The cannabis newspaper since 1985
www.softsecrets.com/gb/ | Issue 1 - 2020 18+ For adults only. Soft Secrets is published six times a year by Discover Publisher BV Netherlands
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white berry • sensi-star • delahaze • pandora • belladonna • wappa • allkush • atomical haze • ice cream • nebula
Did you know that CBD is the mystery molecule that you already smoke? When you consume weed, THC and CBD are the 2 most active molecules affecting your body and mind. The leading CBD company in Europe, Green Brothers Switzerland SA, will explain how CBD can deal with THC. THC acts on our brain receptors to promote feelings of euphoria and relaxation, and at high doses may cause paranoia. On the other hand, CBD acts on body receptors and stimulates the natural production of human molecules that help maintain Homeostasis (the balance of temperature, blood sugar or composition). Consuming CBD gives all the pleasures of a joint without the side effects of getting high during the day.
Specifically, when you're smoking, the different activated receptors function in harmony with opposite effects. CBD limits the bad effects of THC, allowing us to decompress, while contributing to general well-being. There are many ways to consume CBD. Sixty8 offers several varieties of flowers rich in CBD and aromas that can be infused or smoked, which have been awarded several times at the various Cannabis Cups. It is also possible to consume CBD oil by putting it under your tongue, in drinks, or in cream and lip balm to take care of your body. The Sixty8 products are entirely sourced from organic swiss hemp. More information on www.Sixty8.ch.
Sixty8 is a part of the swiss family farm Green Brothers. They cultivate cannabis with passion and expertise, without pesticide. The 3 brothers were among the first to get European Organic Certification for their hemp farming methods. They maintain full control of their stock, from the best seed to the final product. Production follows ancestral and natural growing methods using water sourced from the Swiss mountains. To meet customers’ expectations each stage of production is subject to rigorous controls. To discover CBD products or to share your experiences about CBD uses, follow @Green_brothers & @Sixty8_Shop on Instagram or directly on www.Sixty8.ch & www.GreenBrothers.ch
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3 Page
10
An Interview With Manki Farms CBD-producers
Page
14
Washing Buds After Harvest for a Cleaner Smoke
Page
16
Organic Growing and Beneficial Microorganisms
With Stoney Tark
Page
28
Jack 47 Auto
Cream ® Mandarine Auto Sweet Seeds www.sweetseeds.com
Sweet Seeds Strain Report
Page
30
Does Google know you Grow? An investigation
5
Seed banks
White Widow TricomaTeam (tricomateam@gmail.com)
Resin on resin
This simple-to-grow indica-dominant plant grows into great harvests of enormous and dense flowers in a short time. The large amount of resin that covers its buds coupled with an amazing medicinal power make it one of the most popular cannabis strains worldwide. In the 1990s, White Widow became famous all over the world for the large amount of resin visible to the naked eye on its buds. In addition to being a plant that can be easily grown in a short amount of time, it has multiple medicinal properties to help combat anxiety, insomnia or stress. The Dinafem seed bank markets a feminised version of a 1997 élite clone of this mythical strain which retains all the potency and aroma of the original plant. With an Indica/Sativa ratio of 65/35%, Dinafem’s White Widow is a medium sized plant that can exceed 2.5 meters outdoors. It is also very robust, compact and with strong branches.
We put our seeds between wet cloths and, after 24 to 48 hours, they had all germinated. We then planted the germinated seeds in pots of little less than one litre and used a substrate low in nutrients. We left them grow in these pots for approximately 10-12 days. In the first watering cycles, we added a rooting stimulator. After almost two weeks, we moved the seedlings to larger pots (we normally use 18 litre pots with nutrient-
a remarkable size, their stems and branches were wide and their buds innumerable. We also saw the first pistils and thought it was time to make some cuttings and move them to the flowering room at 12 hours of light and 12 of darkness.
Flowering
At the end of flowering, plants were quite compact, with abundant buds giving off a very fresh aroma.
Harvest and tasting Leaves that grow on this plant are scarce and small. In addition, given the low leaf-
A few days after changing the photoperiod, our White Widows had a final growth spurt and showed their full potential at 12 hours of light under 600W lamps. They were not too tall, but very
Its dark and small leaves make it stand out among other plants. It flowers rapidly and is ready in just 8 weeks indoors, whereas outdoors it can be harvested between early and mid-October. Although it develops optimally in temperate climates, it perfectly adapts to all types of growing environments, as long as humidity is not too high to rot its buds. Harvests of White Widow are abundant with yields exceeding 500g/m2 indoors, and up to one kilo per plant outdoors. Buds are dense, oval, very hairy and covered by a large layer of white resin that lives up to its name. THC concentration is between 12 and 16% with a very pleasant effect of peace and relaxation. Its aroma is fresh and its taste excellent, both bittersweet and fruity. It is advisable to use a good antiodour filter to prevent the scent given off by the plants during flowering from finding its way to the neighbouring area.
Germination and growth We have previously grown several packets of White Widow seeds sourced from Dinafem on several occasions and in different environments, and invariably obtained excellent results with a 100% germination rate.
Lower buds. to-bud ratio, trimming was fairly easy and quick. Harvest was also quite fast and rich. General view. wide, strong and robust, with a fairly short internodal distance. Central bud. rich soil). In the new pot, we added more root growth stimulator to the irrigation water in order to achieve a good root ball capable of feeding large plants. Little by little, we also started to feed them with a growth fertiliser in small doses, which was gradually increased without exaggerating, since White Widow does not require a large amount of nutrients. Approximately one month after germination, the plants had gained
After reducing the hours of light, we began to water them with a fertiliser and a special stimulator for this stage and saw that the first bunches of flowers were forming. Buds were oval, hairy and covered with an impressive, white and sticky layer of resin. Buds were not too big, but very dense and heavy and distributed all over the plant. Two weeks before harvest, we washed roots to remove all traces of fertiliser in the final product, and waited until the trichomes were fully ripe to harvest them.
The concentration of resin on the buds was visible to the naked eye. Although buds are not as large as those of other strains, their large quantity and density per plant makes the yield per square metre of White Widow quite similar to that of other genotypes. We let the grass dry for at least two weeks in a dark and well-ventilated room before tasting it. White Widow has a very special and intense taste, somewhat spicy, fruity and bittersweet at the same time. The effect is strong but not overwhelming and produces a pleasant feeling of relaxation and tranquillity. It is ideal at the end the day to combat any kind of tension or stress.
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8
GROW QUIZ 6. Terminal cuttings are taken from the upper part of the plant and are cut just after the node from where they branch out from the main stem. Why are these the best cutting to take? A. B. C. D.
CLONES 1. When is the best stage within to take a cutting from your Mother plant, for the highest chance of it rooting successfully? A. Vegetative. B. Propagation. C. Harvest. D. Flower.
2. In the days leading up to taking your cuttings, how should you treat your Mother plant?
A. Increase your feed dosage to give the cuttings a boost ahead of being taken. B. Feed with water to flush out some of the nitrogen to encourage the root growth in the new cuttings. C. Foliar feed your plant only, to nourish the leaves. D. Do not feed the plant water or nutrients at all so the cuttings take up maximum amounts of water when it is available.
3. What is the maximum mass that you should cut from a mother plant to ensure that it recovers fully and that re-growth is strong? A. 25% B. 40% C. 60% D. 75%
4. What is the best and most sterile to tool use to take a cutting? A. A Stanley knife. B. Scissors. C. A Disposable Scalpel. D. A kitchen knife.
5. A successful cutting should be taken in one swift clean cut. What is the best angle to do this in order to keep stress to a minimum? A. B. C. D.
90 degrees. 135 Degrees. 180 Degrees. 45 Degrees.
Because they are the easiest to reach. They have the biggest leaves. They grow more consistently. They look the healthiest.
7. To ensure equal consistent growth and health, your cuttings should generally be uniform in appearance. What height should you be aiming for all your cuttings to be? A. 5cm B. 3 inches C. 10cm D. As short as possible.
8. After taking your cuttings what should you immediately put them into? A. C. D. E.
A dark place. Your propagation medium of choice. Rooting gel. A propagator.
9. What is the purpose of rooting gel?
A. To give the new cutting a dose of nutrients. B. To hydrate the cutting. C. To expose it to root hormone and encourage subsequent root growth. D. To sterilise the cutting.
10. How deep should you plant your cutting into your rooting plug/sponge to ensure optimum root development? A. 1cm B. Half the depth of your rooting plug/sponge. C. 1 inch. D. Almost to the bottom of your rooting plug/sponge.
11. How wet should you keep your rooting plug/sponge after you have planted your cuttings? A. As wet as possible to give the cuttings all the water they need. B. Lightly misted on the leaves and surface so the roots are forced to stretch out and look for water. C. Exactly 250ml a day per cutting. D. Moist but not sodden, overwatering can drown cuttings, lead to fungal infections and root rot.
12. It is good practice to cut any larger than average palm leaves in half horizontally. Why is this?
A. To fit more in the propagator. B. To be more aesthetically pleasing. C. To encourage more uniform growth and less stress on your developing plant. D. To reduce possibility of disease or pest infestation.
13. Why should you be using a hygrometer when your cuttings go into the propagator? A. B. C. D.
To measure temperature. To measure humidity. To measure root growth. To measure pH.
14. What humidity should you keep the propagator at when your cuttings are in there? A. B. C. D.
Between 70%-90%, 50% exactly Under 40% Over 90%
15. What is the most popular light cycle to run when your cuttings go into propagation? A. 18-6 B. 12-12 C. 24hrs constant. D. 16-8
16. What temperature do your cuttings need in the propagator to develop a strong root system? A. 15-19C B. 25-30C C. Above 30C D. 23-26C
17. Cuttings usually only need to be fed water but what are the signs that they may need something a little stronger? A. B. C. D.
Leaves lightening in colour to a yellow. Extreme wilting. Leaves curling. Slow over all growth.
18. How long does it take for your cuttings’ to root through a 1 inch rooting sponge/cube? A. B. C. D.
Less than 48 hrs. 1 month. 1-2 weeks. 6 weeks.
19. When do you know that your cuttings are strong enough to come out of the propagator and be put into Veg?
A. Once they have grown so tall that they are touching the roof of the propagator. B. 2 weeks after they were last transplanted. C. When they have rooted through the sponge plug or when they have 3 stages of nodes. D. When they are starting to wilt.
20. Once your cuttings are ready for transplant they will need to be “hardened off”. What does this mean? A. They need to be pruned. B. They need to be flushed. C. They need to be kept in the dark. D. They need to gradually be introduced to conditions outside of the propagator.
For answers please see page 31
10
Interview
An Interview With Manki Farms Stoney Tark
to the bottom) and the trim rest is taken for our ethanol extraction. We can influence THC and CBD by light, fertilization and time of harvest, but we don't achieve the legal ratios by doing so. It has to be guaranteed and proven that the plants will be below 1% THC before you start to grow them on a big scale, the rest is just fine-tuning.
