■

i.

Growing Marijuana Outdoors

Mountain Girl
 Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2017

https://archive.org/details/primoplantgrowinOOmoun
The Primo Plant
 Primo Plant
Growing Marijuana Outdoors

by Mountain Girl
Published by Quick American Archives
Oakland, California

Copyright © 1998 Mountain Girl

Project Manager: Andrew McBeth

Editorial Assistant: Stephanie Rose
Cover Drawing and Design: Stefan Gutermuth wgdoublegee
Back Cover Photo © Barge, Cannabis Canada
Illustrations: George Brown
Typeset at Alphabet Express

Publisher's Cataloging-in-Publication
(Provided by Quality Books, Inc.)

Mountain Girl.
Primo plant: growing marijuana outdoors / Mountain Girl. — 1st ed.
p. cm
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN: 0-932551-27-0
1. Cannabis. 2. Marijuana. I. Title.

SB295.C35M681998 633.7'9
QBI98-227

The material presented in this book is presented as information which

should be available to the public. The Publisher does not advocate breaking
the law. However, we urge readers to support N.O.R.M.L. in its efforts to
secure passage of fair marijuana legislation.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form
without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who
may quote brief passages or reproduce illustrations in a review where
appropriate credit is given; nor may any part of this book be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means-
-electronic, photocopying, recording, or other-without specific written per¬
mission from the publisher.

Printed in the U.S.A. by Publishers Express Press

ToJ.I. Rodale
Contents

Introduction 9

Paryf : Before Planting

Climate 22
Seeds—You Get What You Plant 14
Types of Seeds
Storing Seeds 26
Where To Plant 28
When To Plant 20
Composting— The New Alchemy 22
To Begin Composting 24
Getting The Soil Into Condition 26

Part II: Planting

Spacing Out 30
Planting 32
Lazy Bum Method
Meticulous Method 32
Keeping Track
Planting in Containers 34
Soil Mix For Containers
Greenhouse Culture 37
Problems 38
Indoor Growing 39

Part III: Growing

Germination 42
Transplanting 44
Seedlings into Peat Pots
"Hardening" Indoor Plants 45
Moving Larger Plants 46
Sensible Feeding 43
 Composition of Fertilizers 49
Fertilizer Recipes 50
Creating the Perfect Environment 51

Part IV: Pruning & Plant Care

Pruning 54
Pinching 58
Cutting 59
Other Techniques 60
Rooting The Cuttings 61

Part V: Flowering

First Flowers 64
Sex Discrimination 67
To Seed Or Not To Seed 69
How To Grow All Female Plants 72
The Hermaphrodite 74
How to Prevent Runaway Hermaphrodism

Part VI: Harvest

Watching The Sun 78

Frost 79
Harvest Time—The Big Payoff 81
Chop Chop 82
Storage 84

Appendices

How To Know When Your Plants Need Help 86

Pests & Diseases 88
Pests
Babies Fall Flat 90
Experimentation 91
Barney's Tequila Verde 94
Marijuana Butter 95
Selected Bibliography 96
Planting Notes & Log 97
Introduction

he purpose of this book is to inform the public

about growing marijuana, in all its diversity,
to full perfection in America's different
climate regions.
Oddly, much published information on
pot growing is misleading & incomplete. The truth is they
really didn't know how. Growing marijuana is a natural
act. Since the 1930's, Americans have been denied the
right to grow this useful, beneficent friend.
Marijuana is an ancient plant, cultivated for centuries
all over the world for rope & papermaking, for its oil,
resin, & seeds. The Pre-Columbian cultures in North
America certainly grew it, & time-honored techniques of
cultivation have survived in India, Southeast Asia, & the
Near East.
Old-time farmers used manure, compost, bird shit,
etc. That was what was available, & it is still the best.
Homegrown grass has had a bad name that clung for
years. Only recently has domestic marijuana begun to
excel & rank with the best of the exotic imports.
Palates accustomed to Colombian and Hawaiian
have discovered homegrown sinsemilla, & are finding that
there is something more that happens when you grow
your own, really good, homegrown grass—a great, satis-

9
fying feeling of the joyous power of great highs & limitless
highs to come.
Five or six big, healthy, female plants will supply a
heavy smoker for a year with pure, organically-grown,
harmoniously attuned grass. A grower with a good atti¬
tude—caring for the plants, protecting them, promising
them a future for their seeds—will develop a sensitive rela¬
tionship with his plants, learning from them & getting high
with them.
To grow topnotch grass successfully, one has to
know certain key details. There are two methods I will
outline; one of them calling for a long growing season with
early planting & production of females which are then
transplanted to an outdoor site. A single healthy hunza
female plant can produce a pound of seedless, top-quality
weed with proper preparation & love & understanding
care.
The other method, planting an unsexed garden & let¬
ting it flower normally, results in equally good grass & is
probably easier for a beginner. In either method, know¬
ledge is the key to success.
The legal status of growing is changing all across the
country. In California, cops do not hassle growers of the
backyard-personal-consumption variety unless they re¬
ceive a complaint or they can see it from their cars. Some
states are much cooler now that penalties are light, but in
any bust you lose the plants. Landlords and realty agents
are dangerous—have a good story ready. Other smokers
are the real problem. They have a nose for it, & word gets
around.

10
 Parti

Before Planting
Climate

K now & understand your local climate. Within

a small geographic region, for example, slight
differences in altitude can produce micro¬
climates unfit for growing grass. The best cli¬
mates in the United States are found at low
altitudes in California, Oregon, southern Arizona, south¬
ern New Mexico, Texas, the Gulf Coast States, & warm
parts of Georgia & the Carolinas. These areas share a
mild, snow-free winter.
The critical months in growing big marijuana plants
outdoors are late September & October. Is October in
your area as warm & sweet as it is in California, or cold &
bitter like Michigan? If you are located in high mountains
with Alaskan winters & short summers, indoor or porta¬
ble gardens are the only answer. Fast greenhouse construc¬
tion around threatened plants will hold off frost, especially
if you are aware of passive solar energy techniques (like
putting double windows in your greenhouse). Plants in
large but portable containers, such as half wine barrels on
dollies can be taken inside at night & at other times when
cold threatens. (See pages 20 & 80.) Unfortunately, late
spring frosts can wipe out a young planting with one chilly
night, so be cautious about setting out plants too early in
frost-prone areas. The northern Midwest, eastern Oregon

12
& Washington, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Montana,
Wyoming, Nebraska, the Dakotas, Wisconsin, &
Michigan have frost until mid-May or the first of June;
New England is notorious for late spring frosts, making it
necessary to start the plants indoors.

