1488 lines
81 KiB
Plaintext
1488 lines
81 KiB
Plaintext
THE BEGINNERS'S GUIDE TO HASH-GROWING
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This book is the result of a couple of amateur gardeners coming across a
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wealth of desktop publishing equipment, while enjoying the fruits of their
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labours. It is heavily based on other booklets we have read, some of which
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were so badly typed that we just had to do something about it.
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Some of the inaccuracies of the old document have been removed,
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Americanization (sic.) has been translated, and a few improvements have been
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made.
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As you will discover, growing your own is not just a cheap way of getting it.
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You also ensure you are smoking ONLY pot, and obtain a great deal of
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satisfaction from watching your plants grow from a tiny seed to a six-foot
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tall monster. It also does wonders for the balance of world trade.
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You may have tried to grow hemp plants before, usually just by bunging a few
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seeds in a flower pot on the windowsill and crossing your fingers. You
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probably got an anaemic thin plant about 2-3 feet tall which probably gave you
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a mild buzz. This book tells you how to grow 'em a little bigger than that,
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and how to increase the yield of the end result by two to four times.
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An indoor garden will produce about 16 ounces of grass every six months. The
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gardens are really quite simple to build, the only technical knowledge being
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the wiring of a fluorescent tube. Basically, you just hang a fluorescent light
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that can be raised and lowered over some pots with a good soil mixture. All
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the materials you need are available at nurseries, garden shops and DIY
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stores.
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Homegrown grass is bright green, and tastes pure and clean. Once you have
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experienced the pleasure of working with nature and enjoying clean, clear
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highs, we doubt that you'll ever want to buy commercial grass again. If you
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really want hash oil or resin, you can follow the method in a book called "Dr
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Atomic" - soon to be plagarised, but there's nothing wrong with straight
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grass. After all, it isn't costing you much.
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Marijuana is an especially rewarding plant to cultivate because it is one of
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the fastest growing and most responsive plants. The Hemp plant (Cannabis
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Satavia) is highly adaptive and grown all round the world. Under optimum
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conditions, it may grow up to twenty feet high. If you're growing it outdoors,
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make sure you have a very high fence !
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Such giants usually grow in tropical and semi-tropical zones, where they
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flourish in the strong sunlight. There are male and female plants as well as
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hermaphrodites (that's male and female parts on the same plant).
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INDOOR CULTIVATION
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The Indoor Garden
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Under artificial light, marijuana grows very fast; about 3-6 feet in three
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months. As you want the lights fairly close to the plants, you must arrange
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the lights so that their height can be altered. Hang the fixtures by a rope or
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chain from the walls or ceiling, or from the top of a frame at least 6 feet
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high, constructed of 2" X 2"s. The bar for hanging clothes on in a wardrobe
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works quite well if it is high enough. Try to obtain an industrial type light
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fixture with a built-in reflector, so that no light is lost. If your fixtures
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are not equipped with reflectors, mount them on a sheet of white painted
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plywood, make a reflector from white posterboard, or (at a pinch) sheets of
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white cartridge paper. Don't use aluminium foil (see later).
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Ten watts of tube power for each square foot of growing area is adequate for
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healthy growth, but for a fast growing, lush crop, use at least 20 watts per
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square foot. The size and shape of your garden should correspond to the light
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system, so if the garden is 1 X 4 feet, use 2 four-foot tubes (80 watts). If
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the garden is 8 X 2 feet, use 4 eight-foot tubes. One eight -foot tube emits
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more light than 2 four-foot tubes, so try to use as few tubes as possible.
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Marijuana can absorb up to 80 watts per square foot. Increasing the amount of
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light will increase the growth rate, and the quality of your plants.
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The garden should be surrounded by reflective surfaces to contain all of the
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light. This will increase the efficiency of the lighting significantly and the
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light will be nearly uniform throughout out the garden until the fixtures are
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more than 2 feet high. A flat white paint is a better reflecting surface that
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aluminium foil or glossy white paint. Flat white has about the same reflecting
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capacity as aluminium foil, but reflects the light more uniformly. Paint walls
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flat white, and hang posterboard, white plastic curtain, thick white paper
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etc. on any open sides from the top of the fixture or frame. Sticking white
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card over the inside of your wardrobe is fine if you can find the white card
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for free. If your reflectors are the only enclosure for your plants, make them
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waterproof, and they will insure a healthy humidity by containing moisture
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evaporating from the soil and transpired by the plants.
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Don't rely on training pets to stay out of the garden. Cats know damn well
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what the stuff is, and they may chew the leaves or consume the best parts of
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several plants. Dogs aren't much better either. Scratching in soil is in and
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animals' nature. After all, look at all that time you spent teaching Tibbles
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to use the litter tray. One moment of weakness can destroy months of work (see
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"cuttings" in case of dire emergency). If the garden is accessible to pets,
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surround it with chicken wire or heavy plastic. Ironmongers sell plastic on
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rolls, and inexpensive plastic dropcloths. Cover the floor with plastic too.
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It will protect your floor (and, if you're in a flat, your neighbours ceiling)
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from possible water damage. The last thing you want is the council sniffing
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around for leaks !
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Artificial Light
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The most effective and efficient artificial light for plant growth is
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fluorescent light. There now follows a (very) brief physics lesson: The white
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light you see emitted by a fluorescent bulb consists of all the colours of the
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spectrum. The designation - Daylight, Warm White, Gro-lux, Optima, etc. - give
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a heavy clue to what particular combination of bits of the spectrum each bulb
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generates. Plants respond primarily to red and blue light, and for healthy
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growth, a combination of these two colours must be provided. Blue light
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stimulates leaf growth, produces short, stocky stems, and encourages robust
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development. Red light is used for stem and root growth, and to promote
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flowering.
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The best fluorescent tubes are those that are specifically manufactured to
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give out light useful to plants, and have a distinct purple hue. Some of these
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are the Standard Gro-lux, Wide Spectrum Gro-lux, and plant Gro.
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Sizes suitable for growing marijuana are 4,6, and 8 feet long. Regular
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wattages for all of these tubes are about 10 watts for each foot of their
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length (80 watts for an eight-foot tube). They also come in higher wattage
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sizes. These are Power Twists, High Output (HO) and Very High Output (VHO)
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tubes, the largest being a 215 watt, eight-foot tube. These high output tubes
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are not always available, and tend to come a little on the expensive side. You
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only really need to use them in an exceptionally large garden.
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Regular fluorescent tubes can be used if you can't get Gro-tubes. They don't
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work quite as well, but they will grow a perfectly healthy crop, and usually
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work out more than a little cheaper. Daylight, or Cool White tubes can be used
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in conjunction with either Natural White or traditional (plug-in) bulbs.
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Normal bulbs and Natural White both provide the red component of light, while
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the others tend towards the blue end. Use them in a one to one ratio, evenly
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distributing the red and blue sources. Compared to the fluorescent tube, the
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traditional lightbulb is about one third as efficient, has a much shorter
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life, and can cause problems with it's excess heat. Not only might it scorch
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your plants, it could set the whole house up if you haven't supported the
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lights properly. But think what a wonderful time the fire-brigade would have
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....
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Pots and Containers
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Plants can be started in flower pots, milk crates, institutional size tin
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cans, polystyrene packaging, plastic jugs, or practically any container that
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is waterproof, at least 4" wide, and doesn't mind having a few holes punched
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in the bottom of it for drainage. Grow-bags are suitable, but will need holes
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punched in the bottom for drainage, and will probably need their pH checked.
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A single large box has the advantage of giving more room for the roots to
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spread out, but requires a lot more soil and makes moving, lighting and
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rotating the plants impractical.
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In it's natural state, marijuana sends down a tap root up to half the length
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of the plant. Apart from the fact that there aren't many three-foot deep plant
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pots about, trying to simulate natural conditions would be impractical in
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terms of weight, space, cost and labour.
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The purpose of the soil (not necessarily ordinary dirt) is to provide water
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and nutrients, and to anchor the plant down. With strict attention to proper
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watering and fertilizing techniques, a six-foot plant can be grown in a
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four-inch pot. The plant will, however, grow much better in a series of
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successively larger pots - six to ten inch pots are a good median size, and
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aren't too heavy to move around when necessary.
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Use as many pots as you can fit under the lighting system. The pots can always
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be thinned out if the plants become too crowded. Choose pots that are at least
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as wide at the top as the bottom, so that the soil can breath and dry out more
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easily.
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Wash all cans, crates and pots etc thoroughly to remove any contaminants and/
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or insects. Boil clay pots for ten minutes to sterilize them. Some plastic,
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and most clay, utensils can be dampened and put in a microwave for ten minutes
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instead.
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Soil Preparation
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Marijuana grows best in a well-drained sandy soil or loam which is high in
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nitrogen and potash, at least medium in phosphorous, and which contains little
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or no clay. The pH should be between slightly acidic (6.5) and slightly
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alkaline (7.5). If the pH is either too low or too high it will interfere with
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nutrient uptake. The pH is measured on a scale of 0 to 14 with 7.0 assigned as
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neutral. pH is a measure of the relative concentrations of hydroxonium ions
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(H3O+) to hydroxide ions (OH2-). Several varieties of test kits and meters can
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be purchased from garden stores which test the pH and nutrient contents of the
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soil. Litmus paper (purple or blue) can be obtained from some chemists. Many
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agricultural schools or colleges will test soil pH and nutrient contents for a
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nominal fee.
