how to grow

Chosing Your Desired Strain

It’s very important to start with good genetics. What are good genetics? You tell us. Do you enjoy that hard hitting, sedative stone that puts you to sleep? Maybe you like the soaring euphoric cerebral qualities that will leave you in a hazed fluster? Or perhaps a little of both? There are three distinguished variations of the marijuana plant. These three variations include Cannabis Sativa, Cannabis Indica, and Cannabis Ruderalis.
Cannabis Sativa

Cannabis Sativa is a hard plant to grow indoors due to high lighting requirements, tall stature, and late flowering traits. Sativas come from equatorial regions, thus the neccesity for high ammounts of lighting and a warmer tropic-subtropic climate. You can identify a Sativa by its long, slender, finger-like leaves. A Sativa will typically produce a euphoric, energetic, cerebral high. Despite the Sativa’s climatic limitations, they are truly a reward to obtain, grow, and smoke. A pure Sativa will take 2 to 4 months to finish flowering.
Cannabis Indica

Cannabis Indica is a great plant to grow indoors as well as outdoors due to its low lighting requirements and tight internode spacing, also offering resistance to fungus and pests, early maturation tendencies, and dense flower production. Indica’s come from colder climates exhibiting the traits described above by acclimating to the environment from whence they came. Their stout stature and extremely wide leaflets make them easy to identify. An Indica generally produces a hard hitting, tiresome, sedative stone, and will take around 45 to 60 days to finish flowering.
Cannabis Ruderalis

Cannabis Ruderalis is not a very good choice for flower production, indoors or out. Despite maintaining a short stature, growing only one to five feet tall, and maturing rather quickly, Ruderalis just doesn’t produce the yield or quality one looks for in their flowers. A slight light cycle reduction can trigger a sprout with as little as 2 to 3 leaf sets to flower. Ruderalis spontaneously initiates flowering a few weeks after sprouting, and will not produce decent flowers unless the photoperiod provides around 18 to 19 hours of light. Even then, the yield and quality are less than desirable, incomparable to that of the Sativa or Indica sub-species. Hybrids You didn’t think we’d forget to mention Hybrids, did you? Hybrids can carry the best of both worlds regarding high and growth patterns in their genetic makeup, some will not. A Hybrid has potential to exhibit every good trait one looks for when breeding. A rather common Hybrid is hard hitting, euphoric, energetic, dense, and stout, making that particular hybrid the perfect all around plant for someone looking for that particular high, growing indoors, as well as out. It all comes down to your growing conditions and personal preference. Obtaining Your Desired Strain Attempt to find seeds from local gardeners that have been acclimated to the local climate conditions, and carry the best floral characteristics—potency, aroma, flavor, vigorous growth, early maturation, resistance to fungus and pests. Look for seeds that are dark brown or light grey. Some may have dark lines inset into these colors, like tiger stripes. White, small seeds are immature and should not be planted. All of these factors are considered by the seasoned gardener. You will benefit enormously by finding a friend to get you started. However, some of us are not fortunate enough to find these “friends” to aid in our seed need, so we go international. Ordering your seeds from an online seedbank becomes ideal in this scenario. Seedbanks are a great place to search for specific breeds you’ve grown rather fond of, as well.
Lighting

Light is needed by a plant for using nutrients and manufacturing food. It has a great influence on chlorophyll production, growth rate, leaf size, and flower and seed production. Light will be one of the most important aspects of your grow operation. For the purposes of growing marijuana, there are two basic types of lights: fluorescent’s and high intensity discharge (HID), including MV (mercury vapor), MH (metal halide), and HPS (high pressure sodium).
HID vs. Fluorescent

The main difference is that fluorescent’s create light by passing electricity through a gas vapor under low pressure and HID creates light by passing electricity through a gas vapor under high pressure. HID lights are much brighter and while initially more expensive, are more cost efficient to operate and will grow a much nicer crop. Therefore, they are the light of choice for most indoor growers.
Fluorescent

Fluorescents come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. There are compacts, twist bulbs and circle bulbs. They all work the same way. They have a starter and ballast which help provide a steady and regulated amount of electricity to the light. Before HID lights were available indoor growers used fluorescent lights. While fluorescents can be used for an entire grow from seedling to harvest, it is generally not advised to use them in this way. To grow effectively with fluorescent’s, think small. These lights are better suited for starting seedlings, rooting clones and small plants, maintaining moms for cloning purposes, and providing sidelight for the undergrowth. These situations do not require a high intensity of light to run their course. The light emitted by fluorescents is gentler and more diffuse, it doesn’t release a lot of heat, and doesn’t make the plant work as hard. For this reason they can be kept closer to the plant. One or two inches is sufficient, but this also means that the lights must be adjusted almost daily to accommodate growth which can be troublesome.
High Intensity Discharge

There are basically three types of HID lights. Mercury vapor (MV), metal halide (MH), and high pressure sodium (HPS). These lights also require a starter and a ballast.
Mercury Vapor

Mercury vapor is the type of lights that were used for streetlights many years ago. Not very good for growing because it doesn’t provide enough of the right kind of light spectrum. While they do provide a littleof the blue spectrum, MV also produces too much heat to get very close to a plant, and are very inefficient to operate.
Metal Halide

The metal halide is a very good source of the white/blue spectrum of light that is ideal for vegetative growth. Many growers use MH during the vegetative phase. MH is bright and cost efficient to operate, but not as efficient as HPS lights. Most commonly used sizes are 400 watt and 1,000 watt. Works best when used in combination with HPS lights.
High Pressure Sodium

The best light available today for growing marijuana. High pressure sodium lights are very bright and very efficient. This light has a red/orange spectrum that is ideal for the flowering phase. With enough of these kind of lights you too can grow those centerfold buds. HPS comes in a wide variety of wattages from 70 watts up to 1,000 watts.
Lighting Forumlas

To correctly determine the best lighting for your space there are several things that you have to know. At this point, a couple of definitions are in order. The amount of light emitted by one candle that falls on one square foot of surface one foot away is called a lumen (lm). The amount of electricity flowing through a wire is measured in watts. Watt (W) hours measure the amount of watts used in one hour. A kilowatt/hour (kWh) is 1,000 watt/hours (Wh).
Operating Costs

Find your kWh charge on your electric bill. Assume you have a 1,000 W light and your kWh charge is $.05/hour. A kilowatt (kW) equals 1,000 W, therefore it will cost you $0.05 cents per hour to run that light. Here’s another example. Say you have a 400 W light and your kWh charge is $0.03. Since 400 W is not a kilowatt, you must divide 400 by 1,000 (0.4 kW) and multiply that by the kWh rate from your electricity bill (0.03 kWh), leaving you with a cost of $0.012 cents per hour.
Lumens Per Square Foot

To determine how many lumens per square foot you have, find out the square footage of your space by multiplying the width and depth. Divide the lumens available by your square footage. This will give you lumens per square foot. For example, say your space is 3 feet deep by 4 feet wide, for a total of 12 square feet. The total lumens available from your light(s) is 45,000 lumens, which means you have 3,750 lumens per square foot.
How Much Light Do I Need?

