Strains And Species

There are three main species of cannabis: Sativa, Indica and ftuderalts. Each species carries different characteristics and has its own subset of strains. Each individual strain has its own special identity.

Most strains that you will come across are the result of human intervention. Breeders try to produce strains that are tasty, smell good and give the user different types of highs. Good strains are widely sought after by growers because you can be guaranteed that the seller of the seeds knows a great deal about the plant and its particular history.

Sativa

Height — Tall, averaging between 4 and 15 feet Nodes — Long internodes between branches, 3 to 6 inches Leaves — Thin, long and pointy leaves with no markings or patterns Blades — Usually between 6 and 12 blades per leaf

THE CANNABIS PLANT

Indica

Height — Small, averaging between 6 inches and 4 feet

Nodes — Short internodes between branches, 3 inches and less

Leaves — Wide, short and rounded leaves with marble-like patterns

Blades — Usually between 3 and 5 blades per leaf

Ruderalis

Height — Small, averaging between 6 inches and 4 feet

Nodes — Very short internodes with much branching

Leaves — Small and thick

Blades — Usually between 4 and 6 blades per leaf

Ruderalis is hardly used today. Sativa and Indica are extremely common and these two species will be the main focus of this book. Indica and Sativa species produce different forms of high. The high of each species can be controlled by the time at which you harvest. In addition, the species can be crossed to produce Indica/Sativa hybrids.

A Word about Male Potency

In general, the male plant is considered inferior. This, however, may not be true in all cases. Male plants from some strains can produce more THC or be more potent than females from weaker strains. Most male plants from good genetics are stronger than the Ruderalis female. Males can also be smoked or made into hash oil. Simply wait until the plant shows its sex during the flowering stage of the life cycle, described in more detail below, and then clip the top 6 to 12 inches of the male plant away and remove the leaves. Throw away any stems and branches. Cure these leaves and find out for yourself if the male is any good or not. You could be in for a surprise.

THE LIFE CYCLE OF THE MARIJUANA PLANT

The marijuana plant grows in three main stages: germination, vegetative growth and flowering. There are also three additional sub-stages in the marijuana plant\'s life cycle. Here we describe the complete life cycle of the cannabis plant in brief.

Germination

Germination is the initial stage of growth and occurs when the seed\'s embryo

Breaks through the shell, the testa, and the seedling produces its first initial root,

The plumule. This root fixes itself into the germination medium and pushes the newborn seedling up and over the surface. Following surface contact, two embryonic leaves, the cotyledons, open outward to receive sunlight, pushing the empty testa away from the seedling. It takes anywhere between 12 hours and 3 weeks for seeds to germinate.

Seedling embryo breaking through the outer shell, the testa.

Sometimes the shell can be removed by hand if it appears to be obstructing the seedling\'s growth. In nature the wind helps to shake the seed shell away. Since artificial wind is not initially used in your germination environment some seedlings find it harder to shed their shell although most do not have a problem doing so. Be careful that you do not damage the seedling if you need to remove the shell.

Seeding

After the first pair of embryonic leaves receives light, the plant will begin to produce another small set of new leaves. These leaves are different from the first two and may have some more noticeable marijuana characteristics, such as the three-rounded, finger-shaped points. As the seedling grows, more of these leaves are formed and bush upward along with the stem. Some stems are very weak at this stage and need the support of a small, thin wooden stake tied to the seedling with some fine thread. The seedling stage can last between one and three weeks. At the end of the seedling stage your plant will have between four and eight new leaves while some of the original bottom leaves and cotyledons may have dropped off.

Vegetative Growth

The plant now begins to grow at the rate that its leaves can produce energy. At this stage the plant needs all the light and food it can use. It will continue to grow upward and produce new leaves. It will also develop a thicker stem, thicker branches, develop its maximum finger (blades) numbers on the leaves and will eventually start to show its sex when mature enough to do so. Then it is time for the plant to enter pre-flowering. The vegetative growth stage can last between one and five months.

Pre-flowering

At this stage, the plant\'s upward growth slows. Instead of growing taller,* the plant starts to produce more branches and nodes. The plant fills out during this stage and will start to show a calyx where the branches meet the stem (nodes). This calyx is the ultimate indicator that your plant is in the pre-flowering phase of growth and is mature enough to flower. Pre-flowering can last anywhere from one day to two weeks. During this stage, plants start to exhibit signs of their sex and more calyx development takes place at other node points.

