BlackWater Trim Job: Quality Not Quantity

Arrow through to see photos of Jack's trim job of BlackWater:

BlackWater Strain:

Mostly Indica. Mendo Purps x SFV OG Kush 

Created with flickr slideshow.

Jack's Home-Built Cloner & Master Grower Tips

JACK: I use a home-built aeroponic cloner.  The parts and plans are all available online; Google search 'Do-it-yourself aeroponic cloner.'  But this is mine and it's made out of an 18-gallon Rubbermaid tub.

I used a two-inch hole saw to drill holes in the top of it, and then placed two-inch net pots with the bottoms cut off and glued those on the top.  They accept the little two-inch neoprene pucks.
 
The drive system is an Active Aqua AAPW 400-gallon-per-hour pump.  Don't ask me why I have that one.  I just use it; it works.
 
I then constructed a misting system that attaches to the pump out of, I think it's half-inch PVC, in a configuration. 
 
I have ten 360-degree fan jet micromisters.
 
I painted the top of the cloner white, just to make it look clean and also for a little bit of reflectivity.  The reason it's wrapped up on the outside with -- that's reflective ducting tape and regular duct tape -- is to keep light from going inside the cloner.
 
You want to have your cloner as light-tight as possible; it will keep any algae from growing in there and it also, the darkness encourages the roots to grow.
 
So, how this works is you would take a bare cutting, place it in between the little neoprene pucks that open up like a Pac-Man and clamp down on the clone, holding it upright.  And then when the pump is on, it pulls water from the inside and sprays continuously, creating a dark, damp environment that is going to encourage root growth.

You want to encourage as cold of water as possible, but when the pump is running continuously it will heat the water up.  So, if you can get a timer that turns off every once in a while instead of running it all the time, I find that to be better.  But keep an eye on your temperatures; 60 degrees and lower is better.
 
Another good trick to do is keep a couple of frozen plastic water bottles and place them inside the cloner, keep the water cool.
 
Warmer water, I found it to make the plants take longer to root.
 
With this cloner I get a hundred percent success rate.  It's very, very easy to do, once you have it troubleshooted.

Jack's Cloning Process

JACK: So, the first picture is of KLN Dyna-Gro, which is a synthetic rooting compound.  The Microbe Hydroponics RootDip is something I received as a sample and have been trying it out, and so far really, really like it.

The first step of using the RootDip is to soak the cuttings for at least 15 minutes, and I soak them longer.
 
So, it's two-ounces of the RootDip per half gallon of water.  My half-gallon container is just a watering can. 

My cloner has 19 sites, so I decided to take five cuts of four strains, with one being only four.  So, I took four cups and labeled them and then added the RootDip.

Next thing I do is clean my shears with alcohol.  I clean the shears after changing plants, if that makes sense.  So, the type of plants that I use are the rapid-growing tips; the areas of the plant that are growing up toward the light that are nice, healthy, and green.

And where I cut is usually dependent on the plant, but I try to cut enough off to be able to get a long enough stem to encourage root growth.

So I make my cut and then I clean off any unnecessary foliage with a scalpel that is also cleaned in alcohol; and leave at least two good-sized sun leaves on the cutting.  They get submerged in the rooting compound until they're ready to be put in the cloner.  That's it.

Click here to view all photos in the Cloning Album courtesy of Flickr.

Brundage's Cannabis Poison and the Curious Spelling of Mariguana

Written by EvePenman.
Find her @ Her Blog

As Throwback Thursday winds down and Flashback Friday gears up, I want to share a couple legal definitions that were current 40 years ago in 1974.

This is all new information that I learned today while doing research.  The information may not be relevant to current matters involving cannabis, yet it all serves as a valid reminder of how much information can change based on what is known or not known through studies; and how laws, the words used to define laws, and the definitions of those words can all change over the course of time -- not to mention the spellings!

Black's Law Dictionary: Revised Fourth Edition, 11th Reprint, 1974:
Marajuana plant:

• The plant scientifically known as cannabis indica or cannabis americana, though there possibly may be some slight and unimportant botanical difference between the two, but apparently none in its effect upon the human system.
• See Mariguana.

Cannabis Symptoms Magnet
Get Yours Below

Mariguana, Marihuana, Marijuana:

• "Mariguana" is an annual herb, cannabis sativa, having angular rough stem and deeply lobed leaves.  The bast fibres of cannabis are the hemp of commerce.  A drug prepared from "cannabis sativa," designated in technical dictionaries as "cannabis" and commonly known as marijuana, mariahuana, marajuana, maraguana, or marihuana, in Southern and Western states.  State v. Navaro, 83 Utah 6, 26 P.2d 955; People v. Savage, 148 P.2d 654, 64 Cal.App.2d 314.  For the history of cannabis, see Simpson v. State, 176 So. 515, 129 Fla. 127.

