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People smoked cannabis to get high 2,500 years ago, ancient tombs reveal AMSTERDAM

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People were getting high by smoking cannabis 2,500 years ago, an excavation of ancient Chinese tombs has revealed. Scientists found traces of THC in wooden incense burners at the Jirzankal cemetery in the Pamir mountain range near the Himalayas.

Road before becoming the most widely used psychoactive drug in the world. Robert Spengler, the lead archaeobotanist for the study, said: “The exchange routes

buried at Jirzankal actively cultivated cannabis or simply sought out higher THC-producing plants. Some of the skeletons recovered from the site have features that resemble those of contemporaneous peoples further west in central Asia and studies on the human

These would have got mourners high during funeral rites and users may have thought that it helped them to communicate with the divine or the dead.

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The vessels are the first evidence of people using marijuana recreationally, according to a paper published in the Science Advances journal. Cannabis plants were cultivated in east Asia for their oily seeds and fibres from at least 4000BC. However, little is known about how people started cultivating the plant for its psychoactive properties. Much of the evidence of early use of cannabis for this purpose comes from written records and scholars often question their reliability. The traces of THC in 10 wooden burners found in eight tombs at the Jirzankal cemetery were discovered by scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Max Planck Institute. The tombs were inside circular mounds with stone rings and striped patterns created using black and white stones on top. The drug traces had a higher level of THC than in wild cannabis plants, suggesting that these ancient people burned specific varieties of cannabis that had higher levels. The findings corroborate other early evidence of cannabis use from burials further north, in the Xinjiang region of China and in the Altai mountains of Russia. It is thought that cannabis probably spread across trade routes along the early Silk

of the early Silk Road functioned more like the spokes of a wagon wheel than a longdistance road, placing central Asia at the heart of the ancient world. “Our study implies that knowledge of cannabis smoking and specific high chemical-producing varieties of the cannabis plant were among the cultural traditions that spread along these exchange routes.”

bones show that not all of the people buried there grew up locally. Professor Yang Yimin, the lead analyst for the study, said: “This study of ancient cannabis use helps us understand early human cultural practices, and speaks to the intuitive human awareness of natural phytochemicals in plants.”

Scientists found the THC by extracting the organic material from the wooden fragments and analysing them using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Dr Spengler added: “Modern perspectives on cannabis vary tremendously crossculturally, but it is clear that the plant has a long history of human use, medicinally, ritually, and recreationally, over countless millennia.”

It is still unclear whether the people

Source: .independent.co.uk

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GROW QUIZ

7. Which of these can hold the most water? A. B. C. D.

1. What does backcrossing mean when breeding? A. B. C. D.

Using the original P1 with an F1 female Making femenized seeds Using clones off the mother plant Use F1 with P2 plant

2. When should clones be placed outside to flower? A. B. C. D.

During Spring to Summer From September to November From December to February From March to June

Vermiculite Rockwool Hydroton Coco

8. What are the signs of a female preflower? A. B. C. D.

A small cluster of pods White hairs and pods A seed will appear White pistils will appear

9. How can a grower decrease humidity levels? A. % & D.

Opening a window 8VLQJ D GHKXPLGLȴHU 8VLQJ D KXPLGLȴHU Adding more oscillating fans

14. How can you tell if a flower is well flushed? A. B. C. D.

It will make you cough like crazy It will burn but keep going out There is no way to tell The ash is grey and smooth taste

15. Which of these is designed for smoking extracts A. B. C. D.

A pyrex pipe Dab rig Blunt wraps Glass bong

16. Organic compost tea should be brewed for? A. B. C. D.

1 hour 1 day 1 week 1 month

17. What does hardening off clones mean?

3. What is meant by decarboxylation? A. B. C. D.

Turning flower to rosin Removing the A from THCA This is how vapour pens work Taking THC out of a strain

10. What are terpenes? A. B. C. D.

They are responsible for the aroma They are what gets you high They make plants change colour They are the crystals on the plant

A. B. C. D.

To plant into large pots To root a hard wood clone To leave outside of the propagator To spray with insecticide

18. What does an F3 mean?

4. Which of these has a balanced high? A. B. C. D.

Indica Cannabis Sativa Cannabis Hashish Hybrid Cannabis

5. Spider mites prefer which conditions? A. B. C. D.

Warm and humid Cold and wet Hot and dry Neither’

6. Which of these requires a vacuum purge? A. B. C. D.

Ice water Hash Pressed dry sift pollen Butane Honey Oil Rosin

11. What bug would you release on your spider mite infested plants? A. B. C. D.

Ladybug Beetle Catterpillar Red ants

12. Beneficial bacteria and fungi need what to multiply? A. B. C. D.

Chemical nutrients High oxygen environment Low oxygen environment Manure

13. Which of these describes Fimming? A. B. C. D.

Totally removing the top shoots Purposely leaving on 30% of the shoot Breaking the stem until it snaps Using string to tie the plants downwards

A. B. C. D.

An F1 crossed with an F2 A third generation cross The original parental line It does not mean anything

19. What temperature should a dry room be? A. B. C. D.

15 degrees Celsius 30 degrees Celsius 23 degrees Celsius Below 6 degrees Celsius

20. Which of these connects to the carbon filter? A. B. C. D.

The inline fan The exhaust fan Floor fans The lights

For answers see page 38!

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Monsanto lose a 2 billion dollar court case By Rich Hamilton

Agrochemical giant Monsanto, makers of the USA’s most popular weedkiller “Roundup” have been ordered by a Californian court to pay more than $2 billion dollars to a couple who claim that using the product for many years caused them to develop non-Hodgkins lymphoma (cancer). This is the largest loss for the company following a series of lawsuit cases, and is likely not to be the last, as long-term users of the product come forward to claim that the herbicide caused the onset of their cancer. Brett Wisner the legal representative for Alva and Alberta Pilliod who brought the case to court released a statement following the verdict stating “ Two billion dollars in punitive damages is as clear a statement as you can get that they (Monsanto) have to change what they‘re doing”. Monsanto’s parent company Bayer however remained defiant in their rejection of the claims and confirmed that they will appeal the verdict, with a spokesperson stating that “We have great sympathy, but evidence in this case was clear that both Mr and Mrs Pilliod have long histories of illnesses known to be substantial risk factors for non-hodgkin’s lymphoma” Bayer also referenced a recent statement from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that found that the suspected guilty chemical glyphosate posed “no risk to public health”. If anything, the statement supported the continued use of glyphosate,

which is used on over 100 crops in the USA. Backing up its importance in being a solution to the dilemma of how to feed an everincreasing population. Agriculture secretary Sonny Purdue was quoted as saying “if we are going to feed 10 billion people by 2050 we are going to need all the tools at our disposal, which includes the use of glyphosate” The debate on the safety of glyphosate rages on however, with the findings above being in direct contradiction to a 2015 report from the World Health Organization, who found that glyphosate probably was carcinogenic to humans. Something which environmental groups were quick to point out following the court ruling as they applauded the jury for listening to the independent scientific evidence presented in court and rejecting Monsanto’s version of events. The couple in question, Alva and Alberta Pilliod had been regular users of Roundup for over 30 years, using it regularly once a week to spray the grounds of several properties that they owned, up until they were both diagnosed with the same type of non-Hodgkins lymphoma 4 years apart in 2011 and 2015. The effects of which they are still battling as Alberta still requires medication costing $20,000 a month, including Chemotherapy to fight a brain tumour that has been detected twice. The couple made a statement on how the illness had changed their lives forever. “We wish Monsanto had warned us ahead of time of the dangers and that there was something on the label that

said ‘Danger, may cause cancer’. Its changed our lives forever and we can’t do the things that we used to be able to do”.

the EPA has been saying it doesn’t cause cancer” “they have to come to grips that they have blood on their hands”.