13
Seeds

G
You Get What You Plant

et the right seeds. Personal tastes vary, &

seeds differ according to genetic origin. The
seeds you want are from the best of the strong-
high weed available. Choose "happy" pot &
avoid planting the "headache" or "sore-
throat" type. Seeds from strong strains will produce
strong grass in the home garden. Seeds from homegrown
of past years will have improved over the original im¬
ported strain only if the grower has deliberately selected
his very best plants each year to use for seed. Fifth-
generation domestic grass may have degenerated consid¬
erably if no selective process was used. In some countries
where families have been cultivating marijuana for gener¬
ations, breeding carefully for their ideal plant, the seeds
are jealously guarded.
It's easy to beg a few seeds from someone with high-
quality marijuana. Remember, highs will differ depending
on the genetics of the seed. Climate & growth conditions
determine only how well the plant grows, not its chemistry.

Types of Seeds

There are many distinct types of marijuana, ranging

from plants with enormous broad leaves & long, fat

14
flower tops to equatorial types with tiny, skinny fernlike
leaves & numerous small flowers. These characteristics
are all inherited. The different types are as varied as the
many cultures they come from. Each tiny area, or even
each grower, has developed a type of flower, distinct &
true to itself.
The large-leaved varieties grow better in temperate
parts of North America: possibly they originated in moun¬
tainous regions. The northern Mexican types mature
quickly in colder North America.
Humid, sub-tropical, & hot areas, such as Florida,
Louisiana, Gulf Coast & Texas, southern California,
southern Arizona, & southern New Mexico, produce ex¬
cellent results from the tropical types, such as Colombian,
Vietnam, Thai, & Congolese. Other types will also flour¬
ish magnificently. Cold-winter areas should stick to large-
leaved varieties, unless you are growing indoors or in a
hothouse.
Mild climate areas, such as coastal California &
Oregon & cool desert areas, are suitable for growing large-
leaved varieties, but the slim-leaved tropicals will perform
only moderately well unless the weather is perfect.
Some tropical strains respond less quickly to changes
in the light. Mexican plants flower quickly & strongly in
autumn's solar decline, whereas equatorial Colombian
lingers on & on in the garden on its own time schedule.
Panama: Strong, fast-growing plants. Very large
flowers, strong harsh taste, medium-large leaves, dense
heavy high.
Colombian: An extremely variable weirdo from the
equator. Often weak, delicate plants, with small leaves,
many, many tiny flowers that mature late. Sometimes
large, loose flowers with slightly larger leaves. Excellent
high if matured properly, but difficult in some areas. Best
in a greenhouse anywhere that is cold in November. The

15
equatorial zone has no seasons, & the plants barely
respond to shortening days.
Maui or Kona: "Royalty" in domestic circles—care¬
fully selected bloodlines have resulted in a superior plant.
Extra big leaves, large flowers, very aromatic, fast¬
growing. Maui Woivie is an early bloomer. Highly
recommended.
Thailand, Vietnam: Usually slow to germinate, often
scrawny or stunted. Pale, fernlike leaves, small flowers.
Tremendous high, but hard to grow outside, except in the
hottest parts of the United States. Worth the extra hassle.
Jamaican: Good basic stock. Strong growing plants,
strong taste, large leaves, big flowers.
Nepalese: Large beautiful flowers, curving delicate
leaves, fine taste, smallish elegant plants, strong high.
Mexican: A tremendous variety of types, with varia¬
tions in color from red & purple to yellow & tastes from
oranges to chocolate. It's all Mexican. Medium-size plants
with a good yield. Strong stems, flowers & leaves that
vary widely. Michoacan can have spiky, upward-pointing
leaves, while the huge Oaxacan leaves bend gracefully
back. Recommended, but select carefully.

Storing Seeds

Keep different seeds in separate labeled containers.

Take care that they don't get overheated; keep them dry &
cool. Room temperature is fine. Seeds will also survive
storage in the freezer.
When you consider seeds for planting, test them for
life. Crack a shiny dark one & examine what's inside: there
should be a white substance with green skin, the taste
sweet & oily, not sour. Pick out a few shiny fat ones &
place Vi inch deep in a cup of dirt & soak with warm
water. Leave the cup indoors at room temperature and

16
seedlings should appear in six days. If the seeds have not
sprouted, shake out the dirt & look for seeds that may
have rooted.
Some seeds just don't grow, maybe from too much
heat in transport. Try again with different seeds.

W
17
Where To Plant

T he problem for most people is the planting

place. Those who have no garden & no shrub¬
bery or woodlands close by should move to a
better place or try indoor culture.
The ideal planting site is a hidden clearing
that receives full sun all day & has rich, rock-free soil, a
good water supply, & wind protection. In more northern
areas, the site must be elevated to receive maximum sun¬
light in autumn & to drain off cold air.
A southern exposure is the warmest & lightest; a spot
suitable for nude sunbathing is ideal. Whatever you do,
don't block the sunlight to the plants (use a compass to lo¬
cate due south). The growing site must get real strong sun¬
shine most of the day. Protection from the wind may be
needed in some areas.
If you do it in the woods, try to avoid pines & ever¬
greens. These produce an acidic soil that can seriously
stunt growth. Avoid swampy or salty spots. The loose,
rich soil along streams is ideal for woodland growing.
Try to plant in south-facing meadows, or in areas of low-
growing brush, or along the tops of hills & ridges to
maximize the light—especially important for northern
growers in areas where cool weather may prevail in
autumn. If you have to plant under the trees, do it on a

18
south facing slope for the most light. The plants will never
get very large or strong, but will bloom,& mature to give
potent grass.
Marijuana rooted in a cold, wet soil will grow and
mature more slowly, with a dark green color, producing
less vigorous vegetation and blossoms.
Plants that are grown in shady areas will grow large
blossoms of a deep green color. Hot sunshine will grow
smaller, denser blossoms with a more golden tint, some¬
times pale yellow or pale frosty greens.
Beware of hunted areas, heavy deer populations,
bunny rabbits, & ground squirrels. Small mesh chicken
wire, painted black or dark green, keeps out marauders
invisibly. A foot-tall cylinder of chicken wire pinched
together at the top and staked down will protect the young
plant, which most rabbits, deer, horses & cows find irre¬
sistible. Older, tougher plants don't get nibbled as much.
Cheapo plastic greenhouses work fine for conceal¬
ment, as do simultaneous plantings of giant sunflowers,
sweet corn, or pole beans. Grass is decorative-looking &
disappears in a formal garden behind shrubs or hedges.
Be sure to test the pH of the soil carefully. Inexpensive
pH paper is available at garden stores. A pH of 7 to 8 (neu¬
tral to somewhat alkaline) is ideal. Be sure to test both the
topsoil & the subsoil about 12 inches under. Soil test kits
are available, but not a necessary expense.
Water must be made available in drought areas. Even
a tiny dribble will be sufficient for most small efforts.
Before planting in dry areas, try installing a drip or
sub irrigation system (widely available through gardening
magazines). These come with automatic timers & use far
less water than conventional systems.

