This article presents general techniques and facts about the planting of Flowering plants Ganja , especially for the production and consumption of cannabis flowers ("shoots"). Cultivation techniques for other purposes (such as hemp production) are different.
Video Cannabis cultivation
Botany
Marijuana belongs to the genus Ganja in the Cannabaceae family and may include three species, C. sativa , C. indica , and C. ruderalis , (APG II system) or one variable species. Usually the annual plants are dioecious (each individual is male or female).
C. sativa and C. indica generally grow high, with some varieties reaching 4 meters, or 13 feet. The female plants produce tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) (up to 29% by weight) because the seasons change from summer to fall. C. ruderalis is very short, produces only a small amount of THC, but is very rich in cannabidiol (CBD), which may be 40% kanabinoid in the plant and is an THC antagonist, and the interest is self-contained from photoperiode and by age. However, commercial hybrids are raised with crosslinks containing ruderalis, indica and/or sativa genes (usually called autoflowering).
Maps Cannabis cultivation
Requirements for cultivation
Cannabis needs certain conditions to develop.
Media growth
Soil is necessary, except for marijuana grown with hydroponics or aeroponics
- Sufficient nutrition - commercial soil pots typically show this as "N-P-K = x% -y% -z%" percentage of the basic nutritional elements, ie, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Nutrition is often given to the soil through fertilizer but such practices require attention.
- pH between 5.8 and 6.5. This value can be adjusted - see soil pH. Commercial (even organic) fertilizers tend to make the soil more acidic.
Warmth
The optimal daytime temperature range for cannabis is 24 to 30 Â ° C (75 to 86 Â ° F). Temperatures above 31 ° C (88 ° F) and below 15.5 ° C (60 ° F) seem to decrease THC potential and slow growth. At 13 Â ° C (55F) the plant experiences mild shock, although some strains withstand transient ice.
Light
Light can be natural (outdoor grown) or artificial (indoor growing).
Under artificial light, plants usually remain under the regime of 16-24 light hours and 0-8 hours of darkness from germination to flowering, with longer periods of light that are conducive to vegetative growth, and longer dark periods conducive to flowering. However, Cannabis generally requires only thirteen hours of continuous light to stay in the vegetative stage. 'Gas Lantern Routine' is a proven alternative lighting schedule for growing Cannabis, while saving enormous amounts of energy. For optimal health, Cannabis plants require periods of light and dark periods. It has been argued that, when experiencing constant light regimens with no dark periods, marijuana begins to show signs of decreased photosynthesis response, lack of strength, and overall decrease in vascular development. Typically, flowering is induced by providing at least 12 hours per day of total darkness. The flowering of marijuana is triggered by hormonal reactions within the plant initiated by an increase in the length of the dark cycle, ie the plant requires prolonged darkness sufficient for bract/bracteole (flowering) to begin. Some varieties of Indica require only 8 dark hours to start flowering, while some varieties of Sativa require up to 13 hours.
Water
The frequency of watering and amount is determined by many factors, including temperature and light, age, size and stages of plant growth and the ability of the medium to retain water. Signs of a striking water problem are the withered leaves. Giving too much water can kill cannabis plants if the growing medium becomes too saturated. This is mainly because oxygen can not get into the root system. Anaerobic bacteria begin to accumulate due to wet and wet conditions. They begin to consume plant roots, beneficial bacteria (aerobes), as well as nutrients and fertilizers. When using soil as a growth medium, the soil should be allowed to dry before re-watering.
Humidity
Humidity is an important part of plant growth. Dry conditions slow down the rate of photosynthesis. The ideal humidity level for optimal growth is forty to sixty percent.
Nutrition
Nutrients are taken from the soil with roots. Nutrient (fertilizer) amendments are added when soil nutrients are depleted. Fertilizers can be either chemical or organic, liquid or powdered, and usually contain a mixture of ingredients. Commercial fertilizers show levels of NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium). In general, marijuana needs more N than P and K during all phases of life. The presence of secondary nutrients (calcium, magnesium, sulfur) is recommended. Micro nutrients (eg iron, boron, chlorine, manganese, copper, zinc, molybdenum) rarely manifest as deficiencies.
Because the nutritional needs of marijuana vary greatly depending on the variety, they are usually determined by trial and error and the fertilizer is applied sparingly to avoid burning the plants.
Development stage
Germination
Germination is the process by which seeds sprout and roots appear. In Cannabis, it takes from 12 hours to 8 days. Warmth, darkness, and moisture begin metabolic processes such as hormone activation that triggers embryo expansion in the seed. Then the cracked seed layers open and the small embryonic roots appear and begin to grow down (due to gravitropism), if placed in the proper growing medium. Immediately (after 2-4 days) the anchored root and two circular embryonic leaves (cotyledon) appear to look for light and remnants of the seed shell away. This marks the beginning of the seeding stage.
Germination begins by soaking the seeds well between wet paper towels, in a cup of water at room temperature, in wet peat pellets, or directly in pot soil. Peat pellets are often used as a germination medium because the saturated pellets with seedlings can be planted directly to a growing medium that is intended with minimal shock to the plant.
Phase seed
The seeding stage begins when the skin of the beans opens and opens the roots and rounds the "seeds" or cotyledons. It lasts from 1 to 4 weeks and is the largest period of susceptibility in the plant life cycle, requiring moderate moisture levels, moderate to high light intensity, and adequate but not excessive moisture.
Most indoor farmers use compact fluorescent or T5 fluorescent lamps during this stage because they produce less heat. The HPS and MH lamps produce large amounts of radiant heat and increase the transpiration rate at the plant that can quickly dry the seedlings with their small root system.
