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Mealybugs and Your Marijuana Plants
Mealybugs, dependent upon whether they are male or female, not only look differently but behave differently as well. When it comes to male mealybugs, they have wings and their sole purpose for existing is to mate and multiply. Female mealybugs have legs, but no wings. Both only have the potential of growing to the size of a human fingernail. For your marijuana plants, female mealybug’s main goal is to find the crevices in your plants and adhere themselves to them. To do this, they create a wax-like protective layer over themselves that protects them from harm while they feed on your plant’s juices. Aside from a protective layer that they place on their bodies, ants too can serve as protectors of mealybugs as they feed. This article covers: Signs of a mealybug problem Fixing a mealybug problem Signs of a mealybug problem If you find ants on your plants, there’s a good chance that you have an infestation of mealybugs. Mealybugs are white and look like puffy clumps of a cotton-like substance. They tend to remain part of a tight knit grouping. When an infestation becomes rampant, small white colored colonies, known as clumps, will pop up on stems within the crevices and stems of your plants, there will be yellowing and dropping off your plant’s leaves and potentially dead ants on and around your plant. While the existence of ants is good in that they ward off predators and parasites that might come along, it signifies that a much larger infestation might be in the works. Once an infestation takes place, it will quickly grow to be out of hand and leaves will start falling off, in essence, ruining your harvest. More about mealybugs in my free grow bible. Back to top Fixing a mealybug problem Because they will eat all of your plants if given the chance; the only way to try to prevent damage to your crop is to institute measures to keep the mealybugs away in the first place. Some proven techniques to follow in keeping them away include: Utilizing a concentrated stream of water to spray the bugs off your plants Crushing the mealybugs Rubbing mealybugs off plants using a cloth Applying rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover to a cotton swab and swabbing bugs off plants Applying soap or an oil-based product For those interested in more organic techniques for remedying a mealybug infestation, we recommend spraying neem, cinnamon, or garlic oil onto the plant itself. When done on a cloudy day on both the top and bottom of the leaf, this technique keeps the mealybug population under control to maximum efficiency. You might also elect to create a solution using a combination of these oils or another one utilizing a mixture of five tablespoons of pure castile soap with two tablespoons olive oil. Once mixed with a gallon of water, the oil component of this solution is particularly effective at sticking onto the plant, thus creating a barrier on the plant to which the mealybug has difficulty adhering. In this case, utilizing bottled as opposed to hard water ensures that your plants do not get water spots on them. Add a teaspoon of garlic or ground red pepper to this mixture - it is even more effective in warding off mealybugs. Further considerations Should the techniques mentioned above not work for you, it’s important to remember the value of ladybugs in keeping pets out of your garden. Because ladybugs are natural combatants to mealybugs and other pests, they are particularly effective at doing away with an infestation because of their ability to eat them up. By following the strategies above that have been laid out for destroying mealybug colonies, you are well on your way to protecting your crop from destruction. Thanks for reading. Please leave comments or questions below and don’t forget to download my free grow bible. Robert www.ilovegrowingmarijuana.com
When Ants Affect Your Marijuana Plants
For those who are not already aware, ants are tiny 6 legged insects. They can range in size and come in many different variations. The smallest of the bunch are sugar ants, and carpenter ants can grow up to half an inch in size. You will usually see ants in places where there is food lying around in the home. Sugar is what ants usually like the most. They take this substance to their homes where the queen ant resides. The average person tends to think of ants in this way, but don’t neglect considering an ants ability to find their way to your precious marijuana plants. If they do, it can be a bit harmful to your plants. This article covers: Ways to know ants are present Solving ant problems Symptoms of ants Ways to know ants are present Ants are typically first attracted to marijuana plants because of the honeydew emitted from whiteflies and aphids. If present, they provide environmental advantages to the whiteflies and aphids. Whiteflies and aphids release honeydew that ants like and, as a result, will actually offer protection for these damaging insects from their natural enemies. So if you see ants around then, you can be sure that most likely your issue is bigger than just the ants. The ants are not necessarily an immediate threat to marijuana plants. There is, however, a strong possibility that aphids or white flies have taken over the area. This other issue with having ants around is that they cause issues for your garden. Ants use large amounts of soil to create their homes and this may affect your plants ability to consume nutrients and water while also weakening the condition of the soil. This can mean problems for your plants roots. More about ants in my free grow bible. Back to top Solving ant problems Since ant mounds create issues for your marijuana plants, you’ll want to do something about them immediately. You should first force the whiteflies and aphids away since they are a major part of your problem. Ants come around just because they want the honeydew so once the other predators are gone, the ants will leave too. You can reduce the number ants present through a variety of methods. These methods will also rid your garden of all other insect problems as well. Try sprinkling corn meal into the entry points of the ant mounds. Ants will attempt to eat the corn meal and end up dying since their bodies are not capable of consuming it. Their death benefits us all because, due to the aeration the ants put in the soil combined with the dead ants, the soil has even more nutrients. Back to top Symptoms of ants - Plants appear to lack water - Whiteflies near your plants - Aphids in the area You notice ants crawling on the plants - Big soil packed mound near the plants Locating the presence of ants is not always easy since they are tiny. However, even if the ants are all over the place, you can probably find their home. All you need to do is track where they are going to or traveling from, and from there you can figure out where their homes are. Use this trick to get rid of your ant problem and free your marijuana plants once again. Thanks for reading. Please leave comments or questions below and don’t forget to download my free grow bible. Robert www.ilovegrowingmarijuana.com
What To Do About Whiteflies On Your Marijuana Plant
You can tell if your plant is infested with whiteflies by shaking the plant. When you do, you will see something that looks like winged white dust flying around. This is how you know whiteflies are present. Chlorosis is another sign that your marijuana plant is being harmed by whiteflies. Chlorosis is a deficiency that cause the plants leaves to turn yellow. The leaves will become dry starting near the borders, and next thing you know they will fall off. You may also notice a decrease in plant growth. This article covers: Solving whitefly problems Symptoms of whiteflies Solving whitefly problems Whiteflies infest in large numbers, making it hard to control them, and to make matters worse they are not affected by pesticides. You will fare better by simply taking the necessary steps to prevent them in the first place. One way to keep whiteflies away is companion planting. Basically, you will plant zinnia or marigolds nearby and it will force them away from your yard. If you add zinnias to your garden, they will attract a whiteflies’ natural enemy, such as hummingbirds, wasps and flies. These predators will eat them, making it an easy solution. You can also use bee balm, hummingbird bush, and pineapple sage to ward off whiteflies. This works because they give off a minty smell that covers up the scent of the plants these pests like – including marijuana. You can also try misting your plants with a garlic oil solution, just like what people use on aphids. There’s also an oil spray made from two tablespoons of vegetable oil and one gallon of water. If you use this, pour the solution into a spray bottle and mist the plants with more attention to the places underneath the leaves. You will need to do this twice a week until the whiteflies are gone. More about pests in my free grow bible. Back to top Symptoms of whiteflies - Leaves turn yellow - Leaf edges are drying - Leaves become brittle - White spots underneath leaves - Plant growth decreases Whiteflies are your plants least favorite pest so keep an eye out for them. You should always look under the leaves and shake your plant often to make sure there are no signs of whiteflies. If you ever see them, quickly take the necessary steps to force them out of your garden. Thanks for reading. Please leave comments or questions below and don’t forget to download my free grow bible. Robert www.ilovegrowingmarijuana.com
