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THE CANNABIS NEWSPAPER SINCE 1985
Issue 6 - 2016
8 Black Domina
12 Top tips on training plants
38 How to SCROG
42 Controlling plant height
18+ For adults only. Soft Secrets is published six times a year by Discover Publisher BV Netherlands
Cannabis legalisation 'could raise £1bn a year for UK' AMSTERDAM
Legalising cannabis could net the Treasury £1bn a year in tax revenue, a report backed by some MPs has claimed. The Adam Smith Institute, a free-market think tank, said the UK's policies had failed to stop the production and use of cannabis or the associated crime.
RRY SENSI-STAR DELAHAZE PANDORA BELLADONNA WAPPA ALL
OG KUSH
The number of offenders in prison for cannabisrelated offences in England and Wales would also likely drop from the current 1,363, who cost taxpayers £50m a year, the report said. It comes as Germany is about to legalise cannabis for medical purposes while Canada prepares for decriminalisation of the drug.
Its report said the UK should follow the lead of the US, where four further states legalised marijuana in last month's elections.
Former Deputy Prime Minster Nick Clegg and former health minister Norman Lamb are among a cross-party group of MPs that have backed the report.
It said a legal cannabis market could be worth £6.8bn to the economy annually, potentially raising between £750m and £1.05bn in tax revenues and reduced criminal justice costs.
Mr Clegg said: "British politicians need to open their eyes to what is happening in the rest of the world. "Cannabis prohibition is being swept away on a tide of popular opinion and replaced with responsible legal regulation. "Now is the time for ministers to start writing the rules for this legal market, including age limits and health warnings, so that we can finally take back control from the criminal gangs."
The Home Office said it had no plans to legalise the "harmful drug".
The Tide Effect, which was compiled with VolteFace, a drugs policy think tank, called for "root and branch" reform to legalise and regulate cannabis to ensure it meets acceptable standards and to remove the market for criminal gangs.
those caught with drugs for personal use to a "dissuasion board" rather than face prosecution.
The report said regulation was "substantially more desirable" than simply decriminalising the drug or unregulated legalisation. Regulation would remove gangs from the sale and production of the drug, ensure the product meets acceptable standards and raise money through taxation, it said. The Netherlands effectively decriminalised cannabis decades ago while in 2001 Portugal changed the law to turn possession of drugs into an "administrative offence", sending
It also said a proportion of tax revenues from the sale of cannabis could be invested back into public services, particularly for those most vulnerable to the negative impacts of its use. Source: BBC.com
Cream Caramel® (SWS04) Femi
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3 EDITORIAL
Where next for legal weed across the Atlantic? It looked like good news: California, Nevada and Massachusetts all voted on November 9th to legalise cannabis for recreational use, with a number of other states opting for varying degrees of medical access. Good news? This is surely wonderful news! Well, it should have been. It probably is, but I'm going to play devil's advocate here. Potentially, there is a great big black (or should we say orange?) cloud on the horizon in the shape of one Donald J Trump. While the soon to be President Trump is all in favour of medical cannabis, he seems somewhat ambivalent to the idea of legal weed for recreational purposes. Mike Pence, Trump's soon to be Vice President is the Governor of the State of Indiana, a place where being busted in possession of a joint's worth of weed will get you anything up to 180 days in jail and a maximum fine of $1000. Certainly, the anti-legalisation groups seem very excited at the prospect of Trump and Pence getting into the driving seat. We wonder if Mr Trump is going to be one of those politicians who suffer from a convenient case of selective amnesia once he gets into the White House. Back in 1990, he had this to say: "We're losing badly (in) the war on drugs...you have to legalise drugs to win that war. You have to take the profit away from the drug czars". These days, however, he hasn't been quite so unequivocal about the matter, choosing to be somewhat noncommittal about it. On the legal cannabis industry in Colorado, for example, Mr Trump has recently stated that it's a "real problem". My contacts in the US tell me that Mr Trump may not be the issue per se, but that a number of his close political allies may indeed be a major problem. Step forward former Mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani, and current Governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie. Both of these are in the picture as possible candidates for roles in Mr Trump's administration, and both of them are avidly anti cannabis legalisation.
Vesta is the new autoflowering hybrid strain developed by Buddha Seeds with two well-known American and European lines. It stands out for its strength, reaches a medium-to-large size, dominated by the central cola, which is heavy and coated with scented resin. The structure of this plant opens up with productive branches, ending up covered by hard, compact and resin-coated buds.
Step forward also, Senator Jefferson Beauregard Sessions of Alabama, nominee for the role of US Attorney General, a man regarded back in the 1980's as too racist to be appointed as a federal judge (that's thirty years ago, and in our experience it's rare to find a racist who mellows as they get older). Senator Sessions has said that "good people don't smoke marijuana", is a steadfast believer in The Gateway Theory, and was a fervent supporter of Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No" campaign.
Vesta is an easy strain to be grown, is resistant, suitable to both expert growers looking for higher-quality plants, and to inexperienced growers needing resistant plants that can support stress.
Firstly, and most obviously, there's the matter of the sheer amount of money that weed currently brings into the coffers along with many (possibly good, possibly wildly inaccurate) projections as to how much this will increase in coming years. This is America, after all, and if anything speaks, if anything matters, it's money.
It has to be said that one of this looks particularly good for the growing American cannabis industry, but of course there is another side to the story.
The second point to be made here - and this is arguably the more important of the two - is that votes in favour of cannabis legalisation for recreational or medical use occurred across all states whether they were pro Hilary, pro Donald, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, whatever. Cannabis, it would very much appear, is more popular than any of the candidates for the key to the president's toilet.
It is an actual delight for the palate, as it combines the best of the two lines coming from the two continents. The European line gives the first flavor in the mouth, which is citric and fruity, between grapefruit and tangerine. On the other hand, the American line gives a Diesel-like acid flavor which persists long in the throat, even after finishing smoking. Its long-lasting and powerful effect is relaxing and pleasant, suitable for medical use.
Hopefully, when everything settles down, some sort of common sense will prevail Stateside. Hopefully, Mr Trump will have at least a few advisors of the non racist, non homophobic, non misogynistic, non climate change denying, non born again Evangelist type in place to give him some proper, joined up counsel.
Genetics: Total growth: Size: Flavor/aroma: Effect:
European and American lines 80 days medium-large citric, fruity, diesel highly psychoactive, stimulating
Seed Bank: Buddha Seeds
Vesta
In the mean time, we can only wait, watch and keep our fingers crossed. Dr Dee https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1755&dat=19900414&id=eUoeAAAAIBA J&sjid=EHoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4675,4533445&hl=en https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/nov/22/jeff-sessions-marijuanalegalization-race-colorado https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-watch/wp/2016/11/21/jeff-sessionssridiculous-anti-drug-crusade/?utm_term=.7875f52a30cf
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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!
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This is my wife with Special Queen from RQS, 1 week from harvest! From England
lish out of focus pics, and we don’t like
Lovely lady you got there! For the UK climate your plant is not bad at all! Cheers.
photos of plants in veg stage. It’s fat buds & sweet babes we want to see!
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My sexy wife and Think Fast by Dutch passion. Tony Femi
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And sexy she is! Thanks for sharing your wife!
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8
that it was Black Domina, which he had already harvested and dried. I asked him if he had kept some cuttings and he said yes. He brought me 4 clones that he had particularly liked. I reselected one out of these four that was clearly above the level of its siblings; this plant is today known as Black Domina ’98. “It was not easy, in those days, to come across such a good mother. Most of the time, when you are looking for something, you don’t find it. You don’t have to search! You simply ‘come across’ good plants, you never know when or where this will happen, but sooner or later you will cross paths with excellent genetics that you will never want to part with”.
How the Black Domina 98 clone was selected
It was selected in 1998, which is why it is commonly known as Black Domina ’98. Manolo says: “This name could perhaps come from the old pictures of a few bonsai mothers I uploaded to a few cannabis forums, I wrote 98 on their labels, as I used to specify the year
S.A.D.-S1 by Tommy Joao (cannabiscafe)
The Black Domina 98 elite clone, otherwise known in the Spanish-speaking community as “La Barraquera”, originated in the Sweet Seeds environment, before the foundation of the seed bank. One of the founders, H. Madera Manolo, tells us how its selection was made. Manolo ran a famous rock bar named Gabba Gabba in Valencia, where local rockers and a group of cannabis genotype collectors used to meet. A
was: “Seeds are very expensive, so make sure you continue to grow them, and you may also want to find an excellent individual. When plants are growing,
IT WAS SELECTED IN 1998, THAT IS WHY IT IS COMMONLY KNOWN AS BLACK DOMINA ’98. few hash smokers were among the bar customers and occasionally grew cannabis based on the quality of plants consumed by collectors. A punk rocker couple were fond of bands such as Ramones, The Misfits and The Cramps. One of them, named Miquel, told Manolo that he intended to start growing plants and requested his advice and guidance for his first indoor growing experience to be successful. Firstly, Manolo advised him to try a bank with a clear reputation by using seeds suitable for indoor growing. At that time, the only renowned seed banks were Dutch. He pulled out a Sensi Seeds catalogue with the plant types that he kept at his bar counter. As Miquel was a punk rocker, he was attracted by the ‘Black Domina’ name, as it called to mind a female black dominator with leather boots and a whip.
take two cuttings from each of them. If you find a special one that you like
during harvest, you will keep it forever”. After receiving these tips, Miquel started growing his own crop. Then, Manolo said, something happened that he would remember for all of his life: “One day I was at my bar and I suddenly smelt a whiff of excellent-quality grass, I turned around to see where this terrific smell came from. Mine was a large bar and Miquel was sitting at about 33 feet from me, smoking at the counter. I asked him “What’s this hash with this great smell you’re smoking?”. He answered
when I produced the mother to keep track of age. So I started distributing cuttings among the collectors with whom I exchanged genetics, and these plants soon reached the Valencia grow shops. We are genotype collectors and exchanging genetics is among our main interests. At that time, we did not care to reach as many people as possible; our purpose was rather to share plants among us for key genotypes not to become lost. This clone started to spread rapidly around Valencia and its surroundings, and cannabis growers liked it since the beginning. In 2003 it won the public jury award in a contest organised by the most important Valencian association named “La Barraca de María” – that is why the strain was nicknamed “La Barraquera”. Its reputation then continued to grow, first at national level and then, when many seed banks like ours started to use it to produce seeds of this type, it reached international acclaim”.
Look for your own elite clone
Selection
He then bought an original seed pack, which was really costly at that time. Another tip he received from Manolo
The Barraca de Maria Cup contest
S.A.D.-S1 by Jazzman (cannabiscafe)
After explaining how Black Domina was discovered, Manolo added: “Although I am currently a seed vendor, in addition to being a genotype collector, I encourage everyone to look for or discover genotypes, and collect them in the form of clones. Please note that anyone could discover a great elite clone, it is not so difficult. Any grower
9 Sweet Seeds also used Black Jack® (SWS01), a selection of Jack Herer crossed with Black Domina ’98. This plant is an F1, as two very different strains were crossed, so that its hybrid vigour is much higher than that of SADS1. The very sweet aroma inherited from Domina enhances the deeply sweet aroma of this column-shaped inbreed with a dense bud and a short inter-knot distance, whereas Jack Herer contributed an incensed aroma with citric touches, larger side branches and a higher production of flowers.