Technology has advanced so much in the last 15 years that we are constantly refining the process and updating what we know works best for growing. Current theory holds that the minimum amount of lighting needed to sustain growth is around 2,000 lumens per square foot. Mid range is around 5,000 lumens per square foot. Optimal is 7,000 to 7,500 or higher lumens per square foot. How Many Watts Do I Need? The general rule of thumb for providing light for an area is a minimum of 30 W per square foot. 50 W per square foot is optimal. You can determine the proper lighting for your area by using this formula: Watts x Square Feet For example, say you have an area of 10 square feet and a 30 W. That would mean you have a 300 W per square feet minimum. Also, remember that fluorescent’s are weaker and emit less light than an HID. This means you will need 5 times the amount of wattage to equal the output of an HID. So, 30 W of HID would equal 150 W of fluorescent’s. This is why it is advised to provide a minimum of 30 W per square foot for HID lights and a minimum of 150 W per square foot for fluorescent’s. This is all important because the light intensity will directly affect the quality and yield of your crop. If you have less than optimal lighting your yield and potency will be reduced and buds will not develop as dense. This point can not be stressed enough. You must have the right amount of light for your space to grow high quality bud.
Can I Have Too Much Light?

The basic answer is no. According to the law of diminishing returns, you could theoretically reach a point when your plants just couldn’t absorb any more light, but it would be impossible to have that many lights in your space. Heat from the lights would become a problem long before you ever reached that point. So use as many lights as you want, just control the heat. Experimentation is the only sure method to determine the best solution for each plant. If plants are not receiving enough light, they begin to grow tall and spindly as if stretching for the light and foliage becomes pale green. Or, if they need to be moved closer to the light, or given a longer light exposure period. Too much light may lead to bleaching of leaves and flowers, browning and shriveling. Leaves would become overly compact and curl under at the edges.
Photoperiod

Your plants should be started and taken through vegetative growth with a 24/7 or 18/6 light regimen. The reason for an 18/6 regimen is to give the plants a short dark period to breathe and to reduce your electric bill a little bit. Most plants thrive with at least 16 hours of light a day. Adjustments should be made according to individual plant requirements. For flowering 12/12 is the norm. Again, adjustments may need to be made. A minimum of 12 hours of darkness is required to trigger the flowering process.
Lighting No-No’s

Don’t burn your plants by getting them to close to the light(s). Fluorescent’s do not put out much heat and can be as close as one or two inches. HID lights get much hotter and will need to be farther away. A good test is to put your hand between the light and the plant. If your hand gets too hot for comfort, the light is too close. There are some common lights that may induce a seed to come up, but are worthless for growing purposes. These lights include; Any incandescent (regular) light bulb, halogen lights, black lights and heat lamps. Don’t waste your time trying to grow with these lights, you will only be disappointed.
Germination

So, you have your beans in your hand. Now you are wondering what you are gonna do to get these to start growing. If you have purchased seeds from a reputable seed bank then you can be sure that they are all fit to attempt to germinate since they have been through a screening process already. However, if you have obtained your seeds from a bag then you need to do some simple checks to see if the seeds are viable or not. One way to test yourself is to lightly squeeze the seed between your index finger and thumb. If it gets crushed, then it’s no good. Usually white, dried up seeds are immature and will crush. Dark green, green or brown seeds are more apt to germinate well. You can’t tell the sex of a plant by looking at the seeds. The are some theories here but there are no physical signs that one can use to distinguish male from female seeds. Some people like to germinate the seed using methods such as the paper towel method before they grow the plant. This is to ensure that the seeds get off to a good start. But it is not really necessary to do this unless you have a large amount (50 ore more) of seeds for your area. If you only have a few seeds then you can plant them right in the soil.
Paper Towel Method

To germinate in a paper towel simply place the seed between to dampened pieces of the paper towel. Next, place the seed/towel combination into a Tupperware container or plate. Set the container on top of a computer monitor, refrigerator or propagation pad and wait until the seed cracks and you see a tiny white root tip start to emerge from the seed.
Planting The Seed

After you have germinated the seed you will see a little white root sticking out of the split shell. Dig a small hole in the soil. The end of a pencil works great for making a hole. When planting the seed or sprout be sure to only go down 1/4″ to 1/2″ and drop the seed in. Make sure that the root or pointy side of the seed is pointing down when inserting into the soil. Fill over the whole with soil, then keep the soil moist but not damp/wet with some water. You should provide at least 4″ of vertical space for the tap root to grow down. Place one seed each in a 20 ounce cup, or a one gallon pot, then place your pot under your lights. Start with a 24/7 light cycle, meaning twenty-four hours on, seven days a week. You should see sprouts within 2-14 days depending on your individual conditions and the method you used. For quickest results try and keep the temperature in the mid to high 80′s (F). You will see slower germination rates but lower temperatures are acceptable as well (70s), this will simply increase the amount of time it takes to germinate the seed.
What To Look For

The sprout will emerge first with the two seed leaves. These leaves are small, smooth and round followed by a set of single bladed, serrated leaves known as the first leaves. The height of your light from the sprout will depend on what kind you are using. If using florescent lights, they usually run cool enough to put them within 1-2 inches of your sprouts. If your going with a HPS or MH type of light, they get hot, so you won’t want them too close. A good way to test a light is to put your hand between the plant—or in this case soil—and test how hot it is with your hand. If it’s uncomfortable for your hand, it’s too hot. Raise the light up until you reach a good temperature. These type of lights will also dry your soil out fast, so keep your eye on it. Once your light is set and the leaves start coming in you now are on you way to growth stage. Once you see the plant break though the top of the soil—it should take from 1 day to 1 week—you will see two small round leaves. Your plant will grow up a few inches with the two leaves getting a bit bigger and new leaves starting between the two round ones. Your stem will probably look white, green or even purple at this stage. The color depends on what strain of plant you have.
What To Avoid

