DrCannaCanadian: MarsHydro & Seedsman, Soil & Coco, 2020

[DrCannaCanadian]

Daily Tips & Tricks


By Royal Queen Seeds


How To Protect Your Cannabis Plants From Heat Stress ​

Growing cannabis can be a tricky proposition. However, there are some tried and true techniques to preventing damage to the plants from overheating.

​

Are your plants looking a little worse for wear? Despite following an accurate feeding, watering, and light schedule, you are frustrated to discover discoloured and deformed leaves on your cannabis plants. Don’t worry, you’re probably doing everything else correctly, it could just be the signs of heat stress.

Cannabis is a hardy and resilient plant, and many original landrace varieties adapted to survive in harsh regions such as the Hindu Kush mountain range and the tundras of Central and Northern Asia. Despite the resilience of this plant species, it can only deal with a certain amount of heat before its physiological systems can’t take it anymore.

HOW CAN YOU IDENTIFY HEAT STRESS?

One of the telltale signs of heat stress is when the tips of fan leaves begin to curl upward. They’ll also exhibit a generally dry and withered look. This factor indicates that heat is the most likely culprit, removing the possibility of most nutritional deficiencies. As well as looking generally unwell, leaves will develop large brown spots or blotches that manifest in irregular shapes, primarily along the edges of the fingers of fan leaves. These unsightly scars are usually accompanied by yellow patches of discolouration. These symptoms mainly affect leaves located near the top of the canopy and around the perimeter of the plant—areas in the direct line of fire.

If you detect this set of symptoms in the vegetative phase, you can be sure that heat stress is at the bottom of it. Indoors, this could be caused by allowing the tops of your plants to grow too close to a powerful light source. Outdoors, it could be the result of a particularly brutal heatwave or an extremely hot and dry climate.

Heat stress manifests differently during the flowering phase. Sometimes, much to the shock of many growers, new buds can start to erupt out of the tops of older ones. This can cause what is known as a foxtail, a pillar of small buds and sugar leaves. This is a survival mechanism initiated by the plant as it attempts to form new buds capable of reproducing and generating seeds.

Below, we’ll cover indoor and outdoor methods to prevent and treat heat stress.

DEALING WITH HEAT STRESS INDOORS

Heat stress can affect an indoor grow in multiple ways. For one, growers who live in hot climates may find it hard to regulate indoor temps during the dog days of summer.

Regardless of climate, grow tents can become very warm if certain measures aren’t put in place. The heat generated from different light sources can pound down upon leaves and subject them to significant stress. A lack of adequate fans and an exhaust system prevents convection currents that would otherwise cool down the interior of the tent. Here are some tips to help you avoid heat stress indoors.

PLACE FANS IN THE GROW SPACE

This is a simple and cheap solution to start cooling down your growing environment. Fans disrupt still, hot air and will effectively create a convection current that will help to cool things down. The wind generated by fans will also gently stress your plants into developing thicker and stronger stems.

USE AIR CONDITIONING

This might seem obvious, but it’s definitely a viable solution. Indoor growers have the advantage of taking complete control over the microclimate of the grow tent, provided they have access to the right equipment. This is a fairly expensive option, but can be a real life-saver if you live in areas such as Spain or the southern United States. Place an air conditioning unit in your grow tent to keep cool air circulating.

​

CHANGE THE POSITION/TYPE OF LIGHTING

If your plants begin to exhibit signs of heat stress, consider how close they are to the light source. If only the top fan leaves are showing symptoms, then readjust the position of your lights so that they hang further away.

If changing the position makes no difference, then you might need to change the type of light you are using. Most lights put out a fair amount of heat, and if you’re growing in a confined space in a warm climate, things are going to heat up quickly. LEDs are a good option for growers dealing with these conditions. They put out a lot less heat than HID light sources; plus, they are often much cheaper to run.

INSTALL AN EXHAUST SYSTEM

An exhaust system is like a reverse fan. It works by sucking stale and hot air out of the grow space. If you have fans running at the same time, these will serve to replace old air with fresh and cool air. If you’re running a deaerator, it’s advised to fit it with a carbon filter that will remove any suspicious scents from blowing out into the surrounding area.

USE SUPPLEMENTS TO TREAT DAMAGED PLANTS

Some growers find success using supplements to treat the symptoms of heat stress. These may be effective, but will only work long-term if the environment is cooled down using the techniques mentioned above.

Seaweed or kelp extracts work well to remedy some of the effects of heat stress. They are loaded with minerals and nutrients that make plants more resistant to high temperatures. Then there's silicon, a compound that increases the resilience of cell walls, makes plants more resistant to heat and cold stress, and helps them absorb key nutrients such as zinc, copper, and phosphorous more easily.


HOW TO PROTECT AGAINST HEAT STRESS OUTDOORS

Outdoor growing is more difficult to control than the alternative. Crops are subject to the whims of the elements, as well as countless forms of pests and infections that can damage vitality and yield. Heat stress is no exception. Indoor growers have the advantage of full climate control, whereas outdoor growers have to deal with heatwaves, monsoons, and everything in between.

Heat stress is a prominent threat to those growing in warmer regions closer to the equator. Although increased levels of sunlight can be advantageous, too much can lead to heat stress symptoms. Here are some tips on how to protect your outdoor crop.

TIME YOUR WATERING WELL

During a heatwave, try to water plants either in the mornings or evenings when the temperature is less intense. Watering your plants in the middle of the day might seem like a good way to cool them down, but it can actually be harmful. Water droplets can magnify sunlight and cause increased heat to be directed toward plant tissue.

POTS ARE MORE PORTABLE

If you’re growing outside in a warm climate, it’s a good idea to grow in large containers or pots as opposed to directly in the ground. This makes your plants portable and gives you the option of physically relocating them to a sheltered spot if the sun gets too intense.

​

SET UP A TEMPORARY SHELTER

Keeping your plants under a shelter all day long will inhibit photosynthesis and have a detrimental effect overall. However, making a temporary shelter using cloth or a tarpaulin can help to protect your crop during the peak heat of the day. Erect the shelter during the hottest hours, and let your plants bask in sunshine before the heat sets in and after it tapers off.

OUTDOOR PLANTS CAN BENEFIT FROM SUPPLEMENTS, TOO

Seaweed or kelp extract can help increase plant resilience both indoors and outdoors. Use the formula according to the manufacturer's instructions and give your plants some extra protection using these nutrient-rich substances.


START WITH A HEAT-RESISTANT STRAIN

There are thousands of cannabis strains available on the market, and each one has been selectively bred over time to display specific desirable traits. Some breeders have managed to create cultivars that are particularly resilient to high temperatures. You can significantly reduce the risk of heat stress by starting with one of these varieties. Here are three heat-resistant strains we recommend.

FRUIT SPIRIT

Fruit Spirit is a hardcore strain that laughs in the face of high temperatures (within reason). This beast is the offspring of legendary parent strains White Widow and Blueberry. She features a closely balanced genetic makeup of 60% sativa genetics and 40% indica. Fuelled by 18% THC and a medium CBD level, she offers a high that relaxes the body and invigorates the mind. Her name is a tribute to the sugary and fruity tastes of her flowers, which dance across the tongue when smoked.

Fruit Spirit grows well in both indoor and outdoor environments. Indoor plants reach a height of 80–120cm, feature a flowering time of 8–10 weeks, and yield up to 425g/m². A single plant grown outdoors can reach up to 220cm in height and produce a harvest of up to 525g.

​

AMNESIA HAZE

Amnesia Haze is a tall sativa-dominant strain that thrives in warmer temperatures. Her large and tall flowers produce a massive THC level of 22% and a medium level of CBD. The high is electrifying, stimulating, and ideal for daytime use to boost focus and motivation. This cerebral effect is augmented by notes of earth and citrus.

Amnesia Haze is a highly productive variety that will reward those growing in sultry locations. Indoor plants reach a height of 140cm, have a flowering time of 9–11 weeks, and produce a large harvest of up to 650g/m². Plants grown outdoors under the beating sun reach a towering height of 210cm. Here, a single specimen provides a massive bounty of up to 700g, ready to harvest in late October.

​

ROYAL MOBY

Royal Moby is a stunning specimen that boasts flowers and sugar leaves coated with trichomes. This sativa-dominant lady is the lovechild of Haze and White Widow, and oozes resin loaded with a THC concentration of 21%. This hardy variety can handle both hot and cold climates, and will feel right at home in a warm grow tent or sun-exposed garden.

Royal Moby isn’t fussy about her growing environment. Indoors, she’ll reach a height of 80–140cm and produce up to 600g/m². A plant grown outdoors will surge to a massive height of 2–3m and produce a rewarding harvest of 700g.

​

 

[DrCannaCanadian]

MY Growing Experiences


By DrCannaCanadian


Review Of Our Current Vegetative Growth Phase
&
Planning Of Our Future Flowering Growth Phase

Version 01 - With MY Notes
​

We are going to attempt a review of our current vegetative growth stage and see if we can put together a reusable methodology based on what we have learned and accomplished so far.

That is, we want to develop a reusable process we can use to collect information and data for the purpose of making better growing decisions for our grows including our "Bowling Technique".

Note: We want to be saying MY Harvest will be a Maximum Yield Harvest - plants wide & tall!


00) Growth Phase

For photoperiods, we are currently looking at approximately a:

A) 1 Week Seed Germination or Cloning Phase​

B) 1 Week Seedling Phase​

C) 7 Week Vegetative Phase​

D) 1 Week Transition Phase​

E) 8 Week Flowering Phase​

​

Note: This results in an 18 week Growth Cycle and 3 harvests per year.

We are hoping to begin our harvests with at least 450 grams or 1.0 pound of bud from each plant.

As we progress, we hope to harvest at least 1.35 kg or 3.0 pounds of bud from each plant.


01a) Seed Germination

We will only use high quality seeds with known high quality genetics from a trusted breeder.

We will float the seeds in a glass of pHed water for a few hours.
If the seeds sink after a few hours they are healthy because they are porous and readily accept moisture.

Note: If the seeds sink, don't let them sit at the bottom of the glass for more than 12 hours; seeds without oxygen are at risk of drowning.


01b) Cloning

Consistent sized clones are key.

We use our scissors to measure each clone.
We line up the tops of the leaves on the clone with the points of the scissors then will make our cut right below the locking mechanism on the scissors. This ensures equal sized clones.
We try to cut about 2.5 cm (1.0") below a growth node.

Note: We want to bury a growth node about 2.5 cm (1.0") deep into the medium because it facilitates faster root growth.



