2018 01 UK by SoftSecrets

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THE CANNABIS NEWSPAPER SINCE 1985

Issue 1 - 2018

13 AMSTERDAM

How to grow successfully on COGr coco slabs

21 How to prepare your substrate

35 When it smells in the room

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

RRY SENSI-STAR DELAHAZE PANDORA BELLADONNA WAPPA ALL

DUTCH GOVERNMENT ACTIVELY CENSORS SCIENTIFIC REPORTS Top officials in Dutch Ministries repeatedly interfered with research studies by the independent scientific research and documentation center WODC, according to a letter from a WODC employee in Nieuwsuur's possession. If the results of a study are unfavorable to a Ministry, the officials exert pressure to have them adjusted, according to the letter from 2014.

"This should not have been allowed", Minister Ferdinand Grapperhaus of Justice and Security said to Nieuwsuur. He stressed that people working on policy should not interfere with the work of scientific researchers. According to Grapperhaus, the protocol has been tightened and he will launch an external investigation to see whether the rules are being complied with.

The letter outlines a large number of examples of the Ministry of Justice and Security interfering in studies. According to the WODC, the Justice Ministry insisted that the outcome into a study on regulated cannabis cultivation be that it is not feasible. A study into problems caused by drug tourism had such poor results that the Ministry insisted the conclusions be adjusted. And the Ministry criticized the research set-up on certain studies on coffeeshops. This complaint letter was first submitted in 2014, and then resubmitted this year, according to ANP. Up until now, nothing

WEBSITE about Cannabis

I N T E R N AT I O

Reports from the WODC hold enormous value in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament. Parliamentarians refer to

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such reports when voting on policy. A huge part of that value comes from the studies being independent and objective.

Parliamentarians responded to the Nieuwsuur report with outrage. SP MP Michiel van Nispen called such interference a "mortal sin" and said he feels "really deceived", according to ANP. D66 parliamentarian Maarten Groothuizen points out that reports from the WODC only have value if they are really objective. "If it is precooked by the Ministry, then we as Kamer want nothing to do with it."

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has been done, the now retired employee who wrote the complaint said. The employee added that the highest official at the Ministry of Justice and Security knows about the complaint.

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D nn N ut ch ov om tr a in ad ti ate es o d fo ho n r w aw 20 17 ar /2 d 01 The proper soil and nutrition are essential if you u want an nt to be ab ble tto o enjoy your pllant ntss an and ga ard den to o th the e fu full lles est. es t t. 8 We therefore recommend our innovatiive ne ew Co Cocoli lite li t sub te ubst sttra rate tes. The ese profe ro ofess ssio io ona al growin owi g m ow me ediu um u ms ar are RHP approved and composed of coco grrit it, co coco o fib ibre re es, coc oco o ch chip i s an ip and d pe perlite. e. C Co ocol olit itte is the ite he ide dea al mix ix ffo or tthe or he cultivation of fruit, flowers, vegetables an nd hous usep epla lant nts. ts. s

It was a conscious choice to build on a ba base off coco onut fi fibr b e fo br forr ou ourr subs b trates bs es. s Po Pottin ng so soiil is a su s bstr trat atte material containing peat, which is very suitable for bei e ng g a partt of o you o r po otti tttin ing so ing soil oil. ill. Ho Howe eve er, r the larrge a amo moun mo u ts un of peat extracted in Europe isn’t environm men enta t lly frie end dly ly. Ev Even en if pe eat a is extracted in a susta ustain in nab able le way iitt ta take kes es thirty years to grow back. That’s why we iintroduce e ccoc ocon nut fibre b bas a ed d sub ub u bssttrra bst ate tess. s. B By y gr g ow owin in ng co oco conu nutts for o e.g .g. coconut oil the fibre in the bark of the e ccoc ocon onut ut becomes a waste te pro odu duct ctt, bu butt we hav ve ch c ossen to o re r cy ycle th his i coconut bark for our Cocolite-11 and -22 2.

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3 EDITORIAL

California Dreaming: Legal cannabis in The Golden State January 1st 2018 saw cannabis legalised in California for recreational use (medical use was legalised back in 1996). Adults voted to be treated as such, and now they can legally be in possession of amounts up to 1oz (28 grams) for personal use, or up to 6 plants per person. This is very big news and very much to be welcomed. California has the largest economy in America (it is apparently comparable to that of France, so properly noteworthy), it has the largest population, and - perhaps most significantly - is regarded as a "barometer" for the rest of the US, as well as a "cultural facilitator" for much of the rest of the world: think of the influence of Hollywood or of Silicon Valley on pretty much everything, as two examples of this. This means, of course, that there will no longer be any need for recreational users to go through the charade of feigning an illness and having to pay money to medical practitioners in return for a "letter of recommendation" allowing them to legally use a medical marijuana dispensary. In fact, it has been predicted that the legalisation of recreational cannabis may well either kill the medical industry completely or see it become a very small part of the very much larger recreational market. But (and there is a "but"), what about the worst case scenario? There is the very real possibility of the big boys moving in, particularly now that the legalisation groundwork has been done by others, and basically pushing all the independents and everyone else out. It is happening in the other legal states, and indeed, there are already a number of Hollywood movers and shakers rumoured to be ready to put their names to the usual range of paraphernalia and other weed-related tat in order to make a quick buck. Other "names" are investing in land with a view to opening cannabis farms. There exists the further possibility that an unwanted result of legalisation will be that the big corporations will flood the market with cheap and generic cannabis, ultimately driving the independent or artisan producers out of business. And then, instead of weed becoming something that financially benefits the majority as opposed to the few (though to be honest, this was never realistically going to happen in America), things return to the business as usual "trickle down" wealth model and a lot of would be "cannapreneurs" will be left scratching their heads and wondering what the hell happened. What may well have happened is that cannabis has become just another commodity: the same thing in lots of different packaging to give the illusion of "consumer choice" and that would be beyond unfortunate. There is a best case scenario, though. Optimists have drawn a parallel with the craft breweries that have proliferated both in America and here in the UK, and point out that these small scale operations are holding their own against corporate produced booze. In Britain over the past five years, the number of breweries has risen by 64% since 2012, meaning there are now more than 2000 breweries in the country, a number unseen since the 1930's. On paper at least, this is to be applauded. But, the cynic would point out that many of these "independent" breweries have actually been bought out on the quiet by the majors, effectively making them subsidiaries. In an increasing number of cases, all that remains is the name, and the product sees a slow decline in the quality that made it popular in the first place. As with craft beer, so with craft cannabis?

SAN FERNANDO LEMON KUSH ® Sweet Seeds

The UK government can drag its feet as much as it wants over cannabis legalisation, but it is going to happen. We need to watch how events unfold in America and try to learn from their (inevitable) mistakes. http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-pot-medical-california-20171228-story.html http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/mike-tyson-marijuana-resortcalifornia-cannabis-law-weed-a8140051.html http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/uk-breweries-number-rise-craftbeer-over-half-four-years-start-ups-a8011641.html Dr John 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

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QUIZ

7) When flowering cannabis, how should you prevent mould?

14) Why is cutting at a 45 degree angle important, when cloning?

A. B. C. D.

A. It does not make a difference what angle it is cut B. To expose more surface area of the white part where the root will form C. To make it easier to push into the medium D. It prevents any infections after the cut has been made

You cannot grow mould on buds Ensure good air flow 24/7 around canopy Foliar spray with nutrients late at night Keep a window open at night

8) Once clones have formed roots, which of these do they need most? 1) Which of these does K represent with nutrients? A. B. C. D.

Calcium Kelp Potassium Magnesium

2) Which of these was a classic strain from Sensi Seeds? A. B. C. D.

Silver Pearl Girl Scout Cookies Romulan AK47

A. B. C. D.

Nitrogen Potassium Magnesium Phosphorus

9) Seaweed can be used to help germinate old seeds because? A. B. C. D.

They contain natural growth hormones They do not do anything for the seed They contain Colloidal Silver They are high in Calcium

10) The famous OG Kush is known for what? 3) Which of these refers to organic growing? A. B. C. D.

Using rockwool and drippers Using coco and hand feeding Using soil and hand feeding Using only water to grow plants

A. B. C. D.

Gassy lemon taste and powerful stone Fruity taste and mild strength Very earthy taste and sativa high It doesn't really have much of a taste

11) Which nutrient is most used during flowering? 4) When vegging which light spectrum is needed? A. B. C. D.

6400k 2700k 1000k 7500k

5) What does EC stand for when growing hydroponics? A. B. C. D.

Electric Charge Electric Control Electric Changer Electrical Conductivity

6) In the grow room, using a green light does what? A. B. C. D.

It causes the plants to hermie It allows you to see in the dark It does nothing Plants do not like green light

A. B. C. D.

Calcium Zinc Potassium Boron

15) Which of these white strains is most famous for pain relief? A. B. C. D.

Great White Shark White Widow Snow White White Skunk

16) Which of these strains was created by DNA Genetics? A. B. C. D.

Gorilla Glue Gelato Holy Grail Kush KC33

17) Which of these conditions would powdery mildew form? A. B. C. D.

Wet and cold with no air flow High temperatures and fans blowing Dry air and fans blowing Low humidity and low temperatures

18) Beneficial bacteria live in which part of the plant? A. B. C. D.

Within the leaves and stomata Attached to the roots as spores At the top of the grow medium There is no such thing as beneficial bacteria

12) When is the best time to start training plants?

19) Humification describes the process of?

A. B. C. D.

Late into flowering Early in the growing stage At the very end of the growing stage Train plants to do what?

Organic material breaking down naturally A chemical process used to make B.H.O When you make Rosin this occurs It is the same as decarboxylation

13) Which of these hydroponic systems uses a top feed method?

20) CBD is naturally linked to the brain and where else?

A. B. C. D.

Flood and drain Deep water culture Aquaponics Dripper systems

Bones Small Intestine The heart Hair follicles

For answers see page 38!

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GROW WITH STONEY TARK

PREVENTION AND THE CURE

POWDERY MILDEW EXPLAINED As we enter the coldest and wettest months of the year, January can be a challenging time to grow especially if you have buds flowering. The optimal conditions outside can be very wet and humid which means your grow room is being fueled by this outdoor air. From this can arise scenarios where powdery mildew will form and can cause havoc amongst a crop, if not treated immediately and effectively. Below is better explained what is powdery mildew, how it lives and how to prevent this living spore from attaching itself to your beloved plants. WHAT IS POWDERY MILDEW? You may have entered your indoor garden or attended your outdoor plants, when all of a sudden overnight you see what looks like white flour has been poured over your leaves. When you rub off with your finger it seems to disappear and then when you return an hour later it is still there. Unfortunately you are dealing with a living organism that is a form of fungi, which attaches itself as an unwanted host to foliage, stems, flowers and fruits. The white powdery substance and what gives this fungus a household name is when the superficial fungus covers the surface of the plant tissue. The optimum temperature for powdery mildew to thrive is between 20-25 degrees Celsius and a relative humidity of 40% and above, is the ideal conditions for spores to germinate. This fungus also prefers to grow in low light levels which is why it usually makes an appearance in our gardens around November until March time, so considering this spore can spread within 72 hours of initial infection, identifying the symptoms is an urgent matter.

WHAT WILL AN INFECTION OF MILDEW LOOK LIKE? The most difficult thing when tackling powdery mildew is to catch it early on, find where it came from to the best of your ability and to implement safeguards to make sure the fungus cannot thrive inside of your garden. Things to look out for are patches of white powder appearing on the tops and undersides of the

leaf. The patches will be inconsistent and can be a small dot to the tips of fan leaves and becoming doused in a white blanket of mildew. Once the mildew has attached itself to the plant tissue, the collateral damage can lead to the plant becoming stunted and with other species of plants can even turn the leaves brown and suffocate the plant almost. When you get powdery mildew on your buds then this is the latest stage of infection. From my experience growing outdoor in the mountainous regions of South Spain, the nights can be extremely cold and humid meaning that all crops not just cannabis can be heavily affected by mildew. As the fungus grows more and more, the plant will slowly become debilitated by the infection so knowing how to stop it in the first place is huge.

WHERE DOES IT COME FROM?

