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!

Blaze It The History of Weed

History of Marijuana

To say that marijuana has a long history would be an understatement.

As far back as there are records, marijuana or ‘cannabis’ as it is traditionally known, was integral to human culture. To truly understand why people across millennia grew cannabis, we need to understand what makes cannabis better than other plants. Cannabis can feed, clothe, heal, fuel and build civilizations.
Why would farmers in every corner of the earth and in every period of human history cultivate this specific plant? There are a lot of answers to that question and most depend on perspective. Let me highlight some of the best examples throughout the ages of how cannabis helped shape the course of human history.

Farming generally depends on fertile soil, consistent water and plenty of light.

But different plants have different needs so farmers need to balance the way they plant crops to keep from making the land infertile. Cannabis has the special properties of not needing to be rotated like many other crops and is drought resistant. These properties make cultivating cannabis from areas like the equator to the arctic circle very easy.
But genetics also play a key role in plant development. Long ago, our ancestors saw mutated cannabis ruderalis that was larger and produced better fiber than her sisters. Another natural mutation produced more seed than wild versions. Ancient farmers recognized the benefits of cannabis cultivation and created new breeds called cannabis sativa and hemp.

Cannabis is resistant to most diseases.

Plants like beans, corn and wheat produce pollen and flowers in a single plant. Male cannabis plants produce pollen and one male can fertilize females for miles around. The females produce flowers that if pollinated will produce seed. If the female plant remains unpollinated, the flowers become coated in a thick layer of trichomes.
The Great Famine of 1840’s Ireland and the recent Panama Banana Plague are both examples of major disease risk to farmers. Many plants are susceptible to a wide range of fungus, pests and bacteria. It’s a waste of a farmer’s time to grow plants they can’t protect from pathogens and pests.
Sexual reproduction made cannabis immune to many diseases, harsh conditions and pests that plague other crops. Cannabis tends to survive conditions that annihilate other plants including drought, frost and many pests. While not invincible, cannabis is surprisingly hardy and provides a robust natural defense against conditions outside a farmers control.

Cannabis is very special in the plant world. landrace 2

In addition to the natural resilience of the plant, it grows in soil that would strangle other crops. Cannabis also grows season after season in poor grade soil; a process that kills crops like corn, lettuce and tomatoes. It also revitalizes the soil for other plants by reintroducing nitrogen and breaks up compacted soil with its roots.
These properties make cannabis a great plant to grow but it has other traits that set it apart from the rest. Properties like producing the strongest, softest fiber for cloth and rope. Hemp seed also has more protein than beans and a near perfect ratio of omega vitamins. Few plants can claim to produce food and clothing but cannabis doesn’t stop there.

The medical properties of cannabis are incredible.Landrace Strain 1

Roman doctors used cannabis leaves to make anti-fungal bandages, cannabis tinctures to treat pain and hemp thread to sew wounds. The tradition of using cannabis for medicine wasn’t exclusive to Rome. Ancient Chinese doctors prescribed the plant to ease headaches, menstrual cramps, and improve virility. Monarchs from Europe like Queen Victoria used cannabis tincture. And even the Vikings sailed with rigging of hemp.

Cannabis is from a land before time.cannabis lights

Thousands of years before the first clocks graced the palaces of China, and centuries before the great pyramids were erected, cannabis was grown for fiber and food. In ancient caves and forgotten settlements around the world, thousand year-old hemp fibers are found regularly.
The 20th century saw humanity try to destroy itself and criminalizing cannabis was part of that history. Yet even the most anti-pot countries in the world continue to import massive amounts of hemp fiber and oil. Humanity is tied to cannabis in an ancient symbiosis that goes back to the beginning.
The deep history of humanity is spotty and full of holes. But if modern theories like those proposed by Carl Sagan are correct, civilization may be the result of convergent evolution of humanity and cannabis. It is possible that cannabis was the first crop ever cultivated, leading to the foundations of civilization as we know it.

Canna-Culture is older than most Gods but still tied to them.

