43 minute read
Hemp Houses in the Sunshine State ››
from 1205
by SoftSecrets
ECOCONSTRUCTION GOES MAINSTREAM
Hemp Houses in the Sunshine State Sativa Diva
When many people hear the word ‘sustainable’, they often think about the low-carbon, environmentally friendly agricultural and construction efforts currently being made worldwide. In Florida, one company is actually attempting to combat climate change through the production of a unique building material, known as Tradical® Hemcrete®. This revolutionary product combines old-world traditions and cutting-edge hemp technology, while boasting a low carbon footprint from germination of the crops, all the way past your move-in date.
Hemcrete® bio-composite
Modern hemp houses can be sophisticated and stylish
Sustainability is a big buzz word today; the idea of chemical-laden soil that has been utterly depleted of its own natural biology through irresponsible farming is quickly becoming frowned upon. American Lime Technology is a major North American company, based in Chicago, known for its lime
products and sustainable hemp building materials. Under the tutelage of retired engineer Bob Clayton, the group recently began production on hemp homes in Tarpon Springs, Florida, matching a similar effort in Asheville, North Carolina, from a few years back. A friendlier, renewable resource that doesn’t tax the Earth in the same way as timber production, hemp building materials are the easiest way to construct a ‘green’ property, one sturdy enough to withstand the elements and yet still promote home comfort and a low carbon footprint. The new build near the coast is known as Clayton House, a prototype for sustainable
living and construction that is being built in a typical Florida ranch style.
In addition to the construction companies and house-hunters themselves, those with vested agricultural interests – from smallscale family farmers to commercial crop producers sourcing major construction companies – also benefit greatly from the cultivation of industrial hemp. Future generations benefit by continuing to be able to use the land to produce food, clothing and shelter. Commercial farming has a negative track record regarding environmental impact, with toxic run-off from fertilized fields polluting streams and other water
supplies, failed or lacking crop rotation depleting the soil; then erosion occurs – and even emissions from livestock are being lamented. Speaking of which, the amount of land required in order to sustain the livestock alone could feed millions of Americans annually; meanwhile in Ireland, cereal crop
farmers have noticed a fifteen- to twentypercent increase in yield from the fields that have just rotated out hemp.
Cultivation of industrial hemp prevents or even reverses much environmental damage, and both people and livestock can be fed from it. Carbon emissions are neutralized or lowered by the hemp plants themselves, as they process up to four times more carbon dioxide than trees. Instead of using lumber or synthetic building components, the production of industrial hemp crops to make building materials will not be detrimental to the environment. In fact, an average hectare of hemp plants can process up to twenty-two tons of greenhouse gases.
The woody inner core components of the plant, known as the ‘hurds’ or ‘shives’, are cellulose-rich plant fibers with tens-ofthousands of applications. Everything from paper to bio-composite car parts such as dashboards and impact-resistant door panels can be produced from this substance, although perhaps the fastest-growing application is building materials. Bricks, breeze blocks, I-beams and more can be manufactured to create stylish, sleek and sophisticated interiors; likewise, the old-world techniques of stucco, adobe and poured-in walls have been revolutionized in order to construct organic, natural structures that blend well into their local environment.
Less obvious benefits to hemp building materials are highlighted by American Lime Technology through their use of Tradical® Hemcrete®. These sustainable houses, built in hurricane territory, are structurally breathable and adapt to the stifling heat and humidity and temperature changes typical of the southeast. Not only can the houses flex to adjust, but the Hemcrete® itself prevents mold and mildew that plague other domiciles. Despite this breathe-ability, pest control is much easier with a hemp house. The walls are airtight, and hemp insulation not only keeps out unwanted house guests, but it also works in conjunction with the hemp walls and hydraulic lime plaster to keep your utility bills low. Saving money is nice (especially in today’s economy) but saving the planet is nicer; lower upkeep costs mean that you can continue to keep your carbon footprint low, simply by living in your hemp house.
The chunky hemp composite is bound with lime and cast or poured over a conventional wooden frame. Walls and floors may also be constructed from or lined with biocomposite or insulation, and the company also offers retro-fitting if you’re quite fond
of your current house, but would like to make it more efficient to live in. The thermal properties of these building materials also mean that they maintain excellent acoustic integrity, and more and more musicians and other recording artists are lining their studios with hemp insulation or bio-composites.
While the inside stays warm in the winter and cool in the summer, the outside withstands hurricane-force winds – up to 123 MPH – and even forest fires. Since the cause of death regarding house fires is often smoke inhalation, hemp construction materials should be even more seriously considered. Not only do they have a high point of ignition, thus giving you more time to escape in the event of an indoor fire, but the exhaust fumes from a hemp fire are far less toxic than that of burning polyester carpeting, sofas, and whatever other non-natural products you may have adorning your home. This particular ‘eco-village’ will be constructed according to the Florida Building Code 2007, including the Florida Building Code Supplements 2009, and also the Florida Fire Prevention Code 2007.