It’s advised that you refrain from giving your plant fertilizer during the first stages of growth. These stages are quite delicate, it doesn’t take much to make a fatal mistake. Remember though, that throughout the whole life span of your plant, like most other things in life, the more things you have going on at one time, the more likely for a problem to arise. Your best bet is to keep things simple.
Vegetative Growth & Flowering

Once your new sprout starts producing leaves, you are in the vegetative growth stage of the plant. Only water when the soil is dry all the way to the bottom of the container it is growing in. You can check by sticking a finger through one of the drain holes in the bottom of the pot to feel how wet the soil is, or by using a water meter. Perhaps the best method, however, is to wait for the plant to tell you it needs water. The leaves will start wilting slightly and the plant generally looks “thirsty.” The reason this method is preferable to others is twofold—one, you are assured of not overwatering, and two, allowing the soil to dry out completely stimulates the roots to grow as they search for water.
More Roots = Bigger Plant = More Buds

Probably the most common error for new growers is overwatering. Over watering will cause the plant to grow poorly, and if continued will lead to root rot and eventual death. Be careful if you are starting out with a large pot. If you water a small plant too much in a large pot, the plant may not be able to soak up all that water. It may look dry on top, but you might end up having mud on the bottom of the soil. This will cause root rot on your plant and is very unhealthy. A plant that is not watered enough is much more healthy then a plant that is watered too much. It’s also harder to recover from over watering then under watering. As a rule 1/2 inch of gravel or another suitable, high draining mixture at the bottom of the pot will help to prevent this problem and will also stop the plant from drowning if it’s over-watered. It’s a good idea to have a fan hooked up and ready to go once the plant breaks though the soil. Having a fan blowing on the stem from the start of growth will insure a good strong stem so the plant will be able to hold it self upright during its life span. Simulating wind by providing a gentle breeze will help your stem grow strong to support the weight of the leaves and buds as the wind will cause small tears in the plants stem walls, tears that are repaired as the plant grows and provide strength to the main stem. Bigger, stronger stems = bigger, stronger plant = more & better buds.
Bigger Stems = Bigger Plant = Bigger Buds

The temperature can be anywhere from the low 70s to the high 80s with no damage to the plants. For soil, the desired pH range is between 6.3 and 6.8 generally speaking. Anything in that range will be safe for your plant. The humidity should be around 60% for vegetative growth. During the vegetative cycle feed your plants a high Nitrogen (N) food. There are many kinds of products that carry high Nitrogen content. It’s generally best to start the mixture out at 1/4 the recommended dosage and increase the strength whilst the plant grows and develops in both foliage and root size, overdoing the nutrients at this point will not make the plant grow faster, but will most likely burn it. For vegetative growth, look for a fertilizer with a NPK ratio of roughly 2-1-1. NPK is the number found on fertilizer packages that signifies the amount and ratio of the three major nutrients needed by plants: Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K). For this stage, then, look for a fertilizer that has roughly twice as much N as it does P and K. Now that your plant is around the 12″ mark or 4-6 weeks old, you might notice the leaves sets start to alternate. When the top branches start to alternate this is the sign that your plant has reached maturity and are ready to be flowered. Since you have your plant in the 24/7 cycle let the plant grow for as long as you like. A plant may double, triple even quadruple its’ height when flowering. Sativas can stretch up to 4 times there height and Indicas generally double in height. Some strains call for up to 8 weeks of vegetative growth. Your height, yield and potency will all depend on the strain and the way it was grown. As our aim is for bud, and lots of it, we will try and avoid massive plants unless we have the light to provide them with, otherwise we get a plant with huge stems, and only bud at the top 9 or 10 inches. Remember, you can only get “bud” from a female plant. So you want to focus your efforts on the female plants. In order to find the sex of the plant, get a light timer and put the lights on a cycle of 12-hours on and 12-hours off. Having a light timer is much easier then doing it manually and is much more accurate. Make sure your plants get the complete 12hours of darkness during this stage. Any light interruption may prolong your sexing results for days or even weeks. Your flowering stage may take 2-3 months. You need to keep them on a constant cycle and remember to have complete darkness during the 12 hours of no light. Any interruption may cause reduced yield, potency, or extended harvest. During the flowering cycle feed your plants need a high Phosphorous (P) food. There are many kinds of products that carry high amounts of Phosphorous. Generally start out the mixture at 1/2 the recommended dosage. The humidity should ideally be around 40% to 55% for this stage. After a few days to usually 14 days of your 12/12 cycle, look for little white hairs (indicating a female) or little balls (which will be male) starting to grow at the base of each internode. The hairs will grow to about 1/4″ long or so. They will be easily visible. Expect to see a pair of these hairs at each site. The balls may also grow at the base of each branch. They will grow in bunches and look a little like horns before forming. These balls contain pollen. As soon as you have identified what sex your plant is (male or female) then cull the males (remove them from the area) to give the females more room and more light. This is the start of the buds forming. As time goes on the buds will get bigger and bigger and they will use more and more fertilizer. It is advised that you stop using ferts 2 weeks before your harvest to ensure that all chemicals are out of the plant. If chemicals are in the plant when you harvest, the smoke will be very harsh. To prevent harshness, flush the plants heavily with fresh water 2 weeks prior to harvesting them. Ensure you flush at least 3 times the capacity of your pot. So a 4 gallon pot would be flushed with 16 gallons of fresh water. You can smoke male plants, but the main focus is the female bud. This is rich with THC and can be very enjoyable to smoke. Soon you will be harvesting your plant once it has grown to the point where it stops, and begins to swell and become ripe.
Harvest (Drying & Curing)

The harvesting, drying, and curing of a mature cannabis plant is the climax of the growing experience, it is the final step in claiming cultivation independence. Although these are the last steps of the cultivation process, they are of the most critical to the final product. The harvest, for example, depending on the cultivators ability to judge maturity, can greatly increase or decrease the levels of THC, as well as the levels of CBN and CBD.
Preparation

