2016 05 UK by SoftSecrets

FREE

THE CANNABIS NEWSPAPER SINCE 1985

Issue 5 - 2016

8 CBD breeding

17 Nitrogen and cannabis

Air pruning

American Beauty

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

DEA Will Not Call for Reclassifying Marijuana AMSTERDAM

RRY SENSI-STAR DELAHAZE PANDORA BELLADONNA WAPPA ALL

OG KUSH

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration last august said it will not call for reclassifying marijuana, dashing the hopes of advocates of legalization and rejecting calls from some states and members of Congress who say growing knowledge and public acceptance should result in looser regulations. In a notice for the Federal Register, the DEA proposed to leave it in the most restrictive federal category. But the agency said it would open the door to more extensive research on the chemicals in marijuana that many consider valuable in treating chronic pain. Paul Armentano of NORML, a group advocating legalization, said the DEA's action reaffirms its "flat earth" approach to regulation. "Ultimately, the federal government ought to remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act altogether in a manner similar to alcohol and tobacco, thus providing states the power to establish their own marijuana regulatory policies free from federal intrusion.," he said. All drugs, both legal and illegal, are listed in various categories known as schedules. Marijuana, deemed by the federal government to have no medical benefit and a high potential for abuse, has long been

placed in Schedule I, the most restrictive. That listing bans doctors from prescribing it and limits all but the most carefully controlled research. Schedule I also includes heroin, LSD, and ecstasy. Drugs listed in Schedule II include some illegal substances, including cocaine, but also such legal (though carefully controlled) drugs such as Demerol, Vicodin, Ritalin, and OxyContin. Most prescription drugs with a lower potential for abuse are in Schedules III to V — the higher the number, the fewer the restrictions.

The DEA’s action explicitly rejected any notion of moving marijuana to Schedule II. But the DEA said it would consider requests to expand the number of facilities legally permitted to cultivate it for research. "Although no drug product made from marijuana has yet been shown to be safe and effective in such clinical trials, DEA — along with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) — fully supports expanding research into the potential medical utility of marijuana and its chemical constituents." The federal listing is independent of state regulation. With Colorado, Washington, and Oregon legalizing possession and half the states adopting medical marijuana laws, calls had been growing for the DEA to loosen its grip. While marijuana remains illegal under federal law, the Obama administration has chosen to turn a blind eye to state legalization efforts, declining to prosecute growers, dealers, and users unless investigators find a connection to organized crime, interstate operations, or sales to underage users. Last august’s action is consistent with DEA's longstanding approach to marijuana. Past agency administrators have been adamantly opposed to any change. Source: NBCNEWS.COM

Cream Caramel® (SWS04) Femi

n ised S ee ds

3 EDITORIAL

As More States Prepare To Legalise, the War on Cannabis Continues Even as this publication goes to press, more American States are moving towards some form of cannabis legalisation. While most of these will opt for a system which will allow cannabis to be prescribed or used medically, one or two will go for full legalisation. Other, more cautious States will continue to observe, but it's a safe bet that most of these will follow suit at some point. These moves come on the back of a considerable swell of public opinion and pressure for change. The entire process is being conducted according to American state law, and is therefore legally above board and binding. However, in spite of all of this, there are agencies that continue to work against any change to the legal status of cannabis in America; chief among these are the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the very powerful alcohol industry and its lobbyists. The DEA are now on the back foot and are fighting a war that is purely ideological and dogmatic, meaning that any logic, pragmatism or even common sense have long since left the building. The DEA resolutely refuse to reclassify cannabis from Schedule 1, continuing to deny that it has any medical or therapeutic value (1). This in the face of incontrovertible evidence to the contrary: even the American Medical Association have changed their minds on this. They continue to pedal the myth that cannabis is a dangerous gateway drug to an increasingly indifferent population who are aware that this is nonsensical propaganda. Presumably, the DEA continue to endorse this line in order to protect funding and therefore preserve jobs. This would be understandable if unrealistic. Or could it be that the DEA believe it themselves? If so, then this is alarmingly delusional thinking and also requires addressing. To turn to the alcohol industry, it would appear from a number of news stories that they are funding anti cannabis campaigns in a number of states. The reasons for this seem somewhat more straightforward. The clear and obvious danger for them is the potential loss of revenue. To take one example, the State of Colorado raised more tax money from weed ($70 million) than from alcohol ($42 million) last year (2). While this is recorded fact, a closer look at the figures is necessary. If one looks at these (3), it becomes clear that profits from alcohol, rather than falling, have continued to rise in spite of the legalisation of cannabis. Clearly, the CEO's of Big Booze don't think this rise is enough, and as a result they seem quite anxious to retain the status quo of legal alcohol and illegal cannabis as far as they can.

6 1 0 2 r e n n i W p u C e f i ! l h h s g u K Hi y r o g e t a c n i e c a l 1st p

Dutch Kush by Paradise Seeds is a very powerful and relaxing Indica-dominant cannabis strain. Thanks to this high Indica influence the flowering time is pretty short with 8-9 weeks. Dutch Kush is a short and bushy plant that responds well to methods like SOG and SCROG. Very high resin content, so be prepared for some sticky fingers! Genetics: 80% indica - 20% sativa Flowering period: 60 days THC%: Medium Yield (indoor & outdoor): 500g/m² Height: Short Harvest time (outdoor): Early October Breeder: Paradise Seeds

Dutch Kush

This hostility is misplaced, and would appear to originate in the idea that people either use alcohol or they use cannabis, and that if somebody uses one they don't use the other. Running alongside this idea is a second one: given the option of legal cannabis, people will stop drinking alcohol and switch to cannabis. Neither of these is true. In fact, here is the reality of the situation: people who use cannabis are likely to also drink alcohol, whereas people who only drink alcohol are less likely to use cannabis. What's happening here is that drinkers are still drinking. Cannabis users are also still drinking, but now they're also enjoying their other drug of choice legally as well, and they're paying tax on it. Both the DEA and the alcohol industry wield considerable power, and neither appear prepared to heed the wishes of (it would appear) the greater part of the population. Both seem prepared continue to try to undermine legal process. It would seem that the war on cannabis is far from being over. 1) https://www.dea.gov/divisions/hq/2016/hq081116.shtml 2) http://time.com/4037604/colorado-marijuana-tax-revenue/ 3) https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/revenue/annual-report

Dr Dee

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ALL YOU NEED FOR YOUR GROWSHOP! New 2016/17 catalogue available now!

READERS@SOFTSECRETS.NL

Attention Readers! Fancy a FREE packet of FEMINISED seeds from SWEET SEEDS? Then send us a picture of your grow room or best cannabis plant, including a visible copy of Soft Secrets, and we’ll send you 3 seeds. Should your photo happen to feature your beautiful wife or girlfriend wearing a sexy microbikini or super hot lingerie, you will receive 6 seeds. Photo of the Month will even receive 9 prime quality feminised seeds. With compliments of Soft Secrets and SWEET SEEDS!

E-mail your entries to readers@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!

readers@softsecrets.nl

Femi

n ised S ee ds

Hi there here are a few phoWRV R΍ P\ EXGV DQG P\ KRW FKLFN ȴUVW WLPH JURZHU too.learned a lot from your magazine,like the article on led light found it very helpful many thanks Garry

Big Buddha Blue Cheese auto's, 11 0z dry on 1 plant, not bad for 1st attempt Dan

QUIZ

SOFT SECRETS

GROW QUIZ By Stoney Tark

1) High stress does often turn feminized plants into what? A. B. C. D.

Male plants Yellow plants Hermaphrodites Short plants

2) What is the proper name of the technique when a m2 is tightly packed out with small plants? A. B. C. D.

Sea Of Green (SOG) Trellising Mainlining Screen Of Green (SCROG)

7) How do we call bat shit which is a real booster for plants? A. B. C. D.

Ayahuasca Toledo Guano Mescaline

8) Is an organic aerated compost tea more beneficial than a cold water extraction? A. Yes, as there are billions of beneficial bacteria forming within the oxygen B. No, cold water extractions posses more beneficial bacteria C. They are both the same in their beneficial bacteria content D. Cold water works best 9) Air cloning is the technique which involves..? A. Using an aeroponic bubbler to form roots B. Applying rooting hormone to an exposed bark and covering with a sliced jiffy C. Allowing air to blow into your propagator D. Air cloning does not exist

3) How many days should a clone take to show signs of the first root in the correct conditions?

10) When hanging Cannabis out to dry, what is the correct time to end it and store your weed?

A. B. C. D.

14 days 3 days 7 days 21 days

4) Why is CBD-rich weed not (yet) popular in Dutch coffee shops? A. B. C. D.

It’s too expensive It won’t get you very stoned You need a prescription to use it It’s not considered weed

5) Which of these Kush strains is an original landrace? A. B. C. D.

Special Kush Hindu Kush Dutch Kush King Kush

6) The names of the bright white hairs that appear during pre-flowering are called..? A. B. C. D.

Sensimilla True Leaves Stamen Pistils

After 30 dayss When the stems break when you bend them When the stems nicely bend but don’t break After 7 days max.

11) A plant will display a dark shiny blue and purple color to the leaf during which deficiency? A. B. C. D.

Copper Boron Calcium Zinc

12) What does the phrase PPM mean when feeding plants hydroponically? A. B. C. D.

Plants Peak Meter Plants Per Metre Parts Per Million Push Plants Max

13) If a CBD strain is said to contain a 1:1 ratio, which of these would reflect this? A. B. C. D.

8.5 % THC / 8.5 % CBD 0% THC / 11% CBD 10% THC / 12% CBD 3% THC / 6% CBD

14) Making Rosin Tech oil involves which of the following processes? A. Using butane and a vacuum oven to purge for a 48 hour period B. Using heat and pressure to remove the oil from a flower with parchment paper C. Using Ice and water and filtering with bubble bags D. Adding pressure to dry sift to create a hash similar to a Moroccon quality 15) Why is Top 44 named as such? A. This Skunk-variety blooms for exactly 44 days B. The breeder developed the variety on his 44th birthday C. There are 44 genetic traits in it D. 044 is the area code in NL where the breeder lived 16) Why is growing with felt pots better than plastic pots?? A. The are naturally air pruned through the fabric B. They are easier to transplant C. Is better for hydroponic set ups D. You get less salt build up around the base 17) When a plant’s branches are tied down so the plant is allowed to grow more bushy, how do you call this technique? A. High Stress Technique B. Pruning C. Twist And Snap D. Low Stress Technique 18) Correctly dried Cannabis before entering a curing jar should be what water content? A. 50% and still damp to touch B. 30% and sticky to touch C. 0% and bone dry D. 100% as it will dry out inside the jar 19) Phosphorus in your nutrients is mainly beneficial for.. ? A. Growth B. Flower production C. Strong roots D. Green leaves 20) Why is using aluminium foil NOT the same as using Mylar foil in your grow room? A. Aluminium heats up and thus affects the temperature B. Aluminium can leave nasty burn marks when touched C. Aluminium doesn’t reflect the light like Mylar D. Aluminium is toxic for plants That’s it! See answers on pag 46!

BUBBA KUSH CBD

AMNESIA CBD

A IN S

OG KUSH CBD

CHEESE CBD

N EW

HAZE AUTO CBD

INDUSTRIAL PLANT AUTO CBD

PURPLE ORANGE CBD

SEED BANKS

CBD SEEDS A GREAT SELECTION

Soft Secrets talked to Dinafem about its new CBD-rich products resulting from the largest and best known selection of CBD-rich plants, a demanding work for consumers to enjoy strains rich in CBD but also low in THC. H. Madera In an interview given to Dinafem in 2012, the leading breeder Dr Kush announced the bank’s intention to launch a line of CBD-rich strains. This wish dates back to the early days of the seed bank, when Dr Kush designed - on paper - a very special, easy-to-grow, self-flowering strain rich in CBD and with lively colours. Ten years later, this project is going great. The focus on Cannabidiol derives from the fact that, for personal reasons, Dr Kush has always been interested in medical cannabis, as well as in the responsible use of recreational cannabis with strains having no ultimately devastating effects. When the CBD vegetable enhancement project was launched, it was clear that this would be done as professionally as possible, for solid and constant results to be achieved in CBDenhanced strains. At Dinafem they did not spare any efforts and means to produce the widest and most careful selection ever made and achieve excellence in all possible respects, from the starting seeds through to the used technical instrumentation and human resources. As Dr Kush explained, “We found the perfect place, with perfect instruments and perfect genetics. Without doubt, this project has been the most serious that I have had the chance to personally follow - like back in the old days in California, when time-honoured strains such as #Skunk1 were first developed”.

