Posted by Castulo Zane
What's the best approach to marijuana harvesting? Take one bud at a time? Or harvest everything all at once?
Let's get something straight on the legality of this issue. Growing marijuana, and therefore harvesting it, is legal in many places. It's legal for medical purposes in Canada. It's also legal under state law in many US states. In Alaska the state constitution provides protection for growing up to 24 plants. You are also allowed, by law, to possess 4 ounces of marijuana under certain conditions without penalty.
So, back to the question. Should you harvest the whole plant at once? Or do it one bud at a time?
I say clip the colas one by one. The ones at the top of the plant mature first and grow biggest. However, if you leave the ones down below a little longer they'll also get bigger. This technique is based, of course, on a smaller, indoor garden.
There are reasons to harvest all at once. If your garden is remote and time is an issue then you have to do what you have to do. Or, if you're growing a big crop you probably need to be efficient.
Other things could influence your harvest plan. Cold or wet weather my force you to harvest an outdoor garden. Fear of discovery could do the same thing. A mold of bug infestation may make immediate harvest of everything a salvage operation.
If you don't have to, then wait. The budding process is a process, and it takes time. It doesn't happen all at once, and not all buds develop at the same pace. When you see them start to dry up and the hairs turn red, clip them.
Each bud develops on a different timeline, so let them go. Also, growth hormone flows to the top of the plant. The top bud grows most and first. They also get biggest.
You can actually manipulate this trait and bend, or espalier the plant. This involves bending the tips down, and results in lower nodes developing more. That's another post.
However, you can also manipulate the growth hormone by cutting off the top. In other words, harvesting the top bud will divert growth hormone to lower buds. If you take the top bud when it looks like the hairs are just starting to dry out you'll shift attention to lower buds.
That means, of course, that you don't want to just clip off the top bud at it's base. Take the bud and all of the plant between it and the next bud down. There are two advantages to this. First, you leave some stem that helps with curing. Second, you divert the plant's energy to the next bud in line.
So, should you harvest cannabis all at once? My answer is only if you have to. Otherwise harvest each bud when it's ready. You'll be happier with the results and you'll get more bud.
Do you like to read about how do you grow marijuana? Castulo Zane knows all about it. If you want to talk marijuana seeds, or other marijuana topics, google him or growyourownstone.com.. Free reprint available from: Is It Best To Clip Buds One At A Time or All At Once?.
Tags: 420 culture, alternate lifestyles, alternative medicine, cannabis culture, drug war madness, eastern medicine, Gardening, legalization, Marijuana, medical marijuana, new age, off grid, post commercial life
Posted by Castulo Zane
When houses or buildings are used by the drug trade to grow marijuana, those buildings are referred to as grow ops. When they are in residences they are termed grow houses. Police forces say that there are at least 50,000 grow ops in Canada.
The number keeps growing. Every community in the country is exposed to the risks from marijuana grow ops. They operate in every city, town and rural area across Canada. They are in big cities and little towns.
Usually grow ops occur in residential areas- subdivisions or apartments - but they also crop up in agricultural and commercial spaces. Often several are found in the same area - sometimes even on the same street.
Growers are learning new techniques and tricks all the time. Crop sitters will reside in the house to make it look lived in. Sometimes they even put families in to make it look even more normal.
Many times rented properties are preferred, but recently growers have been buying properties for grow op purposes. Some are even built specially for the industry with additional features to suppress damage from mold and humidity.
Grow operations range widely in size. They can be a couple of plants in a closet, to ten in a basement room, to 10,000 in a warehouse. In January 2004 Barrie police discovered the largest grow op to date in an old Molson's brewery. They discovered and destroyed more than 25,000 plants worth millions. This size of grow op is not typical, however.
While the industry is present in all parts of the country, BC, Quebec and Ontario are the largest producers. Techniques change from area to area. In Quebec 60% of the crop is outdoor, while in BC 70% is indoor.
Because thre is a lot of money to be made marijuana growing has become widespread. relatively speaking the risks are quite low. Punishment is negligible. It has, as a result, become a million dollar industry.
Police say that organized crime is taking the place of small independent growers. A small investment allows a grower to reap considerable profits from plants that can be harvested every three months. Because marijuana is the most popular illicit drug in Canada, and because it is widely available, it is unlikely that this will change any time soon.