The Pilliods case was the biggest blow to Monsanto as the issue refuses to go away and they face thousands of similar claims. In August 2018 a jury in San Francisco came to a unanimous decision and awarded $290 million to Dewayne Johnson, who claimed the glyphosate in Roundup caused him to also develop non-Hodgkins lymphoma. In March this year a federal jury again found that the herbicide in question played a significant role in causing the Cancer of 70 year old Edwin Hardeman!

One thing is for sure this issue isn’t going away any time soon. In the bigger picture it makes you think about what else we could be using on our plants that may be more harmful to our health than we are currently aware of? It feels as if the Monsanto case is just the tip of the iceberg, which could spell the end for them and possibly other large agrochemical companies.

Attorney for the Pilliods, Brett Wisner stated that this most recent case not only sent a message to Monsanto but also to the EPA (Environment Protection Agency) of America, whom he accused of helping to hide the effects of glyphosate “ For 45 years

If there are any positives that could come out of a situation such as this, lets hope it is that companies become more responsible and transparent about the chemicals they are using in their products and that they give us the growers more true and open information with which to make an informed decision about what we use to grow our plants safely.

BACKGROUND

SENSIMILLA SENSITIVITY A good friend of mine was complaining recently that every time he has a smoke he gets a runny, nose. It was only when he mentioned that he suffers with hay fever that I had a ‘light bulb’ moment! Could it be an allergy to cannabis? Hay fever is essentially a pollen allergy and cannabis is a plant that produces pollen! I researched it and discovered that cannabis allergies and sensitivity was an actual ‘thing’ and that it had the potential to affect more people than I imagined. Allergies are an immune overreaction by the body in an attempt to protect the respiratory system from perceived threats. The antibodies produced by the body keep the threat at bay, but also cause the symptoms of allergic responses. Allergy symptoms range from uncomfortable niggles to fatal seizures. In general day to day, allergies are mild to moderate at worst and relief is usually found by avoiding the irritant and/or taking an antihistamine tablet. Cannabis allergies have been on the rise in recent years. If we take the figures from a 2015 study, it is estimated that 70-73% of those who suffer from seasonal allergies (like hay fever) can also potentially be allergic to Cannabis. This is because seasonal allergies are triggered by pollen and mould, and likewise, Cannabis is a pollen producing plant that is also susceptible to mould. If you take that there are roughly 50 million Americans with seasonal allergies, this means that as many as 36.5 million could potentially be allergic to Cannabis in the USA alone!

By Rich Hamilton

Cannabis allergies will frequently affect those ingesting cannabis and also those who grow it, work with it or are exposed to its cultivation on a regular basis. Allergies have both a genetic and an environmental component, meaning as your exposure to a substance increases then so does your risk of developing a sensitivity toward it and so with legalisation on the increase we are seeing sensitivity more often. Symptoms include, red, itchy, dry or watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, nasal/sinus congestion, nausea, and actual physical sickness!! It is possible in a minority of cases, as with any severe reaction to an allergen, that if left untreated symptoms could be life threatening. So what is causing this sensitivity? Well there are several reasons. As with all plants, it is possible to be allergic to the pollen held within the cannabis plant, as well as to high levels of cannabinoids like THC. You can also experience an allergic reaction to substances that grow on or in the plant, such as mould. The Cannabis plant is an “accumulator” plant, meaning that it takes up everything from its

growing environment via the root system, allowing the substances to then build up in the plant, including harmful heavy metals and other chemicals. Over (or under) consuming, genetic modification, use of pesticides and fertilisers, selective breeding, sanitizing, and general human interference seems to be the norm these days in terms of the environments we live in, the products we use, and the food, and drink we consume. These things are constantly being altered and shaped to fit in with our lifestyles which leads to more and more intolerances and allergies as our bodies struggle to cope with anything less or more than it naturally requires. When you are growing, what you are trying to do is to prevent pollination of the female plant. Doing this increases the plant’s psychoactive properties, raising THC content. Increasing THC potency is a major contributing factor in terms of the increasing number of allergy sufferers, as THC is recognised as a potential cannabis allergen.

Strains of cannabis with high levels of THC are very common today and in huge demand. Great for those chasing a stronger ‘high’ but the knock on effect is that the high levels of THC are causing hypersensitivity and allergic reactions. THC levels have risen dramatically on average, due to selective breeding, from 1% and 3% in the 60’s and 70’s respectively, 4% in the 90’s, up to 12% and above in recent years. With increasing legislation, research, development and large scale commercial growing it is not uncommon to now be able to find Cannabis with THC levels in the 20-30% margin! Some people however are just genetically pre-disposed to suffering a sensitivity regardless of THC levels, as they have genetic differences in how they metabolise cannabinoids such as THC, resulting in increased sensitivity. Cannabis allergies can trigger hay feverlike allergy symptoms such as itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing, conjunctivitis, sore throat, coughing and asthma. Cannabis contains Pollen, the most common allergen, which is a powder released by trees, grasses, and weeds to fertilise the seeds of neighbouring plants pollen. Though generally only thought to be a product of male plants, pollen can also be produced by hermaphrodite females and the fact that there are so many different strains of cannabis in existence today only adds further complexity to the issue. Allergic reactions to pollen are more common in areas where cannabis is grown and so it is of no surprise that the

12 number of allergen cases has increased in the areas, and surrounding areas, where large commercial legal grows are situated. Maybe one of the biggest groups that have experienced a rise in their sensitivity to cannabis from pollen related allergies, are those who work in close contact with it on the growing sites. Cannabis allergies can also present themselves as “contact dermatitis" and some of the most common symptoms include: dry, flaky or reddening skin, itchiness, inflammation and even hives! Mould is a spore that grows on rotting logs, dead leaves, plants, and grasses. Many types of mould thrive in moist conditions, although there are also some types of “dry mould”. They form on cannabis where it is exposed to extremes of temperature or high levels of humidity, whether unintentionally or through lack of sufficient growing knowledge. Common moulds that you may have heard of include Root Rot, Mildew, and Leaf Septoria. Cannabis can also become mouldy if not stored correctly after harvest and cure. Some very sensitive people could even be unlucky enough to experience reactions

be responsible for any allergic reaction experienced from the inhalation or ingestion of cannabis, ranging from headaches and nausea to increased risk of respiratory problems and even cancer or organ failure if exposure is