Plants close to harvest that will be used for medicinal purposes
In a world where CBD products are popping up all over the place, Soft Secrets sat down with Benjamin from Manki Farms in Switzerland to find out more about what goes on behind the scenes, how the farm is legally run and what it takes to be a large scale, commercial farmer. Hello Benjamin, can you tell us what is Manki Farms? Yes, we are a producer of indoor CBD hemp flowers and we produce our own full spectrum CBD tinctures and oils as well. When did you first get involved with Cannabis? Difficult to say, quite some years ago, around about 20. I had my first contact with Cannabis when I saw the big brother of my best friend smoking it when I was a teenager. Later I tried it myself, but I never became a great smoker. I have been always more into the plant itself.
Could you tell us about the strains you are growing and who decides? We have grown different strains - CBDTherapie, Jeanne d´Arc, Strawberry Frost, Erdbeerly, Bubble Gum, Fedora 17, Eletta Campane, AK47, New York Sour Diesel, Harlequin, Alpine Spirit, Remedy, Cannatonic and V1. From all this strains we mainly grow 2-3 at one time and the main strains are, at the moment, Cannatonic, V1 and Remedy.
What is the legal framework with Manki Farms? It is an AG situated in Switzerland. We are officially listed as a CBD hemp farmer and the police is periodically visiting us and check if your flowers are below 1% THC.
We decide which strain is viable for us when it comes down to yield, general performance of the plants, resistance to pests and THC-CBD ratio. The strains who make it through our “checkpoint” are open for growing and we talk with your partners and customers what they like most in terms of colour, taste, smell and density and what the wanna get in the future and then we go to grow what they want.
How many lights does your facility use and what lights are they? At the moment we run 256 x Q6W Gen1 from SANlight. We will change the Gen1 lamps to the Gen2 Lamps in 4-6 weeks and we go from 196m² flowering area to 144m² but we keep the amount of lamps.
Which strain is your favourite to grow and why? My favourite strain is the Cannatonic. She performs well untopped and really great when topped. A lot of the buds are colourful from red to violet. The smell is great - like a bunch of different berries.
What number plants are you legally aloud at Manki Farms? Now days a total of 2560 plants in 6L pots. We worked with 1920 in 10L pots and with 5120 in 3L and 6L pots as well, but the 2560 are working best for us at the moment.
And last but not least, she's easy to harvest for us and the buds are perfect for trimming with a machine. Can you explain the 0.3% THC rule? Some countries in the EU, for example Austria, only allow a maximum of 0,3%
In Switzerland you can legally have upto 1% THC in your crop, does that mean a legal coffee shop culture already exists there? As far as I have seen, there is no real coffee shop culture, but I just work in Switzerland and I live in Austria, so maybe I don't see everything happening with the hemp behaviour of people in Switzerland. But quite a lot people I know started smoking CBD flowers regularly and they enjoy that they can do that legally, still the most do not do it in public or at least not too public because they don't want to get problems with policeman not knowing what they smoke there.
THC in flowers and other products. Same in some US states. The CBD level is not relevant. There are quite some variations out there and the diversity is getting bigger. CBD strains are getting better and better when it comes down to overall plant performance.
They won't get a problem when they get stopped and controlled, but it really kicks you of your relaxation level when you enjoy your after work CBD cigarette and then get stopped by the police, asked what you smoke there and then get your cigarette taken to test it. So they still do it in their private areas.
What do you at Manki Farms with the flowers once they are grown and dry? We sell the best looking and smelling flower (mainly the ones from the top of the plant to the middle) to our customers, mainly in Switzerland and Austria. The smaller and less good looking flowers (from the middle
Finally Benjamin...thank you very much for your time and where can our readers follow you on social media? You ́re welcome Soft Secrets. Thanks for the opportunity, and your readers can follow us on manki_farm on Instagram. Good Luck with everything in the future.
Various CBD rich hybrids being grown under LED lighting
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12
REPORT
By Rich Hamilton
The Cannabusiness Backlash!
It was only year ago that Canada became the second country in the world to legalise the recreational use of cannabis. Previously the drug operated on the black market, vilified by law enforcement and policymakers as a gateway to the criminal world. This has now changed of corse and Cannabis has shed its bad guy image and been embraced by those who previously would have seen it as damaging to be associated with.
prices are 30 to 35% lower and the quality is better. The black market therefore continues to flourish in both Canada and the USA, presenting a defiant two fingered salute to legalisation, as a whole movement of growers and smokers across the generations vow to keep true and faithful to their roots! The legal industry has felt the effects of this backlash to a certain extent, as in June this year the CEO, chairman and Co-founder of one of the biggest legal Cannabis operations in Canada, ‘Canopy Growth’ was ousted from his job after executives at major shareholder, Constellation Brands Inc., became frustrated with the lack of profitability. Canopy was not the only cannabis company to reveal losses in the first year of legalisation either with dozens of publicly listed cannabis producers reporting disappointing earnings, in direct contrast to the high expectations made just a year earlier.
Why the sudden change?? Money of course and BIG money at that. Now Cannabis is regarded as an agricultural product with both medical and recreational potential there has been a spike in interest from investors, entrepreneurs and companies from all manner of sectors. A growing number of countries have legalised cannabis for medical use or decriminalised it altogether, a move that has seen billions of dollars in investment being poured into this once illicit drug. Whilst some rejoice in the era of legality, there are many growers and life long advocates who are angry at the sudden interference of those who now want to make big bucks! Those who, with their inferior quality, overpriced weed, have the financial means to drive out the community that has built the industry to where it is today by cultivating quality strains and changing stereotypes through education and awareness. For all the hype about legalisation in Canada, the first year has seen 3 major problems, much to the delight of many who oppose it. 1.supply issues 2.Inferior product 3. Over-pricing.
The future seems somewhat uncertain, there is no doubt that It’s been a rough year for investors in the legal cannabis market as the sector continues to get pummelled by setbacks, regulatory uncertainty and resistance from the old school consumers and growers. Higher-margin products such as cannabis-infused edibles and topicals will soon hit the market however, offering consumers more choice and offering a potential revenue boost to the legal market. One thing is certain though and that is that, many users and growers will never accept this corporate interference and with good reason. I think that this quote sums things up perfectly and that most of us reading this would totally relate to it.
The delayed rollout of retail locations made finding a dispensary no easy feat. Take Ontario for example, where only 24 pot stores have opened thanks to a tangle of legal battle and the provincial government’s insistence that there wasn’t enough supply of cannabis to meet demand. Those opposed to legal market however see a different problem. There’s just not enough legal cannabis that people actually want. High THC strains are what people want, but the bulk of legal cannabis contains much lower levels. Not only this but the average price of cannabis per gram in Canada’s legal market
“The current Canadian cannabis industry is polluted with people who wouldn't raise a finger to help cannabis when it was 100% illegal. Some were actually part of the problem. I didn't respect them then, and I sure as hell don't respect them now.” @Breedersteve ,Twitter ,18/09/19 is $10.23, compared to an average of $5.59 on the black market. It’s no wonder therefore that many feel that legal weed is below par and just a blatant attempt to rip them off to the benefit of billion dollar companies who are only after our money.
It’s of no surprise therefore that many seasoned consumers are voting with their feet and have pledged to shun all legal cannabis and vow not to buy it. Many experienced users have their suppliers already and are not going to change allegiance when black market
The legal market today is built on the shoulders of what the black market has been pushing for over a generation. The corporations may have the big bucks, but they don’t have the soul... and they never will.
13
SEED BANK
Dutch Passion new varieties for 2020 Dutch Passion have announced several new autoflower and feminised seed varieties for 2020. These are a mix of varieties rich in CBD, THC and THC-V.
seed variety packs a strong punch with high THC levels, dense frosty buds and heavy harvests. She is ready to harvest in as little as 7 weeks. Auto Banana Blaze. Autoflower fans won’t miss out on the Banana Blaze genetics! The auto version takes around 10-12 weeks from seed to harvest. Indoors she delivers XL harvests under 20 hours of daily light throughout the duration of the grow. THC rich, heavy harvests and a great feel-good smoke are assured.
THC-Victory. This groundbreaking new variety produces buds with around 8% THCV (Tetrahydrocannabivarin) and 8% THC with a small amount of CBD. THCV is usually only present in trace quantities in most varieties. Medical growers have been asking for varieties rich in new
Dutch Passion's favourite Gorilla Glue #4 specimens. She was crossed with a male Sherbet variety and produces an extremely frosty THC rich harvest with a gassy taste. Very special genetics with a supreme smoke quality. Sugar Bomb Punch. Using elite USA Sugar Bomb genetics, this unusually resinous feminised variety is one of Dutch Passion’s most powerful THC rich indica dominant varieties. Lovers of USA genetics with extreme potency will adore this
cannabinoids. THC-Victory is the first in a new generation of cannabis varieties. Available in feminised seeds. Banana Blaze. This is a rare indica dominant genetic line with a distinctive banana taste and aroma. This feminised
CBD Auto Blackberry Kush. This variety has THC levels usually below 1% with high CBD levels. She takes around 11 weeks from seed to harvest, with a rich taste and often with deep purple/blue hues to the buds. Low THC varieties are increasingly popular with medical users and growers, as tobacco substitutes or as a daytime smoke which allows you to get your work done. Kerosene Krash. This heavy yielding, medium height indica dominant feminised seed variety pays homage to one of
heavy yielder. This variety also uses proven genetics from Bubba Island Kush and Critical Orange Punch. C-Vibez. With genetics from Mad Scientist and Voodoo, this heavy yielding hybrid produces large, dense buds with a white trichome frosting and an incredibly powerful and pleasurable high. Around a third of the plants show some purple/pink colours. Plants reach 1-1.5m indoors with an exceptional fruity terpene profile. www.dutch-passion.com
14
Top tips
By MACKY
Washing Buds After Harvest, for a Cleaner Smoke
Have all buckets lined up ready, and have your drying area clean, and ready to have buds hanging in it. Once you are ready, it is time to harvest your plant! Step 1: Chop a branch off the plant Remove a branch from the plant, it is recommended you try not to touch the buds, so chop enough stem for you to be able to handle the branch, without handling the buds themselves. Step 2: Trim the buds If you trim your buds whilst they are wet, then it is a good idea to trim them now before washing them. This will remove any chlorophyll that has leaked onto the buds from the chopped leaves, and remove any small fragments of leaf that may have been left behind. If you intend to dry trim your plant, then continue onto step 3. Step 3: Dip into Bucket A Take the branch, and fully submerge it into the water in bucket A. The lemon juice and baking soda work together to remove dirt and debris from your buds. You will see particles rising to the top of the water.
It might seem strange when you first hear about it, and it can seem scary, but washing your buds after harvest, can seriously improve the quality of your final product, especially if you have had pest problems, or have grown in a dusty environment. Over the weeks of the flowering period, your plants will gather all sorts of contaminants. It can be dust, dirt, bugs, all of which will affect the final flavor and quality of your buds. To get a good clean product, you can wash your buds after harvest, to remove these contaminants from your flowers. It is easy to do, it doesn’t wash off any of the oils, cannabinoids or terpenes. All growers are skeptical of bud washing at first, but everyone who has tried it, has sworn to never harvest again without washing their buds. They claim the difference is that big. So, why not give it a shot and see what you think? Follow this guide below, and let us know how you do.