As one of the few animals in the world with an endo-cannabinoid system, we are uniquely positioned in the animal world to benefit from consuming it. This kind of biological interaction takes many generations to develop. Further implying that human ancestors regularly consumed cannabis before agriculture took root.
By the time Christianity, Hinduism and Islam rolled around, all used cannabis in their ceremonies. But they weren’t the first or only ones to use ganja as a holy sacrament. Hebrew rabbi’s included cannabis flower in their anointing oils. In fact, Jesus himself was anointed with cannabis infused oil.
Centuries before Jesus was healing the sick, the Hindu god Shiva was talking about weed. Known as Shiva’s nectar, ganja helps Hindu holy men (and women) receive and interpret the desires of Shiva. It also helps them avoid the temptations of the world and maintain their spirit-centric lifestyles. The tradition was ancient even before they erected the majestic temples slowly sinking into the topography of Nepal.

Canna-Culture remains strong today.

Despite decades of global criminalization, recreational cannabis use is more common today than 100 years ago. Hemp still provides a major role in the textile industry although synthetic fabrics dominate the market. And doctors from Israel to Ireland and the US still prescribe cannabis.
The special properties that made cannabis attractive to ancient farmers remain important today. We still need strong, soft and durable fiber, we still need food and we still need medicine. As humanity moves into the 21st century, marijuana looks to remain a staple of civilization.
There is so much more to the history of marijuana that I couldn’t hope to touch on it all in a single article. I couldn’t even get to the importance of cannabis in the development of writing! Let us know in the comments below what other important historical facts I missed.

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.

Collecting Marijuana Sculptural Glass

Collecting Marijuana: Sculptural Glass

Collecting glass is a passion shared by millions of people.

People aren’t the only ones that start collecting either. Some animals cache or horde items too. Crows are attracted to and give shiny objects as presents. Deep under the ocean certain crustaceans collect rocks. The act of collecting stems from a desire to make life easier or more bearable.
Collecting isn’t based exclusively on physical necessity either. People can collect everything from experiences like visiting all 50 United States to items like paintings. Even though these items and experiences don’t seem amazingly important, they can make all the difference to the color of the memories created with them.

Why collect glass?Collecting Glass

Glass is known for being fragile but modern advances make them far more durable than in days past. While some people still lose glass regularly, careful attention to storage and maintenance will keep a pipe around for decades. Granted, law enforcement has a habit of destroying paraphernalia when they find it.
Even if a smoker isn’t losing pipes regularly to damage or enforcement, the first pipe is rarely perfect. New users rarely know how a pipe should feel in the hand or how a bong should draw. This means many first-time purchases are based on looks and not function, leading to additional purchases.

What makes sculptural glass pieces special?

People buy sculpture because they feel it embodies some aspect of their personality or persona. Sculptural glass offers smokers the opportunity to merge their love of cannabis with other loves. What better piece to represent a SCA fighter than a steamroller in the shape of a mace or sword?
The glass sculpture also becomes a social extension of the person who owns it. A giant glass spider pipe suggests a flair for extravagance and a hint of danger. While a lewd and nude sculptural pipe reinforces acceptance of the chauvinistic tendencies of ‘that one guy’. The piece itself becomes an extension of the person collecting it.

And glass isn’t cheap either.

It is also difficult for many people to justify paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars for a piece of glass that has the same function as an $80 one. This is especially difficult to justify if the person might break or have to toss the piece at any given moment.
Spending $50 on a basic pipe every month because it gets dropped or has to be ditched is expensive. Over the course of a year, replacement costs add up to $600 or more. That is a lot of money to dish out regularly but it also means spending $300 on a bong once a year doesn’t feel as bad.

Remember that the smoking experience is colored by the device.

Smoke out of enough pieces and you will find one that looks cool but smokes like trash. Veteran smokers should recognize that function is more important to a smoking device than form. Even so, nobody can resist the draw of smoking out of and collecting something special.
Claiming to have a glass turtle to smoke out of is intriguing and grabs people’s attention. But if the piece is poorly made, it holds their attention for all the wrong reasons. People will critique burnt fingers and remember the stench of sizzling nose hair instead of the cool elements of the piece.
If the glass piece is masterfully crafted, it will show through on every element. Years after the fact, people will bring up the time they smoked out of your bad ass animal. They will fondly recite the story to friends as they describe the legendary status of smoking out of a spider. They won’t even remember how stellar or crappy the weed was!