19
 When to Plant

N
Climate and Temperature

o matter when marijuana is planted between

May 1 and Aug 1, it will flower at approxi¬
mately the same time. This means that it can
be planted outdoors over a long period.
Obviously, the earlier plants are started, the
bigger they will get. Age at maturity has no effect on
potency; it is rather the degree of maturity and the heredi¬
ty of the seed that determines potency and type of high.
Marijuana should be planted outdoors at about the
same time as corn and tomatoes, after the soil has warmed
up a bit and supports rapid germination and growth.
The later the planting, the more care that has to be
taken during the first few days. As the Spring warms up,
it requires more care to keep the soil moist. Plants trans¬
ferred from shady or indoor gardens need to be shaded
from the burning sun as they adjust to their new location.
In milder climates where the soil stays warm, plants
grown outdoors anytime between September 21 and Jan. 1
immediately begin to flower and are harvestable in eight
to ten weeks. In places where the winter days are warm
with cold nights, the plants can be kept in pots and
brought into a dark spot in the house each evening, pro¬
tecting them from the cold and forcing them to flower at
the same time.

20
Location and Latitude

The further away from the equator you are the longer the
summer day and shorter the dark period. June 22, the first
day of summer is the longest day of the year. On Sept. 22,
the first day of Autumn, the day is equally divided between
light and dark throughout the world. After that the dark
period gets longer more quickly at higher latitudes.
This is important to know because marijuana flowers
depending upon amounts of uninterrupted light and dark¬
ness. For example when a plant gets five or six consecutive
nights with a minimum amount of uninterrupted darkness
it turns its growth from vegetative; leaves and stems, to
reproductive; flowers and seeds.
If all varieties of marijuana were triggered by the
same number of hours of darkness, say 10 hours, they
would still flower at vastly different times depending on
where they were located. Plants in the south, closer to the
equator would flower in mid summer because of long
periods of uninterrupted darkness (nearly 12 hours) while
plants in the far north would have little time to flower
before frost set in because of the short dark periods each
day; and the fast advent of autumn.
Most varieties of Afghani or Indica plants, which are
the most commonly used for indoor Sinsemilla, are more
likely to be triggered into flowering earlier than Mexicans
and other southern types. Many Indica, when grown in the
southern half of the U.S. flower early, producing smaller
buds. They are good for the northern half of the country
because the shorter nights of mid-summer do not have
enough dark time to trigger flowering.
Sativas and Sativa hybrids perform well in the south¬
ern part of the country. These plants will resist flowering
too early so they will yield large buds. In northern areas
they will begin flowering late and not be ready to harvest
before the frost.

21
Composting —

The New Alchemy

T here are really two attitudes you can take to

gardening. One is the never-get-dirty-buy-it-
all-in-plastic-bags-sterile-weed-f ree approach.
The other is the self-reliant-make-do-with-
whatever-get-down-dirty-organic-compost-
ing method.
Composting is the creation of billions of decay bac¬
teria which change organic stuff into a brown crumbly
blend called "humus." Compost has an almost magical ef¬
fect upon plants. The very finest marijuana plants are
grown on soil where something is rotting, on heavily
composted or manured soil, or on compost heaps—or
even where one once was.
Chemical fertilizers injure plants if sloppily applied,
& they also affect the taste.
Making compost is accelerating natural soil-making.
Soil is made of weathered rocks & decayed plant materials,
plus billions of microscopic bacteria & fungi. There are
approximately 20 million bacteria living in 1 gram of top¬
soil (provided that it hasn't been poisoned by chemical
farming). These microorganisms appear & flourish on a
steady diet of decaying vegetable material & animal
bodies, including their own, adding humus & vital life

22
energy to the soil. Compost techniques create an Eden for
this microlife in the soil, encouraging earthworms &
strong plant growth.
The beauty of making compost is that wastes which
are usually a problem to dispose of may easily be con¬
verted to plant food by means of a simple, natural process.
To make your own compost, collect some of these things:
Old leaves, rakings, or weeds
Fresh lawn clippings ("green dynamite")
Carrot pulp
Fish scraps
Dried flowers
Bone meal
Manure—horse, goat, rabbit, sheep, chicken, or cow
Old hay or rotten straw
Well-rinsed seaweed
Wood ashes, white & dry
Chopped-up kitchen garbage (no meat or fat)

Avoid using: Brush; chipped bark; wood, stemmy or

stickery stuff; broken glass; stringy long grasses; dog & cat
manure; pine needles; sawdust. These take too long to
break down.
A good basic formula is 100 pounds wet manure, 100
pounds leaves or old hay, 100 pounds fresh grass clippings.
If a shredder is used composting is speeded up because
everything is broken up into "bacteria hash" & a much
wider variety of plant material can be used. Compost
made only from shredded material is ready for use in four¬
teen days & needs no layering.