If you can prevent something from happening in the first place then you can ultimately cure the problem at the same time. Powdery mildew can enter the garden from outside as wind naturally carries the spores in the air. The conditions in which these spores live in are almost the same temperatures as the grow room at 20-24 degrees Celsius, however because the fungus physically requires humidity above 40% or more, walking the fine line of 30% humidity in flowering with adequate air flow is essential. If you had a grow room that during the day the temperatures were 24 degrees in flowering and 30% humidity with good airflow, however at night after all the lights, extractors and fans

are turned off, the grow tent is now creating an ideal environment of no air flow and high humidity. Many growers do not realise that once the lights and fans shut down at night, there is hot air that has been created by the lights that has no way to be exhausted or escape. As a result the air changes structure and the walls of the tent will become wet. Mould can come about from the same conditions and any grower who has ever has a close to harvest flower touch the wet walls, they will know firsthand how easy mould can spread.

STEPS TO TAKE TO PREVENT FURTHER INFECTION:

act like liquid skin and will strengthen the leaf to a point of more resistance against the fungus. ȩ $YRLG XVLQJ KLJK DPRXQWV RI 1LWURJHQ LQ \RXU feed towards the flowering stage. This will prevent new leaf growth from being soft and more susceptible to attack. ȩ 1HYHU IROLDU IHHG RU VSUD\ WKH SODQWV ODWH DW night or really at any point during the flowering stage. This is only creating those warm and wet conditions the spores need to thrive and a build up of moisture inside of the canopy is never good.

ȩ $LUIORZ DQG YHQWLODWLRQ ZLOO GLVFRXUDJH SRZGHU\ mildew, so make sure that when you are spacing your plants out that the air is allowed to freely flow beneath the canopy and above the canopy.

ȩ 2QFH \RX KDYH IRXQG WKH VRXUFH RI WKH SRZGHU\ mildew, cut away with a sterile pair of scissors and remove the infected tissue to the garbage. You must make sure that the scissors are then cleaned using bleach or peroxide to ensure you have totally killed the spore.

ȩ 1HYHU RYHU FURZG SODQWV LI \RX WKLQN WKHUH LV D chance your temperature and humidity outside is that of a concerning level. Controlling a powdery mildew infection on a large scale sea of green or scrog can sometimes seem like an impossible task.

ȩ +LJK OHYHOV RI 8 9 DUH NQRZQ WR NLOO YLUXVHV LQ lab conditions so high U.V levels are a natural killer. In Japan they are very aware of the benefits of U.V cleaning lights and they are even used on door handles of most hotels and public places.

ȩ .HHS \RXU UHODWLYH KXPLGLW\ LQ IORZHU DW Ensure that when lights out that there is a carbon filter running or fans that can keep the air fresh. Stagnant air is no good in the same way stagnant nutrients are no good.

ȩ 7KHUH DUH VHYHUDO KRPH PDGH UHPHGLHV WR stop powdery mildew in its tracks. You may have already heard of them from a soapy nutrient solution, using baking soda, lemon and orange juice for the high acidity levels to even using milk. I would suggest thoroughly researching these remedies as there is a fine balance between encouragement and the discouragement of this fungi.

ȩ 3RZGHU\ PLOGHZ DWWDFNV VRIW OHDI WLVVXH VR I personally advice feeling liquid silicate or diatomaceous earth to your medium. This will

SEED BANKS

DUTCH PASSION NEW CANNABIS VARIETIES FOR 2018 Dutch Passion are pleased to announce some new varieties for 2018. There are three THC rich varieties, Lemon Zkittle®, Auto Orange Bud and the photoperiod feminized Bubba Island Kush. And perhaps surprisingly to some, there is a new THC-free and CBD-rich variety called Charlottes Angel. LEMON ZKITTLE® The Lemon Zkittle® is a feminized photoperiod hybrid with extreme THC levels of over 20% from the USA. The genetics come from Las Vegas Lemon Skunk which was crossed with a prized Zkittlez parent. The most potent offspring which was remarkably stress resistant, was the yellow lemon zkittle phenotype. She produces heavy yields, a fresh lemon aroma and bright green and yellow buds in bloom. The Zkittlez parent variety is one of the best USA varieties, selling for up to $35/g with some of the highest THC levels we have seen. Lemon Zkittle® is easy to grow with exceptional resin production, a sour citrus aroma and fantastically strong buds. She is around 60% sativa, medium height and takes 9-10 weeks in bloom with XL yields. Bred for potency with a fresh lemon taste, one of our most potent creations ever.

BUBBA ISLAND KUSH. THC RICH PHOTOPERIOD INDICA, EASY TO GROW. This is a superbly strong feminized photoperiod Indica variety with hints of blue in the buds. Frost levels are incredible on this variety, its not just a super strong variety it also has a great feel-good anti-anxiety high and a long lasting stoney effect. Bubba Island Kush is of the strongest varieties from Dutch Passion in recent years, and one of the most resinous varieties ever released by the team. Bubba Island Kush is fast to bloom, she is the first girl in the grow room to respond to 12/12 light and is usually finished after about 8 weeks of bloom. As well as a heavy yielding main bloom there is plenty of side growth on this variety which make it a heavy yielding kush strain. The indica genetics help keep this variety manageable in the grow room, she is a medium hight variety typically reaching around a metre high at harvest, or less, when given around 4-5 weeks of veg. The buds produced are rock hard, especially when grown under a powerful light, and they rattle with a pleasing sound in your jars LI \RX JLYH WKHP D VKDNH b Bubba Island Kush was created from proven gene bank indica genetics. It’s a variety designed for the indoor home grower; easy to grow, fast blooming, generous harvests with a knockout stone. When you

crumble the buds the resin-crusted nugget gently falls apart into crystallised flakes, like a lump of Afghani hash which has been warmed on a flame. The cured buds have flecks of blue/purple in them, and the aroma is dank and hashy with some scents of dark fruit and berries and a hint of fuel. THC levels are above 20%, if you are looking for a new favourite photoperiod indica variety to try in 2018 then consider Bubba Island Kush.

CHARLOTTES ANGEL. AROUND 0.2% THC, 15% CBD FEMINIZED PHOTOPERIOD. Over the last few years we have had lots of requests for a high CBD variety with low/no THC. Charlottes Angel has around 15% CBD with THC levels around 0.2%. It’s not THC-free, but its very low THC and doesn't create any type of strong psychoactive high. The variety is perfect for people that want the benefits of a CBD rich medical/ relaxation effect without a disorientating THC high. In the USA, similar low/no THC varieties are used for patients wanting to avoid the psychoactive high, such as the very young, frail, or those that do not respond well to THC rich varieties. The CBD rich cannabis is often used by people for pain relief or relief from uncomfortable physical symptoms. Charlottes Angel gives a slightly sedative and

calming effect, typical for CBD-rich varieties. But its not just medical growers that will like Charlottes Angel, it has some surprising uses for recreational cannabis lovers too. The Dutch Passion test team reported that they would use Charlottes Angel for a daytime smoke, and although they didn't get high they found that using Charlottes Angel totally removed the craving for a joint. Even though there is no/low THC in the cannabis it satisfies the urge for cannabis. Its an unusual property, but a useful one. Using Charlottes Angel allows you to satisfy the need for weed without getting you high. It also means that heavy cannabis users can reduce their cannabis tolerance without having to quit weed. We never thought that we would be boasting about reducing THC levels in cannabis, but it turns out that this variety is more useful and interesting than ZH HYHU H[SHFWHG b 7KLV LV D IHPLQL]HG SKRWRSHULRG seed variety, taking around 9 weeks to bloom with above average harvest levels.

AUTO ORANGE BUD. AUTOFLOWERING ORANGE BUD SEEDS, THC RICH. Auto Orange Bud is another variety which has been frequently requested by customers. This is the most recent addition to the Dutch Passion collection in late 2017. It took longer to create than we expected using

original Orange Bud genetics, but the result is a sweet citrus autoflowering variety which is right at the top of the potency scale. She grows well under 20 hours of daily light and indoors she takes around 75 days to grow from seed to harvest. Occasionally she can take a week or two longer, but the late blooming phenotypes will always reward the patient grower with extra large harvests. Its a highly potent autoflower created from the original Dutch Passion Orange Bud genetics, the buds have a sweet citrus aroma and a seriously frosty trichome coating. Auto Orange Bud grows in the typical Dutch Passion autoflower style, with a dominant central bloom surrounded by a ring of slightly smaller side blooms. The taste is soft and fragrant with skunky undertones, the effect is powerful with buds that sizzle in the bong as they burn. Anyone that has been under-whelmed when growing an auto should try Auto Orange Bud, she grows easily and vigorously with no skill or grower experience required. Outdoors the cooler temperatures slow her down, meaning she takes around 95 days from seed to harvest. Harvest quantities are above average, this is Dutch Passion’s latest autoflower and benefits from the best/latest autoflower breeding techniques. The result is a modern, high performance autoflower. Just as potent as a quality photoperiod variety but with all the flexibility, convenience and simplicity of an auto.

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'XWFK 3DVVLRQ &%' RLO LV &%'b &DQQDELGLRO LQ FDQQDELV VHHG RLO b 7KH 'XWFK 3DVVLRQ &%' RLO NQRZQ DVb &%' &RPSDVVLRQ ([WUDFW LV RIIHUHGb DV D GLHWDU\b VXSSOHPHQW 7KH 'XWFKb 3DVVLRQ &%' RLO LV SURGXFHG XVLQJb DGYDQFHG VROYHQW IUHH &2 H[WUDFWLRQ b,WȢV QDWXUDO &%' WRJHWKHU ZLWK WKHbIXOO UDQJH RI WHUSHQHV DQG RWKHUbFDQQDELQRLGV VXFK DV &%& DQG &%* b7KH 'XWFK 3DVVLRQ &%' &RPSDVVLRQb([WUDFW ZLOO QRW PDNH \RX KLJK EHFDXVHbLWȢV D &%' RLO ZLWKRXW WKH SV\FKRDFWLYHbLQJUHGLHQWV b And thats how 2018 looks for Dutch Passion’s new releases. A new auto, a new indica photoperiod and a totally new CBD rich variety. We hope you like them. www.dutch-passion.com

GROW WITH STONEY TARK A BEGINNERS GUIDE

THE LIFE CYCLE OF A

CANNABIS PLANT

As a new grower and cannabis enthusiast, finding out the hard way about growing is not so much fun, as it costs you time, money, resources and countless hours scrolling through irrelevant online forums full of misinformation. When you can fully understand the life cycle of a plant and how it truly functions, then growing stage by stage is much easier and the chances of having a quality crop are much higher. Below is covered everything you need to know as a beginner grower and how to have a better hands on experience with your plants. By Stoney Tark / Photos courtesy of Dinafem

SEEDLINGS

This is where it all begins and now you have been reading everything there is know about your seeds, you can now begin to germinate and prepare their new homes. There are a few things you will need to consider at this very important stage and they are the medium, temperatures and lighting. As precious and delicate as seedlings are, they are the start to your target yield and flowers, so making sure they have ambient temperature of 24 degrees celsius and the humidity is around 75%. The reason is because this must imitate the wet and warm months of spring, so keeping the seedlings in this environment is fundamental to the growth of the root and leaves. One thing you do not want to do is to have a light that is too intense for the seedlings. I would personally recommend using a H.I.D or L.E.D light but keeping the seedlings at least a few feet away. Alternately you can get very close with fluorescent lighting at 6400k white light spectrum. This is the stage where your plants will grow and form their first set of leaves and then begin to grow a few inches taller with a very thin main stem. Here you will want the light cycle to be 18/6 or 20/4 and allow the plants to have some darkness.

THE VEG STAGE

Here you will still want to keep your timers on the 18/6 mark and allow the plant to grow with long days and shorter nights as they do towards May, June and July naturally outdoors. Your humidity can remain the same around the 75% mark. Now is the time you will want to introduce some type of intense lighting. A 600w or 1000w H.P.S will reward you will well grown lush plants. As far as you are concerned as a new grower, the way to calculate the difference between the seedling stage and veg stage is quite simple. The day the seedlings recieve 18/6 this counts as the vegging period. There is a period that the plant once the lighting is switched to 12/12, will enter called the pre flowering stage. Also referred to as the stretch and the part that most inexperienced growers can become overwhelmed by.

