation, flavour or effect. Oaxaca Gold and Chocolate Thai were crossed to create Purple Thai, which grew tall and stretchy but with more symmetry and predictability than the asymmetric, junglelike Highland Thai, also known as Juicy Fruit Thai. These extremely late bloomers (ten to sixteen weeks indoors) were selected for low incidences of hermaphroditism and crossed with the Afghan pollen, leading to a strain simply known as the 'Cross'. When these F1 Cross plants were bred together, the F2 Double Cross varieties, exhibiting an extremely varied phenotypic range, provided the majority of the genetic content for the Blue family, which was later selectively crossed and cross-bred for stability, then grown out over several generations.
Blueberry Cultivation, Phenotypes and Effect
Naturally, the blueberry is known for its strong, sweet berry flavour and scent. However, the appearance of this strain is just as responsible for its moniker, as the plant showcases a variety of colours throughout its maturation. Some growers report a slow, even change from red to purple to blue as flowering progresses, while the scent of the
strain evolves from slightly spicy and musky – evidence of the Afghani father plant – to sugary and fruity. Considering the high indica content of DJ Short's Blueberry, it is natural to assume that the effect would be heavy-hitting and sedating. However, the powerful twentypercent sativa content originates from such vigorous parentage that a euphoric, uplifting result can be expected from smoking true Blueberry. The original Blueberry has always been consistent in producing short, stocky and dense plants. A sea-ofgreen (SOG) garden may be the best destination for such genetics, as the heavy indica content generally promotes bushy plants that grow outward rather than upward, allowing for maximum light penetration. If the central cola is not removed by employing the common bonsaicutting technique, growers should be extra vigilant in maintaining proper light phases, humidity levels and temperature. Otherwise, the density and length of the Blueberry's spearshaped colas may lead to infestations of mould, powdery mildew or similar plant ailments. It should be noted that, over the past few decades, some unscrupulous growers have resorted to simply lowering their grow room temps in order to replicate the blue tinge of the classic Blueberry – this subjects the foliage to cold stress, which typically results in the leaves turning blue or purplish. However, one sniff or toke and it will be immediately evident that an imposter has been masquerading as this incredible variety.
Hybrids Related to Blueberry
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of hybrids purporting to contain original Blueberry genetics. For the most part, many strains with either 'blue' or 'berry' in the title may contain at least a trace of this legendary strain. Also enjoying particular fandom are other members of the Delta 9 Blue Collection, including DJ Short's sativa-dominant Flo and half-indica, half-sativa Blue Velvet (both Purple Thai x Afghan). William's Wonder is another popular variety, dating to around the same time as Blueberry, which exhibits some similar phenotypes, despite a more dominant indica content. Big Buddha combined the ubiquitous Cheese with a Blueberry male to create his powerhouse Blue Cheese, while the Bubble Berry from Sagarmatha Seeds is a fresh and fruity blend of the fabled Serious Seeds Bubblegum with DJ Short's Blueberry.
COPA LA BELLA FLOR SPAIN 2005 HIGH TIMES CANNABIS CUP AMSTERDAM 2005 HIGHLIFE CANNABIS CUP AMSTERDAM 2004
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e r @ o m d n i f l l ’ u Yo M O C . S D E E S E PARADIS
Type: Indica / Sativa Flowering time: 60-65 days indoors Outdoors: 10th of October (n.L.) Suitable environment: Indoors. Outdoors between 50º n.L. and 50º s.L. Yield up to: 500 g per m2 in SOG indoors 500-800 g per plant outdoors Effect: cerebral, trippy Flavour: fruity, sweet THC: *** CBD: *
Nebula® “starcloud” Bred in 1996, this variety received the name for its stellar qualities. Nebula has an open structure that is excellent for indoor farming where the plants perform with optimal results in a sea-of-green set-up. It does well in hydro, coco or soil indoors. Nebula stretches slightly, but produces obese buds when placed under lots of light. Like the name suggests, the “starcloud” twinkles with the coating of THC glands, which are bound to take you into the realms of space…
20
GROW WITH THE BARON
WHAT IS GRAFTING, AND WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT IT?
Grafting
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GRAFTING APPLICATIONS
Before we get into the how-to, let's think of a few ways that Grafting Marijuana could change your JURZLQJ KDELWV )RU DUHDV ZLWK D ORZ OHJDO SODQW FRXQW WKH JURZHU PXVW VWULNH D FRPSURPLVH EHWZHHQ WU\LQJ ORWV RI
Grafting is an ancient method of joining two different plants together, to grow different fruits or flowers from the same root stock. It is also the secret weapon against low legal plant counts. Grafting allows you to grow several different strains on the same plant, By Baron Wasteland while keeping each strain's genetics pure. Cool eh?
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Two Sucessful grafts
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GRAFTING TECHNIQUES AND TERMINOLOGY.
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Graft #Two in a bag
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Breeders looking for some fun could graft together several different female strains with a hardy stud
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SELECTING STRAINS FOR GRAFTING
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Sucessful graft #Two
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23
ED ROSENTHAL
Kief (Photo: Steep Hill Halent)
Kief/Dry SiftManual, Machine, Dry Ice HOW KIEF SCREENING WORKS
THC and other cannabinoids and terpenes are concentrated in glands that cover many parts of the marijuana plant, but they are concentered in the upper leaves, flowers, and flower bracts of unfertilized female plants. They are also found on the seed covering and surrounding areas of pollinated plants. Screening cured plant material is one of the easiest ways to rescue these glands for use.
Some larger sifters are automated much like a paint mixer, so you can add the material, flip a switch, and let the sifter do the work. Compact DIY solutions are inexpensive and easy to make using screens used for printing T-shirts and posters. All you need is the proper screen, a frame to stretch it on, and a smooth hard surface such as glass or metal to collect the kief.
There are several different methods to prepare the plant material for processing and for screening or sifting kief. In countries close to the 30th parallel, such as Nepal, Afghanistan, and Lebanon, small amounts of kief have traditionally been made using a silk scarf stretched tightly over a bowl. Dried marijuana, frequently cured for as much as six months, is rubbed on the taut silk cloth. The cloth’s fine weave allows the small glands to pass through to the bowl, leaving the vegetative material on top. Silk scarves are still used in parts of the world, but the nylon or metal mesh screens used for printing (still often called silk screens) are more durable and come in a variety of dimensions and mesh sizes. One of the simplest methods of making kief is by gently rubbing the plant material over a fine screen. The size of the openings in the screen determines which size glands and how much residual plant material will make it through. The vigor used in rubbing it on the screen has a profound effect on the quality of the final product. Different grades of kief are produced by varying the amount of time the material is sifted, the screen’s gauge, and the pressure used. Sifting the same material a few times yields more kief, but each sift results in a higher proportion of plant mixed with the glands. Kief color ranges from golden-white for the purest kief to a greenish gold. The greener it is, the more plant material it contains. Kief or pollen-sifting boxes are good tools for making small amounts. They can be as simple as wooden stash boxes with a screen above a pullout drawer that catches the glands that fall off your weed in normal handling. Other boxes are made specifically to capture different grades of kief, separating the glands from the vegetation by shaking it. Over-vigorous shaking or rubbing is counterproductive because too much vegetation is collected, lowering the quality. Use cold material. Freezing makes it crisp so the glands break free easier.