One house can be built from just 2.5 acres of hemp
www.americanlimetechnology.com
Airpots – Something New for Soil Growers
Over the last few years, many home growers have tried growing in one of the various hydro techniques as a way of boosting plant size, growth rate and yields. Hydro systems in general offer rapid growth rates. The root system in hydro can develop quickly, and a good root system matters. For many, coco is simpler than hydro – yet faster than soil.
However, soil remains perhaps the simplest way of growing. Soil growers will often say it produces the sweetest tasting Cannabis and claim it is the most natural
is the basis for a healthy plant. Techniques such as deep water culture (‘DWC’) are currently regarded as perhaps the fastest way to grow large plants, and some of the best AutoFem growers have used this to tremendous advantage. Given the short, 70-day lifespan of AutoFems, those who can engineer small advantages at the start of the plant growth cycle can often reap very generous rewards at harvest time.
Hydro may be fast but it isn’t the simplest; it comes with its own complexities, which put a lot of people off of hydro. A good hydro grower checks his pH and electrical conductivity (EC) of the feed solution on a daily basis. Everything must be checked, and instruments calibrated on a regular basis. For some growers, the demands of growing in hydroponic systems are a bit too much and detract from the pleasure of growing. Growing in coco fiber has often been seen as a way of simplifying and organic way to grow man’s favorite herb. In its simplest form, soil growing needs little attention from the grower – apart from some extra nutrition during bloom, perhaps. In large enough buckets, the plant will need little supplemental feeding and will survive with simple occasional watering, until later in the grow.
It is especially pleasing to see soil growers presented with new methods that can boost performance, and reassure them that soil remains a first-class method in which to grow their stash. In recent months, Dutch Passion have seen a number of growers report great results with the new airpot containers, which are becoming widely available. Airpots are an adaptation of the basic plant pot design, which has changed very little in centuries. The basic principle of an airpot is to allow better aeration within the soil. The numerous holes around the sides of the airpot allow oxygen into the root system.
The roots develop evenly and quickly – this encourages a healthier root system. Airpots allow the roots of the plant to spread evenly throughout the soil/perlite mix, instead of bunching and circling around the bottom of the plant pot. With normal plant pots growers may see roots clinging to the sides and bottom, but airpots discourage this with the dimpled edge to the pot, which direct roots back into the center. It’s a clever and simple adaptation to the time-honored plant pot design, and it has gotten a lot of soil growers giving them a try – and a lot of users are highly satisfied with the airpots. The root systems look great, the soil is used more efficiently, and airpot growers say their plants get more nutrition from the same volume of soil. This allows them to grow bigger plants with better blooms. The fact that so many airpot users switch permanently to them is always a sign that the technology is a good one, and not a transitory fashion.
It’s a simple principle and a surprise that it has not been tried before: air is allowed to permeate the soil and create a healthier root zone. However, roots can escape through the holes in the sides of the airpots, and if they do they are simply trimmed with scissors, or ‘air pruned’. This encourages further root branching within the airpot.
The only problem with airpots is the tendency for water to escape out of the side holes if it is poured too quickly. But,
An airpot root-ball
apart from that, we hear few complaints about them. Many soil growers say they are worth the little bit of extra hassle and would not switch back to normal plant pots after using them.
It’s nice to see the soil growers get their share of new ideas for a change. May there be many more.
VITA START AND VITA RACE FROM PLAGRON
Vitamin sprays for healthy and strong plants
A strong and healthy plant that delivers a great yield: isn’t that what we all want? Plagron offers two innovative vitamin sprays that guarantee an excellent cultivation: Vita Start and Vita Race. Vita Start, formerly ‘Cropspray’, is a liquid growth stimulator for seedlings, cuttings and mother plants. Vita Start has a broad range of effects. It contains a clever combination of organic enzymes, trace elements and growth stimulators. These protect the plant against external negative effects and ensure greater yield. Vita Start allows the plant to absorb the available nutrients more effectively and more extensively and excludes the risk of over-fertilization and under-nourishment. Spray Vita Start onto the plant leaves. The product is very concentrated, so you only need one mL per liter of water. Vita Start is available in 100 mL, 250 mL, 500 mL and 1 liter.
Vita Race
Vita Race, formerly ‘Phyt-Amin’, is an organic leaf fertilizer and growth stimulator for the growth phase and the first three weeks of the flowering phase. It provides the plant with the necessary amino acids, trace elements, natural minerals and essential natural hormones, which accelerate the growth and prepare the plant for flowering. Add a maximum of 5 mL of Vita Race per one liter of water (1:200). For optimal results, apply enough to make sure the liquid is dripping from the leaves. Vita Race is available in 100 mL, 250 mL, 500 mL and 1 liter.
Pass it on!