PRE FLOWERING STAGE

This is the part where your plants will grow upwards as tall as they can as they are induced with natural growth regulators. If you were growing from regular seeds, then between the first 10 days is when you would get an indication of which plants are male and which are female. If you are growing from

feminised seed then you will see white pistils emerging from the internodes. This is the part where you will need to start training the plants to perform better, as well as pruning, topping, tying down, fimming, super cropping and trellising. As the plant continues to grow a good idea to focus on the remaining upper growth, by stripping away as clones or throw to waste, all of the lowest parts beneath the plant, literally leaving only the top 2-3 internodes of every branch. Once the plant has finished stretching and has established itself in flowering mode, it will focus on producing new leaves, shoots and flower sets and a growing pattern that is more horizontal than vertical. Your humidity now will need to change towards the 35% mark which is a 50% reduction than in the growing stage. I would advise if possible to adjust the humidity over the pre flowering stage from 75% to 55% then to 35% and you will find this is the most natural transformation.

BLOOMING

This is technically around the 15th day of 12/12 where the plants will begin to produce flower sets. The actual flowering stage did commence once the plants entered a hormonal change and sent signals to grow upwards and begin blooming. Personally I class

week 3 as the start of the blooming stage but that is me personally. This is also where a lot of growers can make the mistake of jumping from one NPK ratio to another at the switch of a light cycle. I prefer to transition feed so keep feeding my grow feed at 7-8-8 upto around week three and will transition to a heavy feed that is around 3-10-10. Your humidity should be around 35% and this will also prevent any mould or powdery mildew as long as the airflow is adequate and is considered more dry than wet. If you have an indica strain of cannabis or a skunk variety that can finish in 50 days, then that means the plant has around 4 weeks or actually producing squeezable terpy flowers. Sativa strains of cannabis can take upto 77-84 days to fully finish, so this is almost a 10 week blooming stage. So if you're looking for bigger yields, then statistically a sativa strain is almost twice the blooming period of an indica. My tip here would be to find a strain is that a hybrid of an indica and sativa, whilst truly expressing this through hybrid vigour. This way as a new grower you can enjoy the powerful stone of the indica cross and the large yielding lengthened flowering times of the sativa.

END OF CYCLE AND FLUSHING

Referring to the last stage of the cannabis plants

life, where by now it has spent all that time and energy working hard, converting light and nutrients and providing you with some high grade flowers. As a new grower here it is essential to learn that the end of cycle stage can be the make or break. The reason why you are growing cannabis plants in the first place is to grow for commercial value perhaps a coffee shop or social club scenario, or it may be it is your head stash or for medicinal use. Whatever the reason is you want to have to clean crisp aromatic flowers that really pack an organic punch. When you are flushing your plants you are not just watering them with plain water for their enjoyment, the point is to allow the water to break down those undissolved salts. As a result the salts break down and the plants will drink up every last nutrient until the point of displaying what is called seasonal colours. The plants will begin to purple and orange and a multitude of assorted hues and pinks. This is my favourite stage of the entire grow, not just because of the timing but as a breeder it gives me an opportunity to see how each strain really finishes under the optimal conditions. One of the best pieces of advice I can offer is to leave your plants for a week longer than any calendar or diary states you should harvest. Even if every hair is brown and the calyx are totally stacked, you should

always wait until the point of pure ripeness and maturity. This practice would be expected in the wine industry or any commercial sector that operates with fruit and veg. Not only will this ensure your buds are the most potent they can be, it is also the stage when the plant will communicate the most with seasonal colours and releasing terpenes.

Abscisic Acid :Promotes dormancy, closes stoma when under stress and is also responsible for the development of lateral root growth. Ethylene Responds to stress, promotes fruit ripening and is what is used in supermarkets to spray display fruit.

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW AS A BEGINNER SOURCES OF ENVIRONMENTAL Photoperiodism: Cannabis plants like humans have a STRESS AND TIPS body clock in which they live by. This means they will react to different spectrums and different nutrients, throughout the life cycle. This will become dictated by natural growth regulators and be difference in the plant becoming a mature vibrant plant and finishing its cycle. To keep it simple this just means longer periods of light will keep the plant in one state with certain requirements, whilst shorter periods of light will change the plants uptake of red light. This process is done through what is called phytochrome, which is what the plant uses as a living sensors to light spectrum and darkness. Natural Plant Growth Regulators: It is very important to know that there are chemical changes that will occur within the plant, as it develops through the different stages that are covered below. Quickly explained is each natural hormone and what its role is in relationship to the growing cycle. You may have heard of commercial nutrient growing with PGR nutrients and these are frowned upon by the cannabis community as they as not natural whatsoever. Below is a list of the natural growth enhancing regulators that the plant produces on its own. Auxin Stimulates cell elongation and growth, functions in phototropism and gravitropism. Auxin is the most well known growth hormone and is responsible for thriving bushy plants in veg. Cytokinins Affects root growth, stimulates cell division Gibberellins Promotes seed germination, stem and leaf growth, and root development. Naturally found in seaweed which contains natural growth hormones, it can be used to treat stubborn seeds as it creates a reaction between the seed shell and the root cap. Brassinosteroids: Inhibits root growth and is most prevalent during the flowering stage.

For a new grower getting caught up in the propaganda of stressing plants, so believe every slight amount of trauma will result in an unwanted hermaphrodite. This is not true and in fact there are five types of stress that the cannabis plant will in fact react to accordingly, in the way it seeds best.

DRY SPELLS AND DROUGHTS

Otherwise called a drought, this can be seen as a form of mild stress of at least allowing the plants roots to air out, prune, push for nutrients and expand in structure. However, a medium that has suffered from a dry period for a substantial amount of time, will ultimately have a negative effect on the growth of the plant. Also this will be sure to kill any beneficial bacteria or fungus that has been harboring in the medium and growing a complex molecular network within the medium and the root cells. An unpredictable dry patch can sometimes occur from nowhere especially if growing outdoors in a hot climate during summer months. A good tip here is to attach a dripper line to your plants that runs off a small fish tank pump, attached to a res. If you are jubious about adding thick organic nutrients in, then you can just fill the res with only plain water. Then hand feed with the nutrient solution until you are comfortable with adding your feed through a dripper system. This eliminates the concern of there ever being a dry period longer than you desired, whilst only feeding the plants for example 2 times a day at fifteen minute intervals.

OVER WATERING AND FLOODING

A waterlogged medium is never a good thing and with many variables to consider, an unaerated well drained medium, is only asking for unwanted sulphur smelling aerobic bacteria to thrive. If you are a new grower and

have noticed even though the plant may look great, there is a foul egg like odor coming from the tops and the base of the pots you are growing in. If you were to pull the roots out, under closer inspection you will notice that they are not white and hairy, more brown and thin and clustered into the soggy medium. A good tip that I would recommend to all new organic growers is to select a medium that has the ability to really dry itself out, as well as we air rich and full of air pockets. Add 50% of perlite to your mixture next time and if you are worried it may occur again, throw a few inches of perlite at the base of the pots, so now this keep the soil and direct water source touching one another. One thing that growers underestimate is that root hairs require air as just as much as they do water. This is why a deep water culture set up produces enormous roots as the plant is able to obtain so much oxygen. Of course it is different with organic growing but dry spells are good.

the plant. Temperatures in the garden that exceed 30 degrees celsius will begin to have a dramatic effect on the humidity and the umount of carbon dioxide the plant can uptake, in comparison to light and nutrient uptake. When the garden gets hot dealing with those burning H.I.D lights and ballasts, hot stagnant air quickly builds up and can begin to dry the plant out to a point of burnt tops and crisp yellow leaves. A good tip is to make sure that the intake and outtake fans are able to remove the old air from inside the tent at a good speed. You will want new air being pushed in at the base of your tent by an intake fan as the old fans suck the old air out. Make sure that the out take fan has a bigger capacity than the intake fan, so the idea is that you will create a vacuum chamber that is constantly recycling the air out the tent at least 20 times per hour.

COLD TEMPERATURES SALT STRESS AND NUTRIENT LOCK

This is the most common mistake that growers unintentionally make in the garden, even though they ensure all of the other variables are in place. When you do not understand why the plant has started to yellow or why there are now brown dots on the tips of the leaves, or why the leaves are all burnt at the end, this is down to salt stress or what is called nutrient lock out. When organic growers are pouring nutrients, they can rely on a natural buffering zone that works in their favour, however once this is misunderstood by the over zealous bedroom grower who wants 1kg per plant. This results in a crop that looks deficient and burnt out. A tip here is to always ensure that the amount of nutrient solution you make is the guided amount, that the nutrient companies advise. By adding more nutrients will not make the plants perform better and it is also a good idea to feed with schedules such as feed plain water every third day or every second day, yet ensure that the plants have water to act as a solvent to break down the remaining left over salts.

HEAT STRESS

As a new grower you may have battled with heat control and also seen the adverse effects it has on

Naturally the only time an outdoor plant would feel cold temperatures are towards the end of harvest, as winter creeps up and the air becomes more chilly. As a new grower you are able to control the grow room to be 24 degrees with a relative humidity of 70-75%. This is the ideal temperature and at night time your grow room should experience a drop of around 4-6 degrees celsius. If your plants are experiencing cold spots, you will find that the root zone has slowed down a great deal and the medium will not dry out as quickly as it once did before. You may notice the plants have now began to stunt in growth and the buds that you have spent so long maintaining are growing very slowly with little structure and size. Not only this you are beginning to notice there is white powdery mildew forming on the leaves and the buds. A good tip here is keep the temperature above 18 degrees even if this is the best you can achieve with the lights on or off. Adding a heat mat or a heater with fan s blowing around, will eliminate the opportunity for mildew or mould to enter the garden and attack the buds and plants. If your medium is cold to the touch then try raising the pots off the cold floors and try growing in future in felt fabric pots as these will keep the medium warmer.

ROBERT B.

A FEW INDISPENSIBLE METHODOLOGICAL TIPS

HOW TO GROW MARIJUANA SUCCESSFULLY ON COGR COCO SLABS

Those of you who grow cannabis on COGr slabs will perhaps encounter a few small problems. Slabs should be soaked in water first. How can this be done? We used wood and some carpet to build a two-level rack for aqua trays. Our solution consists of a simple wooden frame placed on a bathtub. To make the wood surface slip-resistant we wrapped the upper part of the frame with some carpet. This allowed us to simultaneously work on six slabs. The water to be used for soaking slabs was mixed with a buffer agent in a tank and poured with a measuring jug into a funnel, which was left in place in the opening. To prevent water coming out of the top openings on the right, we placed the right frame a bit higher and well-sealed, in order to leave the slabs a by Robert B. little slanted on the bathtub. But there is also something important that should not be overlooked. Slabs should be soaked for three days, in any case, on the left lower part of the slabs you will see a couple of drain holes to allow water to flow out. Water comes out of the aqua tray in a dark brown colour. If you collect the water and measure its EC value, it will measure around 3.0, or occasionally above 4.0 EC. (If you can no longer measure the

WITH AN EXCESSIVELY HIGH EC LEVEL IN THE FIRST HARVEST, OUR YIELD WAS HALVED value, then mix the collected water in a 1 to 1 proportion with tap water and measure the value, multiply it by two, then deduct the EC value of tap water, this will give you the EC level of the slabs.) The COGr in the slab is mixed with a couple of chemical products to make the COGr suitable for the root system. After soaking, the chemical products and COGr produce a brew with an extremely high EC level. For seedlings to develop a good root system and grow, the EC level in the slab should not exceed 2.0. Therefore if you supply pH-adjusted water through the slabs until the EC level dumped in the

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drain reaches a level below 2.0, then mix a nutrient solution with buffer agent and then further supply a couple of litres to the slab. This way your seedlings will receive the required quantity from the start. In the blooming phase, you will add fertiliser for plants that are particularly in need of nutrients, so that the EC level measured at the drain exceeds 4.0 EC. If later you wish to reuse the COGr slabs, you should reduce this level to below 2.0 EC. You could do this three days before the harvest; the plant will no longer be fed with fertiliser and will ripen properly, your marijuana will have a better taste and its effect will be optimal. If you do not plant your seedlings directly on COGr slabs, you could still plant them in loose, soaked and rinsed COGr placed in pots. The plants will be planted in a pot without soil, and in a pot with soil. When you later transfer the plant grown in a pot without soil onto the slab, the plant will root. With COGr slabs there will no longer be much work to do. Plants are first allowed to grow and, later, when transferred to the slab, they will complete their blooming cycle with no waste whatsoever. PS: With an excessively high EC level in the first harvest, our yield was