Genetics

For this project, Dinafem aimed to develop the best possible genetic base. After reading the articles of Soft Secrets, Dr Kush knew that Reggae Seeds was at the origin of the current CBD wave. That’s why he asked me to take him to Girona to get to know the main breeder of this bank, Jimi. I remember that day as one of the most extraordinary in my cannabis experience. Jimi and his partner Ana showed us their home and grow rooms and explained many details about the development of these genetics with a full, passionate overview of the past, present and future of CBD-rich cannabis seeds. On that day, we smoked dabs with extracts made from CBD-rich strains and although Dr Kush had never smoked butane extracts, or even particularly loved pipes, on that occasion he smoked at least 15 dabs without losing his concentration. On the following day, he told me he was very surprised that he had no hangover as he woke up, and we went to a local forest to smoke a few dabs of CBD-rich strains that Jimi

had given us as a gift. The effect of CBD, i.e. waking up as fresh as a daisy after smoking so many extracts, was so pleasant that Dr Kush realised he was on the right track. That meeting culminated in a final agreement whereby Dinafem purchased a batch of 4,000 regular seeds of Dancehall, and Dr Kush offered to pay a much higher price than that quoted by Jimi, as a sign of respect for the breeder’s work, because Dinafem was not purchasing mere seeds in bulk but rather a valid genetic base. As a further self-imposed reward, Dr Kush promised

of its parents, it is the most promising regular Reggae Seeds strain to be used for a good selection of CBD-rich seeds. Under the name of Dancehall, this strain obtained more than 12 awards and trophies such as those of Fuerteventura, Miranda de Ebro, Catalunya Grows, Badalona, Alicante and the Cannabis Champions Cup. Cannatonic, probably a phenotype of Dancehall, is the best award-winning Iberian strain in history, with more than 20 international awards, as already featured in this magazine. Without question, the project started from a vantage point: Dancehall is the leading plant of the CBD wave, as confirmed by its numerous awards won.

Analysis

Before initiating its CBD selection procedure, Dinafem wanted to have all the tools required for the project ready. The

Bubba Kush CBD

finishing touches were given in 2012, when materials were purchased and a lab engineer was recruited to carry out gas chromatography tests. In the early 2-year phase, this engineer (Dr Ananda), and a team of breeders (Dr O3 and Dr Kush), devoted themselves to the enhancement of self-flowering strains by using gas chromatography. A lab was rented, where Dr Ananda gained experience in the use of analytical techniques. Later, in June 2014, they purchased genetics from Jimi and the necessary materials to start up their own private laboratory. For the analysis division to operate, a sizeable investment in tools was needed to purchase e.g. a precision weighing instrument, an ultrasound dilution kit, a centrifuge and, of course, a gas chromatographer and patterns for major cannabinoids. Patterns are used as reference for the chromatographer to make comparisons with the sample to be tested. Time, investments and work were needed to procure them and a special refrigerator was also purchased to keep patterns at a low temperature. Currently, Dinafem is working with 7 patterns of different cannabinoids. When all materials were installed, a specialised technician from the vendor of the gas chromatographer ran a test. All installation, calibration and control procedures were run by Dinafem’s technician, Dr Ananda, for a few months, based on his background as lab technician and his previous 2-year experience in the management of chromatographers for the vegetable enhancement of self-flowering strains. He spent full weeks of work to fix the problem of ghost substances,

THE FOCUS ON CANNABIDIOL DERIVES FROM THE FACT THAT, FOR PERSONAL REASONS, DR KUSH HAS ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN MEDICAL CANNABIS Jimi that the selected parents would be recognised as a “Reggae Seeds” genetic selection. Other seed banks offering CBD genetics, instead, are not properly transparent on the origins of their CBDrich strains. That day I could acknowledge the value of Dinafem, among the other banks offering Reggae Seeds genetics with CBD-rich strains, for its ability to recognise and justly reward the breeding work done. Dancehall is a crossbreed between two of the leading Reggae Seeds plants, a mythical “Juanita la Lagrimosa” mother and a Kalijah (Blue Heaven x New York City Diesel) father – through which CBD made its entrance into the Reggae Seeds collection. As it inherited CBD from both

9 i.e. small contaminations that occur during the procedure. He had to identify the sources of distortion and remove them. Everything was very complex and demanding. Tools and instruments were purchased for the CBD project but, after the technical improvements made, they were also crucial for Dinafem to select self-flowering plants.

and stifle it. When a plant lags behind, it is removed. This early selection operation is tedious. In addition, male plants are placed in another special room and any plants with malformations or weaknesses are discarded, so as to have only a few females left for them to grow vigorously without any malformations or unwanted alterations.

Lab tests

Fenotipo de CBD puro

Grow-room installation

At the time of growing and selecting plants, the best instrumentation and staff were used and spaces were divided and perfectly fitted without leaving out any details – each grow room was airtight, with negative air flows, so as to avoid any contamination between crops. All room conditions were fully controlled and automated, i.e. temperature, humidity, ventilation, irrigation, pH or EC – making it a true paradise for plants to thrive.

Selection

Germination was massive for the widest selection ever made by Dinafem, because the intention was to pick the best individuals from a large group, for the selected plants to present the best traits of this strain. The density of plants was very high, with up to 4 plants per pot. When many plants are planted in the same pot, they fight to gain space and, ultimately, one of the plants lags behind and is unable to catch up because the other plants grow

When the initial seedlings were reduced to one fourth, breeders had to perform massive tests, in accordance with the best practices for laboratory analysis. However, in doing so, they met with difficulties throughout the full process, from the taking of samples to the testing phase. Samples had to be collected almost simultaneously - occasionally from similar plant parts. Testing so many samples was a real challenge, not merely for the tested volumes but also for the intensive use of instruments. After tests, charts were prepared showing the CBD and THC values for each plant, as well as the group average. Only one fourth of plants had very high CBD values. As a result, three fourths of the total population were discarded, further cut and piled up to produce compost. This first round of tests, made during the plant growth, only showed the predominance of one type or another of cannabinoid, but not its ultimate content. In the blooming phase, 3 more tests were performed at various stages following the ripening of flowers, in order to obtain absolutely accurate cannabinoid profiles; concurrently, plants in the last positions were discarded for their poor visual, organoleptic and quantitative characteristics (among which smell, structure, stem and flower sizes). A final selection was made from ten individuals, whose morphological characteristics were carefully examined, followed by a final tasting session. Ultimately, the winners were two extraordinary females. The finalist was #654 with a 19.84% CBD content and a 0.86% THC content, meaning a CBD:THC ratio of 20:1. The semi-finalist was #685, whose cannabinoid content was slightly lower, but it had a similar

ratio and sativa structure, with a higher yield. This plant will be used as seed producer for sativa-dominant strains. The CBD average in the finalist population did not achieve 15%. Even among

females, Dinafem moved on to the production of plants that they would present for the current season. The people at Dinafem believe that what makes the difference in the final quality is work-

the selected males, best performers with a 5% CBD content were selected (vs. an average 3% in the total population).

ing on males. For instance, Bubba Kush was crossed with Dancehall #654. With their offspring they made other massive selections until two parents were achieved that retained a few characteristics of Bubba Kush, but with a good percentage of cannabidiol. These selections were in turn used as males in the

Selection of CBD-rich plants: a new beginning

After selecting the two CBD-rich

10 production of Bubba Kush CBD. All of these new strains were stably rich in CBD, with levels equal to or in excess of that of THC. In general, they had a CBD:THC ratio of around 1:1, although a ratio of 2:1 was also noted.

OG Kush CBD

OG Kush is the most famous strain on the American market, with high potency and the power to dry out your mouth at the first puff. This version has dense and savoury aerial parts, with a distinctive, intense aroma characterised by touches of pine and lemon and a dense smoke. It has inherited the high cannabinoid level of its parents, but with its high CBD content, the final effect is more balanced without being mind-smashing.

Bubba Kush CBD

This strain required hard work, in which an effort was made to retain the parental characteristics, such as a large quantity of resin, an intense earthy taste, and an indica morphological structure with a stout stem, bushiness and a purplish colour.

Amnesia CBD

This strain has fully inherited the sativa part of its mother, the famous Original Amnesia, which owes its name to Dinafem’s genuine genetics of the legendary Amnesia Haze, directly supplied from the original

pleasant and without excesses.

Cheese CBD

This version retains the penetrating aroma and taste of Cheese, which dominates in all phenotypes and, on many occasions, presents a sativa structure, with thin leaves. In a few cases, it yields large quantities of CBD, with a minimum guaranteed 1:1 ratio.

Purple Orange CBD

In addition to the selection of Reggae Seeds, Dinafem has developed another parallel production line based on a Lemon Diesel sourced from California, which was selected to create a Purple Orange CBD – meaning it is the only European strain with CBD that uses genetics with direct US origin. In this selection process, the breeders noticed a lot of similarities between the European and American lines, i.e. factors such as a fresh and dry taste, flowering time, branching, leaf shape, colour and flavour. All of these similarities suggested to Dinafem that, in actual fact, the New York City Diesel line, which originally introduced CBD in Europe, is not from New York but rather from California, meaning that it shares a common past with Lemon Diesel. This further clarifies the

Purple Orange CBD

GERMINATION WAS MASSIVE FOR THE WIDEST SELECTION EVER MADE BY DINAFEM, BECAUSE THE INTENTION WAS TO PICK THE BEST INDIVIDUALS FROM A LARGE GROUP source. Blooming time is reduced, but yield is rich – the topmost of the full CBD range. Its effect is cheerful and sativa-like, while remaining

origins of CBD-rich strains. You can read the full story of Purple Orange CBD on page 59 of issue 4 of Soft Secrets Spain 2015.

Conclusions

So far CBD enhancement in the produced plants has been much based on selections made with a combination of intui-

tion, luck and a few analyses. Through its own lab, Dinafem has shifted the level of CBD breeding from underground home growing to scientific growing.

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OUTDOOR 2016

Harvest Moon Herb By Top Shelf Grower

Throughout the summer of 2016 I’ve been enjoying the fruits of my labour in Spain. Of course I refer to my first outdoor organic Auto harvest. Back in June I harvested a healthy 150g of delicious buds. As the days grew shorter after the summer solstice my window of opportunity to sneak in another rapid fire autoflower crop began to shrink. On 26th July as my stash dwindled from excessive consumption I finally summoned the motivation to start a second crop before it was too late. Always eager for a challenge and a fresh stash, I carefully selected 5 different strains and germed

one seed of each. 48 hours later and the grow was underway with 5 out of 5 seedlings emerging. If my luck could hold out for just a couple more months. All those lazy afternoons getting baked smoking citrus sweet blunts packed with Devil Cream Auto & Cream Mandarin Auto gave me quite a taste for these two Sweet Seeds varieties so another bean of each was an easy choice. Next I selected a little known strain called Fantasmo Express, in truth I was sold on the name and the pedigree lineage too... later.

I’ve always been a fan of old school strains, especially the tasty potent ones like Cheese so I decided to add a bean of Cheese Automatic. Following this theme my last pick was Kush N Cheese auto by Dinafem. This was another no-brainer and completed a diverse flavoursome line-up.

MARTIAN WEATHER & SOME EARLY JITTERS

The weather in August was positively Martian with regular daytime highs in excess of 35 Celsius. Occasional thunder storms released sudden

downpours of sand laden rain to keep me on my toes. A DIY screen come shelter inspired by too many wasted hours watching survival shows turned out to be an effective solution and saw my seedlings through the worst. My experiments with organic cultivation methods continued with this crop. I recycled some soil from the last grow and I still had pretty much 50% of the outdoor BioBizz range so this grow literally cost nothing. Again I used a wide range of pots ranging from cheap and cheerful

to smartpot. Plus I still had plenty left in that jar of wonderful local molasses to fatten up the buds naturally. For the vegetative stage during the month of August progress was mixed amongst the strains in contrast to the first crop back in April. 13 hours of intense sun light was optimal for some plants and just not enough for others. The Cream Mandarine Auto was the obvious stand out performer towering above the rest of the garden. But as the heat wave abated and nights got a little cooler towards the end of August I was optimistic that all five plants could still finish strong.