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Soil pH is raised to an acceptable level by adding slaked (hydrated) lime,
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limestone and marl. There is no set formula we can give for raising the pH. At
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a low pH it takes less time to raise the level by one point than it does when
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the pH is nearer to neutral (7.0). Sandy soils require less lime than clay
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soils to raise the pH. In general, if the soil tests acid, add 2 cups of
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hydrated lime for each 50 lb bag of soil. On a more modest scale, this works
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out at roughly one tablespoon for every 1 1/2 lbs of soil. Wet the soil
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thoroughly after mixing. Re-test the soil in about 2 weeks, and repeat the
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application until the pH is in an acceptable range. Soil that is too alkaline
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is treated in the same way, but with aluminium sulphate at a rate of 1/2 cup
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per 50 lbs of soil.
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If you are digging up your soil, sift it well to remove stones and root clods.
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Bake the soil in a 200 degree centigrade oven for twenty minutes in one-inch
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layers, in a pressure cooker at 15 lbs/sq in pressure, or in a microwave on
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full for ten minutes (make doubley sure there are no foreign particles in it).
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This will destroy any weed seeds, insect eggs and disease organisms in the
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soil.
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It is, much, much, simpler to buy commercially prepared soils. These are
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usually sterilised (but if the bag has been opened or holed, sterilize again
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anyway) and have a good balance of nutrients. Ask for soil with a neutral pH.
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Some nursery-men (and women) will sell you anything, so check the pH anyway
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and reject any soil for "lime-hating" plants.
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We have had good results from some brands using composted seaweed as an
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ingredient.
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The consistency and structure of the soil is important for healthy root
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development, drainage and uniform water dispersion. The medium should not cake
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when dry (this rules out John Innes No. 3) and should remain spongy or loose
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when wet. Test the consistency,and adjust it if necessary.
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To test the consistency of the soil, lightly moisten some and squeeze it in
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your fist. The ball should crumble easily when touched. Soil consistency can
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be adjusted by adding perlite, vermiculite, sand or kitty litter.
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Perlite and vermiculite are inexpensive commercial products which are much
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lighter than sand and are sterile. Vermiculite absorbs and holds water and air
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in its fibre. Perlite traps moisture and air on its irregular surface much
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like sand. Sphagnum or peat moss is often used to adjust soils, but should not
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be used for marijuana as it tends to make the mix acidic. If you have alkaline
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soil to start with though, you might get away with it.
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Soils found deficient in nutrient content can be enriched by adding humus
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(decayed organic matter) or fertilizers such as rose food, liquinure etc.
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Humus is acidic and can alter the pH.
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Soil-less mixtures are inexpensive and easy to prepare. They work well, are
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neutral in pH and light in weight, but have absolutely no nutrient content.
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They must be carefully fertilized and are not recommended for an inexperienced
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grower. It is all too easy to over- or under-fertilize the plants.
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Two tested formulas are:
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1) One part perlite or sand to one part vermiculite and 1 tbsp of lime per
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quart of mixture.
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2) One part perlite or sand to one part Jiffy Mix and 1 tbsp of lime per quart
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of mixture.
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You can mix three parts of the soil-less mixture to one part cow manure, or
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rely solely on soluble fertilizers when watering.
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Simple Guidelines
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Some of you who are not familiar with gardening may be a little over-whelmed
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by all this talk of pH, nitrogen etc... so here is a simple uncomplicated
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formula for those of you with no experience with plants:
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Buy commercial soil. Avoid brands that have peat in their names, and not just
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because peat is an over-exploited resource. It is very unlikely that a
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commercial soil will be too alkaline for healthy growth, but it may well be
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too acidic. The simplest way to assure yourself your soil is not too acidic,is
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to put a piece of damp blue litmus paper (blue litmus is available from some
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chemists and garden centres) under the surface of the soil. Wait a few minutes
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and then take it out. It will not harm the soil - litmus comes from a lichen.
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If the paper turns pink, the soil is acidic and lime must be added. Mix two
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cups of slaked (hydrated) lime, from your garden store, to each 50 lbs of
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soil. Don't add lime if the paper remains blue. If you find yourself asking
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"is this paper pink, purple or just wet ?", then the soil is probably slightly
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acidic and within an acceptable range for healthy growth.
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Mix 10 lbs of natural, sterilized fertilizer (usually based on cow manure or
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chickenshit) to each 50 lbs of soil. If you have some aversion to muck, or
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don't like the smell (well rotted manure doesn't smell, by the way) then you
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can use a soluble fertilizer when watering. We use a brand called
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'phostrogen', which seems to work well. By volume, also mix in one part of
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sand, perlite or vermiculite for every three parts of your soil. This helps
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maintain the right soil texture for healthy root growth.
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After potting and watering, the mixture should be re-tested in about a
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fortnight if it tested acidic to begin with.
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If it is still acidic, add hydrated lime by mixing one tbsp of lime per quart
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of water, the first few times you water. Test your water supply by dipping a
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piece of litmus in plain water to determine if it is influencing your tests.
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To pot any of the mixtures, cover the drainage holes with a square of
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newspaper or window screen to prevent soil from running out. Next, put in a
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layer of sand, perlite, vermiculite or kitty litter about one inch deep to
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ensure good drainage. Fill the pots to within 3/4 inch from the top of the pot
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with the soil mixture. Water the pots until the soil is evenly moist, and
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allow the pots to stand for a day or two so that bacteria necessary for
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nutrient uptake can begin to grow and the fertilizers can start to dissolve
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into the soil.
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Seeds and Germination
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The potency of marijuana is, in part, hereditary. Choose your seeds from the
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best grass available. Different strains grow at different rates. For
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uniformity of growth, take all seeds from the same batch of grass. This will
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help when it comes to lining them up under lights.
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Hemp seeds from angling suppliers are very variable in quality and germination
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rate. They are treated, but about one in twenty still manage to sprout. Only
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use those that form sprouts over a centimetre long.
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Choose seeds for their size and colour. The large plump ones with good colour,
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black, brown, grey or mottled - have the best chance of germinating. Seeds
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that are old, badly bruised or immature (green or white) are probably not
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viable. If they are all you can get, you'll have to plant a lot of them and
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hope that some exceptional specimens "take".
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Seeds are rarely viable after about three years, and should be stored in an
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airtight container. The crisper section in your refrigerator is an ideal
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place; dark and cool. You can get some idea of the viability by placing a seed
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between your thumb and fore-finger. If the seed does not crumble when pressed
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hard, it is probably viable.
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Many books recommend that a germination box should be built to start the seeds
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in. This is an extra hassle that is not necessary. Transplanting the seedlings
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from one medium to another often subjects them to transplant shock, which will
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delay growth. With the following procedure you'll not have any problems.
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Soak the seeds overnight in a glass of water or in wet towels to give them a
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head start in the water absorbtion stakes. Adding about a teaspoon of
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"Domestos" (double for thin bleaches) to half a pint of water will prevent
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fungus forming on the seeds. It does not harm the seeds in any way, believe
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me.
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Poke 5 or 6 holes about 1/4 - 1/2 inch deep and evenly spaced in each pot.
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Place one seed in each hole and cover lightly with soil. Carefully, so as not
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to disturb the seeds, moisten the soil and keep it moist until the seeds have
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sprouted.
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If you are using a bulk lot of not very viable seeds, put them in a seed tray
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with 1 1/4" of seed and cutting compost in the bottom. Moisten with a sprayer
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and, as mould from rotting seeds will be a problem, spray with "Benomyl" or
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another fungicide if you know of a better one. Scatter many seeds over the
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surface, sprinkle compost over the top to only just cover the seeds, and
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dampen with water and fungicide. Put an incubator top on, or put it inside a
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clear plastic bag. These precautions are not necessary with good seeds, but
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then the ones you find in bird-seed aren't particularly renowned for their
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quality.
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The seeds will sprout in three to fourteen days, depending on their variety
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and viability. If you have only a few seeds and want to give them the best
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chance possible, plant them pointed end up. The seedling will then expend the
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least amount of energy breaking through the soil. This is not critical and is
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unnecessary if you have plenty of seeds.
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Light System and Germination
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Some say that you need to light the seeds during germination. We have found
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that it makes little difference, and that normal daylight and room
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temperatures are fine.
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Once the seeds have sprouted, place the light two to six inches above the top
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of the plants and maintain this distance for the duration of growth. The short
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distance between the light and the plant will encourage the seedling to
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develop with a stocky stem rather than a long, fragile one. At some stages the
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plants grow a couple of inches a day, so you may have to adjust the lights
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several times a week. Usually, seeds will sprout 2-7 days after planting.
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Older seeds may take up to 3 weeks.
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It is important for the normal development of the plants that they receive a
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regulated day/night cycle. We emphatically recommend that you use an automatic
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electric timer, so that your plants will not suffer from your irregular hours,
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dirty weekends, or forgetfulness. Once the seeds begin to sprout, set the
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timer cycle for 18 hours of light a day, and leave it on this setting for the
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duration of your garden (see the section on Photoperiod).
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It is best to set the timer so that your plants are not disturbed by any light
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during their night period. If they are subjected to even a dim light too often
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during the night cycle, the plants' growth pattern may be disrupted and they
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may develop abnormally. If you use a light in the growing area, use a green
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bulb. Plants are not sensitive to the green spectrum.
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Watering
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Plants growing under artificial light have a long photoperiod, and no cloudy
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days, so they grow extremely fast; one and a half feet per month is not
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unusual. This means that the plants will use a lot of water. Since the space
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around your plants is limited, you'll have to water them fairly often. This
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does not mean watering them daily, or keeping the pots saturated. Plants grown
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in a continuously wet soil are slower growing, and probably less potent than
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normal. They often develop stem rot. Allow the pots to go through a wet and
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dry cycle. This will add in nutrient uptake, especially on potassium, and
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aerate the soil. In general, when the soil one inch deep is dry to touch,
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water it enough so that the soil is saturated but not so much that water runs
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out of the drainage holes, carrying away the soils valuable nutrients.