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14 BOTH EXPERIENCE AND MANUFACTURERS SAY THAT THESE SLABS CAN BE USED ABOUT NINE MONTHS

The picture shows six COGr slabs, which were placed in two layers on a bathtub and immediately filled with water. A funnel was introduced on the right. The two measuring jugs show water drained from slabs before (right) and after rinsing (left); the water respectively measured 3.2 EC and 1.7 EC, a value fit for planting. halved. Try it out, and form your own opinion based on the results you get. COGr is an alternative medium to mineral wool, which is indeed less labour-intensive, as you do not need to soak it first for it to become impregnated with buffer agent for at least three days (for the agent to take effect). COGr should be pretreated before using it with plants. In addition, COGr, like mineral wool, if used in combination with an enzyme product, can be used several

times. Old roots should be removed, in order to retain the positive properties of the growing medium for the plants. Both experience and manufacturers say that these slabs can be used about nine months. At the end of this period, the COGr surface will change into a surface infested by fungi. This means that, after nine months, the fungi growing in the COGr slab will decompose the grainy and fibrous COGr and change it into a mealy mass. (Fungi only grow in an intact habitat, which is a

The picture shows three pots with seedlings. One seedling is already placed on the slab, the other two seedlings have enough roots. The whole pot is removed for the plant without soil to be transferred onto the slab, where it will take root and bloom. Blooming starts directly after the transfer.

good thing for you as it means that you have used the slabs to the best of your skills!). We did not attempt to grow plants on these decomposed slabs any further, we simply replaced them. However, we would suggest doing this. Those who wish, can obviously use one of the old slabs to see how plants react on the decomposed surface. Waterlogged COGr could however be problematic. Before placing plants on top of these slabs, they

should be pierced with a screwdriver on both top and bottom. One or two watering cycles per day during the bright phase will not do any harm, especially for young plants, for roots not to get mouldy on the waterlogged medium. If the plant tips are getting pale green or even white during growth, this means that roots growing in the COGr slab are rotting as a result of the excessive humidity. A solution, in this case, is reducing the watering frequency.

Here you can see a couple of cuttings, four are planted in 4-litre pots without soil and, in the picture below, with soil. Unfortunately, COGr quickly gets dry, which is why it was covered on top with waxed paper. Over time, these covers became crooked and bent and we straightened them under heavy stones. After about three days, when the cuttings were visibly grown, we removed the shoot tips a first time and then a second time. As a result, as shown in the previous picture, the plant grew with more shoots.

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MAINTAINING CLONE GENETICS I grow one outdoor crop a year and have been collecting a few quality stains. What’s the best way of keeping the genetics alive? I have vegetating clones from my outdoor plants under lights indoors. Space limited so I want to grow them as slowly as possible. Currently, they are under T5 fluorescents sixteen hours a day. I have no plans to flower them indoors. GSR To slow growth but maintain healthy plants keep the plants cool, lower light intensity and lower nutrient level. At about 150 C the plants’ growth slows to a crawl. At the same time lower light intensity from the fluorescents to about 107 watts per square meter (psm) and lower the nutrient levels to 200-300 ppm of vegetative fertilizer. When you want the plantlets to start growing again, increase the temperature and nutrient levels and increase light intensity.

Over time smaller particles settle towards the bottom forming a tight layer that frequently becomes anaerobic, a bad state for roots. The larger particles migrate to the top of the pile. There are several measures you can take to ameliorate these changes. ȩ $GG QHZ FRXUVH PDWHULDO WR DLG GUDLQDJH 6RPH PDWHULDOV \RX FDQ use are coir chips, medium size bark mulch, or other large organic particulates. Pea size red lava can also be used. ȩ $GG WKH QHZ LQJUHGLHQWV WR WKH PL[ LQ WKH IDOO RU ZLQWHU VR WKH\ have time to integrate into the mix. ȩ 7XUQ WKH SLOH WR UHPL[ WKH LQJUHGLHQWV DQG EUHDN XS ODUJH FORGV being held together by old roots. ȩ $GG HDUWKZRUPV DQG UHG ZRUPV 7KH\ GLJHVW ȤUDZȥ LQJUHGLHQWV making them available to the plants as they gently turn the media. ȩ 3 ODQW D JUHHQ FURS VXFK DV DOIDOID RU FORYHU WR LQFUHDVH biological activity in the mix as well as fixing nitrogen. In the spring mix the cover crop into the soil, creating ȤJUHHQ PDQXUHȥ

DARK PERIOD BEFORE FLOWERING

Making these few changes will improve the quality of the planting mix, save labor and result n increased quality and yield.

I heard of using an elongated dark period just before harvest. What are the benefits? Would you recommend it? For how long? Acia J.

CURING IN JARS

THC levels increase during the dark period and are degraded a bit during the light period. Buds harvested early in the morning have higher THC levels than plants harvested at the end of the day. So when levels are allowed to build up during a longer period, a total of 24-36 hours, the levels of THC increase a bit without degradation from light. This is a simple technique for slightly increasing potency.

I am in the process of curing my buds in storage jars. I've been opening and checking on them daily and am also using humidipaks to keep the humidity in the jars as close to 60% as possible. However, I have to leave town for a few weeks and have no one to continue the process. Will they survive being

PREPARING PLANTING MIX FOR NEXT YEAR After you harvest what is the best way to get your soil into optimal condition for the next growing season? I was growing in 8’ diameter bags in a planting mix made mostly from peat moss with some coir and compost and worm castings. I fertilized with an organic 3-5-7 powder made from meals kelp minerals and other stuff and I added alfalfa meal to boost the nitrogen. Wendy E. Have the planting media tested to check the quantities of nutrients left in the mix. The lab may also have some suggestions on how much additional nutrient is required. Organic fertilizers such as meals and minerals release the nutrients gradually so it is easy to add too much, just like using edibles that take a long time to come on. So be conservative about adding too much powder. Building a healthy medium that supports the plants is another story. Kelp meal and compost teas that feed mycorrhizae and other microorganisms have a profound effect on plant health, growth and yield. These biologically active You might have noticed some shrinkage in the medium. It’s lost several centimeters over the season and will lose more by spring. There are two reasons for this. Some of the organic material is being consumed by organisms large and small. Another is that the ingredients, especially the peat moss, lose their structural integrity and collapse into tighter pieces or break apart and pack together, creating a denser material that holds a lot of water but does not allow spaces for oxygen containing air, which the roots absorb and is essential for their growth.

Bananas on bud

sealed with the humidipaks in the whole time or should I look for someone to come care for my buds while I am gone? Matt Buguy Once the humidity packs are saturated they cannot collect more moisture and the relative humidity (RH) in the jars will soar. The moist air is a perfect environment for bacteria to thrive. The solution is to dump the jars and instead make a little enclosed space to maintain steady RH of 60%. Depending on the environment, you will probably either require a humidifier or dehumidifier that is regulated using a sensor. Dehumidifiers increase the temperature so an air conditioner may also be required to maintain a temperature of 700. By keeping the buds at 50-60% humidity they will retain about 12% moisture, which is perfect for smoking.

CONTROLLING RUSSET MITES OUTDOORS There have been major outbreaks of Russet Hemp Mite infections throughout the country. Here in Colorado infections became noticeable right before harvest. It seems likely that half the growers lost portion of their grow. How can the pests be controlled? How can I prevent future outbreaks? Ryan Rundell As an individual outdoor farmer there is nothing you can do to prevent russet mites from attacking your plants. They’re in gardens all around yours and they travel by air. Plants attacked by russet mites exhibit various symptoms including

18 haggard, uneven or misshapen leaves, light coloring from lack of chlorophyll and slowed growth and smaller flower development. They’re so tiny that you will need a 20x lens to see them. They hide in crevices and along the leaf vein lines and lay their eggs in inaccessible areas. You will be hard pressed to see russet mites before you notice their damage. RUSSET MITE FAQS: Temp Range 70-100+ Time from Egg to Sexual Maturity 8 Days Life Expectancy ABOUT 25-35 Days M-F Ratio 3F-1M Probably # of Eggs Laid 100+ Here are some of the ways to control mites: Early in the Season Silicon SupplementsMake sure to feed the plants silicon supplements. Plants use it to strengthen the cell walls giving the plant more resistance to predation and infection among other benefits.

The reason that regulatory agencies are so concerned about illegal pesticide use is that they have been tested only for harm only when they are ingested. There have been no tests on the pyrolitic compounds resulting from smoking or vaping, which could be far more harmful than the unfired substances. Let’s say you eliminated all mites and eggs from your plants. Within a few days they would be re-infected by new pests travelling the wind highway. Of course being pest-free for a few days would de-stress those plants. So it is with controlling pests. If you accept the reality that you will not eliminate the pests, but you can control their numbers and thus, the amount of damage that they do, your efforts will be more effective.

SPIDER MITES INDOORS I am having really bad problems with spider mites. A “friend” was kind enough to give me a mother plant crawling with them. Now everything infected. How would get rid of the pests and prevent them from returning? My facility never had this problem until the infected plant was introduced. Thomas G.

matter of course the introduction might have been treated as if it were infected. It could have been trimmed of much of its vegetation, been clipped of its roots so you would start with unrooted cuttings. After all these steps miticide would be applied several times over a week long quarantine to catch newly hatched mites. Some tips for ridding the garden of mites: ȩ &OHDQ WKH HQWLUH IDFLOLW\ DW RQFH 'R QRW SODQ RQ VHFWLRQLQJ LW DQG doing it over a few weeks. If this is done it’s highly likely that the clean section will become re-infected. ȩ 7LPH WKH FOHDQLQJ SXUJH ZKHQ WKH IDFLOLW\ KDV WKH IHZHVW SODQWV After the harvest. Before new plants are started remove as much vegetation as possible ȩ :DVK DOO HTXLSPHQW WKDW FRPH LQ FRQWDFW ZLWK SODQWV XVLQJ a strong hydrogen peroxide solution. If there is planting mix involved. Make sure to spray its surface, too. Take appropriate precautions listed on the product label. ȩ 6SUD\ WKH SODQWV ZLWK DV VWURQJ D VROXWLRQ RI PLWLFLGH DV SRVVLEOH Test a few plants first. Minor leaf damage is acceptable. On each of the three times that you spray over a weeklong period, use a combination of compatible miticides.

Jasmonic AcidWhen seeds are treated with Jasmonic Acid it increases the plant’s natural defense mechanisms by activating defense compounds which disrupt predators’ digestive systems so they eat and reproduce far less. Plants facing stress can be supplemented with this later in the season as well. Water Jet Sprays In dryer areas before buds have formed much, using jet sprays on the leaf undersides knocks off many of the mites, lowering the stress level. Adding an insecticidal soap to the spray may help dislodge more of them. Rinse after the soap spray dries. Herbal Sprays Sprays made from herbal ingredients evaporate quickly because they have low boiling points. Plants have spent millions of years developing these chemicals to protect themselves from SUHGDWRUV 7KH\ DUH YHU\ HIIHFWLYH DQG DUH FRQVLGHUHG Ȥ*5$6ȥ generally regarded as safe. Also, they will have evaporated before the bud is used. $YRLG ȤKHUEDO VSUD\Vȥ ZLWK LQJUHGLHQWV VXFK DV FDQROD RU VHVDPH oil, or other oils used for cooking. They stay liquid at high temperatures and may never fully evaporate from the plant leaves. Pyrethrum Some races of russet mites have not developed resistance to pyrethrum, a natural insecticide refined from plants. This is legal to use in most states. In Oregon, Will Feetham, Vice President of the Oregon Sungrowers Guild reported an 80% knockdown rate. This won’t solve the problem but will relieve plant stress. He suggests using this as a first step in controlling the pests. Beauveria Bassiana (Botanigard, Mycotrol, others) is a fungus that causes white muscadine in insects and mites. It is safe to use and fairly effective. PFR-97 PFR-97’s active ingredient is a fungus that attacks insects and mites. It is very effective and harmless to humans. ONLY USE MITICIDES LISTED FOR USE ON VEGETABLES. IF THE MITICIDE DOESN’T INDICATE THAT IT IS FOR VEGETABLES, IT IS FOR USE ONLY ON ORNAMENTAL PLANTS. DON’T USE IT ON ANY PLANTS, EVEN SEEDLINGS OR CLONES UNLESS YOU ARE GROWING ONLY TO MAKE MARIJUANA WREATHS. If a product doesn’t specifically state that it can be used with vegetables it is not suitable for any stage of growth. In some states marijuana is tested for restricted pesticides such as neem oil, Avid and others intended only use with ornamentals or restricted use with vegetables. Even treatment to adolescent or clone plants are likely to result in failing grades for buds; unsuitable for sale.