STRANGER THINGS

The change in the weather came at just the right moment, during week 5 the magic started to happen. All five strains developed rapidly and commenced budding vigorously. No signs of purple from the Devil Cream Auto 35 days in were a mystery, but she was looking healthy and still had time to deliver a pleasant surprise. I maintained a simple feeding schedule of Feed-Water-Feed-Water with some tweaking of the fertiliser for the Sweet Seeds varieties to get them dialled in exactly. A little less nutes for the Devil and a little more nutes for the Cream. Hey, I guess I did learn a trick or two from the first crop! As the summer melted into September and the hours of sunlight dwindled to an even split of 12-12 between day and night, the plants found their second wind and thrived under the amber glowing sun. By week 6 the garden was cooking with gas. The balcony was filled with an extravagant blend of odours from pungent stinking Cheese wafting from the Cheese auto to lush orange scents from the Cream Mandarine floating on the breeze. At time of writing its Thursday 15th September the eve of the Harvest Moon. Whether your growing Kush or cabbages that’s Mother Nature’s signal that the senescence is coming. Week 7 has almost ended and the garden looks simply splendid. After some early jitters they hit their stride. Although it looks as though it will be 2-3 weeks before I can harvest making this crop not quite as lightning

fast as the first but 9-10 weeks from seed ain’t bad. All that remains is to Flush, Flush, Flush with pure water to ensure a smooth organic taste. Growing autos in late summer is not ideal but still possible and with the right strains irresistible. This second crop has been full of surprises; fortunately most of them have been pleasant. Just the other day while giving the plants a last sweet feed of molasses tea I literally danced about the balcony in delight when I noticed the Devil Cream Auto was suddenly Purple, in fact rather a more light pinkish shade than the deep purple pair from my first crop.

CONCLUSIONS & FUTURE PROJECTS

Outdoor growing has been a thoroughly enjoyable learning experience and I’m certainly going to miss it. The mountains of the south of Spain really are perfect for marihuana cultivation. Best of all nasty pests and molds have been entirely absent. But I suppose it’s like Gold Mining once you find a few specks in the pan you’ve got the bug. I consider outdoor frosty organic nuggs as precious as gold nuggets so this certainly won’t be my last outdoor adventure.

F*CK

YOU GROWER

Alas Winter is Coming! However that doesn’t mean the cultivation must end. Having gone back to the primitive over the summer I’m planning a leap back to the future with my grow show this winter. Actually I’m planning on embracing the latest 21st century grow-tech in pursuit of the most potent eco-friendly cannabis possible. Back soon with a spectacular LED indoor grow report. Note: The Worm has turned! On the ground here in Spain things have changed for the better. Private member clubs and associations are proliferating not just in Barcelona but down south too, and at least one will be proudly opening its doors soon within proximity of my Mountain Lair. Ganjapreneurs are legally cultivating a whole new boom industry that could transform the economic situation in Spain. The sooner the politicians catch up the better!

Keep on Growing

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STRAIN REPORT

4 weeks of flowering

very good results. For the peculiar rapidity of growth, branch strength and inter-knot distance of this plant, cuttings were of excellent quality. They remained healthy at this stage, without losing colour or strength and a good root system developed after 10 to 12 days. Only then could we plant them directly into pots for the flowering phase. Transplanting into the soil was avoided as this would ‘kill’ the plant growth.

FLOWERING

CRITICAL JACK

FOR THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY

The plant is normally ready for cutting after 60 days of indoor growth, or around 1 to 15 October outdoors. In the early days of flowering, the plant continues growing and the first pistils appear and start covering the full plant evenly, then gain volume, merge and form buds of a Clones after 12 days of growth

An easy-to-grow Indica/Sativa crossbreed was created from two of the most popular strains, Critical+ and Jack Herer. Any additional care in growing this plant will be repaid by large, dense and sweet buds! TricomaTeam (tricomateam@gmail.com) Another spectacular creation from the Dinafem seed bank! We couldn’t ask for more. Despite its Sativa dominant nature, it has a very rapid blooming phase. It is also highly resistant to pests and fungi and produces a large quantity of resin – all topped off by a delicious fruity Its typical drooping leaves

smell and taste. Effect is long lasting, enjoyable and psychoactive, with the balance tilting more towards a mental than a physical high. Yield is awesome with over 600 gr/m2 indoors and 1 kg outdoors.

GENETIC TRAITS OF THIS CROSSBREED

The parents from which Critical Jack was produced need not be presented. From an excellent gene mix, a terrific performance level can only be expected… in any garden.

The traits of its Critical+ parent (developed from a Big Bud and a Skunk) make plants grow easily with well-developed, resourceful buds. The Critical component also adds a relaxing – yet not sedating – touch to the final effect. The Jack Herer genetics (derived from a Skunk#1, a Northern Lights and a Haze) affects both the plant development – with a taller size and a higher inter-knot distance – and its ultimately intense and cerebral effect.

INDOOR AND OUTDOOR GROWING

Whether or not you are an expert grower, with basic cannabis growing knowledge you will obtain above-average results with very little care, in lamp-lit grow rooms or outdoor plots of land alike. We tested it in all of our gardens – in each grow room, we grew it with any type of lamp and were never disappointed. However, with additional care and 600W lamps, yields were much more abundant. Mountain gardens and orchards are perfect habitats to obtain huge plants. Make sure you dig sufficiently large holes and use good soil. Plants can be yielded relatively soon but you should not be tempted to cut them prematurely, even under the first rainfall of the season, since they are resistant enough and, more importantly, during the last ripening days, flowers will gain weight and trichomes reach their optimal ripening point.

larger size. After only one month of flowering, the size of buds is amazing. In the end, the top part of the central stem and the side branches have long stiff rows of buds, all thick and chunky. The plant is also suited for growth in small pots measuring less than one litre, where only two or three buds grow laterally and centrally, but size and resin remain terrific.

GERMINATION AND GROWTH

TRIMMING

All of the Critical Jack seeds we purchased germinated and started to develop without any problem. Growth was fast and uniform and the final plant had large stems and branches. Initially we placed them between moist cloths and the first roots were visible after 24 to 36 hours. For the next growth phase, small pots of less than one litre were used for 10 to 15 days until a compact root ball developed. Finally, we transplanted them to larger pots to make the most of their full potential. Most pots had a capacity of 7 to 11 litres and were kept in grow rooms. Additional tests were made with clones placed in pots of different sizes (1, 2 and 18 litres) with satisfactory results, which were of course proportional with the pot size. In mid or late-May, when they reached a height of 20 to 30 cm, we moved them to an outdoor location – this is generally when the weather starts to improve in the northern hemisphere. In a few cases, plants even measured 3 metres in height.

CLONING

As we were really fond of this strain, we made a selection to find the best mother. We produced cuttings from several plants of this type and obtained

This strain is easily manageable and grows in relatively short time. Its good bud-to-leaf ratio makes it a very easy-to-harvest plant. When cut, it will leave so much quantity of resin on your scissors that you’d better continue the next day, as yield is so rich that a day is not enough.

YIELD, EFFECT AND TASTE

One of our favourites for its effect, taste and weight, smelling like a Critical+ with wooden and incense nuances. Its high is so pleasant and mellow that you won’t want to come down. It will sharpen your speech and make you smile. Any time of the day is good to take a nice puff.

SCIENCE OF CANNABIS

Blood-Brain Barrier and Pharmacokinetics While some people don't really care how Cannabis works – as long as it does – others are quite interested in the pharmacological action of the drug. By studying three scientific topics, it becomes a little easier to understand how the drug acts inside our bodies, as Sativa Diva well as why we get high. What is the blood-brain barrier?

The blood-brain barrier or BBB is just that: a central nervous system line of defence between the blood circulating through our bodies, and the BECF (brain extracellular fluid). The BBB is the main reason the human body can endure extreme injuries and infections, as not many substances are capable of passing through. The cerebrospinal fluid or CSF is protected by endothelial cells, which prevent microscopic intrusion from bacteria and other pathogens, as well as larger molecules. These same cells allow the transfer of glucose, white blood cells and other helpful substances. In addition to prevention and protection, and occurring along all capillaries, the BBB cells are also capable of transporting substances (e.g., oxygen, hormones, carbon dioxide) across the barrier. As too-large antibodies are incapable of crossing the barrier, the BBB is luckily able to prevent most bacterial or viral infections that might otherwise affect the brain. Unfortunately, however, if drugs are administered through the CSF, they are often unable to penetrate the BBB unless the barrier is inflamed – even antibiotics and cancer treatments. What is unique about this barrier is that it does allow cannabinoids to penetrate and bind with the body's trans-membrane cannabinoid receptors, such as CB1 and CB2, mimicking the action of the neurotransmitter anandamide, an endocannabinoid produced within our bodies. Within about ten seconds of taking a toke, the plant's drugs cross the double-cell barrier and release a flood of wonderful feelings – which is why Cannabis has been the most widely-used illicit drug in human history and pre-dates pharmacology. While it may seem shocking that cannabinoids can penetrate a barrier that other substances cannot, this can explain the plant's efficacy at being an anti-inflammatory, analgesic and even a neuroprotective antioxidant. What is even more unusual is that certain animal studies have expressed the ease with which

WKH PHWDEROLWH RI Ţ 7+& NQRZQ DV 2+ Ţ 7+& HQWHUV WKH EUDLQ Ȃ PRUH HDVLO\ WKDQ Ţ LQ LWV RULJLQDO form. This concentrated metabolite has a greater effect on the CNS due to its uptake in much higher quantities, possibly explaining why heavy smokers require four to eight weeks of sobriety before they feel entirely 'clean' again. In addition, there is evidence to support the theory that 2+ Ţ 7+& GHSRVLWV LQ WKH OLYHU after consumption and continues to impact the brain.

Pharmacokinetics and Cannabis

Although much research is dedicated to the effects of drugs on our bodies, much more attention is now being paid to the actions of our bodies upon the drugs. Effectively, pharmacokinetics is the study of the body's effect on drugs, testing aspects such as the mechanism and absorption of substances, rate of uptake and duration of effect, chemical changes or metabolic processes in the body relating to the substance, and excretion activity of the drug's metabolites by tracking enzyme action. This is important because of the long half-life that Cannabis displays inside the human body, as not only do the plant's drugs settle throughout certain human tissues and fat deposits, but the metabolised form of certain cannabinoids may continue to affect the user, or compound further drug use. The pharmacokinetic process is known as ADME, with the latent addition of 'L'. A regards the absorption of the substance into the bloodstream; D refers to the dissemination (distribution) of the drug or compound throughout the body's fluids and tissues. The next step in the testing process is M for metabolism, also known as bio-transformation, as drugs are irreversibly changed into different substances. Finally, E regards the excretion of the substances which, when combined with metabolism, eliminates the substance from the body – this includes the observation that, in rare cases, some drugs never entirely exit our systems. The latter-

day addition of an L for liberation accounts for how the drug is actually released from its formulation, which can lead to more effective prescriptions, more accurate dosage, etc. Pharmacokinetic research reveals much about drugs that we cannot see: this scientific discipline often proves that, for example, different administration sites affect uptake rate, effectiveness and duration. Differing dosages of the same drug can have highly differing – and unusual – effects. These ideas have been represented anecdotally, especially in the Cannabis community, but through pharmacokinetics, scientists can actually prove these effects empirically. Now we know for certain that eating or drinking cannabinoidinfused products has a distinctly different effect on the body than smoking inhaled cannabinoids. Even so, vaporizing inhaled cannabinoids also presents a different action inside the body than smoking. With this information, the medical Cannabis community

should be able to more effectively medicate its patients.

Pharmacodynamics

Conversely to pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics studies the effects of drugs on the body and both faculties are often studied in conjunction. This can be done in several ways: patient testimony and feedback, controlled pharmacological studies on humans, and animal testing. While it seems quite obvious that drugs affect us when they are consumed, it is important to understand exactly how they work and why they do what they do. Opponents of Cannabis legalization look forward to negative results from clinical studies of the drug; however, even positive results can be manipulated or selectively reported to make a particular drug look more dangerous than it is. Likewise, pro-pot advocates have often been accused of focusing solely upon an abundance of nonempirical information to promote only the positive aspects of recreational and medical Cannabis use. Detractors tend to ignore the actual scientific research that proves cannabinoids can actually protect the body, from killing tumour cells to stimulating brain tissues. For this reason, it is especially important that both pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic research continues.