02) Packing Pots

Packing all of your pots identically is very key to keeping your room on the same watering schedule. If all of your pots are packed the exact same, then each pot can hold the exact same amount of water. Find an even 1 gallon bucket to use for scooping soil. We recommend using a tool called a Schuelke Stick. Pack evenly and use the Schuelke Stick to ensure the top of the soil is 2.5 cm (1.0”) from the top of the pot. Being able to achieve this consistency is what allows your plants to stay on the same feeding schedule.

Note: We always properly rinse and prepare our coco & perlite.


03) Initial Planting

Initial planting typically occurs after soaking the seed for 12 hours in pHed water.

We will plant the seed, pointy end up, in a plastic solo cup of properly washed and prepared coco/perlite or soil/perlite.

We could also use a properly washed and prepared 5.0 cm x 5.0 cm (2.0" x 2.0") Rockwool Cube.

We will used pHed water only to keep the coco/perlite or soil/perlite moist and oxygenated.

Note: Roots are never left in a soaking wet medium without oxygen because this puts them at risk of root rot.


04) Intermediate Transplants

Intermediate transplants typically occur every 2 weeks, or when a solid root ball has developed.

The overall goal of intermediate transplants is to establish a strong & robust root system that is evenly spaced both horizontally and vertically.

Note: Growing a large even root mass is critical to developing a wide primary trunk which will support large side branches. This will ultimately allow the growth of large buds via the movement of large amounts of nutrients up and down the plant.

We will transplant the seedling into a 6.0 liter (1.5 gallon) plastic pot coco/perlite or soil/perlite when the roots are plenty.

We will transplant next into a 20.0 liter (5.0 gallon) plastic pot coco/perlite or soil/perlite when the roots are plenty.

We will transplant next into a 40.0 liter (10.0 gallon) plastic pot coco/perlite or soil/perlite when the roots are plenty.

Note: We do not let the seedling/plant get root-bound because this stunts growth.

Transplanting in any medium in between the size of the initial container and the final container will be beneficial to producing a better foundation of roots.


05) Final Transplants

Our final transplant is typically into a 20.0 liter (7.0 gallon) fabric pot for coco/perlite & a 40.0 liter (10.0 gallon) fabric pot for soil/perlite.

Note: The final pot size is dependent on our desired plant size and our desired fertigation schedule.

Larger pots typically allow for larger plants and an increased number of fetigations per day.



06) Initial Topping

We are currently looking into two strategies for initial topping. That is, we plan to start topping plants high above the 6th node or high above the 7th node.

Topping is a very important process that directly relates to the total amount of flower at harvest.

Ideally, our plants will be initially topped and then heavily topped 2 times prior to the flowering cycle.

Note: We number nodes on the primary stem from 1 to 9 starting at the bottom of the plant and working up.

We choose to eliminate the side branches from Node 1 because they usually don't grow that well. Node 1 is typically removed after Node 4 has fully developed.

Note: We can use the side branches from Node 1 as regular clones or monster clones if we want.


07a) Low Stress Training (LST) - 7 "Bowling Lanes" Strategy

We must think of a "Bowling Lane" as the two side branches eminating from a Node on the primary stem. For example, the two side branches eminating from Node 7 constitute Lane 7.

For our 7 Bowling Lanes strategy:

• Lane 7 side branches are not tied down.
• Lane 6 side branches are not tied down.
• Lane 2, Lane 3, Lane 4 and Lane 5 side branches are tied down using equally spaced octants.

Note: There are 45 degree angles between the Lane 2, Lane 3, Lane 4 and Lane 5 side branches when looking down on the plant.

Low Stress Training (LST) - 7 Node Strategy

• DrCannaCanadian
• Mar 1, 2020
• my growing experiences

Node 7 side branches are not tied down.

Low Stress Training (LST) - 7 Node Strategy

• DrCannaCanadian
• Mar 1, 2020
• my growing experiences

Node 6 side branches are not tied down.

Low Stress Training (LST) - 7 Node Strategy

• DrCannaCanadian
• Mar 1, 2020
• my growing experiences

Node 2, Node 3, Node 4 and Node 5 are tied down using equally spaced octants.

There are 45...

It is important to keep the canopy flat using LST so we can effectively use our HST "Bowling Technique".


07b) Low Stress Training (LST) - 6 "Bowling Lanes" Strategy

We must think of a "Bowling Lane" as the two side branches eminating from a Node on the primary stem. For example, the two side branches eminating from Node 6 constitute Lane 6.

For our 6 Bowling Lanes strategy:

• Lane 6 side branches are not tied down.
• Lane 5 side branches are not tied down.
• Lane 2, Lane 3, Lane 4 are tied down using equally spaced sextants.

Note: There are 60 degree angles between the Lane 2, Lane 3 and Lane 4 side branches when looking down on the plant.

It is important to keep the canopy flat using LST so we can effectively use our HST "Bowling Technique".


08) High Stress Training (HST) - DrCC's "Bowling Technique"

We plan to perform at least two Bowling sessions before starting the flowering growth phase.

The Bowling Technique is essentially a simultaneous "Heavy Defoliation & Heavy Topping" of the plant.

We first defoliate all the fan leaves on the inside of the plant, but we leave all the fan leaves on the outside of the plant.

Note: Our strategy is to expose all the growth nodes on the inside of the "bowl" to as much light and air as possible while leaving the fan leaves on the outside of the plant to minimize shock and to expedite recovery time.

We then top all the nodes of the plant at once.

Note: Our strategy is to get all the HST complete in one Bowling session


09) High Stress Training (HST) - Lolipopping

We will lolipop the bottom third of the plant one week before flipping to Transition.

Note: We always allow one full week of recovery before flipping to Transition.



10) High Stress Training (HST) - Initial Schwazze

We will Schwazze our plants on Day 01 of the Flowering Growth Phase.

Note: We define Day 01 of the Flowering Growth Phase as the first day we see pistils.



11) High Stress Training (HST) - Final Schwazze

We will Schwazze our plants a final time on Day 20 of the Flowering Growth Phase.



12) High Stress Training (HST) - Back Building

We will back build a few of our top most buds at the beginning of Week 04 Flower & Week 05 Flower.



13) High Stress Training (HST) - Stem Splitting

We will perform Stem Splitting during the final week of Flower.



14) High Stress Training (HST) - Light Deprivation

We will perform Light Deprivation during the final two days of Flower.

 

[GardeningGnome]

MY Growing Experiences


By DrCannaCanadian


Review Of Our Current Vegetative Growth Phase
&
Planning Of Our Future Flowering Growth Phase

Version 01 - With MY Notes
​

We are going to attempt a review of our current vegetative growth stage and see if we can put together a reusable methodology based on what we have learned and accomplished so far.

That is, we want to develop a reusable process we can use to collect information and data for the purpose of making better growing decisions for our grows including our "Bowling Technique".

Note: We want to be saying MY Harvest will be a Maximum Yield Harvest - plants wide & tall!


00) Growth Phase

For photoperiods, we are currently looking at approximately a:

A) 1 Week Seed Germination or Cloning Phase​

B) 1 Week Seedling Phase​

C) 7 Week Vegetative Phase​

D) 1 Week Transition Phase​

E) 8 Week Flowering Phase​

​

Note: This results in an 18 week Growth Cycle and 3 harvests per year.

We are hoping to begin our harvests with at least 450 grams or 1.0 pound of bud from each plant.

As we progress, we hope to harvest at least 1.35 kg or 3.0 pounds of bud from each plant.


01a) Seed Germination

We will only use high quality seeds with known high quality genetics from a trusted breeder.

We will float the seeds in a glass of pHed water for a few hours.
If the seeds sink after a few hours they are healthy because they are porous and readily accept moisture.

Note: If the seeds sink, don't let them sit at the bottom of the glass for more than 12 hours; seeds without oxygen are at risk of drowning.


01b) Cloning

Consistent sized clones are key.

We use our scissors to measure each clone.
We line up the tops of the leaves on the clone with the points of the scissors then will make our cut right below the locking mechanism on the scissors. This ensures equal sized clones.
We try to cut about 2.5 cm (1.0") below a growth node.

Note: We want to bury a growth node about 2.5 cm (1.0") deep into the medium because it facilitates faster root growth.



02) Packing Pots

Packing all of your pots identically is very key to keeping your room on the same watering schedule. If all of your pots are packed the exact same, then each pot can hold the exact same amount of water. Find an even 1 gallon bucket to use for scooping soil. We recommend using a tool called a Schuelke Stick. Pack evenly and use the Schuelke Stick to ensure the top of the soil is 2.5 cm (1.0”) from the top of the pot. Being able to achieve this consistency is what allows your plants to stay on the same feeding schedule.

Note: We always properly rinse and prepare our coco & perlite.


03) Initial Planting

Initial planting typically occurs after soaking the seed for 12 hours in pHed water.

We will plant the seed, pointy end up, in a plastic solo cup of properly washed and prepared coco/perlite or soil/perlite.

We could also use a properly washed and prepared 5.0 cm x 5.0 cm (2.0" x 2.0") Rockwool Cube.

We will used pHed water only to keep the coco/perlite or soil/perlite moist and oxygenated.

Note: Roots are never left in a soaking wet medium without oxygen because this puts them at risk of root rot.


04) Intermediate Transplants

Intermediate transplants typically occur every 2 weeks, or when a solid root ball has developed.

The overall goal of intermediate transplants is to establish a strong & robust root system that is evenly spaced both horizontally and vertically.

Note: Growing a large even root mass is critical to developing a wide primary trunk which will support large side branches. This will ultimately allow the growth of large buds via the movement of large amounts of nutrients up and down the plant.

We will transplant the seedling into a 6.0 liter (1.5 gallon) plastic pot coco/perlite or soil/perlite when the roots are plenty.

We will transplant next into a 20.0 liter (5.0 gallon) plastic pot coco/perlite or soil/perlite when the roots are plenty.

We will transplant next into a 40.0 liter (10.0 gallon) plastic pot coco/perlite or soil/perlite when the roots are plenty.

Note: We do not let the seedling/plant get root-bound because this stunts growth.

Transplanting in any medium in between the size of the initial container and the final container will be beneficial to producing a better foundation of roots.


05) Final Transplants

Our final transplant is typically into a 20.0 liter (7.0 gallon) fabric pot for coco/perlite & a 40.0 liter (10.0 gallon) fabric pot for soil/perlite.

Note: The final pot size is dependent on our desired plant size and our desired fertigation schedule.

Larger pots typically allow for larger plants and an increased number of fetigations per day.



06) Initial Topping

We are currently looking into two strategies for initial topping. That is, we plan to start topping plants high above the 6th node or high above the 7th node.