More information can be found on the new website, www.Plagron.com. Here you will find loads of information on Plagron products and growing in general. The info on Plagron products will be easy to find on this site, giving you useful tips, showing you related products and FAQs for each product. This is an interactive website, where one grower gets to meet the other and can share his/her experience or opinion on Plagron products with other growers – exactly how the slogan ‘pass it on’ is meant to be. Keep a close eye on the website for the latest news and developments of products and for growing in general. Don’t forget to check out the Facebook page for extra tips and tricks (Facebook.com/Plagron). Of course, you can also contact the service desk via servicedesk@plagron.com.
STONERR
Now there’s a micro-job website where talented stoners and entrepreneurs can offer their expertise to buyers, and in exchange be paid exceptionally well for their hard work.
Micro-job websites are becoming an increasingly popular method for freelance sellers and interested buyers to find each other. There are literally thousands of jobs available on these sites – from the practical, like writing, website development, and video-related services, to the sometimes ridiculous – micro-job websites include nearly any service imaginable. Stoners are often excluded because of the highly specialized skills involved. Stonerr.net addresses this void.
We wanted to offer freelance designers a much more lucrative alternative to ordinary micro-job sites. We reward our sellers with a generous commission on every sale, rather than being limited by the often very low prices set by other micro-job sites’ administrators.
Sellers Can:
· Create a new job for each service offered · Share their jobs easily on social media sites · Receive an amazing rate of 90 percent on every sale · Withdraw earnings easily from PayPal
Buyers Will:
· Search through high-quality services for a low price · Pay quickly, easily and safely with PayPal · Track the seller’s progress, update orders and transfer files quickly · Request corrections if necessary · Provide informative feedback
We are certain that Stonerr.net will become an invaluable resource for both online freelance design providers, as well as for buyers searching for the high quality services they demand.
www.Stonerr.net
Are you interested in returning the United States to its prior hemp cultivating glory? Or perhaps you’re a new medi-weed patient, looking for doctors or medical advice? Even if you’re solely focused upon ending pot prohibition in America, The Hemp and Cannabis Foundation is the perfect organization for you.
THCF was established in August, 1999 by Douglas Paul Stanford, with the goal of “educat[ing] people about the medicinal, social and industrial uses for Cannabis in order to restore hemp cultivation and end
adult Cannabis prohibition.” Their affiliated political committee, the Campaign for the Restoration and Regulation of Hemp (CRRH), was founded in 1990 and promotes the self-developed legislative model called the
Cannabis Tax Act. This act would curtail the legal quagmire currently threatening mediweed access in states such as California by regulating sales, taxes and production of the drug.
The ideals behind the protection and education of medical growers, patients and dispensary staff are common sense; however, the push towards re-legalization of industrial hemp slogs through murkier waters. The largest issue, which needs to be addressed as quickly as possible, is the re-scheduling (or declassification) of Cannabis from its
current position on the Schedule I list of highly-controlled or banned substances. Weed plants are nowhere near as dangerous as they need to be for that scheduling, and hemp cannot get anyone high.
As hemp plants by definition contain 0.3 percent THC or less, the DEA should logically have no jurisdiction over hemp cultivation – if anything, it should be regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Generations of American farmers have been repressed from cultivating the same crop that helped us to gain our independence, and citizens of this country have no choice but to pay import prices for products ranging from hemp seed oil capsules to animal bedding, as although it may have been processed here, it was not grown in the States.
The media efforts of THCF are myriad and extend far beyond their Cannabis forums.
The group created Hemp News in 1991, which is the oldest online magazine, publishing within newsgroups on Usenet (the predecessor to today’s Internet). If television is more appealing to you, check out the organization’s weekly TV show, Cannabis Common Sense, which is accessible on their website and actually broadcasts in California, Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Michigan.
An impressive set of medical clinics also take place throughout the year and across the United States. THCF is now scheduling individual clinic appointments in forty American cities. Here, visitors can learn about safe and clean cultivation, which strains to choose to treat specific ailments, and even how to consume via smoking alternatives such as vaporizing, medibles, tinctures and topicals. You can even learn exact processes for making extracts with alcohol, or how to cook with canna-butter or oil. THCF’s website offers their annual schedule; you can find a clinic in your state and learn as much as possible before ever self-medicating.
The THCF Medical Gardens follow state guidelines and help patients obtain permits, seeds and clones with which to begin their own medicinal gardens. To date, over 150,000 patients in nine states have been aided, so if you live in California, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Hawaii, Michigan or Washington, D.C., you could benefit as well. If you live elsewhere, don’t hesitate to learn more on their site or contact the group – especially
if you are suffering from AIDS or HIV, cancer, severe chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, glaucoma, arthritis, cachexia, Parkinson’s, or any of the dozens of other ailments that can be soothed by Cannabis.
After decades of lies and dis-information about the ever-so-helpful Cannabis plant, the country needs more groups like THCF. The important thing, now, is to replace all the propaganda with truth and facts, and return the United States to it prior, Cannabisfriendly state. Check out thc-foundation.org to learn how you can become a medi-weed patient, donate or volunteer, or just keep yourself up-to-date on Cannabis and hemp knowledge.
