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5 States Where You Can Grow Your Own Cannabis

While many individuals in the U.S. live where they could spend years in jail for cultivating cannabis, others are able to grow freely. Of the 30 plus states that have medicinal cannabis programs and the 10 states that have legalized adult consumption, there are many that also allow for home cultivation. Some however are not as lenient as others. If you are looking to move to a state where you can legally and freely grow, check out the list below which includes the 5 best states in the U.S. for growing cannabis at home.

Maine

Maine legalized medical cannabis in 1999 and voters also approved a recreational market for adults in 2016. Thanks to these changes in the law, adults over the age of 21 are able to grow. Laws allow them to cultivate up to 6 mature plants, 12 immature plants and be in possession of unlimited seedlings in their residents. They must, however, be grown in a locked and enclosed environment unless being transported. There is a 12 mature plant limit per household, however, municipalities have the option of allowing up to 18 plants per household for personal adult consumption.

Michigan

Per the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act of 2008, a caregiver with a registry identification card is able to cultivate cannabis. The law allows them to cultivate up to 12 plants for each registered qualifying patient that they are specified as the primary caregiver for by the state program. Patients are not allowed to cultivate cannabis themselves and cultivation for personal adult recreational consumption is also not permitted. Caregivers are able to cultivate up to 72 cannabis plants total in an enclosed and locked environment.

Nevada

In Nevada, both medical cannabis and recreational cannabis for adults has been legalized and dispensaries are operational. In addition,  if you live more than 25 miles from a dispensary, you are able to grow your own. For adults, there is a 6-plant max limit with up to 12 plants total for a household. For medical cannabis patients who live more than 25 miles from a dispensary, they are able to grow up to 12 mature cannabis plants at once in the privacy of their own home.

Washington

Medical cannabis patients in the state of Washington are able to grow up to 6 mature plants for their medical use. In certain circumstances where a healthcare professional believes this is not sufficient, that limit can be increased. The maximum plant count that a medical cannabis patient in the state can receive is 15 plants. Unfortunately, if you are not a medical cannabis patient in the state you are not able to grow.

Colorado

Colorado was the first state to legalize an adult retail cannabis market. They also allow for growing your own at home. Any adult resident in the state of Colorado is allowed to cultivate up to 6 cannabis plants at any time. This is as long as no more than 3 are in the mature/flowering stage at one time. There is, however, a 12-plant limit per household for adult personal consumption. Colorado residents that opt to grow their own are required to do so in an enclosed and locked environment.
At one time, Colorado allowed for medical cannabis patients or their assigned caregivers to grow up to 99 plants per patient. This law however changed in 2017. The new law allows for medical cannabis patients to grow the same amount of plants at home as recreational consumers. Patients, however, can receive approval for a higher plant count, though if they do, it must be assigned to a medical cannabis dispensary as their caregiver and cannot be grown at home.
Check out a full breakdown of cultivation laws throughout the U.S. here.
Can you grow where you live? What do you feel the laws surrounding home cultivation should be? Let us know in the comments below!

Grobox

Weed Supply Issues Resolved By Grobox

My weed supply is in constant jeopardy.

From work to school and kids, there is rarely time left for personal pleasures. All the demands of the day add up and wear you down. Those demands leave me with the desire for a stable weed supply.
I love getting to unwind with a bowl of fine weed at the end of the day. But because of federal law, I can’t grab a joint or two while I’m at the store. I have to drive to the dispensary (which can be miles out of the way) within business hours.
That doesn’t even take into account the wildly fluctuating prices. Sometimes a gram of wax is $20, other times it can be as much as $55 for the cheapest dabs available. I don’t know about you but I have a problem with having my weed budget double unexpectedly.

Options seem limited.

For years, I only found two ways around these challenges. I either had to suck it up and pay or go without. At least until I really looked into producing my own supply.
Now, I have a few big challenges when it comes to growing my own weed. The first was the weather. Oregon is great but plant’s don’t do well here in the winter. As a year-round toker, that really cut into my ability to produce so any solution needed to be indoor.
Then there was the challenge of indoor space. I don’t have a huge warehouse to grow weed in. All I have is my living area. I couldn’t really get away with transforming my entire living room into a grow room.

The complexity was a real turn off.

Weed takes a lot of care to manage a weed supply well. Controlling light, watering, Ph, maintaining micro and macro nutrient levels and limiting smell are just the tip of the iceberg. Plus it needs different care depending on the type of setup I chose.
I had to learn an entirely new vocabulary just to understand what kind of light I needed. Not to mention learning how to prevent and eradicate pests. Then there was the variety of nutrient options to choose from.
It was overwhelming for someone just starting out and made me throw my hands up. It seemed easier to just pay the extra and deal with shortages when they came. At least until I learned about Grobox.

I found the answer.

Grobox is a self-contained and automated growing chamber. The small footprint means it fits anywhere (even apartments). It even comes with a built-in filter to keep that sticky-icky from alerting neighbors.
I really liked how incognito it is. Grobox uses a hydroponic system so I never have to worry about people seeing me haul sacks of soil into my house. And I don’t have to dedicate an entire room to growing my personal stash.
Grobox is packed with sensors to optimize the growing conditions throughout the grow. Because I get to choose what gets planted, I always get my favorite strains. I can grow anything from a squat indica to a tall sativa and always get the best buds.

I finally get control of my supply.

Although handy gardeners can build grow boxes themselves, pre-packaged grow boxes take the guesswork out of setup and maintenance. All you need to do is pull it out of the box, fill it up and plug it in. Even a complete novice can set it up and grow beautiful marijuana their first try.