Topping is a very important process that directly relates to the total amount of flower at harvest.

Ideally, our plants will be initially topped and then heavily topped 2 times prior to the flowering cycle.

Note: We number nodes on the primary stem from 1 to 9 starting at the bottom of the plant and working up.

We choose to eliminate the side branches from Node 1 because they usually don't grow that well. Node 1 is typically removed after Node 4 has fully developed.

Note: We can use the side branches from Node 1 as regular clones or monster clones if we want.


07a) Low Stress Training (LST) - 7 "Bowling Lanes" Strategy

We must think of a "Bowling Lane" as the two side branches eminating from a Node on the primary stem. For example, the two side branches eminating from Node 7 constitute Lane 7.

For our 7 Bowling Lanes strategy:

• Lane 7 side branches are not tied down.
• Lane 6 side branches are not tied down.
• Lane 2, Lane 3, Lane 4 and Lane 5 side branches are tied down using equally spaced octants.

Note: There are 45 degree angles between the Lane 2, Lane 3, Lane 4 and Lane 5 side branches when looking down on the plant.

Low Stress Training (LST) - 7 Node Strategy

• DrCannaCanadian
• Mar 1, 2020
• my growing experiences

Node 7 side branches are not tied down.

Low Stress Training (LST) - 7 Node Strategy

• DrCannaCanadian
• Mar 1, 2020
• my growing experiences

Node 6 side branches are not tied down.

Low Stress Training (LST) - 7 Node Strategy

• DrCannaCanadian
• Mar 1, 2020
• my growing experiences

Node 2, Node 3, Node 4 and Node 5 are tied down using equally spaced octants.

There are 45...

It is important to keep the canopy flat using LST so we can effectively use our HST "Bowling Technique".


07b) Low Stress Training (LST) - 6 "Bowling Lanes" Strategy

We must think of a "Bowling Lane" as the two side branches eminating from a Node on the primary stem. For example, the two side branches eminating from Node 6 constitute Lane 6.

For our 6 Bowling Lanes strategy:

• Lane 6 side branches are not tied down.
• Lane 5 side branches are not tied down.
• Lane 2, Lane 3, Lane 4 are tied down using equally spaced sextants.

Note: There are 60 degree angles between the Lane 2, Lane 3 and Lane 4 side branches when looking down on the plant.

It is important to keep the canopy flat using LST so we can effectively use our HST "Bowling Technique".


08) High Stress Training (HST) - DrCC's "Bowling Technique"

We plan to perform at least two Bowling sessions before starting the flowering growth phase.

The Bowling Technique is essentially a simultaneous "Heavy Defoliation & Heavy Topping" of the plant.

We first defoliate all the fan leaves on the inside of the plant, but we leave all the fan leaves on the outside of the plant.

Note: Our strategy is to expose all the growth nodes on the inside of the "bowl" to as much light and air as possible while leaving the fan leaves on the outside of the plant to minimize shock and to expedite recovery time.

We then top all the nodes of the plant at once.

Note: Our strategy is to get all the HST complete in one Bowling session


09) High Stress Training (HST) - Lolipopping

We will lolipop the bottom third of the plant one week before flipping to Transition.

Note: We always allow one full week of recovery before flipping to Transition.



10) High Stress Training (HST) - Initial Schwazze

We will Schwazze our plants on Day 01 of the Flowering Growth Phase.

Note: We define Day 01 of the Flowering Growth Phase as the first day we see pistils.



11) High Stress Training (HST) - Final Schwazze

We will Schwazze our plants a final time on Day 20 of the Flowering Growth Phase.



12) High Stress Training (HST) - Back Building

We will back build a few of our top most buds at the beginning of Week 04 Flower & Week 05 Flower.



13) High Stress Training (HST) - Stem Splitting

We will perform Stem Splitting during the final week of Flower.



14) High Stress Training (HST) - Light Deprivation

We will perform Light Deprivation during the final two days of Flower.

Excellent to see someone that is taking LST education to another level. Coming from a bonsai background, LST came naturally to me, however it is very good to see you putting both words and pictures on strategies used.

Included is a photo of my Jack Herer that just got started with its LST. Hope all is well @DrCannaCanadian !

 

[DrCannaCanadian]

Very well done! And I hope you enjoyed your weekend.

Jack Herer is an awesome strain and it should respond very well to your topping and bending.

It looks like you have 5 Nodes before topping.

Did you keep the bottom most Node? I'm finding it 'usually' doesn't grow very well - so I'm recommending using the bottom node for clones.

 

[DeeCee112]

Looking good Doc!

 

[DrCannaCanadian]

Exploratory Data Analysis
of
Green Leaf Nutrients & Fox Farm Nutrients


By DrCannaCanadian


Calculation Of Base Nutrient & Bloom Nutrient Strength
Required For Extended Vegetation​

We are currently making sure the nutes are dialed in properly before we flip to Transition on March 04, 2020.

Our latest feeds have included Green Leaf Nutrients Mega Crop & Fox Farm Open Sesame.

Note: Although we will report our nutrient strength using the universal EC measurement, we will also include a ppm (500 scale) for confusion and unnecessary complexity - actually, because our TDS pen includes it

The following table presents GLN & FF product NPK values we will be using in the next few weeks:

Name [Version]	Acr	N-P-K	Description
Mega Crop [V2]	MC	09 - 06 - 17	base nute ++
Bud Explosion	BE	00 - 19 - 39	blooming enhancer at later stages of flowering - 1.0% Mg - 10% S
Open Sesame	OS	05 - 45 - 19	Early Flowering Formula (Weeks 3, 4, 5)
Beastie Bloomz	BB	00 - 50 - 30	Mid Flowering Formula (Weeks 6, 7, 8)
Cha Ching	CC	09 - 50 - 10	Late Flowering Formula (Weeks 9, 10, 11, 12)

Over the past few days, our leaves are turning light green, so we need to increase the strength of the feed a bit more.

Recall that MC indicates we may use up to 1.0 grams / liter for full 100% feed strength during the veg phase and the extended veg phase.

Recall that OS indicates we may use up to 0.73 grams / liter for full 100% strength during the late veg phase and the extended veg phase.

We decided to go with the following for our next few feeds:

1) base nute: 33% strength MC which is 0.33 gram / liter.
2) bloom nute: 25% strength OS which is 0.18 gram / liter.

Which means we use:

1) base: 4.00 grams of MC.
2) bloom: 2.20 grams of OS.

Note: (4.00 * 09 - 06 - 17) + (2.20 * 05 - 45 - 19) = (36 - 24 - 68) + (11 - 99 - 42) = 47 - 123 - 110

The net ratio is 47 - 123 - 110 and the normalized ratio is 01 - 2.6 - 2.3

This looks like high PK bloom numbers - which we expected - so let's see what happens over the next few days.

 

[GardeningGnome]

Very well done! And I hope you enjoyed your weekend.

Jack Herer is an awesome strain and it should respond very well to your topping and bending.

It looks like you have 5 Nodes before topping.

Did you keep the bottom most Node? I'm finding it 'usually' doesn't grow very well - so I'm recommending using the bottom node for clones.

Thanks!!

Total of six(6) nodes. Actually took one clone from the bottom, and one from the node above that, to be able to bend the branches in a more clockwise-twist way. Lets see how that works out. Kept one of the absolutely lowest branches because it really had a great start and is really strong, otherwise, I'm with you 100% when it comes to using the lowest nodes for clones. I also took an apex clone from this one.

 

[DrCannaCanadian]

Looking good Doc!

Thanks @DeeCee112,

I hope your grow is going well! I'll have to pop by later and check things out.

 

[DrCannaCanadian]

MY Growing Experiences


By DrCannaCanadian


Review Of Our Current Vegetative Growth Phase
&
Planning Of Our Future Flowering Growth Phase

Version 02 - With MY Notes
​

We are going to attempt a review of our current vegetative growth stage and see if we can put together a reusable methodology based on what we have learned and accomplished so far.

That is, we want to develop a reusable process we can use to collect information and data for the purpose of making better growing decisions for our grows including our LST "7 Bowling Lanes" strategy and our HST "Bowling" strategy.

Note: We want to be saying MY Harvest will be a Maximum Yield Harvest - plants wide & tall!


00) Growth Phase

For photoperiods, we are currently looking at approximately a:

A) 1 Week Seed Germination or Cloning Phase
B) 1 Week Seedling Phase
C) 7 Week Vegetative Phase
D) 1 Week Transition Phase
E) 8 Week Flowering Phase

Note: This results in an 18 week Growth Cycle and 3 harvests per year.

We are hoping to begin our harvests with at least 450 grams or 1.0 pound of bud from each plant.

As we progress, we hope to harvest at least 1.35 kg or 3.0 pounds of bud from each plant.


01a) Seed Germination

We will only use high quality seeds with known high quality genetics from a trusted breeder.

We will float the seeds in a glass of pHed water for a few hours.
If the seeds sink after a few hours they are healthy because they are porous and readily accept moisture.

Note: If the seeds sink, don't let them sit at the bottom of the glass for more than 12 hours; seeds without oxygen are at risk of drowning.

Twelve Hour Water Soak

• DrCannaCanadian
• Jan 8, 2020
• tangie cookies

The two Seedsman seeds were still floating, but quickly dropped to the bottom of the glass after...

01b) Cloning

Consistent sized clones are key.

We use our scissors to measure each clone.
We line up the tops of the leaves on the clone with the points of the scissors then will make our cut right below the locking mechanism on the scissors. This ensures equal sized clones.
We try to cut about 2.5 cm (1.0") below a growth node.

Note: We want to bury a growth node about 2.5 cm (1.0") deep into the medium because it facilitates faster root growth.

Cloning

• DrCannaCanadian
• Mar 2, 2020
• my growing experiences

Consistent sized clones are key.

We want to bury a growth node about 2.5 cm (1.0") deep into...

​

02) Packing Pots

Packing all of your pots identically is very key to keeping your room on the same watering schedule. If all of your pots are packed the exact same, then each pot can hold the exact same amount of water. Find an even 1 gallon bucket to use for scooping the medium. We recommend using a tool called a Schuelke Stick. Pack evenly and use the Schuelke Stick to ensure the top of the medium is 2.5 cm (1.0”) from the top of the pot. Being able to achieve this consistency is what allows your plants to stay on the same feeding schedule.

Note: We always properly rinse and prepare our coco & perlite.

Packing Pots

• DrCannaCanadian
• Mar 2, 2020
• my growing experiences

Packing all of your pots identically is very key to keeping your room on the same watering...

03) Initial Planting

Initial planting typically occurs after soaking the seed for 12 hours in pHed water.

