2018 02 UK

THE CANNABIS NEWSPAPER SINCE 1985

FREE Issue 2 - 2017

17 AMSTERDAM

Pick a spot for your outdoor guerilla grow

22 Testing the varieties

37 CBD Testing and Breeding 2.0

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

CBD will soon be legal in UK RRY SENSI-STAR DELAHAZE PANDORA BELLADONNA WAPPA ALL

One of the main ingredients in cannabis, cannabidiol (CBD), is to be classed as a medicine in the UK. The decision by the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) stems from claims that the drug successfully treats serious diseases.

DINAMED CBD

The new classification means products containing CBD can now be legally distributed across the UK. Gerald Heddel from MHRA told Sky News that the change came about “based on the fact that we noted that people were making some quite stark claims about serious diseases that could be treated with CBD.” Alongside Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD is one of the main components of cannabis, accounting for 40 percent of the marijuana plant’s extract. Unlike THC, which is psychoactive, CBD is non-psychoactive, antipsychotic and does not cause anxiety.

The compound’s lack of a high

“MHRA will now work with individual companies and trade bodies in relation to making sure products containing CBD, used for a medical purpose, which can be classified as medicines, satisfy the legal requirements of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012,” an MHRA spokesperson said in a statement, adding that 18 companies have been advised of their change in opinion.

makes it less appealing to recreational users but of particular interest to the medical community, with campaigners claiming it aids in easing pain related to diseases including cancer, depression, Crohn’s disease, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

“It was clear that people are using this product with the understandable belief that it will actually help,” Heddel said.

Last month, researchers from the University of Alabama found CBD reduces both the frequency and severity of epileptic seizures in both children and adults. In two-thirds of the 81 participants the severity was reduced by at least 50 percent.

During 2016, an increasing number of MPs called for “root and branch” reform of Britain’s “failing” drug policy, with a cross party report indicating that the exchequer could increase its tax revenue by as much as £1 billion (US$1.23 billion) a year through the legalisation of cannabis.

Source: RT News

Cream Caramel® (SWS04) Femi

n ised S ee ds

3 EDITORIAL

Reefer Madness The uncertainty in America around exactly what is going to happen regarding legal weed in the future continues to rumble on, and its opponents in government are using some interesting spin (read: propaganda) as justification, much of it going back to the first half of the last century. It's difficult to know whether to just laugh this off in the hope that common sense will prevail, or whether there is a possibility that the more gullible sectors of the population will believe this nonsense.

President Trump's Press Secretary, Sean Spicer, compared the recreational use of cannabis to the (admittedly bad) opioid epidemic currently running its course in America. He appears to be trying to sell the old myth of cannabis as a gateway drug to the harder stuff.

Sorry, Mr Spicer, but this is incorrect. While it would be wrong to say that such a thing had never happened, the weight of the scientific evidence indicates that - other than an occasional foray into the use of other substances - cannabis users are almost fanatically loyal to their drug of choice, and would continue to use it over all of the others (and that includes alcohol).

There's also increasing evidence indicating that some strains of cannabis are more effective as painkillers (with no fatal overdose risk).

Jeff Sessions, President Trump's Attorney General is also on record as not being a supporter of cannabis, legal or otherwise. He recently stated that legal cannabis will lead to a big increase in crime, particularly violent crime.

Sorry Mr Sessions, but properly conducted research and police records in the legalised states say otherwise.

Royal Queen Seeds crossed it’s famous Amnesia Haze, one of Amsterdam’s finest Hazes, with their Skunk and then crossed it back with an autoflowering variety. The result is an amazing autoflowering feminized variety which you can grow to harvest in just 12 weeks.

Royal Haze will grow to a height of around 60 to 100 cm. The short size and quick flowering means that Royal Haze Automatic can be grown much faster than a nonauto Haze variety, even outdoors in northern European countries. Grown in good conditions, each plant will generally produce around 180g.

Royal Haze Automatic has all you would want from a real Haze variety, but without the difficulty of high growth and long flowering periods. And the best part of all? It tastes like a real regular Haze. This is the perfect strain for growers who love Haze but want a faster grow cycle.

Genetics: Amnesia Haze x Skunk#1 x Ruderalis From seed to harvest: 12 to 13 weeks Harvest: up to 200gr. per plant Taste: real sativa Haze Effect: Very active high Breeder: Royal Queen Seeds

Royal Haze Auto

He has also said that high THC content is leading to an upsurge in drug-related violence. What nonsense is this? He'll be telling us it's a "demotivator" next.

The best one is his claim that, in the cannabis market, when someone defaults on a payment, the only option open to vendors is to resort to violence. A couple of things here: firstly, while he (sort of) has a point regarding the black market, the use of violence around drug debts happens - mostly - around the "harder" end of the drug spectrum, so substances such as heroin and cocaine. Most individuals I've ever met would write the debt off, not deal with the miscreant in the future, and put out the word that other vendors do likewise. Secondly, he's referring to the legal cannabis market, "legal" meaning that vendors have the right to involve the law should any illegality occur (such as robberies or fraud). Talk about painting yourself into a corner.

In discussions with American researchers and a number of key players in the American legal cannabis arena, your author has absolutely failed to uncover any evidence at all of a connection between the legal cannabis market and serious crime. There is some anecdotal stuff, mainly stories presented by opponents to legalisation, but sorry again, Mr Sessions - these are unverifiable and wouldn't stand up as reliable evidence in any court of law.

As it happens, research conducted by NORML has found that where cannabis dispensaries have been closed down by the law, incidents of violence and criminality actually rise sharply in the affected neighbourhoods.

What we have here is an example of rich, white, male privilege trying to impose itself on the way everyone else lives: "We don't agree with it, so you're not having it". What makes this worse is that almost everything that's proposed as "truth" is actually anything but.

Be strong, America.

Dr Dee

READERS@SOFTSECRETS.NL

Attention Readers!

Fancy a FREE packet of FEMINISED seeds from SWEET SEEDS? Then send us a picture of your grow room or best cannabis plant, including a visible copy of Soft Secrets, and we’ll send you 3 seeds.

Should your photo happen to feature your beautiful wife or girlfriend wearing a sexy microbikini or super hot lingerie, you will receive 6 seeds. Photo of the Month will even receive 9 prime quality feminised seeds. With compliments of Soft Secrets and SWEET SEEDS!

E-mail your entries to readers@softsecrets.nl. NOTE: All entries are handled with the utmost discretion. We don’t publish out of focus pics, and we don’t like photos of plants in veg stage. It’s fat buds & sweet babes we want to see!

readers@softsecrets.nl softsecrets.com/readerswives

My sexy lady on watering day !

Mark Femi

n ised S ee ds

Mouth watering day it is, mate

5

6

8

Soft Secrets legendary

Readers Wives!

Check them out on our new website!

softsecrets.com/readerswives

PRODUCT

9

UK Personal Cannabis Cup Finally it has arrived. After waiting for over 25 years, the ukpersonalcannabiscup, a very trusted and friendly event, will welcome responsible, judging members and

existing personal (small) hobbyists (over the age of 21) to join in the fun with 3 memberships to choose from. Judges score cards will be sent out by email before all strain entries have been recieved,

gold and silver members only, to be filled out appropriatly, marking while you delta 9 that strain, then returning judges score cards.

Where then all score cards will be added up by an independent judge and winners will be announced (id number or alias only) on web site, (full site to members only) on the 5th nov 2017.

Imagine a ukpersonalcannabiscup prestige cannabis leaf motif and logo trophy in pride of place... Are you good enough to take 1st place, 2nd or may be 3rd place trophy, ukpersonalcannabiscup medal given for all members, medal to all strain entries personalised with strain entered, also winners will recieve some cool goodies i.e champagne, cannabis fragrance, and lots more.

This is an exciting time for all cannabis consumers (hobbyists) a like, and for existing cannabis consumers to have a chance at trying the different strains that are truly out there.......good luck www.ukpersonalcannabiscup.com

PAX 3 PAX 3 is a dual-use vaporizer for loose-leaf and concentrate material, offering rapid selection between three different, easily changed ovens: full-size, half-pack and a new concentrate oven. The new heating system provides double the power of its predecessor, PAX 2, delivering a smooth, consistent vapor in as little as 15 seconds. Also new to PAX 3: haptic feedback indicates when vapor is ready, when the device enters standby mode, and when it’s turned off.

This third-generation device retains distinctive features of the categorydefining PAX devices, including an internal accelerometer for energy and material saving features, intuitive ges-

tural control, proprietary lip-sensing technology for further flavor optimization, and a full-color LED interface to indicate temperature, battery life and more. PAX 3 is compatible with the PAX Vapor app, enabling consumers to further customize their device.

Additional app features available for PAX 3 include dynamic modes: pre-designed vapor experiences for distinct occasions that optimize temperature settings, vapor production and LED brightness.

PAX 3 is designed with a mirror-polished anodized aluminum shell and comes in Black, Gold, and Silver. The product is meticulously engineered with the highest quality materials and components and comes with a 10-year warranty with ongoing customer support and service.

www.xtreme-distribution.com

NEW VARIETY OF BUDDHA SEEDS

CALAMITY JANE: CONCENTRATED THC Calamity Jane by Buddha Seeds is one of this year’s news. Calamity Jane is a seed bank that stands out for its auto-flowering varieties; it has been showing in the last 10 years that it can easily compare with light-dependent varieties.

The new Calamity Jane is a big high yield automatic; it is the outcome of crossbreeding the best Magnum with a genetic hybrid by Brothers Grim Seeds, the American seed bank who developed legendary seeds between the 1990 and 2000. Its origin brings a touch of distinction and exotics which will make this auto-flowering seed unique in its kind.

Calamity Jane is predominantly Sativa. The influence of Haze by Magnum joins the heritage of the Grimm Brothers’ work so to

obtain fast growing plants, that reach a significant size and a well- branched presence.

Calamity Jane can be grown in any season, but you will get the best results germinating in the longest and most sunny days, that is to say during spring or early summer. Its bloom is amazing; flowers will grow day by day and will be covered with an abundant layer of resin. 75 days will be enough to grow between 100 to 250 grams per plant.

Calamity Jane is perfect for outdoors, where the priority is discretion, such as terraces, balconies or small gardens and courtyards. It is surely useful for guerrilla growing, gardens or indoors, in which case it is perfect in the SOG cultivation.

Filling the grow box with 5-7 liters pots, and with a constant

photoperiod of18/6 or20/4, you can get harvests between 550 and 600 grams per square meter, in just two months and a half since germination.

Its scent is very intense and penetrating. As a matter of fact, with indoor plants, in case you have neighbors close to your plants it is advisable to use charcoal filters or any other similar system. The taste is very sweet with a definite touch of citrus and a lemon scent slightly standing out, together with notes of Skunk/Haze.

Because of its quantity of resin, this is a variety perfectly appropriate to carry out extractions.

Thanks to its high THC levels, about 20%, its effects are powerful and sustained, with a long – lasting euphoric start and a slow descent which makes it perfect to enjoy its positivity at any time.

Bruno (lamarihuana.com)

WWW. PARADIS E-

WWW .P

SE- SEEDS.COM ADI W AR

OM DS.C SEE

OM

EST FIN ED SOELLECTION C

PREMIUM STRAIN COLLECTION

Paradise Seeds Genetics give great results, as seen on the picture above of Daya Foundation’s huge plantation, a licensed medical cannabis producer in Chile.

ADISE- SEED . PAR S.C WW

Yes, it’s that time of year…

Your garden is calling! If you’re looking for some solid per forming seeds to pop this Spring, then look no fur ther. Pa radise Seeds has the per fect companion for your garden this season.

What is your preference? We have power ful, couch locking indicas, soaring, uplifting sativas and relaxing medical strains to take the pain away. We have seeds for all your needs – indoor and outdoor. Check out our website for comprehensive descriptions of all our strains and their suitability for your next grow project.

The Pa radise Seeds product range fea t u re s ove r 3 0 s t r a i n s , i n c l u d i n g Autoflowering, Feminized and CBD rich va rieties. We have a reputation for great genetics and our seeds are organically produced.

Our va rieties are used in grow projects worldwide, prov iding the stability needed for medical-grade production and extraction.

We are one of the most decorated seed companies in the world, with a trophy cabinet full of cups and awards. We have been supplying happy customers with seeds for over 20 years and they keep coming back because when they buy Pa radise, they buy quality.

Give your garden a treat this season. Give it a taste of Pa radise.

12

GROW WITH STONEY TARK

O.G Kush Auto

After germinating all of the seeds and when the seeds sprouted I had to help pull the shell of the head of these. This is always a good sign that there is some Kush lineage in there. They start life well and have a pinkish red color to the stem. On top the first few leaves are thick and dark green. 14 days in and growing well and enjoying the sunshine. It will be interesting to see what this Kush grows like as it contains the haze genetics in there, so as the Amnesia haze is growing close by so it will be good to compare these. The leaves are now growing bigger and long and pointy and the plant height is still very small and around 15cm.

and to hold the trunk and shake this strain, the plant is very top heavy.

To look underneath the plants there are no bits of popcorn that will be discarded or used for making hash with. A very sturdy reliable thick nugged plant that is drinking nutrients for fun. The calyx are small and fat and the white and brown pistils are turning to a dark red, as the aroma settles to a musky fruit. The trunk is small and chunky and all of the lower branches are totally solid.

It has been 63 days now and these Kush plants are ready to pull. I will gently flush as the feed Is totally organic. I notice with this strain that the top buds and the lower buds and even the side branches are all identical sized flowers. I see that the smallest leaves around the buds have actually curled in on themselves clustered with trichomes. This is gonna be a good one and am really excited to get the scissors on this and take my time to make these beautiful

After trimming these small dense frosted nugs, they dry and begin to stay small and compact. The calyx are small and thick and the red hairs cover these crystal coated buds. In conclusion this strain has a powerful aroma to the buds and tastes earthy yet lemony. I would recommend this strain for anyone who does not have a lot of space to work with and prefers to grow smaller plants.

After placing the trimmed buds on a drying net and left to air in a back room, the buds have a peppery pungency to them. When smoking these Kush buds the taste is very smooth and almost wet flavors.

The buds actually grow like Kush buds but there is an expression of the haze in there, which creates a taste and aroma different to most Kushes. The high is very enjoyable and clear whilst there is a very relaxing body stone. After doing a few hours of careful trimming and

Plenty of small thick frosty buds grow all over this smaller auto flowering variety 21 days in and are the smallest out of the plants growing together but they are also very wide. the eaves are getting wider and when I rub my nose against the plant, there is a strong earthy aroma. Similar to a lemon peel also so I look forward to this one flowering. The first flowers are starting to appear and new shoots are growing from the internodes I can see this one growing buds closely together and staying low. After 28 days and this strain is growing quite tall now and around 35cm. The pre flowers are forming nicely and the leaves are all covered in nice white trichomes.

I expect this strain to pack on all of its weight and size during the last 5 weeks so up the feed and let this plant enjoy the sun. The temps are around 23 degrees in my greenhouse so this is ideal for these plants.

35 days in and this strain is measured at 48 cm and has many side branches. The stem is woody but not really thick yet and the plant looks like a small Christmas tree.