Have you ever asked the question:how do you grow marijuana? Castulo Zane knows the answers. One thing he knows about are ways to grow marijuana. For more information google him or www.growyourownstone.com. This article, Marijuana Grow Ops is released under a creative commons attribution license.
Tags: 420 culture, alternate lifestyles, alternative medicine, cannabis culture, drug war madness, eastern medicine, Gardening, legalization, Marijuana, medical marijuana, new age, off grid, post commercial life
Posted by Castulo Zane
Does marijuana create a big carbon footprint? Is it even close to green? We all know that the answer is usually no.
The carbon footprint of the marijuana industry huge. Anyone who's seen it can tell you that. You can't have a room that is normally lit by two 100 watt bulbs illuminated by ten 1000 watt bulbs without increasing carbon release.
It's not something that will be ignored. In Boulder, Colorado there is a requirement for medicinal marijuana dispensaries to pay carbon offsets. On a per capita basis it's safe to say that marijuana consumers are likely more concerned about global warming than non-pot smokers.
In the hippy days pot was imported from Mexico or Colombia, or Asia. It was grown outdoors the old fashioned way. When people in North America and Europe started growing it they started small and outdoors.
Then the grow industry was born. High intensity lights in basements, barns and buried shipping containers became normal. Energy use in terms of electricity and fuel to move supplies and run generators blossomed.
There are 16 US states that have allowed some sort of medical marijuana, and 25 that have decriminalized possession. In Canada marijuana cultivation is widespread. A huge industry has grown up just to supply growers with lights, fans, hydroponic systems and much, much more. Those grow shows suck up lots of energy.
The lights, pumps, fans, smell suppressors, irrigation systems - they all have an impact and contribute to the carbon footprint of each joint. Billion dollar industries (and that's what marijuana cultivation is) use billions of dollars in energy. What uses more energy? A home and a car or a grow house? Some estimate the carbon footprint of a single joint at 2 pounds!
Moving the crop back outside is the answer, but there are challenges. Federal law still prohibits marijuana in the US, but out of sight cultivation is tolerated by local governments. In your face growing may not fare as well. Theft of outdoor crops is easier too.
Some people distinguish between patients who grow inside on a small scale and big commercial growers. Small scale medicinal grows often have few options. They are also lower impact in absolute terms and aren't in it just for the money. That doesn't hold true for black market commercial cultivation.
We could make progress on the green front by legalizing small scale outdoor grows for personal use. Anything to depress prices held up by prohibition is good. Less crime is an admirable goal. The benefits would be manifest.
If you're looking for an expert in marijuana growing you can depend on Castulo Zane. He knows lots of ways to ways to grow marijuana. TO find out more you can google his name or google GrowYourOwnStone.com. Also published at Marijuana and Global Warming.
Tags: 420 culture, alternate lifestyles, alternative medicine, cannabis culture, drug war madness, eastern medicine, Gardening, legalization, Marijuana, medical marijuana, new age, off grid, post commercial life
Posted by Castulo Zane
In many jurisdictions it is completely legal to grow marijuana for medicinal purposes if you have the right paperwork. Outside growing is a great way to approach medical marijuana cultivation. It's not without it's own special problems. One of those is the way in which you will water the crop.
The plants require water. The more they get the more they'll grow. Drainage is important, of course.
Drainage matters because marijuana doesn't like to have "wet feet". It is drought resistant if it's been prepared, but a steady supply of water yields the best results.
If you grow close to your house this isn't a problem. You can drag your hose to the plants. It may be outdoors, but a steady supply of water is convenient.
Except some places have watering restrictions. If that applies to you then you do have a problem, just like a guerrilla gardener. You have to store water and plan, because you can't just leave the tap running.
A combination of solutions probably works best. A location close to water is helpful. Soil that retinas water adds to the solution. Water storage is another answer.
Having water close means situating the garden downhill from a stream, creak or lake. Being within walking distance or the length of several hoses limits your distance. It's conceivable that an irrigation ditch could be dug as well.
Water is heavy and takes up lots of space. Carrying it is hard. If you are carrying it you want to be close. There's nothing low profile about bring found by hikers with ten gallons of water strapped to your back.
