geramation
Before the seed fell, almost all of its water was sapped to prepare the seed for winter. With only the tiny drop that it holds, the embryo lives a life so slow as to be outside of time as we know it. Cannabis seeds need only water to germinate or sprout. The seeds germinate without light and at temperatures low enough to form ice. Higher temperatures hasten germination. Fresh, homegrown Oaxacan marijuana seeds germinated in three days at 70F and in eight days at 33F. Temperatures 70 to 90F are best for germination.
Fresh, mature seeds have a high rate of germination (about 90 to 100 percent) and sprout quickly. Usually sprouts appear three to seven days after planting. Older seeds (over a year, depending on storage) have a lower rate of germination and respond slower. They may take up to three weeks to sprout. To get an idea of what to expect from the seeds follow the procedure in 3.1.
Seeds that do sprout will grow normally, no matter how old they are or how long they take to sprout. From any batch of cannabis seeds, most of the ones that sprout will do so within two or three days of each other. A few will continue to come up as many as six months later, but the garden should consist of plants that are basically the same age and size. This makes the garden easier to care for.
Sowing
The easiest way to start the plants is to sow the marijuana seeds directly into the soil. First, wet the soil with a moderate amount of water, enough to wet the soil with a moderate amount of water, enough to get the soil evenly moist without water running out the bottom. This takes about one-half quart of water for one-gallon containers, and about one quart for three-gallon containers. Plant the seeds a quarter- to half-inch deep. The germination rate is lower when they are planted deeper; and if seeds are planted less then one-quarter inch deep, the sprouts may have difficulty anchoring their roots. Plant about six seeds per pot to assure some sprouts in each pot. Gently press each seed into the soil. Cover the seeds with soil and sprinkle lightly with water. Each day, sprinkle or spray the surface with enough water to thoroughly wet the top half-inch of soil, since the seed must be kept moist for germination.
For most people, germinating the seed is easy. Problems with germination come from either too much or too little water. If you saturate the pots with water, and especially if you continue to saturate the pots after the cannabis seeds have sprouted, the seedlings may develop stem rot or root problems. When stem rot develops, the base turns brown, and the seedlings fall over, ending the garden. This can also happen if you keep seedlings in germination boxes or terrariums where the humidity is very high. When the humidity is low, the soil surface dries out quickly and the seeds won't germinate. Sprouts that may come up shrivel and dry at the base of the stem and die.
The key to germination is to keep the soil surface moist after first having moistened the whole pot; then, after the first sprouts have been up for a few days, let the surface of the soil dry between waterings. Don't spray the surface any more. Water with medium amounts of water when the soil in the top couple of inches feels dry. For small pots, water seedlings about twice a week. For larger pots, once each week or two may be enough.
Some growers prefer to plant only seeds they know will sprout, especially when planting seeds which have a low viability. Start the seeds in wet towels or a glass of water. Add one teaspoon of liquid bleach (a three-percent solution) to each cup of water. This will prevent fungus from attacking the seeds, which happens when they are soaked for more than three days. Check the seeds each day. Plant when the radical or roots begins to come out from the pointed end of the seed. Cannabis seed is quite small and has only enough stored food for the embryo to anchor its root and raise its cotyledons. The more developed the root is when planted, the less energy it has to anchor itself in the soil. The sprout may die or growth be delayed until the root is established (transplant shock). In Figure 44, the seeds in a circle are all ready to plant. The center seed will not survive transplanting. {Figure 44. Seeds in a circle are ready to plant. center sprout will not survive planting
Some growers prefer to start the plants in a germination box. This extra hassle is not necessary. Transplanting seedlings from one medium to another often causes transplant shock. It is best to plant the seeds directly into the soil.
If you use Soilless mixtures, your seedlings should be started in paper cups, peat pots, or other small pots filled with a soil mixture (see "Transplanting" in Chapter 8 {8.3}). This procedure is also helpful if you have the difficulty starting the plants in large containers. Expandable peat pellets also work very well.
The position of the seed in the soil has a slight effect on germination. The root directs its growth in response to gravity, as shown in Figure 45. However, germination is a little faster when the seeds are planted with the pointed end up. The difference is small, and it's not really necessary to position the marijuana seeds in the soil.