From every internode there are buds forming and due to the small

squat appearance, the plant looks to produce long buds all the way up the branches. On day 42, I am really impressed by the trichomes production on this strain and now she is working hard to pack on size and weight. It has been 36 days now and the plant looks extremely vibrant with a dark green metallic glow about it. The aroma when I get close enough is earthy but sweet so there is a Kush scent coming through slowly but surely.

After nearly 50 days this strain is filling out well now and the buds are small inch wide nugs but there are plenty. When I squeeze them with my finger they are hard to the touch so over the next three weeks, they should ooze trichomes and swell up. It is measuring at 50cm and I do not see it getting any taller. the buds are growing really dark green with lots of resin production.

The fan leaves and new leaves are covered in what looks like sugar and have frosted up. After 56 days of glorious sunshine and organic compost teas, the plants are heavy

As this strain grows, there is some influence from the Haze buds look perfect. Harvested after 65 days and a sturdy rock solid producer. If you are a big fan of Kush and Haze, then get yourself some of these seeds and you will enjoy these heavily frosted flowers.

making hash, this variety of cannabis is great for stress relief and just totally relaxing. A great strain and though not a huge producer, it will produce some fine buds indeed!

Sex: feminized autoflowering Genetics: O.G Kush x Haze Auto Medium: Worm Humus, Perlite, Compost, Bat Guano, Bone Meal Pot Size: 15 litre fabric air pot Nutrients: Biobizz range Growing: Outdoorse from June to mid August Yield: 69.1g dry weight

13 UPGRADE AND RENOVATION OF WEBSITE WWW.SOFTSECRETS.COM

Plenty of daily news and extra columns

F*CK

YOU Sign up for our new feature, hobby growers Our website www.softsecrets.com has undergone a fantastic upgrade and transformation. In recent months, our team completely revamped the site, so everything looks tighter and the features are more recognisable. New columnists have been recruited and we are now on top of the news daily, sometimes posting multiple updates daily.

Every day we are devoted to figuring out how to best be of service to our international readership. That of course includes an excellent website, where our readers can read the latest up-to-date cannabis news for free in different languages. We have invested heavily in additional correspondents and collaborators, who now post updates much more frequently than previously. Sometimes several times a day. After all, the cannabis world is evolving, so this way we’ll keep you updated even faster. We do so in many languages; English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Polish, Czech, Dutch, and so on.

Features

The website is well-organised. You can read the latest cannabis news, you'll find an overview of the different editions (which are all free to read or download) and there is attention to popular features like READERS WIVES. But we've also added some new features such as entertainment, where we closely follow the connection between showbiz and weed. The same applies to the sections tech and lifestyle, because the Internet and all things related to it, and the way we like to live also have many cannabis aspects. The future is green, the future is cannabis.

Medical

We ask that you pay extra attention for our medical feature, where we gather news and information about medicinal cannabis. Here you can read about

GROWER

the latest research, patient experiences, but also about growers engaged in the cultivation of special species that are most beneficial to patients. The world of medical cannabis changes from day to day.

More and more patients are acquiring legal access to a drug that has many and wondrous applications.

Follow the latest news on our website.

Bookmark

We recommend taking a look at our website. Much has changed, and we are convinced that you won’t be able to resist reading more once you have a look. Add us to your bookmarked websites, we will not disappoint you.

WWW.SOFTSECRETS.COM

WANTED:

Online cultivation ambassadors

We are looking for hobby growers who want to write an article about their cultivation. If you can write a great story about your cultivation, it may well be posted on our website. No further action is necessary on your part. Just send a nice article and if appropriate you will become one of our online cultivation ambassadors. Will you be our new roving reporter??? Send an article of about 500 words and pictures to: info@softsecrets.nl

Keep on Growing

www.facebook.com/rqseeds | www.twitter.com/royalqueenseeds www.royalqueenseeds.com | info@royalqueenseeds.com

14

QUIZ

SOFT SECRETS

GROW QUIZ

By Stoney Tark

1) When the surrounding air moisture is low, how does the cannabis plant solve this problem?

A. It stops growing vigorously and retards B. The plant takes in more water through the roots C. The plant transpires more moisture out of its leaves D. Female plants die off, male plants stay strong 2) Which of these types of lighting require a ballast to power the bulb?

A. LED grow lights B. Fluorescent bulbs C. High-Pressure Sodium (HPS) D. Infrared bulbs 3) Why do freshly taken clones need to be placed inside a propagator with low lighting?

A. To stop insects B. As long as they receive light they do not need a propagator C. To aid the clones in photosynthesis D. Now they will need high humidity to form roots 4) If you wanted to check the conductivity of a nutrient solution, which of these pens would you use to test?

A. EC pen B. pH pen C. Thermometer pen D. Humidity pen 5) Cannabis plants that are grown outdoors in northern Europe can be expected to start flowering when?

A. Beginning of September B. End of July C. Beginning of June D. Depends on the amount of sun they received 6) When growing cannabis indoors, what is the optimum temperature for the plants?

A. 32 degrees Celsius B. 27 degrees Celsius C. 18 degrees Celsius D. Anything over 15 degrees Celsius is just fine

7) A. B. C. D.

Which of these strains is an Indica variety?

Sour Diesel Super Lemon Haze Blueberry Chocolope

14) What can you do with a Pollinator?

A. Trim the smaller leaves of the buds B. Pollinate female plants C. Collect pollen from male plants D. Collect crystals from frozen trim waste to make Ice-o-lator hash

8) When growing regular seeds, you can tell the male from female how?

A. Males show ball shaped pre-flowers, females show white hairs (between internodes).

B. You cannot tell until the plant starts to flower C. Male plants grow taller than females D. Male plants will grow more upward

15) What is the max. amount of soil you need per plant for auto-flowering plants?

A. 5 liter B. 10 liter C. 15 liter D. 20 liter

9) If a cannabis seed has stripes or pattern on it, what does this mean?

A. These plants will be very high in CBD B. This is a genetic trait and means diversity from the seeds C. These seeds will have to be soaked first D. There will be a high number of males from these seeds

16) Why is it a good idea to put shards of broken stone pots in the bottom of your pot when growing outdoors?

A. It keeps out snails and creepy critters B. It cuts the roots so more roots develop C. It drains the water and prevents roots from staying too wet D. It’s not a good idea at all since the roots get harmed

10) The light spectrum 6400k is used to cover which stage when using fluorescent lighting?

A. This can be used during vegging and flowering B. Used only for the flowering stage C. Use for seedlings only D. The vegging stage, then a 2700k spectrum is needed for flowering 11) Which Dutch seed bank created the strain White Russian?

A. Royal Queen Seeds B. Dutch Passion C. Paradise Seeds D. Serious Seeds 12) When using nutrients the letter K stands for which?

A. Potassium B. Phosphorus C. Magnesium D. Carbon 13) What does “Flushing your plants” mean?

A. Watering extra in the last days of bloom to clear grow medium of any leftover salts B. Flushing is a growing technique that involves removing the fan leaves prior to harvest C. Flushing the trim through the toilet after harvesting the buds D. It’s a kind of plant whispering.

17) How many hours of light do auto-flowering plants need to trigger flowering?

A. 12 hours per day B. 18 hours per day C. They will flower automatically no matter what D. They will need to be kept in darkness for 72 hours 18) What is a ‘Mother room‘?

A. It’s the main flowering room B. This refers to the drying room C. It’s a room with female plants only D. It’s where mother plants are kept under 18 hours of light 19) Why do growers snap the stems of cannabis plants sometimes?

A. So they flower more quickly B. So they get less bushy C. To drain the moisture from the stems D. Once healed, the stems are more robust and can carry more bud weight 20) Which of these strains will have a fuel like taste and aroma?

A. Strawberry Cough B. Sour Diesel C. Blueberry D. Orange Bud It is done! Check the answers on page 54!

IS

EE

NT

T SA

Peyote s e i k o o C

D

NEW

FA

C TIO N G U A

RA

Peyote Cookies originates from the blend between Peyote Purple and our Legendary Cookies Kush.

This is a plant that is a vigorous hybrid, robust and easy to cultivate with dazzling ruby and purple colours.

Peyote Cookies has a very intense flavour of guava and earth, with nuances of vanilla and coffee. Its effect is powerful, relaxing and long lasting.

On all European orders over 100€ On all International orders over 200€

San Fernando Valley OG Organically grown.

Outdoor.

Meet Our Family.

CBD FEM MEDICRITICAL, BLACK DIESEL, MEDIFLAKE, MEDICANDY, MANGUÍFERA ÍNDICA, MK MILK, FEM BIG SHARK, EASY HAZE, BEST MANGO, FARM CHEESE, GOLDEN BERRY, SNOWFLAKE, THE CRITICAL, SOUR DIESEL, CANDYLAND, SFV OG, ANCIENT WIDOW AUTO FEM COTTON KUSH, THUNDERHAZE, PURPLEHAZE, FARM CHEESE, BEAST REGULAR ZERO, LEMON PETROL.

DR. HERER

Soon genofarm.com hi@genofarm.com

GROW WITH THE BARON

17

GUERILLA GROWING IN THE UK PICK A SPOT

Spring is in full swing. Taking some exercise out in the fresh air, away from fusty bong smoke and your digital life is one of the finest ways to restore your constitution. Sometimes you need a little incentive to get out there though, right? Well how about a wild garden of sexy outdoor buds you can call your own? That's enough incentive to unlock me from the couch!

By Baron Wasteland

Guerilla Growing is the art of choosing a secret spot somewhere outside to grow your plants. If you can't grow at home, or want to expand from the space you already have, it's an interesting concept to explore.

Exploring is at the heart of a successful guerilla grow. Go off the beaten track, stray from the path, get lost and find your own private little oasis you can call your own. No trespassing though! Stick to public land, national parks and wasteland.

Discretion Is A Virtue

The primary requirement for a successful wild grow site is discretion. The level of privacy can be balanced with convenience depending on the scale of your grow - it will be much easier to blend a few small plants in to the wild than trying to find a spot to accommodate fifty monsters! It's fairly obvious to plant away from known foot paths and dog walking spots, but people are adventurous and if you have easily found the spot then it means others may already visit too. For a bigger grow you will need to walk about an hour off the path to be sure of privacy. Look for signs of human activity: overhead cables, litter, footprints and tire tracks are signs telling you to look elsewhere.

WOODLAND GROW - PICK A SPOT Good stealth is important at all stages of the operation. The little details matter. Parking your car in the same place every week will start to get attention.

When travelling to your spot it makes sense to dress like a hiker not a hippy. Likewise common sense suggests not smoking a massive stinking blunt as you walk to your site - wait until you get there and enjoy some discrete pipes instead! Pack your bag it so it doesn't go “clunk” noisily as you walk. If anyone asks, you are just on a walk or taking nature photographs for your blog. Whatever. Make something up, but have your story prepared beforehand.

If you prepare your site properly in advance it cuts down on the frequency you need to visit over the summer. Walk a slightly different route each time to avoid leaving an obvious path. Crossing mud leaves footprints for people to follow, so cover them up or smooth them over behind you.

When you think you have found a great spot, get to know it. Go for a walk on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon to see if there are casual walkers around. You can really be sure how secure your spot is by using a covert motion sensitive digital camera. You can easily get Spy Cameras cheaply from Ebay which can be mounted on a tree in a spot where humans would inevitably need to pass if they were to visit your spot. Once you have found the perfect area, it makes sense to have a few more sites spread around. Thus spreading the risk.

You will need to approach your grow in stages.

Preparation is key to success.

USE THE LANDSCAPE TO YOUR ADVANTAGE

PERFECT SPOT

In open plains or sparsely wooded scrubland you could look for a natural depression in the landscape to stash your plants, allowing for a bit of vertical growth to happen without the plant sticking up like a beacon! In woodland grows it's easier to disguise plants against the naturally bushy surroundings, but you must check regularly to ensure they don't get overgrown by more established flora.

Direct sunlight is a must if you want any decent growth. So bring a compass to ensure the proposed spot is primarily South facing. The plants really need at least six hours of direct (non-shaded) sunlight per day. If you have been vegging them under lights indoors then it is very important to get them accustomed to the outdoor climate. Harden them off by placing them outdoors for a short period every day for a week, starting at half an hour and increasing to a few hours at a time.

In the UK we have a big seasonal problem growing outdoors – just when the buds start filling out nicely around September and October, at the point they need to remain at their driest, is exactly when the rain starts tumbling down. This can lead to bud-rot, which will ruin both your crop and your day. There are some strains which cope better than others with these damp conditions, and this is where wise genetic selection pays dividends. Look for outdoor strains that are noted by the breeders for being mould resistant. Or go for auto flowering strains and time it right so they finish at the end of August or beginning of September.

You can give any strain a helping hand by using a canopy above it to keep the worst of the rain off.

The ideal canopy for stealth is an overhanging tree.

Just make sure the sunlight won't be blocked. You may also have to plant towards the edge of the canopy to avoid the sturdy and tightly knitted tree roots. Alternatively if the site allows it in terms of

18 STREAM WATER MOVER

materials and stealth, you could get creative and build a tough roof from natural materials around the site like fallen branches, bracken, whatever...

Cast your mind back to building dens as a kid, then make a better one – this time it mustn't fall down!

WATER AND FOOD

The summer can be very dry. So how are you going to ensure the plants have enough water to stay alive and grow lovely juicy buds? Plants need lots of heavy water during the hot spells, and carrying it to them is no fun. To save a lot of effort try to find a site where you can plant near a stream. Make your own automated watering system by hiding a length of hose buried in the stream to divert water to your site.

You can improve the efficiency by securing a funnel in the end covered with some wire mesh to avoid the line becoming clogged with stones. You can weight this down in the stream and run the hose to your planting site, where you can split the hose with a manifold adaptor and slowly water a large area. Be careful you don't end up over saturating your plants if the soil is poor draining. It's ideal if you can find a good spot where you are able to plant directly on the riverbank itself, close to the edge. The soil will have moisture in it all summer long.

For best results it is worth digging out the planting site and clearing any large stones that will inevitably be buried in the ground. This will allow root development to proceed unhindered.

Depending on the quality of your site's soil it may be a good idea to enhance the natural earth with some high-grade potting mix from the grow shop.

Feeding your plants over the summer can be achieved with some slow release fertilizer granules. When you start seeing buds it would be worth adding something slow-release with a high PK. Bat Guano is good too.

It is absolutely essential to prepare the site thoroughly first; the plants should be the last things to arrive. When it's time to bring your little plants to the site they can be put individually in 2L plastic bottles that have been cut in half and taped back up. These are tough and easy to carry in a backpack. You could even consider vegging your plants in the bottom half of a large recycled plastic bottle (after drilling holes for drainage first). Keep the top half of the bottle for later, then when your green beasties are around six inches tall simply tape the top half of the bottle over the plant to protect it en route to the site, also minimizing root disturbance. Or grow them in coco pots then just plant direct in the ground.

It makes sense to plant on the south side of natural bushes if possible, for added camouflage in case your plot gets seen from afar.