Also Read: The Best Types Of Seeds For Growing Weed

I also never have to deal with the fluctuating weed supply again. The LED lights and low-energy components also mean it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to operate either. I can grow weed year round and barely notice a change in my utility bills.
With Grobox, I know exactly what goes into my weed. I can check it’s progress daily and always know that it’s pesticide free. All the hard work of monitoring the plants is taken care of. It really is a great way to take control of my weed supply.

Have you experimented with growing your own supply? Would your first try at growing have been different with one of these? Have you used a Grobox before? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section!

Indoor cannabis

Growing Marijuana Indoors; A Beginners Guide

As users of herb, it makes sense that growing our own bud would be the ideal situation. You may be thinking, “That sounds way too difficult and risky” but the reality is, it isn’t. With marijuana steadily becoming legal around the United States, the odds that your local police department will be knocking on your door for a few plants are relatively low. Just remember, loose lips sink ships.

I won’t lie, this project isn’t’ for the person that’s looking to throw some seeds they found in the bottom of their plastic baggie into a pot and stick in under a grow light in the basement. Sure, you might get a sprout but the reality is growing weed is a fairly simple project with a lot of distinct steps that any beginner could do, if they dedicate the time to do it right.

Why Grow?

If you are a regular user of marijuana then there are quite a few reasons why you should consider growing your own plant(s).

Save Money

How much do you spend on buying pot? Probably anywhere from fifty to well over a hundred dollars for a quarter ounce and how long that lasts depends on the frequency in which you smoke. Some folks spend over a hundred dollars or more a month on marijuana, continually over the span of years and years. This adds up.

For a smalls start-up cost, if you cultivate your plants well, this recurring charge could disappear.

Know What You’re Getting

When you grow your own, you know that it’s free of chemicals and pesticides. Just like eating vegetables from your own garden, it doesn’t get much purer than smoking the weed you grew.

Constant Supply

If you do this correctly, you can swing it where they flower on a regular basis, which will get rid of any dry spells your supplier might be going through. You’ll know how to ration between flowering stages so you always have a bud on hand.

Free From Trouble

Marijuana is legal in some states, it is still illegal in others. On top of that, marijuana is still considered a schedule in narcotic by the United States Federal Government. This makes purchasing without a card trick and leaves smokers who imbibe for reasons that don’t warrant medical approval stuck buying from street dealers.

When you have your own supply, you can keep your harvest hidden for yourself. It is important to be discreet. Local law enforcement will come snooping if you get too cocky.

What You Need

Before I can tell you how to grow your own marijuana plants, it’s important that you have all the proper equipment. It may cost a little up front, but when you reap a great harvest the money you will save when you stop purchasing.

Grow Lights

Good light is one of the most important factors in keeping a couple marijuana plants healthy and productive. When you choose to grow indoors you can’t exactly leave a plant sitting in your window for reasons we spoke about and, even if you could display your weed plant for the whole neighborhood to see, this wouldn’t be the most efficient way to get the best harvest.

During different stages of growth, the amount of light your plants will need will vary. Your best option is to get a grow light with a timer. Otherwise, you will need to be home at certain times every day to turn the lights on and off. If you are unfamiliar with the products out there this guide will teach you how to choose a grow light.

Plenty Of Room And A Tent

Find a good place out of the way and take a look at what grow tents are on the market. Get a tent that will fit in that space. They are fairly cheap and easy to put up and take down. Some tents are elaborate but, as a beginner, it’s always best to start small with any new project and let it grow into a hobby with fancy gadgets.

Exhaust Fan And Activated Carbon Filter

These can be sold together or on their own. You need both and if you buy them separately then make sure they will fit one another. This will keep the air in the tent from getting stagnant and give your new friends a healthy environment to grow in. It will also combat the heat and get rid of any odors.

Five Gallon Bucket Or A Cloth Pot

You can go with either of these although beginners are advised to j use buckets. Make sure you drill a hole in the bottom of them and place a saucer of some sort underneath them. Plants need to significant drainage so they don’t drown. Cloth pots come equipped with their own drainage source.

Soil

A good organic soil should do just fine.

Fertilizer

Organic products would be a good choice here. You will be fertilized quite often so get a good amount.

Peat Pellets And A Container To Hold Them

These will be used when you germinate your seeds.

Seeds

You can use the seeds out of the last bag you bought but have you noticed how bags don’t have the seeds they did back in the day? That’s possible because growing your own has become so prevalent they don’t want to lose clients.

Seeds can be purchased online as well and they are hidden pretty well. It’s been suggested to have them shipped somewhere other than where you plan on growing. This is up to you.

If possible get feminized seeds because you want all your plants to be female. If you don’t get feminized seeds you have 50/50 chance of getting a male. You can tell the difference between the male, with hanging bulbs, and females, with white wispy hairs. You want to get rid of the male plants as soon as you realize they are male. If they pollinate the females then your harvest will suffer.

Another note on seeds, healthy ones are marbled and hard like nuts. Dead seeds are black and typically hollow.

Let’s Get Started

I am going to list this one step at a time and take you from seed germination all the way to harvest.

  1. Take your peat pellets and soak them in water until they swell up.

  2. Place one seed onto each peat pellet. It should be a ½ inch deep into the peat pellet.

  3. Put the peat pellets on the container or tray with walls.

  4. Leave them in the tent at room temperature.

  5. Keep the pellets moist by pouring water into the container or walled tray carefully. If you pour the water directly over the pellet you risk losing your seed in the overflow.