Vegetative phase
Duration: 1-2 months indoors. At this stage the plant requires a large amount of light and nutrients, depending on the genetics of certain plants. It continues to grow vertically and produces new leaves. Gender begins to reveal itself, which is a sign that the next stage begins. At the same time, the root system extends downward to search for more water and food.
When the plant has seven sets of true leaves and the 8th is barely visible at the center of the growth tip, or shoots the apical meristem (SAM), the plant has entered a vegetative growth phase. During the vegetative phase, plants direct their energy sources primarily for the growth of leaves, stems, and roots. A strong root system for strong flower development is required. A plant requires 1 or 2 months to mature before bloom. Plants are ready when it has revealed its gender. Plant size is a good indicator of sex. Women tend to be shorter and more branched because of their inflorescence types than men, whose flowers grow in panicles. Men are then usually taken when they are identified, so females will not be pollinated, resulting in "semilla sin" ("without seed") buds.
During the vegetative phase, cultivators generally use 18 to 24 hour photoperiods because plants grow faster if they receive more light, although warmer and cooler periods are needed for optimal health. Although no dark period is required, there is a debate among the tenants whether the dark period is useful, and many continue to use the dark period. Energy savings often support using dark periods, as plants experience a decline in the last days and therefore the lighting during the late hours of the night is less effective.
The amount of time to grow cannabis plants indoors at the vegetative stage depends on the size of the flower, the light used, the size of the room, and how many plants are meant for flowering at once, and how much strain it enters. "stretching" (ie, the first two weeks of flowering).
Cannabis growers use high N (nitrogen) and K (potassium) fertilizers during the vegetative stage, as well as complete micro nutrient fertilizers. The strength of the fertilizer gradually increases as the crop grows and becomes stronger.
Methods of advanced cultivation include:
- training and trellising techniques like Screen of Green (also known as SCROG ), Green Ocean (also known as SOG ) "Super cropping" and LST super cropping; and all systems and methods such as the NIMBY no-dump , Hempy Bucket method and the Krusty Freedom Bucket method. Research on the production of marijuana for Marinol drugs and other more profitable and marketable cannabis drug-based forms has further encouraged envelopes of marijuana cultivation in all laboratory forms, both public and private.
- using water-based or airborne growth media (known as hydroponics and aeroponics)
- use of homemade and organic compost fertilizer
Emphasis on advanced cultivation techniques, as well as the availability of hybrid strains (with names like Northern Light , Master Kush , NYC Diesel ), is believed to be a factor in an overall increase in quality and a variety of commercially available cannabis over the last few decades. The Internet has specifically brought together a variety of genetics from around the world through trade and purchases. However, well-grown heirloom strains (eg island sweet skunks, Thai fruits etc.) are used to produce 1 gram per watt (g/W) harvest.
Pre-flowering phase
Also called stretch , it takes one day to two weeks. Most plants spend 10-14 days in this period after changing the light cycle into 12 hours of darkness. The development of plants increases dramatically, by doubling crops or more in size. (See reproductive development below.) Production of more branches and vertices occurs during this stage, as the structure for flowering grows. The factory started to develop bracts/bracteoles where the branches meet the rod (node). Pre-flowering show ready flowering plants.
Flowering phase
The flowering phase varies from about 6 to 22 weeks for pure indices with shorter flowering times than pure sativa. The mixed indica/sativa strain has medium-blowering time. Gender is clearly revealed in the first flowering phase. Men produce flowers like small balls gather together like grapes called panicles. Most of the plants (except the flowering flowered automatic flower independently of the photoperiode) start flowering under reduced light. In nature, marijuana plants feel the coming winter when the Earth revolves about the Sun and reduces daylight duration (see also season). If females are not pollinated (fertilized by male pollen) they begin to produce buds containing sticky white resin glands or trichomes in a last-ditch attempt to pollinate by the wind-pollinated male pollen. Trichomes produce resins containing the greatest amount of THC and CBN, two major psychoactive substances. The fertilized female continues to produce resin trichomes but more plant energy is consumed by seed production, which can be half the mass of a fertilized bract; thus, to maximize resin per gram, infertile cultivation is preferred.
The seedless inflorescence is called sin semilla (which translates to "seedless" in Spanish, and is often misspelled as a word). Powerful sins of semilla are very important for medical users, to minimize the amount of marijuana they should consume for assistance. Cassava with seed is generally considered low-quality and/or grown with inferior techniques. Cannabis that grows induced into flowering by reducing fotoperiodnya to at least 10 hours of darkness per day. To start the flowering response, the number of hours of darkness must exceed the critical point. Generally the more hours of darkness each day, the shorter the overall flowering period but the lower the result. Conversely, the fewer hours of darkness each day, the longer the whole flowering period and the higher the result. Traditionally, most farmers change their plant lighting cycle to 12 hours and 12 hours off because it works as a happy medium that most strains respond well. This change in irradiation mimics the outer crop cycle, with up to 18 hours of light per day in summer and drops to less than 12 hours of light in autumn and winter.
Some of the 'semi-autoflowering' strains that have been exclusively bred for outdoor use, especially in outdoor climates such as the UK, will begin flowering with as much as 16-17 light hours per day. Usually they can start flowering in July and finish much earlier than other strains, especially those that have not been raised as outside strains. The semi-autoflowering strains can be harvested before the weather in the northern latitudes becomes very wet and cold (generally October), while other strains have just finished flowering, and may suffer from botrytis (gray mold) caused by wet weather. Other growers can artificially induce flowering periods during the warmer months by blackening the plants for 12 hours a day by covering the plants with black plastic for example, which excludes all the light during this period so the plants can bloom even during long days.