THE LARGEST ISSUE, WHICH NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, IS THE RE-SCHEDULING OF CANNABIS FROM ITS CURRENT POSITION AS A SCHEDULE I.
Cannabis, as with any other medicine, should be used with guidance (© Shutterstock)
Online: www.thc-foundation.org Telephone: 1-800-723-0188
War Dispatches: Part I
I’ve done some crazy things in my time, but becoming an early casualty in the drug war was the ultimate insanity. Back then it was really a war on the love and peace that had epitomized the 1960s. Cannabis was deemed to be part of that consciousness shift and had to be neutralized. By the early 1970s, Nixon’s ‘War on Drugs’ was up and running – and still wages today. Many countries were bribed or coerced into joining the fight; Spain was one that took the Yankee dollar. Controlled by the fascist General Franco, it had some of the harshest sentences in Europe, to be served in prisons built before they’d discovered America. Spain’s southern border with Morocco was the front line in this war. O’Riodon
I went down there one autumn evening in ‘73 at Algeciras, a Spanish ferry port situated exactly over the asshole of Europe. At the time, I had little idea how much of a life changing moment it would be. I was convinced I’d be out in a couple of months; the reality was unfortunately very different.
The next morning I awoke in a cell I later learned was called the ‘wash cycle’. The ten-by-six-foot stone floor was covered in greasy water leaking from a blocked sink; I looked in and it was full of vomit. The water dripped into a hole in the corner
that led to a sea of urine somewhere close by. The walls were institutional green and covered in prison hieroglyphics. I sat on a rusty bed with blankets full of lice and the sweat of a thousand bodies; it was grim stuff – and all under a fifteen-watt light. I was depressed.
On the third day the Consul showed up with his brother-in-law, a lawyer. The Consul would do nothing, but the lawyer would do everything, I just had to give him all my money. Not all the criminals were on the inside, some stopped by for a visit.
On the fourth day I joined the prison population and stepped into a small, walled
patio. The air was cool and most of the prisoners were standing warming themselves in the early morning sun, some strolled back and forth talking. Most were Moroccan, but there were a few white faces and I got to know them through the day.
In the evening a bell rang for food and we lined up with regulation spoon and aluminum plate. The food, when it arrived, looked suspiciously like the vomit in my cell. I passed. It was tinned sardines from now on.
After dinner we filed into a large dormitory, a cavernous space full of old iron beds circled like covered wagons, each nationality staking out its own territory. The Americans and Canadians, being in the majority, had the largest circle, fol-
lowed by the Germans who constructed a fort. The English, French and Dutch each had their own enclaves. The longer you stayed, the closer you got to the center of your circle. The next days were spent sitting in the sun listening to people’s stories. Some had just stuck a couple of kilos in door panels and hoped for the best, but were regret-
ting it now. Most were awaiting transfer to Cadiz for trial, which was eventually my fate.
During the second week I was handed an official looking envelope, the ‘hacienda’ fine. This is the tax you have to pay on the hash, which is its value times seven. In my case, 35 million pesetas (that’s a million bucks today) or do four years prison. Everyone kept telling me not to worry, I’d be out in only three years. Did I mention I was depressed?
After a month of sun bathing, I and nine others were handcuffed together and shipped off to Cadiz. The journey took an hour and we used the time to pick open the handcuffs with a sardine can key. Upon arrival we stepped from the truck, handcuffed the opposite way to which we’d gotten in, but the guards didn’t see the joke. We were marched to an office and yelled at in Spanish for ten minutes, a whip repeatedly brought down on the desk for effect, then locked up without food.
This was a real prison: large, white cell blocks covered in the bleeding rust that comes with sea air. Between the blocks, a small patio was crammed with so many people that they looked like ants. This place was full. General Franco
Tangier Ferry
Home for a few years
I was later told the story of how the original builder had absconded to South America with all the money after only completing half the job, but nobody wanted to tell Franco. So a full compliment of prisoners was sent to live in only half the space. It was tense.
Once you get there, the first three days are spent in isolation so they can check you out and apply intimidation if needed. On the fourth day, which just happened to be Christmas Eve, we strolled out onto the patio and straight into a riot. It seemed that, the previous day, the Consulates had left Christmas packages for the prisoners and the guards had ‘confiscated’ them. As Christmas dinner was the same old lentiland-pig dick soup they always served, we defiantly refused to eat. This constituted a mutiny as far as the guards were concerned and we were all locked up. The prison was surrounded by Guardia and visitors told we were rioting. After a threeday lock-down with no food, we were brought in threes to the Chief of Services office and handed a sanction. This was a ‘go to prison for six more months’ card. Merry Christmas.