CANNABIS CAN TAKE UP DANGEROUS LEVELS OF HEAVY METALS LIKE ARSENIC, CADMIUM, COBALT, COPPER, LEAD, AND MERCURY to both the plant pollen and the mould! Symptoms from a mould allergy include Allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis, skin rashes, and worsening of asthma. In its form as an accumulator plant, cannabis can take up dangerous levels of heavy metals like arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, copper, lead, and mercury, which originate from contaminated water, soil and fertilisers, but it can also absorb any other hazardous substance or potential allergen that is present in the growing environment. These substances can then

extreme and prolonged enough. The best way to avoid any over absorption of hazardous chemicals or heavy metals is to use quality medium, nutrients and additives, as cheap low grade products often contain lower grade heavy metal by-products. Unfortunately, if you’re allergic to a food or substance with similar protein properties, known as an allergy crossreaction, then you could find yourself at a higher risk of a cannabis allergy. Some foods that contain similar allergen

properties to the cannabis plant are: tomatoes, Peaches, grapefruit, eggplant, bananas, apples, almonds, and chestnuts.

allergen. The more antibodies that are in your bloodstream, the more likely you are to be allergic to a specific substance.

So what should you do if you suspect that you have a cannabis allergy? Well, if cannabis is still illegal, medically or recreationally where you live, then a doctor may not have much sympathy or care to do much about it! There are some over the counter remedies, such as antihistamine tablets, nasal sprays, inhalers and anti-decongestants that you may find do the trick.

It is of no surprise that cannabis allergies and sensitivity are on the rise, as it goes hand in hand with the beginnings of legalisation and the emergence of cannabis in to the mainstream, where more people are using it/ working with it and coming into closer contact with it. Overall cannabis allergies are still relatively uncommon. Cannabis Sativa is classified as a mild allergen that requires significant exposure to induce allergic reactions of any kind and although severe reactions have been noted, this is the exception rather than the rule and most symptoms are successfully treated with antihistamines or similar.

If you are unfortunate enough to suffer a more serious reaction, then the only answer is to stop using cannabis altogether! In terms of limiting contact with cannabis whilst it’s growing, the recommendations are to wear protective clothing, gloves, and face masks, and to have allergy or asthma medication to hand at all times. If you are legally using cannabis then a doctor can perform a skin prick test, If you’re allergic, you will react and show a response such as swelling or itching within 15 to 20 minutes. You can also have a blood test that looks for antibodies that are specific to a certain type of

As with many sectors of the cannabis industry, due to the lack of standardisation in legislation, there is a limited amount of knowledge, testing and treatments available, which is very unfortunate. There is still a lot to be discovered before we can more precisely define allergens, develop standardised examples, cement testing specifics, and produce clear and effective courses of treatment for those that may need it.

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For the second time Soft Secrets has held it’s annual competition for European Plant of the Year. With the help of our readers and the very best of Soft Secrets’ international writers we picked the best genetics as offered to us by our advertisers. These are the categories to compete in:

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CERAMIC METALHALIDE LAMPS There is always something happening in the world of growing under artificial light. From time to time, people discover something new and special, which changes the game and brings up long-answered questions back on the table. In the following article, I am going to show you one technology that fits all the above mentioned parameters: ceramic metal-halide lamps. Is this nearly thirty years old news going to become the future of growing plants under artificial light?

CERAMIC IN LAMPS Those of us who believed that LED technology would quickly prevail over traditional HID lamps in the area of growing plants under artificial light will have to wait for another bit, because high-intensity discharge lamps (HID) haven’t surrendered so easily. Currently, there is a big fuss about re-discovered CMH lamps. This technology has been developed already during the early eighties by Philips. CMH lamps use the same technology as metal-halide lamps, with the difference being a substitution of quartz arc tube with ceramic arc tube, which is also used in sodium lamps. Metal-halides lamps, as their name suggests, contain metalhalides or salts, and their content and composition influences the color of emitted light spectrum. When using the ceramic arc tube, it is possible to reach much higher temperatures than with quartz glass. The temperatures are so high in fact, that quartz glass would start melting under such conditions.

the red spectrum. This means that for growing cannabis, MH lamps are suitable only for the growth stage, or as a complementary light source. When used for flowering, the buds are sparse and the harvest is smaller. That is why we use sodium lamps for the flowering stage. For many years, CMH lamps were not suitable for growing plants, since they were not powerful enough. Only in the beginning of the new century were the developers able to build a CMH lamp with larger power output than 150W – paving way for many new uses.

than the other two types. The best for flowering is CDM Elite 930, but it can be used for the growth stage as well. A lot of companies produce imitations of CDM Elite 930 lamps in varying quality and different light spectrum adjustments. In case you want to invest money in CMH, be especially careful when dealing with suspiciously cheap Chinese products. Choose only types

WHY TRY CMH? In case you have just heard about CMH lamps for the first time, you may be wondering why substitute timetested sodium lamps (HPS) for them? The answers are: higher effectiveness than with plasma light sources, higher content of blue light and also a moderate dose of UV-A and UV-B radiation. And it is the area of blue and UV where sodium lamps are lacking. The presence of blue light and UV radiation has profound impact on the morphology of plants, improves their stability and production of secondary metabolites, i.e. cannabinoids and terpenes. Stalks and branches are stronger, plants are stronger and harvest is richer in terms of active substances – and that is of course what most growers want. CMH lamps are great in imitating sunlight, they are more effective than MH lamps, but still a little less effective than HPS. And what about CMH lamps compared to LED? There are many different

Currently, there are many CMH lamps available on the market, but not all of them are suitable for growing plants, and not all of them are constructed in a way that would allow for growing plants. Nonetheless, all of them are based on one of the three types of Philips lamps with power of 315W: CMD Elite Agro, CMD Elite 930 and CMD Elite 942. For growing plants, the most effective is the first one because it can transform most of 6SHFWUDO FXUYH RI &0' (OLWH $JUR Ά΄Έ: with ceramic tube protected by two layers of glass. This way a part of the UV radiation is filtered, plus it means more safety for you in case there is some damage of ceramic tube installed in an open reflector. The models with only one glass layer are meant to be used with closed reflectors that have their own glass. Ceramic lights are marked as CMH (Ceramic Metal-halide), CDM (label of Philips) or LEC (Light Emitting Ceramic).