Although flowering hormones in most plants (including cannabis) are present during all growth phases, they are inhibited by exposure to light. To induce flowering, plants should be subjected to at least 8 hours of darkness per day; This number is very specific-strain and most growers use 12 hours of darkness.
Flowers from certain plants (eg cannabis) are called bract/bracteole, and (with marijuana) are the most valuable plant parts. During the final period, the bract/bracteole is easily visible to the naked eye. The development of Bract/bracteole begins about 1-2 weeks after the photoperiode is reduced. In the first weeks of flowering, the plant is usually twice the size and can be tripled. The Bract/bracteole development lasted about 5 weeks into flowering and followed by a period of "swelling" of the bract/bracteole. During this shoot greatly increases the weight and size.
Outdoor marijuana cultivation
Cannabis can be grown outdoors, either in natural soil or in pre-made or commercial ground pots. Some strains perform better than others in outdoor settings, attributes that depend on different conditions, variables, and aspects. Over cannabis hemp, like most other strains, can be purchased in many locations and over a hundred different marijuana strains raised to grow outdoors - many of these outdoor marijuana seeds are just copies of another pre-existing strain or seed with different types of marijuana. name and description.
To produce the optimal amount of THC-containing resins, plants require fertile soil and long hours during the day. This means that the production of THC for outdoor growth occurs optimally anywhere within 35 ° of the equator. Typical developing regions include Mexico, Nepal, Northern India, parts of Africa, Afghanistan, the United States and Australia.
In most subtropics, cannabis is added from late spring to early summer and harvested from late summer to early fall.
Outdoor cultivation is common in rural and urban areas. Outdoor farmers tend to grow indica-based strains due to heavy yield, rapid maturation time, and short stature. Some growers prefer sativa because of their clear brain, better response to sunlight, and lower odor emissions.
Farmers grow on their own property or practice guerrilla farms that grow cannabis in remote areas such as forest clearing or mountain cliffs they rarely visit. However, such methods are vulnerable to theft - so much that some clever farmers even stick pots into trees to reduce this possibility. The growing guerrilla has spawned the Operation Overgrow activist movement, where it grows with the explicit goal of introducing marijuana plants into natural ecosystems.
For outdoor cultivation, farmers choose an area that receives twelve hours or more of sunshine a day. In the northern hemisphere, farmers usually plant seeds in mid-April, late May, or early June to provide full plant growth for four to nine months. Harvest is usually between mid-September and early October. In North America, northern locations are preferred (the North Coast of California and British Columbia are very important), but the southern locations (such as Maui, Hawaii) are also known as good producers.
If local laws do not permit the planting of marijuana, cultivators sometimes grow in forests or rough rural areas and where locals are unlikely to find the crop. Cannabis is also planted hidden by higher plants, such as corn. It is reported by the United States government to the public in the midwestern state. Bamboo and elderberry are also used as camouflage counterparts.
Several government agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), have claimed that in the State and National Park people have been injured by cannabis farmers protecting their crops using a booby trap; no arrests or convictions for this were made in 2007.
Indoor hemp culture
Cannabis can be planted indoors in a form like soil under artificial light, adding fertilizer when the plants are given water. Processing marijuana indoors is more complicated and expensive than planting outdoors, but allows the cultivator to fully control the growing environment. Any kind of plant can grow faster indoors than outside due to 24 hour light, additional atmospheric CO 2 , and controlled humidity allowing more free CO 2 respiration.
Plants can also be grown indoors through the use of hydroponics.
To grow plants indoors, growing media (eg growing soil or substrates), water, nutrients, light and air need to be supplied to plants (with the exception of aeroponic cultivation, in which case growing medium is not required).
Light supply
There are several plant growing lamps available. To determine the right lighting (and the best light to use), the specific needs of the plant should be considered, as well as the size of the room and ventilation. Marijuana plants also require dark and light photoperiods, so the lamp needs a timer to turn it on and off at set intervals. Optimum phototypes are dependent on each plant (some prefer a long day and a short night and others prefer the opposite, or something in between).
Most plants grow below most of the light spectrum, but always prefer a full-spectrum light. A test conducted by Ed Rosenthal found that when a room was installed using high-pressure sodium (HPS) and metal halide (MH) lamps, the plants between the two lamps performed better than under MH alone but were not as good as those under HPS. However, certain plants (such as cannabis) can grow successfully under both types of light. MH is used for the vegetative growth phase, as it encourages short interstices (the distance between the leaf sets), and inhibits cell extension, creating a shorter, stockier plant. Metal halide lamps produce more ultraviolet radiation than high pressure sodium lamps, which may play a role in increasing flowering (and for certain crops such as marijuana, the amount of psychoactive substances as THC) from plants. High-pressure sodium lamps trigger a larger flowering response at the plant and thus are used for the second growth phase (reproduction), or they are used by people who only want to buy a single type of light. If a high-pressure sodium lamp is used for the vegetative phase, the plant usually grows slightly faster, but also has longer, longer intermediate nodes and may be higher.
Recent advances in LED technology have made it possible for diodes that emit enough energy to cultivate marijuana. These diodes can emit light within a certain nanometer range, allowing for complete control over the light spectrum. LEDs are able to produce all their light within the range of active photosynthesis (PAR) of the spectrum.