There are a few key things to look for when collecting sculptural pipes.

Pipes and bongs are supposed to create thick smoke but not all can. The smoke cools as it is inhaled through the glass which allows it to expand and thicken. Denser and colder smoke fills the chamber evenly. But wide chambers aren’t able to empty as a slipstream is created between the narrow openings.
The airflow should be restricted enough to produce resistance while the flame is hitting the weed but strong enough to force the heat down and through the plant matter. Smokers should be able to draw a hit easily and the chambers should clear quickly.

Make sure it fits before you buy.

Buyer’s remorse is a real thing and stoners experience it regularly. Most glass galleries ensure that all sales are final so there is no recourse once the piece is open at home. In addition to that, nobody outside of a few Facebook groups and friends accept used glass.
The people who do accept used glass will likely offer pennies on the dollar. That’s assuming they are willing to pay for it to begin with. So make sure you really like a piece before dropping hundreds of dollars on it.

Keep an eye out for bad welds.

There are a lot of talented and honest glass galleries out there. There are also plenty of fly-by-night charlatans both online and in the real world. Instead of relying on the word of a salesman, inspect the piece for defects and shortcuts.
When two pieces of glass get fused, it creates a weld line. High quality pieces have smooth welds that create even transitions between pieces of glass. Poor quality pieces have bubbly, ridged or uneven welds. Poor quality welds create stress on the glass and can lead to spontaneous fracturing and other unpleasantness.

And make sure it’s stable!

Every piece needs to be stable when sitting on a flat surface. If a piece can’t stand on its own, it should at least have a stable stand. Nothing is quite as stunningly horrible as watching a $4000 piece crash every time a door closes.
Ideally, expensive pieces should also be easy to handle. Glass pieces need to sit well in the hand so they don’t get dropped while being used or passed. Some designs are inherently intricate and fragile but even these need to be stable enough to stand on a shelf and get moved from time to time.

10 Slang Weed Terms and Why to Use Them

10 Slang Weed Terms and Why to Use Them

Before mankind learned to write, we used slang to describe the cannabis plants.

One of the most ancient plants ever cultivated is embedded with slang. Over the last few thousand years, people have come up with a lot of different ways to describe the plant we all know and love. Every time someone comes up with a new moniker for Shiva’s Gift, the list of slang terms grows longer.
The scientific name for our favorite plant is cannabis sativa and cannabis sativa indica. These species have collectively been called cannabis since the early days of mankind. Modern governments refer to industrial cannabis grown for fiber and seed as hemp. Cannabis plants cultivated for medical or recreational usage is called marijuana. Yet most people refer to cannabis with slang.
Cannabis use transcends social and economic barriers across all continents and times. As such, there are often divergent or outright contradictory stories about every name. I tried to include some historical reference to the entries and also some context. Be sure to let everyone know in the comments below if you have heard any alternative theories.

Herb: Youtube Bong

Herb is one of the older known slangs for cannabis. Originally coined when Latin was popular, it basically meant green or crop. The term was later used by Old French speakers to refer to a more specific subset of crops. Middle English speakers also adopted the word and it maintained its meaning since. As one of the oldest known crops, cannabis was often referred to as an herb throughout historical accounts. When cannabis was criminalized, it retained the old moniker.

Ganja: MS treatment

Ganja was originally coined in Sanskrit a millennia ago. The term was eventually adopted by the Hindi and Bengali people to describe hemp (the THC-free version of cannabis). The term is still used to describe cannabis in India and across the Caribbean.

Marijuana: coco coir

Originally coined in the early 1920’s by Larry Anslinger, marijuana was a derogatory term. Created to generate and reinforce negative stereotypes about minorities and later, hippies. There are several different spellings of the word from the early propaganda produced by Anslinger and associates. Other terms that mean similar to marijuana and is used widely today is MJ and weed.

Hydro:

Hydro refers to using hydroponic (water-soaked/submerged) techniques to grow any strain of cannabis. Advances in lighting technology and electronics during the 60’s and 70’s enabled growing indoors for the first time. By the late 80’s the technology was available to the mass market and people shortened the word from hydroponic to hydro.

