The Marijuana Grower's Guide

by Lord Kagesama

Part I: The Introduction

An interesting subject that they don't teach in school is Horticulture. Everyone, most likely has once in their life tried some Pot. It sure can be a different experience. One big problems with smoking Pot is that it can get to be very expensive. This problem can be easily solved, by growing it yourself.

First lets discuss the plant a little more. The plant is Cannabis: the weed we know as the marIjuana or bemp plant. Throughout recorded history, it has been with us. But only in the past fifty years has all the fuss been kicked up about it. Marijuana has been used as food, fiber, and medicine. Monks in the Middle Ages used the seeds for porridge, early American settlers wove it into fabric, and for centuries folk medcine extolled its virtues.

In 1970, former president Richard Nixon convinced Congress to pass the Federal Controlled Substance Act, a complete overhaul of the nations drug laws. This resulted in Marijuana being classified in 'Schedule 1' along with heroin. States have since then reformed their laws, and about 10 states have stopped arresting marijuana smokers. In Alaska it is legal to smoke 'Pot' in the privacy of your own home (Only for Adults).

Some of the best grass in the world is grown right here in the United States. You can do it too, it's not difficult to do. Highly potent plants can be grown indoors, as well as in gardens, fields, and the wilds. Indoor growers must create an environment, whereas outdoor gardners work within the environment.

Modest indoor gardens are quite simple to set up and care for. All materials you'll need are available at nurseries, garden shops, and hardware and light- ing stores, or they may be found around the house or street. The cost will depend on how large and elaborate you make the garden and on wheather you buy or scavenge materials. With a little ingenuity, the cost can be negligible.

Outdoors, a small patch in your summer garden can be supply all your smoking needs with little or no expense. Generally marijuana requires less care than most other crops, because of its natural tenacity and ability to compete with indigenous weeds. Hardy Cannabis resists mild frost, extreme heat, deluge, and drought. In this country, few deseases attack marijuana; once the plants are growing, they develop their own natural protection against most insects.

In some areas of the country, such as parts of the midwest and east, the plant may require no more attention than sowing the seeds in spring and harvesting the plant in autumn. Naturing and watching these beautiful plants as they respond can be a humanizing experience.

One note should be made for outdoor growers, be careful and keep your plants in a secure place, otherwise it might result in theft of the plant andoor possible legal consequences.

Part II: Indoor Growing

One of the safest ways to grown grass is in the security of your own home. This might save you from possible legal consiquences and/ or theft of the plant itself.

Marijuana adapts well to indoor conditions. You can grow it in sunny rooms or with artificial light. The factor limiting the rate of growth indoors is often the amount of light, since it is less a problem to supply the plants with plenty of water, nutrients, and air. Natural light is free. If feasable to use, natural light eliminates the most expensive components for indoor gardeners: artifical lights and the electricity they use. Window light is the easiest way to grow plants for decorative purposes or for a small crop On the other hand, a greenhouse, sunporch, or particulary sunny room can support larger plants than most artificial light systems. A sunny porch or roof area enclosed in sheet plastic to form a greenhouse is a simple, inexpensive way to grow pounds of grass.

Cannabis grows into a fully formed bush when it receives a minimum of five hours of sunlight a day. But you can grow good-sized plants of excellent quality with as little as two hours of daily sunlight provided windows are unobstructed by building or trees and allow full daylight.

Some growers supplement natural light with artificial light from incandescent or fluorescent fixtures. This is essential during the winter, when sunlight is weaker than the summer, and in spaces where the plants get little direct sunlight. Artificial lights can also be used to lengthen the natural photoperiod in order to grow plants all year.

The best time to plant using natural light is in late March or April, when the sun's intensity and the number of hours of daylight are increasing. A good light bulb tinting would be blue.

In its natural state, marijuana may grow an extensive root system. In dry areas, the tap root can grow more than six feet deep in its seafch for water. In moist areas with fertile soil (such as in potting mixtures), the lateral root remains small, often only three or four inches long on a seven-foot-tall mature plant. The purpose of the growing medium is to provide adequate water and nutrients in addition to anchoring the roots, which hold the plant upright. By watering and fertilizing as needed, you could grow a six-foot plant in a four-inch pot

Most growers use containers that will hold between tow and five gallons of soil. These are good compromise in terms of weight, space, cost, and labor. They can be moved easily and hold an adequate reservoir of water and nutrients to sopport a large mature plant.

Marijuana must have a well-drained medium for healthy growth. Soilz that ld too much water or hold it unevenly can drown the roots, leading to poor growth or death of the plant. It prefers a medium that is high in nitrogen, and mid-range in phosphorus and potassium (see note at end of file (#1)).

Growing Methods

1) Pinch or cut back the growing shoots when the plants are young. This for- ces each plant to develop several strong growing shoots and generally yields large robust plants.

2) Plant a number of plants in each pot.

3) Start many plants in small pots and transplant the best plants to larger pots when the plants crowd each other.

4) Use different light systems to grow plants at different growth stages.

Sowing

The easiest way to start the plants is to sow the seeds directly into the soil. First, wet the soil with a moderate amount of water, enough to get the soil evenly moist without water running out the bottom. This takes about <one-half quart of water for one-galoon containers, and about one quart for three-gallon containers. Plant the seeds a quarter -to half-inch deep. The germination rate is lower when they are planted deeper; and if seeds are planted less than one-quarter inch deep, the sprouts may have difficulty anch- oring their roots. Plant about six seeds per pot to assure some sprouts in each pot. Gently press each seed into the soil. Cover the seeds with soil and sprinkle lighly with water. Each day, sprinkle or spray the surface with enough water to throughly wet the top half-inch of soil, since the seed must b be kept moist for germination.

Problems with germination come from either too much or too little water. If you saturate the pots with water, and especially if you continue to saturate the pots after the seeds have sprouted, the seedlings may develop stem rot or root problems. When the stem rot develops, the base turns brown, and the seedling fall over, ending the garden. If the humidity, on the other hand, is low, the soil surface dries out quickly and the seeds won't germinate.

The Key to germination is to keep the soil surface moist after first having moistened the whole pot; then, after the first sprouts have been up for a few days, let the surface of the soil dry between waterings. Don't spray the surface anymore. Water with medium amounts of water when the soil in the top couple of inches feels dry. For small pots, water seedlings about twice a week. For larger pots, once each week or two may be enough.

Another way would be, starting the seeds in wet towels or a glass of water.. Add one teaspoon of liquid bleach (3%) to each cup of water. This will preve nt fungus from attacking the seeds, which happens when they are soaked for more than three days. Check the seeds each day. The sprout should be planted soon, as delay might might kill it (Transplant shock).

Water

During Germination, keep the soil surface moist. But once the seedling are established, let the top layer of soil dry out before watering again.

Temperature

The plant can withstand temperatures from freezing to over 100F. Temperatures above 75F will increase growth rate. The average will be around 75F to 80F.

Other Notes

Smoke is not healthy for any living thing, and during a party , when the concentration of smoke is very high, the plant should be moved to another room or i might die (This is not joke). Another suggestion made by one of my friends is to blow a fan on the plants when they are about 3 feet tall, this will strengthen the stem.

Look forward to Part III, which will go in depth with outside gardens.

I thank The Ferret for contributing to this text and my fellow 'burnouts' who made this possible.

Note: The Material in this file is presented as information which should be available to the public. The author does not advovate breaking the law. ysops: You are welcome to display this file on your board, as long as none of the information will get changed (including the title).

End of Part II: Indoor Growing

Lord Kagesama