AVOIDING THE MUNCHIES

Non-human pests can totally destroy your crop, so plan ahead! When planting out your babies they are very vulnerable from rabbits. You will need to create little cages from fine mesh chicken wire to circle the plants. Make them approximately 24 inches high X 10 inches wide, as you should bury the wire 6 inches down in the soil for stability. The bigger the cage the better – while balancing your budget and also discretion at the site.

Don't underestimate just how yummy wild birds find your plants – I learned this lesson the hard way when I was planting out some small seedlings many years ago. There were a whole load of little birds sitting really close around me in the trees, watching intently, much closer than normal. “How cute they are not scared of me” I thought, turning away from my plot. I moved about 15 feet away from the site to get some supplies from my bag, turned around and within a few seconds the flock had taken the opportunity to drop down and peck my little babies to bits! Several of my plants were

decimated. Although I was pretty angry, I was also impressed at their nerve, organization and love for the herb! Lesson learned.

Birds can be kept away fairly discretely with some dark green lightweight plastic bird mesh over the top of your cages. By the time your plants get more than about a foot tall and have grown through the cage, birds don't usually trouble them anymore.

Perhaps the taste changes or they just get too woody to be appealing to anything other than stoners. Oh, and Deer...

Once you have protected your seedlings don't start slacking – your plants are still not safe. Deer love to chow down on delicious buds. A friend of mine told me about a time he approached his site just before harvest and saw a deer chewing on his main central cola! The beast had chosen the pick of the buds too, they certainly seem to appreciate topshelf material. You need to boost up your security.

It will probably be impractical and inadvisable to fence off the entire area, as a large sturdy fence

SOUTH FACING WITH CANOPY ABOVE AND STREAM NEARBY

will inevitably draw attention from the air. An alternative is to make an invisible fence from fishing wire around the site. Run a few lines at various heights from about 2 ft through to 5 foot.

The theory is that casually grazing deer would walk into the “invisible” line, feel the unexpected resistance and get spooked, thus leaving your crop alone. This is not going to stop a deer running through the line, but it should dissuade the casual muncher. Note: fishing line is not strong enough to hurt or ensnare a deer if it gets caught up – no crop is worth the bad karma of injuring a woodland creature - Bad juju.

Bugs however, deserve harsh treatment. Check carefully under the leaves every time you visit and exterminate with extreme prejudice. Check with your Grow Shop, or the information in Soft Secrets for what products to use against different pests.

If growing in fairly wild woodland there may be an opportunity to drag lots of fallen branches around the site to create a large physical barrier around the plants, like a natural fence. This can work well and also assist in camouflaging your site. Encircle the plot with large debris and leave yourself a moveable branch as a door.

In the wild, animals use scents to detect the presence of predators. So smells are another way to keep critters at bay. You can get lion shit pellets from a garden centre and drop them around the site, or if you can face it then bring some dog turds with you up and scatter them around. When visiting the site you can take a crap nearby and piss on a tree – mark your spot with smells from higher up the food chain and claim your territory in the wild!

Guerilla growing is certainly a challenge, but ultimately a really fun and satisfying thing to do.

The hardest part can be choosing the site.

Good luck going guerilla!

SUPPLYING THE GLOBE SINCE 1987

Contact: info@dutch-passion.com @dutch-passion.com

0031 43 321 58 48

lers list Find your local dealer on our official dealers or purchase seeds online: www.dutch-passion.com

Visit Our Shop: Dutch Passion Grote Gracht 40 6211 SX Maastricht The Netherlands

Feminized, Autoflower and Regular cannabis seeds for Recreational and Medical use.

Head Office: Dutch Passion Hoogoorddreef 133 1101 BB Amsterdam The Netherlands

Want to enjoy buds like this?

Strain: White Satin by Mandala Seeds

Big Book of Buds Greatest Hits Brand New Book by Ed Rosenthal Ed Rosenthal is the most high-profile advocate for marijuana rights during the last 40 years.

The Big Book of Buds series has been the connoisT sseur’s reference guide to the best marijuana strains ffrom r the world’s greatest breeders.

“Ed Rosenthal holds the distinction of turning more people on to pot than Cheech and Chong.”

-- Tommy Chong

N Now get ready for the Big Book of Buds—Greatest H Hits, a compilation of the premier strains that have a appeared in the four volumes. Read about these aw award-winning strains – then grow them in your garden.

“Mr. Rosenthal is the pothead’s answer to Ann -BOEFST +VEHF +VEZ .BSUIB 4UFXBSU BOE UIF Burpee Garden Wizard all in one.” --The NY Times

t t 7BSJFUJFT GSPN UIF NPTU SFTQFDUFE HVJEF t &TTFOUJBM JOGPSNBUJPO GPS DPOTVNFST BOE HSPXFST t t 4UVOOJOH QIPUPT UIBU CSJOH ZPV SJHIU JOUP UIF HBSEFO t

“JUST SAY NO TO PESTS”

FREEEDOM BOOKS t freedombooks.co.uk t Avalon Wholesale Ltd. [wholesale] t avalonwholesale.co.uk Turnaround [wholesale] t turnaround-uk.com t AMAZON.COM t amazon.com/books

www.edrosenthal.com

SEED BANKS

21

30 Years Of Dutch Passion

Dutch Passion are celebrating their 30 year anniversary in 2017, not many seed companies have stayed in business long enough to reach that landmark. Its a good time to look back at some of the highlights from the original ‘Masters At Work’ Humble beginnings

Feminized cannabis seeds

Dutch Passion were formally established in 1987, but the first genetics were collected in the 1970’s when Henk van Dalen was a Biology Student at Amsterdam University. In those days cannabis was being imported into Amsterdam from all over the world. Henk began collecting the different seeds from various batches of cannabis which in the early days came from numerous sources. Nigerian, South African, Brazilian, Filipino, Thai and even Californian cannabis was making its ways to the early Amsterdam Coffee shops.

These varieties were often quite different in terms of the effect of the cannabis and the quality. The seeds were collected and became the basis of the early Dutch Passion breeding. At the time, indoor growing techniques and equipment were quite basic. But Henk managed to grow the seeds, and eventually the best plants were selected for breeding and eventual crossing. Soon it was clear that the cannabis being grown in Amsterdam was of superior quality to that being imported.

The 1970’s indoor growing scene was small, but the community of first seed pioneers was already at work, and they had a good selection of cannabis genetics from all over the world to start from.

Today Dutch Passion still operate out of Amsterdam and have remained true to their original goal - to focus exclusively on supplying the best quality cannabis seeds.

Indoor cannabis growing began to take off in the 1980’s and 1990’s as good quality indoor varieties became increasingly available. At the same time the availability and quality of indoor grow lights and growing equipment began to improve.

Cannabis was now being grown indoors and outdoors in Europe, North America, and elsewhere. Now that it was possible to grow your own cannabis, the focus began to shift towards growing with maximum convenience and quality.

Home growers were unhappy, and slightly paranoid, about having to germinate and

grow male plants. Calls were growing louder for feminized cannabis seeds, and since feminized vegetable seeds were already available many wanted feminized cannabis seeds. After numerous tests and techniques were tried, eventually Dutch Passion found a way to produce the first feminized cannabis seeds in the 1990’s.

Dutch Passion may have been the first to invent feminized cannabis seeds, but eventually everyone else would follow.

Today feminized cannabis seeds account for over 95% of all cannabis seeds sold.

Relentless search for quality The Dutch Passion team operate in Europe, Russia, South America and Canada with employees in several different countries.

Dutch Passion still have some of their original geneticists and breeders as well as young, eager new breeders. The Dutch Passion team also enjoy established links to some of the best legal growers in the world, such as some USA, Canadian and South American licensed growers. This ensures continued access to the best emerging cannabis genetics around the world. Dutch Passion are now an international organisation, the website is translated into 10 languages and seeds are supplied to growers of all sizes. From the self sufficient home grower looking to grow a few plants for personal use, to large legal growers producing thousands of cannabis plants, growers of all type and

size trust Dutch Passion for their cannabis seeds. 30 years of Dutch Passion success comes from many years of repeat business from thousands of growers that demand the best quality and consistency. Many of the original Dutch Passion customers, resellers, grow shop owners and distributors are still with them 30 years later thanks to the same philosophy. To supply the best quality cannabis seeds and to continually innovate and explore new genetic lines.

Genetics, genetics, genetics.

Although they are remembered for giving feminized cannabis seeds to the world, Dutch Passion also point out a few other key contributions to the cannabis community. t 0VUEPPS HFOFUJDT #Z TFMFDUJWFMZ CSFFEing their outdoor varieties in Holland, Dutch Passion created a family of toughened outdoor varieties that could grow throughout Northern Europe and North America, even in tough climates. These varieties, such as Durban Poison, Frisian Dew, Hollands Hope and Passion #1 became the building blocks for many of todays outdoor varieties. t $#% SJDI HFOFUJDT 8IJMTU $#% SJDI genetics are not mainstream for recreational growers, they are some of the most valued varieties by the medical growing community. Dutch Passion worked with specialist breeders ‘The CBD Crew’ to help create the first CBD-rich commercial varieties. Dutch Passion are also working on a future CBG-rich (Cannabigerol) cannabinoid variety. t "VUPGMPXFSJOH DBOOBCJT #Z QBSUOFSJOH closely with ‘The Joint Doctor’, who helped create autoflowering genetics, Dutch Passion established a strong pioneering position on the development of autoflowering cannabis over the last 10 years.

Today autoflowering varieties are another mainstream cannabis seed development which few predicted. They grow from seed to harvest under 20 hours of daily light in 10-11 weeks with the same potency as traditional varieties. For many home growers, autos are easy and convenient for growing indoors and outdoors. t 5SBEJUJPOBM QIPUPQFSJPE HFOFUJDT .BOZ growers will be familiar with famous THC-rich Dutch Passion varieties such BT 0SBOHF #VE .B[BS #MVFCFSSZ 8IJUF 8JEPX .BTUFS ,VTI BOE PUIFST 8F DBO thank Dutch Passion for some solid genetic lines which have served the cannabis community well over the last 3 decades. t %VUDI 1BTTJPO BSF UIF POMZ TFFE CBOL with stable outdoor photoperiod and auto ‘Duck’ varieties. These grow with webbed cannabis leaves (similar shape to a Ducks foot print), they give natural stealth camouflage and are extremely difficult to identify as cannabis.

Continued focus on quality and convenience.

After 30 years at the top, and with a reputation for innovating, we look forward to seeing another 30 years from the Dutch Passion team. They have already expanding into the LED grow light industry with their sister company ‘Crazy LEDs & More’ and there are rumours they are planning some other major OFX QSPKFDUT 8F MPPL GPSXBSE UP TFFJOH UIF next chapter from Dutch Passion……

22

TESTING THE VARIETIES

As a consumer you might have some experience with strains like Gorilla Glue and OG Kush. If not, it’s easy enough to look at their stats and read some reviews before purchasing for consumption, or you can buy grams of each and compare the medicines yourself.

It’s a little different when choosing varieties to grow. I live in an area with many dispensaries that sell clones.

They have a huge selection of varieties, between 25 and 125 cm in each shop. So there are about 75 varieties to choose from.

When choosing new varieties to grow either for personal use or distribution some questions come to mind: What is the variety’s branching formation?

How much does it grow after forcing?

How long does it take until ripening? Which varieties do best under the methods you use? Comparative yields.

These are some of the questions that are answered by conducting a plant trial. I am testing a template design of a model for testing. With the proliferation of hybrids and varieties, plant trials are essential for growers to determine what they plan to grow. Trials can be used:

heat from getting into the garden.

Still, excess heat was controlled using a small recirculating air conditioner (AC) installed in the sidewall that sat on a table outside the tent. The air was enriched with CO2 using a 9 kg. tank regulated by a sensor set to keep the space at 1200 PPM during the lit hours. A small oscillating fan kept the air in the space circulating continuously.

A recording thermometer, that shows the high and low temperature, was hung from the tubing at canopy level.

The temperature was set never to go below 15.50C. The plants were planted in 2-litre, 15 cm containers, each filled with a mixture of 50% coir, and about 25% homemade aged compost (derived from plant leaf, fruit drop and food waste) and used planting mix from previous projects.

I used a wick system but you should ȏ 7R FKRRVH WKH EHVW SURJHQ\ IURP use your favorite method of planting, propagated seeds. whether in coir, planting mix, hydroȏ 7R WHVW WKH HIIHFW RI QHZ FXOWLYD- ponic or whatever. tion practices on the varieties being grown. ȏ 7R FKRRVH WKH EHVW SODQW WR FORQH from purchased seeds. ȏ 7R WHVW GLIIHUHQW FXOWLYDWLRQ SUDFWLFHV ȏ 7R WHVW GLIIHUHQW IHUWLOL]HUV DQG IHUWLlizer regimens.

The Wick System and Experimental Set-Up Explained A double-ended 1 cm braided nylon wick extends from either end of the opposite facing holes at the bottom of the container. It trails into the tray below. The ends of the wick are stopped from fraying using twist-ties.

In this unit the 35 containers sit on a wooden pallet placed inside a 1.2 x 1.2 meter tray filled with rainwater treated with a one-part complete hydroponic vegetative formula (7-9-5 with potassium silicate) to raise it to 700 PPM from less than 30 PPM. Then the pH was lowered to 6.

The water was circulated tray using 2 small water pumps that flowed at a total rate of 1135 liters per hour (lph)). It was aerated using four airstones that were powered by a small aquarium pump. An aquarium heater rated for 150 liters kept the water at 210 C minimum. The tray sat on a piece of 1.3 cm thick Styrofoam that created a barrier between the tray and the cold cement floor.

This model is designed to minimize time, labor, energy and space, making it feasible for ordinary gardeners, small and large, to run a relatively extensive test, fairly easily. The idea is to grow miniature plants by forcing them to flower at an early stage, so they grow miniatures of plants flowered when they are larger.

The Design The experiment was conducted in 1.5 x 1.5 meter garden tent. It had a vertical hanging OG metal halide 860watt lamp in a sophisticated air-cooled reflector that was timer controlled.