Watering Your Marijuana Plants Improperly
Improper watering can come from a lot of reasons. Some include the size of the plant and volume of the container, the root system, the grow room or outside temperature, how humid the air is, and how mature your plant is. If your plant is large, it will need more water, and vice-versa. If your plant is in a container that is quite large, you won’t need to water as often or cover as much space with the water. If the temperature is high, more water is required; if the humidity is also high, however, less water is required. Plants in the midst of their flowering period won’t need as much water. All of these factors come into play when you are trying to establish how much water your marijuana plants need. But, the most important thing to pay attention to is any signs that your plant might be exhibiting, showing that it is receiving too much or too little water. If it doesn’t have the right amount of water, your plant’s health could be at risk. Back to top Underwatering The two risks to pay attention to are overwatering and underwatering. Underwatering is the easiest to identify and fix, but if it goes on too long, then your plant will slow down its growth and eventually die. If your plant is wilting (as opposed to drooping), it doesn’t have enough water. This can be fixed simply by watering your plants more -- whether it’s more often, more frequently, or both. Download my free marijuana grow guide and learn to grow like a pro! The main thing to remember when adding more water to thirsty plants is to do so without any fertilizer. Fertilizers can worsen the problem. You should make sure the water has a balanced pH level and doesn’t have anything added to it. Back to top Overwatering Overwatering is, unfortunately, a relatively common problem, especially among new marijuana growers. The key is to recognize it early on and then take action right away. You will know your plants are being overwatered if their leaves are drooping (not wilting) and your plant just generally appears exhausted and lacking its former health and vibrancy. Note: drooping leaves are completely curled while wilting leaves just have the tips curling. With overwatering or underwatering, growth will slow down. In the case of overwatering, this is because there isn’t enough oxygen for the plant to function properly. An easy way to avoid overwatering is by first checking the soil to ensure it is dry by putting a finger an inch within the top layer of soil. If the soil is totally dry, it is safe to water your plants. If you check this multiple times and it is not getting any drier, then there is likely a problem with the drainage in the container, or else you are watering too much or too often. One technique to see if a container-grown plant is ready for more water is just to lift up the container. If it feels light enough, it is probably dry and ready for a watering. If it’s heavy, there is likely still plenty of water left in the pot. This is a tricky technique for some people at first, especially if they are unfamiliar with how heavy or light the pot normally is. An easy way to get used to it is to have a pot next to it that is filled with the same type of soil (or other growing medium). Keep that pot unwatered and unplanted, making it an easy comparison to see what the weight of a “light,” dry pot is. Simply lift each one and see if they are the same weight. After a while, you should no longer need this extra pot to feel the weight; you will have trained yourself to feel for yourself whether the pot is dry or not. Download my free marijuana grow guide and learn to grow like a pro! Once you recognize the fact that your plants are being overwatered, you will need to take immediate action. For container-grown marijuana plants, check the drainage holes and clear them out if necessary. Or, if you realize that there aren’t drainage holes at all, quickly cut some into the bottom of your pot -- without them your plants simply won’t be able to survive. If drainage holes aren’t the source of the issue, your soil might be made up of particles that are too small and don’t allow water to move through them easily and freely enough. Test this by seeing how long it takes for any water to drain out the bottom after watering the soil -- if it takes longer than a minute, then you need to compensate by watering less frequently. Next time, choose soil that is more aerated or is coarser. An outdoors growing area comes with its own sets of difficulties, depending on your location and what the natural soil is like. If the soil is more clay-based, it won’t drain the water very efficiently. This means any amount of rainfall could have a stronger and longer lasting effect. Compensate by changing the frequency or amount of watering that you do. You can also lower the moisture level within soil by poking holes in the top layer with a writing utensil. If you have overwatering problems and you are growing your marijuana plants in a hydroponic system, the problem is actually in the roots rather than the water. It is highly possible that a lack of oxygen is to blame, so either install an air pump or add in air stones to remedy the issue. If you aren’t growing your plants in a hydroponics system, the problems you’re seeing could still be related to root issues rather than directly from watering problems. Root rot, for example, leads to wilting or drooping of the leaves of your marijuana plants, which can cause new (or even more experienced) growers to misdiagnose what is really the cause. Thanks for reading. Please leave comments or questions below and don’t forget to download my free grow bible and/or visit us at Ilovegrowingmarijuana.com Robert www.ilovegrowingmarijuana.com
The 6 Best Marijuana Strains For Productivity
Sure, marijuana can be a part of a relaxing evening in, but it can also be consumed during times when you need to focus and get something done. This versatile plant has many different functions and using it to aid in productivity is growing increasingly popular, with plenty of new marijuana strains coming out on a regular basis. Marijuana and Productivity? While there has been research into cannabis’ association with creativity, the same kind of research has not been done on the drug's relation to productivity. This being said, many cannabis smokers would argue that marijuana is part of their everyday productive lives. Writer, producer and actor Seth Rogen called the idea that cannabis smokers were lazy and unproductive an antiquated thought and stated himself, “I smoke a lot of weed and I am extremely productive.” In other interviews he has noted that marijuana allows him to relax and create while working long hours. While Seth Rogen might be the ideal example of a productive, creative smoker, many ordinary people use cannabis to remain focused and productive throughout the day. Sativa or Indica? All cannabis use will trigger dopamine production, but the subclass of cannabis called sativa has been more closely linked to these feelings than its cousin, indica. Indica gives the user more of a body high, cerebral effect or zone-induced state. Because of this, you're going to want to turn to any of the following sativa strains when looking to be the most productive. Green Crack Green Crack is a sativa-dominant cannabis strain that is derived from Skunk #1. Users have found this strain to be useful for combatting daytime fatigue and inspiring sharp focus and energy. Also known as Green Cush, this strain has been described as having a tangy, fruity flavour. Grapefruit Sometimes when you need to be productive, you just need to block out all other stressors and just focus on the task at hand. Grapefruit, which get its roots from the strain Cinderella 99, has been known to energize and relax the user, clearing the mind of anxiety. As the name suggests, this strain has an intense grapefruit and