Dry Sift. Photo: Ed Rosenthal
Printing screens made of nylon, polyester, or metal are available at art supply stores or online. In the United States mesh sizes are typically described in terms of the number of threads per inch (25.4 mm), so a higher number is a finer screen. Meshes range from around 40 to 400, with 110 and 156 being the most common for printing T-shirts. Screen mesh from fine to coarse can be purchased pre-stretched in aluminum or wood frames, or as rolls or sheets.
PREPARING FOR SCREENING
Very little preparation or work is needed to make excellent kief. Kief making is so quick that small quantities can be sifted or sieved easily while trimming cured bud or preparing for another process.
24 Kief is best made from dry, well-cured, coarse marijuana. Many people like to salvage kief from trim that they might otherwise discard. The stems can be sorted out, but don’t have to be. The more bud bits you use, the better quality kief you’ll get.
pick a screen size and material. Stainless steel mesh screen or “wire cloth” is sturdy, durable, and rarely needs cleaning. Nylon or polyester silk screen mesh is more flexible but should be replaced annually. The frames and silk screen materials are available at art supply stores. If you build your own screen or have a screen without a tray, a piece of glass or mirror makes a good surface for catching the kief and gathering it up. Whatever you use, smoothness is the crucial quality of a catch tray, as the glands you’re collecting can be smaller than the diameter of a human hair. You don’t want to lose any to texture. A credit card, ID, business card, or other straight edge can be used to gather the filtered material into a pile.
Thoroughly clean the material by removing seeds, stems, and sticks. Photo: David Downs
For the best results, start with trim and leaf that is dry but not overly crisp. If it is too dry the vegetative material becomes brittle and can crumble into dust or powder that can pass through the screen along with the glands you’re trying to collect. Kief made from over-dried material contains more green matter, tastes more like chlorophyll, and is less potent. Similarly, densely pressed material or “brick” marijuana does not work as well for kief as loose material does.
WHEN TO SIEVE
In the mountains of the Hindu Kush region, hash makers have traditionally waited for cold, dry weather to sift their kief. Curing is key to all fine marijuana products, so waiting for the cold is a way of making sure that the buds drying in open air are in a state of prime readiness. Cold also freezes the dry leaves and trim, making the tiny trichome stalks brittle. That lets the glands break free more easily. Less agitation or pressure to free the glands results in less vegetative material in the kief. As a practical benefit, keeping the glands intact also reduces the amount of resin clogging the screen, though this rarely happens, even in moderate temperatures. As with overly dry marijuana, overly brittle, frozen vegetative material can become powder and pass through the screen. Moistening the material by airing it in a space with high humidity might help. Using a finer screen may be another solution. Having several sizes of screen mesh allows you to use the right one for the material and temperature.
Turning any chair into a comfortable workstation, the Trim Bin from HarvestMore reduces stress injuries and increases productivity. The tray includes a screen to catch glands.
Making Your Own Screen Equipment
Ů 8LMGO [SSHIR TMGXYVI JVEQI SV E JVEQI GSRWXVYGXIH SJ [SSH EX PIEWX cm x 2.5 mm Ů ;MVI GPSXL SV WMPO WGVIIR QIWL GYX PEVKI IRSYKL XS [VET EVSYRH XS XLI underside of the frame Ů GQ [MVI XEGOW SV WXETPI KYR Cut the wire cloth or mesh to fit over the frame with 2–3 cm or more to spare on each side, depending on the thickness of the frame—the screen should wrap around the sides of the frame. For instance, if the wood frame is 38 cm x 15 cm, cut the wire cloth to 44 cm x 21 cm, which leaves about an extra 3 cm on each side. Stretch the screen taut and fasten it securely using tacks or staples on one side, then pull it tight and secure the opposite end to the other side of the frame. Repeat with the other two sides.
THE SCREENING PROCESS
Place the collection tray under the screen. Start with a handful of trim, leaf, or small nugs, as you prefer. Leaf doesn’t require any preparation before rubbing but use a grinder to prepare the bud.
To make pro-quality kief, the colder the plant material you start with, the better. Prepare the material by putting it in a freezer overnight. There is no need to overthink the process. Remember, kief is simple. Kief of decent quality can be made in all weather conditions. Cool temperatures, around 15°C or lower, are best for working with marijuana. Low to moderate humidity is okay, and if the material is particularly dry, a little extra humidity can be helpful.
MANUAL SCREENING
Manual screening is cost effective and no more labor intensive than sifting flour. It is possible to buy ready-made screens or kief boxes from many sources and in many sizes. The screen, usually wire mesh, comes framed and often includes a solid bottom drawer where the kief is collected. Most art supply stores sell plastic screens for printing that are already stretched on frames made of wood or aluminum. Making your own screens or boxes requires no special skill. Frames to stretch screens over are easy to make or buy. Just decide how big you want it, and
Some grinders come with an extra compartment that catches kief. Photo: Wacky Willy’s
25 nce you’ve ground the bud, or if using the whole leaves, gently rub the material softly against the screen. A softer touch or action minimizes the amount of vegetative matter that passes through and keeps more of the glands intact. This first pass is the cleanest and most potent kief.
The Pollinator turns much like a side-loading washer. The marijuana tumbles against a screen and the glands fall through to the bottom of the machine for collection. Photo: Pollinator
Connoisseurs sometimes use multiple screens progressing from coarser to finer mesh. In the first pass, they use a mesh with fewer than 100 strands per 25.4 mm. This first screening cleans out the bulk of the vegetative matter. The sifted material is collected and placed on a finer-mesh screen. Since the material has already been reduced to a coarse grind by the first screen, the second, finer screen only needs to be shaken or tapped lightly to create cleaner kief. The kief remaining on the second screen should be saved—for ingestion, capsules, tinctures, or salves. Screening with successively finer meshes yields different products and flavors. Keep the first sift light and brief, up to a minute. This yields the finest grade of kief, but the yield is fairly low. The biggest, most mature glands are the first to break free and sift through. Only the first few minutes of screened material is pleasant smoking material. The yield Screens of from the varying micron second sift is grades from Fresh still potent Headies. but of considerably lower quality than the first. It is greener and has more of a taste of chlorophyll. After the first two sifts the material can be screened a third time for as long as 10 minutes and the resulting product can be used for ingestion or external purposes, or for further purification. When screening by hand a soft touch and proper screen are important, as is maintaining the right environmental conditions. Experimentation is easy, low cost, and fun, so even the complete novice can figure out how to create top-quality kief with minimal fuss.
of time it runs determines the quality of the kief collected. Presses and water hash equipment (like the Ice-O-Lator) are also available through the Pollinator Company.
DRY ICE KIEF—THE MANUAL METHOD
Perhaps the cheapest, simplest way to concentrate cannabinoids is also one of the newest. Since 2009, hash makers have been turning to dry ice—which is frozen carbon dioxide—to yield an impressive amount of kief. Dry ice is the fastest way to turn trash into gold. Manual dry ice sieving is very inexpensive to set up, results in very little mess or cleanup, and doesn’t involve explosive chemicals like BHO, or require expensive machinery. One-Minute Dry Ice Kief is my favorite concentrate. It is very smooth and contains a lot of terpenes because it is made cold and not mixed with anything, even water, preserving the terpenes. It has very little vegetation so you are inhaling only gland products.