The days rolled into weeks and the problem was boredom. Books were in short supply, but some of my fellow prisoners could be very entertaining. One book we did have was One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest and a couple of guys were using it as a handbook to get transferred to the psychiatric hospital, which incidentally had three-feet-high walls and a bus stop outside. Their method of insanity was swallowing things, spoons at first, but then they moved onto toilet chains and bits of bed. Each time, they went to the hospital, were operated on and sent straight back to the prison. Once they managed to swallow the curtain rings and bell push from the recovery room and extended their stay, but all it got them was a permanent cell in solitary. Known as the McMurphys, they were a two-man crime wave.
We were all up for a buzz and each day you could have wine or a beer; it seems incredible, but with a prison full of alcoholics it made sense. The McMurphys went a step further and started a drinking club – six guys would each give their drink to one person and he’d get smashed; the
next day it was another guy’s turn. The idea caught on a little too quickly and
the guards closed it down. With no dope, there had to be ways of getting a drink. Then the yeast appeared – I don’t know where the McMurphys got it, but the first we knew was when they bought every orange in the prison shop, all 55 pounds, in a subtle move.
The prison was searched every two weeks. Orange wine takes twelve days to ferment, but the vintage stuff needs more time and a good hiding place. Then I hit upon the idea of a bucket with a circle of cardboard halfway down and a pile of dirty laundry on top. It worked and pretty soon half the
prison was carrying a laundry bucket. We drank on Sundays, so everybody would be
out on the patio sipping orange juice and getting wasted. I was amazed the guards didn’t figure it out.
There was a near-discovery when three Americans decided to make their wine a bit strong by putting more yeast in. They left the wine in the cell during the morning because we had all dropped acid (another story for another time) but you can imagine the state we were all in when we returned to our cells for the lunchtime count. Two doors away the Americans opened their cell and were met by a threefoot wall of orange foam. Their entire cell was full and the guards would be there any minute. I should have helped, but I was laughing too much as they tried to conceal forty cubic feet of orange foam. However, luck smiled and the guards decided to count us from below, unaware of orange foam filling the walkway.
The next morning, with a killer hangover, I talked with my lawyer. He had many clients and the queue was always long. He also had a profitable sideline buying the confiscated cars from Customs.
“I have good news and bad news,” he said. “The bad news, I have a court date and they are asking twelve years.”
“And the good news?” I asked.
It’s around here somewhere...
Drip Irrigation
In this issue we put the spotlight on a method that is simple to set up and produces results so good that it is utilized in commercial growing applications across the globe, from producing quality tomatoes for the biggest supermarkets to cultivating top quality smoke for coffeeshops, collectives and dispensaries. Our quest for quicker crop cycles and heavier yields continues – here, we take a closer look at drip irrigation...
Think of drip irrigation and what springs to mind? Probably large-scale greenhouse cultivation: acres and acres of tomatoes or cucumber plants, grown on rockwool slabs with miles of dripper-line connected to computers that control complex feeding schedules. A little too complicated for the home grower, right? Wrong! Drip irrigation is one of the simplest and most flexible hydro methods on the market and it is available on any scale, from one plant on upwards!
Drip irrigation systems for the home grower offer the quicker growth cycles and bigger yields of active hydro, with the flexibility to grow in any media: soil, cocos, rockwool or clay – and even grow in pots. So, how does it work? The Flo-Gro: Provides a great environment for mother plants relying on capillary action to deliver water and nutrients to the plants roots.
Instead, drippers feed the roots from above and gravity pulls the nutrient solution down. Feeding techniques that rely on capillary action make the medium at the bottom of the pot wetter than anywhere else, which can stunt root development and slow plant growth. watering: When plants are fed little and often, the medium is never saturated or starved of nutrient solution. Handwatering plants once every few days can result in water-logging because the plants can’t take up all the solution given to them in one go. systems are low maintenance. Manage one nutrient solution tank for all of your plants and top up every couple of days – far easier than hand-watering.
Types of Drip Irrigation System:
There are many types of drip system available to the home grower, which fall under two main categories: recirculating systems and run-to-waste systems.
* Recirculating Systems
In recirculation drip irrigation, the plants usually sit above the nutrient reservoir. Whatever solution the plants do not
use runs through the growing medium and back into the reservoir, ready to be pumped back to the plants. The benefit of these systems is that they are simple to operate and set up and, because all the workings sit above the nutrient reservoir, they are virtually leak-proof. There are three main types of recirculating systems:
1. Single-Drip Ring Systems
In a single-drip ring system, plants sit in a planter, usually filled with clay pebbles, placed above a nutrient solution reservoir. Feeding schedules are set on a timer and solution is automatically pumped from the reservoir and out of the drip ring directly onto the root zone. Plants receive all the nutrients and water they need as well as superb oxygen access, as every time the system drains, oxygen is pulled down into the root zone. When used with clay pebbles, drip ring systems provide a healthy, oxygen-rich root zone, thanks to the free draining nature of the medium. The ideal environment for keeping a mother plant longterm or just taking one big plant to flower and achieving the maximum amount of buds – some of the yield results achieved using these systems have to be seen to be believed!
