Weed (Marijuana) – what kind of drug, consequences of use

After the grower has ordered, paid for and received a magical package of seeds or even packages, the most fun and important stage of growing begins - their germination. It's just easy to grow parsley - plant it, water it, get a harvest. This attitude will not work with cannabis. Therefore, we offer a detailed guide to germinating marijuana seeds.

Sorting

If you purchased the seed from a reliable, trusted store, then it is not necessary. Usually, on the packaging, manufacturers write what stages of preparation the seeds have gone through, and calibration is almost always included among them.

If you were given an unknown variety, then you need to identify the best representatives. To do this, use a 3-5% solution of ordinary table salt. The lungs, hollow and non-viable, float up. Those seeds that have sunk to the bottom are suitable for grove.

Preparing to grow marijuana indoors

The initial stage of preparation for growing cannabis at home is choosing a place to grow. The simplest and least expensive options are growing on an insulated balcony or on a windowsill. In this case, there is no need to allocate a special space for growing, buy equipment and lamps, because the plants will receive most of the light through the window.

But this method of home growing has its drawbacks:

• Most often, there is not enough natural sun, and the grower still has to use additional lighting lamps.
• Bushes on a balcony or windowsill attract the gaze of curious neighbors, which is unacceptable for many growers.

One effective home growing option is to grow cannabis soilless in hydroponic setups. With this method, all substances important for the development of the bushes are obtained directly from the nutrient solution. Subject to the rules and growing conditions, the hydroponic method allows you to get large yields. But this method requires experience and special equipment. Mistakes here are unforgivable.

Shape and size

And here is the time to remember the bearded joke about the fact that size matters. High-quality seeds should be large, at least 3-5 mm in diameter. As for the shape, low-quality seed material has external deformations. If you see cracks, chips or anything else, it’s easier to throw it away.

Protect yourself from pests, fungi and other things

Even elite selected seeds can suffer from various bad things. Therefore, after sorting, they need to be disinfected.

Heat treatment helps against infections that are afraid of high temperatures. The main thing here is not to overdo it and not to fry the seeds themselves. Completely dry seeds are placed on a baking sheet in an even layer 2 cm thick and placed in the oven at +50 +55°C for 2 hours.

In addition to infections, there are also such unpleasant things as mites and nematodes. To get rid of them, place the seeds in a gauze bag and rinse in water +50 +55°C for 10 minutes. Then remove and immerse in a container of ice water for 2-3 minutes. Let us repeat that such manipulations are only necessary for “domestic” seeds. Hybrids and landraces purchased from a good store do not need this procedure.

Trimming stage

Duration: varies

Pruning can begin in the fall, or any season for indoor plants.

Pruning is the next step after you have harvested your crops. The purpose of pruning is to round out the buds and improve the quality of the buds. You can experiment with two different types of pruning: wet and dry. Many new growers find it easier to prune a wet plant, so you may want to start there. Dry plants tend to curl, making them difficult to prune.

Regardless of whether you use the wet or dry trimming method, you need to completely dry your cannabis before you begin curing and storing it. To dry cannabis, hang the stems upside down, perhaps on a clothesline in an environment that is not too humid. Once the plants are dry, you are ready to finish pruning.

Pruning shears are your tool for this step. Large scissors are needed for harvesting, and smaller ones for pruning. A pair of gardening gloves will also help protect your hands from the sticky bud resin.

First, use your hands to tear only the fan leaves with cones. Next, use scissors to trim the sugar leaves, which contain large amounts of trichomes and can be used to make cannabis concentrates. These leaves can be used as an ingredient in your favorite dishes. Finally, pick up any excess resin that sticks to your gloves.

Anything you cut from a plant can serve a purpose.

Processing the buds is the last step before you can enjoy the relaxing smoke. It is very important to be patient at this stage, proper treatment can take up to two months and will affect the quality of the buds. One simple treatment is to place the buds in a glass jar and leave them there for up to eight weeks. During the first two weeks, periodically open the jar to let in oxygen.

You can then consume the cannabis you have grown and effectively store it for future use.

Disinfection

Not only the seeds, but also the soil should be subjected to this process, especially if it was dug up in a nearby field or a previous crop has already been grown.

Of course, high-quality seeds have already been treated against fungus, but placing them in the sun for 2-3 days won’t hurt. Ultraviolet light will do an excellent job as a disinfectant.

So, when the best of the best have been selected, it’s time to germinate them.

Classification of cannabis varieties

Marijuana is a grayish-green narcotic substance prepared from hemp (cannabis), using all parts of the plant except the root. It contains psychoactive substances cannabinoids that cause a euphoric and hallucinogenic effect.