If a dry atmosphere presents problems, you can create the moist atmosphere of a germination box and still plant directly in the pot. Cover the cannabis seeds with transparent plastic cups or glasses, or cover the pot with plastic kitchen wrap. This creates a greenhouse effect and keeps the soil surface moist without watering. Remove all the covers as soon as you see the first sprouts begin to appear; the sprouts will die if the cover is left on. {Figure 45. The root directs its growth toward gravity. Seeds are germinated between glass and cotton, and held vertically. Four cannabis seeds to left have pointed and up. Two middle seeds are horizontal. Sex seeds on right have pointed end down.} {Figure 46. During germination soil can be kept moist by using plastic covers to create a greenhouse effect.}
Watering
Water provides hydrogen for plant growth, and also carries nutrients throughout the plant in the transpiration stream. However, it is not true that the more water given a plant, the faster it will grow. Certainly, if a plant is consistently under-watered, its growth rate slows. However, lack of water does not limit photosynthesis until the soil in the pot is dry and the plant is wilting.
The amount of water, and how often to water, varies with the size of the plants and pots, soil composition, and the temperature, humidity, and circulation of the air, to name a few variables. But watering is pretty much a matter of common sense.
During germination, keep the soil surface moist. But once the seedling are established, let the top layer of soil dry out before watering again. This will eliminate any chance of stem rot. Water around the stems rather than on them. Seedlings are likely to fall over if watered roughly; use a hand sprinkler.
In general, when the soil about two inches deep feels dry, water so that the soil is evenly moist but not so much that water runs out the drainage holes and carries away the soil's nutrients. After a few trials, you will know approximately how much water the pots can hold. Marijuana cannot tolerate a soggy or saturated soil. Plants grown in constantly wet soil are slower-growing, usually less potent, and prone to attack from stem rot.
Over-watering as a common problem; it develops from consistently watering too often. When the plants are small, they transpire much less water. Seedlings in large pots need to be watered much less often than when the plants are large or are in small pots. A large pot that was saturated during germination may hold enough water for the first three weeks of growth. On the other hand, a six-foot plant in a six-inch pot may have to be watered every day. Always water enough to moisten all the soil. Don't just wet the surface layer.
Under-watering is less of a problem, since it is easily recognized. When the soil becomes too dry, the plant wilts. Plant cells are kept rigid by the pressure of their cell contents, which are mostly water. With the water gone, they collapse. First the bottom leaves droop, and the condition quickly works its way up the plant until the top lops over. If this happens, water immediately. Recovery is so fast, you can follow the movement of water up the stem as it fills and brings turgor to the leaves. A plant may survive a wilted condition of several days, but at the very least some leaves will drop.
Don't keep the pots constantly wet, and don't wait until the plant wilts. Let the soil go through a wet and dry cycle, which will aerate the soil and aid nutrient uptake. Most growers find that they need to water about once or twice a week.
When some soils get particularly dry, the water is not absorbed and runs down the sides and out the bottom of the pot. This may be a problem the first time you water the soil, or if you allow the soil to get very dry. To remedy, add a couple of drops of liquid detergent to a gallon of water. Detergent acts as a wetting agent and the water is absorbed more readily. First water each pot with about one cup of the solution. Allow the pots to stand for 15 minutes, then finish watering with the usual amount of pure water.
Use tepid water; it soaks into the soil more easily and will not shock the roots. Try to water during the plant's morning hours. Water from the top of the pot. If you do want to water from the bottom with trays (not recommended), place a layer of pebbles or gravel in the trays to insure drainage. Don't leaves the pots sitting in water until the pot is heavily saturated. The water displaces the soil's oxygen, and the plants grow poorly.
Tap water in some areas highly chlorinated, which does not seem to harm Cannabis; and many fine crops are raised with water straight from the tap. But chlorine could possibly affect the plants indirectly, by killing some beneficial micro-organisms in the soil. Chlorine also makes the water slightly acidic. However, neither effect is likely to be serious. Some growers have asked whether they should use pet-shop preparations that are sold to remove chlorine from water in fish tanks. These preparations generally add sodium, which removes the chlorine by forming sodium chloride (table salt). This solution does not harm the plants, although repeated use may make the soil too saline. Probably the best procedure is to simply allow the water to sit in an open container for a few days. The chlorine is introduced to water as the gas Cl2, which dissipates to the air. The water temperature also reaches a comfortable level for the plants.