  6. They should sprout in 3-7 days.

  7. When they sprout, turn on your grow lights. Set their timers to be on for 18 hours and off for 6 hours.

  8. Make sure your new sprouts are under the light.

  9. Continue to keep the peat pellets moist. The seedlings will grow fast.

  10. Roots will grow out of the pellet’s sides.

  11. Take a 5-gallon bucket with a hole drilled in the bottom, or a cloth pot, and place some soil in the bottom.

  12. Dig a deep hole in the middle and place the entire peat pellet into the dirt. One peat pellet per pot. Bury it deeply submerging ½ of the plants stem into the dirt as well. Roots will grow out of it.

  13. Compress the soil only slightly. Don’t overdo it.

  14. Give it water slowly.

  15. Put your pots under the light.

Light

The amount of light your new weed plants get is important if you want it to grow some serious bud. When they are young, continue with the lighting schedule we listed above. When they are ready to flower, you should change the light schedule to and even 12 hours of light/12 hours of dark.

During those dark times is when your plants will start to grow the bud. You want to make sure the dark hours are continuously dark without any light interrupting it otherwise you can jeopardize your growth.

Watering

Be wary not to over water your plants. Vegetation can typically come back from a drought but drowning is the best way to kill any plant. Cannabis grows quickly because it is a weed, so it takes a lot of water. One way to check is to test the soil with the back of a finger. If it’s cold then the dirt is still wet. If its warm, then it’s dry.

There is no set watering schedule but new plants typically need water once a week while older plants might need some water every day. Try to use filtered water to save your plants from the fluoride and chlorine in tap water.

Food

If you keep your weed plants well fed, they will keep you healthy with their harvest. Some professionals suggest the 3/1 ratio. When you water your plants, three times there should be fertilizer in the water, the fourth time, give it just fresh water. So, if you water every day, it should be as follows: fertilized water 3 days, pure water one, repeat.

Pruning

To get your plants to grow like a bush pruning is imperative. Just pinch or snip off the branches, just above the node where two new shoots are emerging. You can try to use those snippings as clones for new plants.

Conclusion

If you follow the steps above you should be able to cultivate your own little weed garden inside your home. You’ll save money and have the purest pot you can find. The upsides of this are unbelievable. Just remember discretion is key to avoiding any unwanted attention.

cannabis plant1

3 Nutrients Every Grower Needs To Know

Growers need to understand their plants.

There is a lot to know when it comes to nutrients. It can take decades to learn how to properly prevent, identify, and treat pests and problems. And as technology continues to advance at breakneck speeds, constant learning is required for even the most knowledgeable cultivator.

But a PhD in biochemistry isn’t necessary to grow marijuana. Generations of humans have utilized soil, water, and sun to  grow their plants. But nature is fickle and never gives up her bounty willingly. Fluctuations in weather and climate make keeping the correct balance difficult.

So modern farmers utilize greenhouses and indoor gardens to help stabilize the mix of elements. This leads to a more consistent and bountiful crop but also increases the knowledge required to keep the system in balance. Failure to fulfill or adapt to the plants changing needs results in dead plants.

It takes certain levels of specific nutrients to grow healthy plants.

Just like human bodies, plants need specific nutrients at specific times. The basic building blocks of any plant are Nitrogen, Phosphate, and Potash (commonly abbreviated as NPK). Once dissolved into water, these chemicals provide the structure and propel the chemistry plants depend on to live.

Plants use NPK to develop strong stalks, transport chemicals and especially to produce new growth. This means that growers must feed a steady supply to the plant throughout the growing process. But care must be taken to avoid providing too much at once as well.

If the levels of any nutrient rise to high, the plants essentially lock-out that chemical and generally suffer. When growing cannabis, this can lead to stunted plant growth and low harvest weights. Because of that, most growers rely on a nutrient system.

The right mix changes over time.Landrace Strain 1

Cannabis goes through three main stages of growth: Clone/seedling, vegetative and flower. In the clone or seedling stage, plants need mostly water since the initial nutrients for life are contained in the seed. Clones have the added need of a rooting solution like honey or Atomic Root Powder to stimulate root growth.

But the plant quickly develops into the vegetative (veg) stage. During this stage, the plant uses the most nitrogen but little phosphorus and potash. This is when you get the most growth and this stage lasts until the plant enters flower.

Once the flowering stage begins, the amount of nitrogen the plant needs drops dramatically. But building big, beautiful buds requires a lot of phosphorus and especially potassium. The standard rule of thumb is to have twice as much potassium as nitrogen in the growing media at this time.

Not all nutrients are the same.

Because science is a thing, people have developed multiple nutrient systems. Companies like Advanced Nutrients, Vegamatrix and Dakine 420 all produce their own lines of nutrients. Each company also offers a slight variation to the ratios and concentration of the mix. Just be sure to pH balance after adding your nutrients.

Advanced Nutrients provides a liquid three-part system. They also offer a massive index of individual micronutrients that the curious can use to tweak their plants growth. This is like the equipment designed for astronauts; high tech and with more buttons than people know what to do with.

Vegamatrix uses a three-part system of liquid nutrients. They also offer additional micronutrient solutions with a focus on non-GMO sources. This system is akin to shopping at a farmers market where processed elements are completely absent.

Dakine 420 goes with a four-part system of powder nutrients. This system includes all of the micronutrients needed for vibrant growth but the company also provides rooting powder as part of the base system. It’s like an Olympic athletes diet that has been fine-tuned over generations.