6SHFWUDO FXUYH RI 0HWDO KDOLGH EXOE 2VUDP 3RZHUVWDU ·΃΃: Since ordinary metal-halide lamps could not reach higher temperatures, the developers had only limited possibilities in terms of choosing the light spectrum. Metal-halide lamps (MH), for example, were more effective in the blue spectrum than high-pressure sodium lamps (HPS), but they were lacking in

the electricity into light in the area of photosynthetically active radiation. CDM Elite Agro can be used throughout the whole growing cycle. The second most effective is Elite 942 with correlated color temperature of 4200 K – it is particularly suitable for the growth stage and it has more blue light

The power of 315W is not common in HID lights, but it has certain advantage – you can hang the lamp closer to your plants and spread the light more evenly. However the cost of two 315W CMH lights is much higher than one 600W HPS, and nearly the same as a good quality LED module with 400W. You can also come across CMH lights with power of 630W or 945W. These types comprise of two or three 315W CMH lamps enclosed in one tube.

opinions in this area. When taking into account financial investment, CMH lamps are a bit cheaper option than a good quality LED source. On the other hand, the effectiveness of the transformation of electricity into photosynthetically active radiation is higher in LED technology. It means you will not be able to lower the amount and cost of used electricity when using CMH, as you would with LED. Still, the supporters of CMH technology have also some arguments against LED: In case anything in your LED source breaks down, you can expect problems with simply changing or repairing the damaged part; most likely the whole source will have to be replaced. When something breaks down in CMH system, it is easy to replace either the lamp, or reflector or ballast, making the cost of repairs much lower. One could argue that there are several LED modules available on the market with diodes divided into exchangeable sections,

26 making the repair of such module pretty simple and cheap, too. In order to maintain a stable performance of your light source, it is advisable to change CMH lamp once a year. CMH lamp costs two- to threetimes the cost of equivalent HPS lamp,

growing plants than in HPS lamps, while the effectiveness and lifespan is much higher than with MH lamps. CMH lamps may be more expensive than HPS and MH lamps, but they are still cheaper than a good quality LED system. For a lot of growers, HID lamps have features that have not yet been successfully

replacement. The price difference between HPS and CMH is pretty significant, and large grow-ops would hardly profit from using solely CMH lamps – also because of their relatively short lifespan. I agree with this opinion fully. In smaller and home grow rooms, however, the investment does not have to be large and there are more advantages than disadvantages.

CMH OR LED?

CMH lamp with one layer of glass for closed reflectors

CMH lamp with two layers of glass for open reflectors and from the point of life expectancy the best choice is definitely the LED technology. Well manufactured types with proper heat sink, which takes away the heat from microchips, have lifespan of at least 50,000 working hours. This is nearly six years of constant use, almost seven and half years when used 18 hours per day, and more than eleven years when used twelve hours per day. Sodium lamps can effectively work for around 25,000 hours, which is about three years, but for optimal results they need to be changed every two years. Despite the fact that LED technology is continually evolving and its use for growing plants is more and more popular and effective, HID lamps are still at home in most indoor growing spaces. In this regard, CMH lamps are significant, because the composition of light spectrum is more suitable for

challenged by any other technology. The buds are really large and hard, and the lamps themselves manage to heat up the grow room even in areas with lower average temperatures (where one has to use external heating during winter) – in such places, the energy saving LED modules are no longer saving energy, because they produce almost no heat. The transition from HPS lamps to CMH is not so simple, though. One can use only reflector from the original setup (and even the reflector needs to be equipped with a new reduction for a special screw cap). Double-ended lamps have the same screw caps. When working with CMH lamps, one has to use different type of ballast than with HPS and MH. Some experts believe that CMH technology is a convenient complementation of existing MH and HPS light systems, not their adequate

CMH lamps are praised by many as something extraordinary. To a certain extent, I would say this is a bit thick, i.e. typical hype. Currently, the maximum effectiveness of electricity transformation into light is around 2 ƉPRO MRXOH LQ +36 DV ZHOO DV &0+ $V IDU as I know, the calculated effectiveness LQ /(' WHFKQRORJ\ LV WR ƉPRO joule; its practical effectiveness is close WR ƉPRO MRXOH +RZHYHU LW KDV IDU

wider choice of light spectrum and only a slight heat emission. In addition, experts assume that the LED modules ZLOO UHDFK ƉPRO MRXOH LQ D IHZ \HDUV which is not probable and most likely not even possible for HID. The prices of LED systems are constantly falling and the differences between HID and LED are going to be smaller and smaller. What is more – when you do your math properly you will come to the conclusion that the long lifespan of LED is already now making up for the differences in initial investment when compared to buying HID. Another advantage of LED is an ever increasing pressure on electricity use reduction when growing all plants anywhere. Still, it will take at least ten more years before LED technology conquers the gardening sector. Yes, HID lamps will still have to do a lot of work in our grow rooms – and ceramic metal-halides lights will be surely helping them out.

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OPIUM ® As you would expect with our Queen, we invested much time and energy into her preparation. By the time she stepped into the limelight she had been bred over several generations, using the genetics of original classic lines; and she didn’t disappoint when she arrived. A High Times Cannabis Cup prize winner, Opium was an instant hit with the growing community. The characteristics we channeled into Opium have created a strain with stand out qualities. The plant grows strong, with a thick stem and bushy side branches. This gives it the tools to produce BIG and heavy buds that are trichome rich.

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CBD CHARLOTTE’S ANGEL Breeding with high CBD and low THC Who would have thought that a cannabis variety with under 1% THC would have been so popular? CBD Charlotte’s Angel has been selectively bred to have CBD levels of around/above 15% and THC levels below 1%. You can’t get high after smoking/vaping her. It’s a variety with a surprising number of medical and other uses. And it has become Dutch Passion’s best selling CBD variety, even more popular than established varieties with a 1:1 THC:CBD ratio.

technique used by breeders and genetic specialists in plants and animals. The other name for selective breeding is artificial selection. It’s ‘artificial’ because you may be focussing only on one trait of a plant, such as THC levels. In the case of CBD Charlotte's Angel, two high-CBD parents were used. The parents had different genetic origins. One was Dutch Charlotte, a CBD rich variety with low THC. This variety was originally made by crossing a CBD rich hemp with a low THC cannabis variety. The other was Red Angel, a high CBD medical variety. Seeds and further selected crossings were made over several generations. Each time, the lowest THC individuals were crossed and more seeds produced for the next generation. This type of work is impossible without regular, routine laboratory analysis at each stage of breeding.

What do low THC cannabis varieties look and grow like? Using sight and smell you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a high THC plant and one with 0.1% THC. The difference is at a molecular level in the composition of the cannabinoids synthesised by the plant. The feminized CBD Charlotte’s Angel takes around 11 weeks to bloom, she is grown and fed just like any other type of feminized variety. Some professional growers select mother plants from the lowest THC plant grown from a large number of seeds. From a single mother plant they can subsequently produce huge crops with identical cannabinoid profiles from one crop to the next. And the Auto CBD Charlotte’s Angel is grown just like normal feminized autoflower seeds. She takes around 12-13 weeks from seed to harvest under 20 hours of daily light throughout the grow. They can both be grown outdoors and in greenhouses.