Washing Buds After Harvest
Preparation is important. Make sure you
have everything you need ready, before you harvest the plant. You want to chop a branch, trim if you like, then wash the bud, and hang it in the drying room. Ensure your drying area is clean and ready, and prepare the equipment you need to wash your buds after harvesting them.
What You Need to Wash Buds
You will need 3 containers, preferably buckets, to hold water. These containers need to be big enough to fully submerge your buds into. [IMG 1]
Bucket A
In bucket A, you will need warm water, not too warm, around 20°c is fine. For every litre of water in your container, add 2 teaspoons of Baking Powder, and 2 teaspoons of Lemon Juice. The 2 will work together to help break down dirt and other contaminants off your buds, but will not dissolve or break off the trichomes.
Bucket B
In bucket B, you will have just warm water, again around 20°c, but with nothing added to it. This bucket will be used to rinse off the water from bucket one.
Bucket C
Bucket C will have cold water in it. This is the last bucket and it is used to ensure everything has been washed off the buds.
How to Wash Your Buds After Harvest
Make sure everything is ready and prepared before you chop anything off the plant. You want to chop, wash, then hang to dry. The more prepared you are, the easier and more stress free this task will be.
Shake the buds gently from side to side, and leave them submerged for about 30 seconds, shaking them in the water constantly. Don’t be too rough, but the more you can shake, the more contaminants can be removed. Step 4: Shake the excess water off After thirty seconds, remove the branch from the water, and shake it, for around thirty seconds to help remove large droplets of water, and any debris that is still attached to the buds. Once you are satisfied that most of the water has gone, dip the branch again, but this time into bucket B.
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Step 5: Bucket B Repeat steps 3 and 4, but in bucket B. This is to remove any of the water left over from bucket A. Shake in the water for around 30 seconds, and then shake again for around thirty seconds outside of the water. Remove as much water as you can before finally submerging the branch into a cold bucket of water, bucket C. Step 6: Bucket C To ensure all contaminants are removed from the buds, a final rinse is done in some cold water. By now, you will have noticed the buildup of particles on top of the water in buckets A and B. Removing these particles from your buds will give you a much cleaner tastier final product, especially if you have had problems with bugs or dust in the grow room. Step 7: Hang to Dry After the buds are washed, and all of the excess moisture has been shaken off, you should hang the branch to dry, with a strong breeze blowing at it. Turn the fans up high just for an hour or so to make sure the bigger droplets of water have been evaporated, good air flow is key to keeping mould and mildew away from your harvest. When all of the large water droplets have gone, reduce the speed of the fans and keep a light breeze blowing around the grow room at all times.
Does Bud Washing Increase the Chances of Mould?
No, it doesn’t. It might seem like a strange thing to do for indoor growers, but you have to realise, cannabis plants grown outdoors will be rained on and get wet all the time. Getting buds wet isn’t what causes mould and rot to form, it is stale air and high humidity.
As long as you keep a good flow of fresh air to your plant, and keep humidity levels below 55%, the chances of getting mould is minimal.
Will Bud Washing Wash Away THC and Terpenes?
It might seem as if washing your buds would remove something from the plant, but the cannabis plant is used to getting wet in its natural environment, and its resins and oils are not affected by it. To remove the cannabinoids and oils from a cannabis plant, usually solvents are used to dissolve them, or cold temperatures are used to break them down. Just washing the buds with the process above will only improve the quality of your buds. And don’t worry, the flavor of your buds will not be affected by the lemon juice and baking soda either.
Washing Away Bud Rot and Mould
Though washing your buds will clean them, if your plant has suffered with bud rot, it cannot be washed, and it should not be used under any circumstances. Not even for oils and extracts. Smoking, or ingesting mould particles can be very damaging for your health. If you do find bud rot in your buds, then the buds should be thrown away, washing them will not fix it.
washing it will not remove all of the mould from the buds.
Should You Wash Your Buds After Harvest?
It is completely up to you of course. But, if you have had any kind of bug problem during the flowering cycle, it is recommended that you wash the buds after you harvest them.
Powdery mildew is another form of mould that can attack a cannabis plant. In some small cases where powdery mildew is only on the leaves, it can be washed off with a 3% hydrogen peroxide, and water solution.
If you have had bugs during flower, they would have died on the flowers, laid eggs, produced waste and reproduced. All of that will be left on the flowers. These are things that you do not want in your buds, and washing the buds will remove them.
If you find any kind of rot or mould on the flowers of your plant, then it is strongly advised you throw them away,
Also, if you have noticed a large buildup of dust on your fan during the grow, the same would apply for your buds, you just
can’t see it as well. If you have grown in a dirty environment, or your intake brings in dirt from outside, then you should wash your buds. You wash fruits and veg before you eat them, maybe you should try washing your buds before drying them.
Try It!
If you have considered washing your buds before, but like most are reluctant, then you don’t have to wash your whole harvest to try it. Why not wash just a few branches, and leave some unwashed. You can then try the difference between the two, and see if it has made a difference to the quality. I'm sure you will not be disappointed. PERCYSGROWROOM.COM
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Grow with Stoney Tark
By Stoney Tark
Organic Growing and Beneficial Microorganisms Growing with organics is a great way to get started growing Cannabis indoors or outdoors. If you have ever heard the expression “ Don’t panic...it's organic “ then you know its origin goes back a long time. Below explains beneficial bacteria and fungi, their relationship with Cannabis plants and how they survive in the soil food web, how to avoid bad bacteria and our top tips. Mother Nature’s Helpers Microscopic microorganisms can be found in soil cultures that have coexisted with the Earth for thousands of years. Like anything in life, there are good and bad versions, however the ones who work side by side with Cannabis plants are called aerobic bacteria. The way that aerobic bacteria form a relationship with the roots of a plant is quite fascinating. By attaching themselves directly to the root hairs and treat the rhizosphere as its host. Once the two are connected in a symbiotic fashion, then the beneficial microorganisms will feed the plants and defend against threats from pathogens and other bacteria or fungi. The helpful type is known as aerobic and that is because they use oxygen to multiply and thrive. On the other hand, harmful bacteria that will infect a healthy Cannabis plant’s root zone is known as anaerobic. As the name suggests, this type does not need oxygen and prefer a low oxygen, acidic environment such as a swamp or stagnant pool.
What Are The Signs of Bad Bacteria? The way to promote anaerobic bacteria is to use a water source that does not have a supply of oxygen keeping it fresh and
clean. Nutrient solution that has been left to sit for long periods of time will develop a Sulfur, egg smell that is unpleasant a sign something bad is happening.
5 Ways To Avoid Bad Bacteria 1. Use an air pump with air stone to aerate water with high amounts of
dissolved oxygen. 2. Hydrogen peroxide will kill any anaerobic bacteria and make the water clean again. 3. Use beneficial bacteria and fungi to actively fight of threats from pathogens. 4. Do not let plant pots sit inside a saucer of nutrient solution and always feed until run off occurs. 5. Avoid overwatering plants as too much
water can reduce oxygen levels to harmful levels
The Benefits of Organic Compost Tea This is usually the number one choice for old school organic farmers, who understand the short and long term benefits of using home made brews. The
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reason why aerated compost tea needs 24 hours is to activate and multiple beneficial bacteria count from millions to billions. In fact it is the fungi that need 24 hours of aeration and a food source, as the bacteria only require a much shorter time
oxygenated by an air stone, and when brewing teas, make sure there is a sufficient amount of air in the solution for at least 24 hours. Bacteria only require around 6 hours in order to reproduce, however it is fungi that
Over watering your growing medium can cause an imbalance between wet to dry, promoting bad bacteria frame. Using aerated teas will not only supercharge your growing medium and provide an abundance of nutrients to the plants, but it will also improve the longevity of the growing medium being used,
Top Tips When Using Beneficial Microorganisms Oxygen is everything when it comes to working with beneficials. My top tip here is to make sure your nutrient solution is
depend on the full 24 hour brewing period. Fungi actually prefer plants that are alive longer than 9 months and bacteria prefer plants that live for 9 months or less, such as Cannabis, so our top tip here is to use more bacteria dominant ratios. You should always make sure your organic compost tea is warm to touch and is above 18 degrees Celsius. My top tip here i Ideally around 22 degrees Celsius, and a good indication of a successful brew will be a foamy, frothy substance floating on
the top of the water, similar to the head on a pint of beer Beneficials will feed the plants, so you need to make sure you can provide a carbon rich diet for them. My top tip here is to add organic material to your growing medium, such as worm casting, compost and biochar. All of these are an excellent source of organic material that will be slowly broken down over time. Worm castings are nature's way of supercharging the growing medium with
Over watering your growing medium can cause an imbalance between wet to dry, promoting bad bacteria. My top tip here is to remember that oxygen is the difference between aerobic and anaerobic, so make sure your growing medium receives as much oxygen as possible around the base and side of the pots, as well as the top of the medium. When fighting off airborne pathogens that enter our gardens through the vents, it is a good idea to fight fire with fire. My
When fighting off airborne pathogens that enter our gardens through the vents, it is a good idea to fight fire with fire. beneficial bacteria, produced inside of the worm. My top tip here is to buy fresh, living worms that you can add to your growing medium. These little helpers will not only keep the microbes happy, they will also crawl through the medium creating air pockets.
top tip here is to use your freshly brewed compost tea to foliar spray your plants. By doing this prior to any symptoms of powdery mildew is an excellent way to prevent an attack in the first place, and really boost your plants receptiveness.
19
Grow with Jorge Cervantes
By Jorge Cervantes jorge@marijuanagrowing.com
recent meeting, Jerry told me that the Association has 1.500 registered (CBDrich cannabis) growers that planted 22.700 hectacres in 2019. Jerry grew up farming grass seed in the Willamette Valley. He approaches cannabis farming like a farmer that grows and processes hundreds of hectares of cannabis rather than as a hobbyiest. He is agricultural university-educated with a half century of hands-on farming experience. Jerry is one of the instigators of the Global Hemp Innovation Center at Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, in the heart of the Willamette Valley. The Center touts 14 full-time researchers, all welleducated in agricultural sciences. Steve germinated the Cherry Wine seeds with disappointing results. The germination rate was less than 70 percent and many of the seedlings were weak and culled out. The remaining seedlings were strong and healthy.