The air-cooled lighting prevented

Each of the 35 plants is in a 12.7 cm container with a wick that draws water up using capillary action

Procedure For Getting the Garden Going ȏ /DEHO HDFK SODQW XVLQJ D SODVWLF marker that is placed in the container and an additional identifying tag attached to the stem. Mark them with a soft pencil. Many inks fade. ȏ 3ODFH WKH SODQWV LQ WKH FRQWDLQHUV The stem should not be placed deeper than it already is. If need be, use a skewer or other means of supporting the stem upright. ȏ :DWHU DIWHU SRWWLQJ ZLWK GLOXWHG vegetative stage fertilizer water (400 ppm). This is one of the few times you will do this. Instead, in the future the plants will draw water/nutrient solution up the nylon wick, as they need it. ȏ 6HW WKH OLJKW RQ FRQWLQXRXVO\ IRU D week. Then turn it off for a day to spur the plants to transition from growing vegetatively to flowering. ȏ 7KH 1(;7 '$< WXUQ WKH OLJKW EDFN on, but use a timer so the space receives 12 hours of light and 12 hours of total darkness daily. ȏ .HHS WKLV OLJKW GDUN UHJLPHQ for the next month. During the dark period the plants require UNINTERRUPTED darkness. Do not open the curtain or door or turn the lights on during the dark period- even for a moment. The only light that can be safely used during the dark period is a green fluorescent, laser or LED. ȏ $GG ZDWHU WR WKH WUD\ DV LW LV XVHG Instead of using vegetative formula, use a complete hydroponic flowering formula, (whether 1 part or more) such as 7-9-5 at 700 PPM. Add pH’d water as needed. ȏ $W WKH VDPH WLPH \RX FKDQJH WKH flowering cycle change the fertilizer to flowering stage formula I used a complete 3-13-6). Drain the tray and add the new water/nutrient mix. ȏ ΖI WKHUH LV D KHDWHU LQ WKH JDUGHQ make sure it doesn’t blow or radiate directly on the plants. ȏ 'XULQJ WKH OLW SHULRG WKH LGHDO OHDI temperature is about 850. Use a surface temperature thermometer to check leaf temperature. Then adjust the AC and heater to keep the leaf temperature between 26.50 C and 29.50 C. During the dark period the ideal temperature is about 240 C. It should not fall below 15.50 C. Use a gas or an electric heater if needed.

The plants were moved into a small greenhouse five weeks into flowering because they were outgrowing their quarters. The move doubled the canopy size to 1.3’ x 2.6 yards. They filled

1 st Prize Best Indica Spannabis Champions Cup 2017 T

TOP HO E

DD RIO E

D PEN EN

P

Crystal Candy

®

THE ONLY ORIGINAL AND GUARANTEED SEEDS FROM SWEET SEEDS® ARE THOSE SOLD IN THEIR ORIGINAL PACKAGING. C/ Dr. Nicasio Benlloch nº36-38 · 46015 · Valencia · Spain · +34 963 890 403 / +34 628 593 887 · WHOLESALERS: +34 963 473 730 / +34 963 404 289 · Fax +34 961 939 618 · info@sweetseeds.es Sale prohibited to people under 18 years old. Seed for coleccionist use exclusively. It´s ilegal to make them germinate. They´re not for agriculture purposes. Consult laws about cannabis aplied in your place of residence.

Sweet Seeds® will not be acountable for ilegal use of this seeds done by third parties.

24 that space too, but they had stopped growing larger and were concentrating their energy on flowering, that is, growing flowers.

The greenhouse received light only from the top and the front. The other sides are building walls. To supplement the natural light 2 1000Watt HPS lamps switch on from 10AM to 4PM. One is on a light mover and the other is attached to the back wall to light the darker back part of the greenhouse.

Young bud of Sour Diesel close-up

Since the plants were close to one another, the sides of the plants and the understory leaves and branches didn’t get much light. Since light powers both the plant’s growth and its metabolism, these parts didn’t contribute to the plant’s growth. Instead they used energy produced at the canopy to fuel their metabolism, and they hindered the free flow of air between the plants. They were removed.

This helped the plants by easing crowding, facilitating airflow and

lessening the energy load nonproductive parts used.

This was a winter garden and it was before the Spring Equinox (March 22) so the plants received fewer than 12 hours of light. The garden harvest began on March 25th just 6 weeks after the plants were placed into flowering. All of the ripened within a two-week period. Once they were cut some of the fan leaves were removed and the plants were hung to dry in a cool room.

Usually the room stays between 18-210 C. , but it has been cool and the room temperature has dipped below 170 C., which slows drying. It was also cloudy and rainy, keeping the average relative humidity around 65%. 50% is ideal for drying and curing. After two weeks the plants were slightly moist, very pliable and not ready to take the next step in their journey, manicuring.

To speed things up I plugged in a dehumidifier heated the room as it removed moisture.

The indoor plants were set to dry in an unused grow tent

25 The plants had a number of different shapes in life, and as they were hanging without their fan leaves it was easy to see them. Before removing the buds I photographed each plant for future reference.

The buds were manicured, then weighed and tested for cannabinoid content. This gave us a profile of their shapes, what they look like and their relative yield.

test. Unfortunately it doesn’t test for terpenes or flavinoids.

Here’s how the varieties tested in THC order: CUSTOMER SAMPLE NAME

HEATED THC

HEATED CBD

Blueberry 46

18,7285

<1,5

Tahoe OG /44

18,5799

<1,5

THC Bomb /40

17,8746

<1,5

Sunset Sherbert

17,0002

<1,5

After drying and curing the plants were manicured and weighed. The results were not impressive, a result of low total light level during flowering and harvest.

Fire OG /11

16,4761

<1,5

Candyland /21

16,3428

<1,5

Ghost OG /38

16,3067

<1,5

Purple Cream/29

16,1856

<1,5

Last month the winter garden was still hanging, taking a long time between drying and curing. Now they are all properly dried, hanging out in glass jars.

Headband /47

16,1766

<1,5

Deadhead OG/34

16,0319

<1,5

Larry OG /33

15,6465

<1,5

Double Dream

15,4269

<1,5

GDP/19

15,3888

<1,5

Sour D

15,2815

<1,5

Xj/13/1

14,9222

<1,5

LA Fire/26

14,7357

<1,5

Blue Dream /39

14,7292

<1,5

Having this information will help farmers plan their gardens or fieldsHow far apart to space the plants and how to prune them for bigger yields.

ȏ 7KH EXGV ZHUH WHVWHG XVLQJ D unique tool, the QuantaCann2, which uses infrared light to determine percentages of cannabinoids. It’s very accurate and takes little time, under sixty seconds per

Dream Queen/18 14,4515

<1,5

Kosher Kush

13,9608

<1,5

Pure OG Kush /30 13,6575

<1,5

Gorilla Glue/10

13,4882

<1,5

Purple Diesel/24

12,3195

<1,5

Harlequin GDP/50 7,3913

8,4

Harlequin/57

6,0568

7,4

ACDC /43,

<2

10,4

ACDC /43

<2

10,5

Comments The THC levels were not high. The main reason is that the plants were receiving only a moderate amount of light during flowering. The total hours of light averaged only about 10.5 hours daily. The winter and early spring sunlight received was weak and mostly indirect. This was supplemented with 6 hours of HPS light, still too little to produce maximum bud development and to reach THC potential.

The differences in THC levels show the relative THC/CBD potentials of the varieties. Notice how many varieties placed in the 16% to 14% range. Except for specialty varieties, all had virtually no CBD.

Plants were measured and photographed to picture their shapes.

This is a Sour Diesel

26

PUZZLE

Choose your price

www.seedstockers.com

Critical

Super Skunk

Amnesia

€4.20 Sativa dominant

Single seed price

+ 60 seeds free

Min 1 Pcs.

Max 1000 Pcs.

€1.90

€1140.00 O.G. Kush Auto

BCN Power Plant Auto

Contact: info@seedstockers.com Tel: +34 6 51 971 434

Seed(s)

Price per seed (600 pcs.)

Barcelona, Spain Facebook

Instagram

WhatsApp

Telegram

Signal

29

GROW WITH STONEY TARK

Moby Dick XXL Auto keep feeding a heavy organic mix and watch as the buds turn from the original fluffy state to a harder dense squeezable nug. 65 days of growing and as August temperatures stay lovely and warm, this variety absolutely loves these conditions. Now when smelling the white frosty buds, there is a pine citrus sandal wood, which reminds me of classic widow. The highest bud on this plant is measuring at 141 cm so like I say be prepared to give this one plenty of headroom if growing indoor or outdoor in a greenhouse.

72 days of growing now and as the entire plant is covered with flowers forming at every node, harvest is not far away. I will feed just plain water now to push the plants during their last week. The buds are really swollen and have an orange and pink glow to them making this plant really stand out from the rest. The aroma of the buds is strong but sweet and pine. Continuing to flush with only These flowers express a fruity lemon pine aroma and look delicious also.

The genetics of this strain are well known for producing huge yields, so the automatic version should perform very well. This automatic variety is a cross of White Widow x Haze Auto so I expect to get a good plant height and bud structure. The genetics that are used are from existing autos well known for performance and production.

The seeds are germinated and sprout overnight. I prepare them in coco jiffies and will transplant them straight into my 15 liter fabric pot. I expect these girls to grow huge and very wide also so will make sure they are given plenty of space to grow. After one week they are in the fabric pots and are now enjoying the sun.

14 days in and the new leaves are light green and serrated. The leaves seem to be quite wide and long which shows me signs of the White Widow genetics coming through strong. I feed the plants by hand and give them their usual friendly mix from the Biobizz range. Nearly 21 days in now and the leaves are growing larger each day and also taller.

The plant height is around 12 inches and the stem that is forming is becoming pencil thick. This strain is growing fast and every time I feed, she responds in height and leaf growth. I rub my nose underneath the plant and get an idea of how this will smell. The aroma is sharp and mildly citrus so for now it seems there is a haze dominance coming through.

After 30 days and this automatic variety is 44 cm and still growing fast. The first lots of pistils are forming and it looks wonderful. This plant has an excellent structure and vigor to it and loves heavy feedings. I noticed when growing the Moby Dick in the past, that also loved to drink and drink and heavy nutrient loads also. At day 36 and the width of this plant is measuring a4 74cm so you can imagine the structure this plant has at only five weeks in. There are now many buds forming and I can see the plant will totally fill out and produce some very heavy yields. To examine the forming buds, the calyxes are quite airy but dense unlike an indica variety so it will be interesting to see what type of flower grows here.

40 days into the grow cycle and the plants are receiving

plenty of sunshine, so in return grow thick and fast.

I must say out of all of the automatics I have grown, this strain is really setting the benchmark in terms of performance. The newly growing buds have a pink and purple glow to them and the aroma is a sweet pine lemon, so at this point there is a strong mix of haze and white genetics smell wise.The plant is measuring at just under 95cm and looks like it will want to grow even more, which does not surprise me as the genetics state the autos are from XXL lines from Dinafem.

The feeding schedule remains the same and this strain is really pushing out frosty buds. Every single new leaf growing has a tropical frosting to it and the plant from a far looks wonderful. This variety is growing many leaves so when trimming you may need to take extra time, however this is an indication of the amount of flowers being produced. 50 days in now and the Moby Dick XXL Auto is really impressing me in terms of performance, yield and stature. You could easily be fooled into believing this straight was not even an automatic, as that is how well this plant is growing.

Now measuring at almost 130 cm and growing thick top and bottom buds, this strain should be finished in 2 more weeks according to Dinafem. A very wide plant also so make sure you give this one plenty of height and width. Even though the plants are firmly flowering, the plant is still growing and is certainly one of the tallest automatic strains out there. I

Sex: Genetics: Medium: Pot Size: Nutrients: Growing: Yield:

water, the plants look ready to harvest but I will leave to grow for another week or so and make sure the whole plant has had chance to produce buds with biomass. Time to chop on day 81 and what a harvest! There is a lot of trimming to do and making sure I get every single sugar coated leaf will be meticulous but well worth it.

After 11 days of drying the buds are ready to be tested and cured. The buds are light and have a large size to them considering how light they feel. The smell is a sweet lemon pine when grinding the buds, it can smell like a mix of lemon haze and skunk. The effects are very cerebral and the high is very good for creativity and for high energy, although I would say smoking this strain late at night could keep you up instead of helping sleep.

Overall I would say this is a fantastic strain that has to be seen to be believed, with a staggering 124 grams dry buds of frosty fruity sweet goodness.

feminized auto-flowering White Widow XXL Auto x Haze XXL Auto Coco, Compost, Worm Humus, Bat Guano 15 liter fabric air pot Biobizz Fish Mix, Biobizz Top Max, Biobizz Alga-mix Outdoors from June to mid September 124.8 g dry weight

30

SHOP REVIEW

HUNTER’S COFFEESHOP NOT ONLY REALLY, REALLY, REALLY GOOD COFFEE

A bakery bakes. A creative person creates. And a coffee shop? Well, they serve coffee of course. Especially in Amsterdam. The coffee capital of the world. And when you’re in Amsterdam and are longing for some really good coffee, Hunter’s Coffeeshop is the place to go.

Because that is where you’ll find good, and we mean really good coffee. And not just coffee in all types and flavors. At Hunter’s Coffee shop, you’ll find everything that will make your visit to Amsterdam unforgettable. Or that will make you remember nothing at all.

COFFEE AROMA

If you’re looking for really, and we mean really good coffee, you don’t have to wander through the streets RI $PVWHUGDP IRU WRR ORQJ <RX FDQ smell Hunter’s Coffeeshop from miles away. At every corner of the street.

The aroma greets you as you walk across the canals. The strongest and most intoxicating is the smell of coffee when you’re walking towards one of +XQWHUȇV &RIIHHVKRSV <RXȇOO ILQG WKHP at various locations in Amsterdam, so no matter where you are or where you’re staying, there will always be a Hunter’s Coffeeshop nearby.

EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY

The delicious, maddening smell will

leave nothing to the imagination; the coffee they serve at Hunter’s Coffeeshop is of exceptional quality.

The Bar Babes of Hunter’s Coffeeshop easily whip up a great espresso, ristretto or latte macchiato. But the quality of really good coffee is determined by much more than just the contents of the cup. It is the complete ambiance and experience surrounding the coffee, that determines the quality.

RELAXED AMBIANCE

At Hunter’s Coffeeshop you can drink your coffee casually and relaxed. The interior is fresh and modern and invites you to take the time to try out various products. Because no coffee is alike. And in addition to coffee,

Hunter’s has everything that makes a person happy. From delicious fresh juices to beer and drinks in Hunter’s Bar. From healthy snacks to irresponsibly delicious brownies.

that you can also stop by Hunter’s en route to the beach. So, make your visit to Amsterdam a complete one, and visit all Hunter’s, or, as people like to say: Hunt them all.

Would you like to know more about Hunter’s? If so, check www.hunters-coffeeshop.com or The story of Hunter’s began in 1985 in follow Hunter’s on Facebook. the famous Warmoestraat. Not with coffee, but with a dog. Here, at this famous location near the Amsterdam Red Light District, amid all pussycats, Hunter’s Bros a dog called Hunter’s marked its terWaterlandplein 7 ritory, by taking a well-aimed leak 1024 LL Amsterdam against the façade. The owner of the Hunters Filiaal dog decided that this was a great locaPapaverweg 2 tion and the first Hunter’s Coffeeshop 1032 KH Amsterdam was born. Meanwhile, the territory of Hunter’s has expanded, and you’ll Hunter’s The Bar find the famous logo with the dog all Utrechtsestraat 16 over the place in Amsterdam.

1017 VN Amsterdam

HUNTER’S IS NOT FOR PUSSIES

HUNT THEM ALL

<RXȇOO SUREDEO\ XQGHUVWDQG E\ QRZ WKDW it isn’t just the great coffee that makes Hunter’s Coffeeshop famous. Every Hunter’s has its own ambiance and specialty. There are no less the seven branches in and around Amsterdam.

