and whether or not the seeds are “feminized.” The first two are out of your control, but you will pay more for rare seeds and definitely for seeds that are the “it” strain at any given time. If you want to find strains that offer great value at reduced price, do an online search for “Cannabis Cup winners.” The Cannabis Cup is an award given annually to the top strain or strains based on an internationally held competition within the marijuana cultivation community. Recent winners, like the Tangerine Dream that I will detail in this grow journal, will tend to be pricier. You can get good value however by searching for winners of previous years. Though their popularity will often have receded over time, they were good enough to be one-time winners. It doesn’t matter that they are old news with the pros: they’ll be new to you in any case. For instance, I really enjoy the Blueberry strain, but it is much cheaper than the newer Tangerine as it has been on the market for some time. Nonetheless, it is a fantastic smoke, grows beautifully and provides excellent value for money.
Feminization is a treatment that increases the chance that germinated seeds will produce female rather than male plants. Since females are the only gender that you will want to grow for now, feminized seeds are a plus. Males are necessary for strain development through generational genetic manipulation achieved by crossbreeding, but their presence at sexual maturity must be avoided when bringing cannabis plants to harvest. You will want to nuture the plump buds of unfertilized females without any male interference – and feminized seeds work! Though some will invariably produce male plants, as you will see from the grow I will profile, I had a 100% rate of female cultivation from seven seeds in three different (feminized) strains. This is much higher than the more typical 50-60% rate of female production that I have had in the past when growing from non-feminized seed, for instance, as in my trusted Master Kush. Whatever you purchase, be sure to buy at least four or five seeds of each strain so that you will definitely be able to produce multiple females.
One final consideration with respect to buying seeds and supplies: you may choose to pay in cash to reduce your “electronic footprint.” Bank statements and credit card bills may expose suspicious purchases, whereas cash leaves no trail, with no details about you. This may seem paranoid, but consider your own comfort level. If this is something that might keep you awake at night down the road, pay in cash. Growing marijuana should be relaxing and rewarding, not a source of stress.
Be sure to account for daylight savings time. Check timers occasionally to ensure that everything is actually running according to schedule.
If you follow the instructions in this book, you should be able to set up your room(s), buy all tools, supplies and seeds and start growing for under $1000, give or take. This initial investment can easily be recouped in the space of only a handful of grows. You will be saving money in no time, and having fun to boot.
After storing your supplies, you will need to install your lights and set up timers. Be sure to test all electronic devices so that they are working smoothly before you crack open a single seed packet. Test lights before hanging by plugging into an outlet. Ensure that light ballasts (the metal appliance the light bulbs or tubes sit in) and reflectors have been wiped clean of fingerprints and dust. Lights should be hung from cables or light chains suspended from hooks that are secured well in a ceiling stud. This allows for easy movement of the lights: upwards as the plants grow toward them and downwards when they are removed and replaced with the next, much smaller generation to be brought to harvest. Check and recheck to ensure that lights are firmly secured – a fallen light is a costly mistake in its own right. It would also mean certain death for any plants underneath.
The devil’s in the details: take the time to set up your grow room well and you will avoid headaches later.
Timers should be set and checked to ensure that they are working accurately. If you have dedicated veg and bud rooms, you will need dedicated timers for the lights in each room. If you live in a jurisdiction that has different charges for electricity depending on the time of day, you might want to set timers to light the rooms during the cheapest periods possible, generally at night. You can avoid snagging wires by securing them well before you begin your grow, particularly if they will hang down (for instance if you must run an extension cord across a ceiling). Spend as much time as possible perfecting your setup, anticipating even the smallest problem, and this will go a long way to reducing headlines down the road. It will also increase your chances of enjoying a successful grow.
Three cheers for green lights! A green spectrum LED flashlight is also a great tool to have on hand.
There is one other light, a non-specialized one, in which you will want to invest. A green spectrum light for the area just outside your grow room(s) is a must if at all possible. Cheap and widely available, a green bulb is necessary for those times that you must access your garden when one or both parts are in their dark cycle. This is something that all gardeners must do from time to time, for instance, if you need to water plants early when leaving for an overnight trip. Having this light and a couple of spare bulbs on hand is a great decision to make. When your green bulb burns out after the stores are closed and you desperately need to get into your grow room while it’s dark, you’ll be thankful that you thought ahead.
Small fans should be present in each grow room. If you have vented your room(s) (in a light-tight way, see diagram: venting your grow room) to allow for passive air exchange as you should have, fans aren’t necessary, strictly speaking. However, they provide important air circulation and promote growth of strong stems by forcing plants to strain against the air currents they create. Moreover, they will moderate temperatures if things get too hot in your grow rooms. They’re cheap, they’re quiet and they are easy. Use them.
The first question for the new grower is what type of lights to purchase. Whatever type you ultimately select, ensure that they are equipped with a reflective hood to maximize light absorption. White polyethylene sheeting to increase the overall reflectivity of the room is also a must.
There are four main considerations in choosing lighting apparatus:
1. Wattage or “lumens” of light produced. Generally, more is better and will increase your yield. However, more is not always better.
2. Cost of the light. You will want to purchase the best, most efficient light you can afford. The best light is likely the one that will best maximize the size of your grow room or closet. Important: never, never, never skimp on lights that may be unsafe. A burned down home is your worst grow result of all time!
3. The amount of energy required to operate your light. Remember that these lights will be on most of the time. You should calculate how much new lights will add to your