The chemical composition of marijuana is rich, it contains more than 400 components, which when smoked turn into 2 thousand chemical compounds. Over 70 of the 400 ingredients are a group of cannabinoids, specific biological agents present specifically in cannabis.

The main component is C21H30O2, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (abbreviated as delta-9-THC or THC). The supplement contains Delta-8-THC, cannabinol (CBN), cannabidiol (CBD). Some varieties contain propyl homologs of CBN and CBD: cannabivarin and cannabidivarin, cannabinol acids, steroids, terpenes, phenols, alkaloids, etc.

Genotype

This concept is understood as the totality of all the genes of a plant; it is a stable and unchanging value, a symbiosis of hereditary characteristics. In contrast, its phenotype is variable, formed under the influence of external factors and, directly, the genotype.

Therefore, different varieties of marijuana contain a set of standard characteristics, but differ in phenotype - leaf size/color, height, number and shape of buds.

THC content

The main active ingredient in marijuana is THC or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, which determines the potency of the plant's psychoactive substances. The Indica variety with a cannabinoid content of 18 to 31% is popular among drug addicts. The best ones:

• Amnesia Haze - Includes 20% Indica and 80% Sativa properties.
• Auto Gagarin Feminized is an Indica base and contains 31% THC.
• Fractal - Indica, 24% THC.
• Afghan – “Indica”, THC – 15 to 20%.
• Opium - both types are presented in half, 29% THC.
• “Fast Bloody Mary” is a variety with a short growing season, THC content is 21%. Low yield (40 g per m2, 70 g per plant). Gives relaxation and euphoria.
• Pablo Escobar - made from Sativa, contains 27% cannabinoids.
• “AK-48” - has 50% Sativa genes, THC increased to 20%.
• “Tower of Babel” - got its name because of its rapid growth (90 cm in 2 months), contains 18% THC, is grown in large flower pots, and gives a pronounced psychoactive effect.

These marijuana varieties become annual winners of the High Times Cannabis Cup exhibitions.

CBD content

Unlike THC, CBD does not produce euphoria when introduced into the human body, which is why marijuana varieties with a high content of cannabidiol are valued in medicine. Preparations prepared on their basis are used to treat psychosis, alcoholism, arthritis, and diabetes. CBD-based drugs are produced with neuroprotective and neurogenic effects. The beneficial property of CBD is considered to have a calming (sedative) effect, which is indispensable in the treatment of insomnia.

The ideal use of the drug is considered to be a 1:1 ratio (THC and CBD). Cannabis varieties with such indicators are less harmful, with a minimum set of side effects. It is almost impossible to get a fatal overdose.

Instructions for germinating hemp seeds step by step

We will not reinvent the wheel and offer some exotic methods for germination. It's simple, you will need:

• Pure water. The EC indicator, that is, the salt content, should not exceed 300 ppm, and preferably 50-150 ppm. The acidity pH for fans of hydroponic systems should be in the range of 5-5.5, for those seeds that will be grown in the ground - 6-6.5. To check acidity, you need a pH meter, TDS meter, or just buy bottled water.
• The air must be moist.
• Warm. The optimal temperature for germination is 25-30°C.
• To choose from: cotton pads/napkins/foam sponges/mineral wool cubes/peat tablets. The last two options are optimal for automakers.
• Plastic container or ziplock bag.
• The seeds themselves!

There will be a separate paragraph about germination of autoflowering plants, but for now we suggest considering universal methods that are good for any varieties and types of cannabis.

Stage one - soaking

After you have stocked up on everything you need, you need to soak the hemp seeds. This will speed up germination in an artificial environment.

Take a sterile container with clean water at a temperature of 20-30°C. The seeds are dropped there and left overnight or for a day in a dark, warm place. The seeds will swell and sink to the bottom of the container. Now they can be transferred to paper/discs/sponges, etc.

CONTENT

1. Marijuana Growth Cycles
2. Where to plant?
3. Germination stage
4. Seedling stage
5. Vegetative stage
6. Flowering stage
7. Harvest stage
8. Trimming stage
9. Cannabis storage
10. How to clone marijuana?
11. Additional Tips for Growing Marijuana at Home

It is an amazing pleasure and unique experience to grow cannabis at home or in the garden.
Whether you have a green talent or not, you can do it if you understand the basic life cycles of plant development. The cannabis plant goes through six different stages: germination stage, seedling stage, vegetative stage, flowering stage, harvesting stage, pruning stage).

Read and learn each of these important stages of marijuana plant growth to understand how to grow cannabis.

Stage two - building a “sandwich”

The time has come to make “sandwiches”, the filling of which will be our swollen seeds.