CBD-rich Cannabis – Reality Is a Kick! Recently on a trip back to the state where I was born, Oregon, USA, I connected with an old friend from my hometown. Steve is a life-long gardener, like me. Along with a love of plants and nature we have a deep-seated admiration for knowledge, science and intelect. Besides these aspects we both share a distain for ignorance, lies and undeserved authority. These charachteristics unite us in friendship, however, these same charachteristics have put us at odds with society much of the time. Those of you who share these black sheep values certainly know what I´m talking about. What does this personal stuff have to do with cannabis? Well, it´s pretty simple, these are a few of the reasons we grow cannabis. We love cannabis and society has had it wrong for the better part of a century. Cannabis prohibition is plagued with ignorance and lies that give undeserved authority for those who propagate this foolishness and deceit. That said, decades ago Steve quit his job as an high-tech engineer to practice his passion, gardening and farming. He grows vegetables, flowers and cannabis commercially on his 9 hectare farm in Oregon. I went against the wishes of my family and society to dedicate
won and lost, but the scars are worth the cost every time I look in the mirror and smile with pride. This year, Steve planted a half hectare of CBD-rich cannabis on his farm located in the Willamette Valley, Oregon. Germinating 1.500 regular (male and female) seeds and planting, rouging males, harvesting and processing the crop on 500 m2 is quite a bit different than growing a few prize plants in your backyard or basement. Jerry Norton, a good friend supplied Steve with enough Cherry Wine cannabis seeds to plant one half hectare. Jerry is co-founder of the Oregon Industrial Hemp Farmers Association. At a
my professional career cannabis. As we know, most of you from personal experience, that taking this path has filled life with trials and tribulations . . . a difficult row to hoe. For 15 years I wore a disguise in public to hide my identity and changed my name to avoid prision. Like many of you, we were called crazy, loosers, weird, antisocial and even criminals for being gardeners and loving the plant kingdom. This decention has made us stronger. Battles have been
Currently researchers at Oregon State Global Hemp Innovation Center are working tirelessly to develop strong CBD-rich cannabis varieties that will overcome the limits now experienced by Cherry Wine seeds. Several other private companies are developing CBD-rich seeds for agriculture. Many of these new varieties will be available in 2020. Cherry Wine is the most common CBDrich variety available in the USA. THC is genetically stable and is guaranteed to fall under the legal limit of 0.3 percent. However, CBD content is contingent upon cultural factors – soil, nutrient uptake, water, sunlight, etc. – and harvest time. The bulk of CBD is in the flower buds. Peak CBD production and content occurs about two weeks before THC production peaks out. CBD-rich plants are generally harvested two weeks before THC-rich plants. Steve would call me in the middle of night while waiting for harvest. At 3:00 would be pacing around outside wearing gloves, a heavy coat and hat looking at a themometer that hovered around 0 degrees Celsius. Of course, it was noon where I was sitting in sunny Spain. His entire cannabis crop was on the verge of sudden death. Freezing temperatures burst cells inside <soft> plants that are not able to withstand the cold. Many nights he would <turn on the big gun>. That´s what he calls the single impact sprinkler that delivers a huge stream/spray of water to ice-down his half-hectare of CBD-rich hemp. Icingdown crops is one of the ways farmers save crops from certain death resulting from freeze. A spray of water covers the crop. As the temperature drops to freezing and below, a layer of ice forms on foliage to protect plants from severe damage. The temperature of
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foliage, which is incased in ice, will not drop below 0 degrees C. So much for all the stories about keeping water off flowerering cannabis plants! Besides inclemite weather, the State of Oregon makes CBD-rich cannabis farmers jump through many legal hoops. And on October 31, 2019, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) set forth interim rules for the 2018 (Cannabis) Farm Bill. • • • • •
Testing must occur 15 days prior to completion of harvest Total THC (i.e. THC + (THCA * .0877)) must be 0.3 percent or less As little as 6 cm of terminal flower cut from each sampled plant Goes into effect immediately for non-pilot program states Pilot states must transition by 31 October 2020
Look forward to more rules and regulations as cannabis becomes legal around the world. Gone are the days of egotistical cannabis <breeders> making wild unfounded claims about their genetics. Gone are the days of hiding in the shaddows of ignorance. Gone are the days of the breeder that talks the loudest and the most winning. Gone are the days of unadulturated bullshit. Steve said it best, ¨every time I don´t pay attention to reality it kicks me in the nuts¨.
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. The Cannabis Encyclopedia has an excellent chapter on water. Contact Jorge at www.marijuanagrowing.com.
22
Indoor growing
Better quality cannabis crops for the average indoor grower
By Tony, Dutch Passion Seed Company
More people than ever are growing their own cannabis these days. Even in European areas with ‘legal’ weed, such as Barcelona and Amsterdam many cannabis lovers prefer to save cash, grow their own and perhaps exceed the quality levels of the local regulated cannabis suppliers. Those that live in North and South America with cannabis legally available from dispensaries often still prefer to grow their own. The main reasons are, yet again, to save money and achieve superior quality levels. But how does the average hobby grower take the step up to professional quality levels? How does a grower with just a few successful harvests take their crops to superior levels of taste, yield and quality? The average hobby grower has already grasped the basics of cannabis cultivation, the principles of the cannabis life cycle and the fundamentals of plant nutrition. Usually they grow a couple of times per year and try to achieve self-sufficiency with their cannabis harvests. Typically the grow room is in the region of 1.2m x 1.2m, but this will vary from one grower to the next. Often the grow light is a 400W or 600W HPS. Substrate choice varies, but often the hobby grower prefers the simplicity of soil or perhaps coco fibre. So what are some easy and proven ways for growers to step up quality levels?
Is it worth changing grow methods to improve quality?
Soil or coco growers shouldn't feel undue pressure to change their grow methods. Both techniques can produce excellent quality cannabis.
Not necessarily. Many experienced soil and coco growers often flirt with the concept of more demanding and technically complicated grow methods. Often hydroponic methods such as deep water culture (DWC) or aeroponics are considered. There is no doubt about it DWC and aeroponics, in the right hands, can be a great way to advance your grow skills, yields and harvest quality. But it can be a painful learning curve which may take several grow cycles to master.
For many people, it can make sense to maintain the grow method which they are familiar with and try to optimise and improve. Soil may not have the same explosive growth capability and yield as some more complicated grow methods. But that shouldn't deter the self sufficient grower. Soil (or coco) will yield perfectly adequately and deliver excellent taste, aroma and quality.
For many growers it makes more sense to stick with the grow method which they have gained experience with and try to optimise from there. Many connoisseur soil/coco growers have come completely unstuck trying a new grow method which doesn't suit them or their lifestyle. Soil growers can leave their plants for several days if they have the plants in large enough containers. They won’t need to worry too much about plant maintenance. DWC growers may not have the same luxury, feeling it necessary to check pH and EC (electrical conductivity) every day.
Fine control of nutrients. The rookie grower will have already understood the basics of plant nutrition. If they received good initial advice, the hobby grower will hopefully have avoided the pitfall of starting with an excessive number of nutrient options and will have used a simple assortment to get started. Many coco growers have achieved excellent quality harvests with little more than simple two-part ‘Coco A’ and ‘Coco B’ nutrients. So an extensive range of nutrients is not absolutely essential. But in the hands of an experienced grower, a few extra nutrients can nudge quality levels (and yields) up.
After a few successful grows, the hobby grower may eventually decide to expand the array of nutrients a little bit. Often the more experienced growers will have researched and then introduced microbial inoculants and perhaps other soil additives which they hadn't considered as a rookie grower. Trace minerals such as Magnesium and Calcium can be helpful additives for some growers. Many growers keep detailed week-byweek records of feed strengths, tent temperatures/humidity, growth/yield results and ratings of the all the varieties that they have grown. This can be helpful for guiding future grows. Of course, one of the criticisms from home growers is that the array of nutrient options is overwhelmingly complicated enough. They could be right. But that shouldn't stop you furthering your own research to understand if you are missing any useful substrate/nutrient additives which would help.
Growroom gadgets: pH and EC control. Many soil growers manage perfectly well without ever needing to buy meters to measure pH (a measure of nutrient acidity/alkalinity) or EC (electrical conductivity,
23 a measure of nutrient concentration). However, fine and precise control over your nutrients is one of the qualities which can really improve your growing. Anyone can make a mistake or miscalculation when preparing nutrient solutions. If the mistake is severe enough it can spell doom for your plants. Overfeeding is one of the most common mistakes made by less experienced growers, it can burn the roots and permanently stunt your plant. Checking your nutrient mix with an EC meter is a good way to ensure that the feed solution is at the right concentration. Many of those growing in coco or hydroponics routinely check their pH, often adjusting it until it sits around pH 5.8-6.0.
mix to stand overnight to allow degassing of Chlorine, which is often added by water companies for sterilisation. This is healthier for the plant roots and the substrate microbial activity.
New containers, air pots and felt sacks Many soil/coco growers have improved the plant health and root-zone health by swapping their traditional plastic plant growing containers for one of the newer designs which allows superior oxygenation of the root zone. Felt/fabric sacks allow oxygen to migrate into the grow medium which enhances root health, plant growth and crop yields. Air Pots have multiple dimples around the side which allow air ingress into the grow medium. The dimples also allow ‘air pruning’ which prevents the roots circling endlessly around the sides and bottom of the container.
One other light consideration is UVB supplementation (2-3 hours per day for the last 2-3 weeks of bloom) which will also nudge up your THC levels a couple of percent higher. Reptile UVB lights are a good option, and they have the added benefit of reducing pests, flies etc in your grow room too.
Temperature swings. You will struggle to achieve the best quality levels if your temperature swings wildly between lights-on and lights-out.
can be a serious problem for some growers. Autoflower seeds can be grown under 20 hours of daily light. Sometimes the extra light hours can help maintain grow room temperatures, making autoflowers a good choice for some in the colder months.
Good genetics Even the best grow room and most skilled growers can't magically produce the highest THC/cannabinoid levels from poorly bred genetics. The gold standard for the
Like many aspects of improving cannabis quality, upgrading your grow container will offer a small improvement. But as the experienced cannabis grower knows, it is the accumulation of small incremental improvements which eventually add up to deliver a step-increase in quality levels.
LED grow lights, the expensive upgrade option Remember that an incorrectly calibrated pH/EC meter is less than useless and could cost you a full crop. Regularly calibrate and have spares available just in case.
Nutrient mixtures and temperatures Many growers mix up their nutrient mix a day before they need to use it and allow it to stand for 24 hours if they are using cold tap water. This allows the temperature of the nutrient solution to match the temperature of your grow room. Feeding plants with cold tap water, which can be as low as 6°C in northern European winters, will shock the plants and stop growth. Many growers allow the nutrient
LED is inconveniently expensive, but it really does deliver serious quality improvements over the ageing HPS alternatives. Many legal, licensed cannabis growers have switched permanently to LED after seeing side-by-side analytical measurements which prove the potency improvements. LED delivers a superior spectrum with significantly reduced levels of heat stress compared to HPS. It’s perhaps the most expensive grow room upgrade you will make, but once you have made the switch you will not want to return to HPS. THC levels will often jump up from 15-16% with HPS to over 20% with LED. This is a step-change in quality and the main reason people justify the expense of an LED upgrade.