citrus flavour. Jack Herer Named after late American cannabis activist Jack Herer, this sativa-dominant strain gets it lineage from Shiva Skunk, Haze and Northern Lights #5. Many users describe this as an energetic strain that clears the mind and increases creativity. If you're going to name a strain after a productive cannabis activist, it better pay tribute to the man himself. Even though this strain shares lineage with Green Crack, Jack Herer has a more spicy and pine-like taste when smoked. Haze Used as a parent for many hybrids produced today, Haze is a very popular sativa strain. Dating back to the 1960’s, this strain has been known to offer users a significant increase in energy and a creative buzz. Described as having a spicy scent accented by citrus and sweet, earthy flavors, it's been around for so long because of its unparalleled ability to deliver such positive effects. Maui Waui As you may have guessed, this strain originates from Hawaii. Described as allowing the mind to relax and venture to creative environments, this strain has natural sativa-like effects of high-energy euphoria. With the taste of pineapple and citrus, this strain even tastes of Hawaii. `Okole maluna! CBD Mango Haze This strain may be hard to find, but it's on the list for a reason. CBD Mango Haze was bred to have a nearly even ratio of THC to CBD. THC is what gets you that high effect whereas CBD offers other medical benefits without the same high feeling. CBD has been thought to counteract the sleep-inducing effects of THC on the body, so Mango Haze can still offer common sativa-like effects while keeping you awake and alert. Similar to its Mango Haze parent plant, this strain has tropical, spicy and sweet flavours. For some, cannabis is anything but a productive force in their daily lives, but for others it can be used to inspire focus and creativity. The drug, of course, affects everyone differently. These strains are grown to produce the desired energetic effects, so they should be experimented with in hopes of discovering which strain will lead you down the path of focused productivity. Photos: Wikipedia Commons, furvert101, Nickel Bag of Funk Feature Image: Doug Shutter / Shutterstock
Scientific Inhalations: Smoother Hits, Bigger Rips
The latest addition to my glass collection showed up in the mail last Thursday, courtesy of my new friends at Scientific Inhalations, aka, SI Pipes. They gifted me with “Thee Wicked Wizard,” a sturdy, American made, mid-sized bubbler with a top-loading glass-on-glass bowl and downstem and removable, glass-on-glass mouthpiece. A slender, Burton-esque green Wizard adorned the side, and though the name suggested a certain fiendishness of character, I saw more of Gandalf than Saruman within the fire-wrought rendering. At a glimpse, there was nothing particularly special about this pipe that entreated me to view it as necessarily superior to any others. I’ve seen this style before, more times than I could begin to count. Anymore, it seems like there’s a new glass company born every day, the majority functioning more as Xerox machines for pre-existing designs than purveyors of forward-thinking functionality or artistic expression. Not to say “Thee Wicked Wizard” isn’t a quality device. On the contrary, my new bubbler is a testament to flawless precision in execution. The welds are perfect and the design boasts a subtle superiority that is both elegant and clean. However, what sets this piece apart, along with the majority of the Scientific Inhalations line, isn’t something that can be pinpointed by a mere analysis of the glass. A good hint, though, is the pair of plastic tube containers that come with the piece, one containing organic cotton and the other filled with pellets of virgin coconut carbon. Spoiler alert: the cotton and carbon, as you may have guessed, are the necessary materials for Scientific Inhalations meticulously conceived “triple filtration” system, designed to dramatically cut down on the unwanted toxins that accompany the combustion of your favorite sticky sweet herb. Here’s how it works (at least, how the piece I received works): First, the smoke passes from the bowl through the downstem, the top half of which is filled with the carbon pellets. As anyone with half a brain and a rudimentary understanding of science knows, carbon of this type is one of the most effective ways to remove unwanted toxins from just about anything. Just ask the geniuses who invented the Brita water filter. Next, the smoke finishes the journey through the percolated downstem and passes through some good ol’fashioned H2O. Finally, there’s the cotton chamber just beneath the mouthpiece, providing that third tier of filtration and giving our lungs a much-needed respite from the daily abuse our that love for cannabis so often encourages. It’s not a gimmick either, as it often is with the majority of glass pipe companies out there who cleverly weave derivatives of words like “scientific,” and “medical” into their branding. It’s a legitimately new way to inhale, possibly the safest way to smoke, as proven by a study completed by an independent laboratory and then scrutinized by California’s Medical Board. It was no easy feat, as Victor, the company’s owner and founder was ready to point out, but as they say, the proof is in the pudding. “They had to duplicate the test,” he recalled, “because when we turned it into the medical board, they had to know what atmospheric pressure was for the day, the temperature in the room, stuff like that. So we had to redo the whole test with more parameters . . . then the Journal of Toxicology replicated the test and said it actually did what they said it did.” For the full report, click the graph: So what does this mean for the average user? Chris, Scientific Inhalations’ PR master, broke it down into its simplest form. “Smoother hits, bigger rips.” What else do you need? For medical patients and the more health-conscious among us, however, this means a lot more than just smoother way to toke up, although that’s definitely appreciated. We’re talking about a massive reduction not only in the standard carcinogens associated with the typical smoking experience, but also in the residues left behind from pesticides used for cultivation. One of the overlooked ironies of our culture is that while so many of us demand organically grown produce from the local grocery store, we never even think to ask for the same from our medicine. The fact that it’s green and not being created by chemists in labs and pushed through the mainstream pharmaceutical industry is somehow enough. Well, pesticides are pesticides, whether they’re lingering on the waxy surface of a store bought apple or tainting the trichomes of your stash. Either way, you’re being exposed to chemical agents, many of which have been linked to multiple ailments, cancer being the foremost among them. And unlike that of carcinogens, the problem of pesticides can’t be solved with a vaporizer. “Everyone says that vaporizing is the safest way to smoke,” Victor observed, “but of those seventeen chemicals we had tested, five of them will boil before your medicine vaporizes.” Ouch. Unless you're smoking organic cannabis, SI Pipes might be safer than a vaporizer. SI Pipes, though the latest incarnation of his life’s work, is by no way Victor’s first foray into the glass business. It just happens to be the first time he’s made smoking devices. A tradesman in the glass world since 1972, Victor has done it all leading up to this, first in lab glass, then high intensity lighting, and finally in medical glassblowing (conventional; not cannabis). He knows his boro. But never has he found such satisfaction as when he combined his forty years of experience producing glass with his lifelong passion for natural medicine, something which he understated to me with a genuine humility based in the stoicism of his generation. “We just wanted to make a scientific pipe that was a better way to smoke.” From the first hit, it was abundantly clear that my so called “Wicked Wizard” was indeed, that better way to smoke. As the sweet, skunky wisps crawled down my tired throat, I found myself amazed at the ease with which I inhaled. There was no burning sensation, no itchy tingle at the base of my chest, no coughing fit that left my head dizzy with oxygen deprivation. There was only the serenity that comes with the ingestion of nature’s greatest remedy. With every hit, I pulled harder, being sure to fill the chamber to the point of overflowing before I breathed it in, but with every hit, I felt nothing more than warm silk on my windpipe. The flower that had been so intricately woven into my life for so long had become my rose without a thorn. Thanks, Scientific Inhalations.