Chronic: slang

Chronic does NOT refer to a chronic user of cannabis. In an interview with Seth Rogan, Snoop Dogg explained that the term stemmed from a misinterpretation in the 1990’s. Unfamiliar with hydroponic technology, Snoop, Dr. Dre and company mistakenly called it hydrochronic. It was shortened to ‘the chronic’ before long. Once Dr. Dre released the era-defining album by the same name, the misinterpretation stuck.

Terpy:

Terpenes are a broad group of hydrocarbon molecules that most plants produce. The term became popular in the late 1800’s. Used to describe aromatic compounds, the term came from the German word for turpentine. Terpenes interact with our olfactory organs to create smells and cannabis produces a wide range of them. Higher concentrations of terpenes create more potent smells so weed that smells strongly are called terpy.

Hit:

Smoking cannabis flower is known as ‘taking a hit’ or ‘hitting a pipe’. The term comes from the Middle English word hitten or ‘to strike’. It was later adopted by the Dutch before arriving in the US in the mid 1900’s. A hit is a single dose of marijuana flower, or dab, consumed by smoking from a pipe, bong, or dab rig.

Dab:Vapes 2016

To dab is to apply hash oil to a heated surface in order to vaporize it. Popularized in the early 2000’s, dabbing has developed into a subculture of cannabis consumption. The trend is partly due to advances in mobile vaporizing devices and a public perception of decreased risk of harm. A person needs to buy a dab rig in order to take a dab. Another type of dab is called Live Resin. It is made differently than a dab, but a dab rig is still required to take a dab hit.

Hash:

Originating in ancient India, hash describes cannabis preparation used by ancient assassins. Hash is produced by separating the oily trichomes from the rest of the plant and can be compressed into bricks. Smoking hash produces the same effects as smoking raw flower but at high potencies.
Some people can create their own hash with the right equipment, or it can be bought from a dispensary. Rick Simpson oil is another type of hash oil. It can be used as a bowl topper, for dabbing, or as a coating on joints.

Doobie:

A cannabis cigarette is commonly called a doobie. The origins are unknown but there are a few possibilities. The word could be derived from the Latin term dubiety, which basically meant to give rise to uncertainty. It was also slang used by black slaves during the mid-1800’s to describe smoked cannabis cigarettes.
The TV show Scooby Doo is credited with popularizing the term but the source material seems unconnected to cannabis consumption specifically. Several people who knew of cannabis from the 60’s still use this term today instead of a joint or jay. Another type of cannabis cigarette is cannabis wrapped in tobacco paper, but that is called a blunt not a doobie.

There are even more ways to say cannabis!

There are so many more slang terms for cannabis that I couldn’t include them all. Terms like stoned, blazed and faded. There are also slang specific amounts of weed  like dub and QP. Let us know if we should do a follow-up to this article and dive into more slang.
Also be sure to let us know in the comments below what slang you think should have been on this list. Or help add more slang to the list using the comment below. Remember, sharing is caring and 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.

