Category: Growing Cannabis

Can You Sex a Cannabis Seed by Its Appearance?

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Many state that there are tricks on sexing a cannabis seed by its overall appearance. A popular photo shows on the Internet quite frequently, and a lot of cannabis growers use this photo as reference to sex their seeds.

Most cannabis growers would much rather know the sex of their seed immediately, but is this possible?

Here, we will go over this theory, as well as the photo.

Contrary to what many think, you cannot sex a cannabis seed simply by looking at a seeds characteristics. Furthermore, you cannot sex a cannabis seed, period.

Cannabis growers and cannabis enthusiasts alike- beware of this well-known myth.

If this were the case, the process for feminized cannabis seeds would not exist, and would not be such a “hit” in the cannabis seed market.

The Photo Behind the Myth

sexing cannabis seeds

Here is that photo that is widely recognized by many tokers and growers as a genuine guide to sexing cannabis seeds.

This photo displays five seeds (which honestly, may not even be cannabis seeds)- the photo states that two of the seeds are male, while the remaining three are female.

According to this photo, if there is no “perfectly round” crater present at the bottom of the seed, it is surely a male seed. This is purely myth.

In addition, you cannot sex a weed seed by the way it rolls on a flat surface. This photo should be considered nonsensical, however, there are still far too many who side with these false statements.

There are also many seed banks online who are currently selling seeds that they claim to be certain are feminized seeds, however, use the seeds’ characteristics as determination that the seeds are female.

There are even some seed banks who offer “free male seeds” to customers as a promotion.

JustCannabisSeed.com may not offer feminized seeds, but we do offer you the guarantee that your seeds’ genders are unknown- which is much better than having your hopes let down by a falsely-informed seedbank.

We would much rather tell you that we are unsure of the sex of your seeds, than to promise that they are either female or male cannabis seeds, and later find out that the exact opposite is true.

In Conclusion

There is no surefire, 100% guaranteed way of sexing a cannabis seed by its appearance. If anyone tells you otherwise, please let them know that this is a common myth. Stay informed with JustCannabisSeed.com.

Cannabis Seeds vs Clones Advantages and Disadvantages

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The biggest step to growing cannabis is making the decision to become a dedicated weed plant grower in the cannabis community.

After making this initial decision, you will be faced with many more options to consider from- including one of very high significance that we will talk about in this article.

Any grower of weed plants, between novice and expert, will all have differing views when participating in the clones vs cannabis seeds discussion.

Usually, you will receive an opinion that is either one extreme, or the other. This can make it awfully confusing for a new pot plant grower to decide for themselves in this popular debate.

Cloning is, obviously, an entirely different method of growing cannabis than growing from weed seeds. Cuttings are obtained from the parent plant to create completely separate plants which contain the exact same genetic makeup as the parent plant.

Many growers consider this to be an unprincipled method when growing marijuana plants, and others- a practical, inventive approach to growing new plants with a high potential for an unmatchable, impressive flower yield.

So, which method should one follow when taking their next steps in growing a cannabis plant?

We will list general pros and cons of growing weed plants by using each method, so you can better decide for yourself which method will suit you best when growing your marijuana plants.

Clones

When growing weed plants from clones, the germination process is one that will be skipped entirely.

This, however, does not mean that growing large, vigorous cannabis plants by cloning them is an easier process than from growing from seed. There are important things to consider since the clone will be genetically composed of the same makeup as its parent plant.

This can mean that issues of condition and health that are present in the parent plant will most likely negatively affect your clone.

Growing Cannabis from Clones- the Pros

The Force Cannabis Strain

Here are some general advantages of using clones regarding the clones vs seeds debate:

·         The process of growing cannabis plants from clones can be remarkably quicker and convenient, since the early, super-vulnerable stages of growth that occur when growing from seed are “skipped.”

·         If the parent plant of the clone possess great genetics and is in optimal health, this is a good indicator that your clone will be in positive condition as well.

·         Clones may be grown by repeatedly taking cuttings from parent plants, meaning that the need for seeds in order to grow marijuana plants may never arise again.

·         There is no need to worry about growing errors occurring during the seedling stage of weed plant growth.

Growing Cannabis From Clones-The Cons

Now, we will cover some of the disadvantages of using clones to grow cannabis plants that should be taken into serious consideration, especially by beginner cannabis growers:

·         There is an implied guarantee that if the parent plane the clone was taken from was in bad condition, whether it be immunity to common issues, plant disease, or overall bad genetics, your clone will inherit these problems.