Powders offer a big advantages.

Nutrients

There is a long-standing debate over the efficacy of liquid versus powder nutrients. But long-term studies show that both forms are used by plants equally. This means that farmers are free to choose the system that fits their needs best instead of which form is more effective.

The initial reason to choose powdered nutrients is the weight savings during shipping and subsequent storage. Liquid nutrients are concentrated but still contain large amounts of water. Many micronutrient solutions can have almost 90% water. But powders ship only the active ingredients, saving massive amounts of money on shipping and storage, especially for large commercial operations.

Powders are also significantly more stable. Fluid nutrients can ‘go bad’ after a few months. Liquids can dry out, settle and separate while powders remain stable over time. There is a chance for clumping with powders but usually only if water or other liquid is introduced to the mix.

Just don’t forget the order of operations.

Most indoor cannabis cultivators are growing hydroponically. Because of this, the vast majority of nutrients are designed for these systems. Most liquid nutrients come in two parts because they contain elements that can precipitate out.

Mixing chemicals in the wrong order or concentration can cause the them to bind with other nutrients. When this happens, the plants are no longer able to absorb them freely. For this reason, it is incredibly important to mix nutrients in the order the manufacturer suggests. But don’t follow the instructions blindly and overfeed.

Overfeeding is a rookie mistake that can lead to plant damage or even death. Because of this, most experienced growers suggest starting any new nutrient line at about 25%-50% of the potency the manufacturer recommends. Then only increase the potency if the plant appears to be struggling.

There are so many things to keep in mind while growing. What tricks have you learned to ensure the perfect mix? Do you prefer liquid or powder nutrients and why? let us know in the comments below.

Blueberry flower

The Weekly Strain Breakdown: Blueberry

The Mysterious History of Blueberry

Blueberry is an indica dominant strain that was created by American cannabis breeder, DJ Short, in the early 70’s. The exact lineage has been lost to time but several prominent producers have tried to resurrect it. Rumor has it that DJ Short was experimenting with various exotic landrace strains that created Blueberry. Over the years different breeders who worked and traded with DJ Short cultivated their own versions of Blueberry.
Some say that that Blueberry could be a combination of Purple Thai and Afghan. Others say that Blueberry is a combination of Afghani, Thai and Purple Thai. No matter which parents were used to cultivate the phenotype, breeders love this strain of cannabis because of its relaxing effects and long-lasting euphoric sensations.
Blueberry is an award-winning strain. It won the High Times Cannabis Cup in the year 2000 for Best Indica. This strain can be found in several dispensaries along the west coast as it has become a dispensary staple.

Anyone Can Grow Blueberry

Blueberry is an easy to grow strain. It doesn’t take up too much space but it does tend to stretch a bit toward the end of the growing cycle. It’ll flower in 7 to 9 weeks and it produces high yields. This strain prefers the outdoors.
It is recommended that breeders start growing this strain in a greenhouse, and after the first frost plant outdoors. Put in high quality nutrients, worm castings and bat guano into your soil and top plants to a bush shape. The bush shape and soil ingredients helps increase the yields.
Powdery mildew is an issue when growing this strain. But there is a simple way to prevent it from building up. Just keep pruning the inside of the plants to prevent the powdery mildew problem. Even though this phenotype likes to grow outside, it also likes temperatures between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit and under sunlight. It can handle cooler temperatures at night just fine.

A Blueberry to Remember

Medical and recreational consumers absolutely rave about this Berry. Even though it is a staple in the West Coast, it is growing in popularity across the U.S. After a few puffs, smokers feel relaxed, happy, euphoric, sleepy and uplifted.
Blueberry is not just a feel-good strain. It helps people feel at ease because it provides other wonderful benefits. The medicinal benefits people feel are relief from stress, pain, depression, insomnia and lack of appetite.
Medical patients hunt for this strain because it provides relief from serious medical conditions. Some of these serious medical conditions include ADD/ADHD, bipolar disorder, migraines and nausea. Blueberry is a strain that makes people feel hazy but euphoric after minutes have passed from the last toke. It is a creeper weed.

Blueberry is to Be RespectedBlueberry shatter

There are a few negative effects associated with Blueberry. But these issues are easily treatable and avoidable. With a little preparation, smoking Blueberry can be a relaxing and positively memorable experience.
The most common complaint associated with Blueberry is dry mouth. The cure for this is simple. Before toking, grab a nice cool glass of water or your favorite refreshing beverage and have it nearby. The next most common complaint is dry eyes. The cure for that is to have Clear Eyes for the pie eyed ready and accessible.
Other complaints associated with Blueberry are dizziness, paranoia and anxiety. What new and senior smokers need to remember is that Blueberry is a strong indica dominant strain that creeps up on people. These last effects are avoidable by taking a few puffs and then putting the pipe down. Wait a few minutes to see if the desired effects have been achieved. After a few minutes take a few tokes then put the pipe down again.

These Shnozberries tastes like Shnozberries

Ever enjoy a warm piece of blueberry pie? Remember the sweet smell it releases as you slice a bit size portion with your fork? When smoking this potent indica, people tend to think about eating a slice of pie. The smell Blueberry creates when a person cracks open a bud is fresh and invigorating.
It has great bag appeal. This phenotype also has beautiful colors and high THC content. The best time to enjoy this strain is in the evening because it helps people relax and sleep. Expect to wake up feeling refreshed and ready for the day.
This strain puts people into a state of couch-lock, that is why it is better to smoke this strain in the evenings. When all important chores and tasks are done for the day. Have a cup of milk, a slice of pie and a toke for an enjoyable evening.

