Original source seeds from the 70's: Yes I have some

[Big Sur]

Hmm I only use LEDs now, but a lot of people continue with HID lights here.

If I did not have an older MH HID setup already here, I would run with the newer CMH HID. Ceramic MH has a wider spectrum and is more efficient. I still have not been convinced about LED. I need heat growing indoors in the fall and winter anyway, and MH lights provides that. And most of my growing is done outdoors in spring and summer under the sun. I also use T-8 5100k bulbs for cloning and starting seedlings.

 

[Conradino23]

I saw the spectrum analysis and CMH has a bit more red while LED lamps have more blue, which is great for indoor, cause this end controls the height. In my world heat is a killer, so I sleep well knowing that my tent stays in the zone and it's better for your wallet... but if you need heat, then HID might be a good choice.

 

[Big Sur]

So I came across this research from 2005 with results from genetic testing of Cannabis. It shows evidence of two distinct species, but they are not defined by any of the phenotypes that are currently accepted for indica and sativa. Basically ALL psychotropic strains of Cannabis are classified as indica in these research results. Or whatever species you want to call the 'drug-strains' of Cannabis.

This from:

(PDF) Genetic Evidence for Speciation in Cannabis (Cannabaceae)

Sample populations of 157 Cannabis accessions of diverse geographic origin were surveyed for allozyme variation at 17 gene loci. The frequencies of 52 alleles were subjected to principal components analysis. A scatter plot revealed two major groups of accessions. The sativa gene pool includes fiber/seed landraces from Europe, Asia Minor, and Central Asia, and ruderal populations from Eastern Europe. The indica gene pool includes fiber/seed landraces from eastern Asia, narrow-leafleted drug strains from southern Asia, Africa, and Latin America, wide-leafleted drug strains from Afghanistan and Pakistan, and feral populations from India and Nepal. A third putative gene pool includes ruderal populations from Central Asia. None of the previous taxonomic concepts that were tested adequately circumscribe the sativa and indica gene pools. A polytypic concept of Cannabis is proposed, which recognizes three species, C. sativa, C. indica and C. ruderalis, and seven putative taxa.

 

[Big Sur]

I saw the spectrum analysis and CMH has a bit more red while LED lamps have more blue, which is great for indoor, cause this end controls the height. In my world heat is a killer, so I sleep well knowing that my tent stays in the zone and it's better for your wallet... but if you need heat, then HID might be a good choice.

Completely depends on what LEDs you are using. LEDs come in 'light tuned' flavors here. From infrared to ultraviolet. I have an LED flashlight that is a blacklight (UV). More blue and UV light seems to result in more compact plants. CMH actually has more UV in it than MH. But like LEDs, CMH spectrum outputs vary depending on the manufacturer and the kelvin number. The higher the K value, the more blue and UV in the CMH lamp. Generally CMH come in 3100k and a 4200k bulbs. CMH lights are also more efficient and put out less heat. Several tests show that CNH lights put out the same light with about half the power use. So the heat output is cut nearly in half as well.

 

[andIhalped]

Not only are landraces becoming rare, but sativas are also becoming rare. After that, even regular and photos are becoming rare. They have bred everything to source indoor growers that want OG Kush hybrid auto fems.

No kidding!...as a longtime outdoor grower of bio photos, it's disconcerting that the availability is shrinking. I'm thinking that my next grows will be aimed at developing my seed supply.

 

[Van Stank]

Hey BigSur, been a while since I swung through. Just wanted to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a great New Year. Cheers brother!

 

[Big Sur]

No kidding!...as a longtime outdoor grower of bio photos, it's disconcerting that the availability is shrinking. I'm thinking that my next grows will be aimed at developing my seed supply.

Yes, I have been delving onto heirlooms lately, but I am heading back to seeding out some rarer landraces next year.

 

[Big Sur]

Hey BigSur, been a while since I swung through. Just wanted to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a great New Year. Cheers brother!