Reflectors are often used in lamps to maximize light efficiency. Plants or lamps are moved as close as possible so that they receive the same lighting and that all light coming from the lights falls into the plant. Maximum efficiency can be obtained by making the canopy slightly concave so that the edges and the center of the canopy are both at the optimal distance from the light source. Often, the distance between the lamp and the plant is in the range of 0.6 m (2 feet) with high-pressure sodium lamps, up to 10 cm (4 inches) with other lights, such as compact fluorescent bulbs and large. With proper cooling, the type of light can be moved very close to the plant to counter the inverse square law, but there is a reason to keep the distance from the canopy regardless of the heat problem; excessive light can cause bleaching of plant material and the total area of ​​the canopy contacted by light decreases as the source moves closer. Maximum efficiency should be obtained by maximizing the average light intensity (measured in PAR wattage) per square foot times the number of square feet of contacted plant material. Some cannabis farmers cover their growing room walls with some type of reflective material (often Mylar or Visqueen), or alternatively, white paint to maximize efficiency.
One of the most commonly used cover is 150Ã? M (6 mils) PVC white plastic sheeting on one side and black on the other. The plastic is mounted with a white side facing the room to reflect light, and the black one faces the wall, to reduce mold and mold growth. Another common cover is flat white paint, with high titanium dioxide content to maximize reflectivity. Some growers consider Mylar coatings to be very effective when the lines grow the walls of the room, along with the Astrofoil (which also reflects heat), and the Foylon (reinforced foil fabrics).
Control the atmosphere
When grown indoors, the cultivator must maintain as close as possible to the ideal atmosphere within the growing space. Air temperature should be kept within a certain range, usually with irregularities not greater than 10 ° C (18 ° F) with cooler nights and warmer days. Sufficient CO levels 2 should be maintained in order for the plant to grow efficiently. It is also important to promote strong air circulation within the growing space, which is usually achieved by installing an extraction fan and one or more oscillating fans.
Assuming sufficient light and nutrients are available for plants, the limiting factor in plant growth is the level of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). How to increase the carbon dioxide levels in the growing space include: carbon dioxide bottles, carbon dioxide generators, milk jugs and yeast solutions (where yeast grows in containers so as to emit CO 2 ), baking soda and vinegar cake in containers , or dry ice.
Certain plants (eg most marijuana) emit a distinctive odor during the reproductive phase. This poses difficulties for those cultivating in places where it is illegal, or for farmers who may prefer discretion for other reasons. The most common way to get rid of odors is to attract smelly air through a carbon filter. Many farmers only install large carbon filters into their air extraction systems, thus filtering out any odor before air is removed from the growing space. Another way to eliminate odor is to install an ozone generator in ducting extraction. Air is forced through an ozone generator by an extraction fan, and the smelly air is neutralized because it is mixed with ozone; but the cultivator must ensure that the air is completely mixed before being removed from the outside, so that no odors come out. Care should be taken to prevent excessive ozone concentration in the garden itself, or where it may be inhaled by the farmer or his family. Ozone itself has a distinctive odor and is harmful to living things, although its molecules are rapidly damaged (20 minutes to an hour) in atmospheric conditions.
In the room there are many configurations that people use to grow quality marijuana. Some growers will change the whole room or cupboard, making it devoted to growing marijuana. The relatively new configuration involves the use of a growing tent. It is a plastic or metal-framed tent that is coated with a strong flexible reflective plastic and has a lightweight zipper door. Tents come in various sizes and many already have holes for fan/ducting and also mounts for HID lamps.
Some farmers will build a growing cabinet made of old refrigerators, cabinets, dresser drawers or the like.
Popularity
Indoor growth has become increasingly common over the last decade due to the increasing availability of equipment, seeds and instructions on how to cultivate. The so-called grow-ops (grown operations, often located in growing homes) are seen by many fans of marijuana as a much cheaper way to get a higher supply of marijuana and higher quality. On a larger scale, they have proven worthy commercial ventures, with some law enforcement agencies finding operations large enough to produce a few kilograms of marijuana. The growing operation is generally more vulnerable to detection than to smaller operations.
Since the individual grows the power of light generally ranges from 250 watts to 1000 watts or more and since the lights stay on for a long time each day, the difference in utility bill costs is a significant safety issue. It is not uncommon for power companies to work with law enforcement if they see a significant increase in the use of electrical power compared to previous household electricity costs or if electricity is stolen by passing the meter. Using energy-saving methods is a common way to reduce this, for example; turning off lights when leaving the room, buying energy-efficient appliances, using less TV or computer, purchasing a lower light bulb and so on.
Some plants (eg cannabis sativa cultivars subsp. indica ), may emit strong odors as they grow, thus detecting operations that grow illegally. Farmers often use carbon scrubbers and ventilation to control odors. This usually involves forcing air from the growing space through a device containing activated carbon, then emptying it outdoors. Others use ozone generators. Ozone reacts with odor molecules in the air, permanently removing them. However, ozone can build up to levels that may be harmful to both farmers and plants. As a last resort, keeping the windows closed and using a strong air freshener can control the odor. Checking outside to see if there was an odor coming from the room was often a necessary precaution, as many farmers became accustomed to odors, and failed to realize how pervasive the smell was. Many store plants in more isolated areas such as basements or attics to prevent odor detection. Another less common solution is to grow a strain with a weaker odor.
Storing plants and lights from windows and areas that visitors might see is also common, like keeping a plant in the attic or basement. Some farmers, finding this to be impractical, can close windows with light-resistant materials. This can solve the problem of bright light escape but can arouse suspicion among neighbors and locals.