Equipment
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Even if it is not your preferred product, kief is so cheap and easy to screen in small amounts that everyone should try it. For those who appreciate its pure flavor or other uses enough to focus on producing larger quantities, a drum machine or industrial sifter may be a worthwhile investment. There are many kief sieves available, often marketed as pollen sifters.
Method
MACHINE SCREENING
First, designate a clean, sanitary, indoor space with a table with a clean surface. Sanitary conditions are important. You don’t want to find dog hair or other contaminants in the final product. Set up a large table in the clean room, and cover it with some parchment paper.
If you have a lot of leaf and trim that you’d like to process for kief, you may soon find manual screening to be tiresome and inefficient. You’d not be the first. For high-volume kief making, simple drum machines automate much of the task. As a bonus, they typically gather a higher percentage of glands from the plant material than flat screening by hand.
THE POLLINATOR
The Pollinator is the original drum machine developed by Mila Jansen, a hash aficionado from the Netherlands who lived for years in the Hindu Kush region. Mila spent her fair share of time manually screening kief in cold weather. Luckily for the rest of us, Mila is an innovator. One evening after a long, tedious day of screening, Mila was home doing laundry when the clothes dryer caught her attention. In a flash, she realized that the dryer was essentially doing the same thing she had been doing all day! Soon thereafter, she invented an electric-powered tumbler for her personal use. It would be a few years before it occurred to her that this machine might be marketable, but when it did, the Pollinator was the result. The Pollinator is available in a few sizes to accommodate different needs. You just place the material to process inside and turn it on. The machine tosses it softly against a fine screen, around 130 strands per 25.4 mm. The amount
Manual dry ice sieving uses the -76°C temperature of dry ice to freeze the waxy stalks of the trichomes, making them brittle enough to mechanically snap off during agitation. The snapped glands then fall through the 160- or 220-micron bag onto a surface and get collected.
Place trim or ground bud in the bucket. Add dry ice. Tightly affix the 160-micron bubble bag over the top of the bucket using large rubber bands so that when you eventually turn the bucket upside down, the dry ice and trim fall onto the screen. Pick up the bucket and gently shake to help distribute the cold. After a minute, turn the bucket upside down and hold it over the parchment paper. The dry ice and trim fall to the bottom of the bag. Lightly shake the dry ice and trim mix up and down, moving longitudinally along the surface of the table so the falling kief creates a trail two to three meters long. As you do this the kief dust will fall down from the bag onto the paper, amid little puffs of evaporating carbon dioxide. Keep shaking for 30 seconds to sieve the trichomes through the filter. You will notice that the first glands are a pale golden-yellow and that as the process continues the trail of glands gets greener, because more vegetative material is in the mix. The first mate-
26 rial to fall, the golden glands, is the highest quality. Use a scraper to collect the kief, which should smell phenomenal, and store it in a clean, glass jar. Repeat the process using the 220-micron bag, and collect the kief. One ounce of dried sugar leaf trim yields about four grams of kief at 160 microns, and six more lower-grade grams of kief at 220 microns.
Tips
Ů (V] MGI WMIZMRK OMIJ WIRHW [IIH HYWX IZIV][LIVI YRPIWW XLI FYGOIX FSXXSQ where the screen is, is kept close to the table surface. Ů %ZSMH [SVOMRK MR EVIEW [MXL FVII^IW Ů 9WI XLMRRIV GLYROW SJ HV] MGI ERH PIWW EKMXEXMSR JSV TYVIV OMIJ Ů 9WI UYEPMX] R]PSR QIWL FYFFPI FEKW 4PEWXMG QIWL FEKW HIKVEHI YRHIV XLI brutal cold of the dry ice. Ů -J ]SY EVI QEOMRK ]SYV S[R HIZMGI YWI WXEMRPIWW WXIIP QIWL VEXLIV XLER nylon. The nylon wears and chips when it’s frozen by the dry ice. Stainless steel lasts indefinitely. Ů =SY GER YWI IMXLIV HVMIH SV JVIWL JVS^IR XVMQ &SXL OMIJ SYX RMGIP] ERH XLI fresh-frozen contains more terpenes.
DRY ICE KIEF—THE MACHINE METHOD
Moving to a larger scale, Friendly Farms of California makes a portable extraction machine for dry ice sieving cannabis.
Equipment
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Ů 4SVXEFPI IPIGXVMG GIQIRX QM\IV Ů OK SJ HV] MGI Ů ,]HVSKIR TIVS\MHI Ů 'SPH VIWMWXERX KPSZIW
Method
This method is very simple. Fill the mixer with 1 kg of any mix of dry leaf/ trim/ground buds and 4.5 kg of dry ice cubes or small pieces. Affix the Extraction Contraption cone with a bracket. Turn on and angle the mixer so the cone faces down. The device will turn, mixing the dry ice and trim. The Extraction Contraption comes with screens at 75 through 150 microns to allow the glands to pass through while catching everything else. After one minute, turn off the mixer. Remove the catcher, and open it up. The fine dry powder inside may be the finest kief you have encountered. This is the notorious One-Minute Dry Ice Kief. It contains almost no vegetation, only the pure glands. It glows pale yellow. Remove the kief just extracted. Return the cone to the extractor several times for two- and three-minute hash. By the fourth cycle the hash is seriously green and no longer a pleasurable smoke. It can be used for further extractions and cooking. After turning for 10 minutes almost all the glands have been removed. This method extracts THC from 3% leaf to create 30% kief. It yields between 60 to 112 grams of kief per pound of material. It has one of the easiest cleanups, since dry ice evaporates into the air and leaves nothing wet behind. A wipe down is usually all that is necessary. If convenient extract the kief in a greenhouse or grow room during the lit period. The plants will use the evaporating CO2. The Extraction Contraption pairs with a still that uses grain alcohol solvent to create more refined, dabable products.
Assortment of Dry Sift and Bubble Hash. Photo: Ed Rosenthal
Tips
7KH ([WUDFWLRQ &RQWUDSWLRQ ȵDVK freezes trichomes on the plant, NQRFNV WKHP R ȴOWHUV DQG WKHQ FROOHFWV WKHP $GGLQJ WKH 5HȵX[ Tower allows for steam distillation and the ability to distill high-grade alcohol from a variety of products JLYLQJ WKH RLO PDNHU RSWLRQV RQ ȵDvor/taste. This alcohol can be used to wash the heavier waxes and oils to achieve a clean extract. Photo: Friendly Farms
Ů (MJJIVIRX WXVEMRW ]MIPH OMIJ [MXL WPMKLXP] HMJJIVIRX SHSVW JPEZSVW XEWXIW ERH colors. Ů 8LMW QIXLSH [SVOW [MXL HV] XVMQ FYX [SVOW FIWX [MXL JVIWL WYKEV PIEJ Ů =MIPH ERH UYEPMX] VIQEMR MRZIVWIP] VIPEXIH 7PMKLX EKMXEXMSR ERH REVVS[ filtering result in the purest kief, but yield less. Lots of agitation and a wide screen results in the most yield, but the resulting kief has more impurities and is less potent.