From the famous Warmoestraat in the downtown area to the easily accessible location at the freeway in Amsterdam 1RRUG <RX FDQ HYHQ ILQG D +XQWHUȇV Coffeeshop in Haarlem, which means

Hunter’s Coffeeshop Utrechtsestraat 14 1017 VN Amsterdam

Hunter’s The Pub Warmoeestraat 24 1012 JD Amsterdam

Hunter’s Coffeeshop Haarlem Key West Schoterweg 66 2021 HP Haarlem

Crystal Candy® n ised S ee ds

· NEW · NEW · NEW · NEW · NEW · NEW · NEW · NEW · NEW · N

40,00 €

Sweet Nurse Auto CBD

S.A.D. Sweet Afgani Delicious CBD

Variety SWS59

®

®

Variety SWS60

3s+1s

19,00 €

5s+2s

31,00 €

DD RIO E

TOP HO E

5s+2s

TOP HO E

40,00 €

P

5s+2s

DD RIO E T

24,00 €

P

3s+1s

D PEN EN

24,00 €

D PEN EN

3s+1s

PHOTOPERIOD DEPENDENT

T

Femi

Best Indica

1 st Prize

www.sweetseeds.com

Crystal Candy

®

Variety SWS58

· NEW · NEW · NEW · NEW · NE

P

®

Variety SWS62

5s+2s

44,00 €

Indigo Berry Kush

®

Special Big Packs

E DITI O

Autoo

*10 seeds in a single tube

Free Seeds!

SPE

SPEC I

Feeminised

Get 1 or 2 FREE seeds buying a packet of 3 or 5 seeds, respectively.

Check the promo duration on: www.sweetseeds.com

PROM AL I C

5 +2

FREE

E

D

CK

K

PA C N

Variety SWS61

®

A

ED

Crystal Candy Auto

IT

M

IT

39,80 €

LIM

LI

FR

23,90 €

5s+2s

ION OT

ON TI

3 +E1E

Variety SWS63

3s+1s

Packages for your collection

Our best strains, available in formats of 25 and 100 seeds

PROMO AL

DD RIO E

TOP HO E

TOP HO E

T

San Fernando Lemon Kush

26,50 €

P

48,90 €

3s+1s

T

5s+2s

DD RIO E

D PEN EN

29,90 €

D PEN EN

3s+1s

EDITION P

THE ONLY ORIGINAL AND GUARANTEED SEEDS FROM SWEET SEEDS® ARE THOSE SOLD IN THEIR ORIGINAL PACKAGING. C/ Dr. Nicasio Benlloch nº36-38 · 46015 · Valencia · Spain · +34 963 890 403 / +34 628 593 887 · WHOLESALERS: +34 963 473 730 / +34 963 404 289 · Fax +34 961 939 618 · info@sweetseeds.es Sale prohibited to people under 18 years old. Seed for coleccionist use exclusively. It´s ilegal to make them germinate. They´re not for agriculture purposes. Consult laws about cannabis aplied in your place of residence. g use of this seeds done byy third parties. p Sweet Seeds® will not be acountable for ilegal

UK distributors www.basilbush.co.uk

www.avalonwholesale.co.uk

www.seedsman.com

www.tangygifts.co.uk

www.cannabis-seeds-bank.co.uk

www.irishseedbank.com

32

GROW WITH JORGE CERVANTES

BACKCROSSING & SELFING Backcrossing Backcrossing is the pollination of a female flower from a male flower on the same plant. Backcross breeding is repeated crossing of progeny with one of the original parental genotypes. It is cross-pollinating 1 generation back to a previous generation; most often the progeny is crossed with the mother plant. The parent is called the “recurrent parent.” The nonrecurrent parent is the “donor parent.”

Backcross breeding is the most widely used form of breeding cannabis to date.

Backcross breeding is simple and

can be done with small populations of plants. Most often the goal of backcrossing is to create a population from the genetics of a single parent (the recurrent parent).

hybridize selected plants to recurrent parent. The generation produced is denoted BC1 (some cannabis breeders call this generation B×1. [BC1= B×1]).

Backcrossing also uses the terms squaring (to denote the second backcross to the same parent) and cubing (to designate the third backcross).

Step Three: Select plants from BC1 and hybridize with the recurrent parent; the resulting generation is denoted BC2.

Backcrossing: Incorporating a Dominant Trait

Step One: Cross recurrent parent × donor parent Step Two: Select desirable plants showing dominant trait, and

Step Four: Select plants from BC2 and hybridize with the recurrent parent; the resulting generation is denoted BC3.

Backcrossing: Incorporating a Recessive Trait

Recessive traits are more difficult

to select for in backcross breeding, since their expression is masked by dominance in each backcross to the recurrent parent. An additional round of open pollination or sibmating is needed after each backcross generation to expose homozygous-recessive plants. Individuals showing the recessive condition are selected from F2 segregating generations and backcrossed to the recurrent parent as in the “Backcrossing: Incorporating a Dominant Trait” above.

Step One: Cross recurrent parent × donor F1 hybrid generation Step Two: Select desirable plants, and create an F2 population via full cross-pollination.

Step Three: Select plants showing the desired recessive trait in the F2 generation. Hybridize selected F2-recessive plants to the recurrent parent. The generation produced is denoted BC1.

Step Four: Select plants from BC1, and create a generation of F2 plants via sib-mating; the resulting generation can be denoted BC1F2.

Step Five: Select desirable BC1F2 plants showing the recessive condition, and hybridize with the recurrent parent; the resulting generation is denoted BC2.

Step Six: Select plants from BC2, and create an F2 population via sibmating; denote the resulting generation BC2F2.

Step Seven: Select plants showing the recessive condition from the BC2F2 generation, and hybridize to the recurrent parent; the resulting generation is denoted BC3.

Step Eight: Grow out BC3, select and sib-mate the most ideal candidates to create an F2 population, where plants showing the recessive condition are then selected and used as a basis for a new inbred, or open-pollinated, seed line. This new generation created from the F2 is a population that consists of, on average, about 93.7 percent of genes from the recurrent parent, and only about 6.3 percent of genes leftover from the donor parent.

Note: Only homozygous-recessives were chosen for mating in the

Apollo 13 BX’ (Back Cross) from TGA Genetics is a good example of a backcrossed variety

BC3F2 generation; the entire resulting BC3F3 generation is homozygous for the recessive trait, and breeds true for this recessive trait.

Our new population meets our breeding objective. It is a population derived mainly from the genetics of the recurrent parent, yet breeds true for our introgressed recessive trait. Backcross-derived lines are most often well-adapted to the environment in which they will be grown. Indoor garden rooms are easily replicated, and plants grow in a similar environment to that in which they were bred.

Progeny therefore need less extensive environmental field-testing.

ing a plant with its own pollen.

Self-pollinating is a plant having sex with itself. Self-crossing can derive populations of plants from a single individual.

The first generation population derived from selfing an individual is called the S1 population. An individual from S1 that is selfed again is called S2. Subsequent generations derived in the same manner are denoted S3, S4, etc.

Traits for which the plant is homozygous remain homozygous upon selfing, whereas heterozygous loci segregate and may demonstrate novel expressions of these characters.

If 2 or more characters are to be introgressed into a new seed line, these would usually be tracked in separate backcross programs, and the individual products would be combined in a final set of crosses after the new populations have been created by backcrossing.

Backcrossing has drawbacks. If the recurrent parent is not very truebreeding, the resulting backcross generations segregate, and many of the traits deemed desirable to the line fail to be reproduced reliably.

Another limitation of the backcross is that the “improved” variety differs only slightly from the recurrent parent (e.g., one trait). If multiple traits are to be introgressed into the new population, other techniques, such as inbreeding or recurrent selection, may be more rewarding.

Self-Pollinating (Selfing) “Clone Only” Varieties

Often, 2 hybrid plants are crossed

We know homozygous loci remain homozygous in future generations upon selfing. Heterozygous loci are increased by 50 percent.

Every subsequent generation will be 50 percent more homozygous than the parent from which it was derived.

Repeated selfing, or single-seed descent, is the fastest way to achieve homozygosity within a group or family.

The more plants grown from a selfed population, the better probability a breeder has of finding selfed progeny that show all the desired traits.

Small male flower appears on this Chemdog inbred female flower.

Inbreeding often causes male intersex flowers to form on female plants. and the “variety” is given a name, but soon the male plant is lost, and the plant is available only as a clone. In this case the plant

must be “selfed” to produce male flowers on a female plant. Selfpollinating (aka selfing) is the process of creating seed by pollinat-

Self-Pollinating Breeding

Step One: Identify superior genotypes for the trait under selection.

Step Two: Cross superior genotypes and select improved progeny.

Step Three: Repeat steps One and Two over a series of generations.

This is an excerpt from chapter 25 “Breeding” 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 autumn 2017. For more information please see Jorge´s website, www.marijuanagrowing.com.

34

DIY

HOW TO EASILY GERMINATE YOUR SEEDS AND SURVIVE THE FIRST 10 DAYS

By cccp

Using tweezers, gently put your seeds on a wet kitchen towel, which is placed inside a plastic food container. The towel must be damp and wet but not dripping wet.

Close the towel over the seeds and stuff it tightly in the corners, then close the lid on the food container.

Put the closed food container in a kitchen cupboard for at least 24 hours. Healthy seeds should sprout between 24 and 48 hours. As soon as they sprout, remove them.

In the meantime, prepare your medium for the seedlings. Buy perlite.

Spread the perlite on the floor of your little greenhouse.

Buy Jiffy starter plugs, containing pressed peat.

When the seeds germinated, let the plugs soak in lukewarm water for 5 minutes. When totally soaked, put the germinated seeds root-down in the prepared holes in each plug. Cover the hole lightly with some peat from the plug and don’t put the seeds too deep.

Now comes the most important part! The seedlings have to go inside a incubator with a totally closed lid. Put a 33w Cooltube (daylight) neon light on top of the incubator (20 hours on/4 hours off). The more neon’s the better! Massive daylight is what the seedlings need now, nothing else.

After two days your seedlings should look like this.

Now every day you can open the ventilation slides of the incubator a bit more. After 7 full days they should be open at max.

When the roots of the seedling grow out of the plug (sideways or at the bottom), transplant your plug to a slightly bigger pot, containing 100% unfertilized soil (which you can buy at any supermarket).

Remove the lid from the incubator and keep your little babies under the lights for 2 or 3 more days. If the weather allows, the whole tray can be put in the sunlight for 1 or 2 hours per day, to harden the plants.

Day 10. That’s it! Your babies have survived the most critical time of their lives and are now ready to transplant to your final pot. Remember: the bigger the pot, the bigger your harvest. This does not apply to automatic strains, they need 20l pots max.

White Widow and Auto White Widow®

+100%

FREE!

White Widow Feminized and Auto White Widow® Available at many grow shops, seed shops and www.dutch-passion.com Ask your shop if they participate or check their website.

White Widow Feminized 3+3

White Widow Feminized 5+5

White Widow Feminized 10+10

Auto White Widow® Auto White Widow® Autoflower 3+3 Autoflower 7+7

€ 33,00

€ 54,00

€ 100,00

€ 29,00

€ 60,00

Promotion valid from 1 March 2017 until 30 April 2017 While stocks last.

Contact: info@dutch-passion.nl

0031 43 321 58 48

Find your local dealer on our official dealers list or purchase seeds online www.dutch-passion.com

Visit Our Shop: Dutch Passion Grote Gracht 40 6211 SX Maastricht The Netherlands

Head Office: Dutch Passion 33 Hoogoorddreef 133 1101 BB Amsterdam The Netherlands

CBD

37 and of the grower, as different cannabinoid levels can be obtained from the same plant. In particular, it could demonstrate that, in a climatically controlled environment, with higher light intensity, a grower can obtain abundant yields and higher resin and cannabinoid levels. Similarly, depending on the ability of a grower, CBD levels can increase or decrease within a given range.

CBD BREEDING AIDED BY CHROMATOGRAPHY

CBD TESTS AND BREEDING 2.0 We visited Dinafem and talked with Dr. Ananda, who told us about how it uses lab tests to develop its CBD strains.

H. Madera The Dinafem lab was founded 4 years ago. It started in October 2012, with a team of specialists working in association with Renovatio and Ai Laket. The lab room was originally meant for a risk mitigation project consisting of the analysis of samples supplied from clubs - to which information on cannabinoid content was then returned.

validate that method, although with any new materials “you always need to run a few tests until you reach the desired level of precision”. Currently it considers these tests very reliable for its purposes and selections made so far have never produced results that were not expected.

Male sampling

cup, OG Kush Autoflowering was found to be the most potent contestant, with 20% potency exceeded after a test made by an independent laboratory. As Dr. Ananda pointed out, “testing plants permanently and consistently contributes a lot to line improvement, as you can easily identify the best specimens”.

In addition to cannabinoid levels, tests also contribute to a better understanding

Initially it focused on THC. For CBD it had much interest, but it barely reached appreciable levels. With routine analyses, it discovered a significant CBD level in one of the US genetic lines it was working with, from which it created Purple Orange CBD. Of course, it was perfectly aware that, in addition to THC and CBD, other cannabinoids had to be considered and were prepared to detect them in the event of unusual levels. Indeed, its purpose has always been to improve the global genetic pool. Moreover it told us that, over the last few years, it had made important discoveries worthy of interest and, in the near future, many more special plants would be put on the market.

The next years will also be characterised by research on the “follow-up effect”, which consists of studying the impact of cannabinoid combinations (terpenes and other plant components) on the final effect. It is now common knowledge that results obtained with direct plant extracts are much richer than when a single cannabinoid is used.

After gaining total confidence in its testing ability, it quickly proceeded with the CBD project, where it needed

Dinafem actively supported the project and further developed its testing activity to breed autos and further study their strains. It started from scratch because the then applied analytical method was incorrect and it had to design and validate its own method. Requirements have grown since the days of early tests, and it managed to achieve a reliable degree of test precision. As Dr. Ananda explained to me, “when we receive new testing instruments, the embedded software is somewhat blind, which means you need to add you own validated processing method”.

ADVANTAGES OF TESTS It soon demonstrated that breeding and selection aided by chromatography ultimately improves genetics. For instance, in 3 generations it saw that autos originally with 10% THC content rose to 15% or more. When these results were confirmed, Dinafem decided it needed more equipment of its own to increase the number and frequency of tests. So it started up this lab in September 2014 and, in January 2015, it was already completed. After the experience made with the previously used instruments, Dr. Ananda found it easier to prepare and

Parent selection

Initially, it went on with auto breeding and developed Bubba Kush Autoflowering and OG Kush Autoflowering. With these lines, results were without fail; from its initial crossing it developed interesting phenotypes that invariably proved to be successful – e.g. in the latest Expogrow

of genetics. For instance, the distribution of the chemotypes of a given strain helps determine the starting material type, i.e. whether it is an F1, an F2 or an F3.

The other aspect that it emphasised is the importance of the growing method

to use the best possible instruments that would undergo intensive use over several months. It even spent two full weeks making uninterrupted tests for the selection of the first parents over massive crops. Samples were prepared during the day while the machine

38 ripen in the same span of time, which makes comparisons incorrect. Indeed, at day 30 the best individual in a group can merely be an early grower, while at day 60 it cannot necessarily be the best in the same group.