Many cultivators face fire risks. Fires usually come from defective electrical equipment or cables. Poor fixtures and sockets, improperly grounded equipment, and overloaded circuit breakers are some of the most common causes. Due to the large amount of electricity required for large scale cultivation, old or broken wires are vulnerable to melting and short. Some commercial farmers steal power to hide the use of electricity, and many do not ensure that their cables are safe. Many planters adjust the light cycle so that the lights come on when they go home and leave when they leave.
Another fire hazard is a plant that makes contact with hot HID bulbs. Farmers using fluorescent lights with reasonable air circulation do not have this problem. Word of mouth can be a threat to farmers as one of the problems above. Often, a few sentence conversations are heard can cause tip-off and thus rapid detection. For this reason many farmers are reluctant to talk about their cultivation.
Housing damage
For homes used for growth, the interiors may have received significant structural, electrical and heating modifications that are inconsistent with prevailing buildings, natural gas and electrical codes, such as overloaded electrical systems or bypass circuits to avoid paying for electricity required to power high intensity bulbs and fans, interrupted furnace vents, or holes in floors and walls to improve airflow. These changes mimic the warm and humid climate in which hybrid plants thrive and produce high potency marijuana. Such modifications can result in considerable structural damage. Cultivation over a period of time can cause moisture and toxic fungi.
One of the biggest examples was Markham, Ontario real estate agent, John Trac, who transformed 54 rental homes into booths; he was sentenced and imprisoned.
Television contractor and presenter Mike Holmes says that while homes previously used to grow marijuana can be bought very cheaply from banks or other owners, repair and remediation can cost around $ 100,000 CAD, which can exceed the cost savings. Holmes notes that in one of his past jobs at Holmes on Homes, he and his crew destroyed the entire house after discovering it was growth.
In some municipalities, after police stormed a large house, they were asked to contact the city authorities to ensure that the city was returned in good condition before being offered for sale, while real estate agents and sellers may be required by law to disclose it. home has grown. Home inspectors routinely fail to detect signs that a house has been used as a developing place.
Harvesting, drying and curing process
There may be different goals when harvesting crops:
- Seeds are harvested when they are fully developed and often after the accompanying shoots begin to deteriorate.
- Rami grown for fiber is harvested before flowering,
- Cannabis grown for cloning are not allowed to bloom at all.
- Cannabis grows to smoke
A typical indicator that the plant is ready to be harvested for smoking, is when most of the trichomes turn into turbid and 5% to 15% of trichomes have turned to reddish/amber chocolate.
In general, the harvest consists of drying and pickling. Curing is a process of oxidation and polymerization that takes place in containers covered in marijuana, over time.
- Dry: Shoots are placed in a controlled atmosphere to remove water content
- Cure: Shoots stored in non-plastic containers that are sealed and left in a dark place
Interest is defined as the point at which THC and other cannabinoid production have reached the maximum level, but before cannabinoids begin to decrease/damage. It is seen under a 30x-60x microscope by examining the trichomes on flowers. When the trichomes have not developed they are completely clear. They turn white/cloudy ones when trichomes have the maximum rate of cannabinoids. Finally, the trichomes start turning yellow/purple/red, which when the cannabinoid content begins to decline. Harvest before most trichomes turn white can reduce overall potency and time of efficacy. Harvest late (passes 15% amber) produces more drowsiness effect when THC is degraded to CBN.
Some growers use a brix gauge to measure the "sugar" content.
Drying
Plants are dried at room temperature in the dark room. It is actually optimal to keep temperatures between 60 and 70 ° F (16 and 21 ° C) because many terpenoids (molecules that are partially responsible for psychoactive effects but also largely responsible for plant odors) evaporate at temperatures above 70 ° C ° F (21 ° C). This process can last from a few days to two weeks, depending on the size and density of the relative shoots and relative humidity. Humidity should be maintained between 45% and 55% moisture. Higher humidity creates mold and fungus risk, while lower humidity will cause the material to dry too quickly. If the plant material dries too quickly, some chlorophyll will fail to convert to a different chemical form that will result in less than optimal taste and louder fumes when burned and inhaled. The stable temperature maintains the cannabinoids well. Some believe flowers should be hung by their stems, allowing the plant's internal fluid to remain in the flower. Others believe the cut rod is just a non-sticky place that is useful for hanging plants. The roots are removed, and when the stems in the middle of the largest shoots can be fastened easily, the plant is considered dry enough to be cured. Drying is done in dark places, because THC resin worsens if exposed to light and degradation products form CBN, significantly alter the cannabinoid profile of dried flowers.
Harvest drying is generally not considered risky by farmers in cannabis rooms who want to assume that they have been safe until the end of "growing" when they harvest their crops. However, in general most will underestimate the scale of odor generated during planting, moving and hanging plants to dry. Individual farmers in areas where illegal cultivation can regard this as an obstacle in their overall endeavor because the first three days of drying produce a large number of visible odors (organic molecules) generated by growers themselves. This will evaporate and may be visible to others anywhere in the vicinity of public areas. In the area of ​​population consideration of detention & amp; concentrations (ie filters) of odor molecules can be used to reduce risk. In less populated areas with good air movement dissolution and dispersal techniques for odor management can be used ie ventilation from high points such as chimneys or roof vents. Whatever method will be used, beginner farmers in illegal areas should not underestimate the sheer volume of organic molecules that are dumped into the air during harvest.
Marijuana is completely dry to "curing" when humidity levels reach 55% -65% RH. A simple way to check this is to close the cannabis in an airtight glass container with a hygrometer. The container is stored for 12 hours at 22 ° C (72 ° F) and examined hygrometer. A reading of 65% and above means the tube must be opened for several hours and then closed, to allow more moisture to escape. The return tube is checked after 12 hours and the process is repeated until 55% is reached.