ȏ 7KLV LV DQ H[FHUSW IURP (G 5RVHQWKDOȇV QHZ ERRN %H\RQG Buds—the first to cover the shift from smoking buds to vaping and dabbing concentrates such as shatter, wax, budder, and oil. A DIY guide to making butane and CO2 extracts, as well as kief, hash, tinctures, topicals, and edibles, Beyond Buds features full-color photos of awardwinning concentrates and highlights the best products to use, from basic to professional. ȏ %H\RQG %XGV LV DYDLODEOH ȃ RUGHU \RXU FRS\ RQOLQH QRZ at http://quicktrading.com/ or http://www.amazon.com/.
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GROW WITH JORGE CERVANTES
29
CASE STUDY TONI (PART ONE) These feminized Black Jack (Sweet Seeds) seeds germinated in moist paper towels and are ready to plant. Much of the rootlet is covered with delicate fine feeding roots that will quickly spread out into the growing medium.
Eight feminized Black Jack and 8 feminized Jack 47 (Sweet Seeds) were germinated in one-liter containers growing under a 400-watt metal halide 20 days since germination. The small plants are watered with dilute Root Juice (Ms EC-720, pH 6.2). A humidifier helps clones from suffering moisture stress.
Toni with Mr. Bubba!
As a medical patient, Toni has a passion for cannabis cultivation. He is constantly experimenting with new products, collecting information and fine tuning his gardens. This case study follows one of his gardens and interjects a few examples from past gardens too. Toni is also an expert photographer. When it came time to write up the research from my garden visits and interviews with Toni, it was difficult to pare down the information. We have only six pages for Toni´s Case Study. His fotos are outstanding and there is too much detailed information about his gardens. Please see Toni´s forum, “Cultivando Medicina,” at www.marijuanagrowing.com for complete details on many more of his gardens including experiments and comparisons. The Spanish language forum is easily translated to English and other languages with the translator available on the site. His photos are incredible!
VEGETATIVE GROWTH
Toni is a stickler for cleanliness and order in the garden. Cleanliness, disease and pest prevention are on the top of his list. Weekly during vegetative growth he takes steps to prevent fungus insects, mites and their eggs.
CLEANLINESS + ORGANIZATION = SUCCESS! Variety Grown
Seed Company
Veg Days
Flower Days
Jack 47
Sweet Seeds
37
67
Black Jack
Sweet Seeds
37
67
Kalashnikova
Greenhouse
41
57
Lavender
Soma Seeds
33
55
Somango
Soma Seeds
36
70
Pakistan Chitral Kush
Cannabiogen
40
63
SEEDS AND SEEDLINGS
Toni avoids growing auto-flowering feminized plants. He finds they require too much light (20 hours daily) and electricity for the amount of production rendered. But increasing the hours of light increases harvest weight up to 30%.
A 400-watt metal halide illuminates 16 feminized Kalashnikova (Greenhouse) in 1.1-quart (1 L) containers. The plants were recently sprayed with nutrient solution with an EC of 250 mS at pH 6.0.
30
GREEN VIBES
The seedlings are transplanted into 3-gallon (11 L) containers. A Fertometer is used to measure electrical conductivity in the substrate of the container to reveal the overall strength of fertilizer in this grow tent packed with 16 feminized Kalashnikova.
This beautiful view of the garden shows 600-watt HPS and 420-watt LED fixtures illuminating flowering plants in 16, 11-liter containers. The electronic ballasts make it possible to regulate the intensity of HID light emitted.
Toni applies the following fungicides in rotation weekly, Tetraconazole, Penconazole and Myclobutanil. He uses a hand-held UVC lamp (Clean Light Hobby Unit from Hortitec) to kill fungus, insects, mites and their eggs. He also uses a sulfur vaporizer;
Toni uses only high quality Cree or Osram LEDs. He cites the notable difference in manufacturing process that makes these LEDs brighter and last longer. LED technology is changing rapidly. Please check Toni´s forum to learn up-to-date information lighting in his garden.
HPS AND LED LIGHT
LIGHT SCHEDULE PER DAY Grow Stage
Illumination
Watts
Hours
Seedlings
Fluorescent
40
Vegetative
Metal Halide
400
Flowering
HPS 600+LED 420 watts
1120
12
A 600-watt HPS (Cool Tube) + 420-watts LED, light intensity/wattage can be regulated in both fixtures. Light intensity and spectrum are dialed in so that plants receive intense light of the proper spectrum. Moving the hot air out quickly allows the HID to be placed closer to the canopy of the garden.
Electronic ballasts allow Toni to increase light output when necessary. During vegetative growth plants need lower light levels. During vegetative growth light output is cut to 400 watts to save electricity without affecting growth rate.
The concentrated HID and LED light penetrates 28 inches (70 cm) into the canopy covered in buds.
A combination of LEDs and HP sodium light illuminates this garden. Plants need less light during vegetative growth. Toni uses 400 watts for the first 33-40 days growth. At flowering the ballast is set to full power and the HPS emits the maximum amount of light.
Even with the intense light provided by the 600-watt HPS (Cool Tube) and 300 watts of LEDs, all of the light is used by plants. No light shines on WKH ȵRRU
The LEDs are of different colors and emit the perfect spectrum for medical cannabis growth. They are placed around the HPS lamp to augment spectrum. The entire canopy of plants grows evenly because it receives the same amount of the proper spectrum of light. As a general rule HIDs are kept at 14 inches (35 cm) from the canopy of the garden to provide maximum intensity and even coverage. LEDs are kept about 6 inches (15 cm) above the tops of plants. But if the temperature climbs beyond 75ºF (24ºC) at the tip of buds, he raises the light so plants do not get too hot. LEDs must run at the correct temperature to operate properly. Beyond the narrow operating temperature band of maximum efficiency LED light output falls drastically and spectrums become unstable.
After changing a metal halide bulb for a HPS bulb at the LQLWLDWLRQ RI ȵRwering light intensity is tested to ensure high light levels.
This is the first of six excerpts from Jorge Cervantes ´new book, the Cannabis Encyclopedia: Indoor, Outdoor and Greenhouse Cultivation, Concentrates and Cooking Medical Marijuana, 279 x 216 mm (8,5 x 11-inch) format, 608 color pages, 2.100 color images, with 340,000 words. Publication date: September 2014. Find more information including the complete Table of Contents and more excerpts on Jorge´s site, www.marijuanagrowing.com.
GROW WITH LITTLE LEBOWSKI
33
TRY SOMETHING NEW!
Additives There’s no doubt that UK growers love their additives and with good reason, used correctly a decent additive can seriously boost the growth rate and yield of your crop; forcing your lovely plants to perform just how you want. Whether it’s better root development, faster growth, less vertical stretch, more flowering sites
allowing it to explore areas of the growing media that the roots of the plant would not be able to reach on their own. By reaching the previously ‘untapped’ nutrients in the growing media, the plant receives better overall nutrition and is more likely to reach its optimum potential i.e. bigger yields. Mycorrhiza fungi are especially beneficial in helping the plant access nutrients that are not particularly mobile in the growing medium, such
or bigger, denser buds there’s an additive for every occasion. The nutrient manufacturers have certainly clocked that there’s no hesitation amongst growers over here to ‘chuck another bottle in’; visit any good grow shop and you’ll see a huge
The aggressive little bastards in this tub will protect your roots from pathogens
array of colourfully branded bottles, bags and boxes, all jostling for your attention. By Little Lebowski But, are they worth having? Well, in a word, yes. They do work, albeit to varying degrees, if they didn’t work, nobody would buy them again! However, it’s worth noting that before venturing into the wonderful world of additives you need to have your environment right. There are no magic potions available (despite claims from some manufacturers) that will sort your plants out if the environment is poor. Granted, certain compounds will help your plants during times of temperature stress or pest attack, but if your plants aren’t working at their optimum they aren’t going to uptake the majority of that expensive bloom stimulator that you’re chucking in the tank. You’ll just be pouring money away. Got it? Good.