Smoked Cannabis crosses the blood-brain barrier in around ten seconds

GROW WITH STONEY TARK DEFICIENCIES AND SOLUTIONS EXPLAINED

NITROGEN AND CANNABIS

This grower starts their seedlings off in worm castings, perlite and feeds with liquid seaweed

When growing cannabis, we are Nitrogen (N) rently stand. I remember when I In order for a plant to photosyn- was much younger growing plants all aware that the three main nutri- thesize and produce sugars to feed that were totally yellow by the end ents a plant needs is Nitrogen, itself and grow, there must be a and not being any wiser to why. Phosphorus and Potassium. readily available supply of Nitrogen Understanding what has caused the within the grow medium. During the yellowing of the plant and what furAccompanied by a group of micro growing stage plants will require ther problems can lead from this, and macro nutrients, the photo Nitrogen in order to grow lush thick then makes the job of maintaining which over time will naturally adequate Nitrogen levels within the tropical plant is able to fulfil its task leaves, want to darken to aid photosynthe- garden easier. of growing perfect leaves, stems sis further. There is a big misconand cannabis buds. However, ception that during the flowering Transition Feed And Beyond phase, it is a good idea to cut off During Flowering there are stages throughout the the Nitrogen uptake of the plant You may notice that when a good plant's life that the requirement and allow it to feed solely on the organic or veganic grower harand Potassium. Often vests their plants, there will be of these fundamental elements Phosphorus bedroom growers and beginner only vibrant green leaves growwill change. Here better explained growers can be challenged with a ing, even upto the neat trimis how Nitrogen works, how the cannabis plant which has become ming job. If you consider how a distained yellow and looks life- many new leaves and shoots the cannabis plant uses it and how less. It is debatable if the plant has plant will produce once flowerto resolve a deficiency problem. any Chlorophyll A+B left inside the ing is induced, then it makes zero Stoney Tark

leaves, amino acid production, plant vigour and new growth have totally given up.

When this does happen the grower can often be left panicked and extremely unmotivated to finish the grow. It seems like it is easier to get hold of some clones and throw a sea of green project together where your yellow crisp plants cur-

sense to cut off Nitrogen. The feed you may find on a nutrient for the growing phase will be something similar to 5-3-4 then during flowering the ratio will change to something similar to 2-7-8, then later a heavy feed of Phosphorus and Potassium. Many growers find using 0-13-14 for the last part of flowering highly beneficial in pushing for weight.

A one part solution feed can often cover all the angles of the plants requirements. The plant will still feed accordingly to what it needs and when it needs it. If you can make an effort to ensure there is a high Nitrogen content within the grow medium or through liquid feed, you should never see a yellow leaf during the entire grow. A yellow leaf or multiple yellow leaves is not something you see in nature or is it something you really see on amazingly grown cannabis plants. I would personally recommend using something with a ratio such as 7-6-5 all the way throughout. During the transition phase, the cannabis plant actually uses as much Nitrogen as it does Potassium until harvest. Recent studies have shown that Phosphorus is the least element used during the flowering phase, in comparison to the high levels of Nitrogen and Potassium. Hopefully this is a reminder to those overzealous growers who go high with Phosphorus and Potassium levels.

Signs Of A Deficiency

To begin with once there is a lack of available Nitrogen, the plant will remove it from the leaves one

18 by one, until it has the necessary amount to continue growth. The colour of the once so waxy dark green leaf will become a pale yellow. The yellowing can occur very quickly and the pale will become a dark yellow. Similar to when you see a yellow leaf falling off a tree in winter, when there is no need for the tree to support the leaves. The tip of the leaves will grow inwards and over a short

and being pushed to work at your fastest rate. With a decrease in water or protein, your performance will be majorly affected. This is the same scenario with cannabis plants and should be treated with the same severity.

Natural Forms Of Nitrogen

Urine: There is a high level of Nitrogen

doors as it can attract insects and other curious animals, due to the overbearing aroma. Bat Guano: Something I personally love to use as it is highly beneficial from seed until bloom. You can purchase bat guanos which can be a ratio of 10-10-8 and these types are amazing. Other bat guanos are more heavy with

IF YOU CONSIDER HOW MANY NEW LEAVES AND SHOOTS THE PLANT WILL PRODUCE ONCE FLOWERING IS INDUCED, THEN IT MAKES ZERO SENSE TO CUT OFF NITROGEN. time, the connecting leaf can be broken off with the touch of a finger. If you come across this then by knowing how many leaves have become yellow and useless, is an indication to what levels of available Nitrogen there are. If you return to your garden after 3 days and find nearly all of the fan leaves have yellowed during that time, then you will know that is how quickly the plant used the Nitrogen. Imagine being in a gym

and Auxins within our urine. This is a simple solution that should be mixed 1 part urine to 9 parts water. When used without water, this can have adverse effects and create bad smells. Fish Mix:: Many organic nutrient companies sell a powerful strong smelling fish mix. This can have all of the essential minerals the plant needs, as well as a rich source of Nitrogen. Be Careful when using a fish mix out-

Phosphorus and Potassium, however it depends on the location of the source. Indonesian Fruit Bats guano will generally produce rich levels of Phosphorus and Potassium whilst seabird or Peruvian bat guano will have a high Nitrogen ratio. Seaweed: If using dry sea weed to mix into the grow medium then this is a great way of allowing a Nitrogen rich nutrient, to slowly buffer and break down into the medium. In

addition liquid seaweed feeds can be cheap and most effective. Seaweed fed directly into the roots or as a foliar spray have instant results and often promote thick lush leaves and stems. Manure: Generally from horses and used for outdoor projects, horse manure similar to compost is going through a process of breaking down. Once in the medium and encouraged by the right atmospheric conditions, Nitrogen will be readily available through a longer period of time. A ratio of tested horse manure tea read 1.1-0.8-1.3. Worm Castings: Using alongside bat guano will set you up for the healthiest plant you may have ever seen. Worm castings are basically the excrement of a worm, once it has eaten through soil. The worms job is to simply aerate the earth's soil and as it does so by recycling what is considered as refined compost soil. Considering that the worm has now produced something from the soil which has had years of life force growing within, worm castings are super rich in all of the essential elements and microbes a plant needs from start to finish.

These struggling clones have used up all of the Nitrogen in their leaves

PARADISE-SEEDS.COM

PREMIUM STRAIN COLLECTION

CATERPILLAR ATTACK Caterpillars are attacking my plants that are in mid-flowering growing outdoors. Can I spray BT to get rid of them? Sharon Yes. Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Btk for short) is a bacterium that infects only caterpillars. When it’s active in the host’s gut it releases a toxin that kills it. The bacterium is considered harmless to humans and degrades in less than a week in the presence of sunlight. There are many brands of this insecticide, some of which are OMRI certified. Unfortunately, many cannabis testing labs that test for bacteria include these in the count, making the “bacteria level” unacceptably high.

inside room from a darkish hallway for10 seconds. No light touched the plants but I’m wondering if I ruined the buds because they could turn hermy. Is this a problem? Sybil It is very unlikely that opening the door to light from a dark space will affect the buds. Even if they did receive light it would not be very damaging because they were exposed towards the end of the dark cycle, not at the beginning, when it would delay sending them into the critical time period. If the buds were close to maturity the breach would have little to no of an effect.

LIGHT DEPRIVATION MID-FLOWERING I have been using blackout curtains in my greenhouse for more than a month so the plants get 12 hours of darkness daily. The plants are halfway through flowering. There are still 14 hours of daylight. If I quit using the curtains will the plants continue to flower or revert back to vegetative growth again? Maui Rasor, If you are growing a typical hybrid the plants will continue to flower under 14 hours of light (10 hours darkness) and

GENERATIONAL DETERIORATION Does a strain's genetics deteriorate as clones are made from clones over many generations? John Gentry Clones taken over many generations do not deteriorate. The idea that either vigor or characteristics change over time is not true. The big danger is that plants may become infected with a virus. The longer a plant or succession of plants is alive the more likely that is to happen.

PLANTS ARE TOO BIG I have a Critical Jack plant in a greenhouse, It was growing too tall so I cut off the top 20 cm. and bent the other branches because they were touching the plastic wall. What should I do? Raúl Rodriguez The plants are too big for the greenhouse and have to be pruned and thinned.

BTK, the active ingredient in some pesticides

Start at the bottom. Remove all thin branches and branches that are in shadow as well as any yellow leaves. Work your way up the plant removing thin branches topped with thin buds that will never amount to much. As you get nearer the canopy you will notice that some buds are shaded and will add little weight to the yield. Removing these extraneous branches gives the important branches more space. Now lets work on the important branches with the big buds. If they are tangled try to straighten them up so that each plant’s branches stay within their assigned space. This helps stop one plant from casting shadows on another. Cut away any large fan leaves that create shadows on the buds. Help branches support heavy buds using Monkey Ties, stakes, basket holders, or netting. Direct branches to unoccupied spaces. To help bend a branch, take the stem between thumb and forefinger. Gently squeeze as you roll it between the fingers. When it is more bendable set it in position. The stem will repair the damage within a few days.

ONE SHOT LIGHT POLLUTION The indoor garden is flowering under 12/12 lighting. 40 minutes before the lights are scheduled to turn I peeped

Caterpillars cause damage in two ways. First they eat the bud and leaves, secondly, the open wounds are subject to infection by mold and infection.

21 finish at about the same time as they would less than 12 hours of darkness. Plants that are sativa dominant may start to revert to vegetative a bit before they resume flowering. In Hawaii, on June 22, the longest day of the year, the dark period is just under 10 hours and each day after that the days shorten by about 2 minutes. This is just on the cusp of the critical dark period required for flowering for many varieties. However, plants will be sensitive to the small daily increase in dark period. In his book, Marijuana Flower Forcing*, Tom Flowers contended that interrupting the dark cycle for a few days in the middle of flowering causes the flowers to renew juvenile flower growth, resulting in larger buds although ripening is delayed slightly. He reported that results varied depending on variety. *Quick American Archives, 1997

Next year you could try planting a number of indica-dominant plants that are either small or that have been grown out a little and let them flower. Plant in early April or May depending on climate and weather, harvest in late May or June. The sun’s increasing intensity and its higher UV light level will supercharge the buds’ late growth. In some parts of Europe’s southern tier outdoor growers can use winter’s natural light deprivation to manipulate flowering time. The same techniques can also be used in greenhouses.

ADDITIONAL LIGHT FOR LATE FLOWERING The plants are about 2 weeks from ripening. They are under a 250-watt metal halide lamp (MH). The ballast can switch to power a 400-watt lamp. Would it be good to switch to a 400-watt lamp now? Would they finish faster, yield more or be more potent? Silly Willy,

COUNTDOWN TO GERMINATION I am starting a indoor system I have me seeds germinating in wet tissue. how long does it usually take to germinate? Nikk Hampton It usually takes 3 to 5 days to germinate, rarely more than 7. Older seeds usually take longer to germinate than fresh seed. Prevent infections by using a solution of 1% hydrogen peroxide or by adding a tiny amount of compost tea to the irrigation water

MH lamps emit a significant amount of UVb light, which stresses plants resulting in increased potency and higher terpene levels. Adding additional watts, which will increase light intensity, even late in flowering, will increase growth by providing additional energy for photosynthesis. This increases production of sugar speeding both speeding up plant processes including growth and ripening, resulting in larger buds in less time.. The additional UVb light will increase stress, resulting in higher levels of THC and terpenes. Remember, terpenes are volatile at low temperatures, in the low 20’s so keep the leaf temperature at the top of the canopy at about 240. Use a surface temperature thermometer to determine the leaf temperature, then adjust room temperature accordingly. Watch out for excess leaf stress that could cause leaves to wrinkle or curl. Raise the light if they do.

PREMATURE FLOWERING I have been growing outdoor plants from dispensary clones for several years now in Oakland with no problems. This year I put some plants out in the late spring and 5 out of the six started budding prematurely in June and then started to develop bud rot. Sadly, I had to dispose of them. Only one of them is doing well. Any clue what caused the problem so I can avoid having that occur in 2017? I am thinking I put them in the ground too early but that was the time of year that I have done it previously with no such early buds or rot. Bill Debould The clones were grown under a regimen of continuous light. When they were placed outdoors in early June they received about 14 hours 45 minutes of light and 9 hours 15 minutes darkness. In indica dominant varieties this may be long enough to trigger flowering. Combined with the sudden increase in dark period the plants slipped into flowering. The sativa required a longer dark period and was more resistant to flowering, although you might have noticed sporadic flowers among its vegetative growth. To prevent early flowering use a warm-white fluorescent or an HPS lamp periodically through the night for jut a short period- a few minutes,- enough to break up the dark period. Think of the light as a spray of water and that you have to “wet” all the leaves with light. Each time there’s a “light break” interrupting the dark period the plant starts the countdown for the critical time period over.

Once buds are mature they should be removed from the plant if the weather is about to change.

