/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/ ! ! ! CULTIVATING YOUR OWN ! ! MARIJUANA: ! ! A HOW TO GUIDE ! ! ! ! UPLOADED BY: ! ! ! ! ________\/ ! ! / DE BUG OO ! ! \_\_\_\_\_> ! ! / \ / \ / \ ! ! ! /-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/ THE CULTIVATION OF CANNABIS, WHEN DONE PROPERLY, IS AN ENTERTAINING AND REWARDING HOBBY. FOR CITY FOLK, HOWEVER, OUTDOOR HORTICULTURE IS DANGEROUS AND NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY IN NEW YORK STATE. THERE ARE THREE SCALES OF PRODUCTION THAT CAN BE ATTEMPTED: * SMALL SCALE: ONE, TWO, OR THREE PLANTS GROWING AT A TIME WILL PROVIDE THE STEADY POT SMOKER WITH AN OCCASIONAL OUNCE. * MEDIUM SCALE: EIGHT TO 15 PLANTS AT A TIME WILL PROVIDE SUFFICIENT POT SO THAT PURCHASING IT IS NO LONGER NECESSARY. * LARGE SCALE: UPWARDS OF 20 PLANTS WILL PROVIDE THE AVERAGE FARMER WITH ENOUGH PRODUCE TO GO COMMERCIAL. HOWEVER, ANYONE CONSIDERING THIS OUT THE CAREFULLY BALANCE THE PROFITS AGAINST THE RISKS. SECURITY ======== THE MOST IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION IN ANY SCALE OF PRODUCTION IS KEEPING YOUR PLANTS HIDDEN FAILURE CAN RESULT IN A FREEDOM SHORTAGE! ANYONE SERIOUS ABOUT GROWING HIS OWN SHOULD KEEP IN MIND THAT THE LARGER THE SCALE OF PRODUCTION, THE GREATHER THE IMPRESSION WILL BE ON ANYONE WHO ABSERVES THE OPERATION, AND THE MORE LIKELY THE WORD WILL SPREAD. EVERYONE MUST USE HIS OWN JUDGEMENT ON WHO WILL BE PRIVILEGED TO KNOW OF HIS AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES. THE PRECAUTIONS MUST BE TAKE TO MAKE SURE THAT NO ONE ELSE STUMBLES UPON HIS POT FIELD. WHEN THE PLANTS BECOME LARGE, THERE IS A TEMPTATION AMONG MOST GROWERS TO PRIDEFULLY SHOW OFF THEIR PLANTS, OFTEN TO THE WRONG PEOPLE. ANOTHER THING TO CONSIDER IS THAT EVERY GROWER WILL ALWAYS BE A BIT PARANOID. WHEN HE LIES IN BED AT NIGHT HE IS LIKELY TRO THINK THAT WHEN THERE IS AN UNFRIENDLY KNOCK AT THE DOOR, THERE IS NO WAY TO FLUSH A SIX-FOOT PLANT DOWN THE JOHN. ANYONE PREPARED TO GO INTO CULTIVATING MARIJUANA OUT TO REMEMBER -- IF YOU GROW IT, YOU POSSESS IT, AND IT DOES NOT TAKE MUCH FRESH, LIVE POT TO WEIGH OUT TO A SERIOUS CRIME. GETTING STARTED =============== THE FIRST CONSIDERATION IS ALWAYS THE SEEDS. ASSUMING THE PLANTS ARE GROWN WITH CARE AND DILIGENCE, THE SEED STOCK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT IN DETERMINING THE QUALITY OF THE FINISHED PRODUCT. GOOD PARENTS WILL YIELD GOOD CHILDREN. CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, THE QUALITY OF FINE EASTERN STRAINS CAN BE APPROACHED INDOORS, PROVIDED ONE STARTS WITH FINE EASTERN SEEDS. TO SPROUT SEEDS, THEY SHOULD BE PLACED BETWEEN TWO FOLDED SHEETS OF MOISTENED TISSUE PAPER AND PLACED IN A CONTAINER IN A DARK PLACE. USE AT LEAST 20 TIMES AS MANY SEEDS AS THE NUMBER OF PLANTS DESIRED AT HARVEST. MANY SEED STOCKS HAVE A GERMINATION RATE OF LESS THAN 10 PERCENT. BE SURE TO CHECK SEEDS EVERY DAY FOR ADEQUATE MOISTURE AND GERMINATION. THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN DEVELOPING THE MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENT IN SUCCESSFUL POT GROWING -- DILIGENCE. BETWEEN FIVE AND SEVEN DAYS AFTER THE SEEDS ARE STARTED, THEY ARE READY TO BE PLANTED IN CUPS. EIGHT-OUNCE DIXIE CUPS ARE THE RIGHT SIZE AND ARE INEXPENSIVE. THEY SHOULD BE FILLED WITH NEUTRAL POTTING SOIL AND A ONE-QUARTER TO ONE-HALF INCH SLIT CUT INTO THE BOTTOM OF EACH ONE. THIS SLIT IS VERY IMPORTANT, AS THE PLANTS ARE LIKELY TO DIE WITHOUT IT, AND SHOULD BE BIG ENOUGH TO PASS A STEADY DRIPPING OF WATER. SEEDLINGS ARE VERY DELICATE AND SHOULD BE HANDLED BETWEEN THE FUZZY ENDS OF A PAIR OF PAPER MATCHES, TO AVIOD DAMAGING THEM. PLANT ONE OR TWO SEEDLINGS IN EACH CUP, ABOUT THREE-EIGHTS OF AN INCH DEEP, NEAR THE CENTER OF THE CUP. IF TWO ARE PLANTED, KEEP THEM ABOUT THREE-QUARTERS OF AN INCH APART. THE IDEA BEHIND TWO PLANTS PER CUP IS THAT IF ONE DIES, THERE WILL BE A SPARE. LIKEWISE, HAVE ABOUT TWICE THE NUMBER OF CUPS AS THE DESIRED NUMBER OF MATURE PLANTS, SO THAT THE BEST CAN BE SELECTED TO MATURE. WATER THE CUPS AS SOON AS THEY ARE PLANTED. EARLY GROWTH ============ EVEN UNDER IDEAL CONDITIONS, THE PLANTS WILL GROW PAINFULLY SLOWLY AT FIRST. MANY WILL NOT SUPPORT THEIR OWN WEIGHT AND FALL OVER. THIS IS NOT SERIOUS, AND WILL CORRECT ITSELF LATER ON. THE FIRST STRUCTURES TO APPEAR ABOVE GROUND ARE TO OVAL-SHAPED "LEAVES" CALLED COTYLEDONS. THESE CONTAIN THE NUTRIENTS THE PLANTS NEED TO GET STARTED. AFTER A FEW DAYS, THE FIRST TRUE LEAVES WILL DEVELOP BETWEEN THE COTYLEDONS. THESE LEAVES WILL APPEAR WRINKLED AND HAVE SERRATED EDGES AS WILL ALL SUBSEQUENT LEAVES. THE FIRST TRUE LEAVES (THE FIRST NODE) WILL SEPERATE AND GROW UP AWAY FROM THE COTYLEDONS. THE SECOND NODE WILL DEVELOP BETWEEN THE FIRST LEAVES. THESE SHOULD HAVE THREE MEMBERS EACH, BUT DON'T FREAK OUT IF THEY DON'T. MINOR ABNORMALITIES ARE COMMON AND NOT SERIOUS. EACH SUCCESSIVE NODE WILL GROW FROM THE CENTER OF THE LAST. AFTER A FEW NODES, FIVE- AND THEN SEVEN-MEMBERED LEAVES WILL DEVELOP. IF A NODE IS CUT OFF, TWO BRANCHES WILL GROW HYDRA-LIKE FROM THAT POINT. LIKEWISE, IF A DEVELOPING NODE IS CUT OFF OF ANY BRANCH, TWO BRANCHES WILL GROW FROM THAT POINT. THIS TECHNIQUE OF PRUNING IS USEFUL FOR CONTROLLING PLANT GROWTH AND ASSURING THAT THEY WILL GROW BIG AND BUSHY. ALL GROWERS SHOULD OBSERVE THEIR PLANTS DAILY. KEEP IN TUNE WITH YOUR PLANTS! TRANSPLANTING ============= AFTER THE PLANTS IN THE CUPS REACH THEIR FIFTH NODE, THEY ARE READY TO BE TRANSPLANETED TO A LARGER POT IMPORTANT, IT MUST HAVE A HOLE OR HOLES IN THE BOTTOM FOR DRAINAGE. IF THE PLANTS HAVE INADEQUATE DRAINAGE, THEY ARE LIKELY TO DIE. ALSO IMPORTANT IS THE CONTAINER SIZE. FOR INDIVIDUAL PLANTS, A CLAY FLOWERPOT AT LEAST TEN INCHES WIDE AND ONE FOOT DEEP IS GOOD. A BETTER ARRANGEMENT, THOUGH, IS TO GROW A NUMBER OF PLANTS IN ONE LARGE CONTAINER, SUCH AS A PLANTING BOX AT LEAST ONE FOOT WIDE AND AT LEAST EIGHT INCHES IN LENGTH FOR EACH PLANT. FILL THE CONTAINER WITH STANDARD OUTDOOR POTTING SOIL. YOU WILL NEED 10 TO 20 POUNDS OF SOIL PER PLANT DEPENDING UPON HOW CLOSE THE PLANTS ARE TO BE SPACED. A ONE-FOOT WIDE BOX CAN TAKE ONE ROW OF PLANTS 10 TO 12 INCHES APART, OR TWO DIAGONAL ROWS, ABOUT SIX TO SEVEN INCHES APART. THE FORMER ARRANGEMENT WILL GROW BIGGER PLANTS, WHILE THE LATTER WILL GROW MORE PLANTS. SELECT THE BEST PLANTS FOR TRANSPLANTING. WATER THE CUPS ABOUT AN HOUR BEFORE TRANSPLANTING. DIG A HOLE ABOUT FOUR INCHES WIDE AND ABOUT SIX INCHES DEEP WHERE THE PLANT IS TO GO. WITH A SHARP MATTE KNIFE OR RAZOR BLADE, CAREFULLY CUT THE CUP SO THAT IT CAN BE PEELED AWAY. THEN, WITHOUT BREAKING AWAY THE DIRT WHICH SURROUNDS THE ROOTS, PEEL THE CUP AWAY SO THAT NO PAPER REMAINS. SUPPORTING THE DIRT FROM THE BOTTOM WITH A SPOON, LOWER IT INTO THE HOLE. BURY THE PLANT ABOUT ONE-HALF INCH DEEPER THAN IT WAS IN THE CUP. REPEAT THE PROCEDURE FOR EACH PLANT. WHEN ALL THE DESIRED PLANTS ARE IN THE BOX, WATER THOROUGHLY. THE PLANTS THAT DO NOT MAKE IT TO THE LARGE CONTAINER SHOULD BE SAVE AND CARED FOR THE THE CUPS. THEY WILL CONTINUE TO GROW TO A HEIGHT OF TWO FEET, AND CAN PROVIDE INTERIM POT FOR THE MOMENT. THEY CAN ALSO PROVIDE SPARE PLANTS IN CASE ANY IN THE BOX SHOULD FAIL. FOLLOWING TRANSPLANTING, THE PLANTS MAY GO THROUGH A SHORT TRAUMA LASTING A FEW DAYS. THE BEST PART OF TRANSPLANTING FOR BOTH PLANTS AND FARMER IS THAT IT ONLY NEED BE DONE ONCE. NUTRITION ========= THE MATERIAL NEEDS OF CANNABIS SATIVA ARE SIMPLE: AIR, WATER AND A BIT OF FERTILIZER. EVEN IN THE 1980'S AIR REMAINS AN ABUNDANT COMMODITY, AND AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY CAN BE FOUND IN MOST RESIDENCES. BE SURE THAT THE AIR IS ABOVE FREEZING, BELOW 120 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, AND FREE FROM CIGARETTE, POT OR ANY OTHER KIND OF SMOKE. WATER AND FERTILIZER CAN BE TAKEN CARE OF IN ONE STEP. USE ONE TABLESPOON OF WATER-SOLUBLE COMMERCIAL FERTILIZER IN A GALLON OF WATER. THIS IS A STOCK SOLUTION. TO OBTAIN A WATERING SOLUTION, DILUTE STOCK FIVE TO ONE. PLANTS IN CUPS SHOULD BE WATERED DAILY WITH THIS SOLUTION. THE HOLE IN THE BOTTOMS OF THE CUPS WILL PREVENT OVER-WATERING, SO BE LIBERAL. MAKE A GOOD PUDDLE IN EACH CUP. LATER, WHEN THE PLANTS ARE IN THEIR FINAL FLOWERPOT OR PLANTER, WATERING CAN BE CUT TO TWO OR THREE TIMES A WEEK. WATER ENOUGH SO THE THE TOPSOIL IS NEVER DRIED OUT. AGAIN, IT PAYS TO BE LIBERAL; AS THE PLANTS GET BIGGER, THEY WILL NEED MORE WATER. THIS RISE IN CONSUMPTION SURPRISES MANY GROWERS. IT CAN EASILY REACH A GALLON A WEEK FOR EACH PLANT -- JUST KEEP GIVING THEM WHAT THEY NEED. LIGHT ===== ALL GREEN PLANTS NEED LIGHT TO GIVE THEM THE ENERGY TO TURN AIR, WATER, AND FERTALIZER INTO FOOD. POT PLANTS GROW BEST IN MAXIMUM LIGHT. AS SOON AS THEY ARE IN THE CUPS, THEY SHOULD BE STARTED ON A DIET OF LIGHT AT LEAST TWELVE HOURS PER DAY. A LARGE WINDOW, PREFERABLY FACING SOUTH, IS A GOOD LIGHT SOURCE, BUT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF DRAWBACKS. FIRST IS THE LOCAL WEATHER, WHICH DOES NOT GUARANTEE OPTIMUM LIGHT. THE SECOND MORE OBVIOUS PROBLEM IS THAT THE CROP CAN BE SEEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. THIS CAN BE OVERCOME BY PLACING A SHEET OF POLYETHYLENE PLASTIC (LIKE DRYCLEANER BAGS) OVER THE GLASS. THIS WILL LET LIGHT IN, BUT NOT CURIOUS EYES. FOR SMALL-SCALE PRODUCTION, A WINDOW IS SATISFACTORY, BUT FOR ANYTHING MORE THAN A FEW PLANTS, ARTIFICIAL LIGHT PROVIDES BETTER GROWTH. ALTHOUGHT INCANDESCENT BULBS WORK, FLOURESCENT LIGHTS PROVIDE BETTER RESULTS AND USE ABOUT ONE-THIRD THE ELECTRICITY. IF YOU PAY FOR YOUR OWN UTILITIES, THAT'S IMPORTANT. FOUR-FOOT SHOPLIGHT FIXTURES, CONTAINING TWO 40-WATT TUBES ARE AVAILABLE AT MOST DEPARTMENT STORES WHICH SELL HARDWARE AND ARE FREQUENTLY SALE-PRICED AT $15 TO $20. THESE PROVIDE SATISFACTORY RESULTS ON AS MANY AS EIGHT PLANTS, AND EXCELLENT RESULTS ON FOUR PLANTS. USE AS MUCH LIGHT AS YOU CAN AFFORD; THE MORE LIGHT THE BETTER. PLANTS COMPETE VIGOROUSLY FOR LIGHT ONCE THEY ARE IN THE BOX. IT IS UP TO THE GROWER TO MODERATE THE COMPETITION BY SELECTIVE PRUNING, AND CAREFUL POSITIONING OF LIGHT SOURCES. WITH A LITTLE INGENUITY AND SOME CHAIN OR ROPE, IT'S POSSIBLE TO RIG A SUSPENSION FOR FLUORESCENT FIXTURES THAT CAN BE EASILY ADJUSTED TO ANY NUMBER OF POSITIONS. THE ALL-IMPORTANT ADJUSTMENT IS HEIGHT. LAMPS SHOULD BE RAISED TO AVOID HAVING PLANTS GROW INTO THEM. BRANCHES LEFT IN FIXTURES WILL DIE. PRUNING IS ALSO ADVISED TO PREVENT PLANTS FROM GROWING TO THE CEILING, SINCE THE LIGHTS CANNOT EASILY BE RAISED BEYOND THAT POINT. (YES, PLANTS WILL GROW THAT HIGH IF YOU LET THEM.) FOIL REFLECTORS CAN ALSO BE USED TO FURTHER MAXIMZE LIGHT FALLING ON THE PLANTS. SIXTEEN HOURS PER DAY IS THE IDEAL PHOTO PERIOD FOR POT. A 24-HOUR TIMER CAN TAKE CARE OF THIS AUTOMATICALLY, OR A CONSCIENTIOUS GROWER CAN TURN THE LIGHTS ON WHEN HE GETS UP AND OFF WHEN HE GOES TO BED. THE LATTER METHOD IS RECOMMENDED, AS IT WILL KEEP THE GROWER IN CLOSER TOUCH WITH HIS PLANTS. CARING FOR MATURE PLANTS ======================== A FEW WEEKS AFTER THE PLANTS GO INTO THE BOX, THEIR GROWTH WILL ACCELERATE TRIM THE SIXTH NODE AS SOON AS IT HAS BECOME BIG ENOUGH TO DO SO. THE CLIP EVERY THIRD OR FOURTH NODE TO PROMOTE BRANCHING AND BUSHYNESS. WHEN THE PLANTS REACH A HEIGHT OF FOUR FEET, THEY CAN BE PUT ON A STEADY STATE ONCE A WEEK THEY SHOULD BE CUT BACK TO FOUR FEET. THE STEADY STATE CAN BE MAINTAINED INDEFINITELY, WITH EACH WEEK'S CUTTINGS PROVIDING A WEEK'S SMOKING. EIGHT PLANTS WILL PROVIDE THREE PEOPLE WITH ENOUGH POT TO GET HIGH ABOUT ONCE A DAY, BUT THE PLANTS CAN NEVER REACH THIER FULL STRENGHT POTENTIAL IN THE STEADY STATE. WHEN PRUNING, REMEMBER, EACH EXISTING LEAF CAN SPROUT ONLY ONE BRANCH. MAKE SURE THE CUT IS MADE IMMEDIATELY ABOVE A LEAF THAT CAN STILL GENERATE A BRANCH. ANYTIME AFTER THE MIDDLE OF THE FOURTH MONTH AFTER GERMINATION, THE PLANTS CAN BE ALLOWED TO COMPLETE THEIR LIFE CYCLE. THE PRUNING SHOULD BE STOPPED OR GRATLY REDUCED, AND THE PHOTO PERIOD SHOULD BE CUT TO EIGHT TO 12 HOURS PER DAY. THIS WILL STIMULATE FLOWERING. AS THE PLANTS GET TALLER, FLOWERS WILL BEGIN TO APPEAR WHERE THE LEAVES JOIN THE BRANCHES. THIS IS THE TIME TO DISCONTINUE. AS WITH ANY OTHER LIVING THING, PLANTS INCLUDING CANNABIS COMES IN BOTH MALE AND FEMALE. MALE FLOWERS CONSIST OF TINY YELLOW-GREEN PUFF BALLS (STAMENS) HANGING FROM MINUTE FILAMENTS. FEMALE FLOWERS CONSIST OF TOW TINY, FEATHER-LIKE STRUCTURES (PISTILS) PROTRUDING FROM A SMALL VASE-LIKE STRUCTURE (BRACT). PLEASE NOTE, IT IS NOT UNCOMMON TO HAVE BI-SEXUAL PLANTS. THEY ARE NOTHING TO GET UPSET ABOUT. CONTRARY TO POPULAR BELIEF, MALE PLANTS ARE NOT IMPOTENT. ACCORDING TO THE CONNOISSEUR'S HANDBOOK OF MARIJUANA BY W.D. DRAKE JR., MALES ARE SLIGHTLY LESS POTENT, BU PERSONAL EXPERIENCE INDICATES A DIFFERENCE IN QUALITY THAT IS HARDLY NOTICEABLE. IN FACT, MALE FLOWERS ARE A SMOKING DELICACY. IF OFFSPRING ARE DESIRED, BE SURE TO SHAKE SOME MALE PLANTS SO THAT POLLEN WILL GET TO THE FEMALES. WITHIN A MONTH OF THE FIRST FLOWERS, SOME OF THE BRACTS ON THE FEMALES WILL BEGIN TO GROW LARGER. EACH OF THESE IS NURTURING A SEED. REMEMBER, AT THIS POINT, THE FEMALE PLANT WILL DEVOTE ALL OF ITS ENERGY TOWARD SEED PRODUCTION, TO THE NEGLECT OF RESIN PRODUCTION. THE OPTIMUM TIME FOR HARVESTING THE FEMALE PLANT IS WHEN THE FIRST SEEDS ARE MATURE. TO CHECK, PULL OFF A POD. THERE SHOULD BE A SEED INSIDE. IF MORE SEEDS ARE DESIRED, SOME SACRIFICES IN POTENCY MUST BE MADE. MALE PLANTS SHOULD BE HARVESTED WHEN THEY ARE FULLY FLOWERED. FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN CONTINUOUS PRODUCTION A FUTURE CROP SHOULD BE STARTED BETWEEN WET TISSUES AT ABOUT THE TIME THE FIRST FLOWERS APPEAR ON THE MATURING PLANTS. REMEMBER, THE GREATER MAJORITY OF VEGETABLE MATERIAL COMES INTO BEING BETWEEN THE TIME PLANTS ARE PUT IN THE BOX AND HARVEST TIME. THERE IS A TENDENCY FOR MANY GROWERS TO NEGLECT THEIR PLANTS DURING THE LATER STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT. CHECK THEM DAILY! THIS WILL ASSURE THAT THE PLANTS WILL GROW TO THEIR FULLEST POTENTIAL. HARVESTING AND PREPARATION ========================== WEEK BEFORE HARVEST, WATERING SHOULD BE DISCONTINUED. TO HARVEST, GENTLY REMOVE THE PLANTS AND CAREFULLY SHAKE OFF THE LOOSE DIRT AND HANG THE PLANT UPSIDE DOWN IN A DRY PLACE. PLANTS CAN BE DRIED IN A WARM OVEN FOR THOSE WHO CAN'T WAIT, BUT ROOM-TEMPERATURE DRYING WILL YIELD BETTER POT (WITHOUT MAKING THE ROOM SMELL OF "ROAST POT"). THE LOWER LEAVES (THOSE CLOSEST TO THE CEILING NOW) WILL DRY FIRST. THE WHOLE PLANT SHOULD BE DRY IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS. THE JUST PULL THE LEAVES OFF AND DO WITH THEM WHATEVER SEEMS APPROPRIATE. COOKING WITH GRASS IS LIMITED ONLY BE THE IMAGINATION OF THE CHEF. LEAVES SHOULD BE CHOPPED FINELY IN A BLANDER AND THEN SAUTEED IN A BUTTER OR MARGARINE BEFORE THEY GO INTO ANY RECIPE. AN OUNCE OF POT CAN ABSORB AS MUCH AS TWO STICKS OF BUTTER. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP BECAUSE IT PROVIDES A MEDIUM OF ABSORPTION FOR THE HUMAN DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. CARE IS ADVISE ON HOW MUCH YOU EAT; WHEN YOU ARE TOO HIGH TO MOVE, YOU WILL KNOW WHY. LITTLE BEASTIES =============== THERE ARE FEW PARASITES THAT ATTACK CANNABIS. SHOULD YOUR PLANTS BECOME INFESTED WITH INSECT PESTS, DO NOT USE A COMMERCIAL INSECTIDE. A COMMON VISITOR TO POT GARDENS IS A SMALL LIGHT-COLORED SPIDER. THESE SPIDERS ARE BENEFICIAL AND SHOULD NOT BE KILLED. ANOTHER BENEFICIAL VISITOR, THAT MUST BE IMPORTED, IS THE COMMON EARTHWORM.