2. Pot Dripper System
In a pot dripper system, pots are placed on a tray above a reservoir. Plants and drippers are placed in the pots along with your chosen growing medium. The feeding frequency is set with a timer, whereby the nutrient solution is pumped from the reservoir to the drippers, and over the roots. The nutrient solution works its way through the medium and over the roots of your plants. Whatever the plants don’t take up drains through the holes in the tank, ready to be pumped through the drippers again.
Pot dripper systems are perfect for beginners or growers who want to make that first step to hydro because they can be used with any growing media and offer the familiarity of using pots.
3. Dutch Dripper System
The Dutch dripper system setup is very similar to the pot system in that the plants sit on a tray above the reservoir, but uses slabs – either rockwool or coir – rather than pots.
*Run-to-Waste Systems
In a run-to-waste system, nutrient solution is pumped from a reservoir to the
What is drip irrigation?
There are many types of drip irrigation, but they all work on the same principle. Your plants are started in a growing medium and a dripper is placed into, or suspended over, the medium. The dripper is attached to a dripper line, which in turn is attached to a pump. Your nutrient solution is kept in a reservoir and, at periods set on a timer, nutrient solution is pumped from the reservoir, through the dripper line and delivered to the plant via the dripper. The nutrient solution works its way
through the medium and over the roots of your plants, draining out through the growing medium and drawing oxygen into the root zone. Feeding small doses of water and nutrient at frequent periods throughout the day means that the growing medium will not get totally saturated. Thus, there will always be plenty of oxygen present around the roots of the plant – this ensures healthy development and faster growth. periods is increased. The amount of nutrient solution used by the plant is easily
measured and this allows you to tailor the number of feeds to achieve the optimum growth and yields.
Drip irrigation offers something for every grower, from the soil lover who just wants to keep their pots automatically watered, to the hydro expert who is looking to measure the nutrient uptake of their crop on a daily basis and devise the perfect
feeding schedule for their own growing environment.
Why drip irrigation over handwatering pots?
take up more water and nutrients than they would with hand-watering, feeding little and often throughout the day is healthier than giving one large feed every other day.
In a drip irrigation system you aren’t plants using lines and drippers, but rather than draining back into the nutrient reservoir the solution runs out of the growing medium and into a waste tank or drain – it is not reused. Run-to-waste systems tend to be used in commercial-scale cultivation, the main benefit being that the nutrient solution is always fresh and con-
The AquaFarm: A single-drip ring powered by an air pump
The ever-popular Wilma drip irrigation system
tains the optimum balance of elements. Many large-scale Cannabis growers use run-to-waste systems as they are very simple to set up, reduce the watering workload and produce great results. Plants can be grown in pots filled with growing media or in rockwool or coir slabs. One major benefit of run-to-waste dripper systems is that they are so easy to expand. Extra lines and drippers can be added to the system easily.
Just make sure that the solution runoff is contained properly. A full hundred liters of nutrient solution leaking out of your system is likely to bring some unwanted attention to your grow! plant, full cycle, in a drip ring system or get the most from a small number of plants in a 1.2 m tent with a pot dripper system.
Quick Q&A with a Pot Dripper Grower:
When can plants be transferred to the system?
Just as soon as they are root-bound in their starter medium, you should see white roots on the outside of the block or pot.
How should plants be spaced?
In a pot system the spacing is already decided. You can get them with the pots closely spaced for a Sea of Green or spaced far apart if you want to grow some trees!
Will plants need to be supported?
Not in a pot dripper system because there is plenty of medium around the roots, but if you are using drippers and slabs then you will need to use some kind of plant support.
So, there you have it – commercial growing techniques are available to the home grower. If you are looking for a simple setup and big yields, then get dripping!
For what type of grower is drip irrigation suitable?
As drip irrigation is such a flexible method and there are so many styles of system available, there is something for every grower. system so that they can concentrate on maintaining their growing environment should try a pot dripper system. a hydro system that allows them to monitor nutrient uptake and set an
optimum feeding schedule to maximize yield should try a pot dripper system with a hydro medium, such as clay pebbles, or try a Dutch dripper system.
Aqua trays are a key component of the Dutch dripper system a custom built run-to-waste system where they can spread out their plants in a large area and feed them from one reservoir.
The Three Steps to Drip Irrigation Heaven:
1. Use the correct dripper for the growing medium. Drippers are available in a wide range of sizes and flow rates. If you are growing in a free-draining medium like clay, use an unre-
stricted dripper. This will allow the nutrient solution to flow over the roots as quickly as the pump will allow, and will pull lots of oxygen into the root zone as it drains through the medium. If you are using an absorbent medium such as soil, cocos or rockwool use a dripper that restricts the flow rate, otherwise the growing medium will become saturated. A two-liter per hour dripper set on a fifteen-minute feed will deliver half a liter of nutrient solution to the plant – ideal for most plants. 2. Increase the number of flood periods as your plants mature and increase in size.
