Marijuana Growing Secrets

Chapter 1: The cannabis plant

Hemp's name comes from the Old English word hænep and is the common name for plants of the entire genus C.sativa. However, the term now usually refers only to Marijuana strains cultivated for fiber and not drug crops. Marijuana is a hardy plant that grows in both temperate and tropical conditions throughout the world and can thrive in diverse and sometimes challenging environments. Botanists can't agree as to which family cannabis belongs; initially, it was classified as one of the Nettle family (Urticaceae), although this was based more on visual characteristics than biology. It was later reclassified into the Fig family (Moraceae). However, this is still causing disagreement, so marijuana is now classified as Cannabaceae and the genus of hop plants because of its uniqueness. When dating pollen samples, it isn't easy to establish the difference between hemp and hops, its botanical relative. In most studies, hemp and hops are not separated from each other. Instead, they are reported as hops/hemp or Cannabaceae. Cannabis can grow in height from one to four meters (3 to 15ft), depending on variety and growing conditions. It is classified as an herbaceous annual. Herbaceous means the plant is an herb, and annual refers to its life cycle, meaning the plant grows, reproduces, and dies in one season. It is a heliotropic plant, preferring direct sunlight and open spaces, and grows poorly in shaded areas.

Because of its importance as a crop, cannabis has been transported and grown in many diverse regions, apart from extreme cold or humidity areas, and was introduced worldwide by our ancestors. It was almost certainly the Scythians who introduced hemp into China. Still, it is widely accepted that the Chinese were the first to domesticate the native Asian plant or document its use. Its center was in present-day northern China. There is a continuous record of its service from Neolithic times to the present day. Cannabis is believed to have been introduced into Northern Europe by The Vikings. The Spaniards took it to Mexico and Peru, the French to Canada, and the English to North America, where it was revered as a valuable fiber crop. Cultivars dis- pursued so widely from their natural habitat over such a long period and subjected to constant human selection for set characteristics tend to hybridize and frequently become so altered that they barely resemble the original plant. Unlike other cultivars, cannabis remains true and thrives in the wild despite its long history as a significant

crop plant. There are three distinct varieties of cannabis grown for their Tetrahydrocannabinol or THC content: Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis.

This bud is in the early flowering stage. Soon its trichomes will be full of THC.Cannabis regulates its development and flower production by measuring the length of daylight falling onto its leaves. It produces a light-sensitive hormone called phytochrome responsible for altering the plant from vegetative growth into flowering when it reaches a critical level. Marijuana plants change from the vegetative state into the flowering cycle when they receive 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness. They will respond to this change no matter where they are grown, even under artificial lighting. Cultivators can use this re- response to their advantage by controlling the plants' day lengths, either by changing the lighting cycles or covering outdoor and greenhouse plants. 

Plants grown under lighting are given 18 to 24 hours of daylight to keep them in the vegetative stage. Plants given 24 hours of the day will grow 25% faster. There is no requirement for them to sleep; however, the grower needs to calculate the cost in terms of electricity used. If there is a problem with consuming excessive amounts, then the cycle should be run at 18 hours. Cuttings under fluorescents respond better to 24 hours of daylight. Only the female flower produces buds. There is no difference in the potency of plants flowered at different ages; younger plants just yield less. Once the flowering cycle has been induced, a young plant will have the same THC content as an older one. THC, also known as tetrahydrocannabinol or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, is the name given to the cannabinoids found in cannabis plants, unique to the species. They are not found anywhere else. Although we can synthesize them in a laboratory, we have still not found a synthetic equal THC. These cannabinoids are made up of several different but related chemicals with similar effects. They are known as CBN, THCV, CBV, and CBDV. One chemical is labeled CBD, which is known to block the others' psychoactive effects. Some plants will have all sets of chemicals in their make-up, and there are several different versions of THC found in differing plants, so in practice, we label these all as THC. THC production is known to increase in cannabis plants grown at higher altitudes and is thought to protect the plant from ultraviolet radiation. THC also exhibits antibiotic properties, suggesting a role in protecting the plant from mold or disease. Some suggest that THC has a function in repelling herbivores and insects. This may be the case; however, as an insect repellent, it is reasonably inept. It can also be argued that many herbivores actively seek out cannabis plants, which should not have evolved toxins that reward animals for eating them, and humans should not have developed a reward mechanism within the brain for THC.

In 1988, Allyn Howlett, a researcher at St. Louis University Medical School, discovered a specific THC receptor in the human brain. These are a type of nerve cell that THC binds to on a molecular level, causing it to activate. The receptors are found throughout the brain but are clustered in regions responsible for thought, memory, movement, and emotion. Interestingly, these receptors are not found in the brain stem that controls involuntary functions such as breathing and blood circulation. This explains the low toxicity of THC and why no overdose has ever been recorded. No one has ever died due to ingesting THC, nor have there been any instances of brain receptor damage through cannabis use. THC stimulates the specialist receptors, but unlike alcohol and other drugs, cannabis chemicals do not wear out the receptors they promote.

The dark red pistils indicate that this plant is ready for harvest. Its trichomes will be packed full of THC.  

One estimate of THC's lethal dosage for humans indicates that roughly 1500 pounds of cannabis would have to be smoked within 15 minutes (approx). To cause death. Studies suggest that the effective dose of THC is at least 1000 times slower than the estimated lethal dose. Heroin, by contrast, has a therapeutic ratio of 6:1, alcohol is not far behind with a level of 10:1, and cocaine is rated at 15:1. 