Thank you and happy New Year to you as well.

 

[andIhalped]

Yes, I have been delving onto heirlooms lately, but I am heading back to seeding out some rarer landraces next year.

I hope you seed out a lot of your landraces. You don't owe anyone anything, but why not produce what you can, especially when they're disappearing?

Grow on!

 

[Big Sur]

I hope you seed out a lot of your landraces. You don't owe anyone anything, but why not produce what you can, especially when they're disappearing?

Grow on!

Well, this time of year I decide what I want to grow in the coming year, and what my family wants to grow. I carry some strains over winter as clones to grow the next year, or my family will grow the next year. Or I sell them to other medical growers to breed and spread the genetics around. Some strains I cannot trade or sell as clones due to agreements with breeders, but those are exceptions. I have also started sending my hybrid and IBL seeds to some select test growers in SoCal, Europe and Oz for feedback. I have more strains coming in trades now too, and some new ones look promising. Landraces from places like Saipan, Morocco, and South Africa. And early heirlooms like Skunk, Cali-O and Bubblegum. I am mostly going back to ILB breeding, as I have had limited success with multi strain hybrids. Though I really like my Grape Ape x Durban hybrid. That is a keeper and I have a mother plant of that growing in my back room now. Its a Durban sativa dominant version of Cherry Pie. Cherry Pie is too indica dominant for me.

I have also expanded my greenhouse setup and I have 4 greenhouses now. Mainly because they have expanded the number of plants that I can grow with my license. Albeit with more plant strains, I have to take care to control the males and breeding. Mites have also become a bigger issue here in the last 2 years, especially broad mites. Broad mites have now become a pest on blackberries in the US, so they are everywhere now, coast to coast. I have some easy and effective controls for them though, so I can eradicate them on a continual basis (mainly with H2O2 and Neem strays which they cannot built resistance to). Spider mites are also an issue, but easier to control than broads. And of course I have all this weed to smoke. Were that I had this kind of bud back in the day? *sigh*

 

[Big Sur]

And as this year ends, it has been a banner year for weed legalization worldwide. However, the biggest leaps were in North America. Number one of course is Canada which made rec weed legal this year. The legality varies by province as to what you can have and what you can grow and where you can buy weed. It is ramping up now and not in full place yet, but Canada has legalized recreational weed and is the second nation to do so after Uruguay.

In the US at the state level, two more states have become rec legal this year: Vermont and Michigan. Michigan is significant as it is the first Midwest state to become rec legal. Also Michigan has a large population. Vermont was significant in that the legislature passed the law, and the law did not take effect by popular vote. Also Utah and Oklahoma have legalized medical marijuana this year. Utah is significant because the LDS has changed its stance 180 degrees on medical marijuana, and everyone thought that Utah would be the last state to legalize Cannabis of any kind. At the US federal level, Congress also passed the 2018 Farm bill and Trump just signed it making it federal law. The law changes the federal status of hemp from a schedule 1 controlled substance to just another agricultural product, fully decriminalizing hemp. Hemp in the US is defined as Cannabis with less than 0.3% THC. Unfortunately, Marijuana which is Cannabis with over 0.3% THC remains a schedule 1 narcotic in the US. But 10 states now have legal rec marijuana and 33 states now have either legal rec or legal medical marijuana, in spite of the federal law.

Also Mexico has made great strides toward legalizing marijuana there this year. Early in 2018 they made medical marijuana legal. Then in October, the Mexican Supreme Court ruled that Cannabis prohibition passed in 1920 was unconstitutional. That opened the door for rec legalization and the newly elected legislature and president of Mexico say that they will likely pass laws to legalize marijuana in Mexico. At this point it has been proposed that Mexicans be able to grow 20 plants in clubs, smoke weed in public, possess just over a pound of weed, and buy weed in stores. It seems likely that rec weed will be made legal in Mexico sometime in 2019.