Spider Mites And Your Marijuana Plants
Spider mites are not insects; they arachnids with eight legs and no antennae, such as ticks or other species of mites. Their name comes from the fact that they actually leave a web of sorts on your plants when they have invaded. Spider mites reproduce at a shockingly rapid rate. Within just eight days of the new eggs being laid, an entirely new population of sexually mature (and therefore reproducing) mites will be running rampant on your marijuana plants. Millions of eggs can come from only one female mite within just a month, so a few mites turn into a big problem extremely quickly. Spider mites use their teeth to bite into your marijuana plants and suck out the chlorophyll within. One spider mite will do no noticeable damage; millions of spider mites will devastate your marijuana garden. They usually appear in soil-based systems because of the high amount of dead organic matter contained within, but sometimes they also show up in hydroponics systems or other ones as well. In other words, no garden (marijuana or otherwise) is completely safe from spider mites. Download my free marijuana grow guide and learn to grow like a pro! If the spider mite invasion is particularly severe, a plant could literally die in just one day. You, therefore, need to eradicate them immediately -- which is, of course, easier said than done. Spider mites are hardy, adaptable creatures that are able to adapt any of the methods you decide to use against them. Only a few spider mites left alive could cause a second swell of immune spider mites, requiring you to find a new method and try again. “The Borg,” or two-spotted spider mites, are notorious for this adaptability and their particular preference to consume chlorophyll from marijuana rather than other types of plants. A spider mite’s life is simple but effective when it comes to destroying plants. Its egg is laid, it hatches a few days later as a larva, which are not worm-like but rather have six legs and a round body. The young larvae eat from your delicious plants and then go into their first nymphal stage a few days later. They now have eight legs in total. The first nymph will feast for a few more days and then goes into the second nymph phase, which seems not to be particularly unique from the first nymph stage. After another few days of eating, it becomes a fully fledged, sexually mature adult -- and that means reproduction. Back to top Identifying spider mites Spider mites are tiny and hard to see -- until the infestation is already quite huge, unfortunately. Therefore, you need to take preventative steps to ensure that a spider mite infestation doesn’t get out of hand before you even notice it. Inspect the leaves of your marijuana plants regularly, making sure you are looking at both the top and underside of each leaf. Spider mites like to spin webs on the undersides of your marijuana plants’ leaves to keep themselves, their colony, and their eggs safe and sound. This makes things a bit easier on you -- you should be able to spot the white stringy webs relatively quickly, especially if they are hanging between leaves. You might notice your plant appearing dirty, but it’s just because the webs are sticky and, therefore, attract dirt and dust. Be extra cautious and aware during the flowering phase of your plants’ lives, as buds often end up covered in spider mite webs. Download my free marijuana grow guide and learn to grow like a pro! If you see miniscule spots on your marijuana plants’ leaves, there is a high chance that these are spider mite bite marks. The spots could be yellow or white, making them easier to see. A severely infected plant will look ill, discolored, and will actually start to die relatively quickly. Back to top Eradicating spider mites There are plenty of ways to solve a spider mite problem, without there being one catch-all method that works for everyone, unfortunately. To begin with, try preventing a minor spider mite problem from turning into a big one by using organic compost mulch, which includes predatory mites that will eat the mites on your plants. Additionally, be sure never to bring outside plants into your grow room unless it has sat in quarantine – two weeks is a good amount of time -- to ensure it won’t cause a mite problem in your garden. Dead leaves and other plant materials shouldn’t sit around once they’ve fallen; they need to be removed and discarded. Keep things clean and orderly to prevent a multitude of problems, including spider mites. Another predatory creature you can use to your benefit are ladybugs, which can be bought for this purpose. They will fly away when the food is gone, so you can’t use them to prevent an infestation. However, you may not need to buy them at all when spider mites start showing themselves, as they often show up in the wild just to eat those delicious mites. When you have a spider mite problem, first try spraying your plants with hard water three mornings in a row. The water pressure is what does the job; spider mites that have fallen to the ground will soon starve to death. Vacuum cleaners will do a similar job, but make sure to put the contents away safely and away from your plants. In fact, seal them in a plastic bag and then leave them in the freezer to kill off the mites altogether before discarding them with your trash. If the mites revive after you attempted to treat the problem, you will need to choose a new method. Store-bought sprays might work. You could also try a homemade remedy that calls for one tablespoon of bleach mixed with a gallon of water, or alcohol mixed with water (with a minimum of a third of the mixture being water). There’s also a homemade pepper spray that mixes water, dishwashing soap and a tablespoon of cayenne pepper. These are just some of a variety of other available options. When treating your plants for a spider mite infestation, use one method for 2-3 days, then use another method in addition to re-doing the first method again. Then keep doing this numerous times to be sure that the pesky spider mites are really gone. Thanks for reading. Please leave comments or questions below and don’t forget to download my free grow bible and/or visit us at Ilovegrowingmarijuana.com Robert www.ilovegrowingmarijuana.com
Profits and Expenses When Growing Marijuana
It is not hard at all to grow marijuana so long as you are willing to give the time and energy it takes to do this. It really only takes a few hours a week to get a great harvest. If you are growing marijuana for personal reason, then a large yield isn’t necessary. You can purchase a starter kit for just around $80, which will be a good place to begin. Now, you must keep in mind that the results you get can be different based on where you live. For more information on marijuana growing download my free grow guide. It doesn’t make sense to spend a lot of money growing marijuana if you are only doing it for personal use. The simplest way to grow is outdoors since everything required is already provided by Mother Nature. The soil is packed with plenty of nutrients, every day the sun will rise and the plants will receive water when it rains. So, to get started you just need marijuana seeds and you will also want to buy things like fertilizer and pots to enhance the growing experience. Later in this article I will provide a list of prices for the items you'll need. Indoor growing does not have to be expensive either, as long as you know what you are doing. Using CFL lights will ensure a good yield and save you from having a high electric bill. If you don’t have many plants, then you will not need both a fan and carbon filter to cut down the odor. You just need seeds, CFL lights, a little fan, and pots, for as little as $80 or less. [gallery link="file" ids="1717,1716,1718"] Efficient systems for getting larger yields should cost a few hundred dollars. If you want, you can purchase a plug and play grow box from dealzer.com or create your own small grow space. You can find the shopping list below: Primary Indoor Growing – Amazon.com Total: $80 3, 2 size gallon container $3 1, 125-watt CFL light $30 1 miracle grow soil $4.97 3 good quality seeds $30 1 fan $12 Indoor Pro - A fertile World Total: $350 10, 2 gallon pots $10 1, 600-watt reflector $34.95 10, high quality seeds $80 1, 500 m3 exhaust fan $135 1, 600-watt HPS bulb $49 1, 600-watt ballast $51 1, 500m3 carbon filter $60 1 time switch $6.95 1 fan controller $50 3 miracle grow soil $14.91 Outdoor Growing - Amazon.com Total: $55 3, miracle grow soil $14.91 3, 15-gallon container $9 3, good quality seeds $30 As a first time grower, you may want to know how much yield to