Cannabis is harvested when the flowers are ripe. The best indicator of ripeness is the color of the flower’s pistils. Over the course of the flowering period, these pistils begin to die and, depending on the strain, turn different shades of brown, orange, and so on. Many cultivators choose to harvest when 60-75% of the pistils, or “hairs” have changed colors. Optimum harvest times will vary widely with each Cannabis strain, so the best way to find that perfect harvest time is to experiment! Try cutting buds off during different times of flower (one at 6 weeks, then one at 7 weeks, etc.) to determine which time period suits you best. When picked early and immaturely, Cannabis flowers will contain a lower concentration of CBN and CBD while maintaining a high amount of THC content. For some, flowers that have been picked a bit early are desirable, as the higher level of THC produces a very ‘up’ and cerebral high. When Cannabis buds are picked in a more mature state, the levels of THC drop and the levels of CBN and CBD increase. This fluctuation is cause for a more ‘down’ and stoney high. Sit back and have some food already prepared!
Final Yeild

The final yeild of the plant will depend greatly on your chosen harvest time, nutes you have provided over the course of the plants life, time given for the plant to vegetate, soil mixture/hydro solution used, and many more variants. Keep in mind, a bud weighs more when fully ripe and freshly picked. After a proper dry and cure, the average loss of weight is around 75 percent. Because of impatience, most novice cultivators want to pick flowers early. That’s OK! Be sure, however, to take buds from the middle of the plant or the top. Allow the rest to continue maturing. Often, the tops of the plants will be ripe first. Harvest these and let the rest of the plant continue to ripen. You will notice the lower buds getting larger and more resinous as they come into full maturity. The overall yeild can be increased with a staggered harvest as the lower branch buds are receiving higher amounts of light and more attention from the plants internal chemical processes. Use a magnifier and try to see the capitated stalked trichomes (tiny THC crystals on the buds). If most are clear, not brown, the peak of floral bouquet is near. Once most of these trichomes have reached a brown color, the THC levels are dropping and the flower is past optimum potency, declining rapidly with light and wind exposure. Don’t harvest too late! Watch the plants and learn to spot peak floral potency.
Manicuring

Manicuring tends to be the most tedious of the cultivation processes. It is the point when you remove all the excess fan leaves and unwanted foliage from your flowers. This stage can be executed in one of two ways, either wet or dry. A wet manicure tends to be much cleaner, as the leaves are still moist and will not create too much of a mess, whereas a dry manicure can leave quite a sticky mess! Use a pair of clean, sharp scissors or clippers to remove the excess. Work your way from the largest leaves to the smallest to make the process much easier. Many people clip around the bud as if they were giving it a hair cut, snipping the outer extremities of the bud, leaving a clean, beautiful nugget. Do not dry Cannabis flowers in the sun, as this process has shown to reduce the potency of the buds. Slowly drying buds by hanging or laying them in a ventilated area is all that is needed to ensure great sensi. Bud is much more pleasing to the taste when it has been slow-dried over the course of a couple of weeks, depending on the density of the flowers. Leafier bud will take less time, as heavier bud will take much longer. Although you may want your bud to taste premium when fully completed, sometimes impatience gets the best of you. If your in a hurry, it’s fine to dry a small amount in-between paper sheets or a paper bag in a microwave oven. Be sure to watch the bud and not let it get over-dryed. As convenient as this is, the end result will be a very harsh smoke with a most unpleasant taste as the chlorophyll has not had the chance to convert into starches and sugars.
Properly Dried Bud

A good indicator of a properly dried bud is actually its stem. If you are able to bend the stem a bit before it snaps in half, it is ready to be cured. This is another critical part of the cultivation experience. A bud that has been properly cured can be much more potent than one that has not. Following a simple process will ensure a great-tasting, mind-blasting smoke.
Containers

Glass jars, metal coffee tins, or tupperware, amongst other items, can be used to cure your buds. Place the well-dried flowers in the container of your choice and leave it in a relatively cool, dark place. Remove the lid from the container daily and turn the buds, allowing carbon dioxide to escape. Repeat this process for at least two weeks, or until you achieve the desired taste and/or potency.
Avoid Light

Lastly, make sure to keep the dried and cured bud in a container away from heat or light exposure as much as possible and you will be pleased with the long shelf-life of your very own harvest!
Outdoor Cultivation

For many cultivators, outdoor growing is by far the best. It will produce the most potency and unlike indoors,you can grow 12 foot monsters if conditions are correct. Being a naturally robust and fast growing plant marijuana thrives in full sun-but will produce satisfactorily with only 5 hours of direct sunlight.
Ouside -vs- Inside

Growing outdoors has many benifits especially in comparison to indoor cultivation. No elecricity bills, no huge monetary layout, and also no dark times to keep you away from your plants. Sunlight tends to reach more of the plant and often the bottom of the plant is as developed as the top, especially when grown in full sunlight. From seed to harvest outdoors can be a long, and though very enjoyable time, one can be faced with a number of problems. In the 6 months or so it takes to grow out your plants, rain and wind can rip little buds apart, deer may eat your crop, rodents, snails and a number of insects/bugs can and will destroy an entire crop. These things need to be considered, vigilance and care can keep problems to a minimum. The most important factors to be considered before planting, however, are Security, the need for maximum light, quality of the soil in the area and water availability. A compromise of these basic factors will assist you in choosing the most appropriate site for your crop.
Light Exposure

Light exposure is all important when first locating a site. Try to find an innocuos spot where the sun shines for the longest period of time. If you must choose between the morning sun and afternoon sun, it has been shown that the morning sun is more penetrative. Optimum exposure would be 8-5, however, 10-4 will suffice. Large open areas have the best exposure although if electing to grow on a slope usually the south side of a hill receives the most sunlight (in the northern hemisphere, north side of the hill for you in the southern hemisphere). Keeping in mind that sunlight at higher altitudes is more intense due to the thinner atmosphere. East/West exposures can be very benificial when getting the morning and midday sun.
Security

There are many precautions one can take to protect their bounty from poachers and the law, which include pruning to obscure that distinctive cone-shape of a cannabis plant. Another is intercropping/companion planting-plant amongst soybeans, tomatoe plants, bamboo, sugar cane, etc. When growing away from the house-in the wild-access to water can be a huge challenge. Once you have chosen a site, well away from prying eyes and in direct sunlight, water must be your next consideration. It must be available nearby or close to the soil surface otherwise you will have to carry it in.
Water Source

Water is heavy and watering is very hard work let alone the risks taken walking back and forth to your crop every 4 or 5 days in mid-summer. Try to find an area as close to a source of water as possible, a novel idea in this regard is to find water in the mountains-at altitude-and route it down to a lower spot close by. It is possible to create water pressure in a hose this way, and route it to a drip system that feeds the plants at continuous intervals. You can take a 5 gallon (20 litre) drum and punch holes in it, run a hose from the main oriface and secure it somehow. Bury the drum in a river or stream under rocks,so it is hidden and submerged. Bury the hose coming out of it and run it down hill to your garden area. A little engineering can save a lot of hard work-and this rig can be used year after year.
Ground or Pot Planting?

