alt=""/>
• Lights, such as the T5 fluorescents used in my garden
• Flashlight for checking the garden and electrics in the dark
• Fans for air circulation
• Exhaust fan and carbon air filter
• Dehumidifier
• Air fresheners (needed closer to harvest)
• Black/white tarp or Mylar
• Hooks and yarn, wire or fishing line (for dry room)
• Square pieces of lumber, to raise or lower plants under the lights
• Bungee cords, one foot long (for easy stowing of tarp covers when working)
• Power bars (safety concerns)
• Timers that can work simultaneously in different rooms
• Green light (for when you need to go in there during dark periods)
• Big cutter (for harvest) and “nimble” scissors (for everything else)
• Rooting gel
• Rubbing alcohol (for sterilization) and paper towel for cleaning your garden scissors
• Rags for clean up
• Green bin (for daily culling of dead leaves, etc.)
• Gloves for plant maintenance and harvest to prevent contact highs
• Tape and Sharpie for labeling
• Lock for security
• Tubing for passive air flow
• Mason jars for curing/storage
• Extension cords
• Cardboard for stapling up tarps
• Staple gun
• Vinegar/bleach for cleaning, plus scrub brush and scouring pads
• Small scale to measure harvests
• Tape measure to track growth
• Grow journal (hard copy or computer, whichever is more secure and convenient for your purposes)
• Thermometer for temperature/humidity. Some can record daily highs/lows which is very useful
Seeds ready for germination. Be sure to store unused seeds in a cool, dry, and dark place. An old coffee can with an airtight plastic lid is a great, nondescript container that won't warrant a second look.
Buy the Seed and Your Garden Will Grow
You may or may not be able to buy actual cannabis seeds at your local hydroponics outfit. Some stores stock all equipment needed to grow marijuana except for the actual marijuana itself. In many cities, it is possible to purchase seeds from a dedicated store. Depending on your personal connections, you might also be able to score seeds from a friend or compassion club if one is located nearby. These can be easily searched online or even through the many smartphone applications available for this and other purposes related to the cultivation and enjoyment of cannabis. You may also be able to buy seeds online. You will definitely want to grow from seed and avoid clones or even more mature plants unless you are dead positive that they are pest-free, and this is a difficult determination to make since few gardeners are going to invite you in for a peek, even if they are gracious enough to share some DNA.
It should go without saying, but you will want to buy a strain that is appropriate to both your grow situation and tastes. Some strains grow taller or wider than others. Some, like the appropriately named Skunk or Skunk crosses, are stinky, others almost without odor. Some are hardy and thus make good choice for beginners. Others are more fragile and even demanding in the requirements of their care. Then there is the matter of taste and effect. Even if you’ve been casually (or more seriously) enjoying marijuana for years, you may be unaware of the wide variety of “finishes” and effects available across strains. Appreciation of marijuana is not unlike sommeliers’ classifications of fine wine. Some provide a “head” high, an effect amusingly described as “a good daytime pot, for the workday” by someone at a seed store I frequent. Others provide a definite “body” stone – something that can induce “couch lock” (yes, just like it sounds) if enjoyed in even a moderate dosage. Some strains are better for pain relief or stress reduction, others for sleep, still others for the stimulation of appetite. You might be looking for a specific combination of these effects depending on whether your purposes are medical, recreational or some combination of the two.
This delicious Blueberry bud from OtherSide Farms showcases the strain’s gorgeous structure and ample trichome production.
One thing is for certain: before you buy any seeds, do your research. Many seed sites online detail all of the above characteristics and some even give percentages of THC content, the ingredient that causes the much desired high. As with alcohol content, higher THC loads mean either a more serious high and/or the necessity to consume less to gain the desired effect. It’s useful to consider the difference in kick between a beer (low content) to wine (mid content) to whisky (high content). THC levels in pot work on essentially the same principle. One truly excellent phone application is Leafly, or its online version, leafly.com. Both provide a strain guide with literally hundreds of different varieties, pictures, user reviews, assessments and described effects. It is a great place to start your search. This is a fun activity in itself, much like creating a wish list for Santa.
One other piece of advice I would offer when choosing a strain is that seeds will vary in price based upon several