Have you smoked Blueberry? What was your experience like after a few puffs of this tasty strain? Did it taste like a pie? For those of you who grew this amazing strain, what was the experience like? Let us know in the comments down below.

diabloogFULL3

The Weekly Strain Breakdown: Diablo OG

The Devils Lettuce

Diablo OG (also known as Diablo Kush and Diablo OG Kush) is a sativa dominant hybrid.  It originates from the Canadian seed company, Next Generation. They crossed Blueberry, Grapefruit and a South African landrace strain to create the little devil, Diablo OG.
Rumor has it that Diablo OG is a phenotype of OG Kush-descended Ghost OG. But Diablo OG’s effects are generally cerebral than the couch-lock that is usually a characteristic of Ghost and other OG’s. Another company that takes credit for creating Diablo OG is Reseda Discount Caregivers. They are located in L.A. and are known for creating popular OG strains such as Herijuana OG.
The THC levels usually tests between 15% and 20% THC. But don’t let the numbers fool you, this strain becomes more potent as dosages are increased. Next Generations Diablo OG’s parent (OG Kush) is an award-winning strain. It won the British Columbia Harvest Cup in 2002.

How to Conjure the Devil

Diablo OG is difficult to grow. But if you want to take on the challenge, here are a few things you might want to know. It can grow indoors and outdoors and prefers warmer climates. It’ll grow just fine using soil or hydro methods.
It can grow up to 100 cm but it tends to stretch. Garden canes may be helpful to support this strain which will flower in 7-8 weeks. It produces low yields of about 300 mg^2.
Another phenotype of Diablo OG is a cross between OG Kush and a South African Sativa strain. This type generally tests between 16% to 28%. The nugs are dense dark green buds with bright orange hairs. They are also completely covered in white trichomes and resin.

The Helpful Devil

A creepy weed. Lazy, couch-locking strain, leaves people sedated, provides pain relief from head to toe. Doesn’t make people sleepy, but people do tend to melt into their seat and are in a sedative state.
Medical and recreational smokers enjoy smoking some of this devils lettuce because it makes them feel wonderful. The most common moods are euphoric, calm, increases appetite, numb, creative and provides pain relief. “This is a great strain, up there taste-wise with Ghost OG and 3 Kings.” Says Rastasaurus, a Diablo OG enthusiast.
Medical patients have their own reasons for specifically smoking this strain. Diablo OG helps relieve stronger medical symptoms such as anxiety, loss of appetite, nausea and stress. Basically, this strain helps calm people down while helping them regain a sense of happiness and appetite.

The Naughty Devil

Unlike several popular strains, Diablo OG doesn’t have many negative effects. Almost everyone complains that most strains cause dry eyes, headaches and paranoia. But that is not the case with this strain. The most common complaints about this deceptive devil is that it causes dry mouth and anxiety.
Combating dry mouth is a cinch. Before smoking, make yourself a tasty beverage or grab a nice cold glass of water. This will make smoking a delightful experience.
To combat anxiety, it is quite simple. Just remember that Diablo OG is a little devil because it is a creeper weed. Novice and experienced smokers should take a few puffs then put it down and wait a few minutes. If after a few minutes, you’re not getting the sativa effects you were hoping for then go ahead and take a few more puffs. But the last thing you want to do is toke and toke until you start feeling the effects because it will be more than you can handle.

A Tasty SurpriseDiablo OG

When smoking Diablo OG, expect the air to be filled with a wonderful mix of aromas. Its sweet and sour, earthy and piney. Some say that it smells like lemons and limes. While others say that there is a dank diesel smell in the air.
The after taste is smooth. On inhale, it tastes like lemons and limes. On the exhale, it tends to have a piney, spicy and peppery aftertaste.
Diablo OG is a great baking ingredient too. “This is another of those hybrid that when you smoke it please don’t drive… I feel kind of floating somewhere in hyperspace when I smoke it. I made some cookies with it, but I like it better when I smoke it.” Says Diablo OG enthusiast, Goderick1.

Have you tried Diablo OG? What was your experience like? Was growing Devil OG easy or not worth the efforts? Let us know in the comments down below.

Male Plants Need Love Too

Male Plants Need Love Too

Cannabis is an unusual plant.

It provides feeds, heals, clothes, powers and heals humanity. In addition to being the most useful plant known to man, cannabis is also reproduces in a rare way. Due to the special way it procreates, cultivators value the female plants far above the male.
Unlike most plants, marijuana produces sexually. Female plants produce the large, resinous flowers (called buds or colas) while the males produce the pollen. Once the female plant is pollinated, it switches from producing resin to seeds.
Once the plants begin producing seeds, they stop producing THC so farmers with pollinated crops cannot make as much money. It is because of this change that most cannabis farmers remove the male plants from their gardens. If a grower wants to continue a line of plants after harvest, they can clone the female plants.

Cloned plants are genetic copies of their parents.

Cannabis is amazing on so many levels. If you cut the tip of a plant off and place the clipping in a sugary liquid, it can sprout roots and grow into a new plant. This process is called cloning and it bypasses the plants normal reproductive cycle.
The clone is always a genetic copy of the parent. In addition to producing a copy of the parent ( i.e. guaranteed female plants), clones grow faster than starting from seed. But there are still some issues with cloning.

Cloning isn’t perfect.