How to Find the Right Dispensary

How to Find the Right Dispensary

Finding the right dispensary can be a laborious task – much harder than getting a medical marijuana card. Sure, some people manage to get a dispensary they like straight away, whether it’s because they happen to live in the right zip code or because they just went to one by chance and enjoyed it. For others, however, finding the right dispensary takes a few months and lots of travel.
Here are three simple ways to make finding the right one easier …
Ask, Ask, Ask (And Research) …
This means asking doctors (although the one recommending you cannot recommend any particular dispensary by law), other healthcare professionals, other patients and anyone else who might know a thing or two about dispensaries. This also means that, when you get to the dispensary, ask as many questions as possible. “Do you lab test your medications?” “Who supplies your dispensary with cannabis, and what is their growing environment like?” “Can you show or tell me the evidence for the efficacy of cannabis for depression, anxiety, etc.?” These are all valid questions.
Another thing to remember is that there are no stupid questions when it comes to your health. Ask your budtender about the strains, their taste, effects etc. Tell them what sort of thing you’re looking for, and what problems you’re trying to deal with. Remember, though: different strains and cannabinoid-terpenoid concentrations have different effects on different people. Everyone has a different endocannabinoid system (ECS), so what may work for one person or even group of people may not work for you.
Once you have done all the asking, it’s time you ask yourself, “Did the dispensary answer my questions properly? Do I feel informed and confident, or am I still in the dark? Were my concerns treated with regard?” If the answer is “no”, then it might not be the best dispensary for you. Searching up the dispensary online and checking reviews can help. If people are complaining of moldy, mildewy weed, then this is a very bad sign, and it is perhaps best to avoid this dispensary.
Also Check: What kind of marijuana dispensary supplies do you need?
Who Are the Dispensary’s Main Customers?
This will tell you what the environment at the dispensary is like. In California, almost every dispensary has a different look, and they are clearly vying for different markets. Some are more sportsbar-like, others with a sleek, high-end pharmacy feel. Some will be like a cosy living room, others like a colorful hippie headshop. Dispensaries from many other states have gone for a contemporary, upmarket look (whether by regulation or simply trying to change perceptions), whereas California’s dispensaries have gone down a more individualistic route.
In the end, who and what demographic of people go to a dispensary shouldn’t really matter, as all that matters is the quality of their products and how stringent their quality control is. However, if you want a good sign of potential high quality, it might be worth asking, “How many pediatric and senior patients use your dispensary?” Granted, there won’t be many dispensaries treating children, but those that do will more than likely be of high-quality. Parents tend to want the best for their kids, after all. Medications targeted at children also have to be stringently tested, so you can rest a little bit easier with the testing processes they’re put through.
As for senior citizens, they can be very discerning when it comes to quality medications. They may have more time to do their research and, just as with kids, many want the best for their parents, too. Senior citizens also seem a bit more willing to talk about their ailments and medications, so there’s a whole heap of knowledge to gleam from them!
What About Other Amenities and Facilities?
Does the dispensary hold question-and-answer sessions for newbies? Exercise & meditation classes? Games nights? Growing classes? Seminars on cutting-edge cannabis research? Do they have good contacts with the local doctors and hospitals? Yes, there will be some great dispensaries keeping it no-frills and doing nothing but simply providing you with the best-quality cannabis available, but it’s the ones that give their patients lots to do and think about that are often rated best. Why? Because providing extra stuff shows that they care, and that they are more likely to be fulfilling their status as places where you go to get better. As amazing as cannabis is, it can’t do everything!
Of course, before you can find your perfect dispensary, you will need to get your medical marijuana card first. Oh, and if you don’t find what you’re looking for in a dispensary, why not get a grower’s license and start a mini-farm of your own? You will not only get your own medications for much cheaper, but there are proven health benefits to growing your own plants as well!

10 Easy Makeshift Smoking Devices

10 Easy Makeshift Smoking Devices

Everyone needs a makeshift piece eventually.

Sometimes, an accident robs you of the only pipe you own and a makeshift option is needed. Other times, you bring weed to a party expecting to find a pipe there already. Either way, two of the three key ingredients for smoking (weed, fire, and a pipe) are present with no hope of the third finding you.
It is up to you to channel your inner MacGyver and create a makeshift smoking device they will talk about for decades. Many stoners struggle with trying to be as inventive as the Big Mac himself. This list will help you go from zero to hero in 420 style.

Here is a list of 10 makeshift smoking devices that will keep the smoke flowing and the party going. 

 

  1. 2-Liter Bong:

Drill a 1/2″ hole halfway down in the middle of a 2-liter bottle. Make another hole on the opposite side of the bottle from the first and about 2 inches higher. Take a 1/2″ straw and wedge a 10mm socket into one end securely. Insert the open end of the straw into the hole at ~45-degree angle. Fill the bottle with water until the tip of the straw is submerged but ensure the liquid does not reach the first hole. Load the weed into the socket, cover the second hole with thumb and draw through the mouth of the bottle.

Pro Tip:

Plastic straws melt (producing toxic chemicals) after a couple hits. Try using silicone straws for a safe makeshift smoking that won’t react to the heat of a bowl. Just don’t try setting silicone on fire.