·         If you seek to grow autoflowering cannabis strains, autoflowering plants are, in general, not able to be cloned. Photoperiod strains are the cannabis plants which are used for cloning purposes. The reason being is that autoflowering plants do not have a growth stage which is lengthy enough to allow the plant time to successfully grow from the cuttings that are taken.

·         Cloning is widely considered to be cheating when growing cannabis plants, especially by weed growers who believe in the more traditional methods associated with growing cannabis plants.

Growing Cannabis From Seeds

Young Cannabis Plants

·         Plants that are grown from seed have a greater potential to be stronger, much more resilient, and produce more extraordinary yields.

There are both benefits and downfalls when considering using the cloning method to grow cannabis plants compared to the old-fashioned method of growing from seed.

If you have decided that you would like to experiment with cloning plants, though, what information do you need to know in order to achieve results of the highest quality?

Most importantly, ensure that the parent cannabis plant is in good health and appears to exhibit decent genetic makeup.

In general, the best outcomes when taking cuttings to grow by using the cloning method are seen in the third generation- cannabis growers who are knowledgeable in the cloning method often say that this generation of plants has the toughest and speediest-growing plants with the most desirable yields produced.

The popular argument on cloning vs seeds regarding the growing of cannabis plants is still one with extremely opposing views and interpretations.

Nevertheless, no matter which method you choose to grow your cannabis plants, make sure that you conduct all of your research necessary in order to achieve maximum yield when growing weed plants.

Using Molasses as Fertilizer for Cannabis Cultivation

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Molasses is a common household item that can provide serious benefit when growing cannabis plants. It is cheap, and easy to obtain- it’s able to be bought at just about any grocery store.

Although very commonly overlooked, molasses can contribute greatly to the desired results when cultivating cannabis.

Soil is, of course, one of the downright most important factors in successfully growing marijuana plants. It contains vital nutrients and microorganisms that are imperative in the process of maintaining healthy cannabis plants during growth.

Soil must contain the proper nutrients, as well as the proper amount of nutrients, which is also vital in order for the beneficial microorganisms to flourish within.

These facts explain why molasses can be such a useful tool in the growth of marijuana plants. Molasses is extremely rich in nutrients that your plants need, and serves as an excellent source of carbohydrates to properly feed the microorganisms within the soil that, essentially, boost the soil’s ability to produce high-yielding marijuana plants.

Molasses also helps to prevent the build-up of potentially harmful pathogens and decreases the accumulation of salt, which can cause many different issues for your plant.

To use molasses in your cannabis grows, to feed your soil; ones needs to simple add it in the correct ratio.

One method is to include molasses in your plant’s watering schedule.

This is one of the easiest and most common methods used when utilizing molasses and its effects on cannabis growth. To do this, dissolve molasses in the water that you are going to water your plants with. It’s that simple. In order to figure out how much molasses to use, use the general guide of 1.5 tablespoons per 5 liters of water as reference. By using smaller doses like this, there’s less risk of issues arising such as nutrient burn.

Most often, the true benefits that molasses will provide to your marijuana plants will be noticed during the flowering phase of cannabis growth. However, it is still recommended that if using molasses to improve success in your weed plant’s growth, use the molasses method from the vegetative stage all the way through the flowering stage.

Molasses is great for many things, including growing outstanding marijuana plants. If the method of using molasses is used correctly, one should experience truly notable results.

Indoors vs. Outdoors? Which Environment is Best for Growing Cannabis?

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Piebert Cannabis Strain
Piebert Cannabis Strain

The ongoing debate remains a strong one regarding whether or not indoor or outdoor growing is better for cannabis plants. Of course, there are both advantages and disadvantages to indoor and outdoor growing. However, currently, commercial cannabis farming has changed many deciding factors on whether or not indoor or outdoor growing is best for growing marijuana plants.

Before legalization was as widespread as it is today in the U.S., the cultivation of cannabis plants was mainly through indoor growth. This was to keep the plants hidden and out of sight, so that less risk of getting caught growing weed plants was posed. However, now that a significantly large portion of states within the U.S. have legalized the growth of cannabis plants, profit regarding weed plant growth has made a huge impact on the primary environment in which cannabis plants are grown in.

Sativa Dominat Plant Free Seed Order
Indoor Grown Cannabis Flower

The answer is simple, though: it all depends on the grower and what works best for them, as well as their motives for growing marijuana. It is dependent on circumstance; the climate and latitude in your growing area, as well as whether you grow in a more rural or urban environment are all deciding factors on whether or not indoor or outdoor marijuana plant growth is best for you.

