THE
EVERYTHING
MARIJUANA
BOOK
Your complete cannabis resource, including history,
growing instructions, and preparation
Alicia Williamson
Copyright 2010 by F+W Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher; exceptions are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.
An Everything Series Book.
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Published by Adams Media, a division of F+W Media, Inc.
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ISBN 10: 1-4405-0687-6
ISBN 13: 978-1-4405-0687-1
eISBN 10: 1-4405-0688-4
eISBN 13: 978-1-4405-0688-8
Printed in the United States of America.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
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The excerpts on pages 2425 are from the essay Mainstreaming Cannabis. Essay copyright 2009 by Alicia Williamson. Essay originally published in Citadel of the Spirit: Oregon's Sesquicentennial Anthology, edited by Matt Love. Copyright 2009 by Matt Love. Used with permission.
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THE EVERYTHING MARIJUANA BOOK
As a cannabis grower of thirty-five years, I have enjoyed writing this book. It made me think through many things that have long been on an intuitive level, and having to explain what I do has been a learning experience for me, too. I hope this book will be of use to the first time grower of cannabis. It is easy to feel intimidated about growing for the first time, especially with the wealth of detailed technical information that other growers are willing to throw at you.
Learning to grow is a lifelong experience and experiment; no one knows it all, and all growers are always learning. Start simply, ask questions, read, observe, research, and experience. You will learn, and your plants will grow. Eventually you will develop your own style and feel confidence in your garden knowledge, and your plants will grow even better. The most important step to being a grower is to start.
I also hope that you will be moved to question cannabis prohibition in the United States, and to support the growing movement toward legalization.
Sincerely,
Alicia Williamson
Welcome to the EVERYTHING Series!
These handy, accessible books give you all you need to tackle a difficult project, gain a new hobby, comprehend a fascinating topic, prepare for an exam, or even brush up on something you learned back in school but have since forgotten.
You can choose to read an Everything book from cover to cover or just pick out the information you want from our four useful boxes:e-questions, e-facts, e-alerts, and e-ssentials. We give you everything you need to know on the subject, but throw in a lot of fun stuff along the way, too.
We now have more than 400 Everything books in print, spanning such wide-ranging categories as weddings, pregnancy, cooking, music instruction, foreign language, crafts, pets, New Age, and so much more. When you're done reading them all, you can finally say you know Everything!
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PUBLISHER Karen Cooper
DIRECTOR OF ACQUISITIONS AND INNOVATION Paula Munier
MANAGING EDITOR, EVERYTHING SERIES Lisa Laing
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EVERYTHING SERIES COVER DESIGNER Erin Alexander
LAYOUT DESIGNERS Colleen Cunningham, Elisabeth Lariviere, Ashley Vierra, Denise Wallace
Visit the entire Everything series at www.everything.com
This book is dedicated to Fleep you're the one who started all this.
Acknowledgments
I would like to acknowledge the contributions to this book made by Richard Bayer, MD. His medical cannabis expertise, wonderful capsule research, and recipe were invaluable.
I would also like to acknowledge Robert Connell Clarke. I first received a copy of his Marijuana Botany in 1981. His book opened my eyes to the world of cannabis breeding in an entirely new and exciting way, and for that I am very grateful.
And, finally, I would like to thank my dear husband, Richard Volkman, for doing all the farm chores for the last three months, and making me grilled cheese sandwiches to eat in front of my computer while I wrote.
The Top 10 Steps to Good Cannabis
Start with the best possible genetics and keep track of your propagation. If you produce something spectacular, you will want to know how you did it! Name the plants individually. Not only is it fun to do, but it's also a great memory aid for you, the plant breeder.
Always remember that this is an herb you will be putting into your body, either by eating or inhaling. Grow organically, and treat the plant with love and respect. You will notice the difference.
Take the time to observe your plants every day. You will be surprised by how much you can learn by watching and noticing details like color, size, and different responses to water or feedings. Make certain to take notes for review.
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