Add mycorrhiza to your media when potting up for best effect
Root and bloom stimulators are now pretty much common place in any grower’s nutrient regime, so we won’t cover topics that most of you probably know. Instead, let’s take a look at some of the additives that you may not have paid attention to, but can make a huge difference when used effectively.
Mycorrhiza
This is a beneficial fungi which is mixed into the growing media and also sprinkled around the roots when potting up. The mycorrhiza obtains nutrition by invading the root zone of the plant. In doing so, these fungi assist the roots in the
uptake of minerals from the growing medium and it’s this added nutrient uptake that leads to faster plant development and rapid growth. When added to soil or coco, the mycorrhiza quickly establishes itself and forms a symbiotic relationship with the roots; breaking down elements and making them available to the plant, whilst feeding on the carbohydrates that the plant produces. Think of them as a root extension, increasing nutrient uptake and speed of development, whilst simultaneously eating the waste that the plant puts out into the medium. It works because the fungi form a fine network of thread-like strands - called hyphae for all you nerds out there - that serve as an extension of the plant’s root system. There may be up to 10 feet of hyphae growing out from each half-inch of root that is infected by mycorrhiza. The diameter of the fungal hyphae can be just one-fifth of even the smallest root hair and will be many times longer,
as phosphorus and potassium – key elements required for packing on the buds! What more could you ask for? Products containing mycorrhiza fungi can be purchased from any grow shop – there are loads of brands about now – and, as mentioned above, all are applied when potting up in order to artificially introduce the fungi into your soil or coco. Another point of interest to the home grower is that the fungi will not only increase plant growth and
34 vigour, but will also make them more tolerant to stresses, such as temperature fluctuation, over or under-watering and attack from root pathogens. And, as every good gardener knows, the less stressed your plants are, the less stressed you are!
Trichoderma
In natural soil, trichoderma are usually the most prevalent type of fungi. So the majority of compost growing media available from your local grow shop will have trichoderma present, however you can still add more and with good reason... Trichoderma is an aggressive fungi which will readily colonise on the roots of your plants, the most competent strains can be added to growing media, or even to seeds, and are able to grow along roots as they develop. This is why many growers choose to dip their fresh cuttings in trichoderma powder, as the fungi will remain present on the roots of the plant throughout its cycle (although it is a good idea to reapply every 30 days to keep numbers effective). The strains of trichoderma available at your local grow shop are known to control every pathogenic fungus for which control has been sought. They work on two levels; Trichoderma actively takes over a root zone and makes it difficult for more damaging pathogens, like pythium and rhizoctonia, to compete for space on the roots and for nutrients. Once established on the roots of a plant, trichoderma will detect other fungal organisms within the vicinity and grow towards them. The trichoderma then coils itself around the organism and breaks down the cell walls by releasing enzymes, paralyzing the offending organism and rendering it inactive. Bad boy! Once they come into contact with roots, trichoderma will colonise the root surface and physically penetrate into the root itself; which in turn induces the plant to "turn on" their natural defence mechanisms making them stronger and less susceptible to attack. Think of when you have your vaccinations before going abroad, when your body is attacked it produces ‘anti bodies’ to fight the attacker, same thing here. By fighting against the attacking trichoderma, the plant bolsters its defences marking it harder for any other pathogen to penetrate. Clever stuff.
This means that when you give your plant silicon you improve the cell development and integrity, increasing their overall physical strength. You’ll notice that your plants are sturdier and the leaves are tougher. This has wide reaching benefits; they’ll be better protected against attack from pests and disease, more resilient to changes in environment and, obviously, you’ll see an overall increase in their weight and bulk. Like most feeds and supplements, silicon can be administered to your plants in two ways; Ů 1M\IH [MXL ]SYV VIKYPEV RYXVMIRX feed and administered to the roots. This is relevant to the soluble silicate additives. Ů 7TVE]IH SRXS ]SYV TPERX EW E JSPMEV feed and absorbed through the leaves. Remember, silicon is the cement that that sits between the bricks in the cell walls of your plants and once it has been deposited it will not move around inside the plant. This means it’s important to continuously feed silicon throughout the entire life cycle. This will ensure that all new growth in your plants benefits from the effects.
Flush your plants at the end for the purest, tastiest smoke
So to recap, it’s mycorrhiza for faster development and increased growth rates and trichoderma for pathogen control and defence. But, I hear you thinking, if trichoderma is so aggressive, won’t it attack any mycorrhiza that has been added to the root zone? Well, a good many scientific studies have been carried out to monitor the effects of adding both fungi to the root zone and the general consensus seems to be that because both perform separate jobs they work in synergy, rather than cancelling each other out.
Silicon
Now, you won’t find silicon included in your base nutrient as it’s difficult to mix with other elements and maintain stability. It needs to be given as an additive. But what does it actually do? Well, silicon effectively ‘builds’ the plant, acting as the cement between the bricks in the cell walls and between the actual cells themselves. It increases the structural integrity of the plant, making stems and branches thicker and stronger, and leaves greener and tougher.
End product from plants that have not been flushed can suffer from a ‘chemical’ taste, smokers often complain that hydroponically grown weed has a different taste from soil grown, whereas in reality it is more likely that it just hasn’t been flushed properly. Flushing also affects the ‘burn’ of the end product. Next time you’re smoking on some dealer-bought weed, take a look at the ash on the end of the joint; if it’s been properly flushed, the ash should be light grey, with a fine, powdery texture. Ash created from burning weed that hasn’t been flushed will be black, with a much more solid consistency and – in particularly bad cases – can pop and spark as the impurities still contained are ignited. There are various flushing agents on the market, each based on different techniques of removing, or forcing the use of, excess nutrients stored within the plant. These techniques include; Stress – when the flush is administered it creates a root stress that forces energy in the plant to be expended, therefore using up the excess nutrients stored and ripening the plant at the same time. Some of the flushes that employ this technique are so powerful that they actually destroy the roots of the plant, triggering a survival instinct, forcing all of the energy into reproduction (i.e. the buds). Mineral salts – a good technique for pure hydroponic systems where the roots are exposed. Large mineral particles are added to the flushing solution, these particles are too large to be taken up by the plant, but when washed through the roots will attract any excess mineral deposits that have built up and wash them away.