Indoor cannabis growing offers you complete control over the environment- temperature, light cycles and source, humidity, etc. are all factors that are in the hands of the grower when growing indoors. YOU are Mother Nature! When growing using outdoor farms, there is less investment involved, since light and soil are factors which do not require money (or as much money) to be spent on. However, natural risks can occur more easily and frequently when growing outdoors, which can be harder to prevent or treat than if growing indoors.

To solve the debate of whether or not indoor growing or outdoor growing is the better way to go when growing cannabis, the answer continues to remain an ambiguous one. It all depends on a number of factors. Whichever method works best for you should always be the method that you choose to produce the maximum yields in your marijuana plants.

Customers Cannabis Plants Grown From My Cannabis Seeds…..Awesome!!!

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Customer Grown Plants From My Cannabis Seeds

Growing Cannabis When Temperatures Go Up

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High summer temperatures can make your cannabis plants wilt, look droopy, cause leaf curl, and even curtail trichome production.

Excessive heat can also slow nutrient uptake, and if grown in pots can cause the root mass to over heat.

Most cannabis strains can easily withstand temperatures of close to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. But, when outdoor temperatures exceed 100 degrees, your plants can begin to suffer.

The western USA is struggling through a heat wave right now, and, where I live in WA state the highs have hovered around 115 degrees for the last few days.

So….what to do?

There are several tools cannabis cultivators can use to help them beat the heat!

  1. Utilize shade clothe. Shade clothe can lower temperatures when suspended over your cannabis crop. They do somewhat limit the amount of sunlight, but not enough to slow the plants growth much. I always use shade clothe on my greenhouse in the summer heat.
  2. Grow plants that have come from regions of the world that can experience high summer temperatures.
  3. If growing in pots….bury them in the ground so the root mass is cooler. One must realize that a pot sitting in the sun on a hot day can get as hot as the ambient temperature, and can bring plant growth to a standstill. Your cannabis plant will no longer be thriving…..it will just be surviving.
  4. One can actually water with ice instead of water. I have done this (in my greenhouse) and the plants seemed to love it…a cold drink of water on a hot day.
  5. Do not try to germinate seeds on those hot days, nor grow seedlings under the full summer sun. Well established plants can withstand those high temps much better then seedlings.
  6. Water….water….water….This is what will help your plants withstand high heat of those dog days of summer. Give them a cool drink on those hot days.
  7. Hopefully where you grow the nights are cooler. This can give your plants a nice break from the heat. And help them to withstand those high daytime temps.
  8. You should be aware cannabis plants can withstand high temperatures better when in their vegetative state. Once flowering begins the plant is looking for cooler fall weather. That being said, I have had auto-flowering cannabis plants flower beautifully in the heat of summer.

In conclusion: High summer temperatures do not need to be a deal breaker by any means! By taking a few precautions one can grow some great cannabis even in a hot spell.

I grew the big sativa that made up the bulk of my free seed offer seeds in my greenhouse through some very hot summer months. I was working long hours during that time and couldn’t care properly for her.

The temperatures exceeded 130 degrees in the greenhouse. I didn’t even put shade clothe on it. She was growing in the ground. All I did is pour the water on her. I would leave a hose just dribbling at her base, so she had cool water most days.

She thrived, grew to over 8 ft tall, and produced over 50,000 beautiful beans! Here she is pushing on the top of the greenhouse. She was a Beast!

Big Sativa
Big ‘Free Seed’ Sativa

Is This the Real Santa Marta Colombian Gold? My Journey Hunting for the Phenotype

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Be sure to sign up for my email list, as I spoil my list with exclusive discounts, and you will always get a heads up when I am adding more cannabis strains or seeds to the lineup, and when I add new content to the blog.

Well lets start at the beginning.

Santa Marta Colombian Gold Cannabis Strain

I grew my first Santa Marta Colombian Gold cannabis plant in 1969. I got the seeds from a kilo of ‘redbud’ that I had procured. Cannabis was generally fully seeded and fully mature in those days. No one here in the USA grew cannabis to speak of…..Certainly none was grown for bud to sell. And no one grew indoors either.

I lived in Southern Oregon at the time at nearly 4500 ft. above sea level. Needless to say, not the latitude one could successfully grow a long season tropical Sativa like plant like the Colombian Gold.

The growing season there was about 31/2 months. The Santa Marta Gold plants I grew got to about 6 ft. tall, and were very bushy, as they were about 6 ft. in diameter as well.

Long Season Santa Marta Colombian Gold Pheno

As fall approached the plants just barely began to flower, then the first frost brought an end to the grow. We didn’t know any better so we smoked the leaves, and basically got a sore throat.