Hard (alkaline) water contains a number of minerals (e.g., Ca++, Mg++, K+) which are essentially nutrients to the plants. Water softeners remove these minerals by replacing them with sodium, which forms slightly salty water. It is much better to water with hard water, because artificially softened water may prove harmful after some time. Occasionally, water may be acidic (sulfurous). Counteract this by mixing one teaspoon of hydrated lime per quart water and watering with the solution once a month.
.2 Thinning
Depending on the viability of the marijuana seeds, there should be several plants growing in each pot. Most growers thin to one plant per pot, but the plants don't have to be thinned until they crowd each other and have filled the garden with foliage. The longer you let them grow, the more potent they'll be.
It is virtually impossible to tell the gender of the plants when they are young. The normal ratio of males to females in Cannabis is one to one. Some farmers end up wit more male plants because of their thinning practices. When the plants are less than a month old, the male plants often appear taller and better developed than the females. The male seedling uses more of its energy to develop its aboveground parts than the female. The female devotes more energy to establishing a strong root system. During the first few weeks, don't thin the plants by leaving only the tallest, or you'll wind up with a higher ratio of males. Try to leave seedling that are healthy and vigorous and that are roughly at the same point of development.
To thin your garden, remove any plants with yellow, white, or distorted leaves. Remove the less vigorous and those that lag far behind in development. Cut the unwanted plants near the base; the root system can remain in the pot.
These harvested seedlings will be your first taste of homegrown grass. Usually they produce a mild buzz, but if you separate the growing tips from the large leaves, they may be more potent.
However you transplant, try to disturb and expose the roots as little as possible. If you transplant carefully, the plants will not exhibit delayed or slowed growth due to transplant shock.
Transplanting Seedlings
When the plants are a week to two weeks old, transplant to any pot that has no plants. First, moisten the soil in the pot from which you will remove the transplant and let is sit for a few minutes. Take a spade or a large spoon, and insert it between the transplant and the plant that will be left to grow. Try to leave at least one inch of space from spoon to stem. Lever the spoon toward the side of the pot, in order to take up a good-size wedge of soil. Place the transplant in a prepared hole at the same depth that it was growing before. Replace the soil in both pots and moisten lightly again to bond the new soil with the original. If you are careful, a wedge of soil can be removed intact. The root system will not be disturbed and the plant will survive with little or no transplant shock. Do not fertilize a transplant for two weeks.
To prevent possible drop-off and wilting from shock, you may want to use Rootone or Transplantone. These safe powders, available at nurseries, contain root-growth hormones and fungicides. They won't be necessary if you transplant carefully.
Transplanting to Large Pots
Transplanting from smaller to larger pots is a simple procedure. The marijuana root system quickly fills small pots. To transplant, moisten the soil and let it sit to become evenly moist. Pick the potted plant up, and, while holding the base of the stem, rap the pot sharply against something solid. You might cover the soil surface with a piece of newspaper or aluminium foil, which makes the job cleaner. When it is done at the right time, the root system, with all the soil adhering, will pop out of the pot intact.
An approximate time guide for transplanting is shown in Table 17(currently excluded from this guide). At these times, give or take a week, the plants should be root-bound and all the soil will adhere to the roots, making the transplanting clean and easy.
If the root system has not filled the pots by this time, wait a few weeks and the process will be easier. If the root system comes out in a small ball and much of the soil is empty of roots, then soil conditions are poor (usually poor drainage and over-watering) or you are transplanting much too seen.
If the root system doesn't easily pop out, run a knife around the sides of the pot. Sometimes the roots stick to the sides, particularly is paper and clay containers. Check to see if the drainage holes are plugged. Plugged holes stop air from displacing the soil, and the vacuum pressure prevents the soil from sliding out of the pot.