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Self-watering plant pots are fine for keeping the plants alive while you go
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off on holiday, but try not to use them in their intended role of keeping the
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soil continuously moist.
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If you underwater your plants, they will wilt. Plant cells are kept rigid by
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the pressure of the cell contents (mostly water). With the water gone, they
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collapse. First the bottom leaves droop, and the condition works itself up the
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plant until the top lops over. If a plant wilts, water it immediately, and it
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will recover within a few minutes. This happens so fast you can actually
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follow the movement of the water as it goes up the plant.
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There is no way we can tell you exactly how often to water your garden. Light,
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temperature, humidity and the size of the plants and pots are only a few of
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many variables that determine the water uptake.
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Try to reach a median. Don't keep the pots constantly moist, and don't wait
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until the plant dries out and keels over. Use some common sense, we have found
|
|
it in some members of the community. A six-foot plant in a four-inch pot will
|
|
have to be saturated almost every day. Large containers (10" width or more)
|
|
should not be watered to saturation, especially if the plants are small. They
|
|
will not dry out quickly enough and will encourage mould. Clay pots are porous
|
|
and "breath". They require more water than plastic or metal pots.
|
|
|
|
Don't disturb the roots when you water. Water around the stems, not on them.
|
|
Seedlings are likely to fall over if watered roughly. Use a hand sprinkler
|
|
with a fine spray for seedlings. When set on a coarse jet, these sprays are
|
|
invaluable for discouraging cats from sniffing the seedlings.
|
|
|
|
Use tepid water, it soaks into the soil more easily and will not shock the
|
|
roots. Try to water during the plants morning hours. Water from the top of the
|
|
pot. Refill the watering container then, and leave it ready for next time. Not
|
|
only will it all be ready, but the water will be at room temperature, and most
|
|
of the chlorine will have evaporated (see later).
|
|
|
|
Water from the top of the pot. If you insist on watering from the bottom with
|
|
trays, place a layer of gravel or pebbles in the trays to ensure drainage.
|
|
Don't let the pots sit in the water until the soil becomes super-saturated.
|
|
This prevents oxygen uptake and the plants will grow poorly.
|
|
|
|
The tap water in some areas is acidic (sulphurous) or alkaline (limestone) and
|
|
can change the soil pH. If you are in such an area, check the pH every week or
|
|
so.
|
|
|
|
Tap water in some locales is highly chlorinated. The chlorine does not harm
|
|
the plants, but it can kill the micro-organisms in the soil that are necessary
|
|
to break down nutrients to a form that the plants can use. Allowing
|
|
chlorinated water to stand overnight will eliminate most of the chlorine gas
|
|
and it can then be used safely.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thinning
|
|
|
|
Depending on the viability of the seeds, you will have a germination rate of
|
|
0-100 % and several plants should be growing in each pot. During the second to
|
|
fourth week of growth, the plants will begin to crowd each other. Thin your
|
|
garden so that one plant is left in each container.
|
|
|
|
The marijuana leaf consists of 3-11 lanceolate shaped blades. These appear
|
|
usually in odd numbers and the number depends on the genetic factors and
|
|
growing conditions; principally the amount of light. The number of blades at
|
|
the early stage is an indication of over-all leafiness at maturity.
|
|
|
|
To thin your garden, remove any plants with yellow, white or distorted leaves.
|
|
Also remove the less vigorous ones, and those with the sparsest foliage. Leave
|
|
the bushiest and those with the highest number of blades per leaf.
|
|
|
|
If the plants are close together, cut the unwanted plants at their base : the
|
|
root system can remain in the pot. Otherwise, make sure you do not disturb the
|
|
remaining plants' roots systems when you pull unwanted seedlings. Marijuana is
|
|
very sensitive to that sort of thing.
|
|
|
|
The tops of these harvested plants will be your first taste of your homegrown
|
|
grass. They will probably give you a mild buzz. The potency of the crop will
|
|
increase considerably as the plants grow older.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Transplanting
|
|
|
|
If there are any pots without plants, you should transplant a seedlings while
|
|
you are thinning.
|
|
|
|
First, moisten the soil in the pot from which you will take the plant, and let
|
|
it sit there for a few minutes. Take a spade or a large spoon, fish slice, wok
|
|
scoop or somesuch, and set it between the transplant and the plant that will
|
|
be left to grow. Try to leave at least one inch of space from the spoon to the
|
|
stem. Lever the spoon towards the side of the pot, so as to take up a good
|
|
wedge of soil. Place the transplant in a prepared hole at the same depth that
|
|
it was growing at before. Replace the soil in both pots, and moisten slightly
|
|
to bond the new soil with the original. If carefully done, a wedge of soil can
|
|
be removed intact, so the root system will not be disturbed and the plant will
|
|
survive with little or no transplant shock. Do not fertilize a transplant for
|
|
two weeks, and do not let them wilt.
|
|
|
|
To prevent drop-off and wilting from shock, you may want to use Rootone or
|
|
Transplantone. These powders, available at garden stores, contain a root
|
|
growth hormone and a fungicide. They are quite safe for our purposes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supports
|
|
|
|
Plants grown under artificial light will often need support, especially in the
|
|
early stages of growth. Unlike sunlight on earth, the intensity of artificial
|
|
light diminishes the further the distance from the light source. The plants
|
|
respond accordingly, and try to grow up into the light. Hanging the lights
|
|
higher up than the recommended six inches will further complicate this
|
|
elongation. Too much red light will cause elongation too, so make sure that
|
|
you include a strong blue light if you are using traditional lightbulbs. The
|
|
blue band will ease elongation somewhat, but the heaviest foliage will still
|
|
be on top, and the stem may not be able to support the weight.
|
|
|
|
Depending on the plant size, pipecleaners, plastic straws, chopsticks or
|
|
standard plant stakes can be used. Set them in the soil and tie the stem to it
|
|
with string or wire twists like those that come with freezer bags. Do not tie
|
|
too tightly around the stem, leave it very loose. Marijuana is a dicot, and
|
|
will grow in girth as well as length. Tying the string too tightly can cut off
|
|
the flow of water and nutrients as the stem grows larger.
|
|
|
|
Probably the simplest method of support is to take a rigid piece of wire, form
|
|
a 'C' at one end, bend the 'C' at a right angle to the stem, push the straight
|
|
end of the wire into the ground and carefully place the stem inside the 'C'.
|
|
Wire pipe cleaners are ideal for seedlings. With larger plants, coat hangers
|
|
can be straightened out and the same method used on a larger scale.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fertilizing
|
|
|
|
As the plants grow, they take nutrients from the soil. These nutrients must be
|
|
replaced if the plants are to stay healthy and strong, and to maintain a rapid
|
|
rate of growth. The main elements are nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and
|
|
potassium (K). These are the three mystic numbers listed on the sides of
|
|
fertilizer packets: for example, 5-10-5. Calcium, magnesium, sulphur and iron
|
|
are used in much lesser amounts, as are minute quantities of many other
|
|
elements called trace elements or micro-nutrients. Each element affects
|
|
different characteristics in the plant and all are necessary for healthy
|
|
growth.
|
|
|
|
Nitrogen promotes rapid growth, lush foliage and stocky plants. During the
|
|
first few months of growth, marijuana needs a lot of nitrogen. An abundance of
|
|
nitrogen during the early stages will induce more female plants to develop.
|
|
Obviously, there will be more males if there is a shortage of nitrogen.
|
|
|
|
Phosphorous promotes root growth, and is necessary for healthy flower and seed
|
|
development. When flowering, marijuana uses about twice as much phosphorous as
|
|
it does during normal, vegetative growth.
|
|
|
|
Potassium regulates the utilisation of the nutrients by the plant. It
|
|
increases the vigour, strengthens stems, improves resistance to diseases, and
|
|
is essential for proper plant metabolism. The plant needs large amounts of
|
|
potassium during all stages of growth.
|
|
|
|
Calcium aids in the absorbtion of nutrients, neutralises soil acids, and
|
|
destroys some of the toxic compounds produced by the plant.
|
|
|
|
Testing the soil periodically is the surest way of maintaining a healthy
|
|
growing medium. Soil that tests high in nitrogen and potassium, and medium in
|
|
phosphorous will not have to be fertilized for a while. Soils found deficient
|
|
in one element can be treated with a singe component fertilizer.
|
|
|
|
When and how often to fertilize depends on the growing medium you started
|
|
with, the size of the pots, the health of the plants, and general growing
|
|
conditions. Normally, small pots (4 to 6 inches) should be fertilized about
|
|
three weeks after sprouting. Fish emulsion (5-2-5, for those who know the
|
|
magic numbers) is a good organic fertilizer. Dilute one teaspoon per gallon of
|
|
water and use each time you water for the first two months, and once every two
|
|
weeks thereafter. Chemical fertilizers such as Rapid-Gro (23-19-17),
|
|
Phostrogen, or Miracle-Gro (15-30-15) can be used in accordance with
|
|
instructions listed for houseplants. Don't use fertilizers recommended for
|
|
"acid-loving plants", and never add solid fertilizers such as cow manure once
|
|
the plants have started. They promote moulds that can do a lot more harm than
|
|
good.
|
|
|
|
Large pots (10 to 18 inches) need not be fertilized at all if the soil was
|
|
rich in nutrients to begin with.
|
|
|
|
Soil-less mixtures must be treated with a trace element mixture. Mix one
|
|
tablespoon per gallon of water the first time you water. Every six weeks
|
|
later, water with one teaspoon per gallon. Increase the treatment if the
|
|
plants show any trace-element deficiencies.