We will plant the seed, pointy end up, in a plastic solo cup of properly washed and prepared coco/perlite or soil/perlite.

We could also use a properly washed and prepared 5.0 cm x 5.0 cm (2.0" x 2.0") Rockwool Cube.

We will used pHed water only to keep the coco/perlite or soil/perlite moist and oxygenated.

Note: Roots are never left in a soaking wet medium without oxygen because this puts them at risk of root rot.

04) Intermediate Transplants

Intermediate transplants typically occur every 2 weeks, or when a solid root ball has developed.

The overall goal of intermediate transplants is to establish a strong & robust root system that is evenly spaced both horizontally and vertically.

Note: Growing a large even root mass is critical to developing a wide primary trunk which will support large side branches. This will ultimately allow the growth of large buds via the movement of large amounts of nutrients up and down the plant.

We will transplant the seedling into a 6.0 liter (1.5 gallon) plastic pot coco/perlite or soil/perlite when the roots are plenty.

We will transplant next into a 20.0 liter (5.0 gallon) plastic pot coco/perlite or soil/perlite when the roots are plenty.

We will transplant next into a 40.0 liter (10.0 gallon) plastic pot coco/perlite or soil/perlite when the roots are plenty.

Note: We do not let the seedling/plant get root-bound because this stunts growth.

Transplanting in any medium in between the size of the initial container and the final container will be beneficial to producing a better foundation of roots.

Intermediate Transplants

• DrCannaCanadian
• Mar 2, 2020
• my growing experiences

The overall goal of intermediate transplants is to establish a strong & robust root system that...

05) Final Transplant

Our final transplant is typically into a 20.0 liter (7.0 gallon) fabric pot for coco/perlite & a 40.0 liter (10.0 gallon) fabric pot for soil/perlite.

Note: The final pot size is dependent on our desired plant size and our desired fertigation schedule.

Larger final pots typically allow for larger plants and an increased number of fetigations per day.

Final Transplant

• DrCannaCanadian
• Mar 2, 2020
• my growing experiences

The final pot size is dependent on our desired plant size and our desired fertigation schedule...

​

06) High Stress Training (HST) - DrCannaCanadian's "Initial Topping" Strategy

We are currently looking into two strategies for initial topping. That is, we plan to start topping plants high above the 6th node or high above the 7th node.

Topping is a very important process that directly relates to the total amount of flower at harvest.

Ideally, our plants will be initially topped and then heavily topped 2 times prior to the flowering cycle.

Note: We number nodes on the primary stem from 1 to 9 starting at the bottom of the plant and working up.

We choose to eliminate the side branches from Node 1 because they usually don't grow that well. Node 1 is typically removed after Node 4 has fully developed.

Note: We can use the side branches from Node 1 as regular clones or monster clones if we want.

Initial Topping

• DrCannaCanadian
• Mar 2, 2020
• my growing experiences

We are currently looking into two strategies for initial topping. That is, we plan to start...

07a) Low Stress Training (LST) - DrCannaCanadian's "7 Bowling Lanes" Strategy

We must think of a "Bowling Lane" as the two side branches emanating from a Node on the primary stem. For example, the two side branches emanating from Node 7 constitute Lane 7.

For our 7 Bowling Lanes strategy:

• Lane 7 side branches are not tied down.
• Lane 6 side branches are not tied down.
• Lane 2, Lane 3, Lane 4 and Lane 5 side branches are tied down using equally spaced octants.

Note: There are 45 degree angles between the Lane 2, Lane 3, Lane 4 and Lane 5 side branches when looking down on the plant.


Notice how Lane 7 side branches are not tied down:

Low Stress Training (LST) - 7 Node Strategy

• DrCannaCanadian
• Mar 1, 2020
• my growing experiences

Node 7 side branches are not tied down.

Notice how Lane 6 side branches are not tied down

Low Stress Training (LST) - 7 Node Strategy

• DrCannaCanadian
• Mar 1, 2020
• my growing experiences

Node 6 side branches are not tied down.

Here is how we view the concept of Nodes & Bowling Lanes:

Low Stress Training (LST) - 7 Node Strategy

• DrCannaCanadian
• Mar 1, 2020
• my growing experiences

Node 2, Node 3, Node 4 and Node 5 are tied down using equally spaced octants.

There are 45...

Since Lane 5 & Lane 4 are naturally perpendicular, we place 4 bamboo posts around the edges of the pots, and then attach the Lane 5 & Lane 4 side branches to them.

Note: Using more bamboo posts may make it harder to water by hand.

Low Stress Training (LST) - "7 Bowling Lanes" Strategy

• DrCannaCanadian
• Mar 2, 2020
• 2
• my growing experiences

Since Lane 5 & Lane 4 are naturally perpendicular, we place 4 bamboo posts around the edges of...

​

Since we water by hand in the Dagobah Frost Forest, Lane 3 & Lane 2 side branches are attached to clips instead of bamboo posts. This gives us more room to fertigate with our watering can.

Low Stress Training (LST) - "7 Bowling Lanes" Strategy

• DrCannaCanadian
• Mar 2, 2020
• my growing experiences

Since we water by hand in the Dagobah Frost Forest, Lane 3 & Lane 2 side branches are attached...

.

Note: It is important to keep the canopy flat while using LST, so we can effectively use our HST "Bowling Technique".



07b) Low Stress Training (LST) - DrCannaCanadian's "6 Bowling Lanes" Strategy

We must think of a "Bowling Lane" as the two side branches emanating from a Node on the primary stem. For example, the two side branches emanating from Node 6 constitute Lane 6.

For our "6 Bowling Lanes" strategy:

• Lane 6 side branches are not tied down.
• Lane 5 side branches are not tied down.
• Lane 2, Lane 3, Lane 4 are tied down using equally spaced sextants.

Note: There are 60 degree angles between the Lane 2, Lane 3 and Lane 4 side branches when looking down on the plant.

Since Lane 4 & Lane 3 are naturally perpendicular, we place 4 bamboo posts around the edges of the pots, and then attach the Lane 4 & Lane 3 side branches to them.

Note: Using more bamboo posts may make it harder to water by hand.

Since we water by hand in the Dagobah Frost Forest, Lane 2 side branches are attached to clips instead of bamboo posts. This gives us more room to fertigate with our watering can.


Note: It is important to keep the canopy flat using LST so we can effectively use our HST "Bowling Technique".




08) High Stress Training (HST) - DrCannaCanadian's "Bowling" Strategy

The "Bowling" strategy is essentially a simultaneous "Heavy Defoliation & Heavy Topping" of the plant - while in the vegetative growth stage.

With photoperiods, we plan to perform at least two "Bowling" sessions before starting the flowering growth phase.

For the first part of our "Bowling" strategy, we defoliate all the fan leaves on the inside of the plant, but we leave all the fan leaves on the outside of the plant. When we defoliate all the inner fan leaves like this, it reminds us of a "Bowl", because a bowl is hollowed out in the middle.

Note: Be gentle, take your time. and do not hurt the growth nodes.

Our "Bowling" strategy is designed to expose all the growth nodes on the inside of the "Bowl" to as much light and air as possible. This increases the growth rate of growth nodes.

Our "Bowling" strategy is also designed to leave the fan leaves on the outside of the plant intact. This then helps to minimize shock to the plant and will consequently expedite recovery time.

The second part of our "Bowling" strategy is to top all the nodes of the plant at once.

Note: We choose to do simultaneous "Heavy Defoliation & Heavy Topping" of the plant in order to get all the stress out of the way all at once; and then the plant can just start healing faster.

High Stress Training (HST) - DrCannaCanadian's "Bowling" Strategy

• DrCannaCanadian
• Mar 2, 2020
• my growing experiences

For the first part of our "Bowling" strategy, we defoliate all the fan leaves on the inside of...

09) High Stress Training (HST) - DrCannaCanadian's "Lollipopping" Strategy

"Lollipopping" means to remove most growth from the bottom of the plant that aren't getting light, while leaving untouched all the vegetation and bud sites at the top of the plant.

By removing the bottom growth, which isn't getting light, it is thought that the plant focuses more energy on the bud sites at the top of the plant.

Our lollipopping strategy begins by dividing the plant horizontally into three even sections.

We will then lollipop the bottom third of the plant one week before flipping to Transition.

Note: Before flipping to Transition, we always allow one full week of recovery after any HST technique.

Buds lower down on the plant stay the small even if they get direct light from the sides. This is why many growers train their plants to grow flat (all the buds become top buds!) in addition to lollipopping.

High Stress Training (HST) - DrCannaCanadian's "Lollipopping" Strategy

• DrCannaCanadian
• Mar 2, 2020
• my growing experiences

Our lollipopping strategy begins by dividing the plant horizontally into three even sections...

10) High Stress Training (HST) - Initial Schwazze

“Schwazzing” is a term found in a book called Three a Light by Joshua Haupt. It refers to a specific time sequence of defoliating your plants to increase yields.

Here’s a time-lapse video showing the technique in action

​

As it’s core, schwazzing is a variation of extreme defoliation, a curiously effective technique for increasing cannabis yields indoors. The idea behind defoliation is to remove fan leaves from your plant at specific times. As a result, the plant ends up producing bigger and fatter buds.

Note: Plants that have been defoliated early in the flowering stage make bigger, denser buds than leafy cannabis plants.

The increase in light penetration allows the lower part of the plant to receive light when it normally would not. The goal is to have no larfy or loose nugs, rather, tight and compact flowers that are consistent from the top of the plant to the bottom. Topping and pruning are the precursor for large, compact nugs.

Note: We never top after we flip to 12-12 Transition!

Right before we switch to 12-12 we will Schwazze our plants. That is, we will remove most of the fan leaves on our plant, especially the biggest ones.

In our next grow, we will try both lollipopping & schwazzing right before we switch to 12-12 photoperiod.

Note: We define Day 01 of Schwazze as the first day of the Transition Growth Phase - the first day of our 12-12 photoperiod.

Here is one of our Seedsman Peyote WiFi "Princess Leia" Schwazzed:

Dagobah Frost Forest - Princess Leia

• DrCannaCanadian
• Feb 27, 2020
• mars hydro peyote wifi royal queen seeds seedsman

Peyote WiFi - Coco/Perlite - Veg Day 47

11) High Stress Training (HST) - Final Schwazze

We will Schwazze our plants a final time on Day 20 of Schwazze. That is, 3 weeks after we flip to 12-12, we will heavily defoliate again.

By the time it’s 3 weeks after the switch to 12-12, plenty of new buds should be forming.

Note: We really depend on high quality seeds and stable the genetics.