 

[Big Sur]

Happy 2019 everyone. May it be as food for legalizing weed as 2018 was.

 

[Jax Rider]

Happy New Year Big Sur I have thoroughly enjoyed your journal it reminds me of my past in the wonderful world of cannabis. I kept seeds out of bags from years and grew a lot outdoors but never had your level of knowledge about their origin. Keep up the good work.

 

[andIhalped]

Happy New Year Big Sur I have thoroughly enjoyed your journal it reminds me of my past in the wonderful world of cannabis. I kept seeds out of bags from years and grew a lot outdoors but never had your level of knowledge about their origin. Keep up the good work.

Absolutely agreed! Grow on!

 

[Big Sur]

Found this while cruising strain reviews. I agree with all the strains I have grown or smoked from the list. Especially Acapulco Gold. It was never that strong IME and just a run of the mill Mexican weed. I never thought much of it back in the early 1970s. Of course, Guerrero is a large state, and a lot of different weed came out of there, including a pound of loose tops that I got in 1975 from there of the second best weed I have ever smoked to date. Most of these, including Blue Dream have to be grown right for sure. I grew Blue Dream and had poor results. It was OK, but I did not smoke much of it, like most haze hybrids that I have grown. And a lot of cuts are not what people think they are; they are S1 or F2 or some other strain entirely. In truth anyone can name a bean or plant whatever they want.

The overrated list is here:

The 9 Most Overhyped Cannabis Strains | Leafly

 

[GrowGirl63]

They were trash! We all had rolling trays and we had to break up the tops and separate the seeds and stems to roll joints, and everyone just tossed them out! All that genetic material, gone. Poof!

Gosh we are such an entitled country.... I love it when you wrote , "They were trash! We all had rolling trays and we had to break up the tops and separate the seeds and stems to roll joints, and everyone just tossed them out! All that genetic material, gone. Poof!"

I had a flashback to my high school days. Thank you. I remember those days.

 

[GrowGirl63]

Any idea what the strain(s) the lawyers were having you grow? I'm sure they needed the kick in the pants, head clear and focused, take on the world and still use your big words type of high.

 

[Big Sur]

I had a flashback to my high school days. Thank you. I remember those days.

Yes, bag weed seeds! Every bag of weed was loaded down with viable regular seeds! They were free with the weed! Well, sort of... um, free.

Imagine exporting produce and you sent along the entire genetic makeup of the produce and the means to grow it yourself, thus potentially putting yourself out of business? They did exactly that. Not only that, the Colombians EXCELLED at seed production to put on product weight. So consequently I have lots of landrace Colombian beans. But yes, Americans are awash in things of value that we simply throw away. Cannabis seeds were but one example.

 

[Big Sur]

Any idea what the strain(s) the lawyers were having you grow? I'm sure they needed the kick in the pants, head clear and focused, take on the world and still use your big words type of high.

No, they did not want sativas. You would think they would want Durban Poison, which I grow and dearly love (I have been breeding DP for 3 years now). I had my library of frozen sativa landrace beans, but they supplied me with mind and body bending mostly indica-kush cuts that were potent. So called "night weed." They were unnamed proprietary hybrid strains from somewhere. They did not say where they got them. But I was not the first nor the last grower for them. These lawyers wanted 'escape from planet earth' weed to smoke after court with a few shots of vodka. I could not smoke much of it, it was too dank for me. I made the 'leftover' weed that they did not want into hash oil and then made that into skin creams (coconut oil + melted cocoa butter & bees wax & shae butter + hash oil). It helps with cramps and muscle pain, and is supposed to help stop pre-cancers from forming (squeamish cell carcinomas). I freeze the skin creams as well to keep them from oxidizing. I make my 3 your old weed into creams this time of year.

 

[lazyfish]

Hi Sur. I just want to wish you a happy new year!!! Cheers, Friends.