A hose based supply system should run downhill. If you try to go uphill you'll need pumps. Pumps mean gas and noise unless you use rechargeable batteries. That's an option but requires ingenuity. Hoses must be hidden or else they'll lead right to the garden, and that means plant theft.
Irrigation troughs can work, but that's a lot of digging, and the landscape may not cooperate. They are hard to hide. They also run counter to the natural contours of the land.
When the water gets delivered is an important issue as well. A constant drip or leak system is better than flooding the garden from time to time. If you have to always go to water the plants you'll become a slave to them. Some degree of automation is desirable. It also helps keep the garden inconspicuous.
Two solutions offer themselves to the guerrilla gardener. Containers that store water and release it slowly is one. The other is improving the soil so that it holds water longer.
Containers that hold large amounts of water are critical to a storage system. The containers must be easy to hide, but must hold a large volume. There are different approaches.
One is a series of five gallon buckets. They are small enough to hide in vegetation and debris. They are easy to acquire. They are also easy to fill, either by hose or directly from a water source if it's close enough. Paint them black, green or camo so that they disappear into the background.
55 gallon drums are another option. Steel ones work, but lighter plastic ones are also available. They are harder to hide, but they can sometimes be hidden in plain sight as garbage.
Like five gallon drums, they're easy to fill with a hose. You can put a plumbing fixture in the bottom to make watering easier, or attach a soaker hose to make it self watering. A self watering system, especially one with an automatic filler, won't pass as garbage, though, and will need good hiding.
One advantage of bigger drums is that they can catch and store rainwater. This won;t solve the whole problem, but it will help.
Recycled waterbed mattresses are another neat trick. They hold lots of water and are low profile. You can have a permanent fill hose and a slow release system, or you can fill it occasionally and then use the same hose to slowly drain it and water the crop.
The last method is to improve or alter the soil so that it retains more moisture and water. Farmers across the globe have practiced this for centuries. There are also modern additives that help retain water and release it slowly.
When your plot is on a hillside it will tend to drain more quickly. Terracing the area will help. You can also dig pits lined with plastic sheets to capture and retain rainwater. Mulching around the base of the plants will also retain moisture. Cover the area with prunings and clippings.
Hydrogels, or water retention crystals are now available. They swell up when soaked and hold water, slowly releasing it back into the soil. They are made of polymeracrilides or else of starch, and while their effectiveness is debated I think that they work. When I've used them they certainly swelled up when wetted down. I'm sure they'd help plants endure dry times.
Have you ever asked the question:how do you grow marijuana? Castulo Zane is well versed in the ways to grow marijuana. Google him and find more information.. Also published at Watering The Outdoor Crop.
Tags: alternate lifestyles, alternative medicine, cannabis culture, cultivation, farming, Gardening, growing plants, hobbies, horticulture, Marijuana, marijuana seeds, medicinal marijuana, new age, off grid
Posted by David Lawrence, MD
Once a patient has a diagnosis for which medical marijuana can provide benefit, the next step is to select the variety of marijuana suited to provide the appropriate symptom relief. If one is going to grow his or her own marijuana, there will also need to be consideration on whether the marijuana is being grown inside or outside.
Marijuana plants will be different with regards to growing habits and size, light needs, temperature preferences, or whether they do better outside or inside. The most common marijuana that most of the purple strains come from is known as Grand Daddy Purple. It works well for pain relief, and is also sedating and calming. There is a sweet grape aroma and taste to it. Also it maintains excellent effects for relief of insomnia, spasticity, and help with appetite improvement.
OG Kush is another popular variety which is common in dispensaries. It smells musky and earthy, and often has an odor of sage. It provides a mind opening, thought provoking type of high which works well for anxiety, depression, and appetite stimulation. New research shows that it is not just the cannabinoids in marijuana that contribute to a patient's psychoactive experience. It is also terpenes, which are the aroma molecules contained in the marijuana plant. These terpenes help define the way patients feel in the differing varieties, so it is important to know how the various strains smell which defines the eventual effects on the body and may help with varying disease symptoms.