I remember the plants were big, robust, healthy, and impressive. Thin Sativa like leaves, and very slow to flower, just what you would expect from a tropical Sativa.

Fast forward to today….

I have made it my passion to bring back some of those ‘old school’ cannabis strains of yesterday. So the pheno hunt has begun! I have grown Santa Marta seeds several times now, and can seed several distinct pheno-types. Some have asked how….if this is a Landrace Sativa strain…there can be ANY different pheno-types?? Well, what has happened is the Colombia Gold has been crossed….there in Colombia! The actual pure Santa Marta Colombian Gold of days gone by may be gone forever.

Santa Marta Colombian Gold Male

I can however try to isolate a pheno-type that is as close as I can get to the original genetics…..just like the plants I grew so long ago. And I am having some success…..

I found several pheno-types while growing out many of these plants….one has large leaves like an Indica dominate plant, and one is short and stocky. Both of these pheno-types are quick to flower, and are basically almost ready to harvest before my chosen pheno-type has gotten into full flower!

The pheno-type I have chosen is very Sativa dominate, and takes a long time to flower just as it should. These plants are very tall, slender, and have the thinner Sativa like leaves. I think this plant is close to the original.

I am propagating it as we speak. I have just one female, and one male….once their seed is mature I will produce enough to sell on this site. These will be F2’s and I will see if they breed true….if so, I think I will be close, and satisfied I have achieved my goal.

Then I will move on to my next project….Panama Red….

Benefits of Hydrogen Peroxide for Cannabis Plants

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The Force Cannabis Strain

Hydrogen peroxide is an extremely common antiseptic, found in many homes, as well as supermarkets, and even convenience stores. It is very cheap regarding its price, and easy to obtain. It has many great effects on cannabis plants; some of these effects aren’t commonly talked about.

In this article, you will learn of many different benefits that hydrogen peroxide can deliver to your cannabis plants.

 It is a convenient, safe, and cheap treatment to aid in pest control. Algae, Fungus Gnats, Powdery Mildew, Molds, and more pests can be completely obliterated by the use of diluted hydrogen peroxide.

It’s as simple as making a 1:4 hydrogen peroxide to water ratio solution, and spraying it on infected plants. It also deters pests, so that those pests (i.e., fungus gnats) do not return and cause a second infestation.

It can also eliminate weeds in grows where weeds are an issue, so be sure to use it if you ever encounter this issue also!

Beautiful Bud From a Free Seed Order

Hydrogen Peroxide is highly beneficial in soil grows. This is because it adds oxygen to the soil to aerate it.

Most of us know that the chemical molecule for water is H2O. However, hydrogen peroxide’s chemical molecule is H2O2. This means that there is one more oxygen molecule in hydrogen peroxide than in water, explaining the addition of oxygen to the soil. By mixing the same ratio as mentioned above of water and hydrogen peroxide, the resulting solution can serve as an excellent fertilizer for happier, healthier plants. It may also be added to water in hydroponic systems for the further incorporation of oxygen into the water.

Seed germination is yet one more process that hydrogen peroxide can provide great benefit to. As previously mentioned, hydrogen peroxide consists of one more oxygen molecule than water, which helps for seedlings to sprout from their seeds more quickly, being much stronger. A soak with the 1:4 hydrogen peroxide to water ratio can bring you outstanding results.

It is a remarkably valuable disinfectant that you may use for your supplies and tools. Since it is safe for plants, you can use it on any tools/supplies that you use in your cannabis gardening, and one cannot stress enough the importance of sanitation. It can also be mixed into the solution above to be sprayed in your growing area, such as a grow tent, or larger areas outdoors. It’s an overall disease-deterrent, so even if you have something on your tools that you definitely don’t want to bring to your plants, hydrogen peroxide will take care of that with very little effort. It also cleanses water, which is necessary for grow systems such as hydroponics.

Overall, hydrogen peroxide is wonderful for cannabis plants. It’s cheap, easy to obtain, safe, a useful disease-deterrent, and provides remarkable outcomes when applied to certain processes in cannabis growth. It serves as an effortless and ideally-suited disinfectant as well. Don’t underestimate the power of H2O2!

Aquaponics For Growing High-Quality Cannabis

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Hawaiian Cannabis Strain

Many talk about hydroponics when naming different methods for growing cannabis. However, it seems as if aquaponics isn’t spoken of nearly as much, although it serves as a great method for growing many different plants- including cannabis. Aquaponics consists of the combination of hydroponics with aquaculture. Hydroponics is the use of water for cultivation of plants, while aquaculture is the keeping of fish, or other aquatic (water) creatures in tanks, no matter the size of the tank(s).  Aquaponics systems are formed and built in a broad range of sizes, from a tiny indoor single fish tank, to a huge fish farm. We will talk about aquaponics on a much smaller scale, as an example here.