Table 17 Guide for Transplanting Transplant During ------------------------------------------------------------ Six-ounce cups Second to third week Four-inch pots Third to fourth week Six-inch pots (half gallon) Fourth to fifth week Eight-inch pots (one gallon) Seventh to eighth week Two-gallon containers About the tenth week
Transplant into a soil mixture that is the same as (or is very like) the one in the original pots. Otherwise, the soils may have different osmotic properties, and the water may not disperse evenly. (This doesn't apply to small pots that are used for germination and are filled with vermiculture, Jiffy Mix, or other mediums.) Don't bury the stem. Keep the stem base at the same depth that it was growing. {Figure 47. Transplant when the plant is root-bound.}
8.4 Supports for Plants
Under natural conditions, stems undergo stress from wind, rain, and animals. These stresses, which indoor plants do not ordinarily face, strengthen the stem. Indoor stems grow sturdy enough to support their own weight and not much more. Plant energy is used to produce more light-gathering leaf tissue, rather than wind-resistant stem tissue. Stems remain slender, usually about one-half to three-quarter inches at maturity. Since you are growing the plants for their leaves and flowers, this does not present a problem.
Healthy plants do not ordinarily need support. If many of your plants have weak or spindly stems, there is a deficiency in either light or nutrients (notably potassium). Simply not having enough light will cause the plants to elongate, with sparse foliage and weak growth. Too much red light will cause elongation, too, so make sure you include a strong blue light, if you are using incandescents or floodlights.
Hanging the lights higher than the recommended distances will cause the plants to elongate by rapidly growing up to the lights. Unlike sunlight, the intensity of artificial light diminishes dramatically with the distance from the lights. The plants respond by growing toward the light, seeking the higher intensity.
Under artificial light, some plants may need support during the seedling stage or because of accident. Depending on plant size, use straws, pencils, dowels, or standard plant stakes such as cane sticks. Set them in the soil and affix the stem with string, masking tape, or wire twists such as those that come with plastic trash bags. Do not tie string or wire tightly around the stem; make a loose loop. The stem will grow in girth and can be injured by a tight loop.
Probably the simplest method of support is to take a rigid piece of wire, form a "C" at one end and bend it to a right angle to the stem. Set the straight end in the soil and place the stem inside the "C." Pipe cleaners are ideal for seedlings. With larger plants, straighten a coat hanger and use the same method.
A common practice in greenhouses where tree seedlings are raised is to shake each plant once or twice daily. This practice simulates natural vibrations from the wind, and the plant reacts by increasing the growth around the stem. The stem grows thicker and stronger, and the tree can better fend once it is transplanted. It works the same way with marijuana. A fan blowing on the plants will also work. These practices are useful if you plan to move your plants outdoors. Otherwise, healthy indoor plants that will remain indoors need no special stem strengthening.
8.6 Pruning
Probably the easiest way to deal with uneven growth is to cut back the taller plants to the average height. You may find this emotionally difficult, but pruning will not harm the plant. Cutting off the growing shoot forces the plant to develop its branches. Some growers cut back all of their plants when they are three to four weeks old. Any horizontal space is quickly filled with growing branches and the plants grow full and robust.
The growing shoots are the most potent plant parts until the flowers appear. Generally, the potency increases with growth. By three months' age, most shoots will be high-quality smoke. You can cut shoots at any time; just don't overdo it. Give the plant a chance to grow and fill out to a good size. Severe pruning will slow growth. New growth may be distorted and abnormal, with a drop in potency.
Each time you cat a growing shoot, whether it is the stem tip or a branch tip, two shoots being to grow from the nearest leaf axils. However, don't think that cutting all the growing shoots of a plant twenty times over the course of a season will yield a plant bearing over a million new shoots, or even that the plants will double their size if pruned. Pruning simply allows the plant to develop its branches earlier. The branches present more area to gather light and, hance, can grow to fill a larger space. However, the plant's size is basically determined by the seed's potential within the limitations of the environment.
Cutting the growing shoots or removing some leaves does not harm the plants. Plants are well adapted to the loss of parts to predators, wind, etc., in the natural world. When leaves are damaged or lost, the plant plugs the wound. The leaf isn't replaced or repaired, but new leaves are continually being formed from the growing shoots. The stem, since it connects all parts of the plant, is more important to the plant as a whole. When the stem breaks or creases, it is capable of repair. You can help the plant repair its stem by splinting the wound or somehow propping the stem up straight. Stems take about four or five days to heal.