Over generations of time, clones build up genetic mistakes. Like our own bodies, plant genes are copied and replicated over and over. Small mistakes in the copying process often lead to drastic variations in the end result. The most common result of cloning multiple generations is reduced potency and vitality.
After about four or five generations of cloning, the original genetic code begins showing signs of decay. This normally takes the form of reduced THC production, increased sensitivity to pests and diseases along with unpredictable changes to the overall shape/growth characteristics of adult clones.
Growers mitigate this issue by cycling their clones. Basically, every couple of generations the grower will start a new line from seed. This resets the genetic drift and reestablishes a base point. While cloning ensures that a specific arrangement of genes remains essentially intact, there are still random mutations in the cloning process.

Male plants are pretty useful.

Breeding a male and female plant bypasses the degrading effects of cloning. When pollinating females, male plants also provide half of the genetics inherited by the seed. Their shape, rate of growth, pest and mold resistance, and climate resilience effect the resulting seeds.
Breeders use this to their advantage. They can mix and match elements to create new variations. Female plants that produce heavy yields but have poor mold resistance are bred with males that resist mold well. It can take a few tries to get the right mix of features but eventually a viable, stable seed is produced.

Hemp producers love male plants.

When it comes to hemp fiber, there is a difference in male and female plants. The male cannabis plant produces a softer material while female plants create a coarser, stronger fiber. The soft fiber from the male plants are more desirable for products like clothing, tablecloths, and household items. The strong fiber of the females is better for cording or rope.
Male plants can also produce concentrates. Yes, females produce more cannabinoids than males but that doesn’t mean the males are worthless in this area. While significantly lower in cannabinoids than female plants, male plants can be extracted into hash or other oils just as easily.

Male plants also help in other gardens.

Cannabis plants offer more benefits to a garden than simple bud production. Both male and female cannabis plants produce aromatic oils called terpenes. Terpenes are aromatic chemicals produced by many plants that help in pest and disease control.
Additionally, cannabis plants have deep roots with long taproots. Taproots dive deep into the ground and break apart low-quality soil. This allows moisture and nutrients to infiltrate and improve the soil quality. They also hold the soil in place, preventing nutrient runoff and loss of soil during heavy rains.

Don’t forget the males.

If you intend to play around with male plants, just remember that they are REALLY good at finding females. A single male plant left to its own devices can pollinate females miles away. If you aren’t specifically breeding cannabis, having males can cause issues for neighbors and anyone without a hermetically sealed grow tent.
Humans generally destroy male cannabis plants when found. And for most people, this protects their crops. But it’s important to acknowledge and cherish male cannabis plants. Females may produce the buds we love, but by removing the males, we could be losing out on future benefits.
There is a lot we still don’t know about cannabis. There could be a whole host of compounds we still haven’t discovered yet. Specific males could play a significant role in how females develop, or how cannabis is developed in the future. But until more research is done, remember that male plants need love too.

How to Prepare Marijuana Grows for a Hurricane

How to Prepare Marijuana Grows for a Hurricane

Water, water everywhere.

Hurricane
Hurricane Harvey just passed and Irma is making landfall at the moment. So far, there are a total of eight confirmed deaths with whole communities under water. Millions of people in Texas and Louisiana are affected by the devastation left by Harvey. The southern tip of the United States is basically under trillions of gallons of water. And there are more storms to come.
Texas declared a state of emergency as the pumps protecting Houston failed. With over 7 million people in the Houston area (almost a quarter of the entire states population) affected, there is little that isn’t decimated from the storm. Whole communities remain under feet of water as rescue efforts turn into recovery.
The volume of water unleashed over the last few days is unbelievable. Nowhere seems safe from the raging waters as highways become temporary rivers and hills become islands. Millions of people have had to evacuate their homes. Not to mention the thousands of hydroponics stores, private and commercial grow rooms and covert grows that drown in the flood.

It is obvious that the cannabis community is among the many victims of Hurricane Harvey.


For cannabis growers in the Lone Star State and other parts of the continent, these natural phenomena create unprecedented challenges and difficult choices. They could pack up and move their operations or they could batten down the hatches and try to wait out the storm.
Those in a position to move their grows had move fast and quietly. In the brave new world of climate change, superstorms and unchecked urbanization, marijuana growers are on the front lines. They have to find ways to be resilient and adapt to sudden, catastrophic conditions.
There’s no way marijuana growers (or the wider population) can totally prepare for these unprecedented conditions. Hurricanes and other large-scale weather disasters continue to increase in potency and frequency as climate change is ignored. And unless a concerted effort is made on a national level, these kinds of disasters are going to increase in frequency.

Be aware of warning signs and prepare for the worst before it happens.


Cities like Houston have had years of warning that this kind of event would happen but budgets and bureaucracy prevented the city from making appropriate adjustments to mandatory infrastructure. Scientists and city planners predicted that unless the government made major changes in the flood control system, and restricted population growth, it was only a matter of time.
Houstonians are at the mercy of the water and the government at this point. However, some tactics are useful as preventive or reactive strategies when the crap hits the fan. Some of these suggestions require advance planning while others are more reactionary. While not guaranteed to prevent loss, these methods can help indoor marijuana growers avoid total crop failure.

5 Easy Steps to Avoid Total Crop Failure

  1. Study flood maps, alternative travel routes, and other topographic, climatic, and infrastructure issues before you choose a location for your indoor grow room.
  2. Subscribe to premium weather warning services. By monitoring first responder emergency networks, you get early news about potential disasters.
  3. Have a disaster emergency plan in place before a hurricane or other natural disaster hits your area. Plan an exit strategy that maximizes your ability to save seeds, plants and grow gear.
  4. Choose a grow located on high ground, ideally in nearby foothills or mountains. Also avoid areas with dense stands of trees that are prone to fires. Tree clearing and trimming areas sensitive can help secure your location.
  5. Use a multi-story structure for your grow. Put the indoor marijuana garden on a floor above ground level to avoid flooding.