More stable genetics will be more tolerant of the stresses that we are presenting to the plants. While we are choosing phenotypes that work well for our grow, note which strains/phenos respond well to plant work projects such as Schwazzing and aggressive feedings, then clone from those plants.

Note: We never top after we flip to 12-12 Transition!

It is so important to completely understand that Day 20 Schwazze is the final Schwazze.

By this time the plant has refocused all its energy from rooting and growing taller to flowering and stacking weight.

If a Schwazze took place after day 20, it will cause more harm than good.

Note: After the Day 20 Schwazze, plants are ready to be netted because no further plant work takes place.

Here is one of our Seedsman Peyote WiFi "Obi-Wan Kenobi" Schwazzed:

Dagobah Frost Forest - Obi-Wan Kenobi

• DrCannaCanadian
• Feb 27, 2020
• mars hydro peyote wifi royal queen seeds seedsman

Peyote WiFi - Coco/Perlite - Veg Day 47

12) High Stress Training (HST) - Back Building

We will back build a few of our top most buds at the beginning of Week 04 Flower & Week 05 Flower.



13) High Stress Training (HST) - Stem Splitting

We will perform Stem Splitting during the final week of Flower.



14) High Stress Training (HST) - Light Deprivation

We will perform Light Deprivation during the final two days of Flower.

 

[DrCannaCanadian]

Medical Cannabis Science & Technology




Two New Cannabinoids Discovered: Meet THCP And CBDP
By Royal Queen Seeds​

Different versions of the same cannabinoid can exist, and recent research has revealed the existence of THCP and CBDP. What does it mean for patients, consumers, and the cannabis industry?

​

At the turn of 2020, a team of Italian scientists announced the discovery of two new cannabinoids, giving another boost to research on active cannabis compounds.

In an attempt to define the cannabinoid profile of the “autarchic” medical cannabis strain produced by the Military Chemical Pharmaceutical Institute of Florence, a new cannabinoid with a slightly different chemical structure to THC was discovered, followed by a cannabinoid similar to CBD.

Given the medical relevance of THC and CBD, this scientific result could be significant.

WHAT ARE THCP AND CBDP?

Almost 150 phytocannabinoids have been detected in the cannabis plant, though most of them have not been isolated. Only recently have scientists around the world begun to understand how the plant exerts its medical and psychoactive effects.

This new research proved that cannabis flowers might contain small amounts of previously unknown cannabinoids. These new arrivals were named THCP and CBDP[1] (tetrahydrocannabiphorol and cannabidiphorol).

These compounds appear similar to the well-known THC and CBD, respectively, and consequently could play a role in the mix of cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids that determine the entourage effect of a specific cannabis strain.

THCP: THE “LONGER” THC

THCP has the same chemical structure as Δ⁹-THC, but with a seven-term alkyl side chain. This chain creates a stronger bond with mammalian CB1 receptors. In fact, pharmacological tests on animals revealed THCP to be over 30 times more potent in its binding affinity.

This may, or may not, result in a significantly more potent psychoactive and medicinal effect.

In a lab test performed by the scientists, THCP was found to induce hypomotility, analgesia, catalepsy, and decreased rectal temperature, suggesting it to have a similar effect on rats as THC.

However, it’s still unknown what this means for humans, as it is unknown whether different strains contain different amounts of THCP.

CBDP: THE “MYSTERIOUS” CBD

Just like THCP, the newly discovered CBDP has a longer “tail” than its counterpart.

However, since regular CBD has a poor binding affinity with CB receptors to begin with, CBDP’s long tail does not seem to increase this affinity.

Therefore, researchers have not yet performed any biological tests on CBDP, leaving future research to find out if CBDP’s longer side chain could improve binding affinity to other receptors, or play a significant role in the entourage effect.

At the moment, it makes little sense to speculate whether CBDP has any therapeutic value.

MEDICAL IMPLICATIONS

Research has shown that side chain length plays a crucial role in the binding affinity between cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system. It stands to reason then that cannabinoids like THCP might be therapeutically viable, potentially to an even greater degree than other, more popular cannabinoids.

THCP and CBDP are considered particularly interesting because they are the first cannabinoids discovered with “tails” longer than five links. In the future, this could mean strains with high THCP levels or THCP-rich concentrates, for example.

Further research might also reveal THCP and CBDP to play a role in the subjective response to cannabis.

The results of this new research highlight just how important it is to carry out comprehensive chemical profiling of medicinal cannabis strains, coupled with investigations on the pharmacological activity of all minor cannabinoids.

A STEP FURTHER IN CANNABINOID RESEARCH

The discovery of THCP and CBDP actually came after the discovery of two other cannabinoids, Δ9-THCB (Δ9-tetrahydrocannabutol) and CBDB (cannabidibutol). Each has a side chain comprised of four carbon atoms (called butyl) instead of five, as occurs in their THC and CBD counterparts.

Just like THCP, THCB appears to display similar, but not identical, activity to the major cannabinoid THC, acting as a partial cannabinoid receptor agonist. In an inaugural test on an acute inflammatory pain model, THCB was shown to produce beneficial effects.

At present, the same analysis methods cannot be applied to CBDB since its molecular targets are not precisely known.

These results are today encouraging scientists in their search for other “long tail” cannabinoids, with the aim of characterising the entire cannabinoid profile of a single cultivar.

In recent years, genetic research and selective breeding have made much higher concentrations of minor cannabinoids available. As we wait to see what further research reveals about these newly discovered cannabinoids, visions of future product ranges become an exciting prospect.

External Resources:

1. A novel phytocannabinoid isolated from Cannabis sativa L. with an in vivo cannabimimetic activity higher than Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol: Δ 9 -Tetrahydrocannabiphorol | Scientific Reports https://www.nature.com

 

[DrCannaCanadian]

Daily Growing Tips & Tricks


By Royal Queen Seeds


How To Grow Cannabis Outdoors In Germany, Month By Month​

Cannabis has been illegal in Germany for a while, but things are changing. The government has started growing and providing medical marijuana, and the system they have in place is a shining example for other medical programmes. If you want to grow within this region, though, you'll need to learn how to work with the German climate.

​

Unless you've lived under several rocks, you likely know that the cannabis market in Europe has reached new heights in recent years.

As with growing in any region, though, there are different legal issues, weather patterns, and other factors to consider before you can start.

In this blog, we'll be discussing how you can successfully grow your crop in Germany.

GROWING CANNABIS IN GERMANY

Like anywhere else in Europe, you'll find a diverse range of mild and challenging climates in Germany. Whether you're way up on the coast in Schleswig-Holstein or in the heart of Bavaria, you'll still be able to grow a successful crop.

However, there's a lot more to consider than the weather when you want to grow cannabis in Germany.

IS WEED LEGAL IN GERMANY?

Before we can start talking about how to grow cannabis in Germany, we have to discuss whether it's legal. So... is it? Well, yes and no. Speaking recreationally, cannabis is still illegal, but it's classified as an Anlage III substance.

This classification just means it's not too dangerous to prescribe. Drugs like cocaine, however, are Anlage II, restricting prescription, and heroin falls under Anlage I, restricting all distribution.

However, there's a certain loophole in the law thanks to three simple words: "a small amount". What are we on about, you wonder? Turns out, according to the 1992 reform of the Narcotic Drugs Act, someone possessing only a small amount of cannabis can avoid prosecution.

Getting more specific, this applies to anyone who only grows, produces, transports, imports/exports, or otherwise obtains enough for personal use. This wording, thankfully, has helped slowly ease Germany towards legalization.

The biggest sign of this is the fact that medical cannabis has been legal in Germany since 2017. Things started slow, with only 1,000 specially permitted patients before the law.

Even with hurdles in the way, there were 142,000 prescriptions written in 2018 alone, and demand is only going up. By 2023, the International Cannabis Business Conference estimates that Germany will become the biggest medical cannabis market in Europe.

This is exciting, of course, but we have to consider that there have already been issues with shortages. More international companies are being permitted to import into Germany, but their product is more expensive and relies on extensive trade.

A GUIDE ON GROWING CANNABIS OUTDOORS IN GERMANY

While Germany has many environments within its borders, we'll be focusing on the coast, the north-east, the west, and the south today.

There are unique advantages and disadvantages to growing in each region, whether it's the weather patterns, sunlight, or pests in the area.

MARCH

• Daylength March 1st: 10 hours, 54 minutes
• AVG. temperature: 1–9°C

As spring creeps in, preparations can begin for the growing season.

Whichever region you're in, you should start germinating your seeds by the beginning of the month. Feel free to begin preparing your outdoor grow area if it's warm enough, especially if you're in the west or warmer parts of the north-east.

Those near the coast or Bavaria, however, should keep an eye out for inclement weather. Regardless, you don't have to worry about getting plants outside immediately. Instead, you can take advantage of the longer days and slightly warmer temperatures by doing some windowsill growing.

APRIL

• Daylength April 1st: 13 hours, 1 minute
• AVG. temperature: 5–15°C

With the sun coming out longer and heating things up, the growing season officially begins.

If you're in a warmer area like Frankfurt on the Main or Dusseldorf in the north-east, you may have the chance to plant directly in the ground outside (assuming you've fertilised and dug out a bed).

You also have the option of planting them in large pots, which will give you the ability to move them inside in case of poor weather.

Otherwise, if you want to play it safe, you can erect a greenhouse and set your plants up in there. Although it'll limit your space, you'll be able to maintain a constant temperature and humidity level, while also protecting your plants from the elements.

Besides that, those in places with less sunlight, like Hamburg, may also choose a greenhouse with artificial lights to make sure plants get as much as they need.

Besides that, make sure you're regularly weeding your garden beds (if applicable) and keeping an eye out for any pests. A helpful tip: Grow some floriferous plants in the surrounding area to attract bugs that eat cannabis pests.

MAY

• Daylength May 1st: 14 hours, 59 minutes
• AVG. temperature: 9–20°C

As the temperature begins to kick up, your goal is to make sure your plants are happily settled. Keep them consistently watered, noting that plants grown in rainy conditions in Lower Saxony and nearby areas won’t need as much.

Those using greenhouses in the sunnier western and north-east regions will have a different factor to monitor—heat. Since outdoor temperatures of 17ºC (63ºF) and above can make greenhouses extra warm, opening windows and vents is highly recommended.

Besides monitoring weather conditions, damage prevention is the name of the game. Keep pulling out weeds that soak up the soil's nutrients, keep an eye out for pests, and start looking out for wildlife if you're in a rural area. Even a simple fence around the grow area can prevent an unwitting red fox or wild boar from ruining your plants.