It also told us about its experience in testing the ratios of various extracts – i.e. checking effects on various patients to define those associated with each ratio. It said it had also analysed various CBD extracts made from industrial hemp available on the market, and discovered that some of them are law-quality products and had much lower contents than those shown on the label.

TESTING PLANTS PERMANENTLY AND CONSISTENTLY CONTRIBUTES A LOT TO LINE IMPROVEMENT, AS YOU CAN EASILY IDENTIFY THE BEST SPECIMENS

SAMPLING, TESTING AND SELECTION

Plants with hermaphrodite traits are discarded

analysed them at nighttime by means of an automated sample processor. In so doing, it saw that, despite the limited set of instruments, they were efficient enough to meet Dinafem’s requirements.

As Dr. Kush puts it “there are seed banks using Dinafem’s OG Kush Autoflowering to produce good quality autos, so they take advantage of our work. But when it comes to CBD, there is a long way ahead of us and there are no shortcuts.

Excellence can only be achieved through tests and long hard work, generation after generation”.

Before initiating the project, it knew the theoretical basics of breeding – especially CBD breeding. But as it moved through various steps, it shifted from theory to practice, and demonstrated, with a reliable instrument such as the chromatograph, that it was achieving the desired results.

Since it only worked with the chemotypes needed in that project, it could make several selections, with the opportunity to discard a large number of individuals and use only the best. Its first task was to separate the chemotypes of CBD dominant plants, with concen-

trations varying from plant to plant. In that process, it selected plants with the highest cannabinoid levels. In the common practice, tests are obviously only one part of the story; occasionally a lab test finds chemotypes that are apparently very similar and differences emerge only when you go back to cultivation. For this very reason, analytical data count together with the human factor; the work of expert breeders is what gives the final selection a special Dinafem touch.

After analysing full populations, its next step was to draw charts showing distribution. This is particularly useful in order to start working with concrete genetic materials and assess whether plants behave as desired. Normally, this mapping is also used to discard any plant groups with no interest for the project.

Currently, this step has become superfluous, as the Dinafem staff are perfectly knowledgeable of the genetic materials they are working with and know beforehand what will be needed in crosses, so they directly aim at the desired result.

After gaining experience in various testing phases, the bank acknowledged that a plant cannot be completely judged until its ripeness, but not all phenotypes

After talking in the lab with Dr. Ananda, I went – with him, Dr. Kush and Dr. O3 – to visit one of their plant selection areas.

There I could see them in action while they made a careful selection among 250 females and 100 males. Firstly, they removed hermaphrodites, to prune intersexual traits out of the genetic pool.

Most CBD plants presented Sativa traits but, as Dinafem is always looking for novelties, they ultimately privileged Indica traits and selected those with large leaves, a medium size and a delicious taste, and discarded plants tending towards a particularly large size – which may occasionally seem counter-intuitive.

As Dr. Ananda remarked, “in order to achieve specific results, it is crucial to follow best practices ever since the beginning, when you take samples and throughout the testing process”. In my visit I clearly understood what he meant – before starting, they put on a white gown and latex gloves. First, they selected the most interesting plants and numbered them; next, they took samples without touching flowers and placed them directly into jars, which were in turn numbered both on the side and on each cap to reduce the possibility of errors.

Testing was the next step; here Dr. Ananda follows a specific method, which was described in our article “Pollination day”. In the meantime, however, this method has been improved through the use of lower temperatures and fewer materials (to avoid soiling the chromatograph). To make a long story short, the

process involves drying the sample at 40º, weighing it, dissolving it with ultrasounds, centrifuging it, treating it in the oven for decarboxylation, diluting it in ethanol and placing it in the chromatographic column. Each analysis is repeated several times to exclude errors.

Finally, Dr. Ananda interprets results at the PC and prepares reports for each population group.

CBD-DOMINANT PARENTS We also visited the area where it keeps the best CBD-dominant mothers, with which it creates its CBD hybrids. Instead of using the same CBD-dominant plant from different strains, which will homogenise them, Dinafem is one of the very few banks that keep a wide group of various CBD dominant parents, both males and females, in order to work on each hybrid independently.

Although Dinafem continues working on and improving each line, this variety of parents places Dinafem among the leading banks active in CBD breeding.

CONCLUSIONS CBD strains are grown totally as a form of craftwork. In the past, breeders focused on a mix of intuition and luck. In those days, there were hardly any labs that could assist them. Currently, the human factor is complemented by extensive testing. This new breeding 2.0 is now progressing towards excellence more rapidly and growers will more and more benefit from a large variety of options – all different and totally stabilised.

COMIC

40

JOHN THE STONER TODAY IS ...

TODAY IS A GREAT DAY FOR MY BABIES!

HAAAA THE LONG AWAITED TRIMMING PLEASURE!

WELL OK!! QUITE BORING AFTER AWHILE!!

THREE HOURS LATER

... HARVEST DAY!

I'M SURE THIS SCISSORS HASH WILL REWARD ALL THE HARD WORK!

HANG THE BUDS IN A DARK ROOM IN THE RIGHT SURROUNDINGS WITH A TEMPERATURE AROUND 18 ° C AND HYGROMETRY BETWEEN 50 AND 60 % ...

10 POUNDS!!

IT MUST BE A DREAM!

AFTER DRYING

OH FUCK !

IT'S HALF THE SIZE!!

TO BE CONTINUED

I CAN'T WAIT! TOMORROW I WILL INVITE MY FRIENDS FOR THE SMOKE TEST!!

OPINION

41

Cannabis science is wonderful, but...

There has been some rather amazing research carried out recently looking at the effectiveness of cannabis on Alzheimer’s disease, and it’s certainly worth discussing in terms of the current legal status of weed in the UK. Firstly though, let’s look at the big finding of the research, as it’s not only massive in and of itself, but has a bearing on the rest of the column.

For many people, the idea that cannabis might have a positive effect on Alzheimer’s disease is probably highly counterintuitive, given the effect that using (too much) weed can sometimes have on the memory. However, it looks as though this may have to be reviewed in the light of a pretty startling piece of research.

Just so you’re all clear about the quote that’s coming next, “intraneuronal Aβ” clogs up bits of the brain as we get older and causes nerve cell death by means of inducing a “toxic inflammatory response”: "Cannabinoids such as tetrahydrocannabinol stimulate the removal of intraneuronal Aβ, block the inflammatory response, and are protective".

The big thing here is that word “protective”. This means exactly what you think it EPFT $BOOBCJOPJET TVDI BT 5)$ QSFWFOU UIF CVJME VQ PDDVSSJOH 8IBU QFSIBQT surprised me the most is that the authors refer specifically to THC, which strikes me as properly counterintuitive as THC (broadly speaking) is what gets the user stoned.

The paper doesn’t give any specifics as to what the cannabis they’re talking about is, and a number of attempts to contact the researchers for clarification have thus far been met with silence.

This is an important point, and in my view, it’s a regrettable omission on the part of the researchers because – as is becoming increasingly clear to anyone with an interest in medical cannabis – we can’t really regard cannabis as all being the same thing anymore. Increasingly, we are seeing a lot of new strains being specifically developed for a particular condition. *U T SFBMMZ BMM BCPVU XIBU QFPQMF IBWF BDDFTT UP BOE DVSSFOUMZ JO UIF 6, BU MFBTU UIBU tends to primarily be pretty bog standard “Skunk” that’s produced by criminals, often

tended by a trafficked child slave, is poorly cured and treated with who knows what in order to increase the weight of the goods as opposed to the quality.

It’s often said that it’s a buyer’s market, but this is clearly not the case where what’s required is illegal, meaning buyers will just take whatever’s on offer, even if it’s ultimately not very good for them. And this is the case for many people when it comes to cannabis.

So here’s the thing. Increasingly, in the field of medicinal weed, it’s becoming more and more evident that it’s not just a case of vape up any weed you can lay hands on and hope for the best. No, it’s much more nuanced than that now. It’s BMM BCPVU TQFDJGJD TUSBJOT BOE UIFJS QBSUJDVMBS DIFNJDBM NBLFVQ 8FFE GPS IFBMUI JT not necessarily the same as weed for R&R. In a situation where cannabis was legal, people really would have a proper choice, much as they currently do if they want to buy a bottle of wine; there’s red, white, rose, high alcohol, less alcohol, full bodied, medium, light, you get the idea.

It’s not simply about high THC content either, nor whether it’s straight Indica, straight Sativa or a hybrid thereof. As mentioned, it’s now much more about the strains being finely tuned in accordance with what the particular health needs of the user are.

Legalisation would allow for – if you like - cannabis supermarkets, where users can have their choice tailored to their needs (medical use) and/or their mood (recreational use).

If full legalisation proves too much for the government to countenance, and gradualism is the preferred way of doing it, then allowing home growing would ensure a pretty consistent supply of whichever strain of weed it is that’s specifically required for the health problem would be a good (and humane) place to start.

Dr. Dee

Note: Curais A, Quehenberger O, Armando A, Daugherty D, Maher P & Schubert D (2016) Amyloid proteotoxicity initiates an inflammatory response blocked by cannabinoids. Available at: http://www. nature.com/articles/npjamd201612

42

GROW WITH STONEY TARK

Preparing Your Seeds For Spring GROWING IN NORTHERN EUROPE

Auto-flowering varieties are best suited for the colder Northern European summers

How And When To Germinate Your Seeds This is the start of your new project and if you are growing regular, feminized, auto flowering or normal seeds, you will need to start them off the right way. New growers should take extra care when germinating their seeds and the two ways to do this are placing them in a glass of room temperature water and left in the dark, or alternately placed in between sheets of moist tissue paper.

The wet paper method is very easy and you will be creating a bed for the seeds to lay on until they begin to split and a white tap root shows itself. The easiest way to do this method is to use two dinner plates and to use a saucer that the wet tissue sits in, however, ensure the tissue is not water logged as the seeds will have difficulty germinating.

The second method keeps the seeds constantly wet and in the dark also, which allows the seeds to germinate at the bottom of a glass of water.

The seedlings at this stage require no nutrients so plain tap water or bottled water is fine. What is good about this method is that any bad seeds will remain floating on the top of the water surface and will not sink to the bottom after a 24 hour period.

Living in Northern Europe means you are experiencing 12 hours of sunlight which is expanding to 15 over the next 3 months. Living in Northern Europe can be challenging and to have long warm days are not so consistent. In countries such as the U.K, Holland, France and Germany, the weather will not be as rewarding as living in Southern Europe, however, with the right strain and the right growing techniques, a good harvest is easily achievable. Your current daytime temps are around 10-15 degrees with cold night time temps and the 12 hours of increasing sunshine may be partially blocked by the cloudy sky.

What Medium Should I Start With And What Pot Size?

Starting the seedlings off in a nutrient rich, organic friendly and microbe charged medium is essential to give them the best possible start in life. It is a good idea to allow plants to grow to a certain size, then to later on transplant into a medium that is designed for the growing and flowering phase.

Starting the seedlings off in a 5-litre pot is ideal as this will allow the plants to establish themselves well, also gives you the opportunity to move the plant around depending on where the sun is. My favorite outdoor mix consists of perlite, diatomaceous

earth, bat guano, worm humus and coco. Using this combination provides the roots with an abundance of base nutrients, as well as micro and macro nutrients and keeps the microbe count excelling.

What Do I Feed Them?

During the seedling and early growth stage, the plants will require Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium to fully function, however the key nutrient is Nitrogen and Phosphorus. The roots will want Phosphorus to build new structures and also develop branching as the plant grows. Nitrogen is needed to allow greening of the leaves and to promote thick lush growth. Potassium is also needed but in small amounts to work in partnership with calcium.

When you are feeding the small plants, create a nutrient solution that is more mild than strong. You want the roots to search for nutrients and push out between feedings. It is also important to allow the grow medium to dry out before top feeding, or bottom feeding depending on which works best for you.

Location And Strains Selecting the strain to grow in Northern Europe can be limited, or a strain with a shorter flowering

time should be considered. Growing out long flowering Sativa strains is almost pointless in certain parts of Europe, so a sturdy Indica is usually the preferred outdoor choice. As the weather is not as hot and dry as other parts of Europe, growers must always be vigilant of the plant's genetics being mould prone later on in flowering.

Holland has produced some very good outdoor strains that were designed to suit the wet cloudy climate they have. The UK and Holland are very close so the strains that work well in these countries are usually Skunk and Indica dominant varieties. Considering a poly-tunnel or greenhouse is always a good idea and allows extra heat and warmth as well as keeping neighbors happy and being out of sight.

Some strains that I would personally recommend growing out are Northern Lights, Afghan Skunk, Super Skunk, Shiva and Afghan Kush, or any Kush for that matter. The strains all possess the characteristics of medium height and strong side branching with an 8 week flowering time frame.

Good Luck getting those babies growing!

Peace Out

45

GROW WITH STONEY TARK

THE A - Z OF OLD AND NEW SCHOOL

SSUK has covered a list of 26 strains which represent the old school genetics and the modern day hybrids. With thousands of strains to pick from and with so many companies claiming to have the original genetics, we have made a generic list of the characteristics and history of the strains to give a better idea where they all fit in with one another. it. To keep it simple, Sour Diesel was taken to the East Coast and kept there as their version of what was the highest of high grades. The original still exists and with many of the newest Kush strains testing at 25% THC or more having Sour Diesel in. The reason why the strain became Sour Diesel is because the demand was so high that it would actually ruin friendships and became known as Sour Diesel by the people who were growing the flowers.

Fireball O.G

Photo by Dutch Passion

Photo by GBI

AK-47

One of the most famous household names when it comes to Cannabis plants. The old school AK-47 which originated in Amsterdam is a cross of Columbian, Mexican, Thai & Afghani genetics. A sativa dominant strain that still packs a real couch-lock punch. The old school AK-47 was known for its plum berry taste and the sativa dominant yields. Created in 1992 by Serious Seeds, this strain has won many awards in Amsterdam for its high THC levels at the time.

Blue Dream

This strain is hugely popular in America and there is a sky high demand for this strain. There are many reasons why growers love this Blueberry x Silver

Haze cross, as the plants grow very easily, very large and produce large haze like buds with a Blueberry structure. The taste is very similar to a good UK Blueberry with a deeper after taste. Considered a very easy strain to grow and a real cash cropper, you will see why it has become a huge name in the states. If you love the real UK Blueberry, then try this strain and you will fall in love with this one also.

California Orange

The name of this strain originates in California and is known as a complex mix of indica and sativa genetics. The California Orange became famous and popular on the east coast as it was a fruity zesty smoke with a clear balanced high. Not the strongest flowers that can be smoked and with THC testing around 12%, this strain is ideal for a breeding

Photo by Dutch Passion

project or for the smoker who prefers clarity. Known locally as Cali O and C.O.B, this stain found its way to Amsterdam and was worked on by Dutch Passion.

Available on coffeeshop menus as Orange Bud, it was also widely popular amongst locals and tourists.

Durban Poison

A pure sativa from South Africa that was crossed with the Florida O.G to create the Girl Scout Cookies.