Purple Kush maintains immediate pain relieving effects. It provides deep psychoactive effects for anxiety, depression, stomach problems, and chronic pain along with insomnia. The smell is tropical fruit and it contains numerous terpenes such as myrcene and caryophyllene.
Sour Diesel maintains combination effects. It has an aroma like sour grapefuit and delivers a psychedelic high. It is recommended for neuropathic pain, social anxiety, MS, and problems with focusing. It also assists with clarity while delivering an intense psychoactive experience.
There are only a few pure sativa or indica marijuanas on the market. Most are a genetic variety combination. With different genetics along with what we know about terpenes helping with the various psychoactive effects, the eventual outcome should be specific strains that are specific to a debilitating condition with low side effects. The research is ongoing, although since cannabis remains federally illegal it is tough to perform appropriate research as with conventional FDA cleared medications.
Want to find out more about Arizona Medical Marijuana, then visit Arizona MMC's site on how to choose the best doctor for your Arizona medical marijuana card .
Tags: alternative medicine, cannabis, drug abuse, fitness, Gardening, health, Marijuana, medical marijuana, medicine, pain
Posted by Lawrence Greene, MD
What a strange time period we are living in when it comes to marijuana. Since the 1970's, cannabis has been classified by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) as a Schedule 1 Narcotic. Here are a few other Schedule 1 drugs: Heroin, LSD, Ecstasy, and Quaaludes.
Schedule 1 drugs are reserved for drugs that have "no accepted medical use." Due to this, medical providers are not allowed to prescribe Schedule 1 drugs. Here are the 3 Schedule 1 placement criteria:
1) The drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse
2) The drug has no current US medical use
3) There is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision
This happened in 1970 after the advice of Asst Secretary of Health back then. His letter to Congress said,
"Since there is still a considerable void in our knowledge of the plant and effects of the active drug contained in it, our recommendation is that marijuana be retained within schedule I at least until the completion of certain studies now underway to resolve the issue. If those studies make it appropriate for the Attorney General to change the placement of marijuana to a different schedule, he may do so in accordance with the authority provided under section 201 of the bill. . .
Sincerely yours, (signed) Roger O. Egeberg, M.D
Those "studies" were completed in 1972 with a report being released from the National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse. This report recommended decriminalizing cannabis, which went ignored under President Nixon. Ever since that time, bills have been introduced to reschedule marijuana, with unsuccessful results. Most recently, a bill was introduced to remove cannabis completely from the federal schedules. This would simply limit the federal government to preventing cross-border or transfers between states where cannabis remains illegal.
Yes, marijuana is illegal. Since it cannot be prescribed, there are consequences federally for possession, distribution, etc. The Marijuana Tax Act was brought before Congress in 1937, which was passed and placed a tax on the sale of cannabis. This tax equaled roughly one dollar on anyone who commercially dealt marijuana. The ACT did not criminalize the possession or usage of marijuana however. The American Medical Association opposed the bill, arguing that cannabis was not dangerous and that its medicinal use would be severely curtailed by prohibition. Within 4 years, medical marijuana was withdrawn from the US pharmaceutical market because of the law's requirements. So essentially marijuana went from being legal and a growing part of the business and medical fabric of the US, to heavily taxed in 1937, to illegal in 1970.
Plenty of research was accomplished between 1970 and 1996, and Marinol (synthetic THC) was approved by the FDA. The Netherlands legalized marijuana in the 1970's. Essentially anyone over the age of 18 can buy it openly in a coffee shop.
In 1996, California became the first state to legalize marijuana for medicinal usage. Proposition 215 allowed patients freedom from prosecution with a physician's recommendation. Since a prescription is not allowed, it is called a recommendation. The federal government at one point went after physicians for recommending medical marijuana, but federal court has protected physicians as part of the First Amendment rights. Colorado followed in 2000. Neither state saw extremely widespread use of medical marijuana due to the federal illegality still on the books.
Additional states legalized medical marijuana over the next few years. In 2009 the Ogden memo came out under Obama. In it, the US Attorney's office stated they would not use federal resources to prosecute patients so long as they abided by state laws. The memo referenced dispensaries, stating so long as businesses complied with state law they would be fine. That memo opened up a whole new world in the marijuana industry, as hundreds of dispensaries opened in CA, Montana, and CO. Currently, 16 states plus DC have laws legalizing medical cannabis.