Ultimately, the key to remember is that the level of beneficial fungi activity in the root zone will reach a saturation point depending on the amount of food available for them to eat. So, keep conditions right, reapply your beneficial fungi at least once every 30 days, keep the root zone well fed and let Mother Nature do her work. This is a massively significant additive, which will be particularly important for those of you growing in hydro or coco. In nature, soil water – the run off from naturally occurring soils – can contain around 400 ppm of Silicic acid, which is readily absorbed by plants. Studies of tissues taken from plants grown in naturally occurring soil show a silicon content of up to 10% of dry weight. In some cases, silicon can be found in the same quantities as calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. Certain grasses can even contain silicon at a higher percentage than any other mineral. With silicon being found in such abundance in plant tissues, there is now an argument that it should be considered as a relevant macronutrient.
stored, in the root zone and plant sap, all the way until harvest.
Flushing additives
Not every additive is designed to increase yield. Quality is as important as quantity. Any plant that has been raised on mineral feeds and additives should be flushed, regardless of the growing method or growing medium used. In hydroponic growing methods plants usually have constant access to mineral nutrients and, provided the solution in the reservoir is balanced, will constantly take all the elements they need via active uptake. These elements will be
Hormones – flushes containing natural plant hormones will trigger a natural reaction in the plant that forces it to mature and finish. This uses up excess minerals stored and also ripens the fruit, improving quality and yield. Some of the better flushes on the market use a combination of techniques to get the best result. However, if you’re down to your last few pennies and decide to scrimp on a flushing agent, try giving your plant water with a pH of 5 for three or four days. The acidic water will stress the plant and force it to use up any excess of salts. Happy growing!
OUTDOOR CANNABIS CULTIVATION
37
OUTDOOR SELF-SUFFICIENCY IS EASIER THAN YOU THINK
OUTDOOR GROWING 2015 Tony, Dutch Passion Seedbank, Amsterdam
Frisian Dew is an outdoor variety which can easily deliver over 1Kg of buds per plant
Its that time of year when outdoor growers start to think about lashings of free cannabis grown under that great HPS in the sky. Outdoor season is approaching, and thousands of European outdoor growers are starting to get itchy fingers. Some will be seasoned guerrilla growers with many years of experience; these people already know how easy it really is to grow all their annual cannabis requirements under the sun. Some people will be completely new to outdoor cannabis growing; wondering if it really is true that you can grow quality cannabis outdoors even in tough northern European climates. Well, it is true and its much easier than you think.
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With each new season there are more and more self-sufficient outdoor growers who find that it really is not that difficult to grow their own outdoor cannabis. Just 10-15 years ago the number of outdoor growers was relatively small. But since then the seed companies have worked hard to selectively breed varieties that are robust enough to deliver several hundred grams of dry buds per plant even in borderline northern European climates. The emergence of autoflowering varieties means you can grow outdoor cannabis in most countries. Today we see lots of growers germinating a few seeds which they plant in the great outdoors, along the riverbanks and in the hills. Why not? Its a good insurance policy in case anything goes wrong with your indoor crop. Good quality outdoor seeds are available for a few pounds each and they cost absolutely nothing to grow outdoors. Whats more, an outdoor plant will often yield several hundred grams when grown in good conditions. The hard part is knowing how to start outdoor cannabis growing and how to maximise your chances of success for the minimum cost and effort. The most successful outdoor growers work hard to find a safe, protected and sunny location which will allow their plants to reach harvest. In the northern hemisphere outdoor growers often look to varieties which will finish blooming around the start of October. The ideal grow location will get good all-day sunlight, often the grow plot will be difficult to access, perhaps via a crawl-hole. This will protect the plants from unintended discovery by people, dog-walkers and grazing animals e.g. Deer. Slug collars should be placed at the base of the plant, you can buy these in garden centres.
Available from Growth Technology, Highlight Horticulture, Hydrofarm, BWGS and major distributors worldwide. MAMAPUBLISHING.COM
38 PROBABLY THE HARDEST PART OF OUTDOOR GROWING IS FINDING THE RIGHT GROW LOCATION Traditional gardeners of fruit, flowers and veg use the copper slug collars to stop their plants being infested with slugs/snails and they are highly recommended for cannabis growers as well. Some wire-mesh (‘chicken wire’) from a garden centre will prevent rabbits eating your plants, and can be secured around the plants with tent pegs. The wire should be tall enough to prevent rabbits from getting near your plants. Plants are often germinated indoors and transplanted outdoors after the last frost. This allows the seedlings to get through the first few vulnerable weeks and become strong enough for the great outdoors.
Frisian Duck. A stealthy variety which gives outdoor growers extra protection
You can use maps and google to help you find possible locations, but there is no substitute for boots on the ground to find the perfect outdoor grow plot. Once you have found it you can start to improve the soil quality with compost, fertilisers, manure etc. Some people deliberately plant brambles or thorns around their plot to provide extra protection for their grow, and to minimise chances of people/animals finding their plants. Other growers deliberately select an already overgrown area of brambles or bushes to grow inside, this is a great way to deter unexpected human/animal visitors. These types of plots require serious hard work to hack out a central clearing and then to dig/improve the soil. And the work will need to be done discreetly to avoid attracting attention, perhaps in stages or perhaps in the early/late hours to ensure better privacy. Some outdoor growers prefer an outdoor grow location which is near to their home. This makes the job of transporting your soil, plants, manure, fertilisers etc easier. It also means you have a shorter drive home with the newly harvested crop. Often this drive is the most nervous part of the home grown experience. Some growers like to use proven traditional photoperiod varieties such as Frisian Dew, Durban Poison or Passion #1 which will often reach 2-3 metres tall and can yield heavily when harvested around the end of
Passion #1 is a potent and resinous outdoor performer
Frisian Duck. Most of the leaves are unrecognisable as cannabis.
Mazar. Balcony grown in central Europe
September. Other growers prefer the smaller, bushier autoflowering varieties which are often planted in June and harvested in August. Auto flowering varieties are sometimes the only realistic choice for those with very short summers. One new option for outdoor growers in 2015 is a selectively bred Dutch Passion stealth variety called Frisian Duck. It has unusual leaves, bred specially to look unlike any cannabis plant you have seen before. The leaves have a webbed ‘ducks foot’ appearance to them, even experienced cannabis growers have needed persuading that it is actually cannabis. The beauty of the Frisian Duck variety is that most people would walk straight past it and not realise it is cannabis. It will be popular in urban greenhouses and back gardens as well as the countryside. Its only when the buds start to swell heavily in September that the plant is easily identifiable as cannabis, and by then its nearly time to harvest. Lots of people have a greenhouse and a semi-private back garden which could be used to grow a plant or two, but often the small risk of getting caught is enough to deter people from trying. Frisian Duck tips the balance a little further in favour of the urban grower that is looking to cultivate a couple of plants for their own use. Outdoor growing is simple. When your plants can put out an unrestricted root system into good quality soil you don’t need to worry too much about regular visits to feed or water them. Cannabis grows naturally in the wild without human attention. Many outdoor growers prefer to minimise the number of plant-visits for security reasons. Once the plot is prepared and the plants are in place little needs to be done. Perhaps you will want to visit a couple of times to watch the plants develop and perhaps add a light top dressing of fertiliser. Watering is only necessary in those rare hot/dry summers, and if your plants are near a river bank then the roots are unlikely to get too dry. The only really difficult time comes near harvest, thats when the outdoor grower likes to visit the plants to try to plan the optimum harvest date. The harvested buds can be chopped down, bagged up, and taken somewhere to be dried. Be warned, drying buds requires a carbon filter to control odour. Trying to dry any buds without odour control back at home is a recipe for unnecessary risk and problems. Probably the hardest part of outdoor growing is finding the right grow location(s) that will hide your plants yet not require too much work to find and improve. Choose a seed bank you trust and remember that even the best outdoor seeds will only cost a few pounds each, peanuts in comparison to the amount of buds they produce. Outdoor growing really is easy!