When you cut the stem or leaves, you may see the plant's sap momentarily spurt before the wound is plugged. The sap contains primarily the products of photosynthesis, in the form of sucrose (table sugar). Smaller amounts of materials associated with the living organism such as minerals, amino acids, and enzymes are also present. In marijuana, the sap is usually colorless, although a bright red colour - it looks like blood - is not uncommon in later life. The red colour is due to haematin compounds and anthocyanin pigments that naturally build up in some varieties. The red colour may also indicate a nutrient deficiency, notably of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, or magnesium.
training
Plants grow from the tips of their stems and branches. The growing tip (apical meristem) of the plant contains a hormone that acts as a growth inhibitor. This prevents the branches (lateral buds) from growing. The further a branch is from the growing tip, the less effect of the inhibitor. This is why some species of plants form a cone or Christmas-tree shape with the longest branches toward the bottom of the stem. This is also why the branches grow from the top of the plant when the tip is removed. Once the growing tip is removed, the next highest growing shoot(s) becomes the source of the inhibitor. Under artificial light, the bottom branches may not receive enough light to grow even though they are far away from the inhibitor. Usually the longest branches are toward the middle of the plant.
Some growers hate to cut the growing shoots on the main stem, since it forms the largest and most potent buds by harvest. But you can neutralize the effects of the inhibitor, without cutting the growing shoot, by bending the tip. This allows you to control the height of the plants, and forces them to branch. The top two to six inches of the stem are flexible. Bend it in an arc and secure it to the stem with a wire twist or string. Remove the wire twist in a few days so that the growing tip does not break itself as it twists up to the light. Don't bend the stem too far down. Keep it in the strong light or else it will stop growing. If you accidentally break the tip, you can splint it with matchsticks or ice-cream sticks secured with wire twists or tape until it heals. {Figure 49. The flexible tip is held in place with a wire twist.}
To develop large, full plants with well-developed branches, secure the growing tip once or twice for a few days while the plants are young (one to three months).
It is possible to train the tip so that the stem will form a series of "S" shapes or even circles. During flowering, train the tips so that they grow horizontally. This method encourages thick, dense growth. The branch tips can also be trained. Keep bending any tips that grow above the others. This creates a garden filled with a cubic layer of vigorous flower clusters rather than a lot of stems.
We want to emphasize that when you get the knack of training the tips, you can more than double the yield of the most potent plant parts. {Figure 50. Stem trained in an "S" shape.} {Figure 51. Tops trained horizontally during flowering.}
Chapter 12
CHOOSING A SITE
CHOOSING A SITE
There are several factors to consider when deciding where to plant, including sunlight, microclimate, availability of water, and condition of the soil. But the garden's security should be your first consideration. No matter what size your garden, rip-offs and confiscation are constant threats. But these risks can be minimized by careful planning and common senses.
In some countries, law-enforcement agencies take a tolerant attitude toward small gardens, and people grow Cannabis in their backyards. In other areas, police are not as enlightened and place an emphasis on cultivation busts. In either case, the larger the garden, the greater the potential danger. {Figure 55. A Nassau Country police officer stands in a field of marijuana plants in Lattingtown, Long Island.}
In Hawaii and California, where marijuana growing has become a booming business, helicopters have been a problem for commercial growers. Aircraft outfitted with visual or infrared equipment, dogs, and finks have all been used to seek out illicit plots. Aircraft equipment is least effective on steep slopes and where the vegetation is lush and varied. Where aircraft are a problem, growers prune marijuana to obscure its distinctive shape. The plants are difficult to detect from a distance when intercropped with bamboo, sunflowers, sugar cane, soybeans, or tall weeds (see Figure 60). Commercial growers often plant several small dispersed stands or many single plants, which are more difficult to detect and serve as insurance against total loss.
But rip-offs rather than the law are more of a problem for marijuana growers. From every section of the United States, reports confirm that marijuana theft has reached epidemic proportions, and even well-hidden plant fall prey to unscrupulous people. These lowlifes often search near hippie communities and popular planting areas. Their best ally is a loose lip; so keep your garden on a "need to know" basis.