23
To Begin Composting

L ocate near your garden a 3-foot-high circle

of chicken wire or similar enclosure; it's impor¬
tant that as much air as possible be allowed to
circulate.
To begin the pile, put down a bottom layer
of weeds or brushy vegetation. This will keep the rest
of the pile slightly off the ground for airiness. Then put
down a 3-inch-thick layer of whatever you have the most
of. . . strawy manure, rotten hay, leaves. . .sprinkle it
with a thin layer of chopped, organic garbage, then a thin
layer of topsoil. Now add a solid 2 or 3 inches of fresh, wet
manure or grass clippings, which contain the activating
element nitrogen. Continue with another layer of bulky,
airy stuff like leaves, fresh weeds or strawy manure.
Airiness is very important. If your materials are dry,
sprinkle each layer thoroughly with water as you build.
The heap should be very moist but not sopping wet.
Continue to build, with no layer exceeding 3 inches.
Use thin sprinklings of powdered natural fertilizers such as
bone meal, rock phosphate, wood ash, blood meal, fish
meal, etc., throughout the heap.
Finish the heap with a thin layer of fine dirt & water
the whole thing with a sprinkler for a minute. Cover it
with burlap bags or straw for insulation. Within two days

24
the heap should be hot in the middle. If not, add more
manure or grass clippings & douse the cold pile with liquid
fish fertilizer.
The pile will become hot & steamy. Success. Decom¬
position has set in. Rapid decay releases heat that kills
seeds & toxic organisms, & the temperature can go higher
than 150 degrees Fahrenheit. The pile will begin to sink to
half its original size. Stick a garden fork in it from time to
time & fluff it up a bit & once in a while thoroughly churn
it up; the extra air speeds the process. Sprinkle it with
water whenever it begins to get dry, but protect it from
heavy rains with plastic. Turn the pile as it begins to cool
off, & it is ready to use when everything has turned brown
& crumbly in a month or two.
Compost is used in several ways. The fine-textured
stuff can be sifted out with Vi inch mesh hardware cloth &
used in planting mixtures. The rougher stuff can be re¬
turned to another heap or used as a top dressing to keep
the soil open and moist underneath the plants, or it can be
used to make compost tea, which will be described later on
(Seepage 50).
For complete information on organic composting
look for The Complete Book of Composting or The Ency¬
clopedia of Organic Gardening (See bibliography).

25
Getting The Soil
Into Condition

I DEALLY, THE PLANTING SOIL should be rich,

deeply cultivated, fine-textured, warm, loamy
or sandy, with a slightly alkaline pH & a cal¬
cium-rich subsoil.
For large plantings, rototill deeply & re¬
peatedly in spring, plowing under any available amount
of manure, compost, green grass, weeds, rotten hay, dead
leaves, & poultry manure at the rate of 40 cubic yards per
acre. If the soil tested somewhat acidic (pH under 7) scatter
dry woodashes & agricultural limestone to alkalize the
planting area. If the site doesn't drain well & tends to stay
soggy & cold, make raised planting beds by digging out
paths 1 foot wide & 6 inches deep, laying the soil in long
mounds 2-3 feet across. Be sure not to compact the soil by
walking on the raised beds.
If you contemplate a smaller garden, obtain a garden
fork for digging, for each plant dig a hole* at least 18 inches
across & 1 foot deep. Set the soil to one side. Fill the hole
with a good shovelful of recent manure, a similar shovel¬
ful of good-quality compost, a large handful of bone meal,
& about Vz shovelful of dried chicken shit. You can also
add rotten kitchen garbage, eggshells, dead fish, dried

*See “Spacing Out” (page 30)

26
kelp, sewage sludge, earthworms, cottonseed meal,
crushed granite, old manure, a dead snake, or whatever
you might have that will decay quickly. Marijuana plants
really respond to rotting materials in the ground. Add
limestone, about 1 pound per plant; 2 pounds if the soil is
acidic.
If the soil is very dense & heavy, add a shovelful of
sand & plenty of extra compost. Do not substitute peat
moss or commercial "organic compost" or "soil condi¬
tioner," as these are very acidic logging wastes.
Next, mix the holes well, crumbling any big lumps,
then putting back enough of the original topsoil to raise
the level a few inches above the surrounding ground. If the
ground remains hard & uncultivated, the fragile plant
roots cannot spread out enough to grow more than a
dwarf plant.
Soil types differ wildly across the United States. In the
eastern half & in the wet northwest, acid soil is the rule,

27
correctable with lime & compost & special attention to
drainage. Arid desert areas are alkaline & need organic
matter worked in. Rich adobe soils, common clay of the
West, give sensational gardens when compost is added.
The midwestern prairies are fertile & acidic in wet areas,
semifertile & slightly alkaline in dry areas.
The conditions around the roots are responsible for
the feeding & support of a seed that will grow to the size of
a ten year old Christmas tree in four short months, so get
plenty of food into the ground before planting. The roots
are mostly delicate, hair-like & not very extensive even in
very large plants, & they grow best in well-cultivated soil.

28
 Part II

Planting
Spacing Out

M aturing female plants should stand 5 or 6 feet

apart. Top-to-toe all day sunshine is essential
for perfect plants; no plant should shade an¬
other. Given enough space for sun, each plant
will produce to its maximum in perfect health.
Very wide spacing causes prodigious side branches to form
& the plants grow wide & full.
Overcrowding produces shade, & shade produces
more male plants. A crowded garden will grow very tall &
lanky, giving very small yields per plant.
In a wild garden where both male & female plants are
growing, a closer spacing of 2 to 3 feet should be used. The
males are removed later, leaving extra light & space for the
females to mature slowly. In colder, damp conditions, it is
essential that sunlight touches the ground between the
plants to warm the soil.
Only in extremely hot dry areas is the shading unim¬
portant. Moroccan farmers crowd their plants in a few
inches apart, & they grow acres of it.

30
Planting

P lanting the seeds directly outdoors produces

very strong, healthy plants, if the soil is good.
Prepare the soil thoroughly using raised beds
or the prepared-hole technique. * Put three or
four seeds around the center of each hole,
about Vi inch under the soil. Sprinkle the soil well; if it's
dry, soak the area thoroughly. Wait six to ten days for the
plants to come up. Water daily, lightly, unless the soil is
already wet. Pinch off some of the babies if they are
crowded. When they are six inches or so tall, cut off all but
one sturdy child in each group. Save the seedlings with
visible branches starting at each leaf joint. Cut off any that
look twisted, spindly, or sick.

Lazy Bum Method

It's also possible just to throw some seeds down on

good, well-dug garden soil, rake them in, sprinkle the

*See "Getting the Soil into Condition," page 26

31
entire area well, & stand back. Thinning is an absolute
must: widely separate the strongest plants before they
reach 8 inches.
Don't forget this stuff is a weed & will grow under dif¬
ficult conditions, depending on the soil & sun, but the per¬
fect plant requires loving attention.

Meticulous Method

I use & recommend peat pots, available in most

garden stores, a clever invention of a hollow pot made
of pressed peat moss & manure. The roots grow right
through the pot, so transplanting is totally painless for
the infant plant. Jiffy-7s are also good, but contain
chemical fertilizer.
Fill the pots with a mixture of 2A sand & V3 top soil
or sifted compost, well mixed together. Don't pack it
down, & don't fertilize. Place the filled pots in a plastic
or foil-lined box & crowd them together so they won't
tip over. Sprinkle thoroughly & let them sit overnight.
Then water them again before planting to make sure
they are evenly moist.
Put one or two dark shiny seeds in each pot & fill
to the brim with more soil mix. The seeds should be
about Vi inch under the surface. Peat pots must never
dry out after the seeds are planted.
Don't soak, sprout, or germinate the seeds before
planting. This is a total waste of time & a worthless hassle.