Des plantes qui ont formé des têtes reviennent à la phase végétative Ridding a facility of spider mites is a formidable task. As you may have noticed, once the mites were introduced to the facility they promptly colonized the whole space fairly rapidly. Don’t expect to be able to quarantine them to a section of the facility. They will find a way to migrate and colonize. Some facilities accept mites as a fact of life and treat for control rather than eradication. These facilities may use techniques described in the previous answer in (Russet Mites). Many facilities use an alternative method, beneficial insects and mites to control the herbivores. Once established and maintained by replenishing them on a regular basis, these predators keep the damage to a minimum. Once established a small population of the herbivores remains in an equilibrium with the predators. The result is minimal damage to the crops. It also helps prevent surges in the pest population. If you are growing for bud, whether for flower or processing, this program, maintaining small populations of herbivores and predators, is an effective solution. However, if you are planning to transfer plants to another indoor garden this is unacceptable because you would be carrying infected plants into a new garden. Your situation was caused not by your friend’s gift, but by lack of a good standard operating procedure (SOP). For instance, even after a close inspection showed no signs of trouble, as a

BUDDING PLANT REVEGETATING Message I placed my budding plant outdoors and it went about half-way through the process before she went back in to grow cycle. Should I harvest or allow the cycle to run? Hanna When you placed the plant outdoors in early June it started receiving more than 16 hours of light. This pushed it back into vegetative from flowering. Once the plant receives fewer than 14 hours of light, in late summer it will start to flower again.

DECARBOXALATE BEFORE MAKING EDIBLES Should I decarboxalate my buds in the oven before using them to make gelatin capsules? Tom S. Yes. When cannabis is growing, the cannabinoids are held in an organic compound, as acids that contain the carboxyl group COOH. This carboxyl group is loosely attached to the THC molecule and gradually splits from it at warm temperatures, above 1000 C. There are several easy ways to decarboxalate. ȩ 3ODFH WKH FDQQDELV LQ WKH WRS RI D GRXEOH ERLOHU ZKLFK UHDFKHV D WRS

19 temperature of 1000 C, water’s boiling point. Add salt to the water in the bottom pot. This raises it’s boiling point, and shortens the time needed for conversion. ȩ 6HW DQ DFFXUDWH RYHQ DW & DQG SODFH WKH FDQQDELV LQ WKLQ OD\HUV so it quickly reaches the oven temperature. Use a cooking thermometer to check the cannabis’ temperature. The conversion should take place within 20 minutes once the temperature is reached.

MARIJUANA BEER WITH EXTRACTS In your 1996 book “Marijuana Beer” you used raw marijuana. Using a decarboxylated concentrate/oil (73% THC), will the psychoactive effects last through boiling of a batch of beer? All the recipes I can find on the internet add the THC at the end of the boil or directly to the bottle, but they're using tinctures, not decarboxylated concentrates. Chip S. THC has and other cannabinoids have evaporation/boiling points more than a hundred degrees higher than the boiling point of water, 1000 C. The concentrate will mix with the water when it’s hot and then with the alcohol as it is made by the yeast. However, that may be an imperfect solution. I would modernize it by adding a solution to the mix or individual bottle of a water-soluble THC powder. Several of

CLONING FLOWERING PLANTS Can I make clones from flowering female plants?

Jacj Almost all flowering cuts will generate roots. The implicit question is: will they revert back to vegetative stage? It depends on two factors: plant variety and the stage of flowering. The earlier in flowering the easier it is for plants to revert back to vegetative stage. Growers often trim plants of excess branching during the second week of flowering. These cuts are often used for clones. Some varieties never completely revert back, but throw occasional flowers at the canopy or at the nodes, even as they continue to grow vegetatively. Cuttings that are further along the flowering track take longer to revert back. Past mid-stage flowering it is less likely that the plants will be affected by changed environmental cues. They just continue finishing to ripening. Sativas have more flexibility regarding flowering to vegetative than indicas. When plants are placed outdoors in early spring they initiate flowering for two reasons. One possibility is that they were being grown under continuous light or had only a short dark period and when confronted with the long dark period, they switched. The other is that the dark period was longer than the critical period needed to induce flowering. As the days get longer after only a few weeks almost all plants revert, except for a few indicas. All

phytochrome, the chemical that triggers plants to flower. During lit times red light keeps phytochrome from inducing flowering. In the absence of light the phytochrome builds up over time to levels that induce plants to flower. With even a short burst of light, phytochrome reverts back to its non-flowering state and must start over again. By interrupting the dark period several times during the cycle the phytochrome never reaches a critical level that would induce flowering. Soft white fluorescents are ideal lamps for preventing flowering. These lamps have enough red light to affect the phytochrome. About 21.5 watts of fluorescent per square meter will prevent flowering. The light should be used at east twice each evening. If the lamps were placed on light movers going back and forth only a few lamps would be needed. Run them close to the plants, perhaps two feet from the top of the canopy for several passes over the plants each time. The light need be on no more than a few seconds, but to assure complete coverage, which movement helps, run them for 5 minutes.

CRITICAL DARK PERIOD My large outdoor potted plant is already flowering and it's a month before the equinox. Currently we are at about 13 1/2 hours of daylight. Can you tell me what's up? Bonnie D. Indoors growers give their plants 12 hours each of light and dark. This is the same number of hours as the equinox. However, almost all varieties (excepting auto-flowering) begin flowering between late July and the end of August. That is well before the equinox. The times plants flower is also affected by latitude because the length of the dark period decreases as the latitude increases. Add two months to the initiation of flowering, September and October are typical harvest times. If an indoor grower knew the critical dark period for a variety s/he could LQLWLDWH IORZHULQJ XVLQJ D OLJKW UHJLPHQ ZLWK PRUH ȤRQȥ WLPH ZKLFK IDYRUV growth because the plant receives more total light. This would increase plant yield.

NIGHT LIT GREENHOUSE I grow on Maui where I live. under a wood frame (with corrugated clear plastic at a slight slant over top to keep heavy rain off) and solar LED lights shining down on the plants.

Araignées

these powders are marketed. This would eliminate the water/oil insolubility problem far more efficiently.

GOING BANANAS

I just had male bananas show up on my female plants at the ratio of one banana per bud. They have seeded themselves. Are these bananas going to affect my other females? How fast should I harvest them so that they don't affect my other females? -H΍ + Harvest these plants immediately so that they don’t pollinate the other plants. These plants obviously have a hermaphroditic tendency and should be eliminated from your population and should not be used for breeding. The buds can still be used to make concentrates or edibles.

plants with even a touch of ruderalis, that is auto-flowering, or auto flowering affected plants don’t revert back Aside from providing continuous or a very short dark period, another factor that might play a role in bringing plants back to vegetative is temperature. The early spring outdoor transplants I just mentioned encountered warming temperatures as well as shortening nights. The temperature rise could have acted as a cue for better weather ahead- spring and summer, vegetative time.

LIGHTING TO PREVENT SPRING FLOWERING I'm wondering how much fluorescent lighting is needed to keep plants from flowering outdoors in spring? I have a small medical grow in a greenhouse that is 200sqft. Foof In order to prevent flowering in early spring the long dark period must be interrupted by light. The light affects

To keep the plants from flowering they need extra light time. Instead of the few minutes of light they need to keep them from flowering, my solar lights are on long into the night. After a sunny day they probably don’t go off until 3 or 4 AM. The plants, which are both in ground and in pots all look incredibly healthy– and are all about 3 to 4 feet tall. They are from clones of Jilly Bean, Dutch Treat, Banana Kush, and a couple of other strains. So, 2 part question. What do you think the effect of them getting all that light is? (I’m way too lazy to think about turning them off every night) How do I know when to turn them off for good and ‘let the flowering party begin’? Brandon The important factor is not height, but canopy space. There is only one layer pf light. Once it hits an opaque object it is spent. So no matter the height if the sun isn’t hitting the area it is not getting much light. So as soon as the canopy is 2/3 covered with vegetation, it’s time to turn off the lights and let the flowering begin.

T SA

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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€

GROW WITH MR. JOSÉ

HOW TO PREPARE YOUR SUBSTRATE

Whether plants are grown under artificial or solar light, the use of an earth substrate as a growing medium remains the most popular method, given the reduced costs of composts and fertilisers. A substrate with balanced components already contains a few nutrients and Author: Mr. José / info@mrjose.eu therefore needs little fertilisation. Before preparing the earth substrate it is crucial to understand what this means and what is needed. I personally use ordinary soil taken from a private garden, a thicket or a field and mixed with some nutrients. Life is easier for those who own gardens. Those who do not are required to procure earth from nature. Of course, ready-made earth composts can be bought in gardening shops. But this article is not about this. Supposing our soil is taken directly from nature, it needs to be enriched with other components to obtain a quality substrate. The substrate is not an inert material such as the one used, e.g. in hydroponics. The substantial difference between growing in compost and in a hydroponic or aeroponic medium lies in the frequency of watering and fertilisation and in growth speed, with hydroponic/aeroponic growth being faster. If you opt for indoor growing in an earth substrate, then you have to consider a smaller number of harvests per annum vs. the hydroponic/aeroponic method. A terminological distinction is required in this respect; earth is taken from nature whereas an earth substrate is earth mixed with other fertilising components in optimal proportions to achieve nutritional characteristics that are suited for the intended cultivation.

easily seen from its crumbliness) no inorganic compounds are required, earth simply needs to be enriched by peat, compost, etc. Perlite: this is an effusive volcanic rock which, treated at a temperature of around 900 °C, expands and generates typically white granules. Perlite is used to make the substrate lighter or drain water at the bottom of pots (similarly to expanded clay). The more frequent use of perlite is in indoor growing or pots. Obviously it can also be used in outdoor crops where it can be replaced by sand. Expanded clay: Expanded clay is in the form of granules of various sizes obtained from the extrusion of clay (at a temperature of above 1200 °C in rotary kilns). Expanded clay is not used very often as a substrate component. It can be used in large pots. It is unsuited to use in outdoor crops as, unlike perlite or sand it does not have the same aggregating properties and cannot be easily removed. It is more frequently used for drainage at the bottom of a pot by creating a 1 to 4 cm layer beneath the substrate. Sand or gravel: Sand can somewhat replace perlite as it has the same properties and can often

be found at no charge. I recommend washing sand before putting it under the earth substrate in indoor growing. In aquarium shops you can purchase washed sand or gravel but, given its cost, perlite will definitely be cheaper.

ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

Organic substances make up most of the earth substrate. They increase its nutritional value, improve absorption properties, and change the pH and other parameters. Organic compounds can be added to the substrate in relatively abundant quantities. Let us see the most commonly available types of compounds. Humus: humus is made up of decomposed organic substances of vegetable or animal origin. More specifically, humus is formed in two phases, strictly linked to each other. In the first phase, unstable humus is created from organic matter still to be completely transformed (proteins, peptides, carbohydrates...). The decomposition of organic compounds that results in unstable humus is called mineralisation. It is followed by humidification, where complex organic compounds are transformed into the final product, a dark black substance resisting

EARTH SUBSTRATE REQUIREMENTS

The earth substrate should be light and soft, these conditions allow optimal root development. A hard and densified substrate is barely penetrable by roots. As a result, more time is required for a sufficient rooting system to develop. In addition, the lack of oxygen slows down the growth of roots and adversely affects their health. Roots are the plant’s mouth; if they are not in ‘good shape’, plants will not absorb nutrients, grow slowly, have less resistance and their yield will be smaller. The substrate needs to be able to absorb water. A substrate with good absorbing properties will distribute all the nutrients contained in a land plot or pot. Humidity distributed uniformly has a positive impact on root and plant growth. To obtain a substrate with the required properties, knowledge of all of its constituent elements is required; these can be either inorganic or organic compounds.