Important! If you use cotton pads, then you need the most ordinary ones without any cosmetic impregnations.

And now everything is simple. We take a disk, put the seed on it and cover it with another disk. Let's put this thing in a container. Now you need to drip clean water on them at a temperature of 28-32°C. A syringe without a needle will help a lot with this. The discs should be moist, not wet; if you have poured too much, you need to squeeze out the “sandwich”. We do a similar job with sponges, only we put them not in a container, but in a ziplock bag.

Cotton pads have an advantage - their structure. The sponges are too dense, so if you miss the moment to peck the root, there is a risk that it will become too deeply rooted in the sponge and it will be impossible to pull it out without damage. And cotton wool can be easily disassembled into fibers.

Northern Lights - standard variety

Based on Northern Lights, the quality standards for marijuana that are recognized throughout the world have been established. This variety has a feature closely related to its name - the bush forms many trichomes covering the inflorescence. They give the effect of “northern lights”, iridescent nuggets glowing in the light.

Popular Northern Lights varieties:

• Auto Northern Lights fem (indestructible and productive).
• Northern Express auto fem (notes of orange and vanilla).
• Auto Northern Lights fem (communication without boundaries and fruity aroma).
• Auto Northern Lights fem (increased psychoactivity and stone effect).
• Northern Lights Blue fem (aroma of berries and pine, a powerful stone that gives peace and tranquility).

Stage four - patience

So, we created the most comfortable conditions for the seeds. Now you only need one thing - patience. Under no circumstances should you fiddle with them for the first 12-24 hours. Depending on the conditions and the selected variety, the process may even take several days.

In general, it is better to check it after 30 hours. If everything was done correctly, the shell will swell, crack, and a white “tail” of the spine will appear.

Are the seeds not sprouting? If you see that at least 24 hours have passed, they have swollen, but do not burst, then you can take a sterile nail file and file the seam along which the seeds open.

Types of cannabis for smoking

Marijuana is the most popular of the illegal drugs and is usually smoked in joints or pipes. Less commonly, it is taken with food, brewed, or used as a “blunt”, replacing tobacco with hemp in cigars. Stronger drugs (wee-wee, crack, cocaine) are mixed into joints and blunts.

Popular street names for marijuana:

1. Anasha, weed, joint, hashish.
2. Masha, Maryivanovna, Green Uncle.
3. Smoke, plan, straw, herbs, parsley, dill.
4. Warmer, piece, Khimka, Khanka.
5. Jah, dagga, dope.
6. Dung, hemp, hydroponics.

The effect of marijuana manifests itself in the form of rapid heartbeat, impaired coordination of movements, concentration, and a surreal state of mind (dreamy). All this lasts a maximum of 30 minutes. in the first few uses of cannabis. Then the effect weakens, with subsequent doses it lasts only 2-3 minutes, the addict has to “catch up” with new portions of dope.

Long-term retention of smoke provokes the rapid development of lung diseases, inflammation of the mucous membranes of the throat, and chest pain. Marijuana has a negative effect on the brain, causing dementia and structural damage to brain tissue.

Cones

Another name is buds, buds, or inflorescences of hemp; it is in them that the highest THC content is concentrated. But not all flowering racemes turn into a cone, and it does not always become a sensimilla. The active bud is obtained only from the female inflorescence, and it is unpollinated; it contains a larger amount of THC, the maximum that the plant can “give out”.

If you plant only feminized cannabis seeds, you will get female bushes, and therefore more buds.

When entering the body after a single smoking, most of the metabolites are eliminated from the body within 3-4 days. They cannot be detected in the blood after 4 days, in the urine on the 9th day. With long-term use of marijuana, everything depends on the content of metabolites, but not less than after 3-4 weeks.

Plan

These are leaves, flowers or stems of marijuana (cannabis) dried in a special way. In 10-20% of cases, it causes addiction, therefore it is considered a soft drug (hallucinations, psychoses). A carcinogen, side effects can occur immediately or with long-term use, it all depends on the strength of the human body. Among the reactions from the plan are:

• Inhibition, impaired motor functions.
• Increased heart rate, risk of heart attacks and strokes.
• Panic attacks, inappropriate behavior.

The smoke from a cigarette with a plan is specific, reminiscent of the smell of a bathhouse, fresh tomatoes, skunk, and sweetish undertones. But one thing is stable - it is very corrosive, persists for a long time, saturates clothes, hair, furniture.