5 Difficult Steps to Avoid Total Crop Failure

  1. Have a portable backup generator on a platform above flood level and wired to provide electricity to your grow room and related equipment.
  2. Have a trustworthy friend in a safe location babysit your plants if your grow room is threatened.
  3. If relocating the grow is out of the question, consider taking clones of the plants before you evacuate. Marijuana clones are much easier to transport and keep alive, even in a hotel room or makeshift shelter for a few days.
  4. If you grow marijuana in pure hydroponics systems such as deep water culture or aeroponics, you can’t move them safely. Only plants growing in a solid root zone media that holds water, oxygen and nutrients (like rockwool, coco coir, soilless mix or soil) can expect to survive being taken out of your grow room.
  5. If you’re unable to move your marijuana plants to a safe location, you need to cut them, bag them, remove them from your house. Dismantle the grow and move equipment to a safe location. You do this to salvage equipment and so you don’t get busted. Remember that during evacuations, government officials have the right to enter any home/structure without permission. If they find a grow op in your house, you’re at their mercy. Homeowners insurance adjustors that visit your home after a natural disaster like Hurricane Harvey will deny your claim if they find grow equipment.

What do you think of the list? Is there anything you would add or take away? Have you been affected by Hurricane Harvey or Irma? What steps have you taken to protect your crop from natural disasters? Let us know in the comments below!

coco coir

Coco Coir Growing Technique Basics

Coco Coir is one of the most versatile mediums you can grow in.

Coco coir is derived from the coconut hull. It is made from the fibrous material between the outer husk and the inner meat. Originally, coir was used for cordage and ropes in ancient India but has also been used for mats and other flooring. In the 1980s, coir became popular in Holland to grow roses and lilies.
Coir is a lot like peat moss, but sustainable and eco-friendly. It can take centuries to re-grow peat moss once harvested but more coco coir is only a few ground up coconut husks away. Because coir promoted root growth, growers started using it for hydroponic gardening in place of peat moss. Eventually the economics of coco coir has helped it become one of the most popular grow mediums today.
Coco coir acts like a sponge and retains just the right amount of moisture for plants to grow in addition to being reusable. Where peat moss bogs can take decades to recover, coco is truly renewable as it converts annual waste into a usable product. Coco is also robust enough to last multiple harvests with the right care.

Coco coir reduces waste at its source and for the grower. coco coir

After harvest, giving coco a quick flush will get it ready to go back in the pot and nourish a new plant. It is recommended to use in no more than 3 grows before replacing entirely though. Having to replace the grow medium every cycle eats up profit so commercial operations find coco coir especially enticing.
It is also easily renewable, unlike peat moss. An average coconut tree produces 150 coconuts a year, so there is a continual supply of a product that would otherwise be considered waste. Some experts estimate that peat bogs take as long as 25 years to renew, while coco coir is an annual product.
While some growers use coco in soil based growing, it is more ideal for use in hydroponic operations. In soil it acts as a water retainer and aerator but as a soil replacement it has really comes into its own. The biggest reason it works so much better for hydro systems comes down to the fact that it has a neutral pH.

The neutral pH of coir is a huge benefit. pest control

Peat moss is considered acidic (it has a pH of 3.3 to 4) and requires additives to balance for growing cannabis. Coco coir on the other hand, is normally between a pH of 5.2 and 6.8. This means coco coir is ready to use without additives that can mess with the chemistry of nutrients.
Coco coir can also store nutrients for later use by the plant. This makes it ideal for drain to waste as well as drip systems because of how long the period between feedings/watering is. It is able to accomplish this nutrient storage because of an especially high cation exchange rate.

Nutritionally, coco is also an excellent choice. Indoor growing

Depending on the source, coco coir it is rich in potassium, iron, manganese, copper and zinc. If growing hydroponically, this needs to be taken into consideration to provide the correct balance of nutrients. Coco coir can also store nutrients and release them as needed due to a high cation exchange rate. Interestingly, it tends to hold on to calcium and magnesium more than other nutrients.
Coir also promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria because of compounds called lignins. Not only will beneficial bacteria thrive in the presence of lignins, they help to minimize harmful bacteria. This means a cultivator can expect better growth, higher yields and less diseases.

It can hold water like no other.CBD Flower 1

Coco coir holds water exceptionally well while still promoting good drainage and aeration. The material also prevents nutrients from leaching. The feeding schedule for a typical hydro drip system is three  15 minute cycles within an 18 hr period. Watering more than this won’t hurt the plant (unless you are also adding nutrients) but isn’t needed.
Because coco coir drains so well, it’s almost impossible to over water plants under normal conditions. Even saturated, coco coir retains a moisture to aeration ratio near 70:30. This prevents roots form ever sitting in anaerobic water ( a death sentence for roots). As long as the coco never dries out completely, coco coir provides reliable results.