Keeping Track

It's difficult to resist planting several different kinds

of pot, & different is how they turn out. They all look alike
at first, so number-label each pot, recording the number &
seed type in a special notebook. It's good to know what

32
Planted & Ready (For strong, healthy plants, keep peat pots evenly
moist at all times.)

33
you have. Don't use water-soluble ink.

Planting In Containers

Practical containers to consider for portable gardens

are half wine barrels, big plastic buckets with side handles,
washtubs, even a plastic bag set in a fruit crate. Giant peat
pots are also good. All planting containers need to be clean
and free of detergents, oil, or bad chemicals. Be certain
there is a small drainage hole in the bottom of each to pre¬
vent accidental drownings. For a large-size plant with a
well-grown root system, use a large container at least
18 inches across & 14 inches deep.
Whip up a special soil mix, one that will fully satisfy
every requirement of a fast-growing, hungry infant. Care¬
ful, painstaking attention to this soil mix will insure suc¬
cessful growing, & organic ingredients can be added in
strong doses without injuring the plants. When planting in
containers, use at least half sand. Sand is essential for per¬
fect drainage, aeration, & easy root penetration.

Soil Mix for Containers:

2 parts sand, 1 part good garden soil with earthworms

in it, 1 part good compost or old decayed manure. Mix
these well together. Test the soil for its pH value. If it is
acidic, under 7, step up the amount of lime & ashes you
feed the plant.
Half fill your planting containers with this mix & then
add a mixture of 1 cup bone meal, Vi cup white wood
ashes, Vi cup lime, & a little of any other organic natural
fertilizer:

*Or use the special pages at the back of this book as your planting log.

34
 Sewage sludge
Dead fish in pieces
Kelp flakes
Blood meal
Hoof & horn meal
Powdered rock fertilizers
Old eggshells
Dried chicken shit

Finish filling the containers with the original soil mix

so that the heavily fertilized soil is at the bottom. This
gives the roots a chance to select what they want. It is most
essential to double check the pH. Add another Vi cup lime
if it is even slightly acidic.
Thump the containers on the ground to settle the soil.
It should remain soft & light.
You can plant three or four seeds right away. Place
them a couple of inches apart in the center & cover them
with V2 inch of soil. Sprinkle the containers gently with
pure water. This first watering must be thorough, soaking
all the way down to the bottom to get things working
before the roots reach it days later. Be sure water flows out
the drain hole; the plants loathe standing in a bath.
Drive a long stake into the container near the edge.
This will support the plant during hard times.
You will notice that the seedlings always point
directly at the sun, following it through the sky. When
moving plants in containers, try hard to realign them
the same way each day. Perhaps it would be clever to
mark one side of each pot & always point it east. Constant
turning of the plant must confuse it & tire it out.

35
36
Greenhouse Culture

A greenhouse is the natural solution for gar¬

deners in heavy weather areas. It can provide
backyard concealment, windbreak, & frost
protection, as well as prolong the growing
season. It can also provide an outlet for archi¬
tectural fantasy. However, greenhouses do have some dis¬
advantages involving heat, pests, & air flow. Neverthe¬
less, in extremely cold, foggy, or windy areas they may be
necessary for good growth.
Locate the greenhouse in the sunniest spot available.
The cheapo roll plastic (PVC) & scrap lumber greenhouse
is fine if built strongly enough to withstand wind & rain.
It must also be tall enough—at least 8-10 feet, or the tops
of the plants will hit the roof & get twisted. In very cold
areas, a double-walled greenhouse should be considered;
it is simple toapply an innerskin after the weather turns icy.
Planting in the greenhouse is similar to planting out¬
side. Care in soil preparation will pay off in healthy plants.
Good spacing will probably yield to greed, but try to keep
the plants at least 2 feet apart to stimulate some branching.
They will do very well planted in the ground; rototill in as
much organic & natural fertilizers as you can. Excellent
results may be had with careful culture in 5 gallon cans,
half barrels, or other large containers. Avoid clay pots, as
they overheat & dry out rapidly, are breakable&expensive.

37
 Obviously it is not going to rain inside the green¬
house, so watering must be done at least weekly, & a semi¬
permanent water system built in is a great help.
The yield from a greenhouse can be as high as 1 pound
per 12 square feet.

Greenhouse Problems

Watch out for overheating. Keep a thermometer in a

shady spot inside the greenhouse & check it on hot, sunny
days. More than 105 degrees is too hot; open it up more.
A too tightly closed greenhouse can smother plants: with
too much heat & moisture in the air, toxic wastes can't
evaporate off the surface of the leaves fast enough, &
poisons will build up that can seriously weaken the plant.
So a steamy tropical environment is not necessary.
Cannabis thrives at 75° F. with dry air. A strong cross¬
draft of fresh air from outside is vital to good health.
Damp greenhouse conditions also produce live pests.
If a mysterious gray mold appears, this is a definite indica¬
tion that the air is too wet. Snails & slugs should be re¬
moved to a distance or killed; they are an especial threat to
seedlings. Spider mites are practically invisible bugs which
produce a whitish mottling or stippling on the undersides
of the leaves; lady bugs can be ordered through the mails
to control spider mites & aphids.
Greenhouse plants may grow too fast, suffering from
a lack of wind. The stems grow long, floppy, & weak. A
gentle shaking each day helps strengthen them, as does an
extra dose of potash—seaweed extract is fine. Also, the
extra bit of shade from the overhead plastic will make
plants lankier & taller. Most of these problems can be rem¬
edied simply by removing the roof or constructing the
greenhouse to be open during the day. The walls can
remain to block prying eyes while the plants enjoy the
natural advantages of free air & light.

38
Indoor Growing

I NDOOR GROWING OFFERS SECURITY. You must be

content that the plants will not reach a great
size or weight, so grow lots of them to make up
the difference. Gro-Lux lights should be used
in combination with regular incandescent
bulbs, which give off some warmth, but they are no
replacement for real sunlight. Plants grown exclusively in
an artifical environment will never attain the size & luxuri¬
ance of naturally-grown plants. Organic soil mixes &
compost teas will work well indoors, but do not produce
the magical effects of outdoor growing.
There are several books on the market about indoor
pot growing, but none take the organic approach.
Hydroponic or soil-less gardening can be done organ¬
ically using blood & bone meal liquid mixtures. This is a
new field, ripe for experimentors.

