Woodward - Marijuana daily gardening: how to grow indoors under fluorescent lights

Copyright 2015 Henry Woodward

Published by Leahbar Inc.

Toronto, Canada

ISBN 978-1-937866-08-2

Images Henry Woodward

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without express written permission from the authors or publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote passages in any review where appropriate credit is given. Permission is similarly granted for brief quotations in articles with appropriate credit. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form other than those approved by the authors or publisher. This book is written to enlighten and inform for educational purposes only and does not encourage any illegal activities in any form whatsoever. It is illegal to grow and possess cannabis in most countries and may result in arrest and a criminal conviction.

For two late greats: Gerhardt and Doug.

Contents

Congratulations! Welcome to the growing community of home marijuana cultivators. The decision to start a home garden can be a difficult one. Well, actually, compared to what can be a bewildering number of considerations in setting up your daily grow for the first time, the decision itself can be comparatively easy. However, my new grower friends should have no fear: the path from complete newbie to experienced cannabis gardener is short, interesting, and definitely rewarding.

I am writing this book as a gardener of moderate experience, specifically for would-be growers with little or no experience. You might be asking why on Earth you should be trusting anyone who is less than a pro. Well, as much as I appreciate the advice of professional growers and have learned from some of their books, I think there are several reasons that a more grassroots book will help new growers. The first is that professional growers are engaged in a number of sophisticated processes (for instance, creating new strains through breeding) and techniques (such as using sophisticated control boards to manage advanced lighting, hydroponic systems and release carbon dioxide) that need not concern those just starting out, at least until their skills and knowledge are well established.

The second is that pro grows are very different animals: big, expensive, and potentially very risky (especially if pursued in jurisdictions where it is criminalized by high-minded but wrong-headed moralism). Your home garden likely cannot and surely need not be any of these things. Though a daily grow can be challenging at times, it is more simple than you might think while reading this introduction and weighing how to approach your own garden. The perspective of someone not too far removed from their own first-timer questions (and who from time-to-time still make mistakes, as you no doubt will) is invaluable for someone, like yourself, who will face just similar situations.

Finally, unlike many professionals, I dont have a huge ego regarding my reputation as a grower. Many writers and even amateur bloggers can be reluctant to share their mistakes. Not so here. This grow will illustrate not only the successes but also the failures and even the completely embarrassing screw-ups that we all make. This grow journal will show the good, the bad and, yes, even the ugly (and there have been some real ugly mistakes, let me tell you). With any luck, it will help you to maximize your chances of achieving the first and avoiding the other two.

Well be kicking it old school in this grow: (high quality) soil, water, lights, and a nutritious diet for your little ladies. The rest are just details. Youll get them here.

I began growing nearly five years ago. At the time, I was not even a regular cannabis smoker beyond the occasional toke at a party, let alone a daily vaporizer as I am today. I had never seen a cannabis plant first hand, let alone grown one myself. My personal knowledge of marijuana was limited to what I had picked up in popular culture and, as such, was fairly limited and marked by the stereotype of the slacker-stoner, head shops, and hydroponic supply ads. That is to say, I was a complete and total beginner.

Though I have pretty standard outdoor gardens on my home property, I didnt by any stretch consider myself a green thumb in fact, houseplants have not enjoyed a track record of success in my home. Since I have a day job as a university professor, I enjoy learning and teaching, and quickly found a passion for cannabis cultivation. Needless to say though, I didnt fit the normal profile of a typical grower/user. That was the first part of my own education: in my view today, these stereotypes have been perpetuated by powerful voices in government, law enforcement, and the alcohol lobby to keep the general public ignorant of how benign, enjoyable, and healing marijuana can be. Today, I count myself as someone who strongly believes that the distinction between medical and recreational pot is an artificial distinction. Marijuana is a plant. It comes from nature. Used responsibly, it is safe, effective, and easy to enjoy.

So what motivated me to start growing? Equal parts chance and a health emergency experienced by a close family member. Several years ago, my partner was diagnosed with epilepsy. Marijuana was prescribed to mitigate the effect of seizures she experienced multiple times daily. She continues to use it daily in conjunction with pharmaceuticals to keep seizures at bay, which they thankfully have been for some time. Indeed, the anti-convulsive effects of cannabis are well if incompletely documented, and my partner has been advised by medical doctors to continue her daily prescribed use of marijuana to maintain her health. But confronted with a need to secure a regular supply of high quality cannabis, we needed to find a source.

At first, my partner sought out what is for many people the only source of marijuana: illegal drug dealers. Though the cost was high, supply was at least regular. But though I know many people maintain contacts to secure pot with people who are dependable and trustworthy, we worried that the handful of sources that we had were potentially dangerous, and not a little unsavory. As a woman walking into places without escort, often in the company of numerous unknown men, she (and I) began to worry about her safety. Here is a genuine danger associated with marijuana use, but to be clear, it is one created by the current legal regime in most places, not the plant itself. There had to be a better way. We began investigating.