22 TIME OF DAY TO HARVEST What time of day should we harvest outdoor plants?

CANNABIS CAREER TRAINING Chip

The best time is before dawn. The plants have been producing THC and terpenes all night and they are at peak levels and they have not been sending vast quantities of water at the rate they do when they are photosynthesizing so they are dryer. Once the sun comes up the leaves surface temperature rises causing terpenes to evaporate and fill the air with their pungent odors. At the same time the sunlight itself degrades some cannabinoids.

LIGHT FROST

With plants flowering in the late stages, what effect will a light frost have? The lows hit 0 to -10 for a couple hours. Dj,

I've seen educational programs online such as Cannabis Training University, as well as brick and mortars such as Oaksterdam University. Are these programs legitimate? In the United States do employers seek out their graduates? I live in Spain. Do you think it would be useful for me to take these classes? Ryan Colburn Yes, they are legitimate and they offer valuable information . There are a number of institutes offering training in various sectors of the industry from cultivation and manufacturing through running businesses and financing. Graduates of these programs are preferred candidates by employers and are useful in getting moving ahead in the industry. Since the industry has matured more in the U.S. than in countries in Europe, the experience that these courses provide will be useful in some of the nascent legal-industrial models in Europe. Before choosing an institute, vet it. How long has it been in business? Are its instructors well respected? If you know any alumni ask them what they think of their training.

An occasional light frost will not hurt a nearly mature plant but it will set its growth back. There might be slight tissue damage and growth and ripening cannot proceed until the temperature reaches 20-210. Spray an anti-fungal protectant on the leaves around the buds.

HARVEST RAIN My plants are almost ready to harvest but it’s raining now and intermittent rain is expected for the next week. Do I cover them or not? Morals Covering the plants won’t help because the humidity enables mold and bacteria to thrive. If you leave the plants standing whether covered or not, by the time you harvest a good portion of the crop ill be infected. Harvest the plants now and place them in a warm room at about 260 with good air circulation and a room dehumidifier until the rain has been evaporated, then lower the temperature to 210 with 50% humidity until the buds are dry. The low temperature keeps the mono-terpenes from evaporating. Manicure after the plants have dried. Electric light can be used to supplement natural light during the waning days of autumn

These plants will soon touch the top of the greenhouse. Prevent this by using light deprivation early in the season.

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24 WIND DAMAGE I am growing in my back yard. Last night we had heavy winds that broke a lot branches and left several of the plants leaning. It also knocked down my greenhouse and scattered the plants I had hanging inside it. The plants are still 2 weeks until they are fully ready. What should I do?

Courtney Thomas

First, pick up the pieces. Collect the salvageable harvested material that was knocked down and find another place where it can hang to dry. Collect all broken branches as you remove them from the plant. Although they are still 2 weeks from ripening hang them to dry as well. They can be used for concentrates. Support the plants upright using large stakes, netting or other means. Make sure that the roots are still in good contact with the ground. If they are disturbed try to repair the damage by adding soil and making sure they have enough water. Weak branches can be supported by wrapping netting around the plant.

Supporting plants with steaks and netting prevents wind damage.

Cannabis can withstand a light frost but not a heavy freeze. Snow is not good for the plants because it leaves moisture in the buds

Due to the fact that a coco mix is usually made up of a variety of textures, it makes the ideal under soil. The rougher chunks of coco make sure that the coco mix remains well aerated (and so takes over the function of perlite), thanks to which there is always more than enough oxygen getting to the roots. The rougher chunks of coco also ensure good drainage, especially when you make sure that the lower-most layer in the (flower) pot is made up of it. The large bits of coco husk actually take on the function of hydro granules. The fine particles of coco (including the fibres and the grit) on the other hand work more like a sort of sponge and thereby hold on to their moisture for longer, thanks to which the plants always have access to enough water for their needs (provided we water the coco regularly, once every two days).

OPINION

CHRISTIAN WEED WEIRDNESS It looks as though Texas is edging towards becoming the latest state to move towards legal weed. Texas, you say? One of the most conservative states in The States? It seems so, but as always, there is a little bit more to it all than there might appear at first glance. Certainly, the story is by Dr Dee worth telling you about. There's Christian weirdness going on now as the Texas move is proposed by an ultra-conservative, Tea Party backed Christian called David Simpson. He's also a Republican Member of the Texas House of Representatives, so one would imagine he would be the last person to endorse legalisation. However, what he says is: "As a Christian, I recognize the innate goodness of everything God made and humanity’s charge to be stewards of the same...I don’t believe that when God made marijuana he made a mistake that government needs to fix" What has happened here? An epiphany? A Damascene revelation? Many will no doubt say fair play to him, and I am quite sure that there will be a lot of people (Rastafarians, for example) who agree with him in his analysis of the topic. However, I find myself seriously wondering about his sincerity in this matter. Mr Simpson is fifty five years old. Given that he's clearly old school Republican and ticks all the appropriate conservative boxes (Christian, Texan, Tea Party) it would probably be safe to assume that he's not big on getting stoned. To me, this begs for a very simple question to be asked at this juncture: why wait until you're fifty five years old to announce that weed is a gift from God? Of course, epiphanies and revelations aside, the real reason for this volte

face could be about something as prosaic and vulgar as money. Vulgar or not, money is something that the Republicans seem to like even more than their invisible friend who lives in the clouds and only they can hear. It is currently estimated that the US weed economy could be generating $44 billion by 2020 (that's roughly 34 billion sterling, or 39 billion Euros), according to Marijuana Business Daily (1). This isn't, it should be noted, entirely based on sales of weed, but on everything associated with weed as well, so sales of cannabis paraphernalia in the shape of zippy new high tech vaporizer pens, for example. Plus there's "cannabis tourism" (people choosing to holiday in states where weed is legal), and "cannabis migration" (people choosing to relocate to states where weed is legal, in many cases for medical reasons). Monies generated purely through sales of weed alone are estimated at between six and eleven billion dollars by 2020. More humble certainly, but definitely not to be sniffed at. There are also a big number of ancillary jobs to be created in the building industry, for example, as all these tourists and migrants will need somewhere to live. Plus they'll need to eat and drink and...well, you get the picture. With oil revenues continuing to drop across the globe, it's no wonder that a state such as Texas (which is traditionally very reliant on oil revenues) might start to look at alternative income streams. I really do just wish that people could be more honest about their reasons for endorsing something they'd previously have opposed, like legalisation. "We need the money" seems to me a far more sincere reason for legalisation than bringing some spurious deity into the equation. 1) http://mjbizdaily.com/exclusive-u-s-marijuana-industrys-economic-impacthit-44b-2020/

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GROW WITH STONEY TARK

AUTOMATIC AMNESIA XXL Sex:

feminized autoflowering

Genotype:

60% Sativa /30% Indica/ 10% Ruderalis

Cross:

Haze Auto x Original Amnesia

Medium:

Worm Humus, Perlite

Pot Size:

15 litre fabric air pot

Nutrients:

Biobizz Fish Mix, Ortega

Yield:

94.5g dry weight

It has been 56 days I can see the thick white pistils beginning to orange and some turn maroon brown. The buds are stacked up tightly making it an easy one to trim and it looks like light fluffy sticky hazey buds, that still poses a real density to them.

Grown outdoors on a terrace from June to mid August

I was given a pack of Dinafem Auto Amnesia XXL and decided to plant in a 15 litre fabric air pot. I filled the medium with a fresh mix of worm humus and perlite for aeration. The seed has popped up out of the soil and there is a strong dark green seedling growing up into the sunlight. The temperatures are really high at the moment so must be extra vigilant to make sure By Stoney Tark the medium does not dry out and the seedling dies. After one week the seedling is a few inches high and a second leaf is growing and by two weeks the leaves are dark green and quite pointy. You can see this is a pure haze and it grows taller each day and with the winds grows stronger. I keep feeding the same amount to the plants and there is a great rate of growth. The fourth leaf set is appearing and the side branches are also growing quickly. This plant needs some space for the side branches to grow up and outwards as the centre grows up and will form one main cola. By the third week and the autoflowering traits in this strain are beginning to show as the first lot of pre flowers begin to grow. The pistils are brights white and thick. I continue to feed and allow the plant to enjoy the soft worm humus and fish mix.

Day 70 and harvest time, as all of the thick buds are now a mix of white, brown and green. I remove 7 generous side branches that are all trimmed in no time and left to hang in my drying room. The central cola is packed with glistening silver sticky citrus haze buds, whilst the rest of the plant looks very similar along the side branching. What can I say about this strain apart form it is an exact replica of the original Amnesia Haze, as she can feed like the true haze sativa.

After four weeks the pre flowers are now growing new shoots and this strain is filling out in vigour.The height is currently 30cm or so but the temperatures here have exceeded 30 degrees celsius and keeping the plant happy and cool is proving challenging. I combat this heat issue by shading the plant so during the hottest part of the day it has a chance to stay cool and not get blasted by the sun. Five weeks in and this strain has doubled in growth rate almost. I decide to add a top layer of fresh worm humus ( 1.5-1.0-0.9 ) I have run out of fish mix

AFTER 7 WEEKS THE PLANT LOOKS AMAZING AND HAS A REAL PRESENCE AMONGST THE OTHER AUTOS. to go to my local grow shop and pick up some more. I also buy a small bottle of ortega (nettle tea) and add this with the fish mix. The reason I add the ortega is because their is a high Phosphorus count and it is a rich amino acid. After 7 weeks the plant looks amazing and has a real presence amongst the other autos. It is not the smelliest plant on my terrace but this is also a good thing considering its size. The smell is turning to a coffeeshop amnesia zest and I keep feeding fish mix and ortega to my worm humus medium. The taste should be as natural as possible after all what is the point of growing with great genetics like Dinafem when you grow bad flavoured flowers?

The buds took a week to dry and generated over 90g. Not loads but as I said without the heat stress and transpiration problems, that could have easily been doubled in my opinion. A great strain for anyone who loves hazes, big yields and wonderful looking plants! The flowers when broken open have a sharp zest to them like Lemon Haze and then when smoked there is an energetic feeling with a creeping stone. I would recommend this to anyone to try indoor and for sure outdoors!

GOOD TIMES ROLLING

World League Championships: Mary Jane vs. Brown Sugar CRIMINAL ROOTS OF PROHIBITION In each US state that has legalized medical marijuana, scientists quickly recorded a significant decline, up to 25%, in the number of deaths from overdosing on legal and illegal opiates. For decades authors have been trying to draw attention to the fact that medical cannabis can help people addicted By Sebastian Daniel to heroin. Already at the turn of the 19th and 20th century wiser police chiefs in Asian and African countries (eg. in Egypt) warned that prohibition aimed at relatively harmless healing hemp would lead in the region to an increase in the popularity and importance of immensely more dangerous opiates. Let's look at the general mechanisms of drug prohibition and its consequences for the world today. In modern times, it was the British who were to play an important role in the history of opium, the raw material used in the production of heroin. Opium plantations were located across India, which was then a British colony. Indians remember the times under British rule as full of greed and violence. (Not incidentally the English word "loot" is a borrowing from Hindustani.) Opium, like slavery, built the fortunes of many capitalists in the 18th and 19th centuries; indeed, some English aristocrats' favorite pastime was smuggling the narcotic. The East India Company had a monopoly on opium delivery to China. When the Chinese passed laws against opium dealers, England came to defend the corporation's dirty business, engaging in the conflict known as the First Opium War (1839). In 1842 the Chinese were defeated and lost Hong Kong. They continued to rebel, dumping opium into the sea. The Second and Third Opium Wars were waged, and export of the narcotic to China was finally legalized in 1860. France also introduced a national monopoly on the trade in opium in its colonies, e.g. in Vietnam. Profits from the trade constituted a large part of the budgets of colonial countries. The forerunner of this disgraceful policy was Warren Hastings, the first Governor-

General of Bengal. He stated that opium was harmful and should be prohibited in the home country, but could be exported for profit. From the start this hypocrisy raised the objections of reasonable people. In 1840 in the British Parliament, words were uttered which condemned the unjust war being waged to protect the contraband. William Gladstone, the great British Liberal Party statesman, threatened with ordeal and punishment English nefariousness towards China. However, little came of his warnings.

Heroin(e) of Colonial Drama

In the 20th century, the Japanese also used opium for racist purposes against the Chinese, Hindus, Europeans, and other "inferior races." They transformed the conquered Chinese territories into factories and dens of the narcotic. Gangsters from Corsica purchased opium in Turkey and Burma, transported it through Vietnam, which was then a French colony, and used it for the production of heroin in Marseilles, whence it was delivered to the mafia in New York City. Bosses "Lucky" Luciano and Meyer Lansky helped the U.S. Army during World War II to liberate Sicily. Because of Luciano's connections, the Allies could successfully land in Italy – the local mob helped them fight the Nazis. As a result of that deal, Luciano was released from prison where he had been serving a 30-year sentence. A new chapter in the history of the cooperation of the secret services with drug dealers began. The documentary Heroin in Marseilles (2003), broadcast on Planete TV, reveals the socalled French Connection affair. The French secret service after World War II still traded in opium to cover the costs of war in their rebelling colonies - something often hidden from the authorities in Paris. During the Second World War, some bosses of the heroin business had cooperated with the Gestapo, others with the French Resistance. When in 1947 longshoremen in Marseilles went on strike, the American CIA considered it a communist threat and supported local gangs with guns and money. The mafia effectively broke the strike. Marseilles became a chemical laboratory producing the purest product for the American market. The

mafia bosses from Marseilles were supported by the mayor. Military Intelligence, politicians, and gangsters were united in the lucrative trade. Mafiosos became entrepreneurs, managers, politicians. Today, globalization has encompassed the industry; with the active participation of myriad secret services, governments, multinational corporations, banks, and tax havens, successors of the French Connection can profitably rest assured. Profits from drug dealing are earned by both right- and left-wing political parties – the left-wing is usually identified with the so-called soft drugs of natural origin – marihuana/ hashish, while right-wing parties are identified with hard drugs like alcohol or heroin. Attempts have been

made to destroy whole nations and races or social classes. Drug smuggling was once a favorite pastime of the authorities, secret services, or the so-called elite. Couriers often hid – or continue to hide – behind diplomatic passports. Various world leaders have been accused of smuggling drugs (notably, Silvio Berlusconi, the Prime Minister of Italy). General (retired) Maurice Belleux, a former director of the French Secret Service, admits that operations of his agency were financed by profits from the drug trade in Indochina. The French protected the smuggling of opium in Laos and Vietnam during the colonial war of 1946-1954. French military Intelligence controlled the Vietnamese mafia, bank accounts, and profit distribution. According to General Belleux, the CIA took over from the French and continued with a similar policy. The aim of the agency was to stop Communism by any and all means necessary. As American allies, drug lords were granted immunity and could operate freely. Alfred McCoy teaches History of South-East Asia at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, was awarded the Grant Goodman Prize, and is

author of the well-documented book The Politics of Heroin: CIA Complicity in a Global Drug Trade (1972). In his book, McCoy gives numerous examples of CIA activities in the field of international trade in heroin: former Nazi pilots hired to smuggle the narcotic in the 1940s and 50s, local mafia bosses suppressing civil unrest in black ghettos in the US, even former special service hitmen. McCoy also reveals details of money laundering by banks.

drug addiction epidemics stimulated by the operations of the Agency in different regions, and to a lowered drug supply when the CIA is inactive.

The Definition of a Narco

The biggest CIA operation started in 1979 in Afghanistan – the Agency supported Islamic fighters in their struggle against the Russians. Neighboring Pakistan did not produce heroin at the time and had only a small local population of opium smokers. According to W. F. Smith, US Attorney General

1981 to 2000 tons in 1991. Not until 1991 did American officials admit in the Washington Post that the biggest producers were Afghan commanders fighting against the Communists. Many authors point to the role of profits from trading in heroin in financing present-day conflicts in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Burma, and other Asian countries. Local warlords and narcotic barons were old friends of the British and American ruling class in the 19th century.

MILITARY INTELLIGENCE, POLITICIANS, AND GANGSTERS WERE UNITED IN THE LUCRATIVE TRADE. Over 30 years ago some hired guns attempted to kill the scientist – his team was shot at during field work in Asia. Since then his life has been threatened many times. In the 1991 reissue of his book, McCoy writes that during the previous 20 years the CIA had moved from transporting raw opium in the distant mountains of Laos to complicated methods of importing pure cocaine onto American soil. He points to a repeated pattern of outbreaks of

in Ronald Reagan's administration, by two years later Pakistan had become the world’s biggest heroin supplier, delivering the drug to over half of all addicted people in Europe and the USA. According to government statistics, in 1979 in Pakistan there was not a single case of heroin addiction registered, while in 1980 there were 5000 such cases; in 1985 there were 1.2 million people addicted to heroin in Pakistan. Production of opium in Afghanistan rose from 200 tons in

Their descendants and successors were known to British and American Intelligence as allies in case of invasion. Under Taliban rule the production of heroin in Afghanistan fell to zero, which was noted by the Western media. Today – again! - Afghanistan supplies most international opium markets. In recent years, the price of heroin in Europe has fallen by 50%, in the USA, even by 70%, and its production has risen by

400%. The number of addicts has risen several-fold and opioids have become a plague in rural areas and small towns that never historically had any such problems. More and more Americans are demanding a special investigation or a special US Congressional committee to check the role of the American clandestine services in the world trade in drugs. It has been even briefly and reluctantly confirmed by officials that with the use of profits from Afghan opium, Osama bin Laden was trained by American intelligence to fight against the Russians. This still remains largely a well known ‘secret’ to the main stream media, though.

Ganjaman to the Rescue

This explains why today it’s so difficult to buy good old hash from Afghanistan, while the streets of European and American cities are flooded with cheap Afghan heroin. The heroin trade, compared to hashish in kilos, is easier and faster money for waging wars, purchasing weapons, and other burning needs of the world of politics. The solution to the problem is not more propaganda and violence, but education and treatment – especially with healing hemp.

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THE ROOT ZONE TOP TIPS ON AIR PRUNING

I have been growing Cannabis indoors and outdoors for a long time, so it was a real surprise to me and an absolute game changer when I learnt how to prune my roots. By manipulating the way the root zone grows and develops, this allowed me to change the final yields and general vigour to the plant. Below is better explained how roots are naturally pruned and how it is something that nature intends to allow for a much Stoney Tark bigger root zone and in return bigger fruits. Bigger Roots Mean Bigger Fruits?

In the same way you can spread a person's intestines for miles and miles, the plants roots should in effect do the same. If you think about a plant that has been harvested and the roots are separated, then the roots should be like a continuous string that stretches for a long time. Cannabis is one of the planet's natural cleaners by pulling minerals and nutrients and waste from the Earth and cleansing the soil. The roots of the Cannabis plant can do incredible things and the

progress of the plant is what will show you how advanced it can get.

What Do I Need?

All you need to air prune is a pot that has air holes or slits to allow the air to pass through the medium and around the pot. In return the plant root will find itself in a position where it has nowhere else to go so once exposed to the air, it will form a double tip and grow back inwards on itself. You can make your own homemade versions with plastic pots and even make holes into larger

A side profile shot of the fabric felt pots pulled down, where you can see from 4 inches of coco and compost how the roots have grown outwards and not downwards.

These seeds will germinate in these pots with many slits and holes. Once they grow well in here they will be re potted and the root ball spread apart.

A mass of roots formed after on 21 days of air pruning, so once re potted is given the best chance to grow into a huge stem.

Why Do I Get Root Bound Pots?

There are few well versed growers who have well passed the point of growing in standard plastic pots. The reason why is because once they realised how immense air pruning can be they never look back. It is common practice to grow a seed and allow it to become root bound, then growers will re pot into a larger pot and hope the roots will fill out even more. Getting root bound plants is a bad thing and just means the roots have had no air pruning and are continuing to spiral round and

round untrained. If you see big fat healthy roots spiralling around a pot, then consider this a waste and understand this time the roots have taken to expand and develop, could have been used so much more efficiently. When a root is either pruned by hand or air pruned, then the tip of the root simply breaks off and forms two new roots. If you can perform this numerous times then you have a chain reaction of roots that are constantly splitting off and pairing from 1 to 2, 2 to 4, 4 to 8 and so on.

These 12 automatics will grow very well in these fabric pots and are constantly being air pruned

33 Fabric Pots Are Best

Fabric pots work best for air pruning and it is because the air is flowing freely through the felt pots. Imagine when using a plastic pot, the roots are trapped inside with no air flow. The tap root may anchor itself right down and take things from there, whereas fabric pots promote lateral root growth. The roots will grow from all sides and there will be more roots going horizontal than vertical. Making your own homemade fabric felt pots is very easy and very rewarding. I personally like to start my seedlings off in a 2 inch square fabric pots, then once this has been totally air pruned and I can see and hold a ball of roots, I open up the bottom of the medium with my hands and break the roots upside down then sit the roots on the new medium. I then let the root become air pruned and fill out the 4 inch square fabric pot and by this point the roots are wild.

The root ball of this plant is not well and as a result the plant died. It had never been air pruned and as you can see the plant lacks any vigour.

pots. I would not advise making holes in the pots that you are currently growing in as it may stress the plant.

the density and shape of the root zone is completely different to that of a plant grown normally and left to become rootbound.

plants that will form a thick sturdy trunk and as a result feed and metabolise so much quicker and more efficiently. It really has to be seen to be believed and

IT IS NOT A CASE OF WHAT DO YOU NEED BUT MORE UNDERSTANDING THAT A DRY TIP OF A ROOT WILL SPLIT AND TURN BACK ON ITSELF It is not a case of what do you need but more understanding that a dry tip of a root will split and turn back on itself. The whole principle behind it is that the root does not stop pruning itself and as you can see from the pictures,

The 4 Inch Rule

This is a real game changer and can be the difference in literally doubling your yields. If you can from seed or from clone, create a root zone that is 4 inch squared and has been air pruned, then this is the first step to growing monster

once you can achieve this result, then you will on your way to growing heavy yielding monsters. I have seen plants that have been grown this way and when the roots were rinsed off it was like a giant mophead on the bottom of a fat main stem.

Gently Breaking The Roots Apart

A good way of thinking about this is to imagine laying down a net of roots, which will grow in the new space they are in. One thing I have always done is re pot in the same pot twice. This sounds crazy but think about this, if you take the current root zone and then split it in two from the bottom, you are then creating a fold of roots that will sit onto the new medium and like a net, work itself into the medium. By the second time you take the roots out to re pot into the final fabric pot, you can imagine there are roots facing every direction and there is hardly any room for any medium. This is the Stark way and one way of ensuring the best out of your crop. I Hope these tips totally change your growing game and reward you with those killer harvests! Peace Out.

HIGH-TECH/ FUTURE GROWING

YOU CAN EVEN CONDUCT A SIMPLE CONVERSATION WITH A PLANT TALK DIRT TO ME, GREEN BABY

What Plants Tell Us

Talking to your plants seems very normal to some people. Now it will move mainstream as the plants finally have the chance to answer By Sebastian Daniel back. Soon our beloved plants will be able to "speak" to us about their individual preferences in nutrients or music! Here comes the future of agriculture and the next era in communication on our planet. Microsoft will teach plants to talk to us, the media have reported recently.

Trees Of Life: From Communion To Communication

Of course, in most cultures Indian hemp and various other sacred plants/psychedelic medicines, sometimes called entheogens, have communicated with us extremely effectively for thousands of years – but this subject is taboo, a well-known secret, and a Great Mystery of big organized religions, corrupt by nature and definition - like all institutional molochs that have grown too large. So officially we owe the first successful attempts to establish communication with the silent members of our family to computers and high-tech, not the ‘high’ of ancient medicine men using their now-illegal plants.

Plants, legal or not, are our distant relatives. They are our green cousins, who share DNA with us. The universal genetic code of all living beings on earth proves our common origin.

Microsoft just developed technology that translates the signals emitted by plants into English words which you can read on Twitter. You can even conduct a simple conversation with a plant. Simply type a message on a computer connected to the dome of the Microsoft’s Project Florence and it will be translated into a series of light signals. They vary in color, length, and duration – and reportedly scientists are able to translate positive (a long blink of red color, stimulating blossoming) or negative meaning. The reaction of the plant is measured by sensors in the roots and leaves. The captured chemical and electrical signals are translated into English and printed. "Conversations" with a plant serve to demonstrate the possibilities of the project for agriculture. Farmers will be able to receive reports about the needs of individual plants, so they can adjust irrigation or fertilizers to specific needs and preferences. Obviously, plants do not understand the whole sentence, only the overall message, which enables the receiving of reliable answers. Conversation is based on some guesswork.

However, the device already signals quite well the needs of a plant. For example, it will be possible to determine the plant’s favorite music (a proven contributing factor of growth) - and compare the results with the preferences of other plants (or their human guardian).

It seems like the Little Green Ones have finally arrived with their powerful antiracist message to us. What would you like to know about your Hemp Lady? Besides the obvious: like what kind of shit she likes.

Breaking Taboos: Be KIND To Your Plants

Microsoft is also developing software that will accurately track the fate of every registered plant of medical cannabis. KIND is a new US start-up that specializes in the distribution of medical marijuana. The company has recently announced that Microsoft has become involved in the project as the software provider. It will be responsible for establishing the location of specific plants from seed to sales. David Dinenberg from KIND sees the future brightly: with the support of Microsoft, they will be able to win government contracts. The New York Times writes that this decision from Microsoft is breaking taboos. It is also necessary:

to create an adequate system of control in the many states that have already gone through some form of legalization (i.e. more than half of the US). Many state programs require accurate tracking of all cultivation, production, and sales - so that nothing appears on the black market. Critics emphasize that Microsoft has jumped on the bandwagon at a very good time, because there’s a great chance in the autumn that the legal market will include California, one of the largest and richest states. In the last year, according to a report by ArcView Market Research, it was worth $ 4.8 billion. This year its value will reach 6.5 billion, and by 2020 it is expected to reach 25 billion. Mainstream media comment that, despite the overall legality of the project, Microsoft took a small risk, because links to companies trafficking in marijuana may create an "uncomfortable image". Really? To whom and when? In the future, without cannabis? When governments finally win their war against this world-famous medicinal and industrial plant? The strategic crop, the most useful and beneficial green in the history of mankind? Sooner there will be no Microsoft. Or no future at all…. It seems more like Bill Gates is correct in predicting global trends again. His involvement with KIND is a good sign for the cannabis world. Let’s begin the conversation!

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Excalibur

Breeder: Eva Seeds

GROW WITH JORGE CERVANTES

Nitrogen Macronutrients

Macronutrients are the elements that the plants use most and must be present at all times for growth to grow well. Most fertilizers usually show nitrogen (N), potassium (P), phosphorous (K) as (N-P-K) percentages in big numbers on the front of the package. They are always listed in the same N-P-K order. These nutrients must always be in an available (soluble) form to supply cannabis with the building blocks for rapid growth. Nitrogen is the nutrient most often found deficient. Nitrogen (N)—mobile (essential) About: High levels of nitrogen are needed during vegetative growth, but lower levels are needed during seedling, clone, and flowering growth stages. Reducing nitrogen levels causes earlier flowering and increased abscisic acid (hormone) levels. Nitrogen regulates the cannabis plant’s ability to make proteins essential for new protoplasm in the cells, and many other functions. It is mainly responsible for leaf and stem growth, as well as overall size and vigor. Nitrogen is most active in young buds, shoots, and leaves. Cannabis absorbs nitrogen mainly in the form of ammonium (NH4+), which is assimilated very quickly into mainly amino acids, and nitrate (NO3-)—the nitrate

Nitrogen-deficient leaf

form of nitrogen—is assimilated more slowly into most everything else. Small organ-ic molecules also supply nitrogen. Be careful when using ammonium; too much can burn plants. Hydroponic fertilizers use slower-acting nitrate and mix it with ammonium. The proper balance keeps the rhizosphere pH more stable, and high ammonium levels influence taste of harvest. Deficiency: Nitrogen is the most com-mon cannabis nutrient deficiency in greenhouses, indoors, and outdoors. Low levels of nitrogen deficiency often go un-noticed. Deficiencies progress as follows: First there is a lightening and slight yellow coloration to older mature leaves followed by leaf death or drop. Leaves lose luster, turning slightly pale. Stunting can also be seen when there has been a slight deficiency for a time. Acute deficiency will result in decreased flowering. Leaf mar gins may discolor. Leaves continue to yellow and may curl, develop brownish spots, and, as deficiency progresses, start to drop. Growth slows on shorter plants with smaller leaves and narrower stems. Yellowing of leaves progresses upward on plants. Signs of premature flowering appear on sickly plants. Yield is substantially diminished.

Cause: Nitrogen is highly soluble and easily washed out of growing mediums. It must be replaced regularly, especially during vegetative growth. Decaying organic matter and soil life may consume available nitrogen in soil and deplete it faster than roots can take it up. Nitrogen is used quickly during rapid growth, and mild deficiency could occur; even if it is available, roots may not be able to supply nitrogen fast enough. Nutrient levels inside plants catch up when growth slows. The cause could also be inadequate nitrogen in the fertilization schedule or when using a growing medium with a low CEC (cation exchange capacity) that was not designed for use with the nutrient formula. Diseases such as Fusarium and Pythium can cut fluid flow and the supply of nitrogen, but they have specific symptoms apart from nitrogen depletion. Confused with: Potassium deficiency. Reddish stems and leaf undersides caused by potassium deficiency can be misinterpreted in cannabis varieties that naturally have reddish-purple stems and petioles. Solution: Leach growing medium with a slightly more concentrated nutrient solution. Fertilize with

This photo of ‘Pakistani’ leaves shows the progression of nitrogen deficiency (clockwise from top left). (MF)

38 the proper soluble high-nitrogen fertilizer that has the proper ratio of ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3-)—the nitrate for the growing medium. Organic sources of soluble high-nitrogen fertilizers include blood meal, seabird guano, fish emulsion, compost teas, and more. Check and correct pH in the root zone. Leaves should green up in 3 to 5 days. Severely affected leaves may not recover and should be re-moved. For faster results in foliage, foliar feed with a soluble, dilute, highnitrogen fertilizer. Soil application is also necessary when foliar feeding, because foliar applications do not translocate. Even though nitrogen is mobile when plants are foliar fed, it stays in the leaves. Excess: First, older bottom leaves turn lush, dark green, and supple. As the overdose advances, leaves

in the middle and top of the plant are affected. The weak foliage is susceptible to temperature and humidity stress, diseases, and pest attacks. Stems weaken and fold if

stress is allowed to progress. As the excess progresses, the water transport system becomes restricted and foliage turns brownishcopper. Leaves become thickened

and brittle, excess NH4 causes Ca deficiency. Excess levels of nitrogen in harvested plants cause the dried cannabis to taste “green” and burn poorly when smoked. Cause: Nitrogen overdose is seldom a problem unless soil is loaded with the nutrient or too much was applied via the fertilizer mix. Confused with: Excess nitrogen is not usually confused with anything unless salt burn becomes an issue. Some have related it to viral infections. Solution: Leach growing medium with a dilute fertilizer solution. Severe problems require heavy leaching to carry away all the toxic elements. Leach as per “Leaching Growing Mediums” on page 351. Add a dilute complete fertilizer. Cut back on nitrogen dose if plants remain excessively green. Results should appear in 3 to 5 days, possibly earlier in hydroponic gardens.

This is an excerpt from chapter 21, “Nurients” from the Cannabis Encyclopedia (596 pages, 2,000+ color images, large A4 format) by Jorge Cervantes that is available everywhere in English. Spanish edition will be available January 2017. For more information please see Jorge´s website, www.marijuanagrowing.com.

Do not withhold nitrogen in subsequent fertilizing after leaching or when flowering. The nitrogen in the mix must be reduced but not removed. The main issue for cannabis cultivation is when the level of NH4 is too high. When too much N is applied, especially as NH4, it is moved to the vacuole of the cell and converts to nitrite or nitrosamines or both— cancer-causing products. Some “experts” say the ratio of nitrogen needs to be 1:1 but the experts I believe find that a more reduced ratio of 1:4 is much better and safer. This provides a balance so that the ratio of nitrogen does not deviate and turn into NH4 quickly.

John The Stoner HALLELUJAH ! I'VE GOT THE SEEDS!!!

ONE WEEK LATER ...

HURRY! INTERNET ... FORUM ... SOFT SECRETS ... GERMINATION

DON'T TELL ME IT'S ANOTHER TAX BILL!!!

PUT THE SEEDS IN A WET AND DARK PLACE AT 20 ° C ...

DAY 1

DAY 5

DAY 4

QUITE EASY!

DAY 2

I'VE BEEN CHEATED OR WHAT?

DAY 6 AH! YES! OK! IT CAN TAKE ONE WEEK!

DAY 8

BLOODY FUCKING SHIT ... BASTARD!

AND DAY 9...

JUST HAVE TO WAIT

YES EVERYTHING'S READY!

FINALLY YOU HAVE GERMINATED!

DAY 3

DAY 7

WHY!?

IF EVERYTHING GOES RIGHT, I WILL SMOKE YOU IN 15 WEEKS!

TO BE CONTINUED

SEED BANKS

American Beauty A few years ago, an Oregon seed bank, the world-renowned TGA Subcool, introduced another top product that would later become known among Dr. Underground consumers as Plushberry to the market.

known as Space Queen. Starting from this genetic mainstay, which was obtained by crossing various glorious strains such as Romulan and

In TGA’s experience, this work was really interesting and received a lot of attention since one of the plant’s parents, the famous Black Cherry Soda, only existed in the form of a clone. In addition, it was among the first lines with features varying between berries and Kush. The exact origin of this cutting is not known. Some people say this is a type of Purple Kush, others say it is related to Bubba Kush, which is also logical as the latter is itself a variation of the celebrated Purple Kush. Black Cherry Soda is famous in US health clinics for its medical use and potency. Going back to Plushberry, the selection work consisted in creating a crossbreed from a cutting of the type mentioned above, a real ‘beast’

Cinderella 99, the result could only be extraordinary. Romulan is mostly an Indica plant, whose exact genetics are uncertain and for which various theories were put forward to trace it back. The origin of C99 is comparably better known. The legend goes that it is an exceptional female selected from one of the seeds found in a Jack Herer bud. This female was named Princess. After fertilising it with a hybrid of Shiva Skunk x Jack Herer, Princess was later pollinated for 3 generations with the males of its own linage, so theoretically its offspring has 99% Princess genetics, hence its name ‘Cinderella 99’. Princess x (Shiva Skunk x Jack Herer) = Princess 50% = P50 Princess x P50 = Princess 75% = P75 Princess x P75 = Princess 88% = P88 Princess x P88 = Princess 99% = Cinderella 99

Plushberry 22 S1 = American Beauty

A few years later, our partner cannabis producer TGA stopped market-

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42 ing Plushberry and removed it from its catalogue, which caught many people by surprise – underscored

packs – purchased from the only grow shop that marketed this vendor’s seeds in Spain at that time –

THE SELECTION WORK CONSISTED IN CREATING A CROSSBREED FROM A CUTTING OF THE TYPE MENTIONED ABOVE, A REAL ‘BEAST’ KNOWN AS SPACE QUEEN by the positive reviews of this genetics on various web forums, with some consumers even saying it was their favourite in a catalogue only including around 20 strains at that time. We too were caught by surprise. Fortunately, we still kept a few

and started working on this project, which culminated in the creation of American Beauty. First of all, we germinated all the seeds we had, plus a few Plushberry x Plushberry specimens produced TGA Subcool’s Plushberry

A FEW YEARS LATER, OUR PARTNER CANNABIS PRODUCER TGA STOPPED MARKETING PLUSHBERRY AND REMOVED IT FROM ITS CATALOGUE, WHICH CAUGHT MANY PEOPLE BY SURPRISE

found a few heavy, high-yielding individuals. Considering the fact that you can perfectly grow your own hybrids from this plant, it’s safe to say it’s worth trying out. This applies to both growers who haven't yet had

a few years before by our friend Nacho, with a very resinous male (a few pictures of this phenomenon are still featured in the International Cannagraphic Magazine). Among the plants we obtained, we selected a number of mothers, but our final choice fell on number 22 for the further steps of our project. The quantity of resin produced was as exceptional as its aroma, with cherry and Kush traits. We take pride in featuring this strain in our catalogue as a terrific plant, with resin overflowing from the underside of the leaves and tones easily changing from bright red to dark red. The green “hay” that can be obtained has a stronger and more

TGA Subcool’s Plushberry

a chance to grow the regular version in the past as well as to those who’ve tried it, fell in love with it and now want to repeat the experience.

IN ITS OFFSPRING WE FOUND $ )(: +($9< +,*+ˎ<,(/',1* INDIVIDUALS American Beauty, “green hay”

penetrating aroma, and its chalices are so big that they seem fertilised. The plant forms turrets shaped as a foxtail and flowering does not exceed 9 weeks. In its offspring we

Our gratitude goes to our friends from Soft Secrets for their support. A big hug from the Dr. Underground team to all growers and friends of our wonderful cannabis community!