​

JUNE

• Daylength June 1st: 16 hours, 31 minutes
• AVG. temperature: 13–24°C

Summertime! You know what that means: Beach days, music festivals—no we're just kidding, it means you get to watch your plants grow faster! This is thanks to the increased daylight (summer solstice is the 21st) and warmer weather, along with your caring hand.

You should also make sure you have a support system in place for larger plants.

If you're trying to be discreet, however, or have limited space, you've got some work to do here as well. Specifically, you should start low-stress training to keep your plants close to the ground.

Also note that rainfall increases throughout Germany during the summer, so make sure you strike a healthy balance between that and the heat.

JULY

• Daylength July 1st: 16 hours, 44 minutes
• AVG. temperature: 14–26°C

In the paraphrased words of the American poet Nelly, "It's gettin' hot out here". In fact, no matter where you are, it's the hottest month of the year, with temperatures ranging from 22ºC (72ºF) in Hamburg to a toasty 26°C (79°F) in Frankfurt on the Main.

With that, and the still-long days, your main concern will be making sure the soil stays hydrated. Even with rainfall still being high, actually peaking in Frankfurt with 44mm on average, things can get dry in the matter of a day.

If you haven't already, instal an irrigation system to take a lot of the work off your hands. That way, your only job is to maintain the irrigation system itself.

At this stage, your other main concern is sexing, if you’re growing regular seeds. Look for signs of pollen sacs starting to form around the nodes.

If you don't know already, removing the males on sight is vital to keeping the yield and potency of the females high. If left where they are, they'll pollinate the females later on and cause them to produce seeds. Unless you're looking to get seeds, this is far from ideal.

AUGUST

• Daylength August 1st: 15 hours, 31 minutes
• AVG. temperature: 14–26°C

Going into August, plants register the decrease in daylight hours, and growers raising photoperiod strains get to see something beautiful. This, of course, is the flowering phase.

Since your plants will be fully stretching out in the first couple of weeks, now is the time to defoliate and prune them—if you haven't already. Rather than discretion, though, the point of this maintenance is to make sure all the buds get some decent sunlight.

Keep up a regular watering routine as well, since heatwaves around this time aren't unheard of. Again, an irrigation system could save you a lot of hassle during this time of year.

SEPTEMBER

• Daylength September 1st: 13 hours, 36 minutes
• AVG. temperature: 11–23°C

As summer begins to transition into autumn, the flowers of your plants will get larger and larger thanks to increased production of pistils and trichomes.

With bigger flowers, of course, come pungent smells, and the fragrance of your plants will start to fill the air.

Don't get too distracted by the smell, however, as you'll need to make sure your plants have shelter when the rain comes. Rainfall won't be as severe as it was during the summer, but make sure your plants are in a greenhouse or under a tarpaulin when it comes.

OCTOBER

• Daylength October 1st: 11 hours, 35 minutes
• AVG. temperature: 6–17°C

Autumn has officially arrived, and you'll soon see the finish line after months of hard work.

Rainfall becomes even less frequent around this time, but root rot and overwatering can still be an issue. If you've still got some sunlight and warmth where you are, feel free to let your plants grow a bit longer to max out your yield.

If rainfall is more frequent in your area, though, choose a strain that will flower soon and go ahead harvesting, drying, and curing your crop.

NOVEMBER

• Daylength November 1st: 9 hours, 33 minutes
• AVG. temperature: 2–10°C

The growing season comes to a close in November, and anyone who hasn't already should begin harvesting.

Since no more growing can be done, your only responsibilities in the garden are clearing leaves, preemptive pest control, and burning any debris that can't be used as compost. After you've dried and cured your cannabis, you can finally enjoy the product of your labour.


PROS AND CONS OF GROWING CANNABIS IN GERMANY

Boiling it down, Germany has a lot going for it as far as a cannabis-growing country. For one, the temperatures are manageable, if not perfectly mild, in most regions.

Going along with that, the fact that rainfall decreases as autumn approaches removes a lot of stress from the process. However, the colder early spring makes the beginning a challenge, and the fact that rainfall peaks during the summer is a notable issue.

Besides the weather, legality is still a big question mark, and it's unclear when the government will start allowing for mass domestic cultivation.

Still, undoubtedly one of the advantages of growing weed in Germany—as opposed to other countries in Europe—is that there is already a medical cannabis programme in place.

Moreover, developments in one major EU nation are bound to trigger others to follow suit. Only time will tell.

TOP 3 RQS STRAINS RECOMMENDED FOR OUTDOOR GROWING IN GERMANY

In general, it’s wise to pick robust hybrids when growing outdoors in Germany—either photoperiod or autoflowering. There simply isn’t enough time to crop towering sativas in this region.

In fact, those growing further up north should select indica-dominant strains in order to harvest before the cold and rain of autumn set in.

To cap things off, we wanted to recommend some strains that are built to handle climates like Germany's.

Northern Light

While you might already know Northern Light is a classic strain, you might not have known that it's especially mould-resistant.

Given the heavy rainfall during German summers, this is an essential trait. On top of that, this indica boasts 18% THC, a fruity taste, and a relaxing, euphoric high. It will grow to 180–220cm outdoors and produce around 625g/plant.

White Widow

If you're in a colder part of the country, you can count on White Widow to treat you right.

This perfectly balanced hybrid is comfortable in the north, and a warm, happy high will greet you once you spark up these 19% THC nugs. Expect it to reach up to 190cm by harvest time, leaving you with up to 600g/plant.

Royal Moby

Lastly, we'd like to acknowledge one of White Widow's descendants, Royal Moby. A combination of White Widow and Haze, Royal Moby does her parents proud by staying potent and kicking mould to the curb.

Royal Moby gives you the regal treatment with 21% THC, and its sativa-heavy genetic makeup means you'll be extra cheery and alert.

And in case you were wondering, this strain is named after the fictional whale, created by the author Herman Melville. Why? Well, it towers over virtually any other strain, clocking in at 3.5m and gifting its grower 700g/plant.

IN CONCLUSION

The fate of cannabis in Germany is unclear in some aspects, but it's not all a mystery. We know it's become more popular, and we know it will continue to do so.

We also know that this means more cannabis will need to be grown, which means international suppliers aren't going to cut it much longer (many would argue they already don't).

All things considered, we'll likely see a rise in German growers soon enough.

There's only one more question from there: Will you be one of them?

 

[DrCannaCanadian]

Dagobah Frost Forest
Update


Vegetation - Day 52
​

Hello 420!!!

The good news is both Seedsman Peyote WiFis are still recovering well, and both of the Tangie Cookies are fully recovered!!!

BTW - Two mistakes we made with the TCs to turn them into runts:

• Planting the soil solo cup into the coco - don't mix soil and coco!​
• Planting the soil solo cup into the final pot - don't skip intermediate transplants.​

We have decided it is important to set goals we can Manage & Measure.

So for our Maximum Yield Grows - we are setting a goal of harvesting 3 pounds of bud from our 4'x4' tent!

This means we need to harvest 1361 grams - or 341 grams (12 oz) from each plant!

At an average yield of 1.5 grams per watt, we will need about 900 Watts of LED light.



We are scheduled to flip to 12-12 Transition tomorrow, but we want all the tops to be healthy before we do that.

As you can see below, a few of the tops are not recovering very well.

We are wondering if it is because: 1) we topped when the growth nodes were too tiny, or 2) the plant can only grow so many new tops at one time.

We'll need to do a bit more reading and see if we can figure that out.


Here's a poorly recovering top in relation to the rest of the plant:

Dagobah Frost Forest - Update

• DrCannaCanadian
• Mar 3, 2020
• mars hydro peyote wifi royal queen seeds seedsman tangie cookies

Here's the same poorly recovering top, but in relation to the rest of the plant:

Here's a closeup of the same poorly recovering top - notice how we likely topped too close to tiny growth nodes:

Dagobah Frost Forest - Update

• DrCannaCanadian
• Mar 3, 2020
• mars hydro peyote wifi royal queen seeds seedsman tangie cookies

Here's a closeup of one of the poorly recovering tops - notice how we likely topped too close to...

Yesterday, we completed our review of veg, and we have a pretty clear plan for the flowering phase now.

Note: You may recall that Light drives the optimum levels of all the other eight cardinal parameters:

Light As One Of The Nine Cardinal Parameters

• DrCannaCanadian
• Feb 18, 2020
• my medical cannabis experiences

Light drives the optimum levels of all the other eight cardinal parameters.

So, to become better growers, it is important to set goals we can Manage & Measure; so, we would like to start tracking metrics for some of the nine cardinal parameters:

a) Light LUX, PPFD & DLI​

b) Canopy Temperature​

c) Canopy Humidity​

d) Canopy VPD​

e) Nutrient pH​

f) Nutrient ppm​

g) Nutrient EC​

We think the 'wind' parameter is okay as long as we are defoliating regularly and as long as there is air moving in the halo.

Note: The halo is the region between the canopy and the light.

We will need to wait until we do DWC or RDWC to measure root temperature and add oxygen to the water.

And here we are getting really close to flipping to 12-12 and Day 01 Schwazze:

Dagobah Frost Forest - Group Photo

• DrCannaCanadian
• Mar 3, 2020
• mars hydro peyote wifi royal queen seeds seedsman tangie cookies

Group Photo - Veg Day 52

 

[DrCannaCanadian]

Daily Cannabis Strains



Quick One: First At The Finish Line
By Royal Queen Seeds​

Quick One carries the legacy of Lowryder to new heights. Find out more about this speedy cannabis cultivar, including its genetics, effects, aromas, and how to grow it indoors and out!

​

ON YOUR MARKS: INTRODUCING QUICK ONE

Blink and you’ll miss it! OK, maybe it doesn't grow that quickly, but Quick One didn’t earn her name for being slow.

As autoflowering and fast-growing cannabis plants increase in popularity, Quick One has remained a tried and true favourite built upon legendary genetics. As a robust, low-maintenance plant, growers of all levels can experience what it’s like to cultivate autoflowering magic. Need a compact plant you can grow basically anywhere? Let’s get into why this could be the (quick) one for you…

GET SET: GENETICS OF QUICK ONE

Quick One is an indica-dominant (60% indica, 30% ruderalis, 10% sativa) autoflowering cannabis plant derived from Lowryder genetics, known to be the original commercial autoflowering strain. The word “iconic” comes to mind when summing up the significance of Lowryder in the cannabis cultivation world.

When taking an even closer look at her genetic foundation, Quick One combines Northern Light, William’s Wonder, and Mexican ruderalis to deliver an easy autoflower par excellence.