Selective breeding and cannabis light. What is the point of a ‘zero’ THC cannabis variety? So far there are 4 main types of person/ grower that enjoy the so-called ‘zero THC’ varieties, sometimes referred to as ‘cannabis light’. Although it is worth pointing out that THC hasn’t been completely eliminated, but it is present only in quantities usually between zero to 0.7% THC. The 4 main categories of grower that cultivate these varieties are: a. Private medical growers that want a personal supply of CBD rich cannabis to use as buds, or for concentrates. b. Large scale growers in places like Switzerland that grow commercial

quantities of CBD rich (low THC) cannabis. The buds are sold extensively in herbalists, tobacconists, head shops etc throughout Europe. These growers have often switched from hemp-grown buds to a traditional cannabis variety with buds which look and smell identical to ‘normal cannabis’. One criticism of CBD rich hemp buds is that they lack the quality appearance and structure of cannabis buds. Buds from a low-THC cannabis variety look, smell and taste much better than hemp buds. c. Tobacco users looking to reduce consumption. Many people report that a smoke of a ‘cannabis-light’ style variety removes the craving for a cigarette. It’s a way for tobacco users to reduce consumption without too much pain.

d. Heavy cannabis users who need to take a tolerance break from cannabis find that a smoke/vape of a cannabis light variety removes the craving to get stoned. This allows the heavy cannabis user to reduce consumption or stop it all together for a while without too much discomfort. And after the tolerance break, cannabis will seem just as powerful as it was in the good old days! This was an unexpected property but a useful one.

How do you breed cannabis with virtually no THC in it? Experienced cannabis breeders will know all about selective breeding. It’s a

By crossing a low THC female with pollen from a low THC male you will get a crop of seeds. If you grow all these seeds, or a random selection from them, most of the offspring will draw genetic similarity from the parents. And some will be even lower THC than either parent. So, over many generations and several years you can progressively reach lower and lower THC levels until they are consistently under 0.7%.

The outliers. Unusual and rare genetics.

Nature often has a mind of her own, and cannabis breeders are well aware of this. Even when you have a pair of similar parents, the occasional seed can give rise to some unusual genetic oddities. These are sometimes referred to as outliers, because the

30 plants produce results that lay outside the normal range. Sometimes this is a good thing. In a professional and scientific setting, with access to lab analysis, data comes quickly. If you have a plant with an unexpected cannabinoid profile you can keep the genetic line for later use. Some of the high CBD parent varieties used for CBD breeding were found this way.

COLUMN DR DEE

What else are the breeders looking at? Interest in CBG (Cannabigerol) is also gathering pace. Some CBG rich research varieties already exist and work is ongoing to see how high CBG content can go. CBG is regarded as a ‘mother’ cannabinoid molecule from which THC and CBD are produced. There is also

Martyrs to the Cause A recent news story here in the UK involves two women, Lisa Quarrell and Karen Gray. To cut a long story short, each of these women is the parent to a quite severely epileptic child. They’ve been smuggling the cannabis extract Bedrolite into the country from Holland, as they’ve been unable to get access to cannabis medication legally on the NHS (and very few people have, so no big surprise there). This is for a couple of reasons; firstly, a general lack of knowledge on the part of the doctors means they’re unwilling to prescribe the medications. This is understandable, to an extent, but isn’t anything that some training and the rescheduling of cannabis wouldn’t solve.

THCV. The next unusual genetic to arrive? CBD made quite an impact, especially for medical cannabis growers. In the early days of CBD rich seeds few had any real idea about the various uses and popularity which would spring from CBD. So we

some evidence that CBG is also involved in terpene production. Because CBG is used as a building block to create other cannabinoids the residual levels of CBG in the final buds are usually quite low, below 1%. However in a CBG rich variety the CBG is present at levels of 3-4% or more. It will be interesting to see the full cannabinoid analysis of the CBG rich variety. Will the additional CBG content

WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT A CANNABIS VARIETY WITH UNDER 1% THC WOULD HAVE BEEN SO POPULAR? wonder what people will make of the first THCV (tetrahydrocannabivarin) rich cannabis seeds which Dutch Passion hope to release in 2019. The THCV rich line was noticed some time ago, along with some other highly unusual plants with elevated levels of some other minor cannabinoids. Selective breeding is underway to get levels as high and stable as possible. Recreational smokers can expect a similar effect to THC, with more of a euphoric start to the high and less paranoia. The THCV rich variety is also THC rich, but the Dutch Passion breeders would be interested in finding a low THC, high THCV variety too.

result in enhanced levels of other cannabinoids? And if so what will be the effect of the final smoke/vape quality? There are still plenty of questions for the breeders of new cannabinoids. Recreational smokers will be interested to find new varieties with different highs. Medical cannabis users will be interested to know what medical benefits will come from THCV and CBG rich varieties. Dutch Passion are reluctant to speculate too much in this regard at this stage. Whatever the eventual medical benefits, they will come out soon enough once the seeds become available.

Secondly, it’s about the money involved. As I’ve reported in these pages a number of times recently, the cost of cannabis meds to the cash strapped NHS is prohibitive, resulting in an understandable reluctance to line the pockets of the pharmacarpetbaggers. The knock-on effect of this is denying effective medication to kids who really need it. So, these two women have been making trips to Holland to buy the medicine and smuggle it back into the UK. They both recently appeared on a BBC documentary where they openly discussed their situation, a move designed, it seemed to me, to force the hand of the powers that be to bust them, thus triggering a very interesting test case in the courts of law. Somebody had to do it, and I say good on them for putting their heads above the parapet on this, even though they shouldn’t have to. Earlier this month, Ms Quarrell’s son Cole was eventually given a private prescription for Bedrolite at the Portland Hospital in London. Whoopee doo. What this means is that Ms Quarrell no longer has to break the law in order to provide her son with a medication that appears to actually help with his seizures, so in that

respect, this is a good thing. But (and there’s always going to be a “but” with this kind of thing) while one can get pretty much anything with a private prescription, it’s a horrible case of “no pay, no play” and the costs are quite eye watering. She’s spent thousands of pounds bringing the medication into the country illegally, and now she can spend even more to get it legally: there’s a “consultation fee” of something like UKP300 before we even get to the matter of how much the medication actually costs. In short, it’s another medical rip off, with the parents of sick and vulnerable children being exploited and bled dry by sections of the medical establishment, in partnership with Big Pharma and with the collusion of the government. The whole thing seems to me a nonsense, and a shameful nonsense at that, with the police being used, essentially, to protect the commercial interests of GW Pharmaceuticals, along with vested interests within the Westminster political classes (or rather, those of their spouses, who benefit financially from the current set up). The latest development in all of this is that Lisa Quarrell was indeed visited by the boys in blue, but that they’ve since decided that “the case had been fully investigated and it had been established that there was no criminality”. Mighty big of them, I’m sure. However, it’s not known whether there are any child protection proceedings (i.e. taking the kid into care) under way at the moment. You couldn’t make this stuff up. Unfortunately, there isn’t anything the Scottish Government can do about any of this, as Westminster still calls the shots regarding the laws and rules and all the rest of it around this. They want to do what’s right, but they’re hamstrung once again by an immoral, venal and self-serving UK government. It’s time for a change, and no mistake.

