Could marijuana be the ultimate gift of nature?

Articles on How to grow Marijuana

• Ventilation of your growing space

  Ventilation of your growing space is the next very important consideration. Without ventilation your grow room with get much too hot and very humid, damaging your plants and allowing the odor to escape. When considering which type of ventilation system to use, you should remember that the air which is expelled must also be replaced. As hot air rises it is best to fit your extraction system as close as possible to the top of your growing space and place your intake near the bottom, allowing cool air to enter. The air intake vent should be slightly larger than the extraction vent. This will allow the incoming air to enter more slowly, mix more efficiently and allows your extraction fan to operate better. The power of the extraction system you need is determined by the size of your growing space. You will need a system that can remove the volume of your grow room 2 or 3 times every minute. First you need to calculate the volume of the growing area then purchase a fan with enough power to remove this volume of air at least twice per minute. If the temperature in your grow room is too low during lights-out time, it is possible to link the extraction system to the timer system for the lights so that the fans do not run during dark time. This should help to maintain optimal temperature in the grow room. As marijuana is a very smelly plant, you will want to minimize the odor escaping from your growing space. This can be acheived using a carbon scrubber. This is simply an expansion chamber covered with an active carbon air filter. It needs to have a large exhaust to allow the air to pass freely though the filter, enabling your fan to work to full capacity. There are a number of place where you can purchase a ventilation system, including your local DIY store. Alternatively, you can buy custom system online. We recommend Hydroponics.co.uk

• Reflective lining - maximizing light levels

  Reflective lining is the next thing you will need for your grow room. Which type you go for is mainly your own choice but also partly depends on the type of growroom you're using. Reflective lining is used to ensure that light can reach the lower leaves and branches of your plants, especially when they are thickening at the top. The lining's effectiveness is also influenced by the distance of your plants from the sides of the growroom. The walls should be as close as possible to the growing area to maximize the light reflecting properties of your chosen lining. The best choices are either Mylar or diamond reflective sheeting which reflects up to 95% of light when tacked flat against walls. Loose or wavy Mylar is not so efficient and will decrease reflective ability. Best for stable walls such as a closet or wardrobe. Can be quite expensive if you're working on a budget. White plastic sheeting is around 90-93% efficient and can be used to make portable, waterproof walls. Cheap black plastic sheeting will ensure no light leaks into or out of your grow room. Flat white emulsion paint is also an efficient light reflector. This is ideal where you are working on a tight budget. NEVER use tin foil to line your growroom. This causes hot-spots and can damage your plants. You can also paint the floor of the room or, alternatively, you can purchase a special lining for the floor which is not only reflective, but also waterproof and easy to clean. Good for hygiene. Whatever lining you choose, you should remember that this is an important part of the design of your growroom. As light is probably the most important factor for the success of your crop, it is common sense that dictates you should maximize the light available to your plants. Lack of light to the lower leaves can spell disaster to even an experienced grower.

• Growing Marijuana - An Essential Guide to Lighting

  Pivotal to the success of your plants are the lights under which you cultivate them. Now that you've chosen your growroom, and made some preparations, it's time to decide on how much light your plants will need and which type of lamp you choose for maximum growth. There are two main choices of lights; metal halide and high-pressure sodium. Your choice here is crucial as the light is the single most important factor in the success of your crop. Facts about grow-lights Both Metal halide (MH) and High-pressure sodium (HPS) lamps are from a group of lamps known as high-density discharge (HID) lamps. The output of the light is much higher than other lamps of their size, making them a powerful and efficient light source for your indoor grow. These HID lamps require a ballast to allow delivery of regular current and proper voltage to the arc. Both lamps also require specialist fittings to allow them to run safely. Which do I need? Realistically, you will need both. Metal halide lights are the choice for the vegetation stage of growth, as they emit light in the white/blue end of the spectrum, promoting bushiness and prohibiting upward growth. For flowering, high-pressure sodium (HPS) is more appropriate as it's light consists of yellow, orange and red spectrum light, perfect for flowering and fruit production. When buying your lights you need to be aware of the wattage of light you will require. The following is a guide to required wattage. This can be used safely provided you have a good reflector on your lamp as well as good reflective wall covering. 2.5 to 3 feet (0.8 to 0.9m) - 400 watt 3.5 to 4 feet (1 - 1.25m) - 600 watt 4 to 5 feet (1.3 to 1.5 m) - 1000 watt Smaller lamps are available but aren't considered a good choice because the low level of light emitted is not sufficient for decent plant growth. These lamps are quite an expensive item, so you need to be sure to buy only the highest quality lamps. Find out which brand are preferred in your area and check customer testimonials if buying online. A highly recommended brand is Phillips, but there are others which make the grade. My personal choice for lighting supplies is Esoteric Hyroponics There are others if you search on Google. At the end of the day it's probably best to go with one that quite local to you as this keeps shipping costs down.