This will ensure you get the maximum
growth and the biggest yields. When using clay pebbles, set the timer to two fifteen-minute flood periods per day for young plants. As plants grow, you can increase to a maximum of one fifteen-minute feed per hour. You will need to perform a complete solution change every one to two weeks. When growing in an absorbent medium set the timer to just one fifteen-minute flood period per day for young plants. As they grow, increase to a maximum of four fifteen-minute feeds per day. When using an absorbent growing medium you should run the system to minimize runoff, and perform a complete nutrient solution change every two weeks – or sooner if the solution level is running low. 3. Use an anti-blocking agent. A dripper line has a small internal diameter and over the course of a full grow – eight to fourteen weeks, depending on the strain – there is the potential for these dripper lines to become blocked, particularly if you use concentrated mineral nutrients and stimulators (and if you want the biggest amount of bud possible, you will be!) Adding an antiblocking agent to your reservoir will keep things flowing freely.
Greetings from far northern California! As harvest time winds down and Halloween nears, I thought you might want to throw a party with cupcakes… cupcakes… and more cupcakes! I like these beautiful little cupcakes, so light, so fluffy – so inviting, and so darn stony!
Canna-Cupcakes
KILLER KEY LIME CUPCAKES
1 package yellow cake mix (15¼ ounces) 2 eggs 2/3 cup Cannabis-infused cooking oil ¼ cup water 2 teaspoons lime zest, divided 3 tablespoons key lime juice 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 ounces)
1 container frozen whipped topping, thawed ½ cup sweetened flaked coconut
Prepare the cake batter according to package directions in a large mixing bowl; stir in one teaspoon lime zest. Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees for eighteen to twenty minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean; cool the cupcakes completely.
Mix the remaining teaspoon lime zest, lime juice and sweetened condensed milk in a small bowl. Reserve a half cup of the lime mixture in a separate bowl; gently fold in frozen whipped topping. Chill this mixture for at least an hour.
Cut a small hole in the center of each cupcake in an inverted cone shape, so it narrows toward the center of the cupcake. Spoon about two teaspoons of remaining lime mixture into each hole; replace the tops. Spread the whipped topping mixture from the fridge on cupcakes; sprinkle with coconut (I used sprinkles on these, as I don’t really care for coconut but I do love those sprinkles). Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
SPICED HARVEST PUMPKIN CUPCAKES
4 eggs, slightly beaten ¾ cup canna-oil 2 cups sugar 1 can pumpkin (15 ounces) 1¾ cups all-purpose flour ¼ cup corn starch 4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda ¾ teaspoon salt
1 package cream cheese, softened (8 ounces) 3 tablespoons canna-butter, softened 1 tablespoon orange juice 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1½ teaspoons freshly-grated orange peel 4 cups powdered sugar
Blend eggs, oil, sugar and pumpkin in large mixing bowl; set aside. Stir together dry ingredients in separate bowl. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and beat until well blended. Pour into lined muffin tins, filling about twothirds full. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for thirty minutes or until center springs back when touched. Cool completely before frosting.
Beat cream cheese and canna-butter until fluffy. Add remaining ingredients and beat until smooth. Spread over cooled cupcakes.
PEANUT BUDDER CUPCAKES
1 cup water 18 miniature peanut butter cups
11/3 cups vanilla frosting 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Spoon about two tablespoons of batter into each paper-lined muffin cup. Place a peanut butter cup in each; fill two-thirds full with remaining batter. Bake at 350 degrees for twenty to twenty-five minutes, or until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in cake portion comes out clean. Cool for ten minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
In a small bowl, combine frosting and peanut butter until smooth. Frost cooled cupcakes; drizzle with chocolate ganache and top with a peanut butter cup.
LUSCIOUS LEMONADE CUPCAKES
½ cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed 1 package white cake mix (18¼ ounces) 1 container sour cream (8 ounces) 3 ounces cream cheese, softened 3 eggs, beaten 2 tablespoons lemon zest
8 ounces cream cheese, softened ½ cup canna-butter, softened 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 package powdered sugar (16 ounces) Chopped lemon drops; garnish
Combine lemonade concentrate, cake mix, sour cream, three ounces cream cheese, eggs and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl; beat until well mixed. Fill paper-lined muffin cups twothirds full. Beat together eight ounces cream cheese and butter until smooth. Blend in vanilla. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Pipe frosting on cooled cupcakes; garnish with chopped lemon drop candy.
CANATONIC CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
2 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups sugar ½ teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ cup canna-butter ¾ cup water 2 large eggs ¾ cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla 4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl. Mix at low speed for thirty seconds, then scrape bowl. Mix at high speed for three minutes. Fill liners two-thirds full of batter. Bake twenty to twenty-five minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool ten minutes in pans, then remove from pan, place on wire racks to cool completely.