• "Marihuana" is referred to by Brundage's Toxicology as a drug, the use of which results in a "sense of exhilaration; pleasurable intoxication; peculiar prolongation of time; sense of double consciousness followed by drowsiness; anaethesia; loss of power, particularly of the lower extremities; pupils dilated; pulse rapid; respiration slow; may cause increased sexual desires; catalepsy; sometimes convulsions."  It is known most generally in the United States by the Mexican name, "Marihuana," because it was introduced into this country by Mexicans.  State v. Navaro, 83 Utah 6, 26 P.2d 955.

• "Marihuana" is the Mexican term for cannabis indica.  The plant or drug known as cannabis indica, or marihuana, has as its parent the plant known as cannabis sativa.  It is popularly known in India as cannabis indica; in America, as cannabis americana; in Mexico, as cannabis mexicana, or marihuana.  It is all the same drug, and is known in different countries by different names.  It is scientifically known as cannabis sativa, and is popularly called cannabis americana, cannabis indica, or cannabis mexicana, in accordance with the geographical origin of the particular plant.  In the East, it is known as charras, as gunga, as hasheesh, as bhang, or siddi, and goes by a variety of names in the countries of Continental Europe.  In America, particularly in the South and Southwestern portions of the United States, it is called marihuana.  It is popularly known among the criminal element as "muggles," or "mooter," and addicts are commonly termed "muggle heads."  State v. Navaro, 83 Utah 6, 26 P.2d 955.

Recent Clone Delivery

• BlackWater Strain: Mostly Indica. Mendo Purps x SFV OG Kush

• Critical Jack Strain: Sativa Dominant. Critical Mass x Jack Herrer 

• Vanilla Kush Strain: Indica Origins. Kashmir x Afghani 

Please click on pictures for larger views.

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1. Usually after taking a cutting it goes into the cloner, but sometimes people request a cut that is not rooted and they will root it themselves. This is how I provide to those people.

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2. Healthy branches are selected for cutting, and those cuts are placed into a keg cup with water to soak and become turgid. Here are some Critical Jack cuttings that are soaking in a cloning solution prior to transfer.

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3. In this case I used an old film canister that I drilled three holes in the lid. Here I am filling the film canister with the cloning solution the cuttings were soaking in.

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4. Cleaning the area of loose material prevents rot. A medical scalpel makes this job much easier.

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5. To ensure no bugs are transferred I dip the clones into a miticide.  Here I am using White Wash from Green Planet Nutes.

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6. Shaking off the excess White Wash.

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7. Film canister with three holes drilled in the top, converted to clone transport.

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8. Each clone stem is inserted into a hole in the film canister top. This will feed the clones while in transport.

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9. Three cuts in one film canister allows plenty of room.

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10. Film canister is placed into a standard keg cup to provide support for the clones and help ensure the film canister doesn't tip over.

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11. Critical Jack is ready to go.

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12. Vanilla Kush, Critical Jack, BlackWater

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13. Boxed for delivery.

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Cannabis Economics: Questioning the Licensing Costs in Washington State

Learn More @ Mises.Org

Economics:  The science that deals with the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, or the material welfare of humankind.

By that basic definition of Economics, every individual who produces, distributes, or consumes goods should have some sense of what economics is, if for no other reason than the unavoidable fact that economics -- supply and demand -- impacts every person in society:

1. Free PDF: Economics in One Lesson by Henry Hazlitt
2. Free PDF: Economics of Prohibition by Mark Thornton
1. Economics of Prohibition Excerpt
2. Economics of Prohibition Excerpt

While growers are now producing supply to meet demand, and sellers are obtaining supply to feed demand, and buyers are paying for supply they demand, it leaves me wondering:

• What is the breakdown of the money once the buyer pays the seller and the seller pays the grower?
• Who is making the most money from taxed cannabis?
• What is being done with the tax-generated revenue?

Click Here for more NWPotHole Pics

I won't be answering all these questions right now and new questions will arise as I conduct research.  My answers are not necessarily correct as they are conjecture based on my understanding at the time of writing and based on the best research I have at that time. 

This will be an ongoing series of articles featuring information I learn as I search to find answers to my questions.  I will be sharing what I find here so that others may learn from it what they will.

My research is based on the information I read in various news reports and the questions those reports bring to my mind.

This is no rabbit hole.  This is the Pot Hole: 

Jack's Discreet Clone Delivery Tip

Jack's Transport Tip:
Avoid problems by not attracting attention.

