Marijuana Horticulture Fundamentals. K of Trichome Technologies
bracts produce more trichomes or at least produce larger trichomes. Again, this only applies to some, not all, cultivars. All of this aside, the fact remains that seedless marijuana is more desirable to the consumer.
This bract is laden with trichomes.
Photo: MoD
This is a mature seeded bud. It is not sinsemilla.
Photo: Mel Frank
The female sinsemilla flower is comprised of small, trichome-laden leaves and bracts with stigmata protruding from their tips. The bract is commonly (and mistakenly) referred to as a calyx—hence the phrase “calyx-to-leaf ratio,” a measurement of bracts / calyx to leaves. The bracts are covered with trichomes, more so than the surrounding leaves. In most cases, the higher the bract / leaf ratio is, the higher the THC levels of the bud are. For example, a 60/40 calyx (bract) to leaf ratio is better than a 30/70 ratio and will produce superior buds / flowers both in quality and quantity of overall flavor, strength, and THC levels. Many seed companies use these ratios when they advertise their strains.
Always monitor the perimeter of your grow room.
Photo: Stoned Rosie
Some states in the USA have drug-free zone laws dictating severe penalties for persons possessing or growing marijuana, medical or otherwise, in a given proximity to schools. Investigate the laws in your location.
Consider consulting a medical marijuana lawyer (consult the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML; norml.org) or Americans for Safe Access (ASA; safeaccessnow.org) to find one. It will give you peace of mind and inform you of the law and your plant limits.
Never possess firearms. For “possession of a firearm while committing a felony” you could be sentenced to five years in prison for one gun. Be positive that you have no warrants or unpaid parking or moving violation tickets. Do not have parties, guests, or unacceptable noise at your grow location that might disturb neighbors, causing them to call law enforcement. Sometimes, you are guilty by association. Do not have criminal friends.
Whether you choose to grow in your basement, spare bedroom, outbuilding, or outside in your backyard, prying eyes are a serious concern. Being able to bring growing supplies and materials in and out of the location without your neighbors or anyone else wondering what you are doing—or worse, knowing exactly what you’re doing—is paramount. Preferably, the area should be quiet and private, with a buffer zone between your grow area and public access.
A legal California medical marijuana garden. The posted signs denote that it has been recommended by a physician.
Photo: K
Electrical availability is the most important factor in choosing a location. Do not overload circuits and make sure there is more available power than you need. Also, it is imperative that your location have a building code-compliant electrical system. No substandard wiring can be tolerated. All outlets, fixtures, timers, etc. must be heavy duty, grounded, and installed by a professional. If you are not capable, then consult a licensed qualified electrician or educate yourself at your local hardware store and library—look for basic electrical books.
Remember: inspected fire extinguishers properly rated for electrical and structural fires may someday save your life. Buy many of them and place them in the critical areas of the building.
The location of your power meter is also a big issue. You want the meter to be in a secure location away from public view and law enforcement. At the same time, you must grant easy access to the meter reader without having them walking past your growing area, which risks arousing suspicions of your activity and may cause you big legal problems.
Light leaks can tell everybody what you are doing; you can’t have the windows of your house, basement, or outbuilding illuminate every time you access the growing area. Stop all light leaks! Keep lights on in the daytime and off at night. If possible, avoid detectable (thermal-imaging) hot spots. If you must keep your lights on at night for temperature reasons (i.e., winter nights get very cold), utilize a good heater to maintain constant temperature and use a thermal shield along with your insulation in your wall construction.
While it seems funny, this note, which was left on the door of a largescale grow in California, caused a complete tear down of the operation which ultimately cost over $250,000 and led to significant delays in production. Keep your work discreet.
Getting a note like this in your mailbox will cause big problems. A friend received this little note when he showed up at his grow facility one morning! It caused complete pandemonium and a complete shutdown of all growing activities at a cost of $250,000 to the operation. The cause? Smell! Filtration was neglected and trace odors escaped the building during harvest.
You must have excellent ventilation possibilities, ideally access to the roof or areas where you are able to draw in and exhaust vent air—preferably a place not visible to passersby. Do not vent growroom air to an insecure area with public access. All incriminating odors must be eliminated, period! Your growing area must have slightly more air going out than in, creating a negative pressure so errant smells will not escape. All air must be filtered with carbon / charcoal filters (covered in the chapter on ventilation). Ozone generators kill unwanted smells and in return create their own smell; they are sometimes useful outside of growrooms.
Note, however, that you do not want to place ozone generators in the growing area because they will greatly diminish the final smell / flavor of your buds. Also, it is wise to place urinal cakes in the final exhaust duct to eliminate trace odors. Again, you must eliminate all odors—many a search warrant has been granted on the grounds of smell alone.
Cannabis is just another crop; it is a great companion to all of the other plants in your garden.
Photos: K