INORGANIC COMPOUNDS

They improve the substrate penetrability and aeration. In the substrate mixture, a 20% maximum proportion of inorganic compounds is required. If you have sandy earth available (which can be

Stable manure is an ideal component of substrates for outdoor growing.

further decomposition i.e. stable humus, one of the crucial elements that determines earth quality. The humus formation process is quite complex, but describing its generic properties will suffice for the purpose of this article. Humus is the most fertile part of the earth substrate. It retains water, rebalances the earth pH and has the ability to bind with toxic substances. In addition, it creates the best conditions for the life of a few microorganisms. Humus is contained in compost. If you own a garden, you will surely have some compost available. However, if you live in the city you can prepare a compost by yourself, for instance with a composter placed on the balcony and an organic fertiliser. Peat: an organic substance having undergone partial decomposition, as the acid and anaerobic (oxygen-free) environment around it tend to limit it. Peat forms chiefly in regions of the Northern hemisphere. To make a long story short, it results from the partial decomposition of trees, mushrooms and animals in swampy acid and anaerobic environments. When peat is added to the earth substrate it increases its humidity retention properties. Another part of organic substances is decomposed until humus is created

A light substrate with the addition of perlite is mainly indicated for indoor growing and whenever regular watering cannot be ensured. What is the use of bat guano? It is a rich source of phosphorous and nitrogen, two indispensable substances for the regular growth and flowering of plants. Bat excrements are also excellent to rebalance used substrates. Guano is sold in different concentrations and states (powder, granules, etc.).

Quality peat is very sticky. – which is therefore already contained in the peat and has a positive impact on the quality of substrate. An important thing is its reduced pH. The right proportion of peat in a substrate helps obtain an optimum acidity level. Peat alone is too acidic and, therefore, only needs to be used as an additive in the substrate rather than replace it. Peat is non-renewable so, if you are eco-friendly, you should try to avoid it. Stable manure: it is unsuited to indoor growing, but useful for outdoor and greenhouse growing. Manure should be accurately incorporated into the soil, where it gradually releases its nutrients. The ideal period for introducing manure is autumn. When this is done, the soil receives nutrients and, at springtime, it is

ready for seeding. Manure is produced from the fermentation of liquid and solid livestock waste and litter materials (stray, sand, sawdust, etc.). Manure is a rich source of nitrogen – used by plants during their growth. If growers do not have a breeding farm nearby, they could source this from any agricultural holding. Cow manure has a higher nutritional value, while horse manure is less nutritious, but slightly warms up the soil. I recommend using cow manure in autumn or early spring. Horse manure can be introduced into the soil even a couple of days before planting but a longer period will favour an even distribution of its nutrients. Bat guano: it consists of bat excrements used as a liquid fertiliser or additive to the substrate.

Earthworm castings or vermicompost: the daily activity of earthworms is to dig and eat land. The other side of their body releases a high-quality organic fertiliser, vermicompost. This substance is excellent as an additive for new substrates, or as a booster to revive used substrates, and is suited for both indoor and outdoor growing. Vermicompost can be easily prepared at home. You only need to buy a vermicomposter and special earthworm types (Eudrilus eugeniae, Eisenia fetida, California earthworm or Dendrobaena veneta). Both products are available on the internet. Liquid vermicompost is also available on the market and can be easily added to the substrate with irrigation.

HOW TO MIX EVERYTHING

Now that you know what the main components of the substrate are, just one more word, do not mix them all together and in large quantities. In the preparation of the substrate, use a pH tester, i.e. a kit including a reagent bottle, a sampling tube and a colour comparison card. You will find it in gardening shops for a few euros. A pH test will only take 3 minutes – it surely needs to be run when you think your substrate is complete, so as to

subsequently adjust the mixture. If peat is added, pH goes down; conversely, if you add soil, the value will go up. In the choice of inorganic compounds my recommendation is to invariably select only one, i.e. just perlite, or sand, or expanded clay. The same applies to organic compounds. Between humus, peat or manure, only choose one to be added. Adding the three of them is unnecessary. Vermicompost and guano are suited to any substrate – add them depending on the manufacturer’s indications. With your own produced vermicompost, just observe the following rule: Suggested proportions ȩ SHUOLWH VDQG RU H[SDQGHG FOD\ FDQ EH replaced by sawdust); ȩ KXPXV FRPSRVW RU YHUPLFRPSRVW ȩ RUGLQDU\ VRLO ȩ KRUVH PDQXUH ȩ DGGLQJ JXDQR LV RSWLRQDO GHSHQGLQJ RQ concentration – follow the manufacturer’s recommended dosage.

CONCLUSIONS

The preparation of substrates lends itself to tests. Do not be afraid to try out your own ‘recipe’. The purpose of this article is not to give precise indications, but simply guidelines on appropriate behaviours. Growers have already developed so many personal recipes and always create new ones. The most important rule is to obtain a light and soft substrate, whether you grow your plants outside or under a lamp – Good luck!

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GROW WITH STONEY TARK

THE 10 BEST AUTOMATIC STRAINS

TO GROW IN 2018

GROWING AUTOFLOWERING CANNABIS CAN BE ONE OF THE MOST REWARDING THINGS YOU EVER DO, WHEN IT IS DONE RIGHT. BETTER YET STARTING WITH THE BEST GENETICS IS ALWAYS A MAJOR FACTOR WHEN IT COMES TO A FINAL QUALITY PRODUCT. AUTOFLOWERING STRAINS ARE BASICALLY MINIATURE VERSIONS OF THE ORIGINAL PLANT, WHICH HAVE RETAINED THE SAME PROPERTIES IN TERMS OF POTENCY, AROMA, TASTE AND YIELD. THEY ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO FLOWER WITH ANY AMOUNT OF SUNLIGHT ACHIEVING EXCELLENT RESULTS WITH ANYWHERE FROM 8 - 20 HOURS OF LIGHTING. HERE ARE THE 10 BEST AUTOMATIC STRAINS THAT YOU SHOULD SERIOUSLY CONSIDER GROWING IN 2018. By Stoney Tark Auto Colorado Cookies Seedbank: Dutch Passion Type: Sativa: 15% / Indica 75% / Ruderalis: 10% Yield Indoor: 400 gr/m2 Harvest month: April - October Flowering time: 11 weeks Height Of The Plant: 100 - 120 cm Genetic background: Auto Blueberry x Girl Scout Cookies Effect: Euphoric and happy

Sour Diesel Autoflowering Seedbank: Dinafem Seeds Type: Sativa: 70% / Indica 20% / Ruderalis: 10% Yield Indoor: 400 - 450 gr/m2 Harvest month: April - October Flowering time: 10 weeks Height Of The Plant: 80 - 120 cm Genetic background: Sour Diesel x Haze Auto Effect: Stoned and high

Amnesia Haze Automatic Seedbank: Royal Queen Seeds Type: Sativa: 80%; Indica: 20% Yield: 70-80 grams Harvest month: October Flowering time 12 weeks Height of the plant: 100-120 cm Genetic background: Amnesia Haze Effect: Psychedelic high

Auto Wappa Seedbank: Paradise Seeds Type: Sativa: 50% / Indica 40% / Ruderalis: 10% Yield Indoor: 400 gr/m2 Harvest month: October Flowering time: 10 weeks Height Of The Plant: 90 - 120 cm Genetic background: Wappa x Automatic Effect: Stoned and dreamy

Dutch Passion have brought a Cookies version to their long list of automatic strains, with this being an in house cross of an Auto Blueberry with a Colorado cut of the famous Girl Scout Cookies. Anyone who has ever grown the normal version of Cookies knows it can be a small producer and tricky to perfect, however this automatic version expressed the best of the Blueberry and the Cookies. This strain does come with sweet funky flowers that have a super high potency, yet be warned this strain will perform better in hot parts of Europe and will produce top shelf buds.

This is a great recommendation to anyone who is a fan or kerosene tasting buds, with a citrus woody edge. When growing this plant it will grow bushy and quite tall due to the sativa influence, whilst flowering in 70 days. The nugs grow tight and compact and resemble a candy orange jet fuel. The effect of smoking Sour Diesel automatic is that one of euphoria and totally but I would suggest something else if you are looking for more an indica type stone. Overall a good producer and and easy one to grow for anyone who is new to automatics.

This is a great strain especially if you are fortunate to get good weather outdoors. Having grown this one outdoors in Spain, she can get rather tall and the amount of buds it produces is very generous. There is a good deal of side branching whilst the trichome coverage and resin count is very high. If grown properly this strain can be a big yielder and the buds are identical to its predecessor. Just like the original Amnesia Haze, you must be patient as even this autoflowering variety can take upto 84 days before those tangy citrus orange haze buds are ready for the chop. Expect the high to keep you in orbit for quite some time whilst enjoying those lemon mango terps.

Wappa is a classic old strain from Paradise Seeds and is well known for its easy ability to grow, as well as the large fluffy skunky buds it rewards the grower with. Many growers in Europe who have sunny climates will testify that Wappa auto is ideal for beginners or master growers because of this strains ability to grow multi branched flowering sites that have a fruity berry aroma. The effect of Wappa is an energetic and happy, which makes this automatic variety great for smoking throughout the days. This is certainly one for large yields and has a high resistance to mould and cold weather, making this one a must have for old school skunk lovers looking for that mellow dreamy high.

26 Candy Kush Express Automatic Seedbank: Royal Queen Seeds Type: Sativa: 80%; Indica: 20% Yield Indoor: 475-525 gr/m2 Harvest month: October Flowering time: 7 weeks Height Of The Plant: 60 - 100 cm Genetic background: Sweet Special x Royal Kush Effect: Physically stoned

Moby Dick Auto XXL Seedbank: Dinafem Seeds Type: Sativa: 60% / Indica 30% / Ruderalis: 10% Yield Indoor: 500 gr/m2 Harvest month: April - October Flowering time: 11 weeks Height Of The Plant: 120 - 160 cm Genetic background: White Widow XXL Auto x Haze XXL Auto Effect: Racey high

Fast Eddy CBD Seedbank: Royal Queen Seeds Type: Sativa: 50% / Indica 40% / Ruderalis: 10% Yield Indoor: 400 - 450 gr/m2 Harvest month: 9 weeks after sprouting Flowering time: 7 weeks Height Of The Plant: 80 - 120 cm Genetic background: Cheese x Juanita la Lagrimosa x Ruderalis Effect: High CBD, Pain relief

Pandora Autoflowering Seedbank: Paradise Seeds Type: Sativa: 70% / Indica 20% / Ruderalis: 10% Yield Indoor: 400 gr/m2 Harvest month: April - October Flowering time: 10 weeks Height Of The Plant: - 100- 120 cm Genetic background: Sensi Star x Automatic Effect: Very Stoned

Blue Cheese Autoflowering Seedbank: Dinafem Seeds Type: Sativa: 20% / Indica 70% / Ruderalis: 10% Yield Indoor: 400 - 450 gr/m2 Harvest month: April - October Flowering time: 9 weeks Height Of The Plant: 80 - 100 cm Genetic background: Cheese Auto x Blueberry Auto Effect: Stoned

Think Big Auto Seedbank: Dutch Passion Type: Sativa: 80% / Indica 10% / Ruderalis: 10% Yield Indoor: 550 gr/m2 Harvest month: - October Flowering time: 12 weeks Height Of The Plant: 150-180 cm Genetic background: Skunk x Auto Effect: Soaring Sativa

This automatic kush hybrid is a 60% indica and 40% sativa which means you will get the best hybrid vigour possible. Royal Queen Seeds made this strain to please the kush lover and this strain certainly delivers in terms of power and flavour. Similar to many kush strains, you can expect this automatic variety to stay low at at maximum height of 100cm and a good yield to accompany. What is really great is this strain will finish in 7 weeks so is perfect for multiple crops outdoor and for the farmer who must keep a low stealth crop. An excellent strain for tackling mold resistance and a great suggestion to anyone living in colder part of Europe. The stone of this strain is a strong one with an energetic and creative edge.

This is the biggest autoflowering strain I have ever come across, whilst this is an automatic version be prepared for a plant that can grow very tall. With the height comes the large yield which will take upto 80 days to be ready. Grown outdoor this plant requires some space to grow big and bushy, whilst the flowers she produces are characteristic of the original Moby Dick. The aroma is similar to white strains and it has an earthy citrus aroma and a sweet earthy taste when smoked. A great strain to smoke throughout the day, however it is not one for late at night as the high can last for several hours.