 

  1. Apple:Makeshift Smoking Device

Use a pencil or drill to make hole down the entire center of the core. Create another hole that intersects the first hole at ~135 degrees near the bottom of the apple and bite out a bowl. Use the bottom of the core as a carb and the top of the apple as the mouthpiece. Draw hit from the first hole.

Pro Tip:

Place metal or glass bowl (if available) in the hole instead of letting the weed touch the fruit. This keeps the cannabis dry.

 

  1. Banana:

Use knife to cut the first inch of the tip (not stalk) off the banana. Set the tip aside for use later. Use a straw or drill to create a whole going 1/2 to 3/4 the length from the end that was cut. Drill hole at ~90 degrees to the first hole. Set the tip in the second hole and secure with toothpicks. Use the banana tip as bowl and draw through the first hole.

Pro Tip:

Fresh fruit is better for making pipes because old fruit can be too soft to hold its shape.

 

  1. Soda Can:

Flatten one side of empty can until it forms a small divot. Using a knife or screw needle, punch holes in the can to create the bowl. Punch additional hole in the side of the can for carb. Draw hit from can opening. Soda have chemical linings on the inside and out. Make sure to burn off the harmful material before taking the first hit.

Pro Tip:

Right handed smokers like a carb on the left of the pipe while left handed smokers prefer a carb on the right side. This makes it easy for the thumb to close or open the hole while toking.

 

  1. Strawberry:

Use a straw to core the strawberry. Create a second hole with the straw intersecting the first at ~90 degrees. Place a joint in the hole and draw hit from first hole.

Pro Tip:

You can use a steel 1/2″ or 10mm socket as a makeshift bowl.

 

  1. Knife Hits:

Roll a piece of paper up into a cone with an opening at both ends. Secure paper with tape or origami that shit to make a smoke hood. Take two kitchen knives and place the blade side against a heating element until red hot. Take a small pea sized nug (of any grade cannabis) and twist between knives beneath wide end of hood. Draw hit from narrow end of hood.

Pro Tip:

Cut the bottom off a 2-liter bottle. Punch holes in bottom piece. Fill bottle with ice and wedge bottom piece into the top piece. This creates a cooling ice dome that makes the smoke significantly smoother.

 

  1. Paper Towel Steamroller:

Drill a 1/2″ hole 3/4 of the way down an empty paper towel roll tube. Wedge a 10mm socket securely into the hole. Draw through the end furthest from the bowl and use the palm of the hand to cover the other end like a carb.

Pro Tip:

Fill a different empty paper towel roll with wadded up dryer sheets. When exhaling smoke, blow through the sheet-filled tube. The air on the other side smells like fresh laundry instead of pure resin.

 

  1. Coconut:

Drill a hole in top of the coconut. Drain the milk and set aside. Drill second hole intersecting first in the center of the coconut at ~135 degrees. Place joint in second hole. Draw hit from first hole.

Pro Tip:

You can use the coconut juice as bong water if you drop a stem down the second hole.

 

  1. Sobe Hit:

Using a nail or screw driver, punch a hole in the bottom divot of a glass Sobe bottle and set aside. Cut 1/2″ hole in the lid of the bottle. Wedge a 10mm socket into the hole in the cap. Cover hole in the bottom of the bottle and fill with water. Screw cap back on and fill with weed. Uncover bottom hole and light bowl simultaneously. Once all water has drained, unscrew cap and draw hit through bottle mouthpiece.

Pro Tip:

Hold Sobe bottle above a pitcher to catch and reuse the water. This also makes it easy to do gravity bong hits if the bottom breaks out of the bottle.

 

  1. Lightsaber:

Unscrew blade portion of saber and set handle aside. Remove plastic light bulb housing. Apply thin line of superglue to base of plastic cup. Slice top 1″ off the saber blade. Drill 1/2″ hole in second to bottom section of blade. Drill second 1/2″ hole 1 inch above and directly opposite the first hole. Take a 1/2″ straw and wedge a 10mm socket into one end securely. Insert the open end of the straw into the hole at ~45-degree angle. Fill the bottle with water until the tip of the straw is submerged but ensure the liquid does not reach the first hole. Load the weed into the socket, cover the second hole with thumb and draw through the open end of the blade.