|
|
|
|
You can use any houseplant fertilizer. These also contain trace elements. An
|
|
ideal formulas ratio for producing the most desirable results at each of the
|
|
stages of the plant's life (rapid growth and profuse foliage in the beginning,
|
|
and good development during middle life, with high resin content during
|
|
flowering) is as follows:
|
|
|
|
|
|
N=Nitrogen, P=Phosphorous, K=Potassium
|
|
|
|
N P K
|
|
Start (2nd week) 20:5:15
|
|
2 months before flowering 10:5:15
|
|
During flowering 5:12:10
|
|
|
|
|
|
It is not necessary to fertilize in these ratios, only that the plants receive
|
|
enough of each element.
|
|
|
|
Use one tablespoon of micro-nutrient mix to each gallon of water during the
|
|
first week, and thereafter use once every six weeks.
|
|
|
|
One week after sprouting, water with fertilizer in dilutions recommended on
|
|
packages for large bushes and tomatoes. Repeat this application in the third,
|
|
fifth, and eighth weeks. Thereafter, fertilize in dilutions recommended for
|
|
houseplants once every two weeks until flowering starts.
|
|
|
|
Some words of caution: Many people, in an effort to do the best for their
|
|
plants, actually do the worst. Over-fertilizing will put excessive amounts of
|
|
soluble substances into the soil. They interfere with normal nutritional
|
|
processes and will cause poor growth and, in some cases, kill the plant.
|
|
|
|
For example, too much nitrogen will nitrify the soil and change its osmotic
|
|
properties. Instead of moisture being drawn into the plant, it is drawn away
|
|
and the plant dehydrates. In the limited area that your plant is occupying, it
|
|
is easy to overfertilize. If the plant looks healthy, and is growing well,
|
|
don't be anxious to fertilize. It is better that they are underfed rather than
|
|
overfed. Underfeeding can be recognised and corrected, but with
|
|
overfertilization, you must start another crop and replace or leach the soil
|
|
mix. It is better to use a diluted solution more often than to give one large
|
|
dose once a month.
|
|
|
|
Foliar feeding (spraying the leaves with fertilizer) is a good way to assure
|
|
the plants their nutrients without building up soluble substances in the soil.
|
|
After the first month, foliar feed the plants with fish emulsion or the
|
|
chemical fertilizers. Some of the chemical fertilizers are not recommended for
|
|
foliar feeding houseplants. Marijuana is not a houseplant. As long as the
|
|
fertilizer can be used for foliar feeding, use it on your plant. Use a fine
|
|
mist sprayer, they don't cost much and you should have one for watering your
|
|
seedlings anyway. Dilute fish emulsion to one teaspoon to a gallon and use
|
|
each time you water. Spraying with fish emulsion is a little smelly and may
|
|
change the flavour of the grass to a pleasant mint-like flavour. Dilute the
|
|
chemical fertilizers according to the directions on the packet, and spray
|
|
weekly.
|
|
|
|
The nutrients are absorbed through the leaf surface (both sides) and through
|
|
"breathing holes" (stomata) in the leaves. Occasionally spray with plain water
|
|
to redilute unabsorbed nutrients and to clean the plants.
|
|
|
|
If any plant has an unhealthy or discoloured appearance, make sure the problem
|
|
is not due to insect or disease before assuming a nutrient deficiency. Examine
|
|
the plants carefully, especially the undersides of leaves, along the stem and
|
|
in the soil.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Deficiency signs:
|
|
|
|
Nitrogen: plant colour is paler than normal. Yellowing of older leaves on the
|
|
main stem followed by yellowing of younger loaves with slow or no growth.
|
|
Yellowing of the leaves will occur after the plant is more than two and a half
|
|
feet tall since they are shielded by the upper leaves or are too far from the
|
|
lights to carry on chlorosynthesis.
|
|
|
|
Phosphorous: leaves are unnaturally dark green with slow growth. Poor
|
|
flowering and root structure.
|
|
|
|
Potassium: leaves are unnaturally dark green and curl under the edges.
|
|
Bronzing or yellowing starting on the edges of the older main stem leaves,
|
|
which then turn grey, followed by grey or bronze mottling of the whole leaf.
|
|
Stems are often soft and weak. This is the most common deficiency in indoor
|
|
plants.
|
|
|
|
The following deficiencies are not common; especially if you are using
|
|
fertilizers. If the plants are growing poorly, check the soil pH and drainage.
|
|
If the water stays in a pool and takes more than a minute or so to be
|
|
absorbed, then the soil is not draining properly. Leaves will brown at the
|
|
tips, turn pale or yellow and severely curl.
|
|
|
|
Calcium: growing tips wither and wilt. Buds may not develop.
|
|
|
|
Sulphur: young leaves have veins of light green.
|
|
|
|
Magnesium: older leaves are pale green or yellow, this soon spreads to the
|
|
whole plant.
|
|
|
|
Iron: young leaves are light green or yellow. Veins are darker green than
|
|
surrounding tissue giving leaves a varicose vein appearance.
|
|
|
|
Boron: young leaves are constricted and light green.
|
|
|
|
Zinc: abnormally small leaves with yellow or wrinkled edges. Sometimes
|
|
spotted. Sparse foliage, often having leaves at the top of the plant only.
|
|
|
|
Manganese: bleached out spots on the leaves.
|
|
|
|
Chlorine: general yellowing of leaves that turn copper or orange. Roots are
|
|
swollen at the ends.
|
|
|
|
Molybdenum: young leaves are distorted. Sometimes there is a yellowing of
|
|
leaves in the middle part of the plant.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Flowering
|
|
|
|
It is virtually impossible to recognise the gender of marijuana plants until
|
|
they begin to flower. The male plant is usually the taller and matures in
|
|
three to five months. Two weeks prior to flowering it will grow very fast
|
|
(internodes elongate) then shoots will sprout with clusters of small,
|
|
dangling, white, greenish white, yellow or purplish flowers that hang from
|
|
tiny branches along the main stem, on branches at the top of the main stem.
|
|
When mature, the flowers open and a yellow anther protrudes and wind disperses
|
|
the pollen.
|
|
|
|
The female plant, although shorter, is fuller, with more complex branching and
|
|
often twice as many leaves as the male. Her flower consists of a delicate,
|
|
downy white stigma raised in a "V" sign, which is attached at the base to an
|
|
ovary that looks like a tiny green pod. If fertilized, one seed will develop
|
|
in the ovary. When allowed to grow, the flowers develop into clusters or
|
|
"cones" which are interspersed with small green leaves known as bracts. The
|
|
female is the more desirable plant for marijuana cultivators since it produces
|
|
many more leaves, and is considerably more potent than the male.
|
|
|
|
Normally, male to female ratio in marijuana is about one to one. Genetic and
|
|
environmental conditions interact to determine gender. A strong light source,
|
|
long photoperiod, abundant nitrogen in early growth and much spacing between
|
|
plants stimulate female development. Poor growing conditions in general, such
|
|
as weak light, low nutrient availability, short or erratic photoperiod and
|
|
crowded conditions will produce more males.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rotation and Even Growth
|
|
|
|
The light intensity from artificial light drops dramatically as distance from
|
|
the light source increases. If you don't keep the plants at about the same
|
|
height, the shorter plants will receive less light and consequently will grow
|
|
more slowly than the tall ones. This will compound the problem.
|
|
|
|
One way to deal with uneven growth is to line the plants up by height and hang
|
|
the light system at an angle corresponding to the line of the plant tops.
|
|
|
|
If a few of your plants are markedly outgrowing the others, cut the growing
|
|
tip back to the height of the average plant. You may find this emotionally
|
|
difficult, but is all-important to the over-all health of your crop. Cutting
|
|
the top will not hurt it, but will force side branches to develop. Conversely,
|
|
if a few plants are much shorter, raise them by placing them on milk crates or
|
|
bricks. Don't put them on cardboard boxes: They collapse when wet.
|
|
|
|
Young plants about two weeks old can be cut back. This forces branches to
|
|
develop early and will quickly fill all available horizontal space. It is
|
|
helpful with large pots where there is much space between young plants.
|
|
Growing tips of branches can be cut back to encourage more branching. This
|
|
produces a stout bushy plant, and provides an immediate supply of grass. Don't
|
|
overdo it. Severe pruning can cause plants to develop into males.
|
|
|
|
The growing tip of the plant (apical meristem) contains an inhibitor that
|
|
prevents the branches (lateral buds) from growing. The further a lateral bud
|
|
is from a growing tip, the less the effect of this inhibitor. This is why some
|
|
species of plants form in the shape of a cone or christmas tree. Under
|
|
artificial light the bottom branches don't receive enough light to grow, even
|
|
though they are far enough from the inhibitor. Once the tip is removed, the
|
|
next highest growing tip will be the source of the inhibitor.
|
|
|
|
Some growers hate to cut the growing tip. It becomes the biggest and most
|
|
potent cone at harvest time. To save the tip, control height, and force
|
|
branching, bend the top of the stem down in an arc and secure it with string
|
|
or wire twists. This will neutralise the effects of the inhibitor somewhat and
|
|
still maintain a strong growing tip. The string or wire twist should be
|
|
removed after a couple of days so that the stem will not break itself by
|
|
twisting upward to the light source.
|
|
|
|
The quality and quantity of light emitted by a fluorescent is not uniform
|
|
along the length of the tube. There is more light at the centre than at the
|
|
ends. Female plants require more light than males. She is the more potent
|
|
plant and should be given the best care. Once the plant's sex shows, move the
|
|
males to the ends of the system, leaving the stronger middle light for the
|
|
females.