expect, or what amount of quality marijuana will come from one plant? This answer to this varies, and several possibilities will influence the outcome. Back to top Indoor growing Having proper lighting is one of the most vital aspects of indoor growing. Experienced growers could potentially get yields of almost 1 gram per watt of light. Take this, for instance, 400-watt HPS lamps may create about 400 grams of quality weed. If your grow space has 1200 watts of light you will get about 1.2 kilograms of weed. Having the right supplies, amount of nutrients, temperature, distance between each plant, as well as other determinants matter when it comes to getting quality results. If you are a newbie, your results may be as such: A median of about 1.5 to 2.0 oz (3.5 oz for experienced growers) with 200-watt CFL lamps in a grow space that measures 3.5 x 1.5 x 6.5 ft. A median of about 3.0 to 5.0 oz (9.0 oz for experienced growers) with a 250-watt HPS lamp in a grow space that measures 3.5 x 1.5 x 6.5 ft. A median of about 4.5 to 9.0 oz (14 oz for experienced growers) with a 400-watt HPS lamp in a grow space that measures 3.5 x 3.5 x 7 ft. A median of about 5.0 to 10 oz (21 for experienced growers) with a 600-watt HPS lamp in a grow space that measures 4 x 4 x 8 ft. A median of about 9.0 to 18 oz (36 for experienced growers) with a 1000-watt HPS lamp in a grow space that measures 5 x 5 x 8 ft. Back to top Outdoor growing You can’t just put your seeds in the soil and let them do their own thing because you will only end up with a few ounces of marijuana. It is necessary to add the right nutrients and nurturing. In the ideal environment outdoors, you may end up with about 18 ounces for every plant. It is necessary to keep a distance of at least 2 meters between each plant. Plants need to receive their proper nutrients and water without being harmed by pests or even catching diseases. If you are using containers, they need to be 15-liter ones. Sprouting your plants early in the growing season gives them time to grow much bigger. If could be a good idea to sprout your seeds indoors so as to maintain the right humidity and temperature. If all you want is your own personal stash of weed that is fine just make sure you properly nurture your plants. If you are unable to do indoor growing, you may want to attempt doing it in your garden or even a rooftop balcony. Some other great locations are parks, a friend’s garden, forests, and cornfields. If you feel that marijuana growing is right for you. Be sure to download my free grow guide to learn more about picking the right place to grow your marijuana, and purchase very good quality seeds from our shop. We ship to the U.S. and International. Every customer will receive 24/7 support for marijuana growing. Robert www.ilovegrowingmarijuana.com
History Of Tobacco, Hand Rolled Cigarettes, Paper Sizes and Rolling Papers
As time went on, tobacco and tobacco usage became very common in the Americas. There is a drawing of smoking by the ancient Mayas from about 1400 years ago. In it, a Mayan is shown smoking a roll of tobacco leaves tied with a string. COLUMBUS Tobacco was first discovered by Europeans via Christopher Columbus. Columbus received dried tobacco leaves as gifts when he landed in what is now the Caribbean. Two of his crew are credited with first observing smoking when they were exploring what is now Cuba. The natives taught them how to smoke and one of the crew, Rodrigo de Jerez took the habit home to Europe. In fact his neighbors were so frightened by seeing smoke coming out of his nose and mouth that they notified the local Inquisition. Jerez was jailed for 7 years (and you thought smokers had it tough nowadays)! By the time Jerez was finally released, smoking had become all the rage in Spain. BLUNTED ENDS Smoking at that time was done via loosely rolled, open ended cigar type products with multiple wrappers or binders held together by licking the ends of the leaves. As cigar smoking progressed many improvements came to Cigars. For example, one ‘new’ style of cigar rolling formed a rounded smooth tip. This “Blunt” end caused this new style to be called a Blunt. Nowadays most cigars, even Coronas and Robustos have this same rounded end but the original term Blunt still applies. INHALATION BEGINS The birth of the modern rolled cigarette happened in 1614 in Seville. King Philip III required all tobacco grown in the Spanish New World to be shipped to a central location in Seville, to control pricing and prevent oversupply. Because of this, Seville became the world center for the production of cigars. Street beggars would pick up the remainders of used cigars, take them apart and re-roll them in newspaper. Because of the scarcity of tobacco and their desire to enjoy every drop, they began holding the smoke in their lungs (inhaling). This took hold and made its way through the working class until the practice became common. Thus the modern hand-rolled cigarette was born. THE DAWN OF CIGARETTE PAPER Of course burning newspaper had its own problems, especially with the then lead based inks. Spanish merchants began offering plain unprinted paper for this purpose. One factory in Alcoy that was making specialized packing papers offered the first paper designed specifically for cigarette rolling. This paper was later improved and an additional factory in Alcoy opened to compete. Over time additional cigarette paper factories opened near Barcelona, then France, the UK and eventually there were many factories across Europe. In Alcoy Spain there still is one rolling paper factory left, which can actually trace its roots back to the first rollingpaper factory. This Alcoy factory produces many of our popular papers to date. Brands such as RAW, Elements, Juicy Jay’s & DLX are made using processes that date back to the origin of this factory. Some of the craftsmen at this factory have been making papers for generations! SIZES In Spain, the size that was developed based on consumer preference was approximately 78mm long by 44mm high. At first this was the size that dominated the entire European market. However, King James 1 and his later successors enacted heavy tobacco taxes. This led the British market to move to a smaller size which held about 25% less tobacco. This new small size was about 70mm long by 38mm high. As the British Empire grew, so did the proliferation of this smaller British sized rolling paper. In fact, to this date in most of the common wealth countries the #1 selling size is this small 70mm paper. This paper became known as “Standard Size” or “Single Wide”. The original Spanish 78mm paper became known as “Spanish Size”, except the British referred to it as One and quarter, in reference to how it holds about 25% more tobacco than a British Standard Sized paper. THE KING IS BORN Flash forward about 100 years and the industrial revolution allowed the mass production of machine made cigarettes. At first, most cigarettes were either 70mm or 78mm long without a filter. However in the 1950’s filtered cigarettes began to take over. Consumers were concerned that by purchasing a filtered cigarette they were getting less tobacco as the filter took up some of the cigarette’s space that used to be filled with tobacco. Thus large tobacco companies responded to this by increasing the length of cigarettes to accommodate the filter. Cigarette size increased from 70mm or 78mm to a new 84mm size. This new size became known as “King Size”, named after the King of England who was seen publicly smoking this new cigarette. Over the next several decades the shorter cigarettes saw their market share shrink dramatically until they were all but replaced by the new 84mm “King Size”. However rolling paper factories missed the opportunity to change their sizes to suit this new consumer preference and continued producing the legacy sizes of generations past. It wasn’t until 2009 when HBI finally produced the world’s first 84mm cigarette rolling papers with their launch of DLX brand 84’s as they are called. While it may appear that rolling paper companies are dramatically behind the times, this is common among rolling paper factories as most companies prefer not to change with the times. However this sort of dinosaur attitude has recently been changing as new and improved forms of cigarette papers have been launched in recent years. Among them are natural unbleached and unrefined papers (i.e. RAW), ultra thin rice papers (i.e. Elements), and extra slow burning papers (i.e. DLX). The next oldest significant rolling paper innovation was the invention of interleaved rolling papers which was launched 110 years ago at the 1900 wold’s fair, and led tothe formation of the Zig Zag brand. Zig Zag means how the papers are interleaved in a zig-zag format. CONFUSED? In Commonwealth countries the #1 selling size is still the 70mm standard size papers.However, in the rest of the world including the USA, Spanish Size (1¼) is by far the better seller. Overall there has been a market trend towards this original 1¼ size and sales data has shown that it is increasing in popularity, especially in the UK and Canada. Now that there is finally an 84mm rolling paper available, sales of that size are increasing steadily and will likely eventually become one of the most popular sizes, mirroring the extreme popularity of 84mm King Size Cigarettes. Now we’d like to address so-called King Size rolling papers which are actually miss-named. This date back to 1984 when Rizla launched their 100mm rolling papers catered towards women that preferred the 100mm cigarette size. People first referred to this as “Queen Size”. Another firm tried to outdo Rizla and launched a 110mm paper, and named it “King Size’. However this is a misnomer. King Size cigarettes are all 84mm long. A 110mm paper is actually a longer “Queen Size” and is much longer then the preferred 84mm standard King Size. The aforementioned “King Size” rolling papers were typically 110mm long and 52mm high. However the newer format of this “King Size” is 110mm long and 44mm high (sometimes called King Size, sometimes called King Size Slim). This has become one of the most popular sizes in Europe and is growing while the older King Size is decreasing. The difference is the 8mm in paper height. The 44mm height is the original “Spanish Sized” or 1¼ sized height, and seems to be the preferred height by most smokers for all rolling papers (regardless of length). BOOKLET The origins of the cigarette rolling paper booklet can be traced back to a Dominican priest, Father Jaime Villanueva Estingo (Jativa, Spain, 1765). Before Father Villanueva's invention, tobacco smokers laboriously and wastefully cut sections of large sheets of paper to roll their cigarettes. He devised a more convenient method of peeling small sheets from pocket-size booklet dispensers and brought his idea to Alcoy, where the first rolling paper booklet s ever were produced. People still pay homage to Father Villanueva in Alcoy to this very day. INFO ON PAPER COMPANIES There are 3 huge multinational rolling paper companies: One of the largest is Republic/Bollore in France. They make Job®, Top®, Zig Zag®, OCB®, Gambler® and Abadie®. Their key competitor is Imperial Tobacco UK. This large multinational tobacco company owns Rizla®, Joker®, and EZ-Wider®. Another very large outfit is Miquel Y Costas. They are the makers of Smoking brand, Bugler papers, Pure Hemp brand and Bambu. After these 3 big guys come a series of independent brands (RAW®, Elements , DLX®, Skunk®, Hempire ®, Chills®, Zen®, Juicy Jays®, etc.). Special Note about China - While China did invent paper; they did not invent cigarette paper with good cause. The Chinese Emperor Chongzhen banned tobacco and ordered that anyone who smoked it should be beheaded. Tobacco was completely forbidden in China for hundreds of years and thus no cigarette paper was ever developed there. It is only quite recently that China has begun producing any cigarette rolling paper. Most of the cheaper rolling papers now coming out of china are actually shoe paper (the crinkly paper that you find stuffed into the toe of a new pair of shoes) being marketed as rolling paper. While the two look similar, shoe paper burns fast and tears easily. The Europeans have a long head start over the Chinese when it comes to cigarette rolling papers, and have mastered their craft over many generations and hundreds of years. * There are also the large companies Gizeh of Germany and Op Paprina of the Czech Republic however these two mostly sell in their home markets. * One interesting note is that the first flavored tobacco was smoked by the ancient Mayans who perfumed their tobacco with reeds. That may predate Juicy Cigars for originality, but we’re certain that Juicy Cigars taste much better. * There is a story that cigarettes were invented in 1750 by Egyptian soldiers who had broken their only pipe. The story goes that they used leftover paper that had been used to wrap munitions in order to smoke. However there is no actual proof of this story whereas the Spanish street beggar story has much documentation.
What Are Stomata And Why Should You Care?
The tiny holes can be found on the underside of the marijuana leaf (and just about every other plant.) They’re called “stomata” and they require a microscope or at least a magnifying glass to see. As far as the second half of the question, you don’t care. Think of stomata as the respiratory system of the plant. They breathe in CO2 and breathe out oxygen. That’s exactly the reverse of what animal life does. The stomata use a vacuum system to suck in gasses and to expel them. Different stimulation on the plant causes repositioning. In fact, understanding how stomata work can help you grow the highest quality cannabis and achieve the best yields. In this article we will cover: How do stomata work Stomata climate cycles Managing CO2 in your plants Blue light and stomata The importance of moistur Back to top How do stomata work Stomata open and close regularly. They open to absorb CO2. They close to retain moisture. Marijuana grows while maintaining this balance. To be a successful grower, you need to stay on top of the balance. It’s not as crazy as walking a tightrope after nine or ten rips from a pop culture decorated Pyrex bong but it’s still a balancing act you need to think about. Regulating the growing environment regulates the stomata and in doing so keeps the moisture where it should be and the absorption of CO2 where it should be as well. Each individual stoma is comprised of a guard cell and an auxiliary cell. The guards open and close the hole. It’s accomplished by absorbing or releasing water so they either fill up or drain out like a water balloon, closing and open the hole by filling up the space or taking the filling away. This whole process is called osmosis. Nutrients and minerals build up in their cells, which attracts water. This is mostly potassium and sugars and this is why proper nutrition is critical for pot. The auxiliary cells accomplish the opposite, pulling potassium from the guard cells and then attracting water. When the plant is low on water, a hormone sends a signal to close the holes. One thing to remember is that the stomata are vulnerable just like a human. If you walk into a room filled with tear gas and breathe it in, your body will be damaged. Stomata absorb CO2 just like the plant needs but if the environment has bad gasses like carbon monoxide, which ends up getting absorbed as well. If you want to know more about marijuana growing, make sure you download my free marijuana grow guide. Back to top Stomata climate cycles Ever thought plants sleep? They sort of do. Stomata has a cycle just like people. They’re usually open during the day to pull in CO2 and they’re usually closed at night to retain moisture. Managing the climate and the light your plants received thus becomes critical to success in growing. The stomata operate the respiration of the plant in a complicated cycle affected by a great many factors. Imagine drowning. That’s what it’s like for a plant if the stomata cycle gets screwed up. In a best case scenario, the plant stops growing. In a worst case scenario, the plant dies. Back to top Managing CO2 in your plants The plant wants a balance between external CO2 and internal CO2. Light and CO2 concentration in the air play a big roll. Light intensity impacts things because the more light, the larger the stomata open. On the other hand, light causes the plants to lose concentration of CO2 in the leaf. That makes the stomata open to absorb more. The light causes the plants to lose concentration of CO2 in the leaf. That makes the stomata open to absorb more. The light causes… If there is too much CO2 in the air, the stomata openings will be smaller. That’s what causes leaves to turn yellow. Essentially, the plants overheat, and that’s why cooling your plants by maintaining airflow is important. It you’re super dedicated and can manage CO2 levels, you want about 1500 ppm (parts per million). Download my free marijuana grow guide for more about CO2 and ppm's. Back to top Blue light and stomata You may have read that you can manipulate the stomata process with blue light. It’s true that blue light is far more effective than red and strongly impacts the stomata cycle. Don’t go buying colored lights! One of the wonderful things about pot is that it’s a naturally incredible plant. If you screw with the very carefully balanced system of water and CO2 management, you’ll end up hurting rather than helping. Stick with the best choices, HPI and HPS lamps, if you want to grow indoors. Back to top The importance of moisture Water is simply critical to effectively growing weed . If a plant gets low on water, the stomata close. Sure, that means photosynthesis stops but retaining moisture saves a plant from drying out and dying. Worse than the lack of photosynthesis, though, is that the plant will overheat. Opening the stomata is how a plant regulates its temperature. Closed stomata make the leaves get hotter. The heat causes evaporation even when stomata are closed. Low internal moisture becomes an ongoing vicious cycle. The cycle gets worse. Without the stomata and the cooling effects, the humidity in the environment gets lower. With less moisture in the air, the already overtaxed plant creates more issues. The good news is that constantly high humidity allows plants to keep their stomata open regularly because there’s no risk of losing moisture. ( Some Dutch scientists at the University of Wageningen in the Netherlands figured that out.) Here’s the bottom line. Your plants need moisture and they need light. This is utterly critical, and you can’t screw with the cycle. Treat your plants right, and they’ll reward you. Many factors influence cultivation and your success is all about what you put into learning about it. The stomata represent a critical part of the picture, but it’s still just one part. For more tips on plant physiology, be sure to download my free Marijuana Grow Guide for a handy offline source or visit ilovegrowingmarijuana.com. Happy growing, Robert www.ilovegrowingmarijuana.com
How Osmosis Helps With Nutrient Absorption
Osmosis is how your marijuana plants stay in the right position, retain the proper tension in their cells, keep buds performing well, and get all of the nutrients it needs. The best part about osmosis – it doesn’t use energy. This article covers: What is osmosis Nutrients absorption by osmosis Reverse osmosis Plasmolysis and turgor What is osmosis Osmosis keeps your plants from lying flat on the ground or wilting. It does this by maintaining the correct tension in the cells. This process happens not only in plants but also in most things in nature. One example is how a liquid with some sort of dissolved solid seems to ‘pull in’ pure water. You may have seen this when you have two containers with water in them that is sealed off by a semi-sealed membrane. What happens is: the water will go through the membrane, but the solutes (whatever they might be) do not. The science lesson here is that water moves to where the concentration of dissolved liquids is higher. The result is a dilution. This process does not require any energy and it will continue until an equilibrium is reached. Cells work in a similar manner. Just like their vacuoles inside of them, the semi-permeable membrane of the cell store and keep certain materials out. The cells store important sugars, nutrients and proteins while allowing water through and keeping most solutes out. The water will continue to flow in, being attracted to the high concentration within the cell, only stopping until equilibrium is met. The cells swell as a result. With all of this water flowing into the cell, the cell well must work hard to keep from popping. This causes a strong counter pressure that helps plants stand tall and better reach their light source. Osmosis also has another important function in plants – it helps with the opening and closing of the stomata. The stomata regulate how a plant “breathes.” Read more in the article The function of stomata in marijuana plants Back to top Nutrient absorption by osmosis In a cannabis plant, nutrient absorption occurs in the roots. This includes the absorption of the dissolved salts located inside the nutrients (which requires osmosis). With nutrient absorption, osmosis causes ions to move from an area of greater concentration to one of lower concentration. Its ability to this is referred to as its osmotic pressure. The process of osmosis is rather simple, what’s more important is the amount and type of substances you have on either side of the cell membrane. Some substances that you would typically find both inside and outside of a cannabis’ cells are potassium (K), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) ions. Keeping these at the right level are critical to a marijuana plant’s health. Here is osmosis’s role in nutrient absorption. If a marijuana plant has used up some of its nitrogen ions, for example, it will automatically pull in more nitrogen from the outside. Once equilibrium has been met, no more movement will occur. However, if any of the levels drop, either outside the cell or inside the cell, movement will occur again. For example, sometimes phosphorus could be pulled out of the plant and cause a deficit. This occurs when there are more phosphorous ions inside the plant than in the water outside. If you want to know more about nutrient absorption, make sure you download my free marijuana grow guide. Back to top Reverse osmosis Reverse osmosis is a different process. It is used to remove dissolved salts from water. Reverse osmosis is used in laboratories, kidney dialysis, and a little bit when making soda or beer. Guess what else – it’s also used when growing marijuana. Many people think about reverse osmosis in terms of their water. Most of the time, you won’t need to worry about how much dissolved substances are in your tap water. Even if the water you use for your plants has a high amount of chlorine, it isn’t that big of a deal. Of course, there are some growers who want to control everything that is put into to their plants, and there are ways to do that. Try using demineralized water and then add the necessary nutrients, but again, this is optional. So we know with osmosis that a semi-permeable barrier partition allows water to flow between liquids with different concentration of solutes. This is an automatic process that cannot be prevented, however, it can be reversed. The way to do this is by putting pressure on the more concentrated solution. This pressure will prevent water from going through the membrane. The amount of pressure needed for this to occur is called osmotic pressure. Download my free marijuana grow guide and learn to grow like a pro! With enough pressure, the flow can be completely reversed. Water molecules will start going to the less concentrated liquid instead of automatically achieving equilibrium. This is reverse osmosis. If you think about it like it was “clean” or “dirty” water, putting pressure on the dirty water can produce pure water on the other side. This is how many clean (or demineralized) water solutions are produced. On the other side, a liquid or brine with a very high amount of salts is produced. Pure water produced by this method will have a pH level of 7 and an EC that’s nearly 0. If you decide to use demineralized water for your plants, keep in mind, there could be a lack of magnesium or calcium. Find out by learning everything about your current tap water first. Many cities make this information publically available. (It’s referred to as the hardness level) Generally speaking, when you use tap water for your plants, it typically gives a high amount of magnesium and calcium. When you use reverse osmosis on tap water, it takes these important minerals out of the water. Back to top Plasmolysis and turgor Turgor is the amount of pressure exerted on a cell wall. This is caused by a cell’s ability to draw water from spaces between cells or other cells. When this pressure increases, it cause the cell membrane to expand and stretch until it touches the cell wall. Then, the cell wall gives counter pressure. Think of it like a box that is pushing back on a balloon being blown up inside of it. That balloon is only going to get but so big. Turgor causes the stiffness that we see in plants. When there is not enough water, there is less turgor (i.e. the osmotic value of the outside area is greater than what is inside). When there is not enough turgor, cell membranes begin to break off from the cell wall in a process called plasmolysis. Plasmolysis is very bad; mostly because a constant state of plasmolysis causes cell death. No one wants dead marijuana plants… at least not until their done growing. Thanks for reading. Don’t forget to download my free grow bible and happy growing! Robert www.ilovegrowingmarijuana.com
What Is A Marijuana Plant?