Try to maintain a reasonably steady temperature. Many growers aim for around 24-25°C with lights on, and around 20-21°C with lights out. If the temperature swings are too pronounced your plants will struggle to cope in the nonoptimised conditions. Growers in warm climates, especially professional growers, don't even hesitate to install air conditioning for summer grows. Growers that can’t afford air conditioning simply avoid the hottest months and do their growing in the more temperate months of spring and autumn/fall. Some growers avoid growing feminised seeds in winter. Cold ambient temperatures during the 12 hours of darkness
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most serious home growers is optimisation of grow room conditions coupled with use of the best genetics they can get. Choose your seed supplier carefully, use one with a proven track record and plenty of online reference grows. But more than anything, make time for your growing and enjoy it. Learn as you grow and see if you can find time to research your preferred grow technique, improving your knowledge. Your grow room is an area of your life where you can make steady improvements and avoid compromises. If you enjoy growing your cannabis as much as you enjoy the harvest then you will have a fantastic hobby for life! www.dutch-passion.com
24
Grow with Rich Hamilton
By Rich Hamilton
The rise of HASH in the USA and Canada This strong nostalgia element may actually have some science behind it too, as when the terpenes in hash were studied, an entirely new terpene was discovered. This new terpene was named ‘Hashishene’, as it is not found in abundance in anything else in the world, not even pot and so it is something entirely unique to traditional hash. Hashish is steeped in history and originated in ancient Northern India with the first known mention of it being in Egyptian writings from 1123AD. Hash has been popular for centuries in North Africa, the Middle East and in countries such as Pakistan, Morocco and Lebanon, before spreading to Europe, and the Americas later on. Each source country has varying methods of producing hash, all which result in a different final product.
Hash is a strong cannabis concentrate containing high levels of THC that is traditionally sold as a solid resin that is ingested via smoking. Hash has had quite the makeover recently however and is enjoying a resurgence in popularity thanks to the rise of vaporisation or ’dabbing’ as a cannabis ingestion method. As a result the hash and concentrates market is booming, with recent estimates putting the total global concentrates market at 3.7 billion USD in 2018 with an expected rise to 13.7 billion USD by 2026. With all these new products entering the market at such a phenomenal pace, the OG of concentrates-Hash does tend to get overlooked. Hash is a dark horse that should never be underestimated and believe me, at some point as your cannabis consumption advances from novice to more advanced, sooner or later you are gonna wanna see what all the fuss is about. So before we look at the Hash culture as it is today in the US and Canada first of all lets have a look at what exactly hash is, where it came from and most importantly how it is made. Hashish, or hash for short, is made from the “kief,” or the resin of cannabis plants which is dried and pressed into “cakes,” or bricks, which can then be smoked in pipes, vaporised or mixed with other smoke-ables. Hash is generally yellow, brownish, sometimes reddish, and can be soft and crumbly, pliable, or stiff and
brittle. Hashish is much stronger than cannabis flower and isn’t for a first timer or those with low tolerance. Many experienced users prefer it however because it gives a "cleaner" high. No plant material is burned, people know right away what the effect is rather than having to waiting an hour or more for an edible to kick in. All these things make it a perfect choice for some medicinal users who desire chronic pain relief. Many people also love the nostalgia of hash and its deep, earthy aroma and relaxing high. Smoking hash can transport you back to better, simpler times. Getting high on a back packing trip with new acquaintances, or smoking mixed tobacco and hash spliffs on the beach round a campfire at night. I personally smoked hash way before flower and I do find that it does take me back to those times of my youth.
Hash can take the form of either a solid or resin depending on both preparation and temperature. Pressed hash is usually solid, whereas water-purified hash or "bubble melt hash” as it is also known is often a paste-like substance that varies in colour depending on what cannabis has been used. To make hash there are several processes, all producing a difference in taste, texture, and potency. The oldest method being “finger hash” where you simply rub the buds in your hands
and collect the kief and oils until they are thick enough to scrape off and squash together. This process originated in India but is still widely practiced around the world, especially in the Caribbean. Dry-sieve hash is another simple ancient method that is still popular today. Dried plants are banged over screens, dropping kief into to a collection tray below which is then pressed either by hand or with a mechanical press. The modern equivalent of this being the collection of kief in harvesting trays and grinders which is then pressed together. Modern commercial hash that you'll see these days however is made much differently. Ice-water or “bubble hash” is a process where cannabis is stirred into a bucket of extremely cold water to freeze and break off the trichome glands from the plant. The weed/water mix is then poured through a series of three to five increasingly fine nylon mesh screens. The first screen collects all of the waste plant material; the others collect the wet, mudlike trichomes. Once dried, this hash can achieve a 70 to 80 percent-THC range . Another popular way of making hash uses chemicals to extract the THC. Plant matter is crammed into a long metal or glass cylinder that's open on both ends and then liquid butane is sprayed down the tube and through a filter at the bottom opening. Any THC is dissolved into the butane, which is then collected, carefully heated and left in a vacuum chamber to evaporate the solvent. What you are left with then is a mega-potent THC wax commonly known as BHO or budder that can have a phenomenally high THC percentage of around 90% or even higher!
25 legal weed however, I’m not sure if this will be the case! It would be naive also to think that the legalisation of this market has nothing to do with its lucrative financial potential. The popularity of concentrates, extracts and edibles in legal US states such as Colorado, California and Washington constitutes almost 60% of the market. Whilst there will always will be a strong market for cannabis flower, experienced users and a new generation of cannabis enthusiasts are looking for stronger products and new and improved methods of ingestion.
Solvent extracted hash products are extremely popular with young, experienced cannabis users not only due to its high THC levels but also because, if extracted properly, they can taste and smell almost identical to the Flower they have originated from, giving the user a more authentic experience. There is a degree of caution in some peoples minds also over the safety of these new extraction processes involving chemicals. Ice-water hash, finger hash and dry-sieving are clear of dangerous solvents unlike butane hash oil (BHO) and CO2-run concentrates, which can give off harmful gases and carry explosive risks. These methods are also legal (in some US states) for people to make themselves at home as current cannabis regulations allow for registered patients to manipulate legally obtained cannabis into any form they wish. Good quality hash is difficult to find on the legal markets, even though it's the most popular way to get high in certain parts of Europe and the Middle East, where it's also easier to find than basic flower. There is plenty of “American-style hash” available which is runnier, lighter in colour, and very different, to say, traditional Lebanese hash, which is dark, rich, tasty and has a pliable yet stiff consistency. There is also an increasing movement of people that are turning their back on these new super strong versions of hash and instead are preferring to make their own at home, again through the more traditional processes involving collecting kief from dried buds. For those who want a more authentic experience that doesn’t involve super strength 90% THC Hash there kind of is not other option as on the legal market, customer demand influences product availability and so once dab rigs and coil vaping came around, it was inevitable that bubble hash, kief and
finger hash would see a decline in popularity. More dispensaries would probably carry them if people asked, but the demand just isn’t there anymore. Some rare examples of good quality authentic hash , that are available on the legal market, include “Lebanese Gold” which is a mix of sativa strains. “Lebanese Red”, which is a mix of indica strains and “Cascade Cream” which is hash mixed with some CO2 extract to add a stronger hit. It is also possible to find one strainspecific hash and pre-rolled joints that are infused with hash or have had a delicate web of hash span around them. The potency of Hash explains why that despite cannabis legalisation in the States and Canada, the laws surrounding hash, concentrates and extracts in general has been more cautious. On October 17, 2019 the production and sale of edible cannabis and cannabis extracts (Cannabis 2.0 or Legalisation 2.0 as some are calling it) became legal in Canada. It will take some time before a full range of products is widely available however as all products must follow stringent federal regulations in order to be sold in stores. Most goods cannot exceed more than 10mg of THC per package, product packaging will be standardised and sizes will not exceed 7.5-gram in quantity. “The Task Force on Cannabis Legalisation and Regulation” recommended that the Government of Canada permit the legal sale of hash and concentrates because they believed that giving legal access to a broader range of cannabis products would help to achieve the Governments objectives of displacing the illegal market and keeping profits out of the hands of criminals. Given the recent findings that the black market is still thriving in Canada, due to the high prices and low quality of
The regulations surrounding Hash and concentrates in the US differs considerably from State to state. For example, states like Oregon and Nevada have legalised both recreational and medicinal cannabis and have no penalties or fines for personal possession of cannabis extracts. Travel a state down to Arizona however where medicinal cannabis is legal and you will find that possession of extracts is a Class 4 felony, punishable with up to three years imprisonment. Hashish has been used both recreationally and medicinally for centuries and remains popular today as a reliable and easy way for experienced users, whether recreational or medicinal, to access a stronger product. Additionally however it
has spawned a new generation of cannabis concentrates, due in large part to the development of vaping products. These new products are so potent and in such high demand that they’re expected to eclipse cannabis flower as the most popular way for Americans to consume legal pot within the next 5 years. Lets’ just hope though that the humble Hashish from which they originate isn’t forgotten about, as, as you can see it has many desirable qualities of its own. One thing is for sure, new products may come and go but Hash will always be the Original Gangster of Concentrates! A grow enthusiast before anything else, Rich Hamilton has over 20 years professional experience within the hydroponics industry. Rich is a widely published freelance author, specialising on all things Grow, from techniques and science to the latest business and market news from around the world. To further widen his media scope Rich has recently started “the Hydrochronicle” podcast which is a laidback conversational style pod cast featuring guests from all walks of the the Grow lifestyle. Available now on apple podcasts www.thehydrochronicle.com
26 By Top Shelf Grower
WHAT TRIGGERS AUTOS TO BLOOM?
Autoflowering cannabis cultivation
4 Stages of growth in fast forward Cookies Auto, day 52 Autoflowering cannabis cultivation always starts from seed. Let’s be perfectly clear and get this straight from the outset, you can’t crop autos from clones. Sure, you can take a cutting from a mature autoflowering plant and probably get it to take root too. But that little shrub will never grow to a decent size because it will transition to bloom too soon for you to bring more than a snack sized bud to harvest a few weeks later. This can be a fun botanical experiment or a novelty ganja gift for a friend but never a proper cannabis plant. Timing is everything when you grow autoflowering cannabis. Just like photoperiod cannabis you can expect the same 4 stages of growth as follows: germination, seedling, vegetative and flowering. However, autos will race from seed to harvest and fly through each stage like a photoperiod plant in fast forward. On average contemporary autoflowering strains have a 60-90 day lifecycle.
TO TRANSPLANT OR NOT TO TRANSPLANT? The paper towel method should deliver tap roots from split seeds in just 2 days. Many commentator’s will suggest you stick the germinated seeds directly into dirt or just whack them in straight out of the pack and into soil, but that’s not the best way to get your autos off to a strong start. Instead carefully insert germinated seeds in some peat jiffy’s or root riot cubes for the duration of the seedling stage. Shortly thereafter, sometime between day 7-10, when you can see healthy root development, is the moment you should make your first and final transplant into a bigger pot. A propagator is an essential piece of kit to keep the RH high and avoid sluggish seedling growth.