Frost when chocolate cupcakes are completely cooled. Top with some chocolate sauce and, of course, some broken dark chocolate pieces. For the perfect, over-the-top chocolate treat, these little cupcakes can’t be beat!
ORANGE KUSH CUPCAKES
½ cup canna-butter, softened 1 cup sugar 2 eggs, beaten 1¾ cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder ½ cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed Zest of one orange
1 package vanilla frosting Orange zest strips to garnish
Beat together butter and sugar in large mixing bowl until mixed thoroughly; add eggs, then orange juice, mixing after each. In a separate, small bowl thoroughly combine flour and baking powder; add powder mixture to orange juice, egg and butter mixture. Mix well. Stir in orange zest (if desired).
Fill paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 375 degrees for about fifteen minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean; cool the cupcakes completely.
Spread vanilla frosting on cooled cupcakes and garnish with orange zest strips.
SUPERDUPER SQUASH CUPCAKES
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, halved and seeded ¾ cup canna-butter, divided 12/3 cups flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground ginger ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 cup brown sugar ½ cup granulated sugar 2 eggs
1 cup sugar 1 quart whole milk ¼ teaspoon baking soda, dissolved in ½ tablespoon water 1 vanilla bean pod
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3 tablespoons maple sugar 5 tablespoons butter, divided 4 ounces cream cheese 2 tablespoons whipping cream ¼ teaspoon from the remains of your vanilla bean Dash of salt 1½ cups powdered sugar Ginger salt and cooked bacon, crumbled
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice squash into four equal pieces and place in a baking dish. Top each with a pat of butter and roast in the oven for thirty to forty-five minutes or until very tender. Mash with a potato masher or a fork until squash becomes a thick puree. Set aside to cool.
Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners. Melt remaining butter and set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. In another bowl, whisk sugars, eggs, and one cup of the cooled squash puree. Slowly whisk in cooled melted butter. Pour squash mixture into flour mixture and fold to combine. Using a cupcake scoop, fill lined muffin cups three-quarters full. Bake for twenty to twenty-five minutes or until a tester inserted in the center cake comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before inverting tins.
Prepare caramel filling by first splitting open your vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape out about one-quarter teaspoon and set aside for the icing. Toss the bean, along with the sugar and milk, into a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Simmer, stirring constantly, over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda mixture. Once bubbling subsides, return to heat. Bring to a brisk simmer, but not a boil. Cook, stirring regularly, until milk begins to turn golden. This takes about an hour. Continue stirring and cooking until milk begins to brown, making sure it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Once a soft ball begins to form, the caramel is ready. Remove from heat and remove vanilla bean.
Fill cupcakes by cutting a small cone shape from the top of each. Spoon warm caramel into the hole and sprinkle with ginger salt. Top with maple brown butter icing and garnish with more ginger salt and bacon, if you dare.
Icing: In a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, whisk two tablespoons of canna-butter and maple sugar until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Whisk in cream. Pour into a small bowl, stirring to cool.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat remaining butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in salt and the reserved quarter teaspoon of vanilla. While beating, slowly pour in cooled butter mixture and continue mixing until smooth. Add powdered sugar a half-cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Chill for twenty minutes before icing cupcakes.
I garnish these tasty cupcakes with a Twix-like bar and a bit of caramel ganache. Just one of these delicious cupcakes will take you sleepytime land – eat one just before going to bed with a glass of milk, and be prepared to sleep heavily through the night!
Transition Time Now that summer is over and the nights are growing longer, the cold weather is beginning to set in – throughout the more northerly latitudes, at least.
In the southernmost extremes, the risk of frost is minimal. However, anywhere north of the subtropical zones growers will be thinking about wrapping up the year’s cultivation efforts and harvesting their crops, before frost and damp affects the quality. Kali Mist
Simultaneously, an army of indoor growers will be sighing in relief as they contemplate a winter of easily-controlled temperatures, reduced air-conditioning bills and increased yields. The same high-powered lamps that cause grow rooms to reach excessive temperatures in summer magically transform into the gentle warmth needed to maintain a steady room temperature during autumn and winter months.
In areas of high police presence, this time of year is a precarious one for indoor cultivators – the temperature gradient caused by hot air venting from grow rooms is sharper now, as the air outside grows colder, and is far more obvious to infrared sensors. At this time, it is crucial to make use of a recirculation chamber, so that air exiting the grow room is at the same temperature as all other ventilation points. For greenhouse growers, now is the time to use supplementary lighting, as the days are getting shorter, and the sunlight is rapidly losing intensity. Passive solar energy collectors, such as large containers of water (which warm during the day and slowly release their heat at night) can also be an invaluable asset to the greenhouse grower as the temperature drops. This greenhouse crop will need extra lighting to finish (© Van Mij)