|
|
|
|
Photoperiod
|
|
|
|
Many plant functions are regulated by the quantity and quality of light, and
|
|
the length of the photoperiod (daylength). Marijuana is a short day (long
|
|
night) plant. The female produces flowers only when she senses the decrease of
|
|
daylength. In the autumn the shortening day is her signal to flower and
|
|
produce seeds for the next year's crop before winter sets in. Flowering in the
|
|
male does not depend on changes in the photoperiod. It flowers regardless of
|
|
daylength in three to five months, depending on the variety.
|
|
|
|
Although termed 'short day', it is during the night period that the chemical
|
|
reactions that control flowering occur if given a long enough and
|
|
uninterrupted dark period. The dark period must be constant and at least nine
|
|
hours long for the chemical buildup to be completed. By changing the light
|
|
period to less than 13 hours a day, the female responds by flowering profusely
|
|
in about 2 to 3 weeks. Females grown with a daylength of 16 or more hours may
|
|
flower, but will do so sparsely, and will not develop large flower clusters.
|
|
The longer the photoperiod the more pronounced this effect.
|
|
|
|
Before flowering, the leaf growth will be very fast. Once flowering begins,
|
|
the plant's energy goes to producing the flowers, and the leaf growth slows.
|
|
With this in mind, you can manipulate the photoperiod for either a
|
|
continuously growing vegetative state, or for flowering and a harvest crop.
|
|
|
|
The continuous growth system emphasizes leaf growth and a continuous supply of
|
|
gross. You can harvest the first grass, which will give you a buzz or better
|
|
in about two months, and have a steady supply of potent grass after about four
|
|
months. A one by four foot system will supply several joints a day. The grass
|
|
is not quite as potent as the harvest system, but will be of excellent quality
|
|
and will compare favourably with most commercial pot. The system is easy to
|
|
care for and supplies a large amounts of grass over a period of time.
|
|
|
|
The harvest method produces a crop every 4 to 9 months. The grass is very
|
|
potent and is at least as good as the best commercial pot. Although you may
|
|
gather a few leaves now and then, you'll have to wait until the crop is
|
|
harvested for a large supply. The system should produce a minimum of one ounce
|
|
of pot for each square foot of growing area. Of course, you can always be
|
|
enjoying the produce of the last garden while growing the current one.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Continuous Growth System
|
|
|
|
Use Vita-Lite, Optima, Wide Spectrum Gro-Lux, or combine Plant-Gro or Gro-Lux
|
|
in a one to one ratio with daylight tubes. The abundance of blue light will
|
|
emphasize leaf growth and not flowering. Do not use traditional lightbulbs.
|
|
The photoperiod should be kept constant at 18 hours of light a day for the
|
|
duration of the garden.
|
|
|
|
After two months the plants will be stocky and the area filled with foliage.
|
|
At this time the bottom leaves begin to yellow because they are shielded from
|
|
light or are too far away from it to carry out photosynthesis. Pick any leaf
|
|
as soon as it begins to yellow. Green leaves can also be picked sparingly
|
|
along with some of the leaf buds.
|
|
|
|
Flowers may develop after four months on a few plants and can be picked just
|
|
above the growing tip. New flowers will soon develop. Continue picking the
|
|
flowers until the plant loses its vitality. Females usually will continue to
|
|
grow for more than a year, but may lose their vitality after about 8 or 9
|
|
months. When a plant's health begins to decline, it should be uprooted and new
|
|
plants started in it's place. Seeds can be started or cuttings takey3 inches
|
|
below the growing tip of a healthy plant. Use cuttings only when you have an
|
|
especially fast-growing or potent plant. Root the cuttings directly in the
|
|
soil, using a transplant hormone such as Rootone, or Transplantone. Expect a
|
|
survival rate of 30 to 50 per cent. Do not fertilize cuttings for about two
|
|
weeks. The light system at this time will be quite high, so place the pots on
|
|
some sort of platform. In this way, your garden will be kept in a continuous
|
|
growing state with plants at different stages of growth giving you a constant
|
|
supply of potent grass.
|
|
|
|
If you decide to start over completely, or close the garden down, adjust the
|
|
photoperiod accordingly and convert to a harvest crop.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Harvest System
|
|
|
|
Under natural conditions, the female plant adjusts its flowering to the length
|
|
of the growing season. This is generally between 3 and 7 months, depending
|
|
upon region and time of planting. Once the plants go to seed, they usually
|
|
lose their vitality and soon die. Since you will be controlling the flowering
|
|
mechanism, your females can be anywhere between 2 and 9 months old at harvest
|
|
time. The potency of grass in general increases with age as long as the plant
|
|
stays healthy. We have found a happy medium in terms of potency and yield is
|
|
to harvest about every 6 months.
|
|
|
|
Keep the photoperiod constant at 18 hours of light a day until 6 to 8 weeks
|
|
before you plan to harvest. Then cut the day cycle down to about 13 hours of
|
|
light. In about 2 weeks, the females will begin to flower. Allow the flower
|
|
clusters to grow for another 4 to 6 weeks so that they can develop into the
|
|
large clusters which are by far the most potent part of the plant. Flowers can
|
|
be harvested 2 or 3 times before uprooting the plant. Pick them just above
|
|
their growing tip where they meet the main leaves. New flowers will grow from
|
|
this point giving you a higher yield of top quality grass.
|
|
|
|
Once the flowers have developed, you might try a sunlamp for an hour or two a
|
|
day at a distance of three feet to force resin to the flowering parts. The
|
|
resin flow is the plants protection against the intense heat and possibly the
|
|
ultra-violet rays. The resin contains the cannabinols (THC) that make you
|
|
high.
|
|
|
|
There is some discussion between growers about the effect of ultra-violet
|
|
light on resin production. Some insist that it stimulates resin flow, while
|
|
others claim little or no effect. Two things are certain: large amounts of
|
|
ultra-violet can damage the plants, and you can grow high quality grass with
|
|
or without ultra-violet. Another belief is that nitrogen deprivation
|
|
stimulates resin production while others say that a dry medium is most
|
|
important. Nitrogen uptake is minimal in dry soils it really doesn't matter to
|
|
the marijuana grower which is the actual mechanism. Hold watering to a minimum
|
|
and keep the atmosphere as dry as possible during the flowering period. Cut
|
|
holes in your reflectors, or wedge open your cupboard door so that the humid
|
|
air can escape. The dry atmosphere and soil will force more resins onto the
|
|
flowering parts.
|
|
|
|
After turning down the light cycle, if there is a space between the plants,
|
|
hang traditional bulbs in these gaps. These will stimulate the side branches
|
|
to develop, which will fill all the available space. The output of these
|
|
lights is mostly in the red part of the spectrum which will cause profuse
|
|
flowering. Care should be taken that they are not hung too close to the
|
|
plants, where they may cause burning of the leaves. For a 40 watt bulb, a ten
|
|
inch gap will be quite safe - larger bulbs require more distance. For a more
|
|
even distribution, use several small bulbs rather than one large one. Heat
|
|
given off by a fluorescent and by a more traditional bulb is about equal for
|
|
equal wattages. Heat radiated by a fluorescent is spread out over the length
|
|
of the tube and will not burn the leaves unless left in direct contact for a
|
|
number of hours.
|
|
|
|
You can expect a minimum yield of about one ounce of pot per square foot of
|
|
growing area. Large pots give fewer but taller and bushier plant. The total
|
|
yield is similar for 6" to 18" pots. 8 to 10 inch pots are a good median size
|
|
for high-yield, high potency grass from a moderate amount of soil. Allowing
|
|
much more than 1 1/2 feet of growing area per plant will cut down on the yield
|
|
of the system.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Temperature and Humidity
|
|
|
|
Temperature control should be no problem. The plant grows well at room
|
|
temperature (70 to 80 degrees during light hours, 55 to 65 degrees during
|
|
darkness), and will survive in temperatures from 40 to 100 degrees. By the way
|
|
temperatures are in fahrenheit. Centigrades ? I treads on 'em.
|
|
|
|
Plant growth is closely related to temperature. The rate of photosynthesis
|
|
increases until the temperature reaches about 75 to 85 degrees depending on
|
|
the variety. As the temperature rises above this level, the rate of
|
|
photosynthesis slows, and cannabinol resins develop. During flowering, plants
|
|
grown in high temperatures (85 to 100 degrees) and low humidity will produce
|
|
more resin, while during growth stage plants grow faster at room temperatures
|
|
and medium humidity. For this reason it is a good idea to start your crop so
|
|
that you'll harvest during winter months when the heat is turned on. Heated
|
|
homes have a very dry atmosphere.
|
|
|
|
Propane catalytic heaters do a very good job of heating, are safe, clean, and
|
|
increase the (O2 content of the air. Electric and natural gas heaters also
|
|
work well. Do not use paraffin or petrol heaters. They do not burn clean, and
|
|
the pollutants may harm the plant.
|
|
|
|
At high temperatures and humidity, air should be allowed to circulate freely
|
|
throughout the garden. Gardens in small confined spaces such as wardrobes must
|
|
be opened daily or the atmosphere will become stifling and growth rate will
|
|
slow down. Constant air circulation does not seem to be critical with
|
|
marijuana as long as the plant obtains its CO2. If you have a large garden and
|
|
there is no way for air to circulate, place a small fan in the garden.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Carbon Dioxide
|
|
|
|
Plants take in carbon dioxide (CO2) and release oxygen (O2) during
|
|
photosynthesis while at night, plant cells respire by taking in O2 and
|
|
releasing CO2. The net result is that much more oxygen is produced than is
|
|
consumed.
|
|
|
|
Carbon dioxide concentration in the air is very low (about 0.3%). Around large
|
|
cities it is a little higher. Plants can use much more CO2 than is supplied by
|
|
the ordinary atmosphere. In general, the rate of photosynthesis increases in
|
|
proportion to the CO2 content of the air up to about 0.5% as long as there are
|
|
no limiting factors such as inadequate light or water.