Known for its powerful racy cerebral high, this strain is similar to Power Plant in the sense of the land race. A very sweet strain which grows purple as she flowers and can take up to 9 weeks to fully finish.

East Coast Sour Diesel

Without a doubt, the most googled strain on the planet today, whilst there is so much mystery about

A certain phenotype of the San Fernando Valley O.G that has made its way into the hands of American breeders. The Fireball O.G gets its name from the pistils growing a dark red color giving this strain a fiery appearance. This was originally a clone only strain and was made into feminized seeds. Tested at over 23%, this is considered a powerhouse pheno and when crossed with The White created White Fire O.G.

Girl Scout Cookies

Another huge name in America and the rise of Cookies has become a big brand. Girl Scout Cookies is a cross of Florida O.G x Durban Poison F1 and really made the scene in a big way thanks to Berner from SF. The Cookies has a kushy and skunky aroma to it that really hits you in the face, when you open a jar of these purple and green glistening buds. The Cookies will yield heavy for a Kush strain and is becoming everyone's favorite strain who has tried it. Hybrids that have come from Cookies are Cherry Pie and Chem Cookies. This strain has been tested over 28% THC and is sweeping cups across America.

46 Jack Herrer

The legend and pioneer of one of the most famous strains ever. Jack Herrer crossed Haze, Northern Lights and Skunk back in the mid 90s to create a spicy pine mango flavoured hybrid that has won numerous awards. This is a sativa dominant strain is perfect for anyone who enjoys a creative energetic soaring high. Jack worked on this strain and in the 1990’s created a phenotype that was considered a 55% indica hybrid. When growing this strain you can expect several phenotypes and they will usually lean to the haze side but either way it is high grade cannabis, from a true master.

Photo by Sensi Seeds

Hindu Kush

Originally taken as seed from the Hindu Kush region of the Pakistan Mountains, Sensi Seeds released this strain on their catalogue over 20 years ago. The Hindu Kush landrace is a smaller sticky pungent strain which can have sweetness to the flowers.

Flowering time should take around 50 days and the yields are impressive considering the genetics are pure indica. One of the building blocks of all of the Kushes out today and enjoyed by the old school connoisseur and the modern day smoker.

Kosher Kush

Winner of the Indica Cup in 2010 and 2011, DNA Genetics created this Kush and it is well known for its superior fruity dank after taste and wonderful stone. When growing this strain the plant is very aromatic and will express the true Los Angeles genetics, with testing at 29% THC, this is considered a sleeper for even the more professional smoker.

A well grown Kosher Kush can be found on coffee shop menus for around 15 euros a gram. This is certainly one of the most aromatic Kushes around so be prepared when growing this strain.

the Northern Lights strain can cause skin irritation when handling or rubbing against. From my personal experiences, true Northern Lights will feel like you have brushed nettles when handling it and can be responsible for itchy fingers when handling buds with Northern Lights genetics in.

O.G Kush

The O.G stands for Ocean Grown meaning it was bred somewhere in California. The original landrace seeds were taken back to the States and worked on as if they were in Amsterdam. During many crosses and pheno selection, one phenotype was considered the one and so was kept and is widely circulated on the West Coast of California. The story behind O.G Kush being Chem Dog 91 is true, however again the phenotype that was selected and kept alive will always be known locally as O.G Kush or just Kush.

The smell of a true O.G Kush should smell super dank and have a pungent rotting lemon zest.

Larry O.G

Photo by Dutch Passion

Master Kush

Photo by cccp

Ice

For those who love the intensity and old school earthy flavors, Ice is a cross of Skunk, Afghani and Northern Lights that grows white all over and has a sweaty petrol skunky aroma. Cannabis cup winner and a very reliable and sturdy strain, Ice represents the best of the old school in one uniform knockout plant. Nirvana selected winning phenos to breed with from thousands of plants to perfect this three way hybrid. It is called Ice because it looks so frosty and white, that nearly all of the plant is covered in trichomes and resin.

There have been some silly stories about the origin of Trainwreck and how this strain got the name. The most common is how a grower saved a plant from disaster after a train derailed and fell on the site where the plant was growing naturally. It is hard to believe and when you grow this strain, you will see why it is named trainwreck after your plants topple themselves in flower. The calyx on the trainwreck is huge compared to the average cannabis plant and for a long time Train Wreck had a real commercial buzz about it. Green House coffee shop also sell this strain on their menu for a reasonable price and it always has a good high.

Underdog O.G

The Underdog O.G is a clone only strain from the breeders at Loompa Farms. It is also known as Candy Kush due to its intense flavors and aroma.

Great for its medicinal effects and pain relief whilst the smoker enjoys a happy buzzing head high. A wonderful tasting Kush that has been used in many of the high grade Kush crosses of recent years.

A cross of Pakistan and Hindu Kush from Barney’s Farm, which is a short growing musky earthy plant that yields very well and produces a lot of resin. A tangy sweet after taste and powerful high that can leave you couch locked for hours.

Small dense Kush buds will grow but there will be an abundance so a great strain for anyone who wants a productive Kush hybrid.

Power Plant

A South African sativa landrace that is famous for enormous yields, whilst also being a serious indoor cash cropper. Power Plant given its name because of the size and production and has an earthy peppery taste and has a real cerebral buzz. A very tough plant that can perform very well outdoors and can be very rewarding when grown indoors. Not the best tasting cannabis around but great to use as a breeder to improve the taste and keep those bumper yields.

Querkle

A cross of Purple Urkle and Space Queen, a strong grape flavour and sweet berry aroma from TGA Genetics. A heavy resin coated hybrid that flowers with thick buds covered with purple hues. When smoked this strain can be very euphoric and dreamy, whilst there is an energetic buzz to keep the smoker nicely balanced. One to relax the mind and body so ideal for someone who does not smoke everyday.

Romulan

Photo by Sensi Seeds

Northern Lights

Photo by Sensi Seeds

Train Wreck

Violator Kush

A Kush hybrid of the San Fernando Valley and O.G Kush, from breeder Swerve at the Cali Connection.

This Kush represent the true lemon fuel aroma and taste and has been called Lemon Larry also. Larry O.G is a strong variety but not as potent as the other O.G Kush crosses, making this strain great for day time smoking without the sleepy Kush experience.

Another strain that was available from Sensi Seeds in the 90s. This Kush hybrid represents the best from the Hindu Kush mountains, so the charas taste and earthy aroma are expected with this old school landrace. A quick flowering time and a great strain bred in Amsterdam, it has been available for a long time. These seeds will be some of the cheapest that Sensi Seeds offer but are quality old school genetics. You will not find that lemon fuel flavour with this line of Kush but more of an earthy deep hashy taste with a slight sweetness.

the Diesel and has a soaring powerful high that can be overwhelming to the beginner smoker.

One of the original strains that many older smokers are familiar with. This pure indica was known for its reliability, good yields and powerful high. This cross of Afghani and Thai landraces make for a perfect plant for those who do not have a lot of space. We would consider Northern Light as one of the pioneer strains that have allowed so many others to be created and crossed with its sturdy reliable gene pool. Home growers would grow Northern Lights in a SOG set up as this strain stayed low and was easy to work with. A good note to remember is that

Photo by GBI

White Russian

Originating in B.C Canada, this strain is a heavy hitting narcotic indica dominant plant. It is well known for its therapeutic properties and is much sort after in the local dispensaries in America. Romulan is a cross of an Indica and White Rhino and grows small and squat, producing thick hard buds all over similar to the White Rhino. Popular for treating nerve damage, this strain can be considered high in CBD and true medical grade cannabis.

One of the most famous white strains and the one considered to possess the power that the other white strains were lacking. Created by Serious Seeds, this strain is a rock hard producer and can be grown in any environment. The buds have a sweeter aroma to the other white strains and the earthy taste is followed by a knock out racing high and hard body stone. A cross of White Widow and AK47 that has been tested at over 22% THC. A pioneer for one of the original strongest strains around.

Super Silver Sour Diesel Haze

Yoda O.G

This is a strain bred by J.D from Connoisseur Genetics and is known for its hybrid vigor. Named SSSDH for short, this strain can be found on coffeeshop menus in Amsterdam and has even been found in dispensaries in America. A cross of Sour Diesel and Silver Haze that takes 77 days and will produce long thick buds that yields better than

Another phenotype of the O.G Kush that has been crossed to become a super potent lemon fuel plant.

Famous in the States and only available in clone form, it has chunky pale frosted buds with long orange hairs. The taste is well known as dank and citrus pine making this recommended as a night time smoke and another true type of medical cannabis

EUROPEAN WHOLESALER

ALL YOU NEED FOR YOUR GROWSHOP!

P

R LESS FO W NO

W

ER

S

ST

LO

€5.90 SHI

O

SHO

New catalogue available now!

P PI N G

C

BRAND STORES! AMSTERDAM x2

Damstraat 46, 1012 JM Amsterdam, The Netherlands Phone: +31 (0)20 - 420 55 50, amsterdam@royalqueenseeds.com Haarlemmerstraat 66 B, 1013 ET Amsterdam, The Netherlands Phone: +31 (0)20 - 420 55 50, amsterdam@royalqueenseeds.com

BARCELONA Carrer Pelai 3, 08001, Barcelona, Spain Phone: +34 937 823 494, barcelona@royalqueenseeds.com

Pre emium Cannabis seeds More than 50 strains available in packages of 1, 3, 5 and 10 seeds at our webshop www.RoyalQueenSeeds.com

Wilma’s Lawn & Garden®

Let your plants shine!

The proper soil and nutrition are essential if you want to be able enjoy your plants and garden to the fullest. We therefore recommend our innovative new Cocolite substrates. This professional growing mediums are RHP approved and composed RI FRFR JULW FRFR ðEUHV FRFR FKLSV DQG SHUOLWH 7KH\âUH WKH LGHDO PL[ IRU WKH

FXOWLYDWLRQ RI IUXLW ñRZHUV YHJHWDEOHV DQG KRXVH SODQWV &RFROLWHV KDYH D KLJK FDSDFLW\ IRU DLU WR HQVXUH ODUJH R[\JHQ VXSSO\ DW WKH URRWV DQG DQ LGHDO ZDWHU distribution to promote water absorption by the roots. The Cocolite-11 is perfect for manual watering and the Cocolite-22 is perfect for automatic breeding methods.

B U S I N E S S .W I L M A S L A W N A N D G A R D E N . C O M / E N

INTERVIEW

49

INTERVIEW WITH AN EX-COP

Norm speaking on a US TV show

SSUK TALKS TO THE FORMER CHIEF OF THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT Before Norm Stamper’s current role as advisory board member for LEAP (Law Enforcement Action Partnership) and NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws), he was Chief of the Seattle Police Department between 1994 and 2000.

Norm served as an officer for the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) between 1966 and 1994. He has been a long-time advocate of the legalization of all drugs and community-lead policing, as well as institutional reform of the police force in general.

Norm wants to see an end to the War on Drugs, as he believes (rightfully so, in our opinion) that doing so will save police time, money and lives, as well as build trust among the communities they serve.

Current policy, he says, leads to US police being seen as a “militarylike occupier presence” in many areas of not only the United States, but the world at large.

Courtesy doctorfrank.com.

SSUK: First off, thanks for talking to Soft Secrets. Has there been a change in attitude towards cannabis and its users in the police force since you retired?

NS: Absolutely. The rank-and-file officers may be less confident about the implications of marijuana legalization in comparison to the brass, but most police officers see the writing on the wall. They understand the great numbers of American citizens pushing for legalization, and are in fact acting on that impulse, whether by putting together initiatives or putting pressure on politicians.

Are there wide social and cultural

differences between police forces in different departments and states?

I think it’s important to understand there are almost 1,000,000 police officers working for almost 18,000 police departments in the US. Given this country’s fascination – if not fixation – with home rule, there are huge differences between police departments and their attitudes towards cannabis, even within the same state and between different counties.

But I think it is safe to say that the support among officers for an end to the War on Drugs is probably as rigorous today as it has ever been. There’s a reason for that, which is not well-publicized, and that is that police officers

use drug laws as a means of leverage.

It is entirely possible for an officer to “stop and frisk” on the suspicion of drug possession or drug possession.

So they want that leverage, that “hammer”, and they might not want to see an end to the War on Drugs as they would lose that tool.

Would you say that sometimes they use this tool to catch violent criminals who might not otherwise get caught?

That’s one of the main theories or arguments that police officers use.

They will cite specific examples or anecdotal evidence of the time they caught somebody who was involved in a drive-by shooting or another violent activity. They would say they were able to make such an arrest because they had the tools to at their disposal to do so.

Of course, most of that violence is associated with drug trafficking. If you’re engaged in illicit commerce, and that commerce nets you obscene amounts of money, there’s a pretty good chance you’re going to arm yourself in order to protect or expand your operations, or to send a message to rivals. It is not uncommon for police to interrupt violent crimes that are being perpetrated in the cause of drug trafficking.

THE SUPPORT AMONG OFFICERS FOR AN END TO THE WAR ON DRUGS IS PROBABLY AS RIGOROUS TODAY AS IT HAS EVER BEEN just write traffic citations and locate 8 year-olds… They want to engage in the “cops and robbers” activity. They’re kind of hard-wired for action. If they’re pitted against armed-and-dangerous criminals who are pretty serious drug lords – that’s the kind of work they prefer to do.

These “cop culture” issues are, I think, important and generally underreported. In my first 14 months of the job, I came to learn the “pecking order” of the police force. The ones who get promoted, who get to work on investigative assignments and so forth… Almost always, the short answer is the cops who generated that kind of activity.

There’s a reward system within that culture that supports that mentality as well.

It sounds like a vicious circle…

Did you have to keep your beliefs to yourself in order to carry on doing your job as a police officer?

Well, it is. And of course, there’s a tendency on the part of police officers to be “adventurous”. They don’t want to

I will identify myself as the exception to most of the rules I’ll be sharing with you. I can safely say that the police

50 officers who entertain the view that the War on Drugs has done more harm than good, that the massive amount of marijuana arrests are not good for public safety – those are the officers who’ll keep their opinion to themselves.

They do so for reasons I hinted at earlier. They want to advance their careers. They want to get promoted, or go to a preferred assignment in another department. We wind up with reticence on the part of officers to hold or speak a rational or even progressive view. They’re going to keep silent, because it could come back to bite them.

Would you say that this is the case with a lot of other sectors of society?

I think it is. We’re often motivated by self-interest.

Generally speaking, we all want to get ahead in life, whether that means making more money or taking more responsibility or greater recognition. Self-interest is a great motivator. This is with any kind of work, but particularly in government.

I hate to be overly cynical about this, but most politicians lie in order to get elected, and they lie in order to get reelected. They lie to move into higher and higher offices. As a result, they become clueless as to the extent to which they are lying about what’s good for society as opposed to what might be harmful to society.

Politicians recognize that popularity is not just a contest, but the currency of politics. If you want to get ahead in politics or hold onto the seat you currently hold, you will avoid making statements that may in fact align with your own personal views and values. But you’ve become a political animal, and as such you’re going to be trading in deceit. I’ve seen it from

the local level upwards.