Drawing upon the undeniable indica influence of Northern Light and William’s Wonder, tempered by the autoflowering nature of Mexican ruderalis, Quick One is built for speed and practicality, whether you’re growing indoors or out.

The breeders at Royal Queen Seeds took their efforts seriously by creating a reliable performer that doesn’t shirk any of its duties.

GROW: GROWING QUICK ONE

As the name suggests, Quick One was born to zoom. Just how fast is she? By the time your seeds germinate, it should take only 8–9 weeks before a mature canopy of shimmering buds appears before your very eyes. Compared to other strains, even other autos, that is a super-fast growing cycle.

When Quick One was first released, it was one of the fastest autoflowers on the market to ever exist—one that also churned out top results.

Of course, because Quick One is autoflowering, it moves seamlessly from the vegetative phase to the flowering phase. After just a few short weeks, once her predetermined veg phase is up, her internal clock will tell her to start blooming. This way, growers don’t need to worry about altering light cycles to support a specific phase.

Growing Quick One outdoors has its perks, as sunlight will allow for bigger buds and potentially higher returns. Fortunately, since Quick One’s life cycle is so short, she is less at risk of being plagued by pests and pathogens. Moreover, the shrewd grower can plan their time right to achieve multiple harvests per season.

You can also grow Quick One indoors to great success. In terms of light cycle, you can simply keep her under 18–20 hours of light per day throughout each phase.

Thanks to its small, discreet stature, reaching heights of 50–60cm indoors and 60–100cm outdoors, Quick One does not need a lot of room to flower to its max capacity. She is capable of yielding up to 325g/m² indoors and 150g/plant under the blazing sun.

​

FLAVOUR, AROMA, AND EFFECTS OF QUICK ONE

As buds mature during the flowering phase, Quick One takes on a fresh, herbal aroma with hints of citrus. This scent intensifies slightly after a good cure, making for an invigorating sensory experience every time.

This translates over nicely to the taste buds; with its easy-going, gentle, and mild taste, Quick One carefully eases you into a relaxing body high. Still, this is not a couch-lock variety; clocking in at 13% THC, she’s just potent enough to smoke during the day without falling asleep.

Quick One offers holistic mind-body relaxation, with euphoric undertones designed to relieve stress and depression as well as promote restful sleep.

SUMMARY OF QUICK ONE: A SPEED DEMON FOR THE AGES

Being so versatile, low-maintenance, and quick to flower, all while producing pleasantly potent buds, there isn't much Quick One can’t do. Surely ideal for first-timers seeking a successful harvest, as well as those seeking fast turnover, there’s a reason Quick One continues to dominate the autoflowering scene.

 

[ChefDGreen]

I’m sorry Dr. your journal updates are just way too long for me to read everything. Your plants look great though. You said you’re hoping for 1lb per plant, how much space do you have to flower in? 4 1lb plants are going to take up like 9sqft each. Do you have a 2sqm tent? 6’x6’ or bigger?

 

[DrCannaCanadian]

I’m sorry Dr. your journal updates are just way too long for me to read everything. Your plants look great though. You said you’re hoping for 1lb per plant, how much space do you have to flower in? 4 1lb plants are going to take up like 9sqft each. Do you have a 2sqm tent? 6’x6’ or bigger?

Hey @ChefDGreen , Thanks for the feedback!

Our journal updates can be quite lengthy - and we plan on adding metrics - so the posts will get longer. Basically, we want to capture our thoughts and ideas - and soon numbers for the cardinal parameters,

We come from a technical background - so we are used to tracking and digesting lots of info.

If there were lots of people reading this journal, then we'd keep the posts short, add lots of pics, and put the long boring tech stuff in a link to a sub-journal.



Our current goal is going to be 3 pounds in a 4'x4' tent - it is a steep goal - but this goal will keep the pressure on us to do as well as we can.

To accomplish our goal, we will need very strong phenos, taller plants, long veg time, more lights, CO2 and us as better growers using hydroponics.

And you're absolutely right, at some point, we'll likely need a bigger sealed grow space

 

[DrCannaCanadian]

Dagobah Frost Forest
Update


Vegetation - Day 53​

Hello 420!!!

We just wanted to do this update we missed yesterday, - because we fell asleep lol

So here they are - two days away from flipping to 12-12 Transition and Day 01 Schwazze:

Dagobah Frost Forest - Group Photo

• DrCannaCanadian
• Mar 5, 2020
• mars hydro peyote wifi royal queen seeds seedsman tangie cookies

Group Photo - Veg Day 53

Dagobah Frost Forest - Princess Leia

• DrCannaCanadian
• Mar 5, 2020
• mars hydro peyote wifi royal queen seeds seedsman

Peyote WiFi - Coco/Perlite - Veg Day 53

Dagobah Frost Forest - Obi-Wan Kenobi

• DrCannaCanadian
• Mar 5, 2020
• mars hydro peyote wifi royal queen seeds seedsman

Peyote WiFi - Coco/Perlite - Veg Day 53

Dagobah Frost Forest - Emperor Sidious

• DrCannaCanadian
• Mar 5, 2020
• mars hydro royal queen seeds seedsman tangie cookies

Tangie Cookies - Coco/Perlite - Veg Day 53

Dagobah Frost Forest - Darth Maul

• DrCannaCanadian
• Mar 5, 2020
• mars hydro royal queen seeds seedsman tangie cookies

Tangie Cookies - Coco/Perlite - Veg Day 53

 

[DrCannaCanadian]

Daily BLOG Excursions



Delta-8-THC A Milder Version Of THC
By Royal Queen Seeds​

Delta-8-THC derives from the notorious Delta-9-THC. While it seems to share some of the same effects, the potency of Δ⁸ appears to be lower. Read on to find out where this rare cannabinoid comes from, and how you might be able to try it for yourself!

​

UNDERSTANDING HOW CANNABINOIDS ARE SYNTHESISED

Cannabinoids are produced by natural chemical reactions such as decarboxylation, isomerisation, and oxidation. A few key enzymes are responsible for the biosynthesis of cannabinoids; namely, CBDA synthase, CBCA synthase, and THCA synthase.

These substances convert CBGA, the root or “mother” cannabinoid, into the acidic forms of the cannabinoids we know and love: CBD and Δ⁹-THC, as well as lesser-known compounds like CBC and Δ⁸-THC.

WHAT IS DELTA-8-THC?

Starting from CBGA, the resulting Δ⁹-THC is oxidised into an isomer with a very similar chemical structure: Δ⁸-THC. Since this molecule is formed by oxidation, it’s not further altered when exposed to air.

That’s a useful feature for pharmaceutical purposes, which compensates for the rarity of this cannabinoid. Δ⁸-THC is actually produced in such small quantities by the cannabis plant that the only way to experience its effects is to consume very specific concentrates.

HOW IS DELTA-8-THC DIFFERENT FROM DELTA-9-THC?

Δ⁸-THC binds to CB1 receptors in the central nervous system as Δ⁹-THC does, as well as to the CB2 receptor.

Based on early research and anecdotal evidence, Δ⁸-THC is kind of like a “light” version of traditional Δ⁹-THC, producing a mild sedative effect without the typical mental stimulation induced by Δ⁹-THC.

As an analogue of Δ⁹-THC, the Δ⁸ version has demonstrated antiemetic, anxiolytic, appetite-stimulating, analgesic, and neuroprotective properties in research settings, despite exerting milder psychotropic effects than Δ⁹-THC.

Furthermore, when taken in high doses, Δ⁸-THC seems to cause less anxiety than Δ⁹-THC.

DOES DELTA-8-THC HAVE THERAPEUTIC PROPERTIES?

While psychoactive Δ⁹-THC can be problematic for patients prone to panic and anxiety, Δ⁸-THC has potential to provide therapeutic effects at low doses, with little to no intoxicating effects.

Some users actually report the same medical efficacy from Δ⁸-THC as Δ⁹-THC, but with a greater ability to stay focused while working or performing daily tasks.

In a lab environment, very low doses of Δ⁸-THC were shown to increase food consumption[] in mice as expected.

More importantly, the cannabinoid has already been successfully tested as an antiemetic in paediatric oncology[2].

Δ⁸-THC was administered to eight children ranging from 3–13 years of age with various haematologic cancers. The children were treated with chemotherapy prior to a new concurring treatment with Δ⁸-THC.

During the experimental treatment with the cannabinoid, vomiting was completely prevented and other side effects from chemotherapy were dramatically reduced.

​

CAN YOU ISOLATE DELTA-8-THC AT HOME?
Regardless of the strain, this cannabinoid is produced by cannabis plants only in very small amounts.

Selective breeding might one day provide new strains with higher concentrations of Δ⁸-THC than the current stock, yet specialised industrial methods of extraction, fractional distillation, and molecular isolation will likely be needed to obtain substantial quantities of this and other rare cannabinoids.

In other words, there is no way you can successfully extract your own Δ⁸-THC at home, even if it’s theoretically possible to set your vape temperature to release a certain range of terpenes and cannabinoids, including Δ⁸-THC.

Realistically, commercial Δ⁸-THC products are likely to be available as vapable extracts and sublingual drops. There are no edible versions of this cannabinoid yet, as Δ⁸-THC is transformed into Δ¹¹-THC by the digestion process, spoiling the medical properties of the original one.

Next-gen cannabinoid distillates show the highest levels of Δ⁸-THC, comprising about 58% of the cannabinoid alongside 8% Δ⁹-THC and 0.30% CBD. These new products open the door to unexplored territory for both medical and recreational users, and only time will tell what the consensus is!

External Resources:

[1] Very low doses of delta 8-THC increase food consumption and alter neurotransmitter levels following weight loss. - PubMed - NCBI National Center for Biotechnology Information
[2] An efficient new cannabinoid antiemetic in pediatric oncology DRCNet Online Library Main Page - Frames

 

[DrCannaCanadian]

Dagobah Frost Forest
Update


Transition Day 01 & Schwazze Day 01​

Hello 420!!!

We have great news here in the Dagobah Frost Forest - all the plants were fully recovered and ready for the flip to 12-12 yesterday, March 05, 2020. The plants also received their last full day (18 hours) of Mars Hydro sunlight in the vegetation phase.

As planned, we '100% schwazzed' the Peyote WiFis & '50% schwazzed' the Tangie Cookies.

