Murph Wolfson - How to Grow Marijuana: The Easiest Guide to Growing Weed

For Erika

Ive been writing this book in my head since I was a teenager and planted my first seed, thus launching a lifelong relationship with the marijuana plant. Like so many kids getting into growing back then, Ive never met most of the people I would want to thank for their help on this topicauthors and editors of magazines and books I hid under the couch, admins of websites devoted to growing (especially the original version of Overgrow.com), and individuals who were happy to share their knowledge with me from the anonymous safety of message boards and forums. So this thank you is really for the community of people who have never wavered in their drive to grow better marijuana.

For the privilege of writing the book itself, I have to thank two editors at Adams Media: Jacqueline Musser and especially Rebecca Tarr Thomas, along with the keen eye of Sarah Doughty. Working with you has been a wonderful experience, and Im thrilled to have the opportunity to share this passion. Thanks also to the artists and designers who created such a beautiful cover and illustrations.

And finally, thank you to the millions of people who have tirelessly advocated and voted to help change the laws governing marijuana use and research. Its because of you that we are finally able to treat marijuana with the respect its earned as one of humankinds most vital and important crops.

Looking to grow your own marijuana, but not sure where to start? Maybe past experiences with a less-than-green thumb have you wondering whether you are even capable. Or you assume that its too time-consuming for one person to manage without working around the clock. The truth is, even if youve never successfully grown so much as a houseplant, you can grow good marijuana. All it takes is a little patience and some basic information.

How to Grow Marijuana takes you through the process of growing your own marijuana in an accessible, step-by-step way. Youll also find a full chapter on the fundamentals of the plant. Understanding the marijuana plant is crucial to success in growing your own, and this chapter provides everything you need to know in an easy-to-follow format that wont have you scratching your head and wondering, Okay, but what is a cannabinoid?

Youll discover answers to all of your questionsnot only about the growing process, but also about marijuana itselfincluding:

• What is a strain?
• Whats the difference between marijuana and hemp?
• What kind of equipment will I need for growing recreational marijuana?
• When should I harvest it?
• How do I prepare my harvest for recreational use?

And if you are interested in digging deeper, weve included pro tips and additional information throughout the book that introduce you to more advanced concepts and techniques that can supercharge your grow.

Every grower is a little bit different, with a unique environment and approach to growing marijuana, and youll quickly find that you, too, can develop your own signature plants, with the flavor profile, potency, and effect youre looking for. So, lets get started.

So, youre interested in growing marijuana, but all of the vocabulary youve heard thrown aroundwhat is a strain, exactly?has you feeling a bit intimidated and out of your element. And thats okay! Between the light cycles, trichomes, and even the various terms for the plant itself, it can seem like a lot to wrap your head around. You may even wonder whether there is a certification or six-week class you are supposed to take before being qualified to buy, much less grow, marijuana. The truth, however, is that all you really need to understand marijuana is a little background information, a simple guide to the terminology, and a few tips on identifying different marijuana plants.

And this chapter is here to help! Think of it as your crash course on marijuana. First, youll go back in time to understand a little more of the history of the plant itself and how it came to be one of humankinds most beloved crops. Next, youll journey through the life cycle of marijuana, from sprouting to harvesting the plant. Finally, youll learn just what a strain isand the differences between specific marijuana plants. Ready to impress others with your weed expertise? Lets dive in!

Marijuanaalso known scientifically as cannabishas been a part of the human experience since before recorded history. In fact, its believed that humans and marijuana evolved together, which makes sense if you consider that the human body has CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors spread throughout almost every major organ system, and that it produces its own cannabinoids, called endocannabinoids, or chemicals that resemble the active elements of the marijuana plant.

The long history of marijuana makes it somewhat hard to trace its exact roots, but its thought that the plant is native to central Asia (e.g., Mongolia or the Himalayas). These early marijuana plants were hardier than modern plants and had few of the psychoactive compounds that are valued in marijuana today. However, marijuana is a highly useful plant even if its not consumed for its psychoactive properties, and its likely that early populations used it for seed oil, fiber, and even food.

At some point in antiquity, however, people discovered that marijuana had psychoactive compounds. In fact, in 2019, researchers in western China discovered wooden braziers in ancient tombs in the Jirzankal Cemetery that revealed that people were using marijuana in shamanic or religious rituals as early as 2,500 years ago. Testing revealed that these braziers contained the signature chemicals left behind when tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)the psychoactive chemical in marijuanais burned.

From there, marijuana seemed to rapidly spread across the rest of the ancient world. In the first millennium B.C.E. , the famous Greek historian Herodotus wrote in the Histories about the Scythians, an ancient nomadic tribe who used specialized marijuana tents to burn the herb, trapping the smoke inside for the occupants to enjoy. Other accounts from the same era place marijuana in north and east Russia, as well as deeper into western China.

From this early and fertile weed basket, marijuana steadily moved west along the Silk Road, into modern Afghanistan, Greece and Rome, and finally Europe. Apparently, the ancients knew a good thing when they saw it.

WHAT IS HEMP?

Although it gets much less press, the US has slowly moved toward legal farming of hemp. This incredibly useful and vigorous plant is one variety of marijuana, specifically Cannabis sativa, that has been bred to have negligible quantities of THC, meaning that it has no psychoactive effect. Across the world, hemp has been used for centuries to create clothing, paper, car parts, and other products.