Gender reversal in Black Domina with a little bit of curiosity to explore new genetics and enough discernment about what they like, could stumble upon elite clones, i.e. plants they would never want to lose. This is basically what I mean by ‘elite clone’. It is not something out of reach at all. Most growers do not find elite clones because they make no attempts; as today there is a large quantity of previously selected clones on the cannabis market, and they are happy with these. If everyone searched for elite clones, the genetic pool, and cannabis in general, would improve. Many people find it difficult to encounter an elite clone, they tend to think this is something reserved for seed banks. Mind you, I found many of my favourite strains in the early years of my growing experience and, since then, I have always kept the plants I like”.
Seeds of S.A.D.-S1 being formed Black Domina ’98 with a 1999 Blueberry selection. We have kept this Blue Monster for several years now and used it both in Cream Caramel and in its auto version. It is just a great elite clone. That selections only have to be made with feminised plants is a whopper!”
Characteristics
No doubt Sensi Seeds used Afghani genetics to create this strain. The ’98 clone is easy to grow, stout, with a medium to high yield and a very strong and pleasant musky aroma. Its inter-knot
abundant, the main quality for which clone ‘98 was selected was its intense and particularly outstanding smell.
Lineage
This elite clone is a plant with very personal characteristics that make it a perfect example of Indica. For this reason, Sweet Seeds wanted to make tests with it – more specifically an ‘S1’ or first-generation self-pollination was created, so as to avoid introducing alien genetics that would otherwise dilute such interesting qualities. The result was
Another important variety with Black Domina genetics is Cream Caramel® (SWS04), one of the best award-winning plants in Spain, to which Black Domina contributed its qualities through its Blue Monster elite clone. Black Domina also forms part of the Moham Ram® (SWS09) genetics, where SAD-S1 was crossed with a White Widow so as to give floral tones, a quick bloom and easy growth to the final product. Black Domina was also used in several self-flowering strains of Sweet Seeds, such as Moham Ram Auto® (SWS32), Cream Caramel Auto® (SWS22), S.A.D. Auto® (SWS24), Black Jack Auto® (SWS21) and Blow Mind Auto® (SWS57), with backcrosses made to fix its characteristics. In addition to Sweet Seeds (the first seed bank to sell lineage of this great selection of Black Domina) many other seed banks currently use it, as its
As for the difference between selecting regular or feminised plants, Manolo assures us there is no such difference: “Saying that you can only make good selections from elite clones taken from regular plants amounts to pure cannabis Talibanism, as if any innovation was a bad thing. An elite clone is a plant you can no longer do away with, whether regular or feminised. A feminised female is genetically identical to a regular female. I know this not only from my knowledge of genetics, but also from my experience S.A.D. by Cuco (cannabiscafe)
S.A.D.-S1 catalogue picture
IN 2003 IT WON THE PUBLIC JURY AWARD IN A CONTEST ORGANISED BY THE MOST IMPORTANT VALENCIAN ASSOCIATION NAMED “LA BARRACA DE MARÍA” – THAT IS WHY THE STRAIN WAS NICKNAMED “LA BARRAQUERA. down the years. In order to create new strains, I have kept and used elite clones from both feminised or regular seeds and they behave identically, as there is no genetic difference between the two types of females. For example, the Blue Monster, from which the qualities of Cream Caramel derive, is a feminised plant resulting from the crossing of
distance is very short, with a prominent central bud, and short and solid side branches. Buds are indeed of good quality, dense and highly resinous. It is a typical Indica plant well suited to indoor growing. Outdoors too, however, it will turn out to be a resin filled beast. Although the quantity of resin is very
S.A.D.-S1, short for Sweet Afgani Delicious S1® (strain SWS02). The ‘selfing’ process normally works wonderfully with homogeneous strains, as there would otherwise be too much variability in the offspring. The homogeneity of S.A.D.-S1 shows that Black Domina ’98, from which the seed bank started, was a well-stabilised genotype.
incredible qualities make it one of the most popular clones in Iberian breeding. A few examples include Sugar Black Rose of Delicious Seeds, Black Dream of Eva Seeds, Anesthesia of Pyramid Seeds, La Moreneta of Pepita Seeds, Karibeña of Kannabia Seeds, Black Dance of Reggae Seeds and Royal Domina of Royal Queen Seeds.
PRODUCT
10
ATAMI Atami, the leading bio-technical research bureau in the field of plant nutrition and substrates, is celebrating its 20th birthday in 2017. Atami has attained many milestones and achievements during these years, driven by gardening passion, in depth biological knowledge and ‘green fingers’. Having been created in 1997, Atami focused on becoming a leading supplier of plant nutrients, stimulators and substrates for horticulture enthusiasts. In honor of its 20th anniversary, Atami has created multiple ways for horticulture aficionados the world over to celebrate these two decades of success. Indeed the drive and ambition of Atami has resulted in its products being used and appreciated in more than 40 countries, spread over 5 continents. It’s sophisticated product line and focus on quality has ensured optimal results wherever it has been used. The Atami view on our day to day lives, is that all the senses combine to create meaningful and memorable experiences. There has been remarkable progress in plant nutrition know how, the development of high quality nutrients, and the accessibility of sophisticated hardware. However the majority of these innovations have been focused on increasing plant yield. To add to this, Atami aims to be a catalysts for supporting the environment, which they believe is an essential part of future responsible horticultural practices.
Atami has become a way of life
With 20 years of blooming experience, an Atami ‘lifestyle’ has become an identity for much of its customer base. In line with Atami’s
slogan ‘naturally innovating’, the company has decided to celebrate its 20th anniversary in a unique way. An original line of high quality lifestyle products including bags and apparel is being launched. Attention to detail has been paramount, using high quality materials to correctly reflect the established brand image of the company. The Atami experience will now be able to be enjoyed and communicated both in the garden and on the move.
Atami bag
The elegant line of bags currently consists of a ‘cross-body bag’, a ‘business bag’ and a ‘travel wallet’. All three are made out of high quality leather. The ‘cross-body bag’ has four separate compartments for items such as tablets, chargers, travel documents and credit cards. Uniquely designed to ensure product safety whilst also providing
easy accessibility to the bag user. The ‘business bag’ provides three spacious compartments for larger items such as laptops, books and files. It is Ideal for travel and business meetings. Separate smaller storage areas for items such as bank cards, phones and keys is also provided. The ‘travel wallet’ is a smaller solution that compliments the first two products. Lightweight and discreet, it enables easy access to everyday items whilst being extremely easy to carry. Both above or beneath clothes is possible for optimal safety. It is designed with a zipper on the back to provide additional space for coins and cash. All three bags are available in chestnut, red, camel, moro and black.
Atami apparel
The apparel line is kicking off with fashionably designed t-shirts created by the in house design team. Subtly
communicating the Atami brand whilst keeping a strong sense of style has been the goal for these products. The quality fabric is made of 40 single long fiber ring spun cotton. It is enzyme washed and silicone treated to ensure a smooth ‘ítch free’ feel to the skin. These two iconic prints are available in 4 colours.
Atami fairs and events
Keep an eye out for the Atami 20th year anniversary tour event at trade fairs near you. You can experience the Atami lifestyle first hand, and meet the enthusiastic Atami team. During your visit to the ‘Atami 20th year anniversary booth’ you will also find exclusive promotions, free samples and a chance to win big prizes. We look forward to seeing you and celebrating our 20th anniversary together.
www.atami.eu
12
GROW WITH STONEY TARK
Top Tips On Plant Training THE FIRST 4 WEEKS
This Sky Walker O.G has been trained for multiple heads
Once you are set in your ways as a grower, it can be very hard to turn back on your current methods, especially when a lot of the growing is kept secret and techniques are not so quickly shared. I have been growing for over half my adult life and in the last few years have changed my grow game so much, that I have gone full circle and now can share with you what is the best way to start your plants off and grow during veg. You will learn about the importance of root development and low stress technique (LST) as these are the main focus. This article is based on a shorter vegging period of around 28 days but of course can be applied for longer if need be, however is all about growing huge root masses and tough woody plants. Low Stress Technique (LST) This is the best way to encourage multiple tops growing on a plant, without having to pinch out and wait for the new shoots to recover whilst the plant focuses its energy, on the lower shoots and leaves. By simply tying down the main shoot which is responsible for upwards growth, the remaining smaller shoots will react and grow up to become the newest dominant growth tip. The bent down shoot will grow back upwards and will
A Sour Diesel that has been pinned down during the first few weeks. This was repotted and has been growing in this pot for just 5 days.
focus on growing a plant with 6 to 8 main heads growing. Instead of going for as many tops as possible, just allow all of the other lower shoots a chance to really grow into something special, as opposed to a smaller nug that would have weighed a few grams at best. This technique only takes a few minutes to perform and within 36 hours you will see the
main head of the plant grow back upwards. After this point you have trained the plant to now grow with more vigour.
then grow along side the other shoots which will have more of a presence than before. I always tie my plants down and snap the stem even at a young age to promote a tough sturdy plant.
2 inch squared of pure thick healthy roots. Giving the plants the best start is what makes a huge difference later on.
When I use low stress techniques, I prefer to tie the plants down once then when they grow back tie down again. Mainly to promote rigid thicker small branches. These will grow like they are in flower and look lumpy and woody to rub and touch. Try and
This Girl Scout Cookies hybrid has reacted well to L.S.T
Pinning Down With Metal Wire
Do not be afraid to twist the roots apart so when they are repotted, they will grow in all directions in the new medium. This Girl Scout Cookies x Casey Jones from C.S.G loves it when the roots are broken apart and repotted.
The best way to perform this technique is to use the same wire that is used for bonsai plants. You want the metal to be the bendy but thick stainless steel so it will not rust when wet. To create a 5cm long pin, cut off a 10cm piece of wire and fold in the centre in half. Ensure the end is large enough to pin the stem down
13 without it crushing it or causing it discomfort. I do not pin the stem to the soil but leave a good inch or so. The plant will grow like a multiple candle stick holder and the supports you put in now will act like scaffolding. Before you decide how you will tie the top shoot down, you should make several thin metal pins from wire and similar to bonsai train the shoot to go one way or the other. Depending on how much of the soft wood stem I have to play with, I can make the stem curve around on itself or make a letter ‘ S ’. This is a really great way to grow super tough woody plants from a very early age and perfect chance for all of the new growth to have an open space to grow upwards into. You can get quite creative with this method and even have your own shape, of where you want the plant to grow. It is all about making a miniature hard wood structure that has a tough feel to it. When your plant grows there will be so many pins and such demand on the plant that you will notice the plant will have some stretch marks, around where the plant has been twisted and pinned and there is a serious demand for the plant to grow bigger and tougher. It is very important to also remember to remove any of the original metal pins you used. The reason why is I have had plants that grew so thick and strong they ripped themselves out of the metal rods in the soil, yet nearly cut themselves in half in the process. Cannabis plants have an immense ability to grow through many things so once your plants have taken a nice shape, safely remove the old pins and save for a future grow.