Time is always the key factor and there is not a day to waste. As soon as your autoflowering cannabis seeds germinate the clock is counting down to harvest day. Its so important to make sure you nurture
flowering hybrids will max out between 60cm-1.2m tall. Oversized containers are really not required. Remember these babies are not just more compact than traditional photoperiod cannabis they
In general, modern autoflowering strains will flower on or before they hit day 30. That’s 30 days post germination. But this is not always the case. Indoors under the preferred 20/4 or 18/6 light cycles this should prove to be accurate. In contrast outdoor growers are likely to experience greater variance. Spring conditions tends to prolong vegetative growth to closer to day 40. With just 13 hours of daylight progress is a little slower and overall plant size reduced. Summertime crops are almost always bigger and better as plants benefit from more intense sunlight for 16-18 hours per day. And even autumn auto crops can be impressive although not quite as bulky as the summer stash. Autoflowering cannabis is genetically pre-programmed when to flower. Pot size seems to have no impact. Reduced hours of daylight don’t trigger them like 12/12 does for photoperiods. In fact, with as little as 6 hours of sun light per day or continuous 24 artificial illumination an auto can survive and progress through each growth stage and will not transition to bloom until its genetics activate flowering.
WHY YOU SHOULD GROW AUTOFLOWERING CANNABIS?
Autoflowering cannabis is awesome. High THC, CBD-rich, and diverse terpene profile varieties can all be found in contemporary autoflowering cannabis seed collections. Outstanding feminized autoflowering cannabis seeds are already delighting growers across Europe with high-grade homegrown. It’s about time you grew the cannabis of the future and discovered the potential of autoflowering cannabis. Sticky Beast at left, Cookies Auto right, day 52 your seedlings because there really is no time for them to recover from a botched transplant. Early delays will come back to haunt you when it’s time to harvest. Mistakes will cost you marijuana when you grow autos.
WHAT SIZE CONTAINER? The optimal size container for autoflowering plants is the 10l-25l range, so a 15l smart pot is perfect whether you plan to grow your weed indoors or outdoors. Smaller more indica-dominant modern autoflowering hybrids are pretty squat, branchy and rarely exceed 60cm in height, although some have a stick of bud growth pattern and are best suited to a SOG or high-density farming. Bigger more sativa influenced super autos can stretch taller and peak close to 1.5m tall, of course there are plenty of pint-sized sativa-dominant autos available these days too. The majority of indica-sativa auto-
will accelerate through the stages of their lifecycle.
CAN YOU PRUNE AND TRAIN AUTOFLOWERING STRAINS?
The short answer is yes. Modern autoflowering cannabis has evolved so far beyond the disappointing Lowryders of the past it’s like trying to compare Homo sapiens sapiens with a lemur. You absolutely can let your green fingers work their magic on most contemporary autoflowering cannabis strains. The one possible exception being intensive combinations of multiple pruning and training techniques like those involved in main-lining. However, there is nothing to stop even a beginner grower dabbling with some LST and/or Topping to increase yields. And grand masters can certainly fill out a ScrOG even faster with the right autoflowering genetics.
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Topped Sticky Beast Auto, day 22
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05-12-19 16:59
28
Seed banks
Jack 47 Auto TricomaTeam (tricomateam@gmail.com)
Pure energy
This plant is a fantastic auto with a good size and a satisfactory yield. It flowers in a few weeks and has an incredible potency. The buds it develops are huge, very dense, covered with a shiny layer of resin and give off a sweet, lemony fragrance. The effect caused on consumers makes it an ideal choice for lovers of energising Sativas. The Sweet Seeds catalogue features a spectacular auto-flowering strain mainly of Sativa origin produced by crossing a Jack Herer auto from the bank’s I+D+I department with an elite clone of AK47. It is currently regarded among the most powerful autos on the market. Jack 47 auto is very easy to grow and will reward the grower with giant
Enormous buds
and exquisite buds full of trichomes. This 3rd generation hybrid has an Indica/Sativa ratio of 20/80 and a THC concentration between 18 and 21%. It flowers rapidly and is ready in just 9 weeks from germination. Plants can measure more than one meter, with yields ranging from 450-600 g/m2 indoors under lamps, and 50 to 200 g /
plant outdoors in optimal conditions. It has a great sweet and fresh flavour, with distinctive citrus and incense touches. Its high is very powerful and long-lasting. After consumption, it will immediately cause a very happy and lively feeling, stimulate the mind and relax the body.
Germination and growth In a dark room, we germinated four seeds of Jack 47 auto between wet cloths. None failed and, in less than 48 hours, they had all germinated. Then, with the radicle downwards, they were directly planted in pots with a capacity of about 18 litres, which obviated any possible stress caused by moving plants from small pots to larger ones.
The seedlings’ cotyledons soon made their way to the surface – partially as a result of the heat produced by sodium lamps, which we initially placed at a distance of approximately 80 cm. As day passed, we reduced this distance to 45-50 cm maximum. The photoperiod was set at 20 hours of light and 4 hours of darkness. Growth was surprising. All the specimens advanced strongly and robustly towards the light and developed thick branches with a rather short internodal distance. At the first watering cycle, we added a root booster to favour the growth of a good root ball in the first weeks. We only added a specific growth fertiliser once or twice at the end of the growth phase. Between the third and fourth week, long and white pistils started to grow
29 Harvest
Tasting
We followed the indications of Sweet Seeds and observed through the microscope that trichomes were mature. We hastened
We like virtually all strains but, most of the time, prefer Sativas to Indicas although, in this harvest, we did not
“Jack 47 auto is very easy to grow and will reward the grower with giant and exquisite buds” to trim all of the 4 grown specimens. The harvest was overwhelming, with very dense, hairy and big buds. It looked as if those enormous buds had eaten up the underlying leaves, whose trimming was fairly easy and was completed in record time due to the rather low leave-to-bud ratio. The smell they gave off clearly confirmed that they had grown into spectacular Sativas. We hung the cut branches upside down and covered them with a tarpaulin in a dark, well ventilated room at a temperature below 20 º C and humidity of approximately 60%
Another spectacular central bud.
have a great number of them. The Jack 47 Auto was one of the few Sativas we were going to have and did not disappoint us. After two weeks in the drying room, we were able to see the remarkable features of this strain. It was exceptional both in quantity and quality. Its aroma and taste were particularly sweet, with citrus notes. The effect was very balanced, leaving the mind clear, relaxing the body and not devastating us at all. In essence, it is an ideal strain that can be consumed during the day and leaves no signs of heaviness.
A side bud covered with pistils. on all specimens. We checked for the presence of pests or diseases on the plants and changed their diet. Fortunately, our Jack 47 specimens had no insect or mould problems.
Flowering stage We stuck to a daily 20x4 light schedule for our plants to achieve their full potential. For several days, their stems and branches continued to grow long and thick. The internodal distance became shorter and shorter and, after a few days, the plants stopped to grow to focus all of their energy on the growth of flowers.
Their elongated pistils took on orange tones and piled up forming huge buds all over the aerial part of plants. They were very hairy and resinous. All measured about a metre in height and had a strong and robust structure. We hardly had to pay attention to them and they did not require a large amount of fertiliser. We added a stimulator to the irrigation water several times and we only fertilised them once or twice during the whole fruiting period. Approximately two weeks before harvest, our plants underwent a good root wash, while we waited impatiently for the harvest day to arrive. In little more than 60 days, all of them were ripe and full of compact and heavy buds.
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30
Background By Rich Hamilton
Does Google know you Grow? This article starts with a chain of events that intrigued me to dig a little deeper into what happened and when I did I was shocked with what I found out. It all started when I was talking with a friend about going over to berlin to the Mary Jane Cannabis show. I was chatting away at a friends house about berlin and the Mary Show I was telling him how cool it was and that its coming up in a few weeks and I was still undecided whether I was going or not. Fast forward an hour and I’m on my way home. PING. My phone goes and it’s an email about cheap flights to Berlin! I was stoned, so I thought it was just one of those crazy things that tend to happen when your stoned. The very next day I’m talking with my partner about getting her the new iphone, she hadn’t got a contract phone and my contract still had over a year on it, fast forward 2 hours this time and…. PING it’s a email about….yep you got it a great deal on the new iphone!!! Was Google listening to me? Spying on me? Well I thought I need to look in to this, so I did and I’m not alone. These are
very common questions that are currently garnering an awful lot of social commentary and attention at this present time, so what’s the deal? I looked into it and this is what I found.
of having a Facebook account you pretty much give up all of your rights? They can access you phone or device anytime they wish!!! Which also includes the camera, the microphone, your contacts, your photos everything…….and to top that off any picture or image you post they technically own the rights to that as well! Can you see where I am going with this? The question most of us reading this now will ask is, does Google know you Grow?
Technology and the way we communicate changes so rapidly these days, that many of us aren’t aware that we now do things that give away a lot of information about what we do, without us even knowing that we are doing it! I mean who actually reads the terms and conditions these days? Well any days for that matter? One good analogy is to think of Google as a huge information sponge that is just soaking in, categorising and cataloguing all our likes, dislikes, wants, needs and desires every time we go online. Now this may not concern you in the slightest, if you have nothing to hide, but for some this endemic privacy intrusion is concerning for many reasons. For example did you know that in the terms
If you use Google, they will have a full history of everything you have ever searched for via their search engine, watched on YouTube, and access to every email you've ever sent or received on Gmail, and more. This is a worry too many Growers for a multitude of reasons. Perhaps you do not wish to have adverts “popping up” on your device, especially if other people are using them, advertising nutrient feeds or grow tents every 5 minutes and bringing unwanted attention to the fact that you Grow. Maybe growing cannabis is still illegal in the region/country where you live and so and you are suspicious of who and what information could be passed around and what the ramifications of that could be.