COMIC
41
42
TRAVEL
Bubble Hash, Hush Money and Meeting the Mexican Military
“People started talking about hash around here about fifteen years ago, there's a lot of Spanish and Italian mafia close to these mountains - they brought their love of hash with them and they taught us how to make it. We've got ice hash, charras, pollen, and weed, lots and lots of weed! And we don't cheat anyone in this town, all our hash and weed is pure and organic – we don’t put any plastic or rubber in it, there is no trouble here, there’s no blood on our weed. This town has a happy life… One thing we really want is bubble bags, man, if I could get some bubble bags I'd be so happy! We just can't get them here.”
the score - have a set of bubble bags!” “WOOW! Are you serious? I was looking on the internet and dreaming about these last week, we can't get them here. Wow! Thank you so much! Really? We go to score this afternoon!” Three hits of DMT came back my way in return. Bonded. It was a long, bumpy half hour ride in the back of an old pick-up. We had to descend about 1000 metres in altitude on a stony mountain track. Beni knew where he was going so we found our contact easily enough; Lalo, a farmer/dealer, a young family man. Free, happy and tough, and he had enough weed, hash and opium to fill a good few evidence vehicles. Our introductions were decent, all smiles and good vibes. Then they both grabbed stools, sat right opposite each other and got down to business. Negotiations were brisk and stern with Beni not budging on the price he wanted. Five minutes later he had it. 2kg of weed for 3,200 pesos and 650 grams of pollen at 15 pesos a gram; a grand total of about £650 for the lot. We had to return the following morning, everything would be sorted then and Lalo gave us a nice big hospitality bag of hash as a token of good faith. After all the serious talking was done we sat back, rolled up and had a smoke with our Mr Fix It: “For the pollen we get about 50 grams of hash from one kilo of weed, we do it the Moroccan way, with sticks and bowls... When we make ice hash we use a mesh screen, but we leave the hash to settle in the buckets and then separate the water afterwards, we don't have the very fine screen you need for good ice hash.”
them, we couldn't. They seemed cool, not too bothered, silent smiles, like they thought we were just another couple of crazy tourists. We were getting into our rhythm and starting to feel secure when the usually invisible boss appeared, the father of the family. He appeared in the doorway, took in the scene unfolding in his room and then looked away towards the horizon. Stone-faced. He started talking, coldly and slowly: “You can't do this, this is illegal. Maybe the police come. Sometimes they come. Sometimes people see and people speak. Everyone needs money.” We apologised hard. We were gutted. He said nothing, just stood there staring at us, cool, calm and detached. Then, without saying another word, he turned and walked away. When his footsteps disappeared from earshot
WE'VE GOT ICE HASH, CHARRAS, POLLEN, AND WEED, LOTS AND LOTS OF WEED! Four months later there were two sets of bubble bags walking around this Mexican town of legend looking for enthusiastic new owners. Unfortunately Alfredo, the guy who'd wanted them in the first place, had left town. Ten minutes after finding out Alfredo had moved on I was checking into a room next door to Beni, a lucky chance meeting with a young shaman who'd come to town looking to score. We got talking. We were both here for the same reason. He gave me the last blim of his hash to skin up with, divulged his game plan and offered me along for the ride; two kilos of weed and six hundred and fifty grams of hash. “But this town is expensive, maybe three thousand pesos a kilo (£150), we go to another town, it's much cheaper.” “Sweet. Hear, mate, you gave me the last bit of your hash and offer me in on
When they talk about ice hash here this is what they talk about; the crudest type of ice hash. It’s a malleable, often lumpy, black hash, and it’s not pressed completely dry either – leave it wrapped in plastic for a couple of warm days and it won’t take long for the mould to start growing. That’s in total contrast to the dry bashed blonde pollen which is knocked from the same plants, this is usually steam heated in plastic bags and pressed by hand; it fluffs up like a supermodel on a porn shoot and it's comparable in strength to a Moroccan number two. As far as commercial stuff goes it’s good and clean, well worth 75p a gram. As arranged, the hash was sorted the next day. A bout of paranoia on Lalo's end saw us having to source the weed elsewhere but it was no drama, he gave us the contact. Beni and I were both keen to christen the bubble bags so now we needed buckets, ice, and enough food to see us through a two day bubble hash mission. Finally we had everything we needed, and at ninety quid a kilo we were going to have the luxury of smashing up pure bud. A nine month old near-sinsemilla sativa crop as well, nicely frosted, dried, cured and perfect for a bit of bashing. The plan was to turn our rooms into secret bubble hash factories for the next couple of days. While we were breaking up the weed everything was fine, nice and quiet, but when we started smashing up the blocks of ice the noise was horrible. We were on the top floor of what was essentially a nine room three storey home-made garden shed, and a rotting one at that. There was no way to break the ice without the whole world hearing us. One by one the family owners of our accommodation came by to see what we were up to. We didn't hide it from
Beni looked at me with a strange glint in his eye, he was smiling: “Wait here, I know what this is, it's just business.” He went off to talk to the boss. Five minutes later: “He wants one thousand pesos and we can use the cottage at the back of the property for the rest of the night, ok?”
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44 “Ok man, what else can we do? I'll pay.” “No, wait, it's too expensive, I go back, talk again.” After a few trips back and forth between me and the boss Beni managed to negotiate the third deal of the day, four hundred pesos and we had the cottage at the back of the property until 8pm.