Snapping Stems This goes hand in hand with pinning down and will really make the plant woody and lumpy. The principal behind snapping the new shoots is to break the inner walls so they must be repaired. Hormone is sent to repair and once the inner tube has formed a stronger natural barrier, similar to a broken bone it has now healed thicker and permanently. The difference with plants and humans is the repair hormone inside the plant continues to be sent for the remainder of the plant's life cycle. You only want to apply enough pressure with your thumb and fore finger at the early stage and even a pinned down shoot can have a break in the point where you have pinned down and turned 90 degrees. So if you imagine all of the tied down stems have been turned 90 degrees left or right and
have a kink in the stem naturally. All you will do is apply more pressure for a few seconds and lock the bend in place with the metal wire.
Air Pruning In Small Pots From 2 Or 4 Inches I recently covered an article that explained the importance of air pruning. As you can see from the pictures all of the plants are grown in a 2 inch square fabric pot. I believe that the air pruned thick mass of roots I get this way within the first few weeks, will set me up to grow large based stems that will then fill out my larger fabric air pots. You would not think that the trained plants in these pictures are growing in only 2 inch sized pots, yet this proves how the infrastructure of a root zone is the difference maker in the right start for your plants. The roots are totally packed out and when I will transplant into my medium of worm hummus, coco and perlite, They will really max out and dig themselves deep as they continue to prune for the entire grow.
Microbes If you really want a fast growing root base, then you need to invest in some beneficial bacteria. By adding microbes that have been aerated and fed some type of food source during the brewing process, you will create a symbiotic relationship with the roots and the microbes. In return the microbes will make the breakdown of foods on the medium quicker and more efficiently, helping to outsource what necessary food the plant requires at that time for its building blocks. The way to make sure your roots have a healthy supply of microbes is to simply get a bucket and fill with water. Get an air stone or air hose from a fish tank and aerate the water. Add the required amount of spores into the bubbling water and then add a food source high in carbs for the microbes to feed on as the multiply into millions and billions of little helpers.
F*CK
YOU GROWER
Organic Compost Tea It can sound complicated and something your grandparents would make, however these are what supercharge the medium and keep the microbial life thriving. Not only do these really boost the plant's vigour and plant health, they will contain all of the essential elements the plant needs and more. To keep it simple the way to make these is the same as when brewing microbes yet you will add organic matter like manure or nettles to your bubbling water. The microbes present will be activated
Keep on Growing
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14 and thrive off the oxygen supply present. When fed back to the plant, the roots will thank you for it but either way get use to aerating your nutrients for a good 24 hour period prior to feeding. The best thing about mastering organic compost teas is the difference in taste of your final buds. Many growers choose to use only in flowering to increase bud production but using it in veg can offer a serious helping hand. I personally use a worm hummus tea and then will add a high Phosphorus Bat Guano into the nutrient solution as it is bubbling. After a 24 hour period, I remove the foam off the top and strain the aerated tea.
Removing Fan Leaves In my opinion I do not see the benefit of removing fan leaves or any leaves that seem like they are blocking direct light. I would always recommend to keep all of the leaves on as they are a fundamental in the plant's design to produce sugars. You can even tie down fan leaves and encourage them to grow underneath themselves, yet they must still act like a solar panel wherever they are
on the plant. Use your judgement if you really must move a large stubborn indica leaf to allow others to grow but really if you can tie the plants down at the earliest stages as covered above, then there should always be a way to ensure an even amount of light. This is one part of mastering plant training and canopy control.
Foliar Feeding Something that is very important for the plant and another way for it to absorb the nutrients it wants. The roots of the plants are responsible for feeding the rest of the growing cannabis plant, however feeding with a seaweed or mild molasses foliar spray can turn the plant to a lush healthy vibrant green. This is a good way to get the young plants use to feeding and also a great way to buy some time to allow the medium to dry out between feedings. Many farmers spray their crop with an ortega extract that has been proven to kick in the plant's immune systems. When making a foliar feed, it is a good idea to only add a small amount of molasses or seaweed or fish mix to your spray bottle. If the spray mixture is too thick it can
A perfect example of how the plant will look once trained and root pruned, in a 2 inch fabric pot.
stain plants and even lights so be careful when using a thicker nutrient to mix with. Lift plants up and make sure you can spray underneath them also and cover the entire plant. Only spraying on top works fine but if you can spray up and around the plant, it will really thank you for it as it grows with its leaves pointing towards the sky.
Break Roots Upwards
A very healthy and happy Kush strain, which will grow large and bushy now the shape of the plant has changed due to pinning down with metal rods.
An excellent way of promoting wild root growth when re potting the block of roots from your air pruned pots. It sounds like a bad move to disturb all of those soft white delicate roots, yet these roots can take a good breaking apart and sending in new directions. Creating a large root mass that can be attached to new medium and grow without any restrictions is one way to ensure your roots and stem are on their way to maximum potential. Commercial gardeners use this technique all the time and it is something the old school farmers used for centuries. Get use to being hands on with the top end and bottom end
of your cannabis plants. They can take a lot more handling and helping than you think! I hope these tips give you the chance to grow elite plants and start those precious seedlings and clones off the best possible way. The preparation to getting them to become monsters all happens here not just when they have been flowered. Good Luck and Peace Out!
If you want those huge harvests then think about that root zone! There is no reason why this plant will not really take well to the new medium and produce large yields.
CANNABUSINESS
16
Hesi is ready for the future FAMILY BUSINESS GROWS INTO GLOBAL PLAYER IN TWENTY YEARS
What began as an experiment in 1996 with a bathtub and a mixer has become an internationally leading manufacturer of high quality yet affordable fertiliser. Henk (He), business expert, and Siglinde (Si), a biochemistry graduate, have been a strong duo since those very first experiments in the bathroom. Started as a close-knit family business, to this day Hesi exudes the same atmosphere, where professionalism and geniality are in perfect balance. Twenty years later and four moves further Hesi has now found a site that offers prospects for its still steadily increasing revenue. “We’ll be ok for another two years,” laughs Henk, winking. A former metal company in Kerkrade in South Limburg was the ideal location to look to the coming years with confidence. This was urgently needed as demand grew so much that the company risked getting bogged down due to a lack of space. “Today we have customers who buy full containers, which was really no longer possible” explains Hank. And though the new location is just 4 kilometres from the previous one, a move on such a scale is akin to a military operation. Numerous licenses had to be applied for, things got lost, machines were broken down and rebuilt, there was a delay in getting the water supply connected, and so on. A number of alternations also had to be carried out in between to
DOING EVERYTHING IN-HOUSE IS THE ONLY WAY TO GUARANTEE OUR HIGH QUALITY STANDARDS. fine-tune the property for use by a smart production chain. While users continued using Hesi products and stocks were dwindling, production came to a standstill for a week. But while Henk gained quite a few grey hairs that week, all the stress was more than worth it. Hesi was known as the fastest business in the industry, and that will only improve with the new location, expects Henk. “With 5,000 square metres we have three times as much space, so
Hesi founders Henk and Siglinde in the immense 5,000m2production hall.
the production is now much more streamlined and efficient, as is the division of labour.”
Family business
Hesi has always followed its own course. This applies primarily to its everyday operations. Henk: “Actually, we have always remained something of a family business. 90% of our people are long-term employees. With us, the social aspect is perhaps a little more important than at other companies. It’s not just about money; having fun at work is equally important.” That tenacity is also reflected in the range; in an industry where consumer and the seller often lose the overview in an endless series of products, Hesi continues to focus on the essentials. "We've always had a relatively limited range, which benefits stores as they don’t need to make massive investments,” explains Henk. “Some producers carry 45 products of which 32 are in fact unnecessary; it’s all about marketing.” A limited range also has a practical advantage: it provides a high turnover rate. "With a very wide range, there are always products that do less well, and products may expire,
which is obviously bad for your reputation. We haven’t had any trouble with that in all those twenty years.” Hesi reacts soberly to hype; new products are only added to the range if company chemist Siglinde has proved after extensive testing that they really have added value. For example, Hesi only added a bloom booster to its range in 2014, something our competition has been stuffing shelves with for at least ten years. Henk emphasises that Hesi has a very high quality standard; the raw materials used are almost exclusively of ‘food grade’ quality. Nevertheless, Hesi resides in the cheaper end of the market.
Recognisable corporate identity
It’s a commonly held belief in the business world that companies need to transform their corporate identity every few years, but Hesi does not see the point of this. Even though the company has its own design department, its labels have looked the same from day one. And while some people may find this a little backward, you can’t deny that it improves the visibility of the products. “We perform our marketing based on instinct,” explains Siglinde. But there is also a very practical reason why Hesi is reluctant to carry out cosmetic changes. “If we suddenly came up with new labels in, for example, Turkey, they wouldn’t trust it, they’d think it was fake!” Hesi is however gradually starting to believe it’s time to firmly entrench itself in the
17 digital age. Two spectacular apps have put Hesi on the mobile map - see inset for details. And then there's the website, which has seen better days. Here too are large changes in the pipeline; don’t forget to check the revamped hesi.nl at the start of next year.
International expansion
The list of countries where Hesi is sold is impressive. To name but a few outside Western Europe: Chile, Canada, Japan, Iran, Israel, Turkey, Russia, Ukraine ... Australia is the only continent where Hesi does not deliver. Henk thereby emphasises how important distributors are to Hesi's success. “We supply only through wholesalers, as it’s them who made us big.” A strategic presence on the major exchanges is essential, know Henk and Siglinde. There you can roll out your activi-
ties to new areas. However, this international expansion does not always run smoothly. “You encounter the strangest things when it comes to certification for export,” says Siglinde. "In Russia radioactive measurements were demanded and cauliflower and potatoes first had to be grown with our products before they were convinced after 2.5 years that it was safe.” But eventually persistence wins. “We are one of the few in our industry with certification for Russia,” she says proudly.
Osmosis
Time for a tour of the shop floor. Filling machines and mixers are strategically positioned in the vast hall so that production follows a logical line. A relief after the previous situation, when stocks regularly had to be carried from
one corner to the other and then back again to make room. The basis of all Hesi plant fertiliser is formed by a water treatment plant which can produce 18,000 litres of neutral osmosis water per night. Henk: “By starting with water with an EC of 0 you’re not dependent on whatever your water supplier may have left in your tap water.” Where previously barrels of 1,000 litres were used, the ingredients are now mixed in barrels of 4,000 and 5,000 litres, which of course means that the production capacity can be increased considerably. Once the product is approved it goes to the filling machines. Despite the strict quality control, samples are also taken of all production batches, which are even stored in case there are ever complaints. “This
enables you to quickly determine whether something has gone wrong in the production - which incidentally has never occurred in twenty years.” With so many customers so far from home you might think it would be easier and cheaper to make products abroad, or send goods in bulk and to fill them elsewhere. This is however unthinkable for Henk. “If you do that you’d have no control over your product. Who can guarantee that someone somewhere doesn’t add some extra water to the solution and thus damage our reputation? No, we will continue to do everything in-house, as that’s the only way to guarantee our high quality standards.”
www.hesi.nl
Professional guidance with Hesi apps With two apps Hesi joined the mobile digital age last May. The app Dynamic Nutrients guides growers from seed to harvest. After you have entered the basic data of your cultivation project, the app tells you for example when and how much to water, and which food should be administered at which dose at any given cultivation phase. This app makes cultivation a lot easier for both experienced growers and beginners and helps you to avoid forgetting to intervene at key moments. Hesi's second app, Hesi Plant Hero, goes a considerable step further and puts growers in direct contact with professionals of the Wageningen University, the world-renowned university of agriculture. Here you can ask every imaginable cultivation-related question. Hesi Plant Hero is intended to become an ever-growing database of cultivation knowledge. Both apps work on both Android and iOS (Dynamic Nutrients will reach iOS in mid-January) and do not use your location in order to safeguard your privacy. Both apps are available in five languages (English, French, German, Italian and Spanish).