It's likely you are very careful about telling other people, even some friends that you Grow, yet you are inadvertently sharing everything with your search engine whenever you search for information, ask questions, or do some online hydroponic shopping! So how are Google doing this? How are they making a digital profile on you? And making money from It?!! And what if anything can you do to take back a bit of the power and keep your online life private? The uncomfortable truth is that we actually willingly hand over all our information to Google freely. By creating such powerful, useful and convenient online tools, they have got us all hooked. The fact that it is free to use makes its even more popular as who is not going to use it when its free?!! But the reality of it is that there is a cost. Officially Google’s stance is that the information that they collect is used, to profile you for better advertising targeting, which is their bread and butter when it comes to income. Maybe they are not interested in the fact that you are Growing …but there still remains the possibility that they could be, and the question of what they
31 could do with that information?! They sell it! That’s what they do and the more information the have on you, the better and more precise that information is, the more money they get. SO what do you do if you want to try and “hide” yourself from Google’s all seeing eye of Sauron? Well, one thing is for sure, It’s not as simple as just trying to boycott Google, as their trackers have been found on more than 75% of the top million websites on the internet. This means your individual data is being collected wherever your digital footprint goes. If your online, there is literally nowhere to hide. Even if you tend to shy away from online shopping and instead visit physical stores, Google Location Services on your phone/tablet or other devices can be gathering information on you without you even knowing. Google Maps can track your movements throughout the day even if you don’t use it as your Satnav. They may know your home address, work address and regular commute route as well as any other places you visit regularly, such as anywhere that you may be Growing. They know the distance you've travelled in a day (by car or foot) what stores you spend your money in, how often and how long you spend there. The holidays you go on and even the people you hang out with. This is why annoyingly, it is possible that if you have spent time physically visiting hydroponic stores and purposely avoided going online, that you may still find that you are seeing an unusually high number of ads for hydroponic equipment whenever you go online! They can even cross reference that with other people that visit the same location. It is all starting to sound abit 1984 George Orwell isn’t it? Before you delete your Google history however, think about it carefully, as the collating of your information actually does work to your benefit in most situations, improving your over all user experience online and tailoring what you see and what is suggested to you. In Google’s defence they do also promise to keep all your data safe when recalling it between devices and guarantee that their cloud servers are protected. They also claim to not allow governments "direct access" or "backdoor access" to any of your information as stated in their public transparency report , which is worth a read if you have any concerns. If you still don’t trust them or want to remove yourself from their servers permanently then it is possible to an extent. The first stage is to login into your Google account (Yes you need a Google account in order to remove yourself from Google, alarm bells!) and go to the "Your Data" page where you will see information such as your name, email address, birthday, gender, phone number, and
country. The rest of the data collected is based on what things you like, ads you click on, your location, device information, IP address, and cookie data. You are able to download all of this data, including photos, emails, contacts, bookmarks. To block Google from collecting data you should go to the "Ads Settings” section of your Google account and turn “Ad personalisation” off. To remove what they have already got stored about you, click on “My activity” where you will be able to view everything that Google has collated about your internet user history. You can select all the data or just the data from a specific time period and then hit the “delete activity” button. If you do this however you should also make sure you stop using Google altogether, delete all Gmail and Youtube accounts and anything else Google affiliated so that the information does not build back up again. There are alternative Search Engines out there that promise to never track you or store your information. Is that 100% correct? Well when you read the terms it’s a little bit more complicated then that. Replacing your Smart phone with a simpler model from times gone by is another good way to cut down on any stealth GPS and location tracking that may be occurring through any phone Apps. VPNs or Virtual Private Networks, are another great way to keep companies like Google from tracking you online. There are many VPN’s available so be sure to check what they provide in terms of protection as not all of them are able to keep your data 100% safe but at the least they will protect some critical elements secure such as your IP address. A really effective VPN can also encrypt your internet traffic and make your browsing history private. To ensure a VPN works efficiently you will also have to refrain from logging in to any google affiliated
service if you want to specifically prevent them from collecting your browser information. Proxies are a slightly different option to protect your online life. A proxy server acts as a gateway between you and the internet. It's an intermediary server separating end users from the websites they browse and providing varying levels of functionality, security, and privacy. We are living in a world where technology has become so sophisticated and indispensable that it positively enhances our day2day lives in almost every way imaginable. With the positive however comes the negative and that means that your every move online can be tracked, collated and put into a
spreadsheet for the use of corporate businesses to determine what ads you see and what suggestions you receive. Ohhh and to sell that information to who ever they deem fit. This can be of more of a worry if you have a hobby such as Growing which you would prefer to not shout about from the rooftops. This Orwellian “Big Brother” surveillance society that we are living in is not a complete inevitability however and hopefully we have now made you aware of some of the things you can do to take back the power and keep your privacy intact. Does Google know you grow? 100% YES they do.
A grow enthusiast before anything else, Rich Hamilton has over 20 years professional experience within the hydroponics industry. Rich is a widely published freelance author, specialising on all things Grow, from techniques and science to the latest business and market news from around the world. To further widen his media scope Rich has recently started “the Hydrochronicle” podcast which is a laidback conversational style pod cast featuring guests from all walks of the the Grow lifestyle. Available now on apple podcasts www.thehydrochronicle.com.
ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ: PAGE 8:
1. A 2. B 3. B 4. C 5. D 6. C 7. A 8. D 9. C 10. A
11. D 12. C 13. B 14. A 15. C 16. D 17. A 18. C 19. C 20. D
Ge l ato #33 Advanced Seeds www.advancedseeds.com
33
Grow with ED ROSENTHAL
with one another in the test, but also with the Bay Area’s marijuana environment.
Some members of the testing committee who were all a the security meeting seen here. From left of right Milos, knowledgeable connoisseur Eugene Gardener, Cannabis Grower Ellen Holland, Senior Editor, Cannabis Now Sophia, NewBridge Consortium Michael, Garden House Farms
The test results? 1 Everyone had a great time. 2 It’s hard to judge 20 varieties in 150 minutes- 7.5 minutes a variety. I wonder- If we served the same variety twice, one time near the beginning of trial and again towards the end would the bud get the same rating? 3 The cure affects the trial. Some of the joints had a very earthy flavor. I suspect it’s from bacterial action during the curing process, because high or excess humidity allowed the microorganisms to flourish. 4 There wasn’t exactly a winner. Mostly comments were on a variety’s specific qualities. 5 My favorite was White Tahoe Cookies 6 James’ top two favorites were OG Kush Story and Zkittlez. 6 The most surprising sample tested was the Green Crack which is considered a top shelf strain in most circles. It stood out from the others and three of the ten people thought it was the best.
TESTING THE VARIETIES primarily interested in the effects and secondarily in taste/flavor/odor. To ensure that the testers would not be influenced by those factors, Loud prerolled 20 spliffs, one for each variety. We explained the method of testing: Each joint would go around once. The idea was not to see how many tokes it would take get to a certain state of highness, but to see how high you got on one turn. We thought that this would also increase time to burn-out; When everything blends together into a kaleidoscopically swirling mix of cannabinoid and terpene waves splashing the shores of our consciousness.
Official Event Stash Bag with two of James’ hand-rolled joints packaged and awaiting partial destruction. James Loud, owner and breeder at Loud Seeds had a group of new varieties that he wanted to test using a focus group of connoisseurs that he knew. We had discussed judging styles at some of the Cups. We decided that, unlike most judgings, we would not include “bud quality” or odor because we were
James hand manicuring a bud before grinding to make the pre-rolls.
Shortly into the testing I realized that our theory needed some adjusting, but it was too late for this trial. The reason? The person who takes the first hit will get the full blend of cannabinoids and terpenes that nature produced and James dried and cured. The next person—not so much. The third person’s hit will be substantially different. The solution, too late for this trial, is single hitter pipes. Each person gets a fresh hit. We went through all 20 varieties. The competition is strong and implied. These varieties were not only “in competition”
Nick from Garden House Farms, providing herbal support to Milos.
34
Strain report
By Stoney Tark
Durga Mata II CBD around 27 degrees Celsius in the day and dropping to 23 degrees at night. She begins to really fill out with buds emerging from every internode, and when I say she is stacked...that is an understatement. The buds range between 1-3 inches in size with a dense but frosty, elongated characteristic. Her aroma is musky, earthy with a floral minty edge that is very interesting and something new. As we end August her final height is 79cm, but considering she has 6 main tops, her height could get much taller if she was left to her own devices and not trained. After week 4 of the flowering phase, I feed the same recommended amount of Hesi Coco at 5ml per litre and 2 drops of Hesi Vit. The plan is to cut the nutrients off during the final 2 weeks to bring out the best flavours possible. Her resin profile is outstanding and her buds are hard to squeeze, and the amount of trichomes growing on the fan leaves and around the buds is impressive. A great strain for hash makers and extractors who want to enjoy medical Cannabis in flower form, as well as extracts.
Her final height was close to 80cm with multiple main colas
Environment: Outdoor Roof Terrace in South Spain Pot Size: 18 litres Growing Medium: Coco Nutrients: Hesi Coco + Hesi Vit Growing Period: May until July Flowering Period: August until early October Flushing Period: 14 days Yield: 142g dry I was gifted a pack of Durga Mata II CBD from Paradise Seeds, to grow outdoors during the months of May until October in sunny South Spain. From what I had read up on this strain was it likes to stay low, with a bushy indica growth structure and has a unique cannabinoid profile of 8.5% CBD and 7% THC, making almost a 1:1 ratio. The main goal was to be able to grow flowers that my friends and family could enjoy without being completely comatosed from some of the more potent varieties I personally smoke.
The Vegetative Period (May-July)
We have have incredible weather this year in Spain, meaning anything that was
placed on an exposed roof top would have done brilliantly well. I start the seedling off in tissue and leave to soak for 36 hours before noticing a bright white tap root popping out of the shell. For the first 5 days, as the seedling will be germinating into the coco in the 18 litre pot, I will keep the pot out of direct sunlight. The last thing I need is for the seedling to become dry and suffer as soon as life begins. It only takes a couple of days in the shade, for the first signs of sprouting. After flicking off the seed shell and guiding her on her way, she will now begin to grow in a vegetative state until the days get shorter later around July / August time. The temperatures in May are 25 degrees with dry conditions on the mountainous area where I live. I will let the plant grow up until she is around 12 inches tall, before doing any hands on training. She will be pinched out to encourage multiple tops and then will be tied down. The reason I prefer this method is to create a short and stacked profile, without the plants growing too tall. She is fed 5ml per litre of Hesi Coco with 2 drops each feeding of Hesi Vit. The amount of nutrient solution being fed is 10 litres per time,
until there is a clear sign of drip through at the base of the pots. Over the months of May and June, she grows very fast, compact and after tying down, she has become similar to a cactus in terms of how stacked she looks. There were some spikes in temperatures causing an increase to 38 degrees for almost a week, however, I kept the plant in the shade and wet watered during these unexpected heat waves.
I flush the plant for the final 14 days, to encourage her to use up all of the reserve nutrients, and to wash away any undissolved salts. This is important to improve the taste and way the ash will burn. It is October 3rd and that makes the total flowering time 58 days. Massive chunky colas filled with thick golf ball sized buds. Trimming is a dream come true and I save all the trim to make hash with later. Final yield after 12 days of drying was 142g of sweet, floral flowers that have a distinct minty edge.
The internodal spacing is very short, with a very thick main stem and fat side branches surrounding. By now she is close to 50cm in height but as bushy as can be. As we approach the end of July, there is a high amount of pre-flowers emerging, meaning she will be close to blooming soon.
The Flowering Period (Aug-Oct) The time of year is early August and the plants are responding by stretching up to a height of 60cm in just 10 days. The plant training has really helped keep her height down, which is ideal when growing outdoors. I expect her to keep stretching until the last week of August and begin packing on the pounds. Now temps are
The last 2 weeks and she is really filling out.
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36
Grow with Stoney Tark
By Stoney Tark
10 Mistakes To Avoid Growing Cannabis Indoors thickest parts of the canopy will also be the warmest and most humid.
4. Not Storing Nutrients Properly Many nutrients bottles will state to keep cold floors, however many growers are in the habit of having a corner on the floor dedicated to their nutrients. The best way to store nutrients is to keep them high off the floor, on a shelf or in a box, away from direct sunlight. Cold temperatures can have a negative effect on the quality of the nutrient, and when dealing with organic matter such as humic or fulvic acids, seaweed and molasses, it is best to keep them from becoming cold or experience frequent temperature changes. Simply build a small shelf and a top tip is to clean all of your organic nutrients after using and wipe the bottles until totally clean.