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GORILLA GIRL AND SWEET AMNESIA HAZE Cannabis is a multifaceted plant in every way, including when it comes to the effect of its cannabinoids. On one hand, in the last few years in the cannabis seed market we observed a boom in CBD-rich strains which usually feature low contents of THC and very few psychoactive effects. On the other hand, and to counterbalance this tendency, Sweet Seeds® recently released two super powerful strains: Gorilla Girl® (Sweet Seeds® variety SWS74) and Sweet Amnesia Haze® (SWS72). Professional Plus soil mix, to which I added 5% of organic worm humus and 5% of Guanokalong bat guano powder. In the first 8 days I had them under CFL lights and from the 9th day until harvest I used 400w High Pressure Sodium lights.

Between January and May I decided to try out all of the new Sweet Seeds® CBD-rich strains, leaving no space in my indoor area for these THC-rich strains, which made me make an exception and extend my indoor growing throughout the summer season. Living in an area of South Europe where the summer is usually very hot, with maximum temperatures ranging from 32ºC to 42ºC in July and August, I was perfectly aware of the difficulties that I was about to face. But the desire to try these strains was much stronger than any concern, so I decided to give them a try to see what happens, as in the worst case I could stop the growing at any time if major problems occurred, which made me think I had nothing to lose. By the 4th of June I sprouted 3 seeds of each strain, leaving 6 plants in a 80x80x160 cm. closet, in a total area of 0,64 m2. By the 6th of June 5 of the 6 seeds germinated. The 6th seed only germinated by the 9th of June, but the plant ended up catching the other 5 in size about 1 week later. They were first placed in 500 ml. containers with Canna

Professional soil mixed with a 10% of organic worm humus. Developing with outstanding vigor during the first 2

weeks, they were transplanted to the final pots of 15 litres at around day 15 from germination, this time with Canna

much more than an indoor grower would wish for. Sweet Amnesia Haze® has been selected and bred to cut down this inconvenient and the plants show a mainly Sativa structure but without the excessive stretch that most Sativas tend to exhibit. After 16 days of stretching, the plants stopped growing to focus all their energy in the production and development of big flowers. Gorilla Girl® ended up with the final height of around 60 cm. and Sweet Amnesia Haze® with around 65 cm., making it possible to grow them together indoors with artificial lights. At that point, in the second half of the third week of flowering, I started using BioFlores and BioBoost, both from Canna, once every week. I could have started before, but my soil mix was very rich in nutrients so I postponed the use of liquid fertilizers, allowing the plants to benefit from the purity and cleanliness of a “only-water” diet. It was mid July and luckily the temperatures were a bit lower than usual in that period of the year. In my opinion that was the key for a successful grow operation, but I am also sure that the vigor and resistance of the genetics played a crucial role.

Anticipating problems with hot temperatures I decided to give them only 18 days of vegetative. 3 or 4 days after transplanting them to the final pots I changed the photoperiod to 12/12 so that they would remain short and easier to work with. By doing this I had them flowering about 24 days after germination with a medium height of 30 cm. Besides the positive features of Sweet Amnesia Haze®, of which I will speak in the last part of this article, a very important characteristic is that this strain is probably the easiest Haze or Amnesia Haze strain I have ever grown.

Every Haze strain that I grew before featured very marked Sativa structure, which means tall plants that stretch

When the higher temperatures finally arrived, by the first week of August, the plants were already in the second half of flowering, with the plant structure completely defined and all the flowers developed to the point where they only needed to achieve maturity while getting thicker and more compact. About 10 days later, by the 11th of August, the plants seemed to be on their way to full maturity so I stopped feeding them with liquid fertilizers in the expectation of harvesting them about 12 or 15 days later. In this moment the outdoor maximum temperatures were ranging between 36ºC and 42ºC and the power of my RVK extractor was not enough anymore, so I had to use air conditioning while the lights were on, 12 hours every day.

33 Still at this point, mid August, they were already showing some of the aromas that are characteristic of each of the strains. Sweet Amnesia Haze® released the most pleasant incense

aromas after I touched its flowers breaking some resin glands to release the terpenes. Gorilla Girl® released even more intense aromas that were

reminiscent of earth and citrus. Both strains produced flowers completely covered with trichomes, even in the smaller leaves that surround the flowers, making these strains excellent options for the enthusiasts of cannabic extractions. Gorilla Girl® seems to produce more compact flowers but Sweet Amnesia Haze® develops flowers of an outstanding calibre, full of dark orange pistils. All the plants matured as real champions. Another great feature of Sweet Amnesia Haze® is its flowering time, as 9 weeks is an exceptional number for a mostly Sativa strain. Gorilla Girl® features approximately the same flowering time, so all the plants were harvested with an interval of only 5 days, between day 62 and day 67 of flowering, within the third and fourth week of August. The 3 Gorilla Girl® plants yielded a total of 129 grams (43 grams per plant) and the 3 Sweet Amnesia Haze® plants yielded a total of 141 grams (47 grams per plant). Probably my best indoor harvest ever in this period of the year. The lower small popcorn buds and the manicured frosty leaves allowed for 6 grams of top shelf hash. As it was a dry extraction I could then re-use the

vegetable remainings to make canna butter for my amnesiac chocolate chip scout cookies. The effect of the smoke and vapor is really powerful and mind-blowing. Gorilla Girl® features very high THC levels that can reach between 20% and 25% in optimal grow conditions. Some specimens can even exceed these levels. The resin production is copious and the buds are very compact. This strain is the resulting hybrid from the cross between two of the most famous and powerful genetics coming from the USA: Gorilla Glue and Girl Scout Cookies. The Girl Scout Cookies specimen used for this cross comes from the phenotype known as “Thin Mint”. The plants look like balanced IndicaSativa hybrids, very productive and vigorous, with long and flexible side branches. Gorilla Girl® features intense taste and aroma, with cypress tones and a touch of wood, complemented with hints of earth and citrus.

On the other hand Sweet Amnesia Haze® sends us to some sort of amnesiac maze where dizziness is a state of mind that one can surprisingly cope with, taking the most out of the experience, loaded with a sensation of euphoric happiness. This genetic is a cross between two Amnesia Haze “elite” clones of exceptional quality. The result is a mainly Sativa genetic of excellent quality. It is a very high yielder for a Sativa strain, producing loads of compact buds in its long side branches. As a very easy-to-grow strain, it is suitable for every kind of growers, from beginners to the most experienced. The tastes and aromas of Sweet Amnesia Haze® are amazing, featuring lemon citrus tones, a complex background and a very special touch of cedar wood. In conclusion, I am very happy with my decision of growing these two strains, even though the period of the year when I grew them. I have 6 jars full of sweet and aromatic flowers with a powerful effect.