Curing
After marijuana is dried up to 62%, marijuana is sealed in an airtight bottle to 'heal'. The minimum time for healing is 30 days. Some growers even heal for six months, while others do not heal at all. Like tobacco, healing can make cannabis more fun to smoke. For the same reason as when drying, preservative bottles are stored in a cool and dark place.
Tingtur . Ethanol is used to extract cannabinoids from cannabis plants (THC soluble in alcohol). The extraction process takes longer, but produces edible products. Marijuana stems, leaves and shoots all can be used. The resulting mixture can be eaten directly, mixed with food or even smoked. Many smokers prefer to dip cigarettes into the mix, allowing them to smoke in public without being detected. Contact with a direct flame causes this fluid to lose THC content, as THC evaporates at 157 ° C (315 ° F).
Hash
Hash is a THC concentrate that contains a head extracted from a tricoma of marijuana plants containing most THC psychoactive plants. The "lean leaf" (small leaves that surround the flower) are usually coated in a large number of trichomes collected in various ways to make hashes. One simple collection method is to separate the trichomes from the leaf trim using the basic screen; plant material containing trichomes is executed or beaten on screen to separate trichomes. Another method involves freezing the trim and then stirring it with ice to separate the trichoma, the mixture is then filtered through the screen bag by reducing screen size from 25-200 Ã,Âμm that captures plant matter and allows the trichoma to pass to the bottom pocket. where they collect into a wet paste. Pasta is pressed to extract most of the water and pressed into a cake and dried. In a dry ice sifting process, the lye leaves are placed in a filter bag with dry ice and shaken to allow the concentration of very pure trichomes to be passed that can be stored as powder or pressed into the cake.
Hash oil
Hash oil is an extract formed during a solvent, usually including; Butane, isopropyl alcohol, ethanol, hexane, or toluene, are used to dissolve THC concentrations. Particulate plants are filtered out and then the solvents carrying dissolved resins are evaporated or vacuum cleaned. The resulting oil may have a high THC content (depending on the parent material) and is used in a variety of cannabis-based products or smoked or evaporated as a concentrate. Delta 9 THC (D9 THC) is highly soluble in petroleum ether and less so in ethanol. Adding petroleum ether to the tincture will extract D9 THC, leaving water-soluble chemicals in ethanol (certain cannabinoids, proteins, chlorophyll, etc.). Butane is a more selective solvent which usually carries lower amounts of unwanted solubles, resulting in a purer THC. Alcohol is less selective than butane, carrying other types of plant matter such as chlorophyll and lipids, producing less pure hash oil, freezing plant matter before making hash from alcohol can prevent some chlorophyll from being transported. Carbon Dioxide (CO2) has also been used to extract hashes, but special laboratory equipment is required because CO 2 only serves as a solvent under high pressure.
Weed bricks
Weed brick is a method of preservation and packaging of cannabis cultivation consisting of drying the bud for a short time, if at all, and pressing it with a hydraulic press, compacting the whole plant (buds, stems and seeds) into bricks, then weed the brick of its name. This method is mainly used in the top marijuana producing countries such as Mexico and Paraguay where most of it is exported. Brick weeds have low THC levels and less strong aromas and flavors.
Pests
Outside farmers will likely face pest-related problems. In any case (indoor or outdoor), experienced farmers recommend caution when using chemical pesticides, as they may have toxic effects on the environment, the plants themselves and in turn the cannabis consumers. As a general rule, experts mandate the spread of pesticides that are clearly marked as "safe for use in food crops." However, the EPA has not enrolled pesticides to be used on cannabis, making illegal use of pesticides on cannabis. Substances that are proven to cause little or no harm include the following:
- Pyrethrins: Organic and very effective, though sometimes difficult to find. Often expensive because of high production costs.
- Azadirachtin: Meets most of the criteria to be classified as a natural insecticide. Biodegradable, non-toxic to mammals. Usually cheaper and easier to find than pyrethrins.
Substances used in cannabis but not proven to cause little or no harm include:
- Avermektin like Abamektin
- Atrazine
- Bifenthrin
- Copper sulphate
- Diazinon
- Etoxazole
- Imidacloprid
- Myclobutanil
- Permethrin
- Spinosad
- Spiromesifen
Farmers in the room also have problems with pests, usually caused by farmers or pets that bring them from outside. If caught late, eradication of many species of destructive insects within the house may not be possible until all infected plants are removed from the space and sterilization methods used.
Factory training
Modification of plant growth habits is called training. Indoor workers use many training techniques to encourage shorter crops and more dense canopy growth. For example, unless the plant is too large to be extensively cut, farmers throw away adventitious growth buds, often called suckers, that are near the bottom of the plant and/or receive little light and will produce poor quality shoots. Some farmers use plant training techniques to improve indoor outcomes:
Topping
Topping is the removal of the top of the apical meristem (the dominant middle rod), called apex or terminal shoot, to transfer apical dominance (the tendency for the peak to grow faster than the rest of the plant) to shoots coming from both nodes just below the prune cut. This process can be repeated on one or both of the two new meristems, when they become apical dominant, with the same result. This process can be repeated almost infinitely, but exaggerated apical dominance produces lower-quality and lower shoots, so it's usually done no more than a few times. Toppings also lead to faster growth of all branches under the cut while the plants heal.