While marijuana laws were being implemented in these legalized states, the federal stance changed in mid 2011. It looked as if the federal government had decided it wasn't worth its prosecutorial resources to pursue state law abiding patients and dispensaries. To most medical marijuana patients and businesses who were in compliance with state law, it looked like the federal government was recognizing the legitmate benefits of marijuana for many debilitating conditions.
Whereas before it appeared that the Department of Justice was taking a "hands off" attitude to those abiding by state laws, numerous states received letters in 2011 from US Attorneys marking an attitude shift. Those letters reiterated that patients would not be targeted, but, the stance against dispensaries looked to be different. The letters referred to anyone participating in the selling, distribution, and profiting from marijuana being at risk of prosecution. In one state letter, it even mentioned that state employees who were processing dispensary applications were at risk of prosecution.
A number of states have put their dispensary programs on hold as a result. Some have maintained their business as usual. So the bottom line with states is it seems legal patients are okay to obtain recommendations and ID cards. Then growing for themselves or getting marijuana from a designated caregiver or obtaining from a legal dispensary is ok for the patients. But opening a dispensary or a cannabis growing operation looks like a big question mark with regards to prosecutorial exposure.
Currently, marijuana remains federally illegal and who knows when the laws or scheduling will be altered. Numerous states have seen the medical benefits and legalized medical marijuana, and approximately 10 other states have pending laws.
Arizona has sued the Department of Justice for clarification on federal versus state law, which was unusual because the state passed medical marijuana legalization knowing full well the federal laws on marijuana. Those laws have not changed. The differences between how the federal government has classified medical marijuana versus legal states is causing significant confusion, but one thing remains clear. In states with legal medical marijuana programs, the federal government has consistently stated they are not looking to penalize individual patients. The main confusion remains over dispensaries and other business efforts.
Want to find out more about AZ Medical Marijuana, then visit Arizona MMC's site on how to choose the best AZ medical marijuana card doctor for your needs.
Tags: alternative medicine, cannabis, disease, Gardening, health, legal, Marijuana, medical marijuana, men's issues, pain management
Posted by Lawrence Greene, MD
When it comes to medical marijuana, understanding the different kinds and strains may be very confusing. If you were to check out a dispensary in a state such as California, the products available for smoking can be exceptionally difficult to understand. Here is an overview of the types.
Indica and sativa are the two main types of marijuana. They look fairly different and also make patients feel different when smoked. Knowing this prior to purchasing as a medical marijuana patient could be very helpful.
With regards to appearance, sativa plants are usually tall (1.5 meters or more) with short branches and sparser leaves than indica plants. The leaves are long and thin and the plants originate in tropical areas (e.g. Caribbean, Thailand Islands).
Indica marijuana plants are typically shorter (under 1.5 meters) and maintain the shape of a small shrub or a Christmas tree. Indica plants origins are in high hills or mountainous areas. They are easy to grow and tolerate low levels of stress easier.
Indica cannabis leaves tend to be deep green, tinged with purple, and have wide, short fingers. There are dense thick cannabis buds with short branches on the plant. Unlike sativa buds, indica buds maintain an unpleasant pungent smell.
Patients get a feeling that is energetic and uplifting when they smoke sativa cannabis. An optimistic feeling comes over the patient which may give substantial pain relief for certain symptoms. The effect is more pronounced on the brain than on the body. As a result of these sensations, sativas may be better for daytime smoking. In this day and age it is very unusual to see pure sativa marijuana, as it is hard to grow. Along with this, pure sativa highs can induce irregular heart beats and/or paranoia attacks which subsequently make pure sativa a bad choice for medical use.
Hybrid sativas are actually excellent for medicinal usage, because of the motivational properties along with anti-depression and appetite stimulation. They are not great for pain reduction.
Indica cannabis creates a pleasant body buzz for patients. It works well for relaxation, stress reduction, and provides an overall calm and serene outlook. It assists in relieving insomnia and is the evening choice for many smokers. Insomnia is not a conventionally debilitating condition accepted in legal medical marijuana states, so usage for this should be mentioned if it's simply an additive side effect of the condition.