It doesn’t retain nutrients forever.CBD Flower

Coco coir is mostly inert and won’t hold onto nutrients for very long. If there is a nutrient deficiency, correcting it is as easy as supplementing during the next watering cycle. The coco coir makes nutrients immediately available to a plant’s roots so recovery from deficiencies as fast as possible.
If the plant gets overfeed, a quick and thorough flush removes practically every trace of nutrients. This makes it so plants can recover from nutrient lockout even faster without risking damage to the roots.
Adding perlite to help wick up the coco also helps against root rot. Make sure to wash brick supplied coco as it is notorious for having a high salt content. Any high end pre-bagged coco will be virtually saltless and closer to neutral pH. Adding salt and algae removers to the nutrient mix is considered safe and prevents drip blockage down the road.

The best reason to switch to coco coir is getting much bigger yields.living cannabis garden

Plants grow bigger in coco coir systems than in soil given the same care. The overall boost to growth may not be quite as massive as methods like deep water culture, but they’re pretty close. In addition, coco coir is much easier to deal with.
Coco coir is eco-friendly, versatile, easy and more productive than soil. With those benefits, there is little reason to use anything else. Coco is available in pellets, bricks, sheets and ready-to-use bags. It can be found almost anywhere you can purchase potting soil, and in a pinch, can even be found it in the reptile section of local pet stores.
Coco coir presents a great compromise between full hydro and soil systems. Plants grow faster, get bigger and yield up to 25% more than in soil. It is also more forgiving than straight hydro setups which makes coir a great stepping stone. Coco coir offers a less demanding option to cultivators looking to grow the best cannabis out there.

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Did I miss something important? Have you grown with coco coir before? What do you think new cultivators need to know about growing with it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below. Thanks for reading.

How To Kill Spider Mites On Your Marijuana Plants

How To Kill Spider Mites On Your Marijuana Plants

If you grow your own marijuana, either for personal use, medicinal use or otherwise, you know how tricky it can be to keep spider mites off of your plants. In the cannabis industry, even the smallest pest problem can mean a huge interruption to your yield.
Read on for these top tips on killing spider mites without killing your yield!
But first, what is a spider mite?
A spider mite is a tiny insect related to spiders, ticks and other mites. They build their homes on the underside of the leaves of plants. Many species spin webs for protection, which is where the “spider” in their name comes from. Spider mites live in hot climates that are consistent with growing weed and reproduce quickly; it can be difficult to control how fast they multiply under these conditions.
The first sign of a spider mite are tiny bite marks on the leaves of the cannabis plant, often found on the underside of the leaves. Since the mites are so small, it is unlikely that you will see the mites before you see their tiny bites, unless you are looking for them.
What is my first line of defense?
Since spider mites reproduce so quickly, destroying their populations before they explode is key. Carefully examine the undersides of your cannabis leaves for tiny eggs and webbing, destroying any eggs before they have the chance to hatch.
You can also examine where the infestation may be coming from. They could be coming from: a nearby vegetable crop, tracked in from other animals/pets or from another marijuana plant. Once you have identified where they may have come from, you can better defend your plants. If they were tracked inside from another animal or plant, regular elimination strategies should work fine. If they were infested by one of your clones you may have a more serious problem; spider mites that have grown especially adept at living on marijuana plants could be harder to get rid of.
To Eliminate Spider Mites:
Keep a constant breeze blowing over your plants.
Spider mites hate moving air, preferring an environment that is not only hot but also has a stagnant airflow. To do this, set up a fan that you can keep on the plants at all times to keep them from settling under your leaves. By keeping continuous airflow you will both improve air circulation and plant growth while keeping the tiny insects from making themselves comfortable homes under your plants.
Use an insecticide or product to treat infestations.
There are plenty of insecticides to kill spider mites out there. Which one you choose depends greatly on your budget, how serious your spider mite infestation is and how many chemicals you want to use on your crops.
AzaMax is one of the most trusted products to get rid of spider mites. AzaMax is strong, effective and can also be used in the water you water your plants with as it will not hurt your roots but will destroy spider mites in your soil. Mighty Wash is another effective product used in the same way.
Spinosad is a natural substance made from soil bacterium. It is a mixture of two chemicals called spinosyn A and spinosyn D and can naturally control your spider mite problem. Spinosad is used in many organic insecticide products because it is completely harmless to humans and pets as well as being effective whether sprayed directly on leaves or in plant roots.
Another organic option is Essentria IC3, a mixture of horticultural oils that is safe and organic for use. So safe and organic, in fact, that they are often recommended for bed bug treatment.
In comparison to Mighty Wash and AzaMax, organic solutions have few, if any, negative effects.
Tips for treating plants with insecticide:

  • Set up a fan once you have sprayed your plants with insecticide to dry the product onto the leaves faster
  • Remember to spray the underside of the cannabis plant leaves, where most spider mites reside
  • Read up on the specific directions for insecticide application; it varies per product whether you spray right before you turn your plant’s lights out for the night
  • You will want a one-hand pressure sprayer or something similar for even distribution of the insecticides onto your plants
  • Treat your plants more than once, even if you believe your mite problem has disappeared, to fully ward off potential mite regeneration

Use multiple kinds of treatments for the mites that stick around.
Some mites may become resistant to your treatments or were never killed off by them in the first place. If this happens to your plants, try switching up your treatments with another variety and always use a combination of a few techniques at eliminating the mites.
NOTE: While there are some particularly strong chemicals used for treating mites, these can be damaging to plants. Other growers also suggest treating an entire crop for mites. This can be dangerous to breath in so proper ventilation and only treating this way in the most extreme circumstances is important.
There you have the easiest and most effective ways to remove spider mite problems on your cannabis plants. Don’t let spider mites kill your buzz and your yield; adopt a multi-tiered approach to keeping bugs off for good, grow after grow.