Pro Tip:

Steel down-stems are commonly available in a variety of sizes at smoke shops. A properly sized down-stem should almost tough the opposite corner of the bottom of the chamber. Having it touch can transfer heat and cause plastic parts to melt faster.

cannabis

Cannabis Hangovers and How to Get Over Them

There are limited studies about cannabis hangovers.

Cannabis hangovers happen frequently, but they often have the same feeling as an alcohol related hangover. There are limited scientific papers on the subject. However, there are a few facts that provide a partial understanding about what they are and how they happen. Yet, we do know what constitutes a hangover.
Brain fog, headaches, fatigue, nausea, cotton mouth and dry eyes are the most common symptoms of a hangover. While different individuals experience different combinations, the intensity is proportional to consumption. Studies indicate that, like alcohol, consuming a small amount of marijuana has a low likelihood of producing a hangover.

Previous studies are limited and small in scale.

Prohibition is the biggest reason there are limited studies about cannabis hangovers. However, a few research notes exist that help prove weed hangovers are a thing. A study published in 1985 showed that there is such a thing as a weed related hangover but it had some issues.
The study was small with only 13 subjects. Everyone was male, and smoked marijuana that had 2.9% THC. The subjects were asked to perform several behavioral tasks during the day like card sorting and time production before and after smoking. After the subjects had a full night’s sleep, they were tested again.
The results showed that the subjects were experiencing a cannabis hangover, but the extent of their hangover remained inconclusive. There is room for critique because of the small sample size and lack of diversity. A similar study was done in 1998 close to the same demographics.
The 1998 study found that smoking a single joint did not result in a weed hangover. But that study was also critiqued due to the small sample size and lack of diversity. Most accounts from consumers who smoke, or consume, large amounts of potent marijuana claim to experience a hangover. Without evidence to support the effects of a cannabis-induced hangover, more research is needed to help fully understand what heavy users are experiencing.
The average heavy cannabis consumer tends to claim that edibles create the weed related hangover. This is probably due to the slow metabolic rate of the body while asleep. When a person consumes an edible before sleeping, the body slows down the processes that purge THC from the bloodstream. Users then wake up feeling slightly high but that doesn’t mean that they are experiencing a hangover.

Cannabis does not cause dehydration.

Many cannabis consumers falsely believe weed causes dehydration because they experience symptoms of dry mouth. Studies show that THC binds itself to the glands responsible for producing spit (saliva). When THC binds itself to the submandibular glands, it temporarily stops the production of saliva. This leads to the uncomfortable sensation of dry mouth that is generally associated with many types of cannabis strains.
Because cannabis can inhibit saliva production, it is especially important for people to stay hydrated. Saliva provides many functions, including facilitating taste. Spending a lot of money on live resin is a waste if there isn’t enough saliva to taste the difference. Sometimes, cotton mouth is caused by dehydration instead of chemical binding.
In an article from May 2016, a medical cannabis user was experiencing chronic back ache. Medicinal marijuana helped relieved him of his symptoms, but he still experienced back pain from time to time. He soon discovered that the culprit for his random spams was dehydration. After increasing his fluid intake, he stopped experiencing issues.
While there is no evidence to support that cannabis directly causes dehydration, it also doesn’t prevent it.  Many symptoms of a cannabis hangover can be improved by consuming water. But that still doesn’t explain what a weed hangover is.

Weed-related hangover symptoms vary.

Reported symptoms of a weed hangover include; brain fog, headaches, fatigue, nausea, cotton mouth and dry eyes. These findings are based on reports from cannabis consumers and not scientific studies. This is because the research previously mentioned did not test for these symptoms, only cognitive impairment.
For those struggling with a cannabis hangover, the best medicine is to get moving. Sitting at a monitor doesn’t stimulate the cardiovascular system. Gentle exercise like a walk or yoga can encourage the body to filter the THC out of the bloodstream.
Additional steps include taking a cold shower to shock the body and clear the mind. Eating healthy food and staying hydrated nourishes the body and decreases hangover symptoms. There is also caffeine to help clear the fog and give the brain a jump start.
These methods may not help completely alleviate these symptoms but they do help a person get through the day comfortably. It is recommended that users pay close attention to their dosage and hydration levels to help reduce the frequency and intensity of cannabis hangovers. Stay healthy, and keep hydrated.