You will also need to decide whether you are going to plant in the ground, which is by far the best option, or into large pots. Planting directly into the ground gives you freedom from rootbound worries and the need for transplanting. Some growers prefer growing in large pots, however, so the plants can be easily transported should the need arise. Entire crops have been saved due to being transportable in pots. Also, by digging a big hole and placing the pot inside it, you can reduce the height of your plants if fence level is an issue.
Plot Selection

Once deciding upon your plot, begin by digging a big hole with at least 2.5 feet dimensions. The bigger the better and if tree roots are present,be sure to dig as wide as possible. The soil quality will now be more easily analysed, however there is no one perfect soil to grow cannabis in. Different varieties grow within a wide range of soil conditions. Your objective is a soil comprising of good drainage and aeration, high in available nutrients and with an average pH. Though thesedays,outdoor growers aim for a pH. reading of 6.3 to 6.8. Cannabis grows very poorly in extremely compacted soils with poor drainage and extreme pH. When the soil in the plot is not adequate, options are open to you in the way of improving the soil medium. Soil conditioners are available or you can carry topsoil in. Plants grown in the ground should grow much bigger and will need more space than smaller, indoor plants. How far apart you space them will greatly depend on variety, plus whether or not the plant has been topped. Pruned plants have a much wider base than unpruned plants. Plants which are topped more than once can grow twice the size as they normally would. The more space afforded to each plant the more sunlight they will receive, therefore growing bigger thus increasing yeild.
Green house

When choosing to grow in a greenhouse it is a good idea to disguise it as a tool shed, or some similar structure which can partially be achieved by using only one wall and the roof of white opaqued plastic, PVC, Filon or glass, and using a similar colour material for the rest of the shed-or painting it white or silver to look like metal. Try to make it appear as if it has always been there, with plants and trees that grow around to mask it while still allowing in sunlight. Clear plastic sheets of Filon (corrugated fibreglass) are available and you can opaque them with white wash (made from lime) or Epoxy resin tinted with white or gray painted on in a thin layer-this will pass more sun than white PVC or Filon. The coats of Epoxy resin will also protect the Filon for many, many seasons. Be sure not to tint the resin too much. You need to also keep the sun blockage to a minimum. Filon can also be used as a roof/cover for any plants in the garden requiring camaflage and protection.
Deer, Rodents & Insects
Deer

Deer have an extremely sensitive sense of smell, as much as six times more so than dogs. Deer are very wary of predator scents such as urine and hair. Of these, urine has the stronger scent and the urine of the deer’s natural predators – bobcat, fox, wolf or coyote would probably serve best. One such method is as follows: Materials

* Small plastic bottle
* Cotton balls
* Fishing line
* Coyote urine (garden supply store)

First you’ll want drill or puncture several holes about 1/8 of an inch in diameter around the middle of the bottle. Then stuff the bottle with the cotton balls and soak the cotton well with the coyote urine and place the cap back on the bottle. Hang the bottle with the fishing line from one of your perimeter plants and resoak the cotton every 2-3 weeks. There are also natural scents such as putrified (rotted) eggs or the blood based (bloodmeal) deterrants that work well, but must be reapplied after each rain or particularly heavy dew. Strong scented soaps like Irish Spring will work in a pinch, and dryer sheets, like Bounce, torn into strips and tied to the stalks will work even better. Using human hair is an old tried and true method that requires nothing more than a few inches of your hair or asking your barber if you can have his floor sweepings. Just tie clumps of hair to the stalks to keep deer away. But this method like the blood and soap methods must be repeated after each rain. One of the simplest, easiest and most effective methods is stringing a strong monofilament fishing line around the perimeter of your grow about 3 1/2 to 4 feet above the ground. I know it seems ridiculous, but deer won’t advance past the point where the string touches their chest because deer have a natural fear of anything they feel but can’t see. Of all the methods to repel or deter deer nothing beats a good fence. But since deer can jump 4-5 feet from a standing still position and as high as 5-7 feet on the run a deer fence must be around 8 feet tall or 5 feet tall with a 2 foot section slanted outward to be effective. A double fence will work well as long as it’s high enough that the deer can’t see above it because deer won’t jump into an enclosure they think they’ll be trapped in. Fences are ideal when dealing with deer, but not very practical for the guerilla grower that doesn’t want to attract attention to his grow location. To ensure a deer free growing environment I suggest employing 2 or 3 of the mentioned methods and change the set up each season.
Rodents & Small Pests

Since rodents fear the same predators as deer the same urine odors that work with them will work just as effectively with rodents of all kinds. These are a few specific tips that may come in handy for those who prefer to grow outdoors. Rabbits Rabbits will avoid the scent of vinegar, so if you save the corn cobs from your dinner and cut them in half you can soak them and scatter them around your plants. You can reuse the cobs and vinegar over and over again too. Planting a few onions will repel rabbits too. I’m not sure on why this is, but my granny swore by it and who am I to question her? Sprinkling red pepper, black pepper, cayenne, paprika etc on the ground around your plants will work well as a deterant too. Because bunnies are always sniffing the ground they’ll get a snootfull and bolt. (This is one of those methods that needs reapplying after a rain or heavy dew.) Garlic Oil Spray is an option with rabbits. You’ll need the following materials:

* 3 Ounces of minced garlic gloves
* 1 Ounce mineral water
* 1 Teaspoon fish emulsion
* 1 Tablespoon Castille soap
* 1 Empty mayomaise jar
* 1 Mist sprayer

Combine 3 ounces of minced garlic cloves with 1 ounce of mineral oil. Let soak for 24 hours or longer. Strain. Next mix 1 teaspoon of fish emulsion with 16 ounces of water. Add 1 tablespoon of castille soap to this. Now slowly combine the fish emulsion water with the garlic oil. Kept in a sealed glass container this mixture will stay viable for several months. To use: Mix 2 tablespoons of garlic oil with 1 pint of water and spray on the stalks.
Raccoons & Skunks