Hashish

Another name is charras, anasha, plasticine, ganja, it is often confused with marijuana due to the similarity of the action. This is a dense mixture, a mass, made from different varieties of hemp and parts of the plant, and can be in solid or liquid forms. It is stronger than marijuana and contains more THC and active substances. More often, hashish looks like a dense, sticky brown-brown block.

Hashish oil is a concentrate of cannabis resin, it contains a lot of psychoactive substances, its use gives a strong, pronounced and long-lasting effect. The oil is added to food or impregnated in cigarettes. You cannot buy it legally, only on the black market.

Regular use of hashish changes the functioning of organs and systems, a person changes as a person, becomes pathologically active, talkative, and has hallucinations. Coma, acute psychosis, and twilight stupefaction may develop. The drug addict looks inhibited, autistic with an increased appetite. Redness of the skin is visible, dry mouth and throat, and constant thirst are felt.

There is a chemical compound called JWH or synthetic hashish. This is a white fine powder, mixed with any viscous, plastic base - ground coffee, chocolate, prunes, hookah tobacco. When making decoctions, molasses and starch are added, the aroma from such hashish resembles the base (sweet, coffee), there is no herbal undertone.

Stage five - landing

When the root has already appeared and its length has reached no less than 5 mm, then it is time to transplant. It is important not to allow the spine to become longer as it will get tangled in the cotton wool or sponge. This means that when the “hostage” is released, it is easy to damage him.

When transplanting, you need to be as careful as possible.

• We plant only with the root down or, in extreme cases, to the side. Never up! Make a hole in the substrate with your finger, no more than 1 cm deep, and simply gently push the seed into it.

Stage six - final

Forcing seedlings until the first pair of true leaves appears. The strongest and most tenacious plants will be obtained from those sprouts that shed the “helmet” of cotyledons in time, are firmly rooted in the substrate and do not have any damage.

Important! Babies need to be well watered in the first days of life. Moisten the soil/coconut/peat/mineral wool in small portions, a couple of times a day. Overwatering and underwatering can kill or severely delay the development of seedlings.

If plants sit in soil or peat, then they have all the nutrients they need for life. Mineral wool and coconut are sterile and neutral, that is, a drop of fertilizer (really very little is needed) should be mixed with water and watered periodically.

Keep lighting at 24/0 until the second pair of leaves appears. Then you can do 20 or 18 hours of light.

Legislative regulation

Cannabis refers to all products derived from hemp. These are marijuana (tops with inflorescences), hashish (pressed resin), concentrates (waxes), oils and edibles. In July 2019, amendments were made to the Federal Law “On Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances”. According to it, it is possible to grow hemp (have marijuana) for scientific, medical (veterinary), educational and expert purposes.

The sale and use of cannabis, marijuana, hashish, etc. are not legalized in Russia, this is due to the formation of addiction to the drug and the fatal consequences of use. Marijuana is included in List I of prohibited substances; liability for storage, purchase, transportation and production occurs under Art. 228 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. It all depends on the amount of drugs found, so cannabis oil is a minimum of 0.4 g, a maximum of 1 kg and above. Marijuana – minimum 6 g, especially large 10 kg. For hashish the penalty is 2 years.

Mineral wool cubes

They are sterile, so there is no risk of bacteria or infection. They help the sprouts develop a root system and get stronger before planting in the ground. They initially already have a recess for planting, and their fairly loose structure allows the roots to grow and develop calmly when transplanted into a pot. The homogeneous structure of the cube promotes the correct distribution of moisture and nutrients.

Before planting the seed, the cube is moistened abundantly. The future bush is placed in the hole and covered with a plastic glass to create a greenhouse effect to maintain optimal humidity. Water is periodically dripped onto it. It’s easy to check the need for hydration - just press the cube with your finger.

As soon as the sprout gets stronger, it is transplanted into a large pot along with mineral wool. Place it in a hole and sprinkle soil on top (a cube, not the entire sprout).

Flowering stage

Duration: 6 to 8 weeks

Which stage of cannabis growth is the most important?

This is the flowering stage! Ultimately, potency depends on how much time your cannabis grows into the flowering stage spends in the flowering stage: if it goes beyond the 8-week mark, you'll be in for a pleasant surprise at harvest time.

The flowering stage represents the final stage of the growth cycle, but not the life cycle, of your cannabis plants. One of the key factors during the flowering stage is to reduce the amount of light: 12 hours will be sufficient, along with a corresponding 12 hours of darkness.

For marijuana flowers, a constant temperature range of 20 to 25°C is recommended, as well as a moderate humidity of 50%. Nitrogen is no longer the most important nutrient; Now we need to feed the cannabis plants with potassium and phosphorus.

The end of the flowering stage marks a long-awaited milestone in the growing process and preparation for harvest.