Given the value of marijuana, many people think they'll grow an acre or two. But it is much harder to find spots suitable for large-scale farming than to find small garden plots. Large gardens require more planning and commitment, and usually a remote area. They may need a lot more time, energy, and investment in materials and labor-saving machinery than smaller gardens.
A small but well-cultivated garden, say, ten by ten feet, can yield over four pounds of grass each crop. By planning realistically, you'll harvest a good stash of potent grass rather than a lot of disappointment.
Moat people who grow marijuana plant it in their backyards. They hide the plants from curious neighbors and passers-by with walls, fences, arbor, or similar enclosures. Some people plant Cannabis as part of their vegetables garden, pruning the plants to make them less conspicuous.
Gardeners often use ingenious ideas to keep their gardens secret. A woman on Long Island grows over thirty large plants in containers in her drained swimming pool. Although some of the plants reach a height of 12 feet, they can't be seen over the enclosing fence.
A couple living near Nashville, Tennessee, took the roof off their three-car garage and painted the walls white to create a high-walled garden. Other growers use sheds with translucent roofs.
14.2 When to Plant
Most hemp-growing manuals advise that the marijuana seeds should be planted about two weeks after the last threat of frost, which is the same time that corn is planted. As a rule of thumb, you need not plant until this time in areas that have a growing season of five months or more. These areas include most of the United States, except for Zone One (see Figure 62) and mountainous areas of the country.
Growers in northern areas report that plant have survived light evening frosts with little or no damage. We think of marijuana as a tropical plant, experiencing no chills in its native climes. But the mountainous areas of marijuana cultivation in Mexico and Colombia often have frosts during the growing season. One grower, describing spring (April) conditions in Nebraska, reported "plants (from tropical seed) three and four inches tall were covered with snow in the evening. By midafternoon all the snow had melted, and those little sprouts were healthy as could be."
Early-season sprouts do face more risks than later-germinating plants do. A lingering freeze or chill can weaken or kill them. Sometimes seeds or seedlings get washed away be heavy rains or flooding, or become infected from wet soil. They are also prey to hungry herbivores, who savour the tender young shoots, especially in the early spring, before the native plants have sprouted. These predators include rabbits, groundhogs, rats, mice, and possibly squirrels and cats, as well as large animals, such as deer, cattle, and sheep. Birds frequently eat the cannabis seeds and young shoots, especially if the ground looks planted. Snails and insects, such as cutworms and leafhoppers, also eat seedlings. Don't let this impressive list of dangers dim your enthusiasm. Although these problems do occur, they can be controlled or prevented with a little but of planning (see section 16). {Figure 62. Average date of last expected spring frost for US.}
As you can see in the Spring Thaw map (Figure 62), the last date of expected frost varies from early February in parts of Florida, Louisiana, Texas, California, and Nevada to mid-June in the coldest regions of New England and the Midwest. Planting time varies locally, as well as regionally. Fields which receive direct sun warm faster than partially shaded ones. Fields covered with a layer of compost or fresh manure, or with black plastic sheets, retain more heat and are ready to plant sooner than other fields. Mountainous areas often vary considerably in planting time. Higher ground usually stays cold longer than low-lying areas. Since soil is dark, it heats quickly when exposed to sunlight. Soil is usually warmer in the late afternoon.
The time that the soil warms also depends on the weather. During severe winters, a deeper layer of soil becomes frozen than during mild winters; so it will take longer to thaw. Soil below this layer is insulated by the ice and remains unfrozen. Spring weather, rainfall, flooding, and cloud cover also affect the soil's temperature.
Actually, the only way to know whether or not a field is ready to plant is to feel it and look at it. Examine the soil in early morning. It should be easy to work, rather than hardened from ice. There should be no large frozen clods of soil or other organic matter. There should also be no fine crystalline ice particles which glimmer in sunlight.
For fall harvest, sow outdoors after March 21, the first day of spring and the turn of the Equinox, when there are equal lengths of sun-up and sun-down. There are an additional 20 to 30 minutes of light before dawn and after sunset, for a total of 13 hours of daylight. When plants are started earlier, they may flower prematurely because of the short days. The plants may also be subject to sex reversal, and more males may develop.