Pinching
The clamping (also called "FIMING") is similar to the toppings that cause the lower branches to grow faster, but the apical meristem maintains apical dominance, which is especially useful if the plants are already on it. The clamping is done by pinching the apical meristem (s) so that it can substantially damage the vascular and structural cells but without completely destroying the stem. This causes the lower limbs to grow faster while the clamping tissue heals, after which the rod returns dominate apical.
LST'ing
LST stands for rain and is another form of supercropping, many times referred to as < b> LST super-cropping . This technique involves bending and tying the twigs of plants to manipulate plants into a preferred form of growth. This training method works very well for indoor farmers who need to light up their plants using headlamps. Because the intensity of light greatly decreases with increasing distance (Inverse-square law), LST'ing can be used to keep all the growth tips (meristem) at the same distance from light and can achieve optimal light exposure. LST can be used in conjunction with toppings, since toppings increase axial growth (side shoots). Topping is often done a few weeks before starting LST. This training works by changing the distribution of hormones - more specifically auxin - in the factory. LST'ing resembles grape wine training into their support grille. Outdoor gardeners also use training techniques to keep their plants too vertical.
SOG
In contrast to the "Screen of Green" method, the Sea of ​​Green (or SOG) grows depending on the high density of the plant (as high as 60 per square meter or 6 per square foot) to create uniformity in the harvest. In this technique, which is often grown in hydroponic media, only cola from the crop is harvested. Containers are used to enforce the geometric distribution of flowers and plant materials, as well as exposure to lighting and atmosphere. The green oceans are very popular among commercial cultivators, as it minimizes the time spent by plants in the vegetative stage, and enables the distribution of highly efficient light, keeping the plant much closer to the light than when it grows to full size.
SCROG
SCROG , short for SCReen Of Green, is an advanced training technique for cultivating Cannabis, especially indoors. Closely resembling SOG (or Sea Of Green) with the difference is that SCROG uses extensive training to produce the same field of shoot effects with just one plant. Medical breeders may find it useful to maximize harvest if they only allow certain crops. A screen like chicken wire is hung above the plant so the branch end is kept at the same level. This allows the distribution of light even to all bud nodes/sites. After the flowering phase begins, the flower tip reaches through the wire and is at a relatively equal distance from the light source.
Vegetative Condition : Plants should remain in a vegetative state up to 70 to 80 percent of full nets. When a branch reaches 7.5 to 10 centimeters (3-4 inches) above the wire, the wire is pulled backward under the wire and trained to grow horizontally until flowering. Because of the amount of plants needed to fill the net, the vegetative period may take longer than usual to be ready for flowering.
Timing : Time is critical to the success of SCROG growing. If the net is not full at harvest, valuable space has been wasted. If the net is too full then the shoots will be too crowded to develop well. Knowing how plants grow can help visualize when flowering for maximum effect.
Hydroponics
Hydroponic cultivation generally occurs in greenhouses or indoors, although there are no practical barriers to growing outdoors. In general, it consists of non-soil media that is exposed to nutrients and water flow.
There are many types of hydroponics systems. If nutrient solutions flood the media grow loose and retrograde for aeration, this is the system recede and flow or flood and drain . The system that gradually trickles the solution to the medium is the drop system . The occasional system of spraying roots that float in the air is called aeroponic system . If aerated water flows in a channel coated with a rooting media film, this is nutrition film technique . A series of tubes intermittently run a high-flow nutrient solution to the top of the growing container using the top feeding system . Aquaponik, another growing growing popular method, uses fish water and re-circulates water from the fish tank to the growing bed.
The hydroponic system greatly increases the aeration of plant roots, and improves nutrient absorption control. The hydroponics system is clearly more difficult to operate for amateur or hobby growers, because over-fertilization is common, since no soil serves as a nutrient support. For this reason, many farmers now use coconut husk as a groundless medium because of their high drainage and buffering capacity making it almost impossible to overly fertilize. In addition, if the hydroponic system fails, the plant has a high probability of death because the roots quickly dry out (this is especially true for aeroponic systems).
Now there is a new generation of hydroponic configurations like the Omega Park, B-Pod and the EcoSystem Vertical Growth System that uses a circular design to maximize efficiency. It consists of plants that are placed or, in the case of the Omega Garden, rotates around the central light making the maximum use of light output.
Genetics
Selection of parent plants
An important factor when planting independent photoperiods (non-autoflowering) marijuana is choosing the best genetics for a person's plant. This is often done by choosing one or more known strains, or strains with preferred genetics, and then growing a number of plants to find which exhibits the most desirable characteristics. This genetics usually produces at least 1 gram per watt per month of interest.
Crop characteristics are generally selected to include:
- Overall results
- Time to bear fruit
- Resists pests
- Geometric characters (uniformity, compactness, flower density, etc.)
- Colors
- Flavor and/or aroma
- Interesting to end buyers (known as "appeal bags")
- Psychoactive qualities
- Density and type of tricoma (walking or sessile)
Autoflowering strain
Autoflowering marijuana strains, also known as neutral hemp is a relatively new development for home cultivators. This autoflower strain is usually a cross which contains a high percentage of the famous photoperiode strain and Cannabis ruderalis with its autoflowering characteristics. Plants produced from autoflowering seeds will experience a transition from a very short vegetative period, usually 2 to 3 weeks from germination, to flowering regardless of photoperiode. The result is no need for separate vegetative and flower lighting environments. Flowering depends on the age of the plant rather than year-round or the ratio of light to dark hours. Autoflower will be finished from seed in 12/12, 18/6, 20/4 or even 24/0 lighting.
The first autoflowering marijuana seed on the market is Lowryder # 1. It is a hybrid between a ruderal cannabis called William's Wonder and a Northern Lights # 2. The genetics of ruderalis are still very present that are made for very low yields and little psychoactive effects.