Flowering

During this stage the plant continues to fill out. The plant\'s sex is now clearly evident. The male plant produces little balls that are clustered together like grapes. The female plant produces little white pistils that look like hair coming out of a pod. Each of the plants will continue to fill out and their flowers will continue to grow. It can take between 4 and 16 weeks for the plant to fully develop its flowers depending on the strain. During this time the male\'s pollen sacks would have burst, spreading pollen to the female flowers.

Seed Production

The female plant will produce seeds at this point if she has received viable pollen from a male plant. The seeds grow within the female bud and can take anywhere between 2 and 16 weeks to grow to full maturity. The female pistils may change color before finally bursting the seedpods, sending them to the soil below. Breeders like to collect seeds before the seedpods burst.

If, during the flowering stage, there are no males present to pollinate the female plants, the buds will grow larger and develop more resin glands. Resin may drop down on to the leaves making the plant very sticky. The pistils on the buds will begin to thicken and cluster into balls. The reason for the high increase in bud growth is that the female plant is trying her best to attract male pollen. This is the Sinsemilla condition.Toward the last days of flowering; the pistils will change color, indicating that the plant is ready for harvest.

Cycle Times

Given the various stages it can take between 10 and 36 weeks for a plant to grow from a seed to full maturity. The most common grow time is three to four months. All this is dependent upon the strain that you have selected. Pure Sativa can run anywhere into the six to nine month bracket. Indica can flower in six weeks. As you can image, a Sativa/Indica hybrid plant will fall into the two to four month flowering period.

THE DECISION TO GROW

The following issues are important to bear in mind before you decide to grow cannabis:

• What do you hope to achieve —high potency, high yield, one or many plants?

• Which species/strain best meets your needs?

• Are you willing to spend over $100 for 10 seeds?

• Will you grow indoors or outdoors?

• How do the people you live with feel about this?

• Do you have time to take care of your plants?

• Do you have someone you trust to take care of your plants in your absence?

• How secure is your grow area?

• Are people going to walk past your grow site?

• Can you hide the smell when the plants start to flower?

• Do you have the patience to wait a few months before sampling what you produce?

• Are you prepared to spend money on lights and other grow items?

• Are you prepared to pay the costs of a higher electricity bill?

• Are you aware of the risks for the amount you plan to grow?

• Are you sure you really want to do this?

• Can you afford a good attorney if you think there could be legal consequences to your grow?

• Have you any previous convictions which could be used as a legal prejudice against you if you are charged with growing cannabis?

• Do you know what your legal rights are?

• Can gun ownership be used against you if you are caught growing cannabis?

• Can other drug possession in your home be used against you if you are caught growing cannabis?

• Can your children can be taken from you and put into social care if you are caught growing cannabis?

• Is your home safe to grow in?

• Are there any pets around which can damage your crop or start a fire?

• Can you deal with a fire?

• Are you a relaxed tight-lipped person?

• Can you keep it a secret?

• Do you really want to be another dull cash-cropper who wastes their lives just selling cannabis or do you want to be a new wave frontier grower who grows to rid themselves of the connection to the black market in order to enjoy their favorite herb?

• Do you want to grow?

If you are hesitant on any of the points above I suggest you resolve those issues before growing. Reading on should help you answer most of these questions.

Let\'s Get Growing

You should now have a general idea of what to look for in a plant to produce a good-quality smoke. We are looking for non-pollinated female plants that have flowered, producing lots of buds with resin glands containing high levels and quantities of THC. We are also looking for plants that have been well cured and processed in a way that allows us to sample the full flavor, smell and potency of the plant. Some people prefer plants that provide a high but do not cause drowsiness. Other people like plants that give a down effect and cause the body to become less responsive to stimuli.

Another thing to note is that street cannabis may contain added drugs. In most clinical cases, a person who complains about cannabis addiction and shows physical signs of addiction is not actually addicted to cannabis, but to the other drug substances that the supplier has added to the marijuana to make it

stronger. For example, animal tranquilizer is a popular adulterate used to make black market hashish more potent. One hundred percent homegrown, clean cannabis does not contain physically addictive properties. People who add other drugs to cannabis are not doing the cannabis community a favor. This is a good reason to grow your own pot.