I have had too many experiences of private conversations with members of the criminal justice system, political figures, civic leaders or CEOs all saying, “Of course the War on Drugs is a failure. It was designed to be a failure from the very beginning. It makes no business sense, no rational sense, in any fashion.”

They’re whispering their support for an end to the drug war, but in public, they’re presenting an entirely different face.

the early 90s, I realised how damaging the War on Drugs had been and would continue to be unless we did something about it.

If we want to reform policing as an institution, we have got to remove police officers as the “foot soldiers” on the War on Drugs. When Richard Nixon famously proclaimed drugs and drug abuse as public enemy number one, and declared all-out-war on drugs, he was really declaring war on his own people. Principally people who are young, poor and of color.

And he put police officers in the role of foot soldiers in this ZDU <RX GRQȇW ILJKW D ZDU ZLWKout an enemy, and don’t fight a war without propaganda. So the machinery of war was invoked and stoked for decades, and continues to flourish throughout the country and the world.

It has produced such a harmful attitude and effect on police officers.

How do you feel about legalization efforts in the US at the moment? Are they on the right track?

Definitely on the right track.

Once again, we have that patchwork quilt of law, tradition, history and so on from one state to the next, and even within Norm Stamper in his uniformed days smaller jurisdictions, like cities and counties.

This notion of “home rule” is so vital to American democracy. It has How did the “higher-ups” in the some real strengths, some real drawdepartments you worked in feel backs. But one of the things that Seattle towards your attitudes on the War managed to do before Washington on Drugs? passed the legalization initiative was to declare cannabis enforcement as On my way up the chain of command, the lowest priority for the police and I did not make a habit of promot- the prosecutors in Seattle, which was ing my views on the drug war. My achieved by citizen initiative. personal interests and priorities were Seattle city attorney Pete Holmes was focused on internal and institutional one of the leading lights behind the reform, both at home and throughout campaign to legalize cannabis recthe country. reationally on a state-by-state basis.

But somewhere along the line, around Washington and Colorado were the

COPS DON’T WANT TO JUST WRITE TRAFFIC CITATIONS AND LOCATE 8 YEAR-OLDS… THEY WANT TO ENGAGE IN THE “COPS AND ROBBERS” ACTIVITY first to do so, and this was soon followed by others. On a state-by-state basis, it looks as if we’re close to reaching critical mass.

There are some states that may be slower in the uptake for legalized marijuana – particularly the southern states – but we’re looking at seeing legalized recreational marijuana in over half of US states within the next couple of years.

What can the US learn from other countries that have legalized or decriminalized drugs?

Well, we can learn that the sky doesn’t fall! All those countries that have legalized or at least decriminalized marijuana and provided things like supervised safe injection sites have seen improvements in their social conditions, reductions in crime and just generally better outcomes.

Would you say cannabis legalization would produce a positive effect on the police?

Absolutely. The police stand to benefit an end to the drug war. Let’s assume we were to legalize all drugs, rather than decriminalize, we would shift the enforcement policy to the public health arena, as opposed to the criminal justice arena. We could still continue to exercise legitimate control.

We don’t want people to drive impaired or furnish young people with any substances; but if we were to legalize, we

FORMERLY KNOWN AS SMOKIN VINYL… 0121 3737051 16 COTON LANE, ERDINGTON, BIRMINGHAM, B236TP

JUICYJOINT THEJUICYJOINTUK

BUT STILL BIRMINGHAM GHAM &THE MIDLANDS PREMIUM SEED STOCKIST DOWNLOAD THE SEED LIST... ONLINE SHOP LAUNCHING SOON ... MAIL ORDER WORLDWIDE

m om .co n.c en he tch cKiitc miicK sm os Ko K

www.TheJuicyJoint.co.uk

try them c cannabis SEEDS VAporizers

dabbing

smartshop

COME IN AND TRY RY OUR ORGANIC JUICES J & SPECIALTY COFFEES ///

Main sponsor

Official partners

Organisation

www.cannabisliberationday.org

www.voc-nederland.org

52 would shift the role of police officers back to what it was in theory. It is inarguable that police back then were seen as much friendlier and “in touch” with the community. Police were still seen as public servants – as helpful, not harmful to society. Ending the drug war would help facilitate a return to this style of “community policing”, where people trusted the police and spoke to them a lot more freely than they might do today.

This would improve public-police relations, which in turn would facilitate officer safety. Removing traditional

drug enforcement as we see it would make police officer’s jobs so much safer, as gangs are increasingly cut out of a profitable black market and see their profits from drugs drying up.

IF WE WANT TO REFORM POLICING AS AN INSTITUTION, WE HAVE GOT TO REMOVE POLICE OFFICERS AS THE “FOOT SOLDIERS” ON THE WAR ON DRUGS

How much does policing cannabis cost in comparison to alcohol?

Do you believe cannabis to be medicinal?

I don’t think I’m qualified to answer that question! I would leave that to the Dr. Franks and other medical experts of the world. I do believe very strongly that cannabis has enormous medical properties.

I was testifying once in Minnesota before a legislative committee. Just as I was about ready to walk into the room, they were exploring the possibility of medical marijuana legislation. I was approached by a middle-aged woman named Stephanie with an envelope in her hands, who asked, “May I speak to you for just a few moments?” She took this glossy, color photograph out of her envelope, and it was of her adult daughter, Joanie. Her daughter had melanoma, and it went undiagnosed and untreated for a long time. She underwent multiple surgeries, including on her face.

These surgeries left Joanie indescribably disfigured. It was difficult to even look at the picture Stephanie was showing me. Stephanie told me that Joanie lived in considerable pain throughout her life, and that she had recently died.

Joanie was in so much pain in the last two years of her life that she could not stop-and-frisk is expensive. The New even hug her children. <RUN 3ROLFH 'HSDUWPHQW 1<3' ZDV Stephanie told me that her other two sued for tens of thousands, if not children told her, “Mom, we have to millions, of dollars for stop-and-frisk, get Joanie some medical marijuana.” as it was found in violation of the US Stephanie, being quite a conservative Constitution. They were taking people Gulf War veteran, said to her kids at stopped for small amounts of marijua- that time, “No, we won’t have drugs in na to the courts. This costs not only the my house.” courts time and money processing all of Joanie was living with her parents in these cases, but also takes police officers her childhood bedroom at this point. off the beat, meaning less time police on Seeing that Joanie was in pain and that the streets doing their jobs and build- Stephanie wouldn’t allow cannabis in ing trust, and more time spent filling her house, Stephanie’s other two kids out paperwork and taking small-time, took Joanie to their own homes so she often non-violent offenders through the could medicate. Wracked with guilt courts. Of course, these people would and after having done some reading, then be faced with the rigmarole of the Stephanie had asked her kids to bring criminal justice system, and potentially Joanie back home and accepted that have their assets seized and out of she may well need cannabis to help their homes. This process costs society manage her pain. a lot of money – well into the millions. They moved Joanie back into her childBy legalizing marijuana, we’d be doing hood bedroom, and they searched some good and much less harm. and made calls for cannabis. They We spend far more money on policing DOFRKRO <RX NQRZ ȊPRSSLQJ XSȋ WKH bar room brawls, driving under the influence and other problems.

There’s no definitive way of telling how much policing cannabis costs. This is because of the reporting and the lack of proper evidence to give precise numbers. But I think it would be safe to say that the expenditure for everything from stop-and-frisk to adult possession arrests costs lots. Moreover,

OF COURSE THE WAR ON DRUGS IS A FAILURE. IT WAS DESIGNED TO BE A FAILURE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. IT MAKES NO BUSINESS SENSE, NO RATIONAL SENSE, IN ANY FASHION had no idea where to go to, but someone found out about their story. The next day, on the porch of Stephanie’s home, was an unlabelled, unmarked package. This was, needless to say, a package full of cannabis.

Stephanie said, “There’s a punchline to this whole thing. In addition to my learning and my education and the guilt that I felt in turning away my own flesh-and-blood, and depriving her of the kind of support and comfort that she might realize… I found that people are in fact, pretty good, that they do care and they do want to help.

Joanie was able to go through another Thanksgiving and another Christmas with her family. She was able to manage her pain, and was able to hug her children and even produce a slight smile, thanks to cannabis.”

I was so moved, I could hardly talk.

I was just about to testify in front of thousands of police officers. There was another police officer who was opposed to the medical marijuana initiative, and I was struck by Stephanie’s personal story, and how people would be denied comfort in their dying days were medical marijuana not to be available.

Thanks for speaking to us, and good luck with your new carreer!

Courtesy of Dr. Frank @ doctorfrank.com

SPANNABIS 2017

53

HARMONY EXTRACTS Cup winning extracts that raise the bar for anyone

Barcelona was host to another epic Spannabis event this year and whilst the over zealous industry enthusiasts pack out the stalls and the booths, behind the scenes there are extraction artists and seed banks working hard to win 1st place in the Spannabis Cup. The level of competition is fierce and with so many new techniques and new strains being used, the world of extraction has never been so diverse.

By Stoney Tark Soft Secrets sat down with 1st place winner for the Spannabis 2017 Extracts Cup, to find out more about their work and their entry this year. We spoke with Peter Papadopoulos from Harmony Extracts to find out more.

SSUK: Congratulations on your

www.budseason.eu

recent 1st placement for the Spannabis 2017 extracts. Can you tell us where Harmony Extracts are from?

Thank you so much. This has been a truly amazing experience. The people of Barcelona have always been so kind and to actually win

Harmony Extracts with this year's entry which landed 1st place.

54 first place in the solvent category is a dream come true.

Harmony Extracts are based in Denver Colorado. We are a new company but our extractors have years of experience. We are proud to be able to say that over the course of these years our extractors have produced over 1,000,000 grams of concentrates.

What is it that Harmony Extracts specialize in?

We specialize in connoisseur level concentrates. Our goal is to push technology forward and continue to create the best concentrates on this planet.

We have a passion for creating competition worthy hash and set our standards at the highest levels possible.

What was the winning entry and can you break down the strain used and what method of extraction was used?

offer. We isolate the THCa into crystals and separate it from the terpenes and then reintroduce everything back together at the end.

Index of ads Name

Page

What was the level of competition like this year?

Spannabis is one of the biggest competitions in the world. The level of competition is always high (No pun intended). It is an opportunity to measure yourself against the best that the world has to offer.

Advanced Seeds

28

Hy-pro

4

Amsterdam Seed Center

7

Jorge Cervantes

36

Atami

56

Juicy Joint the

51

Barney's Farm

15

Kera International

33

Bud Season

53

Kosmic Kitchen

51

Buddha Seeds

39

London Seed Centre

1

Cannabis Liberation Day

51

Mycologics

53

Dinafem Seeds

1

Paradise Seeds

1

Dinafem Seeds

55

Paradise Seeds

10-11

Dr. Blooms Hydroponics

1

Pax

5

Dr. Underground

41

Procare

53

Dutch Passion

19

Royal Queen Seeds

13

Dutch Passion

35

Royal Queen Seeds Brandstore

48

Ed Rosenthal

20

SANlight

50

Exotic Seed

25

Seedstockers.com

27

Funky Skunk the

45

Stanford Hydroponics

1

Gea Seeds

1

Sweet Seeds

1

Gen 200

51

Sweet Seeds

23

Genofarm

16

Sweet Seeds

31

Hemp Passion

43

UK Personal Cannabis Cup

53

Hesi

2

Vision Seeds

29

Humboldt Seed Organization

47

Wilma's Lawn & Garden

48

Hunter's Coffeeshop

44

You also entered the Master's Cup in Barcelona. How did you get on there?

We placed third in the solvent category for the Masters Cup with Super Lemon Haze. It was also an honor to be a part of the first installment of this event. Nerd Extractions did an amazing job in putting this event together and we look forward to being a part of it again in the future.

We send our love and support to them always.

Do you have tips for the readers who aspire to become an extract artist? <HV ZRUN KDUG DQG QHYHU VWRS learning. If you put in your time, you will always get better. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do something that your heart tells you that you can.

Seriously stepping up the way extracts are made Our 1st place winning entry was Banana Kush. This extraction was made using hydrocarbons and turned into our signature product our "nectar" which is the most refined form of hydrocarbon extraction that this planet has to

Do you have a social media page that the Soft Secrets readers can follow you on? <RX FDQ IROORZ XV RQ ΖQVWDJUDP # Harmony Extracts. We welcome you all to follow us and look forward to hearing from all of our new friends from all over the world. My personal Instagram is; Roland_Endblazin. Please follow us both. Thank you Soft Secrets for your love and support! We look forward to seeing you next year if not sooner. The world is a funny place but there is one thing we could all use... Harmony.

Thank you for your time Peter and we shall all look forward to seeing you and Harmony Extracts competing at Spannabis 2018!

ANSWERS to the Growers Quiz from page 14: 1. C 2. C 3. D 4. A 5. B 6. B 7. C 8. A 9. B 10. D

11. D 12. A 13. A 14. D 15. D 16. C 17. C 18. D 19. D 20. B

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, Mr. Jose, Hugo Madera, Dr. Frank and others.

Comics: Jim Stewart Editorial adress: readers@softsecrets.nl Advertisements: E-mail: info@softsecrets.nl A word from the publisher: Soft Secrets is published in: The Netherlands (Highlife), Germany, France, Italy, Spain, UK, Poland, Czech Republic, Chile and Argentina.

The UK government has embarked on a process of relative liberalisation towards the use of cannabis, and cannabis activists are engaged in broadening this engagement. Several local councils and police chiefs now actively support a Dutch-style coffeeshop system as a way of separating soft and hard drugs, as it has proven to do in Holland. Whether they are finding their way to new coffeeshops or growing for their personal supply, cannabis users are a menace to no one, and are causing no discernable social problem.

Some politicians and commentators are calling for the outright legalisation of marihuana. Let’s wait and see how the debate develops during a period of relative peace between all sides of the argument. In the meantime, the publisher hopes Soft Secrets will show the public a positive side to the normalisation of cannabis use, and is anxious to offer a forum to both pro- and anti-legalisation advocates. This assumes that the publisher does not necessarily agree with everything that appears in articles and advertisements.

The publisher therefore distances himself explicitly from published statements or images that might give the impression that an endorsement is being made for the use or production of cannabis.

Nothing from this publication may be copied or reproduced in any format without prior permission from the publisher and other copyright holders. The publisher is not responsible for the content and/or point of view of advertisements. The editors take no responsibility for unsolicited submissions.

The publisher has endeavored to reach all copyright holders of photos and/or images. Those who still believe they are entitled to these rights may contact the publisher.

Next issue out: June 16, 2017

ST

SH

IP PI

White Widow Auto CBD

OG Kush Auto CBD

Early Amnesia CBD

Dinamed CBD

Critical+ Auto CBD

Cheese Auto CBD

S

0

SH O

NOW

C O L L E C T I O N €5.9

S

R

Amnesia Auto CBD

LO WE

C B D OR LE S PF

O NG C

2 0 1 7

“Our magnificent seven”

LIFESTYLE.ATAMI.EU

TIME FLIES...

WWW.ATAMI.COM SALES@ATAMI.COM

soft secrets_GB_2640_0317 ets_GB_2640_0317 ets_ 17