39
40
 Part III

Growing
Germination

G ermination should take place in two to four

days, with plants appearing after five to eight
days. Seedlings need temperatures of 65 to
75° F. Mist or sprinkle the pots once or twice
daily to prevent drying, but make sure no
loose water remains in the bottom of the box. Get the box
into the sun as soon as the first plant appears. Put it in your
sunniest window or outside during the day. Direct sun¬
light is essential for seedlings; without it they will stretch
out long & skinny & never grow right.
Protect the seedlings from curious cats, snails, slugs,
& little kids. Lift a pot to check for roots: fuzzy white,
coming through the bottom. Twelve to fifteen days after
germination is an average wait. When the roots appear,
transplant immediately into the prepared soil.

42
43
Transplanting

A
Transplanting Seedlings in Peat Pots

strology fans, check your moon sign . * The

ground should have been prepared in advance
& any construction finished. Get a bucket of
manure tea (see page 50) or fish emulsion, &
the hose or watering can.
Scoop a spot in the center of the prepared area big
enough for the entire pot. Now dip the pot in the bucket of
tea briefly, then poke a few holes in it to make sure the
roots can grow at the maximum rate. Set the pot in the
hole deep enough to cover the edges of the pot completely.
Gently press the pot into the soil, then water. Let the hose
run on the ground, or pour water carefully around the
seedling. Water until the area is well-soaked.
Make the entry on a map of holes in your notebook,
recording the number, seed type, & location as soon as
you transplant. The original labels often disappear & the
map is a fine backup system.
After watering, press down all around the seedling
once more to expel air pockets. It helps to be fairly
methodical & transplant the seedlings all at once, & when
you finish that, the heavy work is over. All that you need

*Consult a reliable astronomical calendar or almanac.

44
to do now is water them often & enough, protect them
from marauders, & keep quiet.

"Hardening" Indoor Plants

Plants moved from indoors to outdoors need a two-week

period of "hardening" so they can develop resistance to the
elements — wind, cold, brilliant sun.
During the first week after the move outdoors keep
them in filtered sunlight during the day, & if it's not frosty
leave them out overnight too. If frost is still a threat, bring
the plants into an unheated room just above freezing for
the night. In the second week place the plants in full sun¬
light, increasing the exposure by an hour each day. By the
seventh day the plants should be able to survive full sun¬
light all day. If transplanted directly from a soft indoor

Soak the whole pot in compost or a fertilizer tea before transplanting

45
situation to the great outdoors, many plants can be dam¬
aged by the intensity of real life, losing all their leaves &
suffering whiplash in the wind.

Moving Larger Plants

Some time may be necessary to transplant a large

plant. Given the choice between killing the plant imme¬
diately in an immature stage or valiantly trying to keep it
alive after transplanting, opt for the latter. If you really
try, transplanting a full-grown plant is risky, hard work—
but possible. One thing to note, though: Larger plants are
too difficult to transplant in the heat of summer unless
total shade is provided during & after the move.
First have a place ready for the plant to go in a
prepared hole nearby, a bucket, large can, bushel basket,
even a fruit crate or cardboard box. Put in a large shovel¬
ful of compost to cushion the roots. Using a good, sharp
spade, dig straight down about 1 foot out from the stem.
Step hard & straight down until the spade is completely
buried, then pull it straight up. Cut all the way around the
plant in this way. When the circle is complete, dig in &
carefully push back on the handle to loosen the plant.
Extra hands are needed to pull a root ball this size out in
one piece, so get help. At least two hands should lift the
2-foot block of soil plus plant out of the ground. Support
the soil ball underneath with the shovel carrying the
weight of the foliage by holding the stem. Place the soil
ball into the container or new hole immediately with the
plant as upright as possible. Every caution must be taken
to do no more damage to what's left of the roots. Just fill
the corners & top off the containers with sandy compost &
water the poor thing well. Mist it if the air is hot & dry.
Stake it up if wind is a possibility.
Keep the plant in the shade for a few days, gradually

46
increasing the sunlight. Water it deeply & frequently, &
feed it plenty of compost tea (see page 50) until the plant
perks up & begins to look normal again.
Transplanting small, actively-growing plants up to
2 feet tall is not too dangerous. Choose a cool cloudy or
rainy day, early evening, or nighttime. Dig straight down
6 inches from the stem in a 2-foot plant, using two hands to
lift out the plant with a large root ball. The plant will go
into shock for at least a week after being moved, drooping
& moping, but with plenty of water it will recover.
Transplanting smaller plants is also easy, just remem¬
ber to dig straight down & remove as large a ball of soil as
possible, provide shade and water, and a little dose of
compost tea to ease the pain of severed roots.

47
Sensible Feeding

I F YOU PREPARED YOUR SOIL RIGHT, OI* if yOU

planted in naturally fertile soil, the plants
won't really need extra food to grow & mature.
But if you want to grow really amazing plants,
some fooling around with various fertilizers is
entertaining. Marijuana is tremendously responsive to
good treatment. The aroma of the plants seems to be
heightened by composting fresh materials continually
around the plants' bases.
The seedling won't want any extra feeding. The root
system is encouraged to develop rapidly in the sandy start¬
ing mix, in the search for scarce food.
The two-month-old plant can survive on what's been
dug in, but will grow more rapidly if you regularly feed it
compost or manure tea in light doses. (See page 50). Fish
emulsion & kelp extract are excellent organic fertilizers
that can be poured on after watering.
The rapidly growing larger plants appreciate nitrogen
feedings all summer long. A heavy mulch of manure,
compost, cocoa bean hulls, or other rich nitrogen food can
be heaped around the bases of the plants. Growers trip out
here. Madmen apply carrot pulp, orange peels, rose petals,
rabbit manure, deer shit, anything you can name that
might rot. Lighter materials are heaped up to conserve

48
water & aid decomposition of whatever you use.
The result is an incredibly alive soil around the base
of the plant. Earthworms will appear to munch the goodies
& flourish madly.
As the plants begin to bloom, stop feeding them
nitrogen-rich nutrients. Work in some bone meal & white
wood ashes at the bases of the plants & water them in well.
A mulch of crushed oyster shells may be laid around each
plant. These will boost the available potash & phosphorus,
promoting large, well-formed flowers.
The three major plant nutrients are nitrogen, potash,
& phosphate, & there are many trace elements also
essential for plant health. Several organic & natural
fertilizers supply these nutrients in balance. Organic
fertilizers are manure, sewage sludge, compost, &kelp—
all derived from living things. Natural fertilizers are lime¬
stone, potash rock, phosphate rock, granite dust—
all naturally occurring, crushed rocks.
Chemical fertilizers are also rock powder, but have
been treated with strong acids to make them instantly
soluble. Superphosphate is half sulfuric acid. These fer¬
tilizers are definitely too strong for marijuana growing.