Not much will stop raccoons and they usually have litters of between two to seven babies. They’re territorial and will run the same area for generation after generation. This knowledge won’t make combatting them any easier, but it will make your success failures more bearable. Surrounding the grow area with a horizontal border that coons and skunks don’t like to walk on such as crumpled up black plastic, newspaper, or aluminum foil. Hold these in place with some rocks, landscape pins, or soil. Using mesh fencing or chicken wire as a horizontal barrier is probably one of the best ways to deal with these varmints. Raise these slightly above the ground with some bricks to make it even more of a hassle to cross. Finally, spreading naphthalene flakes or balls around, raccoons hate the taste of this in their paws and they are said to also aid in repelling skunks. Also the vinegar soaked corn cobs used to keep away rabbits will aid in keeping ‘coons and skunks away too.
Squirrels

Squirrels will not be much of a problem until the budding stages. To repel squirrels mix naphthalene flakes, gypsum, and chile pepper. Spread around the grow area. The pepper mixture used on rabbits will be effective here as well. My advice for dealing with squirrels is get stoned and watch them as a source of amusement because they don’t usually do enough damage to get upset about.
Moles, Voles & Groundhogs

I don’t have much first hand information on these critters, but here are a few tips I gleened from other growers: Spray a solution of 1 tablespoon of castor oil and 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap per gallon of warm water on the soil around plants. Some people have had success at keeping moles at bay using hot peppers. Use jalapenos or habaneros, the hotter the better! Keep a bag full in the freezer to have on hand when you need them, ready to use against moles and for your bug sprays. What you want to do is tightly pack the peppers into the openings of the runs using as many as you need. Do this everywhere you find an entrance and at intervals along the tunnels if you can find them. Dig an opening then stuff with peppers. For every spot you pack with peppers be sure to fill it in with dirt and tamp down firmly. As a last resort and a more permanant solution you can place rolled up pieces of Juicy fruit gum in mole tunnels. Be sure to wear gloves to mask your scent when you unwrap the gum. Moles love it, but it clogs their innards, fatally. Or use Ex-Lax which has the opposite effect.
Rats & Mice

These varmints can ruin an entire harvest by getting into a drying bin and eating your stash. What they don’t eat they’ll defecate on and ruin that way. A simple yet effective method of keeping them away is to scatter fresh or dried mint or holly leaves as a repellent. The mint works like a charm and it smells good too. Use it everywhere mice are a problem and they will not go near it. A more final solution is to slice up corks, mix with food grease (bacon grease, hamburger grease etc.) then scent this mixture with oil of anise. Put out for the rodents. They love to eat it, but cannot digest it and die.
Cats & Dogs

If you’re having a hard time keeping Fluffy and Fido out of your grow then here’s a couple tips that will help you out and won’t hurt the family pet. Try scaring the begeezus out of them by placing mouse traps with the trap side down on the soil. When they are disturbed they will pop into the air and scare the intruder. This will not only work well with dogs and cats, but wild critters will be kept away as well. The trap is already sprung when it jumps so it won’t hurt the animals. Also making use of the pepper mixture mentioned before will deter cats and dogs.
Slugs & Common Insects

I’ve never had a slug problem before, so I searched the web and found this section from Natural Life that verified some of the methods I’d heard of but never used myself.
Controlling Slugs

Keeping plants healthy in an organic garden involves avoidance techniques like creating a garden environment that encourages plants to grow while discouraging pests and diseases. Inevitably some problems will still arise unless specific action is taken. The common slug is too common a pest to even need much of an introduction. Slugs attack a wide range of plants, causing anything from slight damage to death. Unfortunately, there is no foolproof method for eradicating slugs. All one can hope for is to reduce their numbers and protect plants when they’re at a vulnerable stage. Toads, frogs, and beetles eat slugs and are worth encouraging in your garden. There are few fleshy plants that slugs don’t eat. But if your slug problem is particularly bad, avoid their favourites, such as hostas and marigolds. One of the best ways of dealing with slugs is to use physical barriers. Place plastic bottle cloches around plants, or sprinkle circles of lime, eggshells, or sawdust around plants. Slugs are attracted to saucers or plastic pots of milk or beer (they drown themselves in ecstacy). To be sure you’re keeping your slimy slug population under control, collect them by hand at night or on damp days. Try collecting them under a tile or wet cardboard, and squash all eggs you find while digging. Placing a saucer of salt is the method I’ve heard since I was old enough to dig in the dirt while mom pulled weeds in her flower bed. Martha Stewart recommends coiling a piece of wire around the base of your plants to give slugs a shocking experience. Of course Martha probably doesn’t have the same plants in her garden as we do, but I won’t tell her if you don’t.
Insects

This is a recipe for an organic insect repellant that works pretty well with most insects.

* 3 hot green peppers (canned or fresh)
* 2 or 3 cloves garlic
* 3/4 tsp liquid soap
* 3 cups water

Puree the peppers and garlic cloves in a blender. Pour into a spray bottle and add the liquid soap and water. Let stand 24 hours. Strain out pulp and spray onto infested plants, making sure to coat both tops and bottoms of leaves.
Aphids

To keep aphids and other pests off your plants just finely chop1 onion and 2 medium cloves of garlic. Put ingredients into a blender with 2 cups of water and blend on high. Strain out pulp. Pour liquid into spray bottle. Spray a fine mist on plants, making sure to coat both tops and bottoms of leaves. Spider Mites Combine 1/2 cup buttermilk, 4 cups wheat flour and 5 gallons water and apply the same as the aphid solution. This suffocates spider mites and other mites.
Australian Indigenous Varmints

My appreciation to Rob Young for his contribution. Rob suggests tying fresh bones around your crop, with fence wire, to attract dingos, or wild dogs. According to Rob: “Not many leaf eating animals will hang around where a dog craps. I had an area with some bones tied around it, and it kept enough digoes camped around my crop that no kanagroos would go within coo-ee of the place. When I visited the crop, scuff marks were all over the place where they had been fighting, and the definate smell of “dog” could be noticed even by humans, let alone kangaroos, or wallabies, which are our biggest problem with chewing on plants.” Rob also had this to add on fencing in Australia: “Use an electric fence. You can buy small battery operated ones. Put in some posts, either steel, and insulate the electric fence wire, which u can buy in different colors, or u can buy plastic posts, that dont need insulating, and can be painted to hide them easier. Space the fence wire a few inches apart from almost ground level up. The wombat will snif the wire with his nose, and get zapped, and bolt. They look like toys, but friends of mine that run big properties have gauges that measure the output of electric fences, and my little portable one put out about 100 watts more than their big industrial ones. They run on 4 D size batteries, and the electric fence comes with two pulse speeds. On slow speed, the batteries last about one month, on fast speed, about 3 weeks. You have to place an earth peg in the ground to earth the whole turnout or else it wont work. So put a bit of water on the earth peg whenever things get a bit dry. Since carrying water is a drag, I used to use every drop I carried for my plants, then pissed on the earth peg. If the earth peg dries out, the fence will be useless. Not will it only keep wombats away, but wallabies, roos, and possums, and cattle.”
Hydroponics

Hydroponics is simply the growing of plants without soil, instead using a medium like clay pebbles, rockwool-floc or perlite and vermiculite mixture. The type of mixture you choose to grow your plants in will depend on the type of system you are using to grow your plants in, some methods use no medium at all. There are many advantages to hydroponics, firstly it is fast as you are providing the exact elements the plant needs to grow, secondly plants do not generally become root-bound in hydroponic grows as the food is delivered to the roots, the plants don’t have to go searching. Things will happen a little quicker in hydro so you have to make daily visits to the garden, inspect it and notice what’s happening with the plant or plants there, look listen and learn

.
Nutrients & PH

As we are not using soil we will need to provide the elements the plant needs to grow, generally we should try and use a hydroponic food, but any mineral salt plant food will do. Remember to use it according to the directions, as your plants will not grow any faster if you give them too much food. Nutrients are usually sold, as concentrates that are mixed with water, never pour these directly on to your plants, as they are too strong when undiluted. Generally you will want to flush your plants once per month with fresh water to remove any excess salts that may buildup. PH is important in hydroponics but electronic pens whilst necessary for active systems are not so for passive whose growers can use PH test kits for aquariums or even test tape as a cheaper option. We aim for a Ph of between 5.5 and 6.1 in hydroponics at all times. In vegetative state we aim for the more acidic 5.5 and in flowering up higher at 5.9 to 6.1 so we get all the available elements the plant needs. We can lower the Ph making it more acidic with Phosphoric acid or we can raise it making it alkaline with Potassium Hydroxide, both available from gardening stores. The strength of the nutrient is measured either by a PPM pen or an EC Pen available from hydroponic and gardening stores. Beginners can grow simply by following the nutrient recommendations on the bottle. There are two types of hydroponic systems, passive and active. Passive systems are the simplest and easiest to use, they are also the cheapest. You can simply get an 8-inch pot, some perlite/vemiculite mixture and a small fluorescent light and you are growing. Some people may wish to grow outdoors using this method, as the results are just as good.
Passive Method

Passive methods of growing will usually use perlite & Vemiculite granules as a medium or other suitable materials, the plant will simply be hand-watered when the medium becomes dry 1 inch down, you can test this by sticking your finger in and checking. Another basic passive system is the wick system, again its just a pot that sits above a small tray of nutrient, there is wicks running from the tray up through the pots, keeping the mixture moist and providing food the whole time for the plant. Another option is a tub placed in a tub, make some holes in the top tub and run the wicks through into the nutrient below fill the top tub with perlite vemiculite and you’re growing. The solutions in these types of systems are discarded every 3 or 4 days and a new solution is prepared. A simple Rock-wool system can be made by getting a kitty litter tray and cutting a rock-wool slab in half so it sits inside the tray, next saturate it with mixture of nutrient solution that is ph adjusted to 5.5 and leave for 24hrs, Rock-wool is advantageous in that you can buy small plugs to plant seeds or start clones in then simply cut a hole in a larger rock-wool slab and plant straight in, the roots will grow straight through the small cube into the slab. You will need to make a hole in the bottom of the tray for the slab to drain, keep it wet and allow it to drain by placing the tray on an angle. Remember to flush the whole slab with at least 5 gallons of water every 2 weeks to prevent excess salt buildup. Rockwool slabs can also be used in Ebb and flow tables where a pump floods the table to a particular height then it over flows through a tube back to the tank below, after the pump turns off the tray drains back through the pump hose. Pots with expanded clay pebbles can also be used in systems like this, watering is controlled by a timer attached to the pump and is generally turned on for 15mins every hour or more. We only need use 8 inch pots in our systems unless massive plants are our goal as the plant is always delivered what it needs, an overall highly efficient method of gardening.
Active Systems

Active systems are those that use a pump to in some way circulate the nutrients, this can be as simple as a 10 gallon tub below containing the nutrients, and a tray above with 6 or 7 pots in it, a tube runs from the pump in the tank below up to a smaller hose that runs to each of the plants, a hole in the bottom of the tray allows the nutrient solution to run back down to the tank. DWC or Deep water Culture gardens have pots or tubs that are suspended 1 inch over nutrient solution, an aquarium bubbler is placed below the bottom of the plant and bubbles feed the plant the air it needs whilst its constantly in nutrient meaning that the growth can be extremely quick this also is possible with high performance aeroponic and the Quantum Hydroponic gardens. All active systems perform well, but can be costly to setup initially, the advantages is that the nutrients are either periodically or continually pumped and delivered to the plants resulting in very fast and lush growth and flowering. These systems will require more daily work than the passive systems but are not overly hard to master with patience and practice. Aeroponic systems often have small 6 inch pots filled with expanded clay or pea gravel, the roots grow in netted pots down into opaque tubs or tubes and small misters spray micro fine droplets of nutrient solution that are absorbed by the plants. We can buy small aquarium bubblers with tubes and bubble air through our nutrient solutions to keep them balanced. Optionally we can use aquarium heaters also to heat the solution to around 75° F or 21° C. No matter what method we choose to grow our plant or plants there are a few things we should remember about hydro grows. Plant mediums should never be saturated for extended periods of time, this is especially important with Rockwool slabs and Perlite/Vemiculite pots, too much water can cause death (the plant will drown). We don’t over feed our plants to make them grow bigger buds either, marijuana plants will only take what they need and cannot be force fed, too much nutrient just means burnt leaves and poor health. In the garden we regularly remove dead leaves and make sure the plants are healthy and bug free. Some green algae may grow on the medium, we can prevent this by covering our Rock-wool slabs and our pots with black plastic to prevent the light from reaching it, harmless but annoying.
Organics