This a new strain from Royal Queen Seeds who have focused heavily on bringing forward 2 things, the medical grower wants. That is fast flowering plants that are rich in CBD. Fast Eddy was created with the smoker who enjoys a mild stone and high. With only 9% THC, there is a perfect blend of CBD to balance out making the physical effects of this automatic variety pleasantful and most therapeutic. The flavours are that of a classic clitrus skunk and the plant height will stay low and uniform remaining around 100-120cm. I would certainly recommend this strain for anyone who wants to grow a fast producing reliable strain outdoors or indoors in turn around time of less than 50 days.

This is an indica dominant automatic strain that possess the power and knock out stone, that some outdoor growers want. It will grow low and with small side branching and one main central cola. The aroma from this plant is wonderful and smells very sweet and candy like. It is quite deceptive considering the effects are more that of an O.G Kush, whilst it also grows like a typical uniform indica remaining small and squat making this ideal for an outdoor sea of green. This strain also has a good resistance to mould and powdery mildew meaning you can grow this variety throughout the year in certain parts of Europe. Not the biggest yielder out of all the autos but if you want a night time sleeper, then look no further than Pandora auto. A very reliable automatic version of the classic UK strain Blue Cheese, with a homemade version using Auto Cheese and Auto Blueberry, Dinafem has produced a small in height berry smelling indica variety of automatic. This strain will produce strong side branches and will grow in the classic christmas tree structure. Very resistant to the cold and wet climates, this strain is perhaps one of the smaller varieties of autos making it ideal for balcony or terrace growing. The taste is similar to the creamy musk of the UK Cheese and with a berry scented dank. If you are a fan of the Blue Cheese then this is one for you that is best planted outdoors and grown in cycles from May until August. Think Big Auto does exactly what it says and if you want a large producing stacked plant, this automatic form Dutch Passion delivers. It is an auto variety of the original Think Big which was selected with one thing in mind, to deliver large sized productive plants and a head spinning high. This autoflowering strain can take around 90 days to fully flower considering its size and genetic background. The flowers will have a citrus funk aroma and when smoked the high is somewhat racey and energetic, yet there is a strong strong also so this is not for the faint hearted. I would certainly recommend this to anyone who has the space and time to grow these outdoors.

GROW WITH JORGE CERVANTES

PHYLOS BIOSCIENCE PART ONE

PHYLOS BIOSCIENCE IS TURNING BREEDING WORLD UPSIDE DOWN! By Jorge Cervantes jorge@marijuanagrowing.com Hit the site, www.phylosbioscience.com and launch the “Galaxy” to see a 3D map of more than 2,000 different cannabis varieties that shows their relationship (kinship) to one another. The Galaxy resembles the heavens above with an endless array of stars (cannabis varieties). The cannabis samples are sent legally via US mail or courier from different dispensaries, breeders and clone makers. Few of the samples are from commercial cannabis seed companies. You can search specific varieties and find: š &ORVHVW *HQHWLF 5HODWLYHV š &RORQLDO 5HODWLRQVKLSV š *HQHWLF 1RYHOW\ 6FRUH š 3RSXODWLRQ 3URILOH š *HQHWLF 9DULDWLRQ Phylos Bioscience has sequenced the DNA of these cannabis varieties, a major step forward in cannabis breeding and genetic classification. It gives cannabis breeders a chance to update the 1950s techniques they are using now to new scientific methods in 2017. Inexpensive scientific instruments and legal tests available to cannabis breeders today were not available a couple of years ago. Today legal inexpensive scientific tests are opening the door for cannabis breeders to develop new stable super varieties. The Phylos Bioscience database can be searched by variety name or the name of the breeder or the business/individual that submitted the sample. I typed in a few familiar names of world-class breeders, David Watson, Rob Clarke, and Mel Frank. They are my mentors. They know how to stabilize a variety. To exemplify WKLV SRLQW KLW WKHVH OLQNV DQG VFUROO GRZQ WR WKH ŗ*HQHWLF 9DULDWLRQŘ JUDSK https://testing.phylosbioscience.com/sample/genotype/5gkvyno2 https://testing.phylosbioscience.com/sample/genotype/p8rrnk8r https://testing.phylosbioscience.com/sample/genotype/6g60y1kg https://testing.phylosbioscience.com/sample/genotype/p8rrjp8r https://testing.phylosbioscience.com/sample/genotype/woyje2or Note that all of the varieties are extremely stable. Now check out these graphs. https://testing.phylosbioscience.com/sample/ genotype/1oe53kop, note that the popular variety Lavender is extremely unstable. The same instability is found in Grand Daddy Purple from the clone group, https://testing.phylosbioscience.com/sample/genotype/7g30zrgw. This is just the tip of the iceberg for unstable varieties. Search the Galaxy for more varieties you know and love to learn the results. Clones have become popular among cannabis cultivators around the world because they offer consistent growth and stable genetics. But clones often harbor diseases and pests. Once the cannabis seed industry matures growers will be planting stable F1 varieties that are stronger produce better than clones. Genetic stability is essential and one of the main pillars of seed breeding. These three breeders are working with extremely stable stock from the beginning.

This sets them apart from the vast majority of “breeders” that work with unstable genetics. The samples these three breeders submitted to Phylos Bioscience were either landrace varieties that had generations to stabilize and breed true or they were true breeding varieties that were crossed together until they stabilized and bred true. Few stable varieties exist today because of the haphazard way the illegal hyped-up market was forced to evolve. There are hundreds of cannabis seed sellers on the internet and thousands of retail cannabis seed outlets in Canada, Europe and a growing number in the USA. Unfortunately, the vast majority of these varieties are at best, somewhat stable and a rare few are very stable. Why is working with stable varieties important? Cannabis is an outbreeder just like people horses and dogs. If an outbreeding person, horse, dog or cannabis plant is crossed to an immediate family member – sister, brother, mother, father, aunt, uncle, first cousin – recessive genes coincide. When recessive genes pair up, the recessive traits – weak growth, weak branching, low cannabinoid pro-

Jorge Cervantes is author of the Cannabis Encyclopedia (596 pages, 2,000+ color images, large A4 format) and Marijuana Horticulture (AKA the Bible). Booth books are available at all amazon retailers worldwide. Both books have excellent chapters on breeding.

file, disease and pest resistance, etc. – can manifest in the first generation of seed or latent recessive genes can surprise you several generations later. Such recessive genes are responsible for people horses, dogs and cannabis with more genetic imperfections.

into F1 varieties that are 25% stronger – bigger and grow faster – than weaker genetics and clones. These new varieties will be bigger and grow faster and have many more stacked traits than the plants grown today. There is no reason to settle for second best from any seed company.

Selective breeding using ancient empirical observation has dominated breeding programs plagued by the restrictions from clandestine cultivation. Legal cannabis has opened the door to breeders who can follow scientific principles.

Some varieties grow incredibly well outdoors once they acclimate to a geographic region. These huge plants grew in Paul Stanford’s medical garden in Portland, Oregon. Stanford has given – free of charge – more than three metric tons of cannabis to needy patients.

But, those traits can be positive too. This is the selection process - remove the bad offspring and keep the good ones. Inbreeding (immediate family crossing) can be good if you can remove the amplified problems and keep the desirable characteristics. Making a true breeding cannabis variety is much more complex and difficult than crossing plants a few times. Ancient methods require years of growing a plant population that continually breeds back to the same population. Or modern breeding techniques – DNA sequencing and (genetic) marker assisted selection – can be used. The best part is that this is NOT GMO (Genetically Modified Organism), it is Mendelian genetics on steroids. But, even with the best genetic information from thousands of plants it can take 6 generations or more to ensure a variety is stable. Regardless of what happens today, breeders that use DNA sequencing and marker assisted selection in their breeding program will develop stable varieties faster than breeders using antiquated methods. These varieties can be crossed

Stable breeding stock is “true breeding” which means that if you plant 10 seeds of the same variety, all of the plants that sprout produce the same phenotype – look the same and grow the same given the same conditions. This is because they are of a stable genotype – genetic makeup. When plants are bred that have unstable genetics, the offspring (genotypes/phenotypes) do not look the same. The offspring are not stable and all subsequent generations will not be stable. Think about the last time you planted 10 seeds from a “reputable” seed company. Did they all sprout and all look the same at harvest? What did you do with the strong plants from the seed batch? If you cloned them like most gardeners do, you are growing inherently second-rate genetics. This is fine if you are growing from clone. Those clones have been selected for specific traits that are advantageous, but clone-based growing has certain drawbacks.

PUZZLE PAGE

GROW WITH STONEY TARK

TURNING UP THE TERPS

TOP TIPS ON HOW TO GET BETTER

TASTING CANNABIS

The pinnacle of growing elite cannabis is not to achieve commercial sized yields, or to have the biggest grow systems and technology, however it is to simply deliver a full terpene profile to a beautiful flower. It seems that most flowers and even extracts these days are tainted with a mild flavour and unhealthy harshness on the lungs. When you walk inside a coffeeshop in Amsterdam or a dispensary in California, these establishments are professional so take a great number of steps to ensure the flowers they produce are top notch. Below By Stoney Tark / Photos courtesy of Dinafem are my top tips on how to get the best flavours from your dried cannabis buds.

STARTING OFF

If you start of with a good strain from a well known seedbank, then even if your plant performs badly, the terpene profiles should still remain the same. Many growers can often testify that they have smoked what looks like garbage outdoor weed that tasted amazing compared to some of the over worked indoor buds that have 10/10 bag appeal. Working with a well known plant like Cheese, O.G Kush, Girl Scout Cookies, Super Silver Haze, Super Skunk and many other well established flavours for example will make a bad grower look good and good grower look great, when done right. The paradox with starting with good genetics is that a really good grower can seem a novice no matter how perfect the bud structure is if the taste does not pack a punch also. Spend the time to find the best seeds rather than ordering a box of clones off the local dealer for convenience. I never personally understood the benefit of having a huge stash of one flavour when you can easily have five jars with five killer flavours.

ades. The green conscious grower wants to know that every nutrient they are putting in their medium has a chance to be broken down by microbes and fungus and distributed back to the medium, where it can be leached out of the soil accordingly by the plants roots. I am personally well known for continuously reusing old medium and promoting microbial colonies. One thing I would suggest is to use a blend of coco, worm humus, dry seaweed, bat guano, seabird guano, biochar, old roots, perlite and trichoderma. The medium I use is always topped up and supercharged with living organisms that are present in the worm humus, guano, seabird guano, coco. These all produce enzymes which break down the rich medium that has been treated with blackstrap molasses and humic acids for the previous grows. This is just a tip that I enjoy doing, however you will find it will encourage microbes and fungi and also save you money and trips to the tip, whilst allowing you to achieve some super tasty organic flavours.

SELECTING THE MEDIUM

The argument that organic flowers taste better than chemically grown flowers has been going on for dec-

FLUSHING

The most important part of the entire grow cycle and unfortunately

because you are not directly hammering the plants with nutrients, many growers don’t pay enough attention to this part. It is usually down to inexperience and a lack of discipline. Flushing basically means using water to act like a solvent and to remove all of the left over salts. The idea is that the electric conductivity of the solution the plants receive is minimal so they have time to use up what remaining minerals are left in the medium. The easiest way to think about it

the taste of the flowers should be instant on the inhale and whilst coating the lips with a wet mouthwash sensation, the exhale should be as pleasant and serious lip licking should commence.

ORGANIC COMPOST TEA

Using aerated compost tea is another one of my favourite practices to adopt when growing indoors and especially outdoors. The idea is that you have a bucket of water with an air stone producing bubbles,

WHILST MANY PEOPLE SAY DRY IT AT 20 DEGREES AND ABOVE, THIS WILL NOT RETAIN THE FULL COMPOUND OF FLAVOURS AS WHEN DRIED FOR 14 DAYS AT 15 DEGREES CELSIUS. is to put a teaspoon of sugar in a glass, then add measured amounts of water each time to see how long it took for the sugar when stirred to have completely dissolved. The only way to really tell if your flowers are flushed is when you roll a joint, the ash will be white grey and almost fall of the joint with the slightest movement. Not only this

which over a 24 hour period will aerate the nutrient you put in along with the microbial colony inside the brew. In flower time is when aerated teas are often used but I always advise to use them throughout the whole life cycle of the plant. In the veg stage you can use seaweed and trichoderma, worm castings and trichoderma, ortega and tri-

choderma and make sure that as a food source you feed a teaspoon of unsulphured blackstrap molasses. Not only will your plants look incredible and the vigour they express speaks volumes, the grow medium will be drenched with billions of microbes and fungus that have been aerated over the 24 hour period. Not only this your plants will enjoy the NPK as well as all the other micro and macro nutrients these listed above will provide. When using bat guano as a main flowering feed, the taste and appearance of the final flowers is incomparable.