INTERVIEW

THE CREATOR OF MOBY DICK... AN INTERVIEW WITH KING KUSH Finding a unique blend of indica and sativa genetics to make the perfect hybrid is no easy task, unless your name is King Kush from Dinafem Seeds, the creator of worldfamous Moby Dick. Soft Secrets sat down with him to find out all about how Moby Dick was born, what inspired it, and the breeding process behind one of the largestproducing hybrids to ever hit the seed market. hybrids using large populations and crossing them until we get exactly what we want. Science does help do a better job and better understand the plants and crosses to always pick the right path. But, you know, it’s the smoke test that really matters.

Where were the White Widow and Haze parents used originally sourced from? Dr. Ananda was, and still is, the guardian of our genetics. A long-treasured collection consisting solely of the very best specimens of the plants we'd been growing, selecting, and storing for years. Strains that were usually grown by just a few locals and us. We still keep them, of course... They’re so special and precious to us… Their origin? Well…They come straight from the ‘90s, from the golden era of pot in the Netherlands…

How would you best describe the aroma, taste, and effect of Moby Dick? A) Powerful and pungent, wood and church-incense smell… Very special and really, really strong. White, smooth smoke that leaves a lingering taste of citrus, spices, and Haze on the palate. Its effect… hahahaha… classic fast-acting psychedelic sativa effect with a narcotic feel to it… Just a heads-up, though: make sure you have some chocolate bars nearby...

Who came up with the name for the strain and why did you choose it, and what tips do you have for anyone growing out Moby Dick It was Dr. OG’s choice. Because it’s indeed a giant beast, a white whale, a monster!. This plant grows like hell when given lots of light, lots of space, and lots of nutrients. Pretty simple, right?

Have you made other hybrids using Moby Dick? Yes. We created Moby Dick #2, a bit fancier than the original one, while we were looking for different tastes and aromas. Worth giving a shot, really. Moby Dick’s parents were used for producing other hybrids as well...

What were the desired traits that you were looking for from the first generation hybrids, and Is Moby Dick the biggest producer Dinafem have ever made? SSUK: Can you tell us more about yourself and how long you have been breeding for? I never talk much about myself. For me, anonymity is simply beyond price. I started growing weed 23 years ago, at a very young age. Back then, quality seeds were almost nowhere to be found, so we had to import them from Switzerland or the Netherlands. It wasn’t long, though, before we started to create our own seeds by crossing them with one another. We made regular seeds or grew whatever we could lay our hands on. In 1995, I put myself through agricultural school and there I met Dr. OG, who later floated the idea of creating feminized seeds… and the rest is history.

and seed banks should be created was far broader than anyone else's. I grew pot just to smoke. We ran several tests with the elite clones we’d stored for ages, knowing which crosses will work best. Only when the seeds that have fallen off the plants we had harvested the previous year in a greenhouse germinated and turned into true monsters did we realize we had created some really good stuff.

Could you tell us more about the breeding process behind the strain?

What inspired you to create Moby Dick and did you know it would work so well as a hybrid?

At first, when crossing genetics, we just worried about the tastes, aromas, and the yield. The selections were made based on our instincts… Now the breeding process is way more professional. We’re in a whole new level. Strains are lab-tested for terpenes, cannabinoids, differences between siblings.

Dr. OG’s vision of how feminized genetics

We can practically tailor on-demand

In those days, all we looked for was the taste, smell, yield, stability, homogeneity, and, of course, the buzz… As simple as that. It’s still our top yielder Moby but others such as Strawberry Amnesia, Amnesia, Critical 2.0, and Critical Jack are not far behind…

Has Moby Dick won any awards and, if so, which ones? Since its creation, Moby Dick has won countless prizes… and still today continues riding high. In 2010, for example, it won Soft Secret’s “Girl of the Year” award.

Finally... Do you have any social media our readers can check out? Not really. I generally stay off social media. As I said, my anonymity is very important to me… It’s true, though, that I’ve been lately thinking of creating an Instagram account under the name of @king_kush_official. You know what? I’m gonna do it right now SSUK! You can also follow Dinafem to get a picture of what I am into now... Well, it’s time for a Moby Dick joint! Cheers!

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CLONEX

The Comeback Taking cuttings is relatively simple and having a constant supply of cuttings is a very effective way to increase the number of annual harvests. Cuttings taken from a mother plant are a genetically exact replica of that plant. When you select a good mother plant, the clones you obtain are as good as it. If, in addition to that, mother plants are healthy and you have suitable knowledge and tools, you will almost effortlessly obtain cuttings with 100% success rate. Taking cuttings is among the most pleasant tasks. It is relatively easy and the clones obtained only need little maintenance. One or two weeks after taking a cutting, if the procedure is done correctly, it will develop a root system. Selecting a mother plant is a bit more time consuming but, when you do, you can be sure that all its clones are identical and of the highest quality. You need to keep

exposed to diseases, mildew or pests. Cuttings taken correctly and in optimum conditions adapt perfectly to any growing style, i.e. soil, coconut-husk or hydroponic substrates. They need high room humidity (around 95%), especially in the early days. If you have a fluorescent lighting system, lamps should be placed at a height of 15 to 30 cm (6 to 12 in) above plants. If you use sodium lamps, instead, place them at a minimum height of 1 m (39 in). Ideally, for plant development, air temperature should be in the range of 20 to 24ºC, and the growing medium temperature in the range of 24 to 27ºC.

YOU NEED TO KEEP MOTHER PLANTS HEALTHY FOR CUTTINGS TO BE STRONG AND GROW VIGOROUSLY SINCE DAY ONE mother plants healthy for cuttings to be strong and grow vigorously since day one. If mother plants have undergone stress or diseases or been re-vegetated, cuttings are likely to be slower in growth and more

When you take cuttings, all tools coming into contact with them, the working area and the room or tent designed to host clones should be clean and disinfected. For accurate cleaning, use bleach and alcohol.

MOTHER PLANTS A selection made from several seeds of a mother plant is the first step to obtain the best clones. It is a fairly complex task, which requires some time and dedication but, in the end, you will be amply rewarded, as the qualities that encouraged you to select a mother plant for its taste and/or yield will remain unaltered in the offspring. Conversely, if a plant has problems, e.g., poor resistance to mildew, cuttings will be affected by the same problem. A well-groomed and well-nourished mother plant will most likely produce a host of cuttings for many years and flourish in any environment, including outdoors, provided you move it to an indoor space under lamps before mid-June to avoid early blooming. You also need to wash out the soil and transfer the mother plant, from time to time, to larger pots as it grows. The plant also needs an extra dose of nitrogen, except on the days preceding the taking of cuttings, when you should avoid doing so to stimulate rooting. Once a month, you should also add phosphorus and potassium to favour its regeneration. Make sure you stop fertilisation several days before the taking of cuttings. Wash out the soil and clean leaves with pure water to reduce the nitrogen level, which will speed up rooting in clones.