How to Take Marijuana as Medicine

How to Take Marijuana as Medicine

Firstly, you’re going to need a medical marijuana card in most states. Secondly it can easily be argued that all marijuana use is medicinal or for health & wellness. Why? Simply because, even if you are using cannabis for the euphoric “high”, you are still getting the benefits of all the cannabinoids and terpenoids from the plant. The cannabidiol (CBD), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabigerol (CBG), caryophyllene, bisabolol etc. are all still doing their jobs and reducing inflammation, busting stress and helping put the endocannabinoid system (ECS) back into order.
As such, there is no one strict, definite way of taking marijuana as medicine – at least, not yet, anyway.. Now you have that here are some suggestions for taking marijuana as medicine …
Go for Whole Plant Extracts
If you’re looking at tinctures and the like, it is best to go for ones that have been made as a whole plant extract. This means all of the plant’s natural cannabinoids, terpenoids and flavonoids are kept, rather than being “stripped” for a particular cannabinoid (often CBD), and then having artificial flavors and synthesized terpenes added afterwards.
The reason for this is simple: isolated compounds are generally less effective, and having various cannabinoids and terpenoids helps the main cannabinoid you’re seeking do its job properly. There is some evidence showing that crude plant extracts have greater in vitro and/or in vivo activity than isolated compounds at equivalent doses. Jayden’s Juice and the tinctures made by CannaKids are great examples of high-quality whole plant extracts. Vaping flowers is also a good way of utilizing cannabinoids effectively.
You Don’t Have to Smoke …
Although there is no evidence linking cannabis smoke to cancer, it is understandable that many would want to avoid smoking, especially as cannabinoids and terpenoids can be lost vias combustion. Nowadays we have edibles, tinctures, topicals and a whole host of smoke-free ingestion methods.
However, it must be said: smoking cannabis can often be less overwhelming than edibles, and for some smoking it really is the best way of getting medicated. As everybody has a different constitution, some ways of taking marijuana are more effective than others. Edibles also take a long time to kick in, so the temptation to take more thinking, “This isn’t having any effect” is huge.
Go Slow …
Remember: you can always take more, but you can’t take less. Should this be your first time using medical marijuana, it is advisable to try out vaporizing first, as the dosage is easy to control. Just take one puff on a vape pen or whatever other type of vaporizer you’re using, wait 10-15 mins, then dose again. Build up slowly, and get a gauge of where your tolerance lies.
Should you want to go with edibles – and many people do due to discretion and their long-lasting effects – microdosing is ideal, and tinctures can provide similarly effective relief in a much more controllable manner. For those with aching muscles, there are medical marijuana-based topical creams out now as well!
Mood and Setting
Medical marijuana is best taken in a place where you’re most relaxed and comfortable. For many people, this is their own homes, which is a good thing, as this is the most discrete way of consuming cannabis as well.
Eating Properly
Granted, many of you will be using medical marijuana in order to get the munchies and be able to sit down for a proper meal, especially if you’ve been prescribed harsh drugs that can kill appetite or you’re going through chemotherapy. However, as with most things in life, using marijuana is possibly best done on a full stomach. Your energy levels are less likely to dissipate this way and the effects won’t be as overwhelming.
Take Note of Cannabinoid and Terpenoid Concentrations …
… As this is what will tell you the sort of effect a strain is likely to have, rather than the strain name or even its parentage (although the genetics do have an effect, but it’s a rough measure at best). Also, as everyone has a different ECS, different cannabinoid concentrations will treat different people differently!
For example, whilst most people seem to report a 1:1 CBD:THC ratio, others might find such a ratio to have no effect whatsoever. Those people will have to find their ideal ratio. Another thing to remember is that people often prefer different cannabinoid ratios for different times of day or for different environments. You might prefer a CBD-heavy indica for sleep and a THC-heavy sativa for socializing, whereas a 1:1 CBD:THC helps you keep functional and pain-free throughout the day.
Hopefully, this article has helped you clear up any questions on how to take marijuana as medicine. Should you wish to learn more, head on over to doctorfrank.com!