The first and best reason to consider using organic fertilizers instead of chemicals is that there is almost zero chance that you will burn (overfertilization causing injury or death) the plants with them. When fed organic substances, plants will only take in the nutrients they need, leaving the rest in the soil. Additionally, organic fertilizers are broken down slowly in the soil by microorganisms, which ensures a steady supply of nutrients to your plants; also, lots of soil microorganisms are good for the soil and consequently, your plants as well. Chemical fertilizers, on the other hand, are in a highly soluble form and are generally of a much higher concentration than organic fertilizers. Upon applying them to the soil, they are quickly taken up by the roots. Because they are so concentrated, this rapid action will cause the plant to take in toxic levels of nutrients if the fertilizer is overapplied, leading to injury and even death if the levels are high enough. Additionally, chemical fertilizers leave salts behind in the soil. If the plant is not flushed periodically (every 1-2 months), these salts will build up to levels that are dangerous to the plants. (As a related note, if the soil is not flushed just prior to harvest, the taste of the smoke will be adversely affected.) Finally, chemical fertilizers have an adverse effect on soil microorganisms, including earthworms. Beyond the issues of soil chemistry and nutrient uptake, there is little question that using organic substances are better for the environment, even when growing indoors. Organic fertilizers – blood and bone meal, fish emulsion, manure, worm castings – are renewable. Petroleum, which chemical fertilizers are synthesized from, is not. For the outdoor grower, choice of fertilizer has an even more profound effect. Successful outdoor growing is closely linked with the health of the soil. Chemical fertilizers, as mentioned, have an adverse effect on soil life, which decreases the biodiversity and overall health of the soil. Chemicals are also far more soluble than organics, and are often washed away with rain or a too-heavy watering. Not only does this not help your plant, it also causes a potential pollution problem – for instance, toxic algae blooms in lakes and ponds are often linked with fertilizer run-off from lawns. Organics are not without their drawbacks, however, especially to the indoor grower. Some organic fertilizers, fish emulsion in particular, have an odor that may offend delicate noses. (However, any security measures involving air filtering or ionization should keep the smell to a minimum.) Also, because organics encourage soil life, there are sometimes more problems with insects, particularly fungus gnats. Finally, organics require a greater investment of time and effort: chemical fertilizers’ main advantage is their ease of use. In the event that you face insect problems, there are a number of organic controls at your disposal. The easiest homemade, all-purpose bug killer is about a teaspoon of soap (I prefer Dr. Bronners Eucalyptus or Peppermint, which are generally eco-friendly and may have additional insecticidal effects) in a spray bottle of water. Spray any bugs you see, the plants (including the undersides of the leaves!) and the soil surface thoroughly with this solution. The soap coats the outsides of the bugs’ bodies, which suffocates them. Another, stronger option is Tobacco tea. The nicotine in tobacco is one of the more potent poisons known, and will generally wipe out even mites, which are usually quite difficult to kill. It’s worth remembering that nicotine is poisonous, so keep that in mind. (Unless you also smoke cigarettes, in which case, go crazy.) Here is a recipe: Buy a package of Chewing Tobacco and put the whole package into 1 gallon of warm water. Let it stand in a warm place overnight 12 hours minimum. Filter the solution using a coffee filter and put it into a clean spray device. You can add 4 tablespoons of dish soap to this and spray the foliage down. Make sure you get the mites. Spray the tops and bottoms of the leaves. Once you have done this sparay the floor and walls in the grow area. Bear in mind that the spray may brown the leaf tips and visible pistils. This is a very powerful contact insecticide. If you feel like going the store-bought route, a product called Safer Insecticidal Soap has been used with good results. As a final resort, you can use insecticides made from pyrethins, which are synthesized from certain varities of Chrysanthemums. Although they are reportedly non-toxic to humans and animals, they are a potent toxin and probably shouldn’t be used anytime near harvest. With any insecticide, multiple treatments over a 1- to 3-week period will probably be necessary to kill the bugs, plus any new ones that hatch after your first applications. Finally, perhaps the best route is to go outside and catch some ladybugs (or order them from a nursery or garden supply). Ladybugs are vicious insect killers, but won’t touch your plants.
Blood Meal: 13 – 0 – 0

Blood meal has one of the highest concentrations of Nitrogen of any organic fertilizer, and is consequently a popular choice for the vegetative growth period. In its dry and slow-acting form, it can be mixed in with the soil at a rate of 1 to 2 tablespoons per gallon of soil mix. However, many growers prefer to use it as a soluble fertilizer as it acts very quickly without much danger of burning – much like the action of a chemical fertilizer, but without the risks. To make blood meal tea, soak 1 tablespoon of blood meal in a gallon of water for 5 to 7 days. The longer you wait, the higher concentration of N the tea will have. Shake well, then strain out the solids and water your plants with the tea.
Bone Meal: 1 – 11 – 0

Bone meal is high in Phosphorus, and is most suitable for the flowering period. However, as it is a slow-release fertilizer, it is fine to add to the soil earlier in the grow period. (Perhaps the best course of action is to add it to the mix you perform your final transplant into.) One caution about bone meal, especially in Europe, is that many growers will not use it for fear of spreading Mad Cow Disease. Although this has not been proven, it is wise to bear this in mind.
Fish Emulsion: 5 – 1 – 1

Fish emulsion is a liquid solution made from decomposed fish and sometimes other ingredients. It is an exceedingly gentle fertilizer and is thought by many growers to be the best “first fert” to use on young plants. Its NPK ratio is also ideal for vegetative growth. It is usually mixed with water at a rate of 1 to 3 tablespoons per gallon.
Worm Castings: 0.5 – 0.5 – 0.3

Also known as worm compost or good ol’ worm shit, this may be the single best all-purpose fertilizer. Although the nutrient levels are relatively low, worm castings somehow have amazing effects on plant vigor, and anyone who has used them can testify to their effectiveness. They are very gentle on plants, making them ideal for seedlings, and also contain micronutrients. Worm castings can be used as part of the soil mix (no more than 15% total volume is suggested) or can be made into tea (1 part WC to 5 parts water) and applied as watering solution or as a foliar fertilizer.
Kelp Meal: 1 – 0.5 – 2.5

Kelp meal provides over 60 trace elements, plus growth promoting hormones and enzymes. As such, it is often used to ensure the plant is properly supplied with micronutrients. Can be used as part of the soil mix (1-2 tablespoons/gallon) or brewed into tea at the same rate.