If you wanted to make 1500 pounds of cannabis lethal to humans, you would be better advised dropping it on them. To recognize delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the brain must, in theory, produce its version of the chemical, perhaps to regulate pain management, appetite, or even thought and emotions. Raphael Mechoulam discovered the brain's endogenous cannabin in 1992. He named it Anandamide, which means 'inner bliss' in Sanskrit. The cannabis plant produces a complex chemical very similar to one that we naturally make ourselves.

The THC drug is principally contained in multicellular structures on the flower heads' surface. Small leaves are called stalked capitate trichome glands. These appear as tiny, translucent, mushroom-like systems that are visible through a magnifying glass. The leaders of these structures contain oil secreted as a sticky resin and have high THC levels.

The glands are not the only multicellular structures on the plant's surface. Bulbous glands, also known as sessile glands, are found on some of the leaves and contain low cannabinoids. The other structures to look out for are unicellular hairs that look like short hairs and cystolith hairs, which appear pointed under the magnifying glass and contain calcium carbonate de- posits. Neither of these two structures contains any cannabinoids. The male develops small clusters of white flowers that release pollen be- fore dropping from the plant. The male dies shortly after the flowers fall. Male plants have low THC quantities and are usually removed from the crop to avoid female sales' pollin. Once a female has been pollinated, all her efforts go into seed production, not what marijuana producers want. By leaving the female unpollinated, you get thicker, more resinous buds whose weight is composed of flower material, not seeds. The Spanish word for seedless is Sinsemilla, which gives these harvests their name.

To ensure an all-female crop, most cultivators take cuttings from a known female and grow genetically identical clones instead of seedlings. If you have a crop of seedlings, you can identify the females once flowering has started by their small white hair-like pistils emerging from bulbous pods at every branch union. The males produce small green balls that will develop into flowers. The structure of the cannabis plant stem is of interest to cultivators. Directly underneath the green bark are two layers responsible for water and nutrients between the leaves and the plant. The leaves are sugar factories where sunlight is collected and used in the production of energy. Sugars and phosphatides are produced by combining this energy with carbon dioxide from the soil's soil's atmosphere and nu 

The layer directly beneath the outer bark is called the phloem, and its tissues are used by the plant to conduct food processed in the leaves back down into the plant itself. Beneath this, layered is called the xylem, tissue responsible for running water and nutrients back up to the leaves to produce sugars. We can use the structure of the plant stem to our advantage when carrying out asexual propagation. It is possible to reduce the stress to the mother plant and cuttings by using a technique known as air layering. This method involves creating a clone, complete with roots that are still attached to the parent plant. We do this with a little careful surgery on the clone site: cutting into the phloem and disrupting the flow of nutrients away from the selected area while leaving the xylem intact and still feeding the newly developing clone.

When the drain of food back into the mother is shut off, the clone can utilize it to produce new roots. The clone will be a complete genetic copy of the mother, inheriting all of the same characteristics. Cannabis inherits its attributes from its parent plants. When sexual reproduction takes place, male and female germ cells join together. Every plant cell contains chromosomes that hold genetic information. Each chromosome pair contains two genes for each characteristic: cannabis plants have ten pairs of chromosomes, making 20. Plants that contain these standard sets of chromosomes are called diploid. Abnormal numbers of chromosomes within one plant cell are generally referred to as polyploid plants.

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Chapter 2: Choosing your location

Artificial environments, known as grow rooms, offer the cannabis grower a safer alternative to outdoor cultivation, with the benefit of consistent year-round crops. Grow rooms can be built in various locations. They can vary in size from small cupboards to warehouse-sized marijuana farms. Your site needs to be secure and free of extremes of temperature or dampness. It requires a supply of water and electricity. Successful grow rooms can be built in both commercial and residential premises.  

Residential

• Spare rooms (bedrooms are ideal) 

• Attics and lofts (although these can suffer from excessive heat during the summer months) 

• Cellars (damp can become a problem in some cellars and basements)

• Cupboards and closets 

• Outhouses and sheds (including greenhouses) 

• Garages

• Mobile homes (including trailers and campers with access to power) 

• Apartments  

Commercial

• Industrial units 

• Warehouses 

• Office blocks (provided they are secure) 

• Agricultural buildings (such as barns and poultry units) 

• Lock-up garages (power can sometimes be a problem in these setups) 

• Retail units (unused areas including living accommodation) 

• Horticultural units 

• Containers (these can be buried, but the dampness can become a problem in underground setups)  

The location and size of the grow room is determined by the crop that you want to produce. Cultivators interested in developing enough for their consumption need only a small amount of space to grow their plants; a cupboard setup using low-wattage lighting can provide all they need. Those wanting to cultivate on a commercial scale will require premises where they can farm with rows of 1000-watt high-pressure sodium lights and automated hydroponics. Having decided on the location, you can set about building an artificial environment in which to grow. All setups, regardless of size, have the same basic requirements.  

• Light of the correct spectrum 

• Water at the correct temperature 

• Nutrients in the correct balance 

• Air rich in carbon dioxide and well-circulated 

• Humidity and temperature within the correct range  

To achieve this artificial environment, you will supply light to the plants using horticultural lighting purchased from specialist retailers, control the air, humidity, and temperature with heaters, dehumidifiers, fans, and carbon dioxide emitters, and deliver nutrients to the plants from fertilizers.

A DIY garden made from a large Tupperware bin can produce enough buds to supply you for months.

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Good reflector hoods and an excellent reflective wall covering can help increase yield.

The walls of this grow room are covered in highly reflective material to maximize light efficiency.  

Preparing the Grow Room

Before installing the artificial environment, the grow room needs to be prepared. It is essential to seal all windows and doors to prevent light contamination from outside. In residential locations, windows should be designed by