Plants play a vital role in our ecosystem- we all depend on their presence. Simply put, we need them for our survival. Even though every plant goes through the photosynthesis process, they are not all created equal. The same goes for cannabis plants. So, let’s talk about how to recognize cannabis plants and how they operate. If you are planning to grow marijuana it is important that you understand the plant in its entirety. In this article we will discuss: Plant development The root system Stems: the nutrition highway The purpose of leaves Flowers on marijuana plants Plant development A plant grows through cell elongation and cell division. When the plant cells split in half and make imitations of themselves this is the division process, and elongation occurs as the cells broaden and get larger. Cell division happens on the ends of the roots, the crown, and the border of leaf nodes. You will know that cell division is happening rapidly in those places if you see the plant is growing. Once new cells are formed during cell division, they will go through cell elongation and take in water from the xylem and get much bigger. If a plant is in good condition and a great growing environment, it has the potential to grow as much as 3 inches per day. As baby cells grow they can serve many purposes for your plant, which is determined by what the plant needs. Several varieties of cells can be placed into groups of tissues. Cells can be divided into 3 main segments: vascular, ground, and dermal tissues. Ground cells also known as parenchyma make up the majority of cells inside of plants. This is the useful part of living things. For instance, leaf cells contain mostly parenchymal ground cells, except for the veins and stomata. The next ones are vascular tissues, which are cell systems that have to carry nutrients and water throughout the plant. The xylem moves minerals and water from the roots to the other parts of the plant, and at the same time phloem transports the output of photosynthesis from the leaves to wherever else it is required to be. For instance, various part of the plant need the energy of the sugars from leaves. And last but not least there is the dermal tissue, which is the external layer of plant cells. This part serves to protect it from pests, cold and hot temperatures, as well as parasites. The stomata, cell wall, and lustrous external layers make up the dermal tissue. This is what helps the plant to breathe and take in both CO2 and dissolving water. Back to top Root system There is so much more to a plant than most people consider. All we usually see is what lies at the surface. The root system can grow so large that it becomes about the size of the actual plant. The roots are how your plant endures dry conditions and also access additional nutrients in the soil. Your marijuana plant doesn’t require a large root system to grow well. It will do just fine with a small root system. You can grow it in pots or hydroponics, so long as you are willing to put in the necessary work to give it the light, water and nutrients it needs. Roots tips that are in good condition will be white with little hairs all over it. If you ever notice the roots have turned brown, most likely your plant is in bad shape. At this point, you will need to observe the soil for any signs of root problems. Read the article How to identify root problems for more information. Evaporation is the foundation for water and nutrient uptake in a plant. Extra water is evaporated through the stomae in the leaves while, below the ground, water presses up against the roots and creates pressure. The combination of root pressure below and evaporation above create a suction system in the plant that helps promote the flow of nutrients and water from the bottom to the top. Back to top Stems: the nutrition highway The main structural point of a plant is the stem. The stems are how water and nutrients travel all over the plant. They are the reason your plant can stand up vertically. The leaves connect to the stem at the node and the other part of the stem is called the internode. How tall a plant gets depends on the amount and how long the internodes are; how many internodes it has remains the same. Stems have phloem and xylem, which extend downward to the roots. The xylem moves water and minerals from the roots to the newer leaves. Starting inside the leaves, the phloem moves sugar and energy throughout the plant. It is important for a cannabis plant to have a very strong stems. A broad stem will enhance the movement of energy and make the plant solid so that it does not tumble over as it flourishes. You can make a solid stem through using air flow. Have a fan blowing on your plant at all times. That way the stimulation causes the plant to broaden the stem while it’s growing. More tips in my free grow bible at this link here Back to top The purpose of leaves The leaves are the most vital part of any plant because this is where photosynthesis takes place, making it a supplier of food. Plant leaves are made up of petiole (stalk), mesophyll and veins. The mesophyll is the leave’s flesh, and it is here that cells containing chlorophyll catch sunlight, along with CO2 and turn it into energy. The veins stretch from the leaf tips to the roots, which are made up of phloem and xylem. Xylem moves water and phloem moves energy. You can find the stomata on the bottom half of the leaf. These are the doors to the inside of a plant. They open and close when needed so that oxygen, water vapor, and CO2 can be transported. Leaves will definitely flourish best in the sun and produces an abundance of chlorophyll. The more chlorophyll a plant has, the more sugar, and since sugar is energy, the plant will be in better condition. Leaves that are in more dim areas will produce less sugar than those in sunlight. Download my Free marijuana grow bible and learn to grow like a pro! Nodes can found at the crossroads of leaf bundles. Nodes are a great way to determine how your plant is doing. The first nodes will grow single-fingered leaves, the second will have 3 fingered leaves and the 3rd 5 fingered leaves and it just keeps going on from there. If the plant is growing in good conditions, it will have more fingers on the leaves, which means a healthy plant. This is important to understand while pruning because plants can have preferences. Make sure you know what and why you are pruning. Having fans in your grow space to help keep the environment under control because different leaves may be experiencing different temperatures. Back to top Flowers on marijuana plants The flowers are the reproductive organs of a Cannabis plant. The flowers are rarely flawless because they are both male and female. The male flowers have stamen, which are a thin tube-like filament topped with pollen covered anther. The females have pistils, with a pillar-like stalk and a stigma at the end. Stigmas are generally sticky in order to catch pollen. Marijuana plants reproduce through pollination, which occurs through using pollen from the male’s stamen and moving it to the pistil of the female. The flowers also have CBD and THC in them. These are the two main active substances and the reason we want to grow and smoke the plant ;) You keep these substances at high levels by making sure the female flower never get fertilized. Fertilization causes the female plant to start adding resources to the creation of seeds. If the plant goes without being fertilized it will focus on giving to the creation of calyxes, teardrop nodules that usually have large amounts of trichomes. Those are what secretes THC, as well as other cannabinoids. Thanks for reading this article. Don't forget to download my free marijuana grow bible and happy growing! Robert Bergman www.ilovegrowingmarijuana.com