Composition of Fertilizers

Manure: Fresh manure supplies nitrogen, smaller

amounts of potash & phosphate, & biological activity.
Fish Fertilizer: Strong nitrogen, lots of trace elements.
Dried Chicken Shit: Strong nitrogen, strong phos¬
phate, strong potash.
Sludge: Available commercially as Milorganite; rich
in nitrogen, phosphate, & trace metals.
Cottonseed Meal: Rich nitrogen.
Bone Meal: Phosphate & calcium, a little nitrogen.
Kelp: High in potash, valuable for trace elements.
Wood Ashes: Potash; has alkalizing effect; mustn't

49
get wet before use.
Limestone: Chiefly used to alkalize soil, also adds
calcium.
Crushed Oyster Shells: Calcium, has liming effect.
Potash Rock: Potash & trace elements, is long-
lasting.
Phosphate Rocks: Phosphorus & trace elements, is
long-lasting.
Granite Dust: Some potash, is long-lasting.

All these can be dug in at planting time or before. If

the soil is loose & penetrable, the plant can be fed liquid
fertilizers. No amount of extra food will help a plant stuck
in hard, compacted soil.
The simplest & most foolproof feeding technique
for the organic cultivator is using manure or compost tea;
commercial organic fertilizers are effective but expensive.

Fertilizer Recipes

Use these only after the regular watering. Water is as

important as the food: the roots can't absorb nutrition
except in the presence of water.

Manure Tea: Soak XA bucket of old manure or

V8 bucket of fresh manure in a full bucket of water. Stir
well, dip out liquid. Use 1 quart per large plant, 1 cup for a
baby. Manure can be soaked three or four times.
Compost Tea: Soak V\ bucket of rough compost in
1 bucket water; use like manure tea. Bucket can be refilled
with water several times.
Yuck Soup: Half fill a bucket with weeds or grasses &
garden trash; soak with water overnight. Can be reused a
few times. Use as manure tea.

50
Creating The Perfect
Environment

D on't give your plants a hard time, it won't

make better smoke. Disregard any advice
about starving, dwarfing, making bonsai, tor¬
turing, or not watering to create difficult con¬
ditions. You can get just as busted for 2-foot
sick plants as you can for 10-foot giants, so grow for peak
production & health, as you would with any prize vege¬
table. The result of maltreatment is reduced yield.
After transplanting & until flowering time, the
rapidly growing plants require lots of sun, careful water¬
ing, plenty of growing room, & very little attention. This
is the vegetative stage, time to take a vacation.
Some soils, sandy or gravelly in origin, dry out much
faster than heavier clay or loam soils. When the weather
turns hot & windy, increase watering. Otherwise, with
regular summer rains & adequate soil, watering will be un¬
necessary. Hot drought areas, greenhouses, & container
gardens call for plenty of extra water.
Until the young plants reach 2 feet tall, they should be
watered three times a week, thoroughly. After the plants
pass 2 feet, water deeply once a week. The soil should be
wet IV2 feet down.
Check the soil before & after watering, to see where
the water is going. Dig a little hole between the plants with

51
a trowel once in a while to make sure the water is going
down, not away. Don't let puddles form near the plants—
standing water will suffocate & kill the roots in a few
hours. Roots need air to live.
Dragging the hose around can be tricky, so work out
an easy watering method. A soaker hose works well or a
low lawn sprinkler to make rain. Don't stand with the hose
slopping water on the roots; squat down & lay the hose on
the ground, letting the water soak down slowly. It helps to
make a shallow moat around the bottom of the plant &
pour the water into that. Be careful not to walk on the soft
soil around the plants.
There is no way to state exactly how much water to
use. A very hot, dry garden may require 2 gallons of water
per large plant, more if the surrounding soil is sandy. A
cooler, damp location with low nighttime temperature
will need much less.
Containers dry out very fast, especially wooden or
unglazed clay pots. When watering, be sure to spray the
outside of the containers too.
A thirsty plant will droop—then wilt. It will continue
to draw water out of the roots until the roots wilt, causing
irreversible damage. A badly wilted plant should be
misted immediately to stop transpiration, then slowly
watered to save its life. Baby plants are easily injured &
stunted. Adult plants survive dryness if the subsoil is still
damp around the taproots.
All gardeners recommend watering in the morning to
let the plants dry off before nightfall.
Young plants & container specimens love warm
water. All marijuana farmers agree that the best way to
mature good grass is in a warm, dry soil. Once blossoming
has fully begun, allow the soil to get dryer & dryer slowly,
but not to the point of wilting the plants. As the weather
cools they need less watering anyway.

52
 Part IV

Pruning & Plant Care

Pruning

P runing is the cutting out of unwanted parts

of a plant to benefit the rest of the plant. It's
not a mysterious process, but one based on
reason, & it is not essential for growing high
quality marijuana.
Frequently animals will accomplish this difficult
choice of action in your absence, & even the most nibbled
stump will eventually regrow if a portion of the leaves
remain.
Don't prune the plant unless you have to, & always
do it on a hot sunny morning to give the sun a chance to
disinfect & seal the wound. Cutting into the plant during
rainy or damp cold weather causes the plant to bleed, or
lose fluids rapidly.
The best, most convenient tools for pruning are the
thumb & forefinger. Pinching off the tip of a rapidly-
growing plant slows the upward growth & forces the
branches to spread out strongly.
Some pot plants shoot straight up without branches,
especially in crowded or shady situations. These should be
pinched back early, before the plant reaches 18 inches.
Other plants grow all their branches from the start & don't
need early pinching. This early branching is a female trait,

54
This young plant needs Pinch off top bud
pinching to encourage
branching (6 weeks)

55
of value to the breeder, making a short, wide, less visible
plant.
The naturally grown outdoor plant makes its main
growth in June, July & August, sometimes growing an
inch a day. You will notice that the large leaves usually
grow in pairs at even intervals. This symmetry is broken
late in summer when the plant grows angled stems with
only one leaf per joint. In response to solar decline in mid-
August, the plants begin growing flower stems on these
newer stems. The smaller, angled flower stemlets,
2-6 inches long, form at each leaf joint. Once the flower
stemlets appear, no major pruning should be done.
Plants grown where height is a problem, such as a
backyard or patio, may need repeated pruning in late
summer. To reduce the size of a 6 foot plant, or one that's
growing too fast with large empty spaces on the main stem
& branches, cut off a foot or more of each main branch &
2 feet off the main stem. This is an act of violence & should
be done only if absolutely necessary.
Instead of cutting, a careful grower can weight or tie
down the long branches into a horizontal direction of
growth. This increases the amount of flowers a plant can
produce.
The stems of very fast growing flower tops can be
bent over until they snap but do not break. The tops will
continue to grow—sideways. This is radical, but it is
better than severe pruning just before blossoming.