Supervit conquers the orchid world Globally, Hesi's Supervit has been a fixed constant for a multitude of growers for years, a product that ensures visibly more vital and more developed crops. Moreover, Supervit works in extremely small doses and is therefore very economical to use. The sophisticated complex of vitamins, amino acids and other essential nutrients works at the cellular level as a rocket fuel for everything that grows and blooms. Hesi was still pleasantly surprised when a local association of orchid growers got in touch with the company. It turned out that the hobby club had completely crushed its competition in a national orchids competition - thanks to Supervit. This got Hesi's alchemist Siglinde thinking. The result is Hesi OrchiVit, a complete food for orchids, which is essentially Supervit on steroids. Meanwhile, what she calls her “lovechild” has been a particular hit in Germany among amateur and professional growers of exotic ornamental plants.
www.orchidsfertilizer.com
QUIZ
18
SOFT SECRETS
GROW QUIZ
By Stoney Tark
1) Which of these strains is a pure Indica? A) B) C) D)
White Rhino Afghan Kush Northern Lights Amnesia Haze
2) Why can automatic strains be grown in almost any conditions that receive good lighting? A) B) C) D)
They will flower automatically They prefer more darkness You can veg them for longer Automatics must have strong lighting to grow
3) What does it mean when breeders call a strain ‘commercial’? A) The seeds sell well B) The plants flower very quickly C) The plants are very robust and can handle many diseases D) The plants have great foilage
7) Why should you always add Perlite to poor soil before growing marihuana? A) The white color keeps the medium cool on hot days B) Perlite is packed full of nutrients that the plant needs C) It keeps insects away as they do not like the smell D) It creates air pockets in the medium for extra oxygen and it absorbs water quickly 8) Air layering is a way of rooting clones how? A) Using fine misters to spray the clones B) Air layering does not exist C) Similar to bonsai, the clone is taken whilst still growing on the plant D) Hardening off clones after they have started rooting 9) How many hours of darkness do plants need in flower? A) B) C) D)
12 light / 12 dark 14 light / 12 dark 18 light / 6 dark 10 light / 14 dark
10) What is the main reason mostly when you have tall lanky plants? A) B) C) D)
A lack of light Weak genetics Poor growing medium Lack of oxygen
4) What does PP stand for?
11) Which of these N-P-K ratios are best suited for the growing stage?
A) B) C) D)
A) B) C) D)
Purple Plant Power Plant Per Plant Plant Power
5-3-4 0-13-14 0-39-40 2-1-20
5) The main advantage of growing indoors during the night time is?
12) Which of these N-P-K ratios are best suited for the flowering stage?
A) The temperatures are much cooler to create a cooler grow room B) There are not so many insects flying around C) The electric costs are cheaper to run in the night time D) It is more secure
A) B) C) D)
6) If the leaves of your plant are starting to yellow, this is signs of which deficiency? A) B) C) D)
Calcium and Magnesium Nitrogen Potassium Phosphorus
10-0-0 1-0-10 0-10-10 5-10-10
13) Plants that do not have purple genetic traits in them can still turn purple when flowering. Why? A) This shows the plant is developing THC B) Cold temperatures at night time allow the plant to purple C) The buds are ready to be harvested D) They are rich in CBD
14) Rain water is high in which of these? A) B) C) D)
Phosphorus Zinc Nitrogen Magnesium
15) Which of these strains does exceptionally well on a coco medium? A) B) C) D)
Northern Lights Santa Maria White Widow Any ‘blue’ variety
16) When making Ice-o-lator hash, why must the trim first be frozen? A) B) C) D)
Freezing does increase the taste The trim is easier to handle when frozen To change the psychoactive properties The trichomes will shock and break off into the water
17) When discussing a strain, hybrid vigour means what? A) The strain shows traits of both it's mother and father and grows with stability B) This means it is a special phenotype C) The strain is from an unknown hybrid D) The strain is dominant with the mother's genetics 18) What are different phenotypes? A) An expression of characteristics of a certain genetic B) When a plant is a hermaphrodite C) The best plant in the room is the phenotype D) You can only have one phenotype so this is not true 19) Why is a person affected differently by edibles than by smoking? A) They do not smoke much B) Depends if it is an indica or sativa strain C) Cannabis must be smoked to feel the effects D) THC responds differently when processed by the liver 20) Why is worm manure such an excellent addition to your soil? A) It is a bastard to collect, but it’s free B) It keeps insects away C) It contains the right concentration of the most important nutrients D) The smell will keep caterpillars away See page 46 for all answers
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21
Frequently Asked Questions Hundreds of questions come in; some questions are asked more often. Here are some of the most Frequently Asked questions. FAQs are important to review because they get to the core of growing. Enjoy your garden! ȏ ȏ ȏ ȏ ȏ ȏ ȏ ȏ ȏ ȏ ȏ
+RZ GR \RX VHW XS D JDUGHQ" :KDW V WKH PRVW LPSRUWDQW IDFWRU LQ JURZLQJ NLOOHU ZHHG" :RXOG LW EH VRLO WHPSHUDWXUH QXWULHQWV RU VRPHWKLQJ HOVH" 0\ SODQWV VHHGOLQJV DUH VWUHWFKLQJ ZKDW GR Ζ GR" +RZ GR \RX IRUFH IORZHULQJ" :KDW OLJKWV VKRXOG Ζ XVH" ΖV LW EHWWHU HDVLHU WR JURZ K\GUR RU VRLO PHWKRG" +RZ FDQ \RX WHOO WKDW SODQWV DUH ULSH" 'RHV &2 ZRUN" +RZ GR \RX XVH LW" 7KH ERWWRP OHDYHV DUH \HOORZLQJ ZKDW GR Ζ GR" +RZ FDQ Ζ PLQLPL]H WKH WHOOWDOH VPHOO RI P\ JDUGHQ" +RZ FDQ Ζ FRQWURO SRZGHU\ PLOGHZ"
results in buying expensive but unnecessary equipment followed by failure, use others' expertise to create a productive garden the first time. Information is the cheapest, most effective equipment you can buy. Think of it as software for your garden. Even with equipment worth thousands of dollars, the garden cannot be run well without knowledge of how to do it. In addition, there are lots of videos and video channels providing demonstrations of different growing techniques and methods. You can also go direct by taking classes at Oaksterdam University in Oakland, California. Their classes range from weekend seminars to 14-week intensives. I recommend Marijuana Growers Handbook. It will help you grow a successful garden the first time.
II am looking for tips on how to grow my own. I don't know anything about it. What should I do?
What's the most important factor in growing killer weed? Would it be soil, temperature, nutrients, or something else?
M., Carteret, New Jersey
BUD LOVER, Internet
BEFORE YOU PLAN a garden or buy any equipment you should read at least one book on growing marijuana. There are a number of good books out there by several authors. Although the techniques described in the books differ a bit, any of them will improve your success rate.
THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR that affects the quality of the weed you are growing is the plant's genetics. No matter how well a plant is grown, it can only reach its genetic potential. The cheapest way to improve your garden is to find better varieties.
Rather than attempting to start a garden using trial and error techniques, which often
Environmental conditions enhance the potential of your crop, or rather; they can hinder your plants
Use an instruction book to help you get started. I suggest Marijuana Growers Handbook.
from reaching their full potential if the plants' basic needs are not met. Light, water nutrients, CO2 and temperature are the limiting factors.
My plants/seedlings are stretching, what do I do? THE PLANTS ARE suffering from insufficient light. This is a common problem. The seedlings are stretching to the light to searching for a stronger light intensity. The solution is to provide them with brighter light.
How do you force flowering? MARIJUANA IS CALLED A SHORT DAY plant because it flowers in response to a long night (dark) cycle. The plant measures the number of hours of uninterrupted darkness each night using a hormone called phytochrome. During the day the presence of red light keeps phytochrome in its active form, which prevents flowering. In darkness phytochrome gradually reverts to its inactive form, allowing flowering. When the hormone builds to a critical level, which occurs when the dark period is long enough, the plant flowers. When the gardener creates this critical period of 12 hours uninterrupted darkness in each 24-hour cycle it is called "flower forcing." When the 12-on/off regimen is maintained the plant soon changes from vegetative growth to flowering. The first flowers appear 5-10 days after forcing.
Stretched seedlings are a symptom of insufficient light intensity. Support the seedlings upright using wooden food skewers and give them more light.
22
Powdery mildew spores are everywhere and they enjoy the conditions in marijuana gardens. It appears as a white powdery coating on top of leaves.
What lights should I use? Lamp technology is going through rapid change. For the past 30 years single ended highpressure sodium lamps have been the lamps of choice. Now however, there are several new lamps that are available. Various experiments, as well as grower reports indicate that doubleended HPS lamps are more efficient, emitting more useable light than single ended. Both Based on both light emission and growing tests results show yield increases of 20-30%. LED lights are now the most effective for indoor growing. The reason is that they produce narrow spectrums of light so just the spectrums used by plants can be produced, saving energy. At the same time the lights are
Modern LED lights increase the growth rate as compared to HPS lamps by focusing the light on the garden canopy and providing only plant useable spectrums.
Close-up of bud showing stigmas and trichomes. dispersed more completely over the garden so there is a narrower range of hot and cold lighting spots and since the lights are placed close to the top of the canopy not much light escapes the garden. This can be a problem for HPS lamps in gardens with aisles or spaces between plants. Some new LED’s also produce light in a wider spectrum range, producing spectrums helpful to the plant that that are not emitted by other lamps.
Marijuana requires a long dark period to flower. This light deprivation curtain is used daily to limit light to 12 hours. If you do follow directions, are sensitive to the plants’ conditions and prefer a system that promotes fast growth, try hydro. The choice is yours. Do what feels comfortable for you. Growing plants should not cause you stress. There is no right or wrong way as long as the plants are healthy and thriving.
How can you tell that plants are ripe? Is it better/ easier to grow hydro or soil method? Planting mixes are generally more forgiving of mess-ups such as over-fertilization and water pH out of range.
The white hair, the stigma, is part of the female flower.
PLANTS RANGE IN HOW long they take to ripen based on their variety and the conditions provided. Ripeness can be recognized when the ovaries recede and swell to bulging with THC. The white hairs called stigmas dry up and turn color, the trichomes caps, where
Male flowers look like little balls until they open revealing a 5-petal flower.
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24 How can I minimize the telltale smell of my garden? There are several ways to remove odor in the garden. The easiest is to use a carbon filter. You can place it in the garden to clean the air circulating in the space.
Powdery Mildew infected plant. The hydrogen combines with CO2, to produce sugar. Sugar is used by the plant to fuel metabolism, that is, the process of living. Any excess is combined with other elements as raw material for growth. Air contains about 400 parts per million (ppm) CO2. However, under the intense light found in grow rooms plants can use CO2 at a far faster rate, and grow much faster as a result when the air is enriched with it up to about 1,500 ppm. The growth rate climbs in a linear ratio to the presence of CO2. There are two ways of supplying CO2 to the garden; by using a generator that burns propane or natural gas, producing CO2 heat and water vapor or using a CO2 tank. Sensors that regulate CO2 ppm in the air control both.
CO2 tank with sensor easily supplies gas o enrich the air. A CO2 generator can also be used. the cannabinoids are made and stored fill with resin stretching the caps membrane taut. Then the clear resin begins to turn milky or amber. At the same time the odor intensity increases substantially. The plants are ripe. It’s time to harvest
Does CO2 work? How do you use it? CO2 (CARBON DIOXIDE) Is an inert gas composed of carbon and oxygen. In a process called photosynthesis, plants use light energy to cleave water into its two component elements. Oxygen and hydrogen. The oxygen gas is released into the atmosphere.
The bottom leaves are yellowing, what do I do? Most likely the plants are suffering from nitrogen (N) deficiency. This is he most common deficiency encountered when growing marijuana. To build tissue, plants use N. When there is a deficiency, the plant moves the N from old growth to the new growth. The solution is to add a high N fertilizer. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are always listed in fertilizer packages in the same order, commonly known as the fertilizer's N-P-K. Yellowing fan leaves that occur at the end of flowering are not a problem that needs to be addressed. The plant for ripening the buds is using their nitrogen.
Negative ion generators and ozone generators precipitate odor molecules, leaving the air smelling fresh. However they also neutralize odors in the plants so they should not be used in the grow room, but in adjacent rooms or in the exhaust system to clean exiting air.
How can I control powdery mildew? Powdery mildew is endemic in marijuana gardens. It looks like finely powdered sugar on the leaves. As a preventative, herbal fungicidal sprays and biological fungicides prevent the mold from germinating and attacking plant tissue. Although it is not pathogenic buds infected with it are not considered useable. Most methods used to concentrate cannabis do not eliminate it. Here are several controls for it on plants that are already infected: ȏ 0DNH D VSUD\ RI PLON DQG VRGLXP bicarbonate (baking soda). The recipe: Add 3 ounces milk and 1-teaspoon baking soda to a quart of water. Shake and spray. ȏ 0DNH DQ KHUEDO VSUD\ E\ VRDNLQJ 1-tablespoon oregano and 1 tablespoon ground cloves to an ounce of alcohol. Let soak for a few hours. Add water to make a quart. And add a pinch of dry lecithin powder or a drop of detergent. Stir or shake. Let soak a few hours more. Strain and spray. ȏ 8VH DQ KHUEDO IXQJLFLGH ȏ 8VH D ELRORJLFDO IXQJLFLGH VXFK DV Serenade®, which uses s. subtilis, a bacteria that feeds on fungus, as its active ingredient. One problem with using it is that it increases the bacterial count, making it unacceptable at some dispensaries, although their ingestion is not harmful.
OPINION
25
MEDICAL CANNABIS IN SCOTLAND: HOPE ON THE HORIZON? At this year's Scottish National Party conference in October (note: the SNP and the Scottish Government are pretty much the same thing), the delegates voted "overwhelmingly" in favour of the decriminalisation of cannabis for medical purposes. This is very good and very positive message being clearly sent out to the rest of the country: Scotland is in favour of medical marijuana. by Dr Dee At the risk of appearing like a spectre at the feast, there is - unfortunately - a pretty big fly in the ointment as far as this goes. Drug policy in the UK is what's known as "a reserved matter", and what this means is that it comes under the auspices of London rather than Edinburgh. In a nutshell, the Scottish Government can't do anything when it comes to changes in the drug laws, unless they get the green light from Westminster first. And this is a pretty major stumbling block as relations between Edinburgh and London aren't exactly very cordial at the moment. Add to this the fact that we have a UK Prime Minister in Mrs Theresa May who seems completely at ease trotting out the old (and very much discredited) "cannabis has no medical or therapeutic value" line of totally unscientific nonsense. A few years ago, that would have been the end of the matter, but things have changed, not only in Scotland but in much of the rest of the UK as well. Now several police forces (including Police Scotland) have decided to turn a blind eye to low-level and "minor" cannabis offenses, effectively ignoring their boss in the Home Office and introducing - ad hoc - a decriminalisation set up. I have to say at this point that I'm not overly fond of decriminalisation either as a concept or as a practise; it's just too vague and woolly for me. It seems to appeal to a lot of people, I assume on the basis that "it's better than nothing", but here's the thing;
Where these "tolerate and turn a blind eye" operations are in place, it's purely because these places appear to have fairly enlightened (perhaps "pragmatic" would be a better word) Chief Constables. The problem is that these guys move on - and let's face it, they will move on, or retire or whatever - and there's no guarantee that whoever takes over will have such a benign view of the matter: without proper and full legalisation in place it could very quickly and easily go straight back to square one, and that's not good news for anyone. A lot of anti-legalisers (including, weirdly and perversely, some pro-decriminalisers)take the view that legalisation of cannabis for medical use only won't work because it will de facto legitimise all use. Personally, I have to ask the question, what's so wrong with that? A pretty good and robust case could be made for a lot of recreational use falling under the "self medication" banner as many otherwise reasonably healthy people around the country choose to vape a trench or skin up a fat one as a pre-emptive mental health measure. For most people, it's sociable, it's relaxing and it generally helps users unwind after a hard day or week doing whatever it is that they do. What's the problem with that? It's only correct to say that not everyone at the SNP conference was thrilled about the vote. One of the attendees worried that exposing ill people to cannabis will open that gateway we keep hearing about and would move inexorably towards all sorts of other - more harmful - substances. I doubt she has much to worry about. While it's true that some people will overdo it and a few may even move onto other drugs, the rest of us will be more than content to have a (legal) toke and just relax. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-37667285
INTERVIEW
28
A Cannabis Consultant In Barcelona
An example of some flowers that will be thoroughly tested with analysis to accompany.
Before a daily long distance run, Russ prepares himself by enjoying some Yuzu. A very popular sativa considered some of the finest around. Be sure to check out this strain when visiting Barcelona.
As an American living in Europe whose job is to test cannabis across Barcelona, Soft Secrets interviewed Russ Hudson about his role as a cannabis consultant, asking his expertise about the social club scene and to give more clarity on the laws in Barcelona. Involved with Cannabis from an early age, we ask Russ his thoughts on the modern day canna scene By Stoney Tark and what his thoughts are on correctly grown cannabis. SSUK: How did you begin your work as a Marijuana consultant? I've always worked with cannabis to some degree, since I was about 12. I was a street kid then, selling small amounts of pot to make just enough money to eat and find warm places to stay during the winter in Portland, Maine. Over the years that small-time gig got bigger; I eventually began growing and moved my way up the black market "ladder" until I was a middle man instead of the retail dealer. In time I found myself brokering large deals between parties. I moved large quantities of cannabis between parties in the Northeast for years, and then for a time was bringing cannabis from Mexico to
Russ will research a great deal of information about a strain he will test. This means learning about the genetic from seeding until harvest.
New England in a truck I custom built for this purpose. In addition to this work, I also held regular jobs, and as I aged that morphed into mostly writing jobs. By 2007 I was a full time freelance writer and editor. Clients began to ask me for content about cannabis, and that is where my legal foray into working with cannabis began.
generally includes an interview with the developers, growers, or other party responsible for the strain and/or its marketing. Once I understand that background of the cannabis, the first thing I do is examine it closely under microscope, looking for a variety of different contaminants. If none are found, I proceed with the review. This includes detailed analysis of the look, touch, smell, taste, potency and duration of the high. Each review requires around 5 grams that I smoke over the course of about a week, taking notes the entire time. After the week I use my notes and other data to write a full-feature review if the piece is for posting on my site or for a client. This is the process for reviews. For clients who want me to evaluate strains prior to purchase, post-harvest, etc., the pro-
When testing a strain of Marijuana, what are the tests and the procedures you perform? Many social clubs have a more modern layout and feel about them, as well as being used as venues to generate interest in the club.
The test always begins with an investigation into the background of the strain; I need to know as much about the genetics and history of the strain as possible. This
Working with hash, flowers and wax is part and parcel of being a cannabis consultant.
cess is generally the same, but does not require the 7 day use period.
The information that is gained from the testing is then used how? Testing of cannabis strains is for 2 general purposes; for full feature reviews on my sites or the sites of clients and to evaluate strains for clients prior to purchase, postgrow, post-treatment, to evaluate the strains of competitors, etc. I am also often called by clients to evaluate strains that are in development or strains that have recently been stabilized or a nearly stabilized.
How has the Social Club scene progressed in Barcelona in recent years? The social club scene in Barcelona has been largely the same since about 2012. In 2014 police launched Operation Sativa, which saw the forced closure of 60 clubs in just one 24 hour period. Since then, a new city government has taken control in Barcelona. The leader of this government, Ada Colau, has "grandfathered" in existing clubs for 5 years, provided those clubs aren't in violation of any city ordinances.
29 The administration also set requirements for the clubs, which our engineering experts confirmed in June left space for about 40 new clubs in Barcelona. Since then around 10 new clubs have officially opened. However, the general way that clubs operate has not changed.
US is huge, has 50 States with different legislation on the books; some states are medical cannabis states, some are outright prohibitionist, some are recreational, etc. There's just no way to accurately compare. In the US there are places with professionally grown cannabis, and places with homegrown dirt weed. The same is true in Spain.
Many users of Marijuana use for medicinal use. Do you use for medicinal use also and how does using Marijuana benefit you personally?
What tips do you have for growers who want to be connoisseurs and learn to test their homegrown buds, as professionally as possible?
In the State of Maine I am a certified medical patient using marijuana to treat symptoms of PTSD. I also use marijuana unofficially to treat anxiety. The auto-
I'm not convinced on CBD only medicine yet. We still need a lot more research, but my experience is that you can't fool nature. THC is just as important as CBD, and I suspect that in time we will confirm this to be true. However, for now, if people are scared of THC and CBD medicines work for them, that's great! But my suspicion is that the real power is in whole plant medicine. If we keep pushing the CBD angle, what will probably happen is that world governments will say "Okay, CBD is a legitimate medicine, but it must be ‘medically’ extracted from cannabis. Therefore, only pharmaceutical companies, USDA, etc. will be permitted to safely make this medicine.
These flowers will be tested under a microscope to be checked for any contaminants.
The best piece of advice I have in this regard is to always use a microscope. If you cannot see your cannabis at a microscopic level, you're not doing your job correctly. And considering that so many growers cheat, this is just as vital for endconsumers. In fact, I am in the middle of a project that seeks to put portable, powerful and inexpensive microscopes in the hands of the majority of cannabis users. I feel strongly that this will help to clean up the industry and force growers to be more responsible, and users to be more educated.
Many social clubs operate without a license. Is that true Germany have recently made and how does that work? CBD a legal medicine. What A license was never required to are your thoughts on the CBD open a cannabis club. Then back movement and how do you in 2014 the city issued ‘Cannabis think it will progress over the Club’ licenses for a period of about next 5 years? 8 months. Then the city stopped issuing those licenses and put a moratorium on new licenses for one year, then extended that period for an additional year after the first year expired. The latest moratorium expired this year and so new licenses have been issued. Clubs that were opened before this license became available are operating with licenses, but not a cannabis club license. Some of these clubs are registered as bars and restaurants, some as offices, and one or two as religious organizations. Until we get some proper legislation in this regard, this practice will probably continue unabated, especially by clubs that were grandfathered in.
biographical article I referenced in this document explains this more, and also discusses how I use marijuana to aid in long distance running; 16km every other day. Concerning PTSD, my major symptom is hyper-vigilance and trouble staying asleep during the night. Cannabis helps me to relax, easing my need to always be on alert, and allows me to sleep peacefully through the night.
You can read more about Russ Hudson’s work online at http:// marijuanagames.org/ as well as find an article detailing the top 5 social clubs in the city in the web address below. http://marijuanagames.org/ the-best-cannabis-club-inbarcelona-2016/ Good luck becoming a connoisseur with your flowers and extracts and remember detail is everything!
What are the best social clubs that someone visiting Barcelona should join and You have a short documentary on VICE . What other why? media are you working on? A person visiting Barcelona should go to the club that is right for them. Some clubs are medically-oriented, some specialize in extracts and concentrates, some are focused on raw flower, etc. Some clubs are busy, some are not, some for young people, some for locals only, some for partiers, some for professionals, etc. Of course location is also important; if you're staying near Sagrada Familia, you probably want to join a club near there and not in Raval. This is one of the reasons that I review clubs; so that people can choose what it best suited to their personal needs.
In comparison to the Marijuana available in the States, what are the differences in your opinion? The United States is a massive country. The weed in one place is vastly different than the weed in another, so this really isn't a good comparison. Where I live in Maine, the weed is good but somewhat amateur. 3,000 miles away in California, the marijuana is considered by many to be among the best in the world. People forget that the
Right now I am working on a larger documentary with Canal+ that will take place in Morocco, after the release of their most recent documentary on cannabis, which featured my work for 2 segments. An article about my work will soon be published in the largest Russian culture magazine, and I'm in talks with other large media to produce some television programs featuring yours truly.
From all of the strains that you have tested to date, what is your personal favorite and why? Right now my 2 all-time favorite strains are Yuzu and Zombie Kush. Yuzu is a sativa developed by Club Choko in Barcelona using Chocolope genetics. It's the best tasting, hardest-hitting sativa I've ever sampled. Among connoisseurs in Barcelona, this is widely accepted as the finest marijuana in the city. Zombie Kush was developed by Ripper Seeds in Sabadell, Spain, which is a suburb of Barcelona. Zombie Kush is the most potent indica I have ever had.
m om .co n.c en he tch icKiitc smicK osm Ko K
30
SEED BANKS
INDUSTRIAL PLANT YOU WILL FORGET THAT TIME GOES BY Enormous, dense and sticky buds full of plentiful resin, a rather short blooming period and a medium plant size make this strain one of the indoor growers’ favourites for its abundant and qualitatively good yields. TricomaTeam (tricomateam@gmail.com) The Dinafem seed bank rolled out yet another tremendous crossbreed derived from an Afghani and a Thai parent; a medium-sized, extremely easyto-grow plant, with limited inter-knot distance, few branches and a large main stem. When flowers are growing, it doubles its size, thus widening the gap between lateral and central branches even further. It has been particularly selected to be grown indoors under lamps and produces large yields after a very short blooming period. Its Sativa/Indica ratio is 50/50. At least two or three distinct phenotypes can appear in the same garden, with clear differences in colour, quantity of pistils and smell, and in the final colour of the herb after drying. Indica traits are clear from the large quantity of dense resin drops that form along all branches, as well as from a remarkable main bud. Its taste and effect are slightly similar to those of an Afghani, but most influences derive from its Thai parent. It is fresh and sweet to the palate, with a taste of lemon and spices. Effects are balanced between mind and body, without any bias towards either. It is therefore ideal for relaxation.
plant. As the blooming period is short, you need to be particularly careful not to cause any problems, as you will have no time to solve them. When the first root appears, it needs to be transplanted to a soil substrate. Within a short time span, after growing in pots of little less than one litre, it needs to be moved to larger pots of seven litres, as a minimum. The larger pots in which we grew this strain had an 18 l. capacity, with significant differences in the final weight of each plant. During the early two weeks of its vegetative phase, you need to apply a root enhancer twice. In the following two to three weeks, you need to apply a growth booster either once or twice.
A bud full of resin.
clones that an Industrial Plant mother can produce is lower compared to that of other strains. When the plant photoperiod changes, plants immediately stop growing and inter-knot distance
removal of salts twelve or fifteen days before harvest will produce a herb with a highly appreciable taste and colour. We encountered several phenotypes; within each of them, all individuals were rather homogeneous and,
It is also among the fastest and most productive plants on the market. Indoors it only needs between seven and eight weeks to ripen. Outdoors it can be harvested from late September to early October. Its indoor yield is around 625 g/m2, its outdoor yield exceeds one kilogram per plant in optimal conditions. Its low leaf-to-bud ratio eases trimming and reduces the time spent on plant care, in comparison with other more care-intensive strains. Industrial Plant is particularly suitable for commercial growers seeking high yields, but not at the expense of quality. Its only problem is that it is rather sensitive to botrytis. In a highly humid environment, fungal problems could arise, given its large bud size and poor resistance to attacks. In an outdoor environment, to avoid problems and make the most of it, we recommend growing it in temperate or warm climates.
Cultivation
Like all the other Dinafem plants so far tasted, all of our germinated Industrial Plant seeds sprouted in one to two days without any problem. The growth of this strain is uniform and the
In the middle of the blooming period.
If the earth substrate used is sufficiently rich in nutrients, this plant will not need further feeding. After little less than one month, subject to the prior taking of cuttings for the purpose of
A side bud.
becomes shorter. Soon, the early pistils will be visible, and their number and size will grow more and more. A small dose of bloom booster towards the middle of this phase will increase the production and quantity of
IT IS PARTICULARLY SUITABLE FOR COMMERCIAL GROWERS SEEKING HIGH YIELDS, BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF QUALITY. quantity of secondary branches and new buds is constant. It does not require a large quantity of nutrients, neither in its vegetative phase, nor during bloom. It is a rather strong and robust
selecting a mother, we induced flowering. Clones made from various seeds of Industrial Plant also rooted rapidly and did not lose vigour. If you take cuttings, they are usually good, but the quantity of
trichomes. In a few weeks, buds will be rock hard and covered with shining THC crystals. In our case, when the flowers were ripe, we cut them and moved them to the drying area. A
consequently, we could not make up our mind as to which one to pick as mother. Yield is the most remarkable characteristic of this plant, with individuals weighing 25 g minimum in pots of seven litres, right up to as many as 80 g in pots of eighteen litres. After drying and weighing, the herb only needs to be tasted. Its aroma and taste are light, with a citric aftertaste and spicy touches calling to mind hash. The large quantity of trichomes covering buds make this a special strain particularly suited for the production of all types of extracts. Its effect is not too strong, but pleasant and lasts long enough; it also produces an agreeable sense of cerebral and physical relaxation – so it is perfect for alleviating both the mind and the body.
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32
GROW WITH JORGE CERVANTES
HEMP RUSSET AND BROAD MITES Broad mites and Hemp Russet mites are a relatively new threat to the garden. They began to appear a few years ago, now these minute mites are becoming a common problem in many, many gardens – Indoors, outdoors and in greenhouses.
Broad/Cyclamen Mites Garden Threat: low to high Common Names: Broad mite, yellow tea citrus silver mite, tropical chilli mite, jute white rubber leaf mite. Cyclamen Stenotarsonemus pallidus
mite, mite, mite, mite,
Broad Mite Species that Attack Cannabis include: Polyphagotarsonemus latus, Acari species Common names: broad mite, yellow tea mite, citrus silver mite, tropical mite, chilli mite, jute white mite, rubber leaf mite, cyclamen mite (Stenotarsonemus pallidus) Broad mite species that attack cannabis include: Polyphagotarsonemus latus, Acari species Broad mites (Polyphagotarsonemus latus) and cyclamen mites (Stenotarsonemus pallidus ) are very similar in their life cycle and the damage they cause, so they are together in this section. First they are distinguished, and then symptoms and control measures are lumped together. Broad mites and cyclamen mites live and breed on many plants, including cannabis. They migrate to lower leaves and infest plants quickly. The symptoms can easily be confused with nitrogen deficiency. They do not make spider webs. Garden threat: low to high Identify broad mites: Aggressive adult mites are microscopic, about 0.1 mm long with eight legs. Larvae have six legs and are hungry at hatch. They are less than half the size of the red spider mite. Softbodied nymphs move fast. Color is translucent white and yellowish and other light tones. Broad mites reproduce most prolifically
This leaf shows signs of a severe infestation of hemp russet mites. at temperatures between 70ºF to 80ºF (21.1ºC–26.7ºC). The long eggs (0.08 mm) have a series of about 30 whitish bumps, an oval shape with protruding circular surface, and they stick hard to the leaves. The adult has a dark dorsal band. Each female can produce 40 to 50 eggs in a lifetime. They hatch in two to three days—with an appetite. After eating for two to three days, they start the pupal stage en route to adulthood. Identify cyclamen mites: Less than 0.2 mm long, these waxy looking mites have four pairs of legs and range from colorless to green or brownish. Cyclamen mites share many characteristics with broad mites. Male cyclamen mites have a very strong claw mounted at the end of each fourth leg. These mites avoid light and prefer high humidity and cool 60ºF (15.6ºC) temperatures. They hide
inside buds, under leaves, and in any protected place on foliage. Eggs are smooth and hatch in about 11 days when deposited in dark, moist locations. Damage: Mites secrete a plant growth regulator or toxin as they feed. And a few mites can cause a lot of damage fast! Feeding damage deforms and distorts young buds and leaves. Leaf edges can curl up or entire leaves can cup down, pucker, crinkle, become brittle, and show signs of scarring. Internodes shorten, growing tips are stunted, and overall growth is underdeveloped. New growth can blacken and die. Damage resembles herbicide damage and can also be confused with viral disease, micronutrient deficiency, or herbicide injury. Damage may appear for weeks after the mites have been
controlled. Damage is usually not detected until significant damage is incurred. Damaged foliage will not recover. A microscope will be necessary to detect the actual mites; a handheld loupe is not powerful enough to see them. Cause: Microscopic or micro-mites are able to walk short distances and are dispersed long distances by wind or by attaching themselves to people, tools, or a winged insect (aphid, whitefly, etc.) and hitching a ride. Male mites actually transport eggs to new foliage. They migrate to cannabis from many plants, including but not limited to houseplants, African violets, cyclamen, begonias, snapdragons, impatiens, gerbera daisies, fuchsias, daisies, azaleas, ivy, camellias, jasmine, lantana, marigolds, grapes, and vegetable hosts—beets, beans, cucumbers, eggplants, peppers, potatoes, and tomato plants. Mites are also common greenhouse pests in some crops.
Damage: Feeds on all types of cannabis plants. They live and feed mainly on leaves, petioles, and meristems. Feeding damage causes leaflets to curl at edges followed by chlorosis and necrosis. Leaves and petioles become brittle. Infestations turn leaves beige with hemp russet mite bodies! Mites feed on female stigmas rendering them sterile. They also consume resin glands which can reduce resin production severely. Hemp russet mites feed on cannabis plants until host is dead. They congregate on the upper part of the plant as it dies. Hemp russet mites vector viruses. These microscopic hemp russet mites (Aculops cannabicola) infested Cannabis plants in a secure greenhouse at Indiana University.
This picture by Karl Hilling shows them on a leaf petiole that was about 2 mm wide.
Prevention: Cyclamen mites cannot take temperatures above 92ºF (33.3ºC) but the spider mite will. If you drop the humidity to 30 percent, they cannot develop into adults. But the conditions in most garden rooms are perfect for spider mites to thrive. Do not let broad mites enter the garden room or greenhouse. They are more difficult to prevent, and they thrive in hot conditions. Use certified pest-free growing mediums. Keep the garden room very clean. Wear clean clothes and shoes into the garden room and greenhouse. Do not grow ornamental or food plants that attract cyclamen or broad mites.
Hemp Russet Mites
It is important to eliminate broad mites before flowering because plants cannot recuperate if they go into flowering with broad mite damage. Control Biological: Locally occurring mite predators give satisfactory control in
many areas. Two natural enemies—Euseius stipulatus and Typhlodromus ovalis are being evaluated as biocontrol agents of these mites. Amblyseius californicus eats red spider mites and broad mites Polyphagotarsonemus latus. If there is no food for the predators, they leave or die. Amblyseius californicus can also eat pollen to maintain themselves. The strawberry (Ricinus communis L.) and margaritas (genebra) are some of the foods with pollen. Sprays: Broad mites and cyclamen mites are not susceptible to some dinitrophenol compounds and synthetic pyrethroids. Submerging plants completely in a miticide dip is very effective to treat small plants. Fenbutatin, diazinon, and dicofol (Kelthane)—all very harsh chemicals that I do not recommend— have been effective in the control of mites.
Garden Threat: low to high Common Names: hemp russet mite, mites Hemp Russet Mite species that attack cannabis include: Aculops cannabicola Identify: Hemp russet mites are not wellknown but this appalling pest is growing in infamy because it is so hard to control. The mites are very small reaching only 0.2 mm in length and they have just two pairs of legs attached to their pale beige bodies. Even though hemp russet mites are virtually impossible to see with the naked eye, they are easy to distinguish from other destructive mites because they leave no webbing. At 80ºF (27ºC) hemp russet mites achieve a 30-day life cycle.
Cause: Introduced to gardens by unsanitary practices, contaminated stock and bad luck. Hemp russet mites hide on plants indoors and in greenhouses. They are believed to overwinter on contaminated seed indoors and outdoors. The minute mites spread easily to nearby plants by splashing water. Wind also carries them greater distances. Prevention: Keep garden area clean and disinfected. Introduce only pestfree stock into gardens. Disinfect seeds. Keep the garden below 70ºF (21ºC) and below 50% humidity to slow reproductive process. Remove seriously damaged foliage and plants from garden. Control Biological: The fungus, Hirsutella thompsonii, is a pathogen to hemp russet mites, but I have not seen it available commercially. Sprays: Miticides and sulfur sprays are somewhat effective. Make sure to get complete foliage coverage when spraying.
This is an excerpt from chapter 24, “Diseases & Pests” 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.
34
THE GANJAMAN RARE STAMPS COLLECTION!
NEW WEBSITE
softsecretsuk
John The Stoner AT THE START OF FLOWERING HOW ARE YOU? WILL YOU MAKE BIG BUDS FOR YOUR DAD?
HELLO GIRLS!
LISTEN SOLDIER!! THIS IS A RED SPIDER ATTACK!
SOON AT THE GROWSHOP SOS! RED BALLS WITH 8 PAWS FULL OF HAIR ATTACK MY PLANTS !!!
JAH ENEMY! FROM NOW, IT'S MAXIMUM ALERT!!
NOW TAKE THIS INSECTICIDE ...
COME ONE SOLDIER! I WILL SHOW YOU HOW TO KILL THIS BASTARDS!!
THE PLAN IS VERY SIMPLE! NO MERCY AND WE TAKE NO PRISONERS!
AND BURN THEIR FUCKING FACES... IS IT CLEAR!?
HUM... YES SIR!
OK! PROBLEM SOLVED! I HOPE EVERYTHING WILL GO WELL FOR THE LAST SEVEN WEEKS!!!
BACK ON THE GROW ROOM.. GASP !
NAPALM IS GOOD IT'S WARM!!!
TO BE CONTINUED
FORWARD, MARCH!
38
GROW WITH STONEY TARK
The SOG (Screen Of Green) Technique The lower parts of this plant has been cleared and now supports the large buds above the screen.
There are some simple and effective techniques that can be used in growing cannabis, especially when using a screen to train your plants. Using a screen to incorporate to an existing sea of green improves overall yield, canopy control and allows the grower to be By Stoney Tark fully hands on from start to finish. What Kind Of Screen? The principal behind the screen is that it is used to divide the canopy into areas, where the growing plant tops can receive as much light as possible. Most importantly the squares that the shoots will be guided through should be large enough so the plants are not too close together and cannot grow too bushy.
The best screens to use to overlay your canopy are chicken wire metal nets. These 2 inch squared nets are ideal and can be bend around a plant canopy if need be and stretched out later on. Alternately you can use plastic pea netting as long as the squares are large enough and even make a bamboo grid that can be fixed over the canopy. They are inexpensive and can be sourced easily.
The branches on this plant are thick, strong and very woody.
When To Add The Screen Plant training is essential when using a screen as the whole point of the screen is or you as the grower, to place stems around the net so they grow across and away as opposed to straight upwards. The reason is to expose the inner canopy and to allow those parts to work directly upwards as the higher parts of the plant are stretched out to become the lowest parts. If you have pinched the plant out to produce multiple top or even a basic L.S.T, then there will be a number of dominant growing top shoots that can be ready to grow through the net in their fixed positions. This should be done as he plant height is around 9 to 12 inches high so as the plant grows it will fill out the net and from a distance the canopy height will appear even, as it has been manipulated so there is no highest part of the plant. Adding a screen when the plant is too low
can cause further complications and when working with stubborn wide leaved indicas, airflow and light spread can be an issue. If you plan a short flowering time of 3 weeks or less, then add the screen so it will aid during flowering to spread out the canopy as wide as possible. If you are vegging for a longer period of time, then you can really take advantage of stretching out the branches and training the plant to its maximum potential.
Clearing The Lower Canopy This part of the scrog is really the defining moment, to when you will promote all of the plants growth energy into the upper canopy which is situated above the screen. To remove the lowest parts of the plant and to clear away any smaller new shoots that are persistent is key. There are several advantages to doing this and one being the
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40
Here there are stretch marks where the plant has grown and strengthened over time.
plant's energy and focus is now on the upper canopy which is going to become a 24 to 36 inch wall of buds. The second advantage is the air flow from the lower part of the plant and medium will be totally open. This is great to discourage any unwanted insects and to allow the plants to have air flow from the bottom of the plants to travel upwards and out. You should avoid butchering your plants and to select which parts are hardwood shoots that will find a space in the net, as well as distinguish which are the newer softwood shoots that can be used for clones if needs be when clearing away the lower parts. I personally like to remove the softwood shoots so anything that has not grown hardwood over the grow period can be stripped away. This includes young shoots and leaves. Even if the leaves and shoots are in perfect health, they must go in order to concentrate totally on the growth above the screen.
a good air flow underneath the screen and also above the screen. Your plants will stretch during flowering but you can rest assured that the stretch is in your control. Dependant on which strain you are working with, you should aim to finish with a final top canopy of around 24 to 36 inches. These will be solid buds that are totally filled out and will become small dense nugs when harvested and dried. If you are flowering and the plants are growing to such a height
There is space in this metal wire screen that more shoots can grow into and establish themselves as main shoots.
that the screen seems pointless, then you must learn to perform canopy control much better. The screen will allow you to hand feed branches of any size through any set area so getting comfortable with the strain and your own skill level is important here.
Air Flow And Accessibility One of the great advantages of using a screen is having the air flowing up and around the plants.
Guiding The Plant
24 - 36 Inches Of Top Buds When you flower your plants you will see that everything above the screen is for keeping and below will be totally clear. You will have
A good idea is to place an oscillating fan on the floor to clear the air of underneath the screen. Above the screen you will want oscillating fans covering the tops of the plants so they move and sway in the soft breeze. In the event that your plant is so epic and lush, that you're not able to access certain parts of the canopy, then this can be a problem especially when noticing spider mites, powdery mildew or mould. It is advised to arrange the plant to grow in an environment where if needs be you can get into the plant and work away. This is a good practice for clearing yellowing and different leaves as the plant grows strong and sturdy.
The canopy on this outdoor plant has grown huge considering it is in a small bucket. Using a screen can really generate bushy wide growth.
The easiest way to think about this is to get the tallest or longest branch, then to find a point in the screen that the top can grow through, whilst being stretched out almost horizontally. The reason why is to allow all of the smaller new growth to grow upwards as if it was a main shoot. Using your hand is the best way and it will allow you to see how stiff or bendy and durable your
41
This plant has begun flowering and the canopy is very low in height and very large in width. This totally eliminates the excess stretching and allows the focus to be nothing but growth and producing fat buds.
strain is. You should be prepared to guide the plant many times during the growing phase. If you can pull a long growing shoot through the screen, allow to grow then pull it back through to the other side of the screen, you will be producing many top buds that will grow during flowering.
When To Flower The Plants You will want to flower the plants and anticipate the stretching stage
before flowering the plant. If you have now grown a thick bushy canopy with many heads popping out of the almost hidden screen, then now is the time to flower. You can raise the screen a little if you need to at first to cover the initial stretch. However, once the 14 day stretch is over, now your plants will focus on slamming out bud covered plants. You know you have mastered the scrog when you have plants that are no longer stretching and can spend a good
All of the buds produced above the screen will be filled top to bottom with little internodal spacing.
6 to 8 weeks producing top buds, supported by a large screen.
Which Strain Is Best For Scrog? The strains that are designed for scrogging are sativa based hybrids. These posses the genetics that allow a grower to work with flexible vigorous growing tips. Some of the strains which prove more difficult to spread through without over shadowing itself can be pure indi-
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cas or kushes. Some of the stubborn old school indicas and kush genetics can produce wide thick fan leaves which can seem like they are blocking light to anything underneath. Check the seed catalogues and see which strain the seed companies recommend for scrog. Good luck learning to grow huge plants with a screen and getting hands on with your canopy control! Peace
GROW WITH THE BARON
42
Controlling Plant Height
Before LST
One of the best things about growing your own crops is the option to experiment with growing different varieties, often more flavourful than those found commercially. Genetic variation between different strains of the same species affect most of the variables in the final product including smell, taste, colour and strength of active ingredients. Final size of the plant is also a major factor that is influenced by genetics. by Baron Wasteland. For the average indoor grower, it is often suggested that shorter, stockier varieties are the best ones to go for, usually due to the low vertical height that is a common issue in grow-rooms, what with that big hot light hanging around from the ceiling and all!
Bending stem before tying
There are other important factors to consider: tall lanky plants give more shade towards the bottom, thus leading to weak scrawny flowers in the lower half. You can trim off those puny little buds before they have a chance to develop and rob the juicy ones up top of their strength, but then your plant has wasted a lot of energy growing so tall when it could have used that energy to pack out your flowers instead. So how can we control the height of a plant whose genetics are constantly pushing it to be taller? You may have seen various mysterious bottles of PGR (Plant Growth Regulators) in your local grow shop. These chemicals are synthetic hormones that tinker with the growth structure of the plant, but it is not known if they are safe for consumable crops and personally I would rather not use them on anything I plan to ingest. PGRs are uses extensively in the
commercial flower business, but nobody is eating, vaping or smoking carnations! There are several ways to influence height without resorting to chemicals, so let's explore these today instead. Firstly let's get our environment in order. Growing 101: Plants need lots of light. If you position your grow lamps too high above the plant canopy then you will see stretching happen as the plants race upwards to where the light is strongest. In general your lights should be as close to the tops of the plants as possible without being at all uncomfortable for them – if your hand is cool and comfortable at the level of your plants, then all is well. Be careful not to go the opposite way and have the lights too close, otherwise burning of the plant tops can occur, leaving dead tissue which is unsightly but also an invitation to bugs and mildews.
Temperature of your room is important. Too hot and your plants will stretch. But it's not that simple, as the difference in day and night temperature is also a factor. The wider the difference in temperature, the longer the distance between floral internodes (the length of stem between bud sites). In an ideal world you should be aiming for approximately 4 degrees C difference between your plant's day and night temperatures. If you can get 22 degrees C during the day and 18 degrees C at night, your plant can perform at it's peak. This seems to be most important to the plant in weeks 2-3 of flowering when the plant is finishing off it's flowering stretch. I've heard of some growers getting extremely short internodes by actually reversing the temperature differential, so the plant is warmer at night. Go easy, 5 degrees C difference is enough. Good air movement around the
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44 plants is hugely important for so many reasons, and it also helps keep height down too. Circulating air fast enough to move the plants during vegetative growth is one of the best things you can do. As soon as the seed sprouts or your clone has rooted and can take a breeze without wilting it should be moving around in the path of an oscillating fan. This strengthens the stem, encouraging lateral growth as opposed to vertical, almost as if the plant “knows” it will be blown over if it gets too tall. Nature is the cleverest grower. Now we have our environment sorted, let's look at some more creative ways we can control our plants height.
TOPPING Topping is a classic. This involves pinching out the very newest growing tip, thus stunting the growth up there while the lower branches catch up. This happens due to hormones called Auxins in every actively growing tip. The Auxins restrict lateral growth behind the tip on each branch, so when we pull the growing tip off, the lower shoots can develop without being restricted by the hormonal messages coming from above, and they will all race to become the next lead tip. In time the growth tip you removed will be caught up by the two shoots below it, so you will now have two active growth tips where there was one. There is a variant of this technique know as “FIM” (“F**k I Missed!”) legend has it that this was discovered by accident, hence the acronym. FIM involves not picking the growing tip off cleanly below the bulbous growth shoot, but a little higher so you actually leave a tiny portion of the growing tip attached. This still restricts the Auxin as usual, but you may find that three or even
Tying down stem
four new growth tips will appear from the site. Only use this technique during vegetative growth, as the aim is to get the shape correct before you trigger flowering, thus avoiding plant stress at the crucial budding phase.
LST Low Stress Training (“LST”) is a great technique that can work on its own, or in conjunction with the Topping/FIM described above. You can get super creative with it, and with care make your plant fill whatever space you have. It involves tying the top shoots of your plant down. The bending of the stem restricts the flow of Auxins in the same manner as Topping, thus making the lower shoots race to be the new leading stem. After a week or so you can untie the branches and let the plant carry on unrestricted. You can begin LST on
a small plant to get the structure tight from the start, thus ending up with incredibly short bushy plants. Go slowly, some sturdy branches will need to be tied down a little further every day over the course of 3 or 4 days to prevent snapping. It's also really effective to massage the stem for a few minutes all along the length softening it up and making it more pliable along it's entire length. This spreads out the bend tension across the length as opposed to in one spot which is then prone to snapping. If you do accidentally snap a branch don't stress, you can straighten it back out and use a splint to hold it up. It will be fine, but of course it's still better to bend it carefully to avoid breakages. You can tie budding branches wherever you need to minimise shading. It's really useful to have a load of hooks, or even some thin
tying branch down
wire mesh stapled to your walls to allow for many different potential tie points. Spending the time optimising light penetration to your flowering branches will pay dividends. Often as a plant grows it's useful to reposition some branches a little every couple of weeks to ensure maximum light penetration.
SCROG This leads us neatly on to Screen Of Green (SCROG) training. You can install a screen a few inches over your plants, then when a branch pops through the top, simply bend it back underneath and allow it to grow horizontally. The growth tip will soon refocus and grow vertically through the screen again, but then you can simply put the little lady back under the screen. Once the main flowering stretch is finished after approx 2-3 weeks, it's best to
FOLLOW THE BIGGEST LEADER
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allow the buds to grow vertically through the screen, as by this time your plant will already be low and wide with excellent light penetration into the canopy. After trying many different styles of screen, the absolute best material to use in my opinion is the plastic cheap flexible fencing screen that comes of a roll with square holes of around 2 inches. This is ideal because it's flexible but
before training
...To this! After training (top view)
After LST (side view) From this...
...To this! After training (side view)
strong enough to hold it's shape. It is easy to cut with scissors – so if you don't check your grow for a few days and find a rogue branch or two that is growing up through the wrong hole it's easy to just cut the mesh and reposition the branch – something that is a real hassle with metal mesh. Also the wider holed screens are far too wide to allow for precise training. The two times I used it I found I was supplementing the screen
with wire to position my branches more precisely, and the screen actually ended up being more of a hindrance than a help. If you are training your plants with a combination of LST and Topping in veg, then they can slip beautifully into a SCROG setup for flowering, nice and easy. Personally I suggest FIMing as early as possible (internode 3 on a seed,
or equivalent on cuttings) then allowing it to grow vertically for around a week, then starting LST to encourage bushy growth. You may find it prudent to FIM the main tips again once the plant has grown wider, so maximizing the potential carpet of growing tips. Ideally you are looking for a flat wide canopy at the end of vegetative cycle, ready for some explosive flowering! That’s it for now.
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Turkey legalises controlled cannabis production in 19 provinces
New government regulations will allow highly-controlled and ministrysanctioned cannabis production in selected provinces for medical and scientific purposes. Turkey has legalised cannabis production in 19 provinces in order to crack down on illegal production, according to new regulations by The Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock. Published in the Official Gazette in late September, “Hemp Cultivation and Control of Regulations” will allow highlycontrolled and ministry-sanctioned cannabis production in the selected provinces for medical and scientific purposes. Under the regulations, growers must obtain permission from the government allowing them to grow the plant for a three-year-period, Turkish newspaper The Hurriyet reports. Potential growers must produce a warrant proving they have not been involved in any illegal cannabis production activity or narcotic production or use in the past.
Name
Page
Advanced Seeds
15
Kosmic Kitchen
29
Amsterdam Seed Center
19
London Seed Centre
1
Atami
48
Mycologics
43
Dinafem Seeds
1
Paradise Seeds
1
Dinafem Seeds
47
Paradise Seeds
7
Dr. Blooms Hydroponics
1
Procare
43
Dutch Passion
23
Royal Queen Seeds
13
Ed Rosenthal
20
Royal Queen Seeds Brandstore
43
Exotic Seed
25
SANlight
45
Funky Skunk the
33
Smokin Vinyl
43
Genofarm
39
Stanford Hydroponics
1
Hemp Passion
27
Sweet Seeds
1
Hesi
2
Sweet Seeds
4
The regulations stipulate that authorised growers must dispose of all parts of the cannabis plant after the harvest period to prevent any being sold on as a psychoactive drug.
Humboldt Seed Organization
31
Vision Seeds
5
Hy-pro
11
Wilma's Lawn & Garden
39
Jorge Cervantes
36
Zamnesia
41
The selected provinces include: Amasya, Antalya, Bartın, Burdur, Çorum, İzmir, Karabük, Kastamonu, Kayseri, Kütahya, Malatya, Ordu, Rize, Samsun, Sinop, Tokat, Uşak, Yozgat and Zonguldak.
Kera International
43
Zamnesia
44
harvest season, and monitor them for any signs of illegal activity, T24 News reports.
In outstanding cases, the ministry may also grant permission to grow cannabis in other provinces if production is purely for “scientific purposes”. Consuming cannabis recreationally is illegal in Turkey. Possessing, purchasing or receiving any illegal drug, including cannabis, is punishable by up to two years in prison. Sale and supply of illegal drugs is punishable by prison terms of up to 10 years and unlicensed production or trafficking by a minimum term of 10 years.
Ministry officials will also check cannabis fields each month before the start of the
Source: independent.co.uk
Answers to the grower
quiz on page 18 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
C A C B A B D
Index of ads
8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14.
C A A A D B C
15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.
B D A A D C
1 to 5 points: You’re an absolute novice, a newby and a nitwit WR SRLQWV 9HU\ ORZ VFRUH <RX FDOO \RXUVHOI D JURZHU" 10-15 points. Not bad, but your knowledge base must improve 15 – 20 points. That’s it! You’re either a professional grower or a staunch Soft Secrets reader. Congrats!
Colofon Soft Secrets is published by Discover Publisher BV P.O.Box 362, 5460 AJ, Veghel, Netherlands Telephone: +31-(0)73-5498112 E-mail: info@softsecrets.nl Web: www.softsecrets.com Editor: Cliff Cremer Contributors: Ed Rosenthal, Jorge Cervantes, Dr. John Dee, Stoney Tark, Baron Wasteland, Top Shelf Grower, Mr. Jose, Hugo Madera, Bill Griffin 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.
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