CUTTINGS The best clones to be taken should measure 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 in) in length and 3 to 6 mm (0.11 to 0.23 in) in diameter and be cut off the mother plant at more than two months of growth. Cuttings are best taken in the medium to lower part of the plant. Make sure to have cuttings with a couple of leaf clusters remaining outside the rooting medium, whereas lower clusters should be removed before introducing the cutting into the medium. Avoid taking cuttings from very small branches, i.e. those with a very small number of leaves or leaf buds. These

parts of the plant have lower probability of developing roots, as the leaf and/or stem surface is too small and rooting will be delayed (compared to clones obtained with branches of a suitable size to stimulate rooting). That is why, smaller branches are normally discarded.

GROWTH TECHNOLOGY

This company was founded in 1985 and, since then, it has devoted itself to the development of innovative, top-quality horticultural products. They are specialised in the development of nutrients for plants and plant propagation. Clonex is its flagship product. This rooting gel is famous worldwide for its excellent results. Other products that stimulate initial plant development include Clonex Mist, Nitrozyme, Green Fuse Root or Formulex.

CLONEX This is the rooting gel par excellence. Using gels is the most effective method for cuttings. They are dense, adhere to the stem evenly and remain stuck to it for longer. Clonex is a purple-coloured gel containing a powerful rooting hormone that causes an amazing root growth. After taking cuttings, dip their base in undiluted Clonex gel to a depth of 10 to 20 mm (0.39 to 0.79 in). Then insert cuttings into the propagation medium, where they will remain in the appropriate conditions for initial root formation. Whenever you use Clonex, make sure you place the quantity you need in a separate bowl to avoid contaminating the remaining product in the bottle.

ROOT RIOAGT PROPAGATION TRAYS Growth Technology’s Root Riot is an organic and totally biodegradable propagation

Stem is cut in two parts

Leaf tips are clipped off

Growth Technology products

Clonex Mist is sprayed

A good root system

Recently transplanted cuttings

tray. It is perfectly clean and does not give off dust. In addition, it comes pre-moistened, so all you need to do is plunge cuttings into it. If the tray dries, just add water to remoisten it. All trays should be wet and spongy, but not swamped.

CLONEX MIST This is a natural, hormone-free root stimulator that makes plants healthy and vigorous. It is designed to work with Clonex rooting gel to produce cuttings with strong, well-developed roots. It comes in the form of a foliar spray to be applied to the tips of mother plants every two or three days for two weeks, before taking cuttings. Cuttings are misted again after being taken and, later, at regular intervals of two or three days.

GREEN FUSE ROOT This product is a highly concentrated organic root stimulator without side effects for plants, people or the environment. It is a powerful mixture of natural plant extracts. High concentration and solubility aid the formation of new roots and the nutrition of young plants. It is also designed to be used in conjunction with Formulex and to enhance rooting and the overall health of the plant.

NITROZYME This superb growth booster is extracted from seaweed named Ascophyllum nodosum. It is highly concentrated and contains various vegetable hormones, such as cytokinins, auxins and gibberellins.

As it also contains enzymes of natural origin and a high number of micronutrients, it suits all stages of plant growth. In addition, it can effectively be used for the treatment of seeds. Nitrozyme has a broad spectrum of actions: helps germination, increases roots, improves the absorption of nutrients and the composition of the plant tissue, alleviates plant stress and enhances plant vigour and health. Soaking seeds in Nitrozyme 24 hours before sowing will also improve germination.

FORMULEX This product is a full-spectrum nutrient solution for all types of plants. It contains 14 essential elements for the healthy growth of plants, including a

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complete profile of trace elements. Contains all the macro and micro nutrients required for optimum plant growth. An ideal nutrient for seedlings and delicate cuttings. Suitable for irrigation and foliar feeding. Has a stable pH and requires no adjustment with pure water. Suits perfectly to the early stages of growth and mother plants. Can be mixed with Nitrozyme or Green Fuse for better results.

HOW TO TAKE CUTTINGS WITH GROWTH TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS The cuttings propagation technique is always the same, but we recommend using Growth Technology products to

38 INDEX OF ADS shorten the time of the rooting process and increase the size and number of roots. 1. In the days preceding the taking of cuttings, you need to prepare the mother plant. Fertilisation should be suspended, the soil should be amply washed and leaves misted to reduce the nitrogen level and, therefore, speed up the rooting of the clones you will obtain. 2. Select cuttings to be rooted ad count them to prepare a suitable number of propagation trays. 3. In the two weeks before the taking of cuttings, spray Clonex Mist on the tips of the mother plant, every two or three days. 4. Cut plant parts with a very sharp blade, but avoid crushing the end of the stem. Cut at a 45° angle.

7. After preparing cuttings, pour a small quantity of Clonex into a bowl and dip just the base of cuttings in it, only once, to a maximum depth of 2 cm (0.78 in). 8. Keep the Root Riot propagation trays wet with holes prepared to introduce stems. After removing cuttings from the Clonex dip, introduce them immediately into the propagation tray. The tray should come into contact with the stem without crushing it. When you introduce the cutting into the tray do not force it inside. If it does not enter easily, just make a larger hole. 9. Cut the tips of leaves to reduce the transpiration of new cuttings, prevent leaves from overlapping and minimise the possible appearance of mildew. 10. Spray cuttings again with Clonex Mist on the same day they are taken.

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COLOFON 5. Scrape off the skin of the stem part of the cutting to be placed into the propagation tray and split it in two parts, which will considerably increase the surface that will form roots (i.e. when a larger cambium layer is left uncovered, new roots can be generated). 6. If you need to take several cuttings, leave those already taken soaking in water while you take others. Soaking will avoid the entry of air and possible embolisms.

11. Put cuttings under fluorescent or sodium lamps in a grow room or grow tent. Adjust the distance between plants and lamps as required. 12. Keep plants hydrated and with fairly high room humidity until roots are formed. Increase ventilation and reduce humidity with each passing day. The lids of the mini-greenhouse should be dried every day one or two times. 13. Continue spraying cuttings regularly with Clonex Mist.

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, Rich Hamilton, Mr. Jose, Robert B., cccp, Thomas Valentine, and others. Comics: Jim Stewart

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Photography: iStock Editorial adress: readers@softsecrets.nl Advertisements: E-mail: info@softsecrets.nl A word from the publisher: Soft Secrets is a bi-monthly free magazine which is published in The Netherlands (called Highlife), Germany, France, Italy, Spain, UK, Poland, Czech Republic and Chile. World wide there is a process going on of relative liberalisation towards the use of cannabis, be it for medicinal or recreational purposes. Several countries legalised cannabis as a way of separating soft and hard drugs, as it has proven to do in Holland. Other countries legalised

the use of medicinal cannabis, including the right to grow cannabis plants for one’s own use. The publisher wants to highlight the process of normalisation of cannabis use. 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 and/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 editor takes no responsibility for unsollicited submissions. The publisher has endeavored to reach all copyright holders of photos and/or images. Those who still believe they are entitled to these rights may contact the publisher.

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