Since indica cannabis is able to reduce pain better than sativa, it is more commonly used medicinally for this. Hybrid indica strains are popular for medical marijuana as many qualities are great such as stress relief, calming, and pain decrease. Most medical marijuana falls into the hybrid indica category.
Want to find out more about medical marijuana doctors Arizona, then visit Arizona MMC's site on how to choose the best Arizona medical marijuana doctor for your needs.
Tags: alternative medicine, cannabis, disease, Gardening, health, Marijuana, medical marijuana
Posted by David Lawrence, MD
Upon becoming a legal marijuana patient, a person receives an ID card which typically allows one to grow hiw or her own medical marijuana. With Arizona medical marijuana patients, the individual is able to grow as many as twelve plants until a marijuana dispensary opens up within twenty five miles of that individual.
This article provides the basics for picking out and preparing an area for growing medicinal marijuana outdoors. This area that is selected needs plenty of direct sunlight, not less than six to eight hours per day. If more is possible, that is better. If one wants, he or she may place the cannabis right in the middle of a busy harden with flowers, herbs, and berries.
Or an individual may want to grow the marijuana in an inconspicuous location. In the state of Arizona for instance you can grow medical marijuana outdoors as long as it is in an enclosed environment, such as a large fenced backyard but it still needs to receive direct sunlight in the area. Plants should be spaced a minimum of 3 feet apart, and even with that much room they will end up crowded at the end of the season.
Planting farther apart will create happier and healthier plants and also make it easier for an individual to work among them. Eight feet apart is not unheard of and the spot should be protected from the wind it's at all possible.
In an optimal situation the growing site should be rotated every year, however, that is unrealistic for the most part in a personal growing situation. So the soil will become depleted after each growing season and therefore it should be replenished between each growing season. In preparation for the winter which is a non-growing season in most areas, a person should place mulch over the growing area consisting of pine needles, leaves, straw, herbicides and the mulch should be at least 6 inches deep. Mulching the area will keep the weeds down and also protect the area soil from some microorganisms.
Want to find out more about AZ Medical Marijuana, then visit Arizona MMC's site on how to obtain your Medical Marijuana Card in Arizona for your needs.
Tags: alternative medicine, cannabis, disease, drug abuse, drugs, Gardening, Marijuana, medical marijuana, medicine
Posted by Lawrence Greene, MD
Only a few states in the US have medical marijuana dispensaries. In the others, patients with medical marijuana cards need to either get their medicine from a caregiver or grow their own. Here's an overview on preparing soil for growing medical marijuana.
When growing medical marijuana the cannabis plant needs very good drainage. In the beginning the digging area should encompass a minimum of 4 square feet. One should dig down through hard pan and every year the hole should be dug a little bigger and deeper than the year before creating improved drainage.
Prior to filling back up the hole created, each year the drainage should be tested. Even if drip irrigation will be used, this drainage exercise should still be accomplished. A person should put water into the hole and then watched to make sure the drainage occurs rapidly. If proper drainage doesn't occur, one should push a metal pole through hole's bottom in multiple areas to improve the drainage. This should be done multiple times if necessary to ensure proper drainage.
As soon as proper drainage occurs you can replace the soil and replenish it. Instead of just putting the soil back in the hole that was taken out, one should layer it with either homemade or organic compost while ensuring the hole begins and ends with compost. The hole will not contain all of the soil that was taken out initially in addition to the new compost, so one should use the left over amount to build up a raised hole around the hole. This may help a lot if the plan is to water the marijuana plants with a hose so a dam is created around the plant or if the summers are very dry and hot in the area.
If the plan is to use something different than organic compost, then people should pick up some organic compost. The primary products of the organic compost should not be simply bark or other wood products. The reason being is that bark or other wood products have very little nutrition and can actually deplete nitrogen from the soil. Compost that contains horse or steer manures should be avoided because of the high levels of pesticides or salt. Organic granular fertilizer should be positioned into the top foot to foot and a half of soil.
Want to find out more about AZ medical marijuana cards, then visit Arizona MMC's site on how to obtain your Arizona medical marijuana card for your needs.
Tags: alternative medicine, cannabis, drug abuse, drugs, Gardening, Marijuana, medicine, pain, pain management