A recent clone delivery presented a surprise:  Clones that were too big for the transport bags.

Jack, a master at shooting troubles, solved the problem with commonsense ingenuity by placing another bag over the top of the plants.  Nothing fancy, nothing expensive, and it works.  

Check out Jack's super simple solution step-by-step in the photo collage

Click on it to enlarge

Just because a substance is legal does not mean it is free of attracting problems.  Money is legal, yet if a person walks around showing off a lot of money they may invite problems into their lives because of it.  

Same goes for cannabis, because cannabis is a product that generates money.  Cannabis is valuable, the same as money is, and therefore it should be given the same consideration for protection and security. 

For the sake of security and privacy, Jack prefers to avoid looky-loos when making deliveries.  That's why he takes extra measures to ensure products are delivered without being overtly obvious.

If you would like to arrange a discreet delivery from Jack for medicinal cannabis, please verify your medical card holder status with NWPotHole here.  Once verified, you may take advantage of Jack's delivery service in the south Puget Sound Region: Tacoma, Gig Harbor, Lakewood, University Place, Fife, Milton, Fircrest, Ruston, Browns Point, and surrounding areas.

Learn about NWPotHole and the PotHole Gang here.
Read Washington State RCWs and other laws here.
Ask Jack your growing and bud-tending questions here.

Thanks, from the PotHole Gang

Written by Eve of the PotHole Gang

The Law in Washington State: RCW 69.51A

The PotHole Gang encourages everyone to be aware of the laws where they live.  After all, laws are what rule when it comes to anything that is a legal substance.  For a substance or anything to become legalized, that means it must be put under authority; that's based on the standard definition of Legal.

In Washington State, the ruling authority is the Revised Code of Washington, abbreviated RCW; it is the collection of Washington State laws currently in force.

Now that cannabis is legal on varying levels, that means cannabis has been put under authority.  Therefore, anyone partaking in legal cannabis has very good reason to be aware of the laws under which they are operating.

Get Growing with Mel Frank and Ed Rosenthal

Today the PotHole Gang is up to their usual Friday antics -- Reading and feeding with Jack, our green-thumbing grower.

Before Jack ever began feeding plants he first had to feed his mind, so he started to plant information into his gray matter by reading various books and materials related to growing.  Some of the materials were not as easy to come by as they are today; and some of those old books are just as relevant today as they were when first printed over 25 years ago. 

Now with the non-stop stream of information available online, the good news is you don't have to go to the library to get looked down on by librarians, or get carded at book stores by staff who don't support books about cannabis, or invest money in information to then be stuck with an unwanted and useless book.  The PotHole Gang has been there and that is why they are here to help.

Stay home in comfort and feed the brain in presumed privacy with the 1992 Revision of the Marijuana Grower's Guide by Mel Frank & Ed Rosenthal.

This book was originally printed in 1988 and a first edition copy is permanently planted in Jack's resource library.  For no money, you can start planting the same information that's in Jack's mind into your gray-matter garden today:

• 1992 Revision:  Marijuana Grower's Guide by Mel Frank & Ed Rosenthal
• PDF Format

• Marijuana Grower's Guide and Other Related Free Reading Material
• Downloads

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Jack's Friday Tip:

To learn something new, read an old book.
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Thank you for reading.  Subscribe in the sidebar to stay up to date with the PotHole Gang.

Got a question for Jack?  Ask it here to get it answered on the blog:  Ask Jack. 

Get reading to get growing, and get verified with NWPotHole to get dosing: NWPotHole Verification Station.  Providing discreet delivery for Washington State medical card holders in the South Puget Sound.

 
Written by EvePenman.

Find her @ Her Blog.

An Introduction from The Pot Hole Gang

Strain: StrawDawg 2010
Montana Grown

Welcome to the NorthWest Pot Hole.  With Throwback Thursday a few hours away, we are celebrating in high style with photos from past grows.  Please click on the photos for larger views.

This introductory blog post serves to outline what you, the readers, can expect from the NorthWest Pot Hole.  Please contact us at NWPotHole@gmail.com with any questions, comments, or suggestions.

NorthWest Pot Hole is an informational and services blog managed with oversight by Jack, a dedicated and licensed medical grower in Washington State.  Jack has spent over a decade of self-study and application of various growing methodologies, such as Soil, Hydro, Coco, SOG (Sea of Green), and others.  As a tenured Sole Medical Grower, his range of experience covers cloning and propagation, strain cultivation, soil modification, nutrient development, equipment engineering, quality control, marketing and sales, troubleshooting, and researching of various industry matters.