|
|
|
|
Tanks of CO2 can be used to increase the concentration in the air.
|
|
Periodically, disperse the gas above the tops of the plants. CO2 is heavier
|
|
than air and will move slowly downwards.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hybrids
|
|
|
|
As you become more familiar with the marijuana plant, you may want to develop
|
|
your own strain by crossing selected plants. Plant seeds from as many strains
|
|
as possible. The growth pattern will vary considerably and you can select one
|
|
male to go to flower and fertilize particular females. Factors for selection
|
|
might be potency, high yield, rate of growth, number of leaves or just pure
|
|
aesthetics. All males except the selected one must be removed before their
|
|
flowers open. Place the selected females around the male plant. Periodically
|
|
shake the male or fan the air about the male's flowers. The pollen will
|
|
disperse in a fine mist over the female flowers. This method should be
|
|
adequate to produce enough viable seeds for your next crop. After a few
|
|
generations you will have your own strain, well-suited to its environment and
|
|
your taste.
|
|
|
|
Hermaphroditic plants are not unusual with marijuana. Some are genetically
|
|
determined (protogenous) while others are a reaction to a hostile environment
|
|
(most likely the photoperiod). An irregular or prolonged photoperiod can cause
|
|
this. These plants have only female flowers at first. Male flowers appear
|
|
later at the top of the stem and branches. Protogenous hermaphrodites develop
|
|
male and female flowers more uniformly with female flowers above male flowers
|
|
on the same branch.
|
|
|
|
Hermaphrodism can be used to develop a male-free crop. All male plants must be
|
|
removed before they go to pollen. Collect the male flowers from a
|
|
hermaphrodite when they are a good size but have not yet opened. Store the
|
|
flowers in sealed vials (a glass covered with cling-film is fine). In a few
|
|
days they will open up. Apply the pollen with a fine brush or cotton bud over
|
|
the stigmas (a white 'V'-shaped thing) on another female's flowers. Wait a few
|
|
weeks until the seeds are full and have good colour before harvesting. The
|
|
next generation will be all females or all females and hermaphrodites.
|
|
|
|
More serious growers can try grafting hops plants to marijuana stalks to
|
|
produce a possible legal plant, using growth hormones such as gibberilic acid
|
|
or mutating polyploids using colchicine, thio-ethers, or other chemicals.
|
|
Methods for these are discussed in the following:
|
|
|
|
The Cultivator's Hand book of Marijuana by Bill Drake
|
|
|
|
Super Grass Growers Guide by Mary Jane Superweed (Stone Kingdom)
|
|
|
|
Bark Leaf- (Summer 1972) - Available from: Church of the Tree of Life, 451
|
|
Columbus Ave., San Fransisco, California 94133
|
|
|
|
Hop seeds can be obtained from various Real Ale and other brewing societies.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Curing Your Grass
|
|
|
|
All leaves must be thoroughly dried for comfortable smoking and full potency.
|
|
The THC in fresh grass is mostly present in the form of non-psychoactive
|
|
tetrahydrocannabinolic acid. Upon drying, the acid is converted into THC by
|
|
decarboxylization.
|
|
|
|
Single leaves can be dried by placing them in a pan on a hot radiator or in
|
|
the bright summer sun (a little scarce in Britain). A quicker method is to
|
|
pre-heat your oven to 150 degrees. Place a single layer of leaves in a pan,
|
|
turn off the oven and place them inside. In five to fifteen minutes the leaves
|
|
will be dry and will crumble easily between your fingers. If not dry, remove
|
|
the grass from the oven and repeat the pre-heating and drying. You can also
|
|
put them in single layers, propped up on chopsticks or somesuch, on full for a
|
|
few minutes.
|
|
|
|
Another method is to hang the plants intact, upside down above a radiator, or
|
|
in the sun. Some of the resin contained in the stem will ooze onto the leaves.
|
|
It will take 3 to 10 days to dry completely, depending on the humidity and
|
|
other factors. The potency of the grass varies in different parts of the
|
|
plant. Potency increases from the bottom to the top. The small leaves on the
|
|
branches are more potent than the large leaves on the main stem, and the
|
|
flowering parts are the most potent of all. The female plant is always
|
|
considerably more potent than the male. The best part is the flowering top of
|
|
a female plant, and the worst (which is really not bad at all) is the large
|
|
leaves on the bottom of the stem of the male.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Large Systems
|
|
|
|
With the price of grass what is is today, some of you may want to undertake
|
|
growing on a large scale. To get the highest yield for the smallest investment
|
|
requires a conservation of light and soil. During the first few months of
|
|
growth the plants need much less soil and garden space than they do when they
|
|
are older. You can design a system that will produce large, mature plants to
|
|
harvest every month, by having in each system six sub-systems at different
|
|
growth stages. For example, 50 plants need a minimum of 50 square feet of
|
|
growing room when mature, but during the first month they will fit inside of 2
|
|
square feet. During the second month they will need approximately six square
|
|
feet.
|
|
|
|
If the plants are started in large pots, the pots themselves take up most of
|
|
the room. This wastes light and soil on empty space. By rotating the plants
|
|
into bigger gardens and successively larger pots, you can get the highest
|
|
yield from a minimum investment. Transplanting to larger pots is easy. The
|
|
root systems quickly fill the pots and can be removed intact with all the soil
|
|
adhering to the roots. This is best done by turning the pot upside down and
|
|
placing the plant stem between the middle and index finger, then tapping
|
|
gently on the bottom of the pot with a something you can get a good swing
|
|
with. The plant will just pop out of the pot.
|
|
|
|
For smaller gardens, use industrial type light fixtures. Larger systems should
|
|
have single tubes, evenly spaced, and mounted on plywood. Big systems can get
|
|
very heavy because of the weight of the transformers. It is more convenient
|
|
and cheaper if you don't buy fixtures, but only the end sockets and
|
|
transformers.
|
|
|
|
Mount the transformers separately and run extension wires to the light system.
|
|
With only the sockets and tubes mounted on the plywood, the lights are easily
|
|
raised and there is less weight for the walls and ceiling to support.
|
|
|
|
For larger systems it is better to use very high output tubes. These have a
|
|
higher intensity than regular fluorescent tubes, and their effective distance
|
|
is so much more that fewer tubes are needed and they can be placed further
|
|
apart. The closer the tubes are placed to each other, the less efficient the
|
|
lights are. Light from one tube may just hit the neighbouring tube and be
|
|
lost.
|
|
|
|
It is well worth it to grow all-female crops either by taking cutting or by
|
|
hybridising hermaphrodites when building these systems.
|
|
|
|
A three garden/two month system is given as an example, but the idea can be
|
|
simply extended to a six garden, one month system.
|
|
|
|
A. The first two months - Plants are started in sixty-five 4" pots within
|
|
approximately eight square feet. Using 20 watts of light per square foot (PSF)
|
|
you are using 160 watts from two 8 foot tubes (72-80 watts each)
|
|
|
|
B. The third and fourth months - Transplant to 6-8" pots. The system uses
|
|
approximately 32 square feet. Using 20 watts PSF, you are drawing 640 watts
|
|
from eight 8 foot tubes or 3 VHO tubes (215 watts each).
|
|
|
|
C. Fifth and sixth months - Option to transplant to 10-14" pots within
|
|
approximately seventy square feet. Using 20 watts PSF you are drawing 1400
|
|
watts from seventeen 8 foot tubes or 7 VHO tubes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Maintenance and Restarting
|
|
|
|
Periodically you should clean the tubes and reflectors to remove accumulated
|
|
dust and grime or else the amount of visible light produced will be cut. Most
|
|
fluorescents lose about 30% of their effective power after about a year of
|
|
use. They should be replaced when dark rings appear at the tube ends. Replace
|
|
traditional bulbs after five hundred light hours.
|
|
|
|
Don't smoke around the plants. Heavy concentrations of tobacco smoke are
|
|
harmful to marijuana, especially to the male plant.
|
|
|
|
Visiting your garden will be good for both you and your plants. You'll provide
|
|
them with CO2, and they'll provide you with oxygen rich air.
|
|
|
|
To start a new crop, it is best to begin with fresh soil, especially if you
|
|
had been using a system with smaller pots and frequent fertilization. A
|
|
buildup of toxic salts can harm new plants. To salvage large quantities of
|
|
soil, remove the top two-inch layer of soil, which contain most of the harmful
|
|
salts. Treat the rest of the soil with a trace element mixture, add fertilizer
|
|
and fresh soil. Thoroughly mix and repot in clean sterile pots.
|
|
|
|
Insects and Diseases
|
|
|
|
The indoor garden is an ideal habitat for plant pests. There should be little
|
|
chance of a problem if you start with sterilized soil and keep the garden
|
|
segregated from other plants. Before planting, make sure that none of your
|
|
other plants are infested with anything.
|
|
|
|
Over-watering often causes plants to lose their vitality, develop drooping and
|
|
spotted leaves. Sometimes they succumb to fungus or stem rot. Stem rot appears
|
|
as a brown or black discolouration at the base of the stem and is soft and
|
|
mushy to the touch. To correct this allow the soil to dry more before watering
|
|
and be sure to water around the stem, and not on it. Wipe fungus and stem rot
|
|
off the plants and treat them with a fungicide.
|
|
|
|
Spider mites and false spider mites are the most common and destructive pests.
|
|
Both species are barely visible to the naked eye, and are usually well
|
|
established before you discover them. First indications are chlorotic or
|
|
whitish leaves or bronzing of the edges along the veins. Webs form at the
|
|
internodes of the stem and along the branches. the cyclamen mites are oval,
|
|
tan to black, or semi-transparent. Eggs are white and laid along veins on the
|
|
undersides of the leaves. False spider mites are bright red. You can usually
|
|
see mites as tiny specks if you look up at the light system from the underside
|
|
of the leaves.
|
|
|
|
Mites are difficult to eliminate. If only a few plants are infested, remove
|
|
and destroy them immediately. The other plants must be treated with an
|
|
insecticide such as Malathion. Malathion is an organic phosphate which is
|
|
effective but very toxic. However, it breaks down chemically and is
|
|
metabolised into harmless chemicals after 14 days. Do not harvest before at
|
|
least 14 days have gone by from when you spray.
|
|
|
|
When using Malathion, add one-half teaspoon of mild detergent (not soap) to
|
|
each gallon of the solution. The detergent will help spread the insecticide
|
|
more thoroughly over the plant. If the plants are large, spray the whole
|
|
plant, especially the undersides of leaves and soil surfaces. The spray kills
|
|
the adults, but is ineffective against their eggs. Repeat this application
|
|
weekly for the next few weeks and you'll catch the young mites after they've
|
|
hatched but before they've laid eggs.
|
|
|
|
Be extremely cautious when using insecticides. You are going to smoke or
|
|
ingest the plant, and don't want to poison yourself along with the insects.
|
|
There are a number of insecticides such as Diazinon and Malathion on the
|
|
market which are safe when used as directed. The label will list the
|
|
precautions and give time periods for degrading before consumption. If you
|
|
have a pest problem which we haven't described, your local nurseryman or woman
|
|
should be able to describe the proper treatment ("Me tomatoes are poorly,
|
|
Guv."). Smaller plants should be dunked in a bucket of the solution, which is
|
|
the surest way to kill the pests.
|
|
|
|
If the plants are not heavily infested and you object to Malathion, wash them
|
|
is soapy water, one quarter pound of pure soap (such as Ivory Flakes) to one
|
|
gallon of tepid water. Mix the soap thoroughly into the water and, without
|
|
letting the soil fall out of the pot (cover it with newspaper, foil, or
|
|
cling-film) invert the plant and dip it several times. Let it drip dry, then
|
|
rinse in clear water. The dunking procedure may have to be used repeatedly
|
|
since it is almost impossible to wash all the mites off at once.
|
|
|
|
Mealy Bugs are larger (about 3/16") and white. They are usually found on the
|
|
underside of the leaves or near the stem. The eggs are contained in a white
|
|
cotton-like or waxy material at the stem internodes or leaf axils. The
|
|
infested plants will need more frequent watering and will have a weakened
|
|
appearance.
|
|
|
|
Aphids ("little green junkies") are about 1/16" long and are green, red, pink
|
|
or black. They have roundish bodies and antennae and long legs. Some species
|
|
have wings. They congregate on the underside of leaves, especially young,
|
|
juicy, tender leaves. Growth becomes stunted and leaves are curled or
|
|
distorted. Mealy bugs and Aphids are not as common a problem as mites, and are
|
|
easier to deal with. Remove infested plants from the garden. Dunk them in a
|
|
solution of 1/4lb of soap per gallon of tepid water. Use a cloth and go over
|
|
the underside of the leaves with a cotton bud to remove the pests. When using
|
|
Malathion, one application to the whole crop is usually enough to prevent
|
|
these pests from recurring.
|
|
|
|
Whiteflies are white (obviously) and about 1/16" long. The young appear as
|
|
green or yellow scales. Usually you don't see whiteflies until the plants are
|
|
moved. Then all the adults take off and it looks like a small snowstorm. Plant
|
|
growth is slow and leaves are often sticky with the insects excretions. A
|
|
thorough spraying with Malathion will usually get rid of whiteflies.
|
|
|
|
For winged insects in general, spray-on insecticides using Pyrethium are
|
|
convenient. They are not as effective as Malathion, but the toxic effects of
|
|
the spray usually wears off after a day or two.
|
|
|
|
For further information on pest control:
|
|
|
|
The Natural Way to Pest-Free Gardening by Jack Krammer, New York City -
|
|
Charles Scribner's and Sons - 1972
|
|
|
|
Organic Way to Plant Protection - Emmaus P. A., Rodale Books Inc. 1966
|
|
|
|
Outdoor Cultivation
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Outdoor Garden
|
|
|
|
Marijuana is usually an annual plant. This means that the life expectancy of
|
|
the plant is based on the length of the growing season. The longer the growing
|
|
season, the better the quality, and the larger the quantity, of your crop.
|
|
|
|
Marijuana should be planted outdoors two weeks after the last threat of frost,
|
|
and should be harvested before the first autumn frost. You can find the
|
|
approximate dates for your area by consulting experienced growers, nurserymen
|
|
or gardening magazines.
|
|
|
|
Some fields are warmer than others in the same area, because of the way they
|
|
lie and prevailing wind conditions. Northern slopes are the coldest and
|
|
receive the least light. Southern slopes receive the most light and are the
|
|
warmest. Eastern slopes are shaded in the afternoon, and western slopes are
|
|
shaded in the morning. The steeper the slope, the more pronounced is the
|
|
shading.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Precautions
|
|
|
|
Naturally you will want to be careful where you grow your crops. Make sure
|
|
that there is no visible access from a road or well-used path. Since marijuana
|
|
may grow to twenty feet (depending upon variety, length of growing season,
|
|
soil conditions and light) it might be best to intersperse it with other tall
|
|
plants such as staked tomatoes, corn and sunflowers. Find out what kind of
|
|
fields the growers in your area are using. An area that grows over with tall
|
|
weeds will most likely grow good grass if you start the marijuana before the
|
|
weeds come up.
|
|
|
|
An ideal planting area is an open clearing in a woodland not frequented by the
|
|
general public. The clearing should be located so that the plants get at least
|
|
eight hours a day of direct sunlight. Other possibilities are clearings on
|
|
mountains, depressions in fields, or clearings in giant fields not under
|
|
aerial supervision.
|
|
|
|
Remember that grass cannot be easily moved once it is planted and that it will
|
|
probably remain there for at least four months.
|
|
|
|
There have been a number of incidents of hunters discovering patches of
|
|
marijuana and reporting it to the law. Try not to plant on land frequented by
|
|
hunters.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Growing Conditions
|
|
|
|
Marijuana likes as much sun as it can get, and a moist but will-drained soil.
|
|
It does not do well in swampy and clay soils. The soil should be high in
|
|
nitrogen and potassium and medium in phosphorous. The pH should be at least
|
|
5.5; it will do better at 6.5 - 7.5.
|
|
|
|
At least two months before planting you should test and adjust the soil.
|
|
Needed nutrients should be added to the soil at least a month before planting
|
|
for the best results. This gives the fertilizer time to dissolve.
|
|
|
|
The pH can be raised by adding ground limestone, dolomite limestone, hydrated
|
|
lime, marl or ground sea shells.
|
|
|
|
Sandy and loamy soil can be conditioned just by adding fertilizer and making
|
|
pH adjustments. Nurseries carry several different fertilizer mixes. Select one
|
|
closest to your needs as determined by the soil tests. Some Agricultural
|
|
Colleges will do these tests for you.
|
|
|
|
Turn and loosen the soil and break up large clods of earth. Clear all ground
|
|
near the spot where you are planting. Add fertilizer and work it into the
|
|
ground. If it rains frequently in your area, the fertilizer will soak into the
|
|
ground by itself. If no, water the area so that is dissolves.
|
|
|
|
Clay soils can be adjusted by working in straw, manure, leaves and stalks,
|
|
compost, kitty litter or construction sand. These help to keep the soil loose
|
|
and aerated.
|
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Swampy areas can be adjusted by building planting mounds about one foot high
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|
and one foot across. The mounds will have better drainage than the surrounding
|
|
soil and they will not become waterlogged.
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|
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|
If the soil is very bad and you are only growing a small patch there are other
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|
ways of changing soil conditions:
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|
|
|
1. Buy topsoil and place it in holes where you are going to plant. This is
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|
only for small gardens as it can be expensive and laborious.
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|
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|
2. Dig a hole one foot deep and one foot wide. Fill in six inches deep with
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|
manure or compost sprinkled with lime. Fill the remainder of the hole with
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soil.
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3. Use a self-contained planting pot as described in Transplanting.
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To get a longer season, you can start seeds indoors and transplant them
|
|
outside after the threat of frost has passed. This is especially helpful in
|
|
the Northern US, NZ South Island and Sunny Britain, where the growing season
|
|
is short. Seeds can be started as much as two months before the season begins.
|
|
There are several methods for starting seeds:
|
|
|
|
1. Planting Pellets. These are one and a half inch pellets which expand when
|
|
they come in contact with water. They come in several pH levels. Get either a
|
|
6.5 or a 7. These are the easiest units for starting seedlings. Just follow
|
|
the directions on the package. They should be used only if you are planning to
|
|
plant within a month.
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|
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|
2. Planting Pots. These pots are made of compressed peat moss. They come in
|
|
all sizes, but the best is probably 2" X 2". Fill with one of the soil
|
|
mixtures described in Indoor Cultivation. Try to prepare from the same soil to
|
|
which the plants will be moved later. Plant several seeds in each pot and thin
|
|
to one plant per pot. When you are ready to transplant outdoors, just dig a
|
|
hole and put the planting pot in it. The pot will disintegrate when the root
|
|
system gets big enough.