POLITICS

EXPLOITING THE LAW WITH BIG PHARMA Dr John Dee

Here’s the thing: I’ve reported before in these pages that Big Pharma are currently tinkering with synthetic cannabis and (apparently) testing some of the variants of these in small medical trials. These trials haven’t really gone too well. For those of you wondering if, when I say “synthetic cannabis”, I’m talking about substances along the lines of what’s in stuff like Spice and Black Mamba, yes, that’s exactly what I’m talking about.

insignificant changes to the chemical structure of cannabis are known to cause extraordinarily different effects”. All of the problems – psychotic reactions, coma, even some deaths – associated with synthetic cannabis when it was still being

health problems caused can just be blamed on something else. But why bother? Well, there’s the thing. We know that cannabis is effective in the

but would simultaneously open up a load of other problems for them. To digress briefly, cannabis is one of a number of “prohibited” substances that are currently being rehabilitated for use in more mainstream medicine. Three others you may be aware of are LSD, psilocybin and MDMA. Subjective effects of these, which bits of the brain are affected by them and so forth aside, there are a couple of big differences between cannabis and the others [MORE]. Firstly, LSD, psilocybin and MDMA are Class A drugs (cannabis is Class B), but this is to an extent irrelevant. More importantly, they’re also Schedule 1 drugs (along with cannabis), meaning

CANNABIS IS ONE OF A NUMBER OF “PROHIBITED” SUBSTANCES THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING REHABILITATED FOR USE IN MORE MAINSTREAM MEDICINE. THREE OTHERS YOU MAY BE AWARE OF ARE LSD, PSILOCYBIN AND MDMA.

One could be forgiven for regarding this as a cynical ploy aimed at exploiting a loophole allowing a cannabis analogue (i.e. something similar to, but not the same as cannabis. something the same as cannabis would be, erm, cannabis, and this would cause problems for reasons I’ll come to) to be used rather than cannabis itself.

used as a “legal high “still seem to be occurring in the medical trials.

On the upside, the cannabis plant is proving to be a very stubborn nut to crack in this respect. Someone at a conference I attended a few years ago said something like “seemingly

Unfortunately, it could well be that it’s only a matter of time before someone cracks the problem and cooks something up in a lab that works like cannabis closely enough, and any

treatment of an ever increasing range of physical and mental health problems. One of the primary stumbling blocks here though is that cannabis is illegal in the UK. Making it legal would undoubtedly solve a number of the problems Big Pharma are currently experiencing (e.g. comatose study participants),

they’ve really got no recognised medical value or application of any sort (but they can be used for research purposes if one has the appropriate license from The Home Office). I mentioned before that Class A status is irrelevant, and that’s because substances such

45 as heroin and cocaine are Class A as well, but they’re Schedule 2 drugs, meaning that while they are regarded as very dangerous and so selling or using them will land you in serious trouble, they have recognised and legitimate medical applications and can therefore be used (and even prescribed) by qualified health professionals. To return briefly to LSD and the others, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to justify their continued classification as Schedule 1 drugs, as a number of studies are demonstrating almost beyond any sort of doubt, that these substances also have a range of applications in medicine (and kudos to organisations such as MAPS for their tireless efforts in this). So they shouldn't be in Schedule 1. Truth be told, they really shouldn't be Class A either, given their pretty solid record from the point of view of overdose, fatalities and so forth. Consider the number of heroin and cocaine (and alcohol, if we're going to be honest about it) deaths and then compare those to the number of psychedelics deaths. This is all very interesting, but what does it have to do with weed? Well, this has been a bit long winded, but I hope you take the point: LSD and MDMA, legalised for medical or just plain straightforward recreational use, they are both chemicals, and their production requires a whole lot of lab equipment, precursor

and lots of tender loving care. Anything else one might need to know can be found in any number of basic books on the subject. Basically, pretty much anyone could grow weed in order to medicate themselves. No need for Big Pharma. No real need for doctors even. And this, of course, is the heart of the matter. The problem Big Pharma has is that legal weed would be legal universally, and not just for corporations. Universal legality for (say) over 21's would allow those people so inclined to grow their own. For most, one or two plants of good weed for their personal use would be more than enough. As well as all of the obvious and direct benefits of the plant, there are indirect psychological benefits as well; from the sense of pleasure from growing and nurturing a living thing to the sense of achievement at growing one's own medicine. Big Pharma aren't interested in any of this. All they see here are these not inconsiderable public health benefits coming at a direct cost to themselves and their shareholders. Of course, there will inevitably be a number of people (perhaps even a large number of people) who either don't want to or are unable to grow their own, and for whom corporate weed will be perfectly acceptable. One might assume that there might be enough people in this group to sate the corporate greed, but they won't be.

this comes down to a combination of corporate lobbying and sheer obstructiveness on the part of a number of government agencies. These same people also tell me that, not only will the multinationals and their government "partners" ultimately lose this war, but that they actually recognise this fact themselves. What they're doing now amounts to little more than obstructing for as long as they can in order to bleed as much money as they can before their gravy train comes to a halt. Meanwhile, they continue to try to make a synthetic analogue that a) works to at least some extent and b) doesn't kill anyone. As mentioned earlier, there's obviously a chance that they might be successful with this, so what's important is for researchers to set up and run trials using real cannabis, demonstrate beyond any reasonable doubt what it is (and, equally importantly, what it isn't) good for, and consign all of this synthetic cannabinoid nonsense to the bin where it most surely belongs. Just to get the research ball rolling, here are a number of suggestions that some forward thinking researchers (and funders) may like to think about: It's known that painkillers are being routinely and massively overprescribed. Apart from the sheer cost involved to the Health Service in paying for

MORE US STATES HAVE LEGALISED FOR MEDICAL USE WHICH IS OF COURSE GREAT NEWS. LESS GREAT IS THE NEWS THAT PEOPLE AREN'T BEING PERMITTED TO LEGALLY GROW THEIR OWN AND MUST PURCHASE FROM APPROVED DISPENSARIES. chemicals and (most importantly, in our view) properly qualified people who really know what they're doing. Even if LSD and MDMA were to be legalised, there would still be a reliance on Big Pharma to produce the goods. Weed, on the other hand, isn't like that. All that's needed to produce weed is a seed, some soil, a pot, water/plant food, light (natural or artificial)

There have been news stories from the US recently reporting developments in more states regarding marijuana. More have legalised for medical use which is of course great news. Less great is the news that people aren't being permitted to legally grow their own and must purchase from approved dispensaries. Various parties in the know in the US say that

these things (and they're not cheap), there are a number of potential knock on and side effects to be considered. For example, there's the risk of overdose (particularly when they're mixed with alcohol); there's the risk of habituation, which can bring with it the need for increasing the amount required in order to achieve the same level of pain relief; then there are the "lesser" side effects associated with continued use of painkillers,

such as constipation, loss of appetite, irritability and so on. So what about setting up a trial and switching a group of volunteers onto weed for their pain? While a cannabis overdose may be a bit unpleasant, we would argue that lying on the floor watching the ceiling spinning around is hardly on a par with respiratory failure or choking on one's own vomit. The risk of physical habituation or dependency is pretty low, and even on those very rare occasions where it did occur, we'd argue that weaning someone off weed is considerably less problematic than weaning them off opioid analgesics. Then there is the matter of that increasing sector of the population who are unable to sleep naturally. Disturbances to sleep patterns have many knock on effects, both minor and major. While it is true that a lot of insomnia could very well be related to factors such as diet and lack of exercise, rather than prescribing benzodiazepines and Z drugs, try some THC, either vaped or eaten. Throw in an exercise and/or a diet regime as well for good measure. Where the insomnia is a result of worry, stress and unhappiness (the Trinity of symptoms in the modern age), it is unlikely that a good toke will address the root of the problem, however it is our view that knocking oneself out with weed is infinitely preferable to knocking oneself out with a bottle of whisky and a sleeper or two. Another potentially more controversial possibility for a cannabis research project might be to look at the use of high THC content weed as a means if weaning problem heroin users from their principal drug of choice and onto one that is altogether safer and more benign, while still retaining the "shutting down of the brain" effect that would seem to be the primary effect that many problem users are looking for. As before, all of the positives regarding overdose would apply, and as well as these there would be a number of immediate health benefits to this group as a consequence of not having to use adulterated street heroin of questionable quality. These are simply suggestions, and obviously there would be numerous practical, operational and numerous other problems to consider prior to jumping in. But imagine the potential benefits to everyone. In memory of my friend Keef Desertstorm 1968 - 2016.

DR. DEE

New Players, Old Rhetoric July 2016 saw the appearance of a new academic/scientific journal called "Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research". The initial reaction of a number of researchers in the field is that this is a clear indication that cannabis generally - and medical cannabis specifically - is finally being taken seriously and finally moving into line with public opinion on the matter. Over the past four or five years, public attitudes towards cannabis have seen a serious and significant shift towards the more liberal, particularly as applied to the idea of using it as a medicine. The editor-in-chief is one Daniele Piomelli who, among other things, is a professor of neurosciences, neurobiology and pharmacology. On the face of it, this would appear to mean that he knows what he's talking about. However, to the trained eye, it would also imply that he probably buys into the "medical model" of substance use in a big way. Almost all of the editorial board have doctorates and a good number of them are bona fide medical people, so we can assume that a good number of them also favour the medical model. For those of you who don't know what The Medical Model of drug use actually is, we'd suggest you spend some time researching it. The big focus of the journal is on the chemistry of cannabis; looking at specific compounds and their effects on particular medical conditions, probably with a view to refining those elements of the plant for more effective treatments. If this is the case, then it's potentially worrying, as it overlooks the synergistic benefits of using the plant as a whole. More concerning still is that focussing entirely on the mechanism of the drug means that the other two component parts of the overall experience - set and setting - are ignored. Set and setting, however, are usually discussed in the context of the recreational use of a substance and this may explain their omission. In medical terms or in a

medical context, any pleasurable sensations one might get from the administration of a drug are commonly regarded as "side effects" and as such are viewed as being undesirable. Set and setting respectively consider the user's "mindset" and situational factors (for example, choice of music) as ways both of enhancing the overall experience while simultaneously reducing the risks of an adverse outcome. Presumably, with the isolation of the specific compound and the eradication of any such unwanted side effects, There is some good news, however. The journal is open access, which is always to be welcomed, as it allows pretty much everyone with an interest in medical cannabis to dip in and out and see what’s currently going on in the field. And there is at least one "good read" in the form of an interview with Ethan Russo regarding the benefits of Sativa against Indica and vice versa. Overall, however, the Journal of Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research presents a number of problems. To be sure, the “medicalisation” of cannabis can be seen as a step in the right direction, in the sense that it is now regarded as a legitimate medicine for many ailments, some of which are very common. The downside is that the idea that people might choose to self-medicate (and let’s be honest here: this is something that many people do, irrespective of doctors, the police or the government might think about it) is missing from these pages, leading one to assume that the editors oppose the idea. Just to underline the point, "Legal or illegal, cannabis is still addictive" is the title of the transcript of a round table discussion in the first issue of this journal, and gives the game away somewhat regarding where these people are coming from; cannabis is fine, but only under strict medical control and supervision. It's absolutely not for the ignorant hoi polloi and definitely not to be used recreationally. We have been warned. Dr. Dee

Answers to the grower quiz on page 6 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 1 to 5 points: 5 to 10 points: 10-15 points. 15 – 20 points.

C A C B B D C

8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.

A B B A C A B

15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

A A D B B C

You’re an absolute novice, a newby and a nitwit Very low score. You call yourself a grower? Not bad, but your knowledge base must improve That’s it! You’re either a professional grower or a staunch Soft Secrets reader. Congrats!

Index of ads Name

Page

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Procare

Dinafem Seeds

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Dr. Blooms Hydroponics

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Ed Rosenthal

Southern Hydro Centre

Exotic Seed

Stanford Hydroponics

Funky Skunk the

Sweet Seeds

Genofarm

Sweet Seeds

Humboldt Seed Organization

Vision Seeds

Jorge Cervantes

Zamnesia

Kera International

Zamnesia

Kosmic Kitchen

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 Web: www.softsecrets.nl Editor: Cliff Cremer Contributors: Ed Rosenthal, Jorge Cervantes, Dr. John Dee, Stoney Tark, Robert B., Baron Wasteland, Top Shelf Grower, Mr. Jose, Sebastian Daniel, Hugo Madera, Tricoma Team, Sativa Diva, Dr. Underground and others. Comics: Jim Stewart Editorial adress: readers@softsecrets.nl Advertisements: E-mail: info@softsecrets.nl A word from the publisher: Soft Secrets is published in: The Netherlands (Highlife), Germany, France, Italy, Spain, UK, Poland, Czech Republic, Chile and Argentina. 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: December 23, 2016

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