• Growing marijuana indoors - what you will need

  If you decide to go with an indoor marijuana grow, there are a number of things you will need. Some of these may be costly but are well worthwhile in the long-term. Think of it this way - in six months you spend $ buying sub-standard cannabis or even shit bar. If you take the cost of that, invest in what you need and start a grow you will have an ongoing supply of top quality, usable cannabis, which won't turn your lungs to carbon in a year. The growing process does take time, especially on your first grow, but if you are really desperate and can't wait, you can either nip out an occasional leaf and dry it or you can go for that very potent legal bud I suggested to you before. The basic requirements for an indoor grow are: A suitable growing space (this can be a closet or cupboard, a ready made grow-tent or even a metal box) High-pressure sodium and/or metal halide lights (this is the most expensive item so making the right choice is important. Quality can vary) Extractor fan for ventilation Carbon filter to eliminate odor Light reflecting lining for the walls (again, there are many choices, some more expensive than others) Compost or growth medium such as rockwool 10lt pots Timer unit for lights Exhaust system for extractor to ensure odor elimination Specialist feeds for vegetation and flowering stages And finally, and most importantly, good quality Cannabis Seeds. Stealth is, unfortunately, also an issue in most of the western world. Marijuana really stinks, especially in the flowering stage and you need to take measures to ensure that the odor doesn't travel beyond your grow room. You also need to take account of visibility, especially in an urban setting, as light leakage could be a real giveaway, especially at night. Metal halide and high pressure sodium lights emit a quite distinctive light, soft, tinged with color which has a very incandescent effect. Your first task is to go and consider your grow space now. Choose where in your home you wish to set-up your grow and begin to make preparations there. If you choose well your self-made grow room should give you years of service and plenty of very successful crops.

• How to grow marijuana - Indoors or Out?

  Your first major decision is whether to grow your marijuana indoors or out. To help with this decision you should consider a number of factors: Is the climate where you live likely to support marijuana growth? If you have regular sunshine and reasonable temperatures, then you can probably go with an outdoor grow. There are many advantages to this, for example, you can grow your crop on land that is disused or belongs to someone else. This means you can avoid prosecution if the authorities find your plants. You can also conceal your plants among taller growing species to make detection more difficult. If the climate is too cold, windy or lacks sunshine, then growing outdoors is unlikely to be an option for you. Do you live in an urban area or a rural area? If you live in an urban area, detection of outdoor plants can be a difficultly. It is hard to hide your grow from those around you, especially when they can be seen from upper windows. If, on the other hand, you live in a rural area, detection by other humans may not be such a difficulty. Unfortunately there can be problems with wildlife, with creatures such as mice, rabbits or even cows and sheep liable to graze on your plants. You would need to take measures to protect your crop from this kind of pest. As well as this, insects can be another major problem. You could spray your plants with insecticide, but remember, you are going to either smoke or eat this at the end of the process and may not be keen to have chemicals sprayed on the crop. Alternatively, you could grow your crop in a greenhouse. This way you can protect them from the elements and pests, but sunshine would still be a major factor. Do you have enough space for an indoor grow? If you have the space, then an indoor grow is by far the best option. You have total control over the conditions and can guarantee the optimum light, temperature and humidity. Detection by outsiders is unlikely if you control the odor and you can achieve more than one crop per year. You will, of course, require some special equipment, such as lights, carbon filter and extraction/ventilation, but this only needs to be set up once and you can have a constant supply of your own homegrown cannabis all year round. The costs are greatly outweighed by the benefits to you and you are guaranteed quality as you know exactly what was used to feed and control pests. There are many suitable "growing rooms" including a wardrobe or walk-in closet if you have one, your attic, store room or even an outdoor shed. If you use an outdoor shed you need to ensure that light does not leak from gaps and try to keep heat escape to a minimum. In any case, most people can find a suitable spot in their home for their grow. Next time I will discuss the equipment needed and where you can find good quality lights, filters and of course, seeds. Don't forget that you can get full information about all of these in the book or DVD I recommended to you.