Dagobah Frost Forest - Pre-Schwazze

• DrCannaCanadian
• Mar 6, 2020
• mars hydro peyote wifi royal queen seeds seedsman

Peyote WiFi - Transition Day 01 & Schwazze Day 01

Dagobah Frost Forest - Post-Schwazze

• DrCannaCanadian
• Mar 6, 2020
• mars hydro peyote wifi royal queen seeds seedsman

Peyote WiFi - Transition Day 01 & Schwazze Day 01

Dagobah Frost Forest - Schwazze Carnage

• DrCannaCanadian
• Mar 6, 2020
• mars hydro peyote wifi royal queen seeds seedsman

Peyote WiFi - Transition Day 01 & Schwazze Day 01

Today, according to our schedule, the plants will receive their first full 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness - which will begin their remarkable transition into the flowering phase.

So overall, our plants have spent 1 week in germination, 1 week as seedlings, and 54 days in vegetation.

Note: We define a grow day as a lights-on period & a lights-off period inclusive.

And just so we're on the same page:

- March 05, 2020 is Final Vegetation Day 54.​

- March 06, 2020 is Transition Day 01 & Schwazze Day 01.​

- March 25, 2020 is Schwazze Day 20.​

Over the next week or so, we will be watching closely for pistils - which will signify we have:

a) entered the flowering phase.​

b) all female plants.​

And here are our Jedis & Dark Side Runts on their first day of Transition 'schwazzing' under our Mars Hydro TSL 2000:

Dagobah Frost Forest - Group Photo

• DrCannaCanadian
• Mar 6, 2020
• mars hydro peyote wifi royal queen seeds seedsman tangie cookies

Group Photo - Transition Day 01 & Schwazze Day 01

Daily Cardinal Parameter Metrics​

Canopy Zone:

Light:

Peyote WiFi:

• Mars Hydro TSL 2000
• 45 cm (18") above canopy
• 42.5k LUX
• 972 PPFD
• 42.0 DLI

Tangie Cookies:

• X6 COB
• 35 cm (14") above canopy
• 42.5k LUX
• 972 PPFD
• 42.0 DLI

Lights-On - Temperature & Humidity:

• 23.0°C ( 73°F)
• 45% RH
• 1.23 VPD - High Transpiration (Mid/Late Flower)

Lights-Off - Temperature & Humidity:

• 16.0°C ( 61°F)
• 60% RH
• 0.51 VPD - Low Transpiration (Propogation/Early Veg Growth)

Wind:

• 2 small tent pole fans circulating air in the halo
• 10 cm (4") 190 CFM exhaust fan

CO2:

• N/A​

Fan Leaf Color:

• We're going to try to take a picture of a Fan Leaf and get an RGB Hex Number using a color picker

Root Zone:


Water:

• 3 liters (3 quarts) for each plant
• 16.0°C ( 61°F)

Nutrients:

• 0.25 grams/liter MC + 0.125 grams/liter OS
• 6.1 pH
• 1.00 EC
• 471 ppm

Temperature:

• N/A

O2:

• N/A

​

 

[DrCannaCanadian]

Exploratory Data Analysis
of
Green Leaf Nutrients & Fox Farm Nutrients


By DrCannaCanadian


Calculation Of Base Nutrient Strength & Bloom Nutrient Strength
Required For Transition​

We are currently making sure the nutes are dialed in properly as we go through Transition.

Our latest feeds have included Green Leaf Nutrients Mega Crop & Fox Farm Open Sesame.

Note: Although we will report our nutrient strength using the universal EC measurement, we will also include a ppm (500 scale) for confusion and unnecessary complexity - actually, because our TDS pen includes it

The following table presents GLN & FF product NPK values we will be using in the next few weeks:

Name [Version]	Acr	N-P-K	Description
Mega Crop [V2]	MC	09 - 06 - 17	base nute ++
Bud Explosion	BE	00 - 19 - 39	blooming enhancer at later stages of flowering - 1.0% Mg - 10% S
Open Sesame	OS	05 - 45 - 19	Early Flowering Formula (Weeks 3, 4, 5)
Beastie Bloomz	BB	00 - 50 - 30	Mid Flowering Formula (Weeks 6, 7, 8)
Cha Ching	CC	09 - 50 - 10	Late Flowering Formula (Weeks 9, 10, 11, 12)

Recall that MC indicates we may use up to 1.0 grams / liter for full 100% feed strength during the veg phase and the extended veg phase.

Recall that OS indicates we may use up to 0.73 grams / liter for full 100% strength during the late veg phase and the extended veg phase.

We decided to go with the following for our next few feeds:

1) base nute: 33% strength MC which is 0.33 gram / liter.
2) bloom nute: 12.5% strength OS which is 0.09 gram / liter.

Which means we use:

1) base: 4.00 grams of MC.
2) bloom: 1.10 grams of OS.

Note: (4.00 * 09 - 06 - 17) + (1.10 * 05 - 45 - 19) = (36 - 24 - 68) + (5.5 - 50 - 21) = 42 - 74 - 89

The net ratio is 42 - 74 - 89 and the normalized ratio is 01 - 1.8 - 2.1

With respect to the base MC, we are simply boosting the P with this ratio.

 

[DrCannaCanadian]

Daily Growing Tips & Tricks


By Royal Queen Seeds


The Most Common Cannabis Mutations
​

Ever seen ducksfoot cannabis? What about an albino plant? While not common, the cannabis plant has quite a few interesting mutations that sometimes can even boost yield. Here is a list of the most common or intriguing mutations of the cannabis plant.

​

Everyone knows what a cannabis plant looks like, right? Actually, not so fast! Not all cannabis looks the same. With the rise of hybrid experimentation, mutations are increasingly common, if not deliberately bred into strains downstream. Certain strange mutations have actually become the basis for some of the most popular strains out there.

But what do these mutations look like? And what do they mean for the plant? If not your yield?

DUCKSFOOT CANNABIS

This mutation hails from Australia. A breeder then took advantage of the odd variety by cultivating it into a real “strain” - although the leaf mutation can occur across various strains. This mutation gets its name from the webbed, foot-like leaves that it grows. However, the different looking leaves are just the start of it. Most ducksfoot cannabis grows up to be sativa plants.

This strain is great for camouflage. Ducksfoot cannabis looks very unlike “normal” cannabis. Thus, it is perfect for cultivators in jurisdictions where growing is still verboten. The plant will also produce beautiful purple buds if the temperature is cold enough.

VARIEGATION

Also known as albinism, variegation is one of the most beautiful mutations of cannabis. This can occur either fully or partially. This mutation results from a plant’s inability to produce chlorophyll. It can occur on leaves, the heads of buds, or can wash out the entire plant in white.

In the most extreme cases, plants will not live very long as chlorophyll is necessary in the production of sugars for plant energy and development.

Variegation also means lower yields. A lessened ability to photosynthesise equates to slower growing plants. That said, some variegated plants can grow to be quite tall.

WHORLED PHYLLOTAXY

This kind of mutation is also very pretty. Cannabis plants have a great deal of natural geometry. This mutation creates a slightly different kind. Regular plants have two leaves that grow from each internode. Whorled phyllotaxy plants have three leaves instead. Plants with a whorled phyllotaxy tend to be extra bushy. That said, the trait is not useful to breeders as it can lead to greater yields, but will disappear once attempted to be bred and replicated.

CREEPER CANNABIS

Creeper cannabis tends to exhibit itself in tropical strains. These strains are already large and grow in humid conditions. The plant’s lower branches bow down to touch the ground. Once they reach the floor, the branches continue to grow, even forming new root sites. This phenotype is super useful for disguising grows. However, creeper cannabis is a rare mutation and has not been developed commercially.

AUSTRALIAN BASTARD CANNABIS

ABC is an Aussie invention. It was first “discovered” near Sydney in the 70’s. This strange anomaly grows more like an herb than a shrub. The leaves are not serrated; instead they’re smooth and shiny, growing no more than 5cm in length.

The original ABC was more like hemp and was low in all cannabinoids. However, underground breeders managed to boost the THC levels. This mutation made ripples about a decade ago. No strains have (yet) been made commercially available.

​

VINE CANNABIS

Is it a true breed or just an extension of ABC? Nobody really knows. But Aussie breeders claim that ABC crosses can produce vine-like mutations in the plant. This includes the ability to form stems that wrap in a pattern around each other.

The mutation is extremely rare. It may only exist because of deliberate breeding to trigger this effect. While this trait is interesting, it is not advantageous to yield or cannabinoid concentration. No commercial strains currently incorporate this mutation.

LEAF BUDS

Most flower sites on cannabis plants occur at the nodes, where the stalks originate. However, leaf buds occur at the base of the leaves themselves. This is an unusual (if pretty) mutation. It can also be advantageous to yield because the plant grows more bud sites. However, experienced growers tend to remove them as they form; they take up nutrients that can otherwise nourish the main flower sites.

​

POLYPLOIDISM

Polyploids in nature are organisms that possess double the number of chromosomes than their non-mutant genetic twins. This trait can sometimes be fixed into plant species via selective breeding. Cannabis plants can spontaneously develop polyploidism. It can also be induced in plants via treatment with a powerful chemical called colchicine.

This is a hugely useful trait for significantly increasing THC production, as well as yield. Extra-large plants produce extra-large buds, of course. At this time, there are no true-breeding strains with this mutation that have been stabilised.

UPRIGHT PHENOTYPE

This is a common mutation, particularly in hybrid strains. The plant develops into a truly massive form - much like a tree. These massive cannabis plants look like indicas, but have the height of tropical sativas. This phenotype has one massive stalk that can grow up to 4m high. The plant looks either like a Christmas tree or a candelabra. The leaves are narrow, unlike the wider leaves of landrace sativas. While the plant is absolutely impressive and yields are prodigious, its height is a disadvantage in indoor grows.

TWIN SEEDLINGS

This mutation is very common. Polyembryonic seeds contain more than one seedling. Once germinated, it will produce two taproots instead of one. If carefully handled, these seedlings can be successfully separated into two plants.

Strangely, one of the two plants will be a normal offspring of both mother and father. The other plant will only be a clone of the mother.

Three-seedling polyembryonic seeds have also been reported.

Despite its interesting biological marker and outcome, there is no real advantage to breeding plants with this trait. No effort has been made thus far to develop a true-breed with these characteristics.

FOXTAILED CANNABIS

This mutation is caused by calyces that grow stacked on top of each other. This creates a very oddly-shaped bud formation. This is not a detrimental mutation, but it is not necessarily beneficial either. This mutation breaks up the bud structure of the plant. Instead of growing into a rounded shape, the bud spreads out in an elongated way. It can also show that your plants are not ripening in the right way.

Heat and light stress can also cause this mutation. The calyxes literally form spires.

Foxtailing is not always an anomaly. Some Purple or Cole Train strains commonly produce foxtailed bud structures. Strains that hail from Colombia or Thailand also commonly exhibit these characteristics.