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|
|
|
Tin cans and toilet rolls can be used instead of planting pots. Make sure the
|
|
cans have drainage holes in them and that the sides are scored so that the
|
|
roots can grow out of them. Do not use aluminium cans. They won't disintegrate
|
|
and the plants roots will be trapped.
|
|
|
|
3. Seed Trays. Seed trays are the most economical way of starting large
|
|
numbers of seedlings, but the plant's roots may be damaged when you
|
|
transplant. Fill plastic planting trays with one of the mixtures described in
|
|
Indoor Cultivation. Sow one seed every inch, but thin to one plant every two
|
|
inches when they begin to interfere with each other. When you are ready to
|
|
transplant them, slice the soil into squares and plant outdoors. Treat to
|
|
prevent shock.
|
|
|
|
4. Self-contained Soil Unit. This method should be used only when the soil is
|
|
unsuitable for adjustment. Use large cans. Fill with 3 inches of vermiculite
|
|
or perlite mixed with a slow release fertilizer, and then fill it the rest of
|
|
the way with a mixture of soil, perlite, vermiculite and sand. A mixture of
|
|
soil, manure, humus, and potash can also be used. Holes should be punched in
|
|
the bottom of the can for drainage. When you are ready to plant outdoors, put
|
|
the can in a hole in the ground.
|
|
|
|
Use the same methods in cultivating these plants indoors as you would if they
|
|
were to remain indoors permanently. If you are planning to keep the plants
|
|
indoors for more than a month, they have to be introduced to the sun's
|
|
intensity gradually. The plants need at least 40 watts of fluorescent light
|
|
per square foot to avoid shock. This will also build up the sugar supply to
|
|
help the plant avoid transplant shock. Other ways of avoiding shock are by
|
|
putting trays of seedlings outdoors for a few hours a day for a few days in a
|
|
partially sunny area before they are transplanted.
|
|
|
|
If you have indoor plants already growing, you can clip shoots about 3 inches
|
|
from the growing tip and put each of them in one of the containers mentioned
|
|
previously. They will quickly develop roots and start growing into new plants,
|
|
especially if a little hormone rooting powder is used. This is a good method
|
|
of obtaining high quality transplant stock.
|
|
|
|
The night before you transplant, water both the plant and the soil to which
|
|
you are going to transplant. Also, to prevent shock, transplants should be
|
|
made to and from soils with the same chemical or textural characteristics
|
|
(unless you are using the self-contained soil unit method).
|
|
|
|
Plant on a cloudy day or late in the afternoon. Never plant or transplant on a
|
|
bright sunny day. The sun's energy is too much for the plants to take at
|
|
first.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Spacing
|
|
|
|
Marijuana is very adaptable and can be grown as close together as fifteen
|
|
inches between rows with plants every six inches. Plants grown this way will
|
|
not be as bushy as ones grown further apart. Spacing rows 24 inches or so
|
|
apart with plants about every fifteen inches seems to be the most efficient
|
|
method of utilising the area. Plants will be bushy, tall and easy to harvest.
|
|
|
|
In order to catch as much sun as possible, rows should run north to south,
|
|
perpendicular to the course of the sun.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Water
|
|
|
|
Marijuana cannot grow (or live) in an environment in which it cannot find
|
|
water. It sends down a tap root which may grow to be half as long as the plant
|
|
itself. Often marijuana can be found near the banks of streams in drier areas.
|
|
Cultivated fields supply enough water naturally through irrigation. Some
|
|
growers in remote areas use portable water pumps. Digging a hole in which the
|
|
pump can be run and stored will muffle the sound and keep the machinery in
|
|
better condition. Make sure not to overwater your plants. Keep the ground
|
|
moist, but not waterlogged.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Care
|
|
|
|
Grass is at its most vulnerable stage right after germination. The seedlings
|
|
have a tendency to fall over in rain and wind. Usually they can overcome their
|
|
crises. If you have started seedlings indoors, you will be over the critical
|
|
stage when you come to transplant.
|
|
|
|
1 1/2 to 2 months after germination you will have to decide wether to clip the
|
|
tops to make the plant bush or to let it grow straight and let it bush on its
|
|
own. Letting the grass grow straight will allow it to produce more weed, but
|
|
bushy plants are harder to detect. If you want the plants to bush, cut the
|
|
main stem about three inches from the top when the plant is about 2 to 3 feet
|
|
tall. Very long secondary branches should also be cut. The clipped tops can be
|
|
dried and smoked, or they can be rooted. This process should be repeated if
|
|
the plant starts growing tall again.
|
|
|
|
If you have prepared the soil properly you will not need to fertilize much (if
|
|
at all) during the growing season. It is a good idea to check the plants
|
|
periodically. If the plants seem to have any deficiencies, add the proper
|
|
nutrients. If the plants are not growing quickly, make sure they do not have
|
|
too much competition for sunlight. If the plants are too close together, they
|
|
can be trimmed or pulled. If crowding is not the problem, pH probably is. Test
|
|
the pH and make the proper adjustments.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Flowering and Harvesting
|
|
|
|
The plants will begin to flower late august or early september. When total
|
|
daylight hours fall below 13-15 hours a day (depending on variety) the plants'
|
|
reproductive cycle is triggered.
|
|
|
|
If you have a long growing season and secure conditions, pick the flower buds
|
|
off. The plant will send up new buds. As long as the plant continues to send
|
|
them up you can clip them off. Some say this increases the potency, it surely
|
|
increases the yield.
|
|
|
|
Many farmers throughout the world bend the stem of each plant sharply at a
|
|
point way down. The plants are left this way for several days after which the
|
|
sun-dried tops are harvested. The bend cuts off circulation between the upper
|
|
and lower parts of the plant. Cannabinol resins cannot flow back past the
|
|
bend. Furthermore the shock of bending apparently drives the resins in the
|
|
portion of the stem just above the bend into the flower tops.
|
|
|
|
Another technique is to bend the tops more or less horizontally so that they
|
|
snap, but do not crease. The tops draw some liquids from the base of the
|
|
plant, but not enough to stop them wilting within 10 days. People who use this
|
|
method claim it increases potency significantly.
|
|
|
|
In many places, most notably in India and Pakistan, farmers make the practice
|
|
of destroying all male plants as soon as their gender becomes determinable.
|
|
This is done to prevent their maturation and the pollination of the females.
|
|
It has been found that a loss of cannabinol resin often occurs in the female
|
|
shortly after pollination.
|
|
|
|
If your growing season is short (as it tends to be in the UK), let the plants
|
|
flower and harvest them before the frost. Some claim that marijuana is at its
|
|
potency peak at this time. Others claim that marijuana is at its most potent
|
|
state about 2 to 10 days after it starts to flower. Due to the difficulty of
|
|
obtaining the necessary licenses from Government departments, very little real
|
|
research has been done in this field.
|
|
|
|
If you wait until the seeds mature and drop off the plant, you may have a crop
|
|
next year without planting. It is almost impossible to get rid of marijuana
|
|
once it has become indigenous to the area. The American Federal Government in
|
|
Iowa and Kansas have gone so far as to suggest that farmers napalm or
|
|
herbicide their fields.
|
|
|
|
Marijuana can be harvested by pulling up the whole plant, including the roots,
|
|
by chopping it off about 1/2 way up the stem, or by picking each plant
|
|
separately.
|
|
|
|
Depending on cultivation methods and environmental conditions you should
|
|
harvest about 1000-5000lbs per acre (43,000 square feet).
|
|
|
|
Recently, a crop of two acres worth of "the best grass we've ever seen" was
|
|
found by the New Zealand police force. Right in the centre of Wellington. Too
|
|
bad they got caught ....
|
|
|
|
|
|
Plant Pests Outdoors
|
|
|
|
Several different kinds of insects like to eat, chew or suck on marijuana.
|
|
Several methods can be used to get rid of them. Companion planting of garlic,
|
|
onions, chives, savoury, thyme and marigolds keep some insects away.
|
|
Inter-crop one of these with your marijuana. (Interesting fact #247: Marijuana
|
|
was once planted hash plants around their crops of cabbages as hash scares off
|
|
the cabbage white butterfly. This practice has been since discontinued.)
|
|
|
|
Predatory insects such as the praying mantis, ladybirds, and lacewings eat
|
|
insects which attack marijuana. They can be purchased from commercial
|
|
hatcheries. Do not spray plants with insecticides of any description when
|
|
predators are present. You'll wipe them out too.
|
|
|
|
Botanical repellents, naturally occurring insecticides which have not been
|
|
concentrated, can be used in spray form. They are not persistent, that is,
|
|
they do not build up in living tissue, but they are poisons. Pyrethiums and
|
|
Rotenone are the ones used most often. Take care if using Rotenone near a
|
|
river; people will get suspicious when all the fish drop dead.
|
|
|
|
Your plants are more likely to be attacked by foraging animals and hippies.
|
|
Little can be done about the latter except choosing a better location, but
|
|
blood meal placed on the ground near the garden will keep deer away. Chimes,
|
|
bells and scarecrows keep foraging animals at bay, but attract the hippies. A
|
|
stout fence is the only reliable answer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
One day, the powers that rely on our obedience may legalise cannabis in your
|
|
country. Here's to that day.
|
|
|
|
X-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-X
|
|
Another file downloaded from: The NIRVANAnet(tm) Seven
|
|
|
|
& the Temple of the Screaming Electron Taipan Enigma 510/935-5845
|
|
Burn This Flag Zardoz 408/363-9766
|
|
realitycheck Poindexter Fortran 510/527-1662
|
|
Lies Unlimited Mick Freen 801/278-2699
|
|
The New Dork Sublime Biffnix 415/864-DORK
|
|
The Shrine Rif Raf 206/794-6674
|
|
Planet Mirth Simon Jester 510/786-6560
|
|
|
|
"Raw Data for Raw Nerves"
|
|
X-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-X
|