For the next four hours we bashed, smashed, shook, swilled, pressed, cleaned, rinsed and dried like men possessed, propelled into a maniacal blur of activity by adrenalin, Asian Dub Foundation, drum n bass and tag-team joint rolling. After the whirlwind we'd managed to separate about twenty five grams of high grade bubble hash from seven hundredish grams of weed. We steamrollered through it so quickly that we could have doubled or trebled our haul with a couple of extra and less rushed straining cycles. We had to lose a lot of sticky green sludge when the clock struck eight. Beni never spoke much, but when we were packing up he said of our landlord: “He was only mad because we bought the weed from someone else, if we bought the weed from him it would be no problem to do this here - he had to make his bit of business from us. You know he's the big man in this village? Nothing happens here without him knowing.” We managed to smuggle two fresh bag loads into my hut so they could drip dry in their own time, it wasn't a total disaster. The weather was coming in cold and wet now. A storm was building around us. Beni was leaving town the next morning so I was going to have to finish the job, on my own and in top secret. I wished him luck, he was taking the long route home to avoid the military stop n search road block. That
meant an extra ten hours tagged on to an already thirteen hour long journey whilst sitting on a kilo of weed, half a key of pollen and a few grams of the finest bubble hash in the country. It seemed like such a good idea at the time, but now I was stuck on my own in a tiny wooden room on the top of a mountain in the middle of a tropical storm. I had a suspicious mafia-type family as landlords and two bags of bubble-hashin-progress that they weren't too happy about. I was feeling the pressure. In the rush of the previous day we'd forgotten to clean the bags between rinses so they were dripping painfully slowly, and in all the excitement I'd also forgotten to eat properly and buy enough food so when the sore throat and sniffles started I knew it was trouble. There was no way of getting to a shop to buy food at that point in time. Gale force winds and monsoon-like rain had turned the paths to rivers and visibility was ten metres at best. Opening the door of the room
was like opening the door to a cold, white, howling, rain-lashed hell. Being ill was a good excuse to stay locked in my room while I sat there swilling the bags around to speed up the separation process as much as possible. Twenty four hours later and the bags were still dripping. The second morning, thirty six hours after they'd started, there was still far too much water left to do any
SOMETIMES PEOPLE SEE AND PEOPLE SPEAK. EVERYONE NEEDS MONEY. immediate pressing. It was in danger of spoiling. Then I had a flash of inspiration: toilet paper! It's super absorbent so you can dip a folded corner into the top of a pool of water and it'll keep on sucking until the whole piece of paper is saturated, thus extracting the water but leaving the hash undisturbed at the bottom of the bag. Fifteen minutes and two toilet rolls later I was pressing dry a healthy lumps of bubble hash and collecting a big ball of black hash from the bottom of the bucket. Sweet victory! Sort of. I tidied up the mess and started to think about how to make it to Beni's home town. It was where I was headed anyway and I'd promised to meet him there to pass on the bubble bags. Twenty three hours on three buses, or thirteen hours and a military check point on two? The military know there's weed in these mountains and that's the one and only reason they pull over the tourist vans and search everyone's bags. It's just one search though, one check point. I had one hundred per cent confidence in my stash. Do I or don't I? There was a knock on my door: “What you do in one hour?” “I dunno mate, I was thinking about leaving today.” “It's Brazil Mexico in the Olympic final, everyone gonna watch – the whole country! You come, watch on TV” “Maybe” You beauty! Mexican soldiers love footy, it's the national sport, this was my chance. I packed my bag, checked out, staggered down the hill and waited for the next bus to the big city. The plan was to slip through an unmanned check point and be on my merry way without sight nor sound of the state authorities. It would've been great to watch the match but when the world
gives you a nudge and a wink at a time like that it's rude not to. It was a calm, quiet journey down the mountain, down into the warm, rich air two thousand metres below. No worries. 150 grams of pollen, half an ounce of bubble hash and the bubble bags. I left the last bar of weed behind for luck... I clocked the time as the check point approached. Puta madre! Half time. Fuck. I could see another minivan pulling out of the search bay further down the road. Our driver was slowing down. The bus in front of us was getting pulled and a soldier was standing in the middle of the road waving us down. Bollocks. I got out with the other passengers and did my best to look like a bemused tourist. The soldiers had a good poke around inside the van, then one of them appeared carrying my bag. He looked like he meant business. Fuck, fuck and double fuck. The highest ranking uniform walked me to a table where he asked me to open up. He put his hand into the top half of my rucksack and gave the contents a good groping, keeping eye contact the whole time. That was cool, take your time in there mate. I was dreading him searching the bottom half though, my stash wasn't there but two strange looking sets of bags heavily wrapped in cling film and crusted in hashish were. If he found them they'd go to town on me. The other soldiers were standing to the side, milling about, checking their watches and mumbling to each other. I was the last person being searched. Half time was nearly over and they wanted to get back to the match. The guy searching my bag finished the top half and looked at the bottom, he glanced over to his colleagues and checked his watch. “You wanna search?” I bluffed, pointing to the bottom half of my bag. I started to undo the clips. Please don't let me see the inside of a Mexican prison... Please don't let me see the inside of a Mexican prison... He looked at me, smiled and shook his head. “It's ok, you go now, no problem. Sorry, thank you.” As I climbed into the van two or three other relieved looking faces were smiling back at me with knowing eyes. Guilty bastards. I smiled back. As we pulled away we watched the backs of the soldiers hurrying off, en-mass, to wherever their TV was. Reckon they'd done two hours worth of searches in a quick fifteen minutes and now they were off to cheer the second half. Mexico won. I had a few quid on them as well, fourteen to one each way. That next spliff was a beauty, happy days!
46
STRAIN REPORT
6RXWKHUQ /LJKWV Southern Lights in full flowering bloom.
GENETICS: MEDIUM: NUTRIENTS: LIGHTING:
N.Y.C.D x Sensi Star Bio Bizz All Mix Bio Bizz Pack 600w MH veg X 1000w HPS flowering
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bloom period.
Index of ads Name
Page
00 Seeds Bank
28
Humboldt Seed Organization
27
8 Ball Hydroponics
1
Hy-pro
43
Advanced Seeds
14
Indica Head Shop
43
Amsterdam Seed Center
39
Jorge Cervantes
32
Atami
48
Mama Editions
37
Bio Green
8
Money Tree Hydroponics
33
Bright Green UK
43
Mycologics
43
Bristol Genuine Seedbank
13
NPK Technology
45
Brit Crops
9
Paradise Seeds
1
Buddha Seeds
4
Paradise Seeds
18-19
Buddha's Tree
11
Procare
43
Dinafem Seeds
7
Product Earth
40
Dr. Blooms Hydroponics
1
Royal Queen Seeds
16
Dutch Passion
35
Senua Hydroponics
39
Ed Rosenthal
22
Smokin Vinyl
45
Emerald Imports
36
Southern Hydro Centre
45
Emporium Hydroponics
45
Stanford Hydroponics
1
Genofarm
31
Sweet Seeds
47
Green Shop
1
UK GroWorks
43
Head 2 Head
45
UK Skunkworks
43
Hedzup
45
Vapour Evolution
1
Hesi
2
Vision Seeds
45
Hoo Farm Hydro
44
Wheatley Hydroponics
12
Zamnesia
44
Colofon 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, The Professor, Sativa Diva, Tony, Stoney Tark, Steve M., Sean and others Comics: Jim Stewart Editorial adress: 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. 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. The publisher has endeavored to reach all copyright holders of photos and/or images. Those who still believe they are entitled to these rights may contact the publisher.
Next issue out: April 24 2015
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Big Devil XL Auto ®
Devil Cream Auto Variety SWS45 100% Autoflowering Indoor/Outdoor Harvest: 8 weeks after germination Height: 70-120 cm
Variety SWS28 100% Autoflowering Indoor/Outdoor Harvest: 9½ weeks after germination Height: 110-160 cm
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Cream Caramel ®
Green Poison ®
Variety SWS04 Indica/Sativa: 90%/10% Indoor Blooming: 8-9 weeks Outdoor Harvest: end of September, beginning of October
Variety SWS14 Indica/Sativa: 70%/30% Indoor Blooming: 7 weeks Outdoor Harvest: mid to late September
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SWEET SEEDS DOES NOT SELL BULK OR LOOSE SEEDS TO GROW SHOPS. THE ONLY ORIGINAL AND GUARANTEED SEEDS ARE THOSE SOLD IN THEIR ORIGINAL PACKAGING. C/ Dr. Nicasio Benlloch nº36-38 · 46015 · Valencia · España · +34 963 890 403 / +34 628 593 887 · WHOLESALERS: +34 963 473 730 / +34 963 404 289 · Fax +34 961 939 618 · info@sweetseeds.es 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.
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