There is little advantage to starting Cannabis before April. Each plant has a certain genetically defined potential for growth and size. As long as the plants have enough time to grow and develop, usually five or six months, this potential is realized (some Colombian and Asian varieties may need longer to develop). Plants started before spring grow no larger in size than plants started during April. The younger plants are virtually indistinguishable from the older ones by harvest, and plants which are started earlier face more risks of detection and destruction. {Figure 63. Average date of earliest expected fall frosts for the US. Information about Australia can be found in an Atlas.}
However, if you are faced with a short growing season, you can get a head start by germinating the marijuana seeds a week to six weeks before the local planting time, and transplanting the seedlings outdoors at about the same time seeds would be planted in your area. You can also hasten planting time by covering the area to be sown or planted with a clear (or black) plastic sheet, which will warm the ground by the greenhouse effect.
How to Plant
Finally, after the soil is adjusted, and the rows or hills are built, it is time to actually plant the seeds and watch your garden begin to grow. If you are growing with clover as a cover or companion plant, dig it up to a depth of four inches and chop up the soil. Water the soil to the point that it feels almost wet. Drill a hole with a seed drill, stick, or pencil, then drop one seed into the hole, cover it gently, and pat the soil down again. Marijuana seeds are large enough to handle individually; so each one can be planted separately.
How deep one digs the holes depends on the kind of soil in which one is planting. Light woodsy or organic soils are planted 1/2 to 3/4 inch deep, so that the stem is held firmly in an upright position. Sands and light loams are planted 1/2 inch deep. Heavy loams and clay are planted 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep, so that the sprout's energy is not expended before it breaks through the soil.
If you are broadcast seeding, you can increase the germination rate tremendously by screening a layer of soil over the seeds to help keep them moist. Seeds that dry out weaken or die.
In a garden that has been mulched, lift away the mulch cover at each place you plant, and sow the seed in the underlying soil.
In soft-textured soils, instead of digging or poking holes, press each seed to the desired depth, and cover or pat the soil smooth.
The marijuana seeds need constant moisture in order to germinate. Therefore, the ground should be well-watered. Keep the soil moist by watering it with a light spray whenever it begin to feel dry. This may mean watering the immediate area once a day. You can keep the soil moist and hasten germination by covering the planted area with transparent glass or plastic. Most of the seeds should sprout in a period ranging from three days to two weeks. This variation depends on variety, age and condition of seed, and soil temperature; the warmer the soil, the faster the rate of germination.
Once they have germinated, the seedlings should be kept moist until the roots grow deep enough to absorb an adequate supply of water from the subsoil. If the ground is still moist from spring rains, as it is in many of the eastern regions, you may not have to water at all. On the other hand, there are sections of the West which are completely dependent on irrigation.
When the seedlings are only an inch or two tall, you can protect them from heavy rains or frosts by using drinking glasses, jars, or paper or plastic cups. You can protect larger plants with containers from which the bottoms have been removed. Transparent containers warm the soil by the greenhouse effect, capturing light and turning it into heat. In warm weather, use white or translucent containers, which prevent burn by reflecting some light and diffusing the rest. Containers also keep the soil moist, serve as plant markers, and protect the plants from some enemies. A grower in Berkeley, California, used cracked fish tanks to protect plants in the early spring. A guerrilla farmer in the Poconos puts up four posts, one at each end of a row. She uses them as a frame for clear polyethylene covering, creating a small greenhouse.
Growers in Zone Five sometimes harvest a spring crop by transplanting indoor-grown, two-month-old plants outdoors right after the last frost date. The naturally short days and long nights trigger the plants into flowering. (See Transplanting below, and the discussion of the photoperiod in section 3.)
If started after May 15, marijuana may not have time to reach its full size or flower. This problem mainly affects growers in Zone One and in mountainous areas. But even if the plants do not grow to full size or flower, you can still harvest a potent crop of preflowering tops, which may be almost as potent as ripe buds. The harvest is not as large as a crop of buds, but it is more than worth the effort.
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