ENZYMES

Perhaps the most underrated nutrient that growers utilise in their garden, enzymes are a plant’s best friend when it comes to delivering bite sized chelates of food for the roots to readily absorb. In the same way enzymes in our bodies are extremely relevant to our metabolism and digestive systems, think about how important they are then for the plant’s roots. A great tip is to use as many enzyme groups as possible and feed them in addition with your other nutrients from start to finish. Enzymes are like natures dishwasher and nothing works better than a liquid drench of enzyme groups in the medium. Many nutrient companies offer their own and with so many enzymes found across the world from pond cleaning enzymes, to industrial dishwasher enzymes, using cannabis friendly ones supplied by nutrients companies such as Cannazym, Sensizym, Powerzyme, Hydrozyme and many more is the best way to stay on top of your plants digestive system and metabolism. This is also a sure way to break down the remaining unwanted salts into easy to digest particles. The simplest way to have super soft and wet flavours, complimented by a white puffy block of ash.

HIT IT WITH THE BAT!

I can not recommend using bat guano enough and the expression ‘ Bat Crazy ‘ came about after the benefits of bat guano on plants

was discovered. This is brilliant to use in a fine powder form and it is great to make an aerated compost tea. When you make an aerated tea with a clean bat guano powder, the water once skimmed of any foam will have a caramel golden shine to it which means you are supplying it with liquid gold goodness. There are many forms of bat guano originating from Indonesia, Jamaica, Japan, China and Turkey. Each can have a different NPK depending on the location of the bats, their diets and also the humification state of the guano when processed. The taste that you notice from adding even a top layer of powder and feed will be the difference between day and night for underachieving growers. Not only does using bat guano swell flowers and increase terpene volumes, it also adds a wet flavour to the flowers and kicks the plant into vitality overdrive.

MOLASSES, SUGAR AND HONEY

You may not even realise it but the organic feeds that are black and shiny and heavy in weight, are a form of blackstrap molasses. Basically a liquid press of sugar cane that is then classed as a humate as it is a state of humification. That being said any humic acid can be in a black shiny form but molasses contain sugar and carbs. Some growers will even use honey, granulated sugar, carbonated fizzy drinks that are high in sugar and other tricks to supply the plants with a fructose base. This is actually an excellent tip to use molasses, to grow heavy thick buds that have serious biomass as well as bringing out the terpenes and final flavours from your flowers.

DRYING YOUR BUDS

This is where all the magic happens and it literally is the difference between top shelf meds and low grade garbage. If you were growing an indoor garden of roses, orchids or any other tropical flower, you would expect the final presentation of the flowers to be full of aroma and all sorts of enticing terpenes. If your buds in the flowering room are

reeking of dankness and by the time it comes out of the dry room it has lost nearly all that roadkill stench, you have simply dried your prized flowers out wrong. Dry your flowers out in a room that is 15 degrees celsius and get a chilling feeling in the room, whilst many people say dry it at 20 degrees and above, this will not retain the full compound of flavours as when dried for 14 days at 15 degrees celsius.

CURING AND STORING

There have been studies that show how cannabinoids break down over time and degrade in dark-

ness. Terpenes also change from live resin to terpenes off a flower that has dried out, so if you have dried your buds perfectly to a water content of 30% but sticky to touch, curing in a glass jar or plastic tub will preserve the terpenes and improve the effect they have when smoked. I have recently written an article that covered my top tips on drying and curing which go into further detail on the correct steps to take at this late stage of the grow cycle. Good luck obtaining the maximum cup winning flavours that you have always dreamed of.

GROW WITH ROBERT B.

WHEN THE SMELL REACHES THE ENTRANCE HALL How to safely dry and store cannabis People who grow their own cannabis, keep their monthly stock in a broom closet and smoke in their flat are not likely to smell hash. Yet unwanted home visitors could still perceive some smell in the entrance hall. For this reason, safe drying and storage processes are a basic requirements. It is not just a matter of removing the smell, but also of how to achieve and retain a good Text: Robert B. quality level in production. People who grow their own cannabis, keep their monthly stock in a broom closet and smoke in their flat are not likely to smell hash. Yet unwanted home visitors could still perceive some smell in the entrance hall. For this reason, safe drying and storage processes are a basic requirements. It is not just a matter of removing the smell, but also of how to achieve and retain a good quality level in production. With a fast drying process, flowers do not have enough time to ripen after they have been cut. In actual fact, all flowers cut from plants should be dried not in a baking oven at 80 degrees for 8 hours,

but rather in a broom closet for 8 days, with nearly 60% relative air humidity and a temperature of around 20°C. If the environment is colder, warmer, drier or more humid, it will not be beneficial for the harvest. In the worst case, cannabis will start to get mouldy. For this reason, it is strongly recommended to aerate the drying chamber, or at least to favour air circulation. Should an air extractor not suffice to remove the smell, a suitable active carbon filter should be hung before it. The problem with a hash smell starts already with the harvest. When plants are not harvested in a grow room

where a filtered air extraction system has been installed, but rather in another room, there is a need to prevent the smell spreading all around. Air-suction harvesting machines circulate the mass of scented air. In a harvest room, air should be extracted with the use of a filter or forced into the grow room with a continuously running filtered ventilation system. Quality depends on a proper drying process. Individual flowers can lie in thin layers on a drying bar and be turned once a day. Branches of flowers could also be hung on a clothesline. A successful result can also depend on climate.

When, after drying, individual flowers are placed into bags, then it must be checked, on the same day as well as on the next day, whether they have become sticky again in the sealed plastic bag. In case of low residual humidity, the bag can be simply left open for the remaining humidity to evaporate slowly. A slow and smooth drying process is always beneficial for quality. It is therefore appropriate to let residual humidity evaporate under controlled conditions. Proper and safe storage conditions THC oxidises under the action of oxygen and light. Therefore, dry mari-

The air sucked in will smell

Vacuum storage

A bag cut into small pieces

Harvested flowers on a drying bar, which still needs to be transferred to a dark broom cupboard

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juana flowers, hash lumps or extracts should be protected from the air and sources of light. In addition, a cool room should be chosen for storage. Marijuana flowers contain both cannabinoids and terpenes, which are essential for the taste and effect of the end product. Many terpenes, however, are highly volatile and therefore evaporate at temperatures above 30°C. Many growers freeze their harvests, which is a good thing to do. During the unfreezing and opening process, however, care should be taken to check that no humidity has built up in the container.

During freezing, it is better to make sure that the container does not remain open. Those who rely on large quantities obtained in a single harvest for the full year should also consider using a buffer storage area. Places such as a cellar, a garage, a garden shed, a nice spot in the forest or any similar locations will serve the purpose so as to avoid smells in the house. Care should also be taken to avoid humidity getting inside the container. In short, the storage place must be inodorous and leak-proof. The usual grip seal bags are not 100 % tight. Noaks Bags are much

better. There are also anti-odour bags that are sealed with an electric iron after filling. Another option are vacuum-pump bags. In both cases, bags are airtight. Anti-odour bags are also lightproof. However, these bags should not be bent or twisted, otherwise the internal anti-odour film would be damaged. Filled vacuum-pump bags can perhaps still be smelled by dogs. The outermost edge of bags is normally sealed. If this edge is cut off and the bag is opened, its content can be transferred to another container, after which the edge can be resealed. Good

Tupperware containers are particularly practical. Shrink-wrapping is however more appropriate for storage. For freezing, vacuum storage could be perfect. It is worth noting that even a single gram in a closed environment can release a smell that can be perceived several metres away by a human nose, even though the human nose is not as good as that of dogs. Those who travel around with herb should perhaps avoid using a grip seal bag even for a single gram, and rather opt for odour-free hiding places.

OPINION

When one hand doesn't know what the other is doing... What on earth is happening in America? On Monday 1st January, California became the eighth state to fully legalise the weed, but by Thursday 4th January, the US Attorney General effectively reversed the Obama-era ruling that allowed state level legalisation to proceed in the first place. For those of you who don't know this stuff, while a number of states have legalised or decriminalised weed, it's still very much an offence at Federal (i.e. big government) level. This has understandably caused some friction between state law and federal law. In an attempt at smoothing this out, back in 2013 something called The Cole Memo was released. This was the work of the (then) Deputy Attorney General, Jim Cole, and basically instructed federal prosecutors not to interfere with cannabis laws at state level. Pretty much,"butt out and let them get on with it". Now, what we have is the Cole Memo being overturned by the current AG - Jeff Sessions - therefore allowing federal prosecutors to recommence prosecutions, while not expressly saying who or what might be prosecuted beyond the vaguely chilling statement that the move represents "a return to the rule of law". So far, federal offices in a couple of the legal states have issued statements saying they've no plans to change how they prosecute cannabis; at the moment they don't prosecute, quite rightly preferring to go with "the will of the people" on the matter. However, this could of course all change in the blink of an eye in the event of a staff reshuffle. Replace someone seen as too liberal with your 1950's reefer madness zealot and the whole thing comes unstuck. Bipolar doesn't begin to cover it. Mr Sessions certainly seems to have a major problem with the weed, and is an old school anti marijuana extremist in the Harry Anslinger mould. He has publicly stated in the past that using cannabis "is bad for people", that "good people don't use cannabis" and other such nonsense. I've written about him here in the past, but it's worth repeating a couple of points about Jefferson Beauregard Sessions: he's one of these deeply conservative Republicans (so he reckons he's a Christian) who is anti abortion, anti immigration, anti same-sex marriage. He seems to seriously believe that marijuana is indeed "the weed with roots in Hell", and is once supposed to have said that he liked the KKK until he found out that some of them smoked dope.

Not a particularly nice guy. I suppose his single mindedness about all of this might be seen as admirable in some circles, but it's not. What it actually is, is ignorant and pig headed. The man has clearly not looked at a scrap of the scientific evidence regarding weed that's appeared over the past decade or so, and he's clearly way out of touch with what's going on in the real world; even a number of his Republican mates seem uncomfortable and embarrassed by him. It has been said by many people that the key to everything AG Sessions does around cannabis has nothing to do with personal belief and everything to do with money. He supposedly has interests in the private prison system, so keeping www.budseason.eu low level lawbreakers (e.g. stoners) inside means full prisons which in turn keeps the investors' bank accounts full. It's also been said that there is a Big Pharma connection as well. There always seems to be a Big Pharma connection. Whatever the reason for all of this, the fact is that the Trump administration has blatantly reneged on their promise to allow each state to handle cannabis legislation free from federal interference. One can only assume that a good number of Trump's supporters use weed either medically or recreationally. One can only hope that they remember all of this come the next election. Dr John Dee

38 Index of ads

TRUE OR FALSE?

Stoney Tark

Blueberry is a strain of cannabis.

A net is needed for Scrog.

Hydroponic produces larger yields than organic.

Aerobic bacteria is beneficial.

CBD is what gets you high.

The High Life Cup takes place in Holland.

Super Lemon Haze is a sativa.

10. Somango is a strain by Barney’s Farm. 11. THCA is non psychoactive. 12. Making hash is a form of extraction. 13. N.F.T stands for Natural Film Technique. 14. Coco contains no substantial nutrients. 15. Spannabis in Barcelona is every March. 16. Moon rocks are a type of kush strain. 17. It is not necessary to P.H rockwool cubes.

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19. A Spliff is when the joint is pure weed. 20. Spider mites thrive in cold conditions. True False True True True False False True False False

Drying room temps should exceed 30 degrees Celsius.

11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

True True False True True False False True False False

Powdery Mildew is another name for mould.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

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, Mr. Jose, Hugo Madera, Mr. Jose, Robert B., cccp and others Comics: Jim Stewart Editorial adress: readers@softsecrets.nl

ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ AT PAGE 6 : 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

C A C A D B B B A A

11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

C B D B A C A B A B

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: April 06, 2018

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