5. Developing Root Bound Plants
Notice how this grower has pruned all of the plants, to improve air flow
Growing Cannabis can be a straightforward task, that is highly rewarding and educational. However, there are many blind spots and bad habits the untrained grower can fall into which will only ask for problems later down the line, so below are 10 common mistakes to avoid when growing Cannabis indoors and bad habits to avoid in 2020. 1. Keeping Pots On Cold Floors It is very important to always consider what temperatures the plants are experiencing, and especially in the root zone. As hot air rises and cold air falls to the ground, it is a safe bet to say the coldest point in the entire grow room will be from the floor. Keeping pots off the floor is an excellent way to improve air flow, as a result increasing the temperatures around the roots. By doing this will also improve drainage, increase the amount of air displacement after waterings and most importantly will prevent cold temps at the base of the pots. Something as simple as a few pieces of wood will suffice, or if you have a large metal fence net you can rest the pots on, then this works brilliantly also. Adding a heater to the grow room, that is able to be oscillated around the room
by fans working at different speeds and settings, will also increase the room mass and allow warm air to pass through the root zone, creating the ideal environment for beneficial bacteria and fungi. Root hair will be encouraged to grow towards the air and as a result will prune themselves, increasing root mass further.
2. Over Watering Plants It is easily done and can often times become the start of many problems. Not only can overwatering cause the roots to lock out and no longer uptake nutrients, it can also promote ideal conditions for bad bacteria responsible for root rot to thrive. How long it takes for a growing medium to dry out completely is down to a number of variables from the room temperature, number of lights and how much perlite, or air pocket rich substrate has been added. A great tip if you are growing with organics and are
only using plain water, is to set up an irrigation timer that will drip feed your plants a specific amount every day at the same time. This is also a fantastic way to ensure the plants are never overwatered, and can be maintained with you being away from the garden.
3. Big Canopy and Little Air Flow Having a huge canopy with very little airflow beneath the top section, is only asking for problems later on with pathogens and potentially insects. Pruning your plants just before switching your timers to 12/12 is a great way to improve air flow, and allow the plant to focus its energy on the upper remaining growth. The result once the plants are ready to harvest is a 12-18 foot canopy of prime buds. Another benefit to removing a large amount of foliage is to reduce the areas that spider mites may live, as the
We often don't pay attention to what is happening beneath the top of the pots, which can result in plants becoming root bound. When this happens, the growth of the plants become restricted and may stunt in some cases, until it has been repotted. The best way to avoid experiencing root bound plants, is to use fabric pots, or plastic air pots designed to let the roots grow in al directions freely. This action prevents the tap root searching around the base of the pots for air, causing the root zone to grow with a prolific structure. If you do experience root bound, spiralling roots then you can simply break them apart with your hands. Do not worry about the roots and feel free to tear the root mass as much as possible. This will only increase the root mass once it is contact with the new growing medium.
6. Foliar Spraying During Flowering This is one way to ensure your plants will develop powdery mildew and mould when they are blooming. Poor air quality, lack of air flow and high humidity equal breeding grounds for pathogens and insects.
37 general rubbish around your grow room is a bad habit,. Not only is it asking for insects and flies to enter the grow room, it is also unprofessional and not to the standard a grow room should be kept in. It does not cost much to buy a dustpan and brush, mop and bucket, plastic rubbish bin and some cleaning products. Make sure the floor is spotless and sweep and mop with bleach once a week to maintain a sterile environment. Throw old nutrient bottles into the bin, and get rid of any plant pots that were harvested but later neglected.
10.
Noisey Gardens
It can be difficult to estimate the amount of industrial sounding noise, all of your equipment will create once you have everything set up. Exhaust fans, intake fans, oscillating fans, wall fans, air pumps and water pumps can make a serious noise once all fired up, and as you will usually keep all of the above switched on for 24 hours a day, controlling the noise output of your garden is very important, especially if you have close neighbours or are living in a residential block.
Indica cannabis will grow short and uniform with big tops. The best time to foliar spray your plants is during the 18/6 cycle, however avoid spraying late just before lights out. It is during the night time when growers turn off oscillating fans and run the risk of stagnant air pockets, which is why a thick canopy with little air flow can cause problems. In the event of an airborne pathogen entering your garden during the blooming period, then it must be treated, yet the most important thing is to make sure it does not happen again, and the prevention becomes the cure. Adjust your environment so the humidity levels do not climb above 40% and keeping exhaust and oscillating fans on 24/7.
7. Training Plants in 12/12 When Cannabis plants are growing under 18/6, they will respond by producing vegetative growth. One way to enhance the productivity of a strain can be to apply training techniques such as L.S.T, topping, fimming and pruning. Applying low and high stress techniques once plants have begun flowering, can be counter productive and may even stress the plant. It is during this point when growth hormones are released which is what causes the stretch in the first place. Always perform training during weeks 2-4 of the vegetative stage, and prune the plants with 7 days prior to 12/12. This will
give the plants plenty of time to fully recover and prepare to produce heavy yields.
8. Letting Plants Touch The Walls In Flower If you are growing indoors using a mylar tent, or have converted a spare bedroom or cupboard, no matter what the size of the room you should avoid letting plants touch the walls. It is on the walls where moisture can build up and air flow becomes restricted once plants begin to grow up against a wall.
It is possible to soundproof the grow room using things such as acoustic ducting, silencers and custom sized acoustic wooden boxes for exhaust fans. Of course, discretion is the name of the game, so keeping the noise of your indoor garden to a minimum is key, and will help keep your neighbours off your back.
My Conclusion: When growing Cannabis, taking the extra time and steps to keep the grow room as clean as possible, and the airflow consistently as maximum as possible 24/7 will pay off massively. Making very
IThis plant has a serious algae problem around the roots.form with big tops. simple adjustments such as raising pots a few inches off the floor making sure the bottoms of the pots are exposed to the air, or pulling plants away from the edge of the walls will cost nothing and will make huge improvements to the air capacity and reduce the risk of pathogens. Pay attention to the temperatures of the air, root zone, nutrients and if possible invest in a hygrometer that will display the temperature and humidity, as well as the lowest and highest record for that 24 hour period. During flowering, anything above 40% humidity will cause you to run the risk to spider mites, or plant disease that need that specific humidity level to survive. Use pots designed specifically for root pruning, or simple fabric pots. It is possible to grow an enormous plant in a fabric pot, with an extremely advanced root zone. There is no need to replant or worry about the tap root growing round and round. Good luck with your indoor operations and I hope these 10 pointers will help take your grow game to the next level. Peace Out!
Always keep plants well away from walls or sides of tents, especially when they are producing buds. Give yourself a clear parameter around the outside of the tent, for you to be able to walk through if necessary as well as enhance the aeration around the sides of the garden. When buds comes into contact with walls due to excessive weight, this is a red flag for mould to start growing and eventually spread to the rest of the plants.
9. Keep The Grow Room Tidy! One common theme when I enter another person’s grow room is how untidy they are. Keeping old nutrient bottles, harvested plant pots with growing medium in, dirty towels and
Always be vigilant and check on the condition of your root zone
38 By Rich Hamilton
A Cannabis Patent war is looming You would assume that the idea of patenting a plant would be one of Fairytales. The thought of a capitalist enterprise being given legal ownership and control over the DNA of a living being sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie. Well it is not just a script reserved for the movies, it is actually beginning to happen, with cannabis strains. The idea being that once patented, nobody can legally grow anything that falls under that patent (the specific strain or breed) without getting the permission of whoever has the patent. The luxury of which is reserved for those who can afford to splash out on the BIG price tag that comes with it. Patents already exist for several varieties of Crop already including strains of GMO corn that are resistant to specific pesticides and specific types of apples that have been bred for extra sweetness. This has been the norm in “Big Ag” (big corporate agriculture) for quite some years now! The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has already issued several patents for specific kinds of cannabis (including one for a variety of high-CBD hemp), and for more wide-ranging utility patents and whilst so far they have gone relatively unenforced that is unlikely to be the case much longer. Whilst a “plant” patent covers just one particular cannabis strain, “utility” patents stretch much further and give the holder complete ownership of a wide ranges of plant characteristics. It’s these utility patents that are of most concern and which could stop large groups of small farmers or home growers from growing specific strains without fear of legal action.
alliances and trying to get authentication and patent their own plants in order to protect both their livelihoods and heirloom strains that they have been growing for generations. Problem is that some of these cannabis patents that big ag is looking in to don’t just cover the plants they cover everything from methods of analysis and classification, to plants with unique chemistries, newly developed strains, propagation methods; and composition claims. Dale Hunt, a plant scientist and an attorney who specialises in both cannabis and patents has summed up the situation, recently stating that “Big Ag will force farmers to stop growing their own plants and start growing Big Ag’s patented GMO plants or eventually go out of business. While Big Ag can’t directly make you stop growing your own plants, they can make it impossible for you to compete with the farmers who embrace their system of patented seeds and related Big-Ag products to produce maximum-efficiency yields. The whole program is designed to drive you out of business if you don’t go along. And it will do exactly that” Today’s legal cannabis market is worth an estimated $11 billion, with estimates that it could at least double over the next few years. With federal legalisation in the USA becoming a a real possibility many of the big agriculture companies have already put the wheels of their master plan into motion and are just waiting in the shadows, ready to purchase any and all patents at the first opportunity. Whilst this situation may be the norm in the world of ‘big agriculture’ it represents a gargantuan shift for traditional cannabis growers in both the physical growing of plants and their values and belief system. Imagine how much it would change things if a single company or person held a patent that required everyone who grew a particular strain of cannabis (maybe your favourite) to pay a fee for the privilege!
There are those in the industry however who believe that these very broad patents may not in fact be legally enforceable. This is because, if it can be proved the that the chemotypes (chemically distinct entity in a specific species of plant), claimed in these patents are not new, then the patents would not be valid or enforceable. This idea, is all that the old school growers and farms have in their defence arsenal and as a result breeders such as those from the Emerald Triangle—Northern California’s legendary cannabis growing region compasses Humboldt, Trinity, and Mendocino counties have been forming
Illegality may have brought its own threats but now, in this new legal era there is a more dangerous threat and its coming mainly from the “Big Four” agricultural and seed corporations (Bayer-Monsanto, DowDuPont, ChemChina-Syngenta, and BASF) One only has to look at the recent Phylos Bioscience debacle to see that this corporate “cloak and dagger” behaviour is becoming more commonplace. It makes you wonder whether legalisation is the way forward after all especially when it could actually destroy our freedom in doing what we love.
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Colofon Soft Secrets is published by Discover Publisher BV P.O.Box 362, 5460 AJ, Veghel, Netherlands Telephone: +31-(0)73-5498112 E-mail: info@softsecrets.nl Web: www.softsecrets.com Editor: Cliff Cremer Contributors: Ed Rosenthal, Jorge Cervantes, Stoney Tark, Rich Hamilton, Mr. Jose, Robert B., Thomas Valentine, and others. Comics: Jim Stewart 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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