After years of autoflower inbreeding the seed maker has now come up with an autoflowering strain that can produce results close to the usual strain and still bloom independently of the light cycle. The first autoflowering strain comes from STICH breeders but now almost all major seed companies have super autoflowers strains that can grow up to 2 meters and produce yields of up to 900 g/m 2 growth.
Feminine Seed
Gender instability is a desirable trait in the wild, where reproduction is the most urgent goal. In cultivation, gender predictability is more helpful, as the undeveloped female plants are the most productive of psychotropic substances. It is possible to use a combination of cloning and "surprising" plants to make them produce feminine seeds that reliably produce female offspring. Clones retain the same sex throughout their lives, so clones from female plants are also females.
Environmental stresses sometimes create pollen that contains male flowers in female plants - known as hermaphroditism or 'hermying'.
The method used by organic farmers and promulgated by Soma marijuana breeders, called 'Rodelization', or allowing unproduced female plants to live a few weeks longer than normal harvest time. In such plants, the hermaphrodite nature will express itself in an attempt to continue the genetic line.
Some feminine seed vendors claim that hermaphroditic "parents" do not create reliable feminine seeds, because their offspring can sustain hermaphrodytism trends. Others believe that this method exploits the auto-hermaphroditic properties offset by peasant observations that the tendency to switch automatic sex is no greater in plants grown from seeds made in this way, rather than naturally occurring.
Colloidal silver (CS commonly abbreviated) suppresses ethylene production at the shoot site, stimulating male characteristics. Spray leaves, branches and - in certain cases where large quantities of seed are desired - whole plants with colloidal silver solution have become the preferred method of obtaining feminine seeds. Most plants treated with CS will change intersex within 2 weeks of triweekly treatment, resulting in decent pollen in 4. Gibberellic acid has also been used for the same purpose, but is more difficult to obtain than colloidal silver and can be difficult to dissolve into solution. One method of obtaining colloidal silver uses a small direct current power supply and two pieces of pure silver jewelry wire, or silver coins.
Some cultivators claim that the gene responsible for hermaphroditism is present and can be expressed under pressure from one of the above methods and once disclosed, this characteristic passes to the seed regardless of what activates it. This view is, for the most part, incorrect, because half the random genes present in each parent plant pass to the next generation, regardless of whether the genes that contribute to hermaphroditism are caused by stressors or not. This widely accepted Mendelian inheritance model (Mendelian inheritance) allows the genetic mutations that have occurred in the germline (Germline) of an organism to be transmitted to any offspring, but this process applies to all DNA sequences, not just those that contribute to hermaphroditism. The inherited characteristic acquired (Lamarckism) not directly encoded in DNA sequence (Epigenetics) has recently received considerable attention in the field of genetic research and may be able to explain any anecdotal evidence for increased hermaphroditism in plant-derived offspring induced into hermaphrodite states. However, a more probable explanation is that by propagating plants easily induced into hermaphroditism by environmental stressors, the frequency of genetic elements that contribute to these properties is increased by artificial selection following the traditional genetic model of inheritance. Some theories suggest that it is possible to selectively breed hermaphroditic cannabis to express flowering females before male flowering occurs, although this selective breeding is beyond the capabilities of most farmers.
Hybrid power
When crossing two strains of marijuana (or two from each plant), the resulting hybrid may have what is called a hybrid power . In general, this produces a plant that is healthier, stronger, or faster growing than its predecessor. Sometimes, in the case of plants that have been brought back from fruit (fruit, as mentioned above), it may be beneficial to cross it back with another (close) relative, in the hope that it becomes refreshed.
Care must be taken, as one does not always get a favorable cross with hybridisation.
Vegetative propagation (cloning)
Like most plants, marijuana has the potential for vegetative propagation, with the most common and simple method of cutting. Cutting is marked as a cloning method, because the derived plant has DNA identical to the "parent plant".
Under appropriate environmental conditions, the part that is cut from cannabis plants, usually from the main stem or lateral branches, has the ability to produce roots and develop into new plants (clones), which are genetically identical to the parent. In marijuana, root production can take anywhere from 5 to 21 days.
The oldest method of cannabis propagation is water cloning. Used almost as long as farming has become part of human development, one simply attaches the cutting edge of the clone (cut) into a small body of water like a glass or bowl and waits. Water cloning takes longer to show its roots, but it is a natural way to multiply capable plants.
Ganja farmers often grow clones in peat pellets (compressed peat moss) or with stone wool. Another technique that has become popular for rooting clones is aeroponic cloning.
The main steps of hormonal marijuana cuts are as follows:
- Parts of the main trunk or lateral branch up to 20 cm long are dissected in a non-vertical way. Bottom 2/3 leaves removed.
- The cut tips are linked to the rooting hormone, as directed, to promote root growth and inhibit yeast infections.
- Cutting is placed in an appropriate starting medium such as soil, compost, perlite, vermiculite, peat moss, sand, rock wool, oasis foam or a combination of both. The initial medium is kept moist and high humidity is maintained in the surrounding air. The high humidity level slows the transpiration rate (water loss from the leaves) and prevents the cutting from drying out. Mushrooms are a common hazard due to higher humidity and reduced cuts. During this phase, the temperature is maintained relatively low (25 ° C (77 ° F)) and direct light is avoided so that the cut does not dry out. The production of photosynthesis is slower put into root production.
- Once the initial root development is proven (usually within three weeks) the cuts are ready to be transplanted to the final growing medium. The high humidity environment is no longer needed.
The waste product
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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