The aquaponics system works by acting as an eco-friendly symbiotic relationship. A symbiotic relationship is when two or more organisms live and thrive together while mutually benefiting one another. In aquaponics, the water serves as a medium for the plant to grow in, just as the hydroponics system does. However, it is more complex, and subjectively, much more interesting than hydroponics.

The Big Cannabis
The Big Cannabis Strain

The fish (or other aquatic animal) contributes waste to the water that serves as a medium for the plant’s growth. This happens from uneaten food, feces, etc., and although natural, this seems like it would lead to an unsanitary environment. However, it proves to be greatly beneficial to the entire system. This waste provides nutrients to the plants, acting as the plant’s fertilizer. In return, the plants convert certain chemicals, such as ammonia, into nitrogen, which is an excellent and necessary ingredient in fertilizer for cannabis, and especially crucial during the vegetative stage of growth. This process of conversion is called nitrification. The plant converts carbon dioxide into oxygen, and since water serves as the growing medium in this system, the fish is provided with the oxygen it needs to live by this. Simultaneously, the water is cleaned throughout the process, making aquaponics a totally self-sustaining system. It acts as a cycle, and requires minimum to absolutely no upkeep to maintain an aquaponics system.

 There are many advantages to using the aquaponics system to grow cannabis. First, aquaponics takes up much less space than grows that use soil as the medium. Also, plants grow quicker, larger, and denser, which is most desirable for cannabis growing enthusiasts. There is a reduced cost once the system is established, considering fertilizer is provided from the fish, naturally, through processes such as nitrification, for instance. Much less water is used in this process, since the water is cycled through and cleaned by the system itself, which also saves on money. Aquaponics also, in general, is a system with considerably less pest problems, because who enjoys fungus gnats, or stubborn weeds? Last, but not least, it is an extremely easy system to build, and you can do so with a simple, small Betta or Goldfish.

Overall, there are many benefits and advantages to using the aquaponics system to grow cannabis. Not only is it interesting to have a pet along with your plants, but this resource-saving, self-sufficient system is one that can be mastered by almost anyone.

Best Cannabis Strains for Growing Monster Plants

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Be sure to sign up for my email list, as I spoil my list with exclusive discounts, and you will always get a heads up when I am adding more cannabis strains or seeds to the lineup, and when I add new content to the blog.

Doing an outdoor grow? Want to grow those big monster plants that will give you a huge harvest? Up to 10 lbs?

I don’t blame you, although harvest time can be a bit overwhelming! But, who doesnt love multiple pounds of great cannabis buds from a single plant.

So which of the strains I offer would be good candidates for 10+ lbs of buds?

Here are my picks for the strains that will grow big, given the proper nutes, time, and light. Here is another post I wrote that goes into the details of growing 10 pound monster plants.

So here are my top picks for growing cannabis trees….

Santa Marta Colombian Gold a mostly Sativa plant ( the locals there have added genetics to this landrace strain)from the mountainous regions of Columbia South America

The Force a mostly Indica hybrid strain that shows excellent hybrid vigor, and the ability to get huge.

Santa Marta Colombian Gold/Jedi Glue a F1 hybrid I grew out that should share the ability to grow huge outdoors.

Paul’s Purple Fire I bought these seeds wholesale, but not only can these plants get big, this strain can turn purple in the coolness of fall.

Sugar Haze is a hybrid strain resulting from the cross of a Santa Marta Colombian Gold and Skunkman’s Original Haze. The Sativa influence will make this hybrid slower to flower, and longer to get bigger during the vegetative state.

BadAss BB’s is a cross of The Black and The Big. And like its mother can get BIG! You can also watch some of these plants turn so purple they almost appear black at harvest. Another purple strain that is sure to please.

The Black is a strain that can not only get huge grown out right, but can turn a very dark purple. This is an exotic strain you and your friends are sure to like. The ultimate purple strain of cannabis!

Santa Marta Colombian Gold X Sugar Haze is a F1 cross I grew out for seed. This strain is a mostly Sativa hybrid that growing huge should be no problem.

Hawaiian is a landrace/heirloom strain straight from the islands. It is slow to flower and Sativa dominate. Should work well for growing into a monster plant.

Lebanese is a landrace strain from that area of the world. A long winded strain that should share the ability to grow big given the right conditions.

So there you go. Either Go Big….or go home. LOL