57
Pinching

With the thumb & finger pick off the tiny, soft grow¬
ing bud at the very end of the main branches & main stem.
This can be repeated later if the plant still isn't full & bushy.
Pinching is much less traumatic than pruning, but over¬
pinching will result in a profusion of tiny weak branches,
not at all desirable for large flower clusters.

58
Cutting:

Use very sharp pruning shears or scissors for a clean, fast¬

healing cut. Always cut back to Vi inch above a leaf axil,
the point where the leaf stem joins the main trunk or
branch. New growth will start from this joint. In damp,
cool, or shady areas, treat the wounds with rubbing
alcohol &/or Tree Seal. The ends of branches that you cut
off can easily be used to make cuttings (see page 61).
Keep in mind that every time you cut or otherwise in¬
jure your plant it is forced to heal itself & that infection can
start at the cut.
Other Techniques

This is a popular subject in dope-growers' circles.

You can heavily prune very young plants in the
ground outdoors, much like a rabbit munching off the tips
of the branches. This creates a dense, tiny plant. Its stem
then grows thick & short, with giant branches erupting at
ground level. Repeated pinching creates a dense stout
plant that resists rain & wind damage. Plants must be very
widely spaced to maximize spreading.
Some folks recommend picking off all the large
leaves. "Shade leaves" they call them. Horseshit. These
large leaves are your solar factories. The more square
footage of leaves a growing plant has, the more solar
energy it can gather to turn eventually into flowers &
seeds. The plant doesn't feed the leaves, the leaves energize
the plant. Leave them alone. That's the reason female
plants spread out wide, to gather maximum sun.
Another oft-heard theory is that picking off all the
large leaves a few weeks before harvest will stimulate or
change resin production, or cause larger flower clusters to
develop. Little harm is done by this technique, & it saves
time later, after harvest. The process is similar in nature to
snails & insects attacking the oldest leaves first, cleaning
out the center of the plant. I have not noticed any improve¬
ment, however, in the final product. It's my opinion that
leaf pruning is unnecessary, & harmful to growth if done
before the blossoms are formed.
If you want to break off large leaves shortly before
harvest & save a lot of energy later on when dealing with
the dried plants, try to develop a controlled "snap" that
cleanly breaks the leaf stem off at the junction. Breaking or
cutting leaf stems in the middle will leave stumps that rot.
Plants grown under perfect conditions & allowed to
develop their full potential should never need any pruning
or trimming of any kind.

60
Rooting The Cuttings

T his simple technique creates many out of one.

A growing plant may be pruned & the tips of
the branches rooted to grow new plants
identical to the mother plant.
A 4 inch section is cut from the end of an
actively-growing branch. Trim off the bottom set of leaves
with a razor blade, cutting the stem on an angle. Bury the
bottom half of the cutting in a damp mixture of 50 percent
vermiculite, 50 percent sand. Mist the cuttings several

61
times a day & keep them in a cool, shady location. You
might want to root the cuttings in clear, plastic containers
so you can see the roots grow. Roots begin to appear in
two to three weeks, and when they are strong, new growth
begins above. Be sure to keep them cool & moist, & some¬
what shaded to prevent shock & wilting. Transplant the
new plant when it has doubled its original size. Expect a
50 percent survival rate.

62
 Part V

Flowering
First Flowers

T he first signs of a plant's sex often appear on

the main stalk about two-thirds of the way up.
Inside a leaf joint, where one of the big leaves
joins the stalk, a tiny flower or flower cluster
will appear long before the flowers on the tops.
If the flower is male, it will first resemble a miniature
crab claw or a tiny bunch of bananas. As it prepares to
open, the largest banana will protrude from the cluster,
develop a stem, & actually look like a tiny flower bud.
When it does open, it dangles, gives off yellow powder—
the pollen, & looks like a tiny greenish flower, about
V2 inch wide.
If the first flower is female, it will look totally dif¬
ferent. First it appears as a tiny rolled up leaf V\ inch long.
A few days later, two small white feathers stick out of the
pointed, unattached end of the little rolled leaf that is the
future seed jacket. The feathers on some plants stay small
& almost colorless. On other plants they will reach Vi inch
& turn a dazzling snow white. The little feathers are
branches of the pistil seeking the pollen blowing in the
wind. They are attached to the ovary, hidden inside
the green flower.
These early flowers are tiny & often hard to find, &
frequently there is only one early blossom on the whole

64
Early flowers appear in the joints on the main stem

65
plant. If your plants are crowded at all, get in there & hunt
for these early indications. If you can find one female
flower complete with feathers, that plant will definitely be
female, so mark it with something bright.
However, some plants never show these early flow¬
ers, so watch the growing tips for main flower growth. In
the male, you'll first see rounded clusters of tightly packed,
broccoli-like buds; a lot seem to form at once. In the
female, development is less rapid; watch the leafy tips for
white feathers in ever-increasing numbers.
Hermaphrodite plants have both male & female*
flowers mixed together, and they develop in the shadier,
more difficult growing spots. Cannabis is bisexual only
when threatened, retaining the ability to make both kinds
of flowers all its life.

*See 'The Hermaphrodite," page 74

 Sex Discrimination

O utdoor plants start to make flowers about

the middle of August in response to the short¬
ening days. By September 1 it is possible to tell
clearly the sex of the plants. Decreasing hours
of daylight encourage the plant to bloom, &
any extra light shining on the plants at night will delay
flowering, as will cold temperatures during the day.
If you are not concerned with breeding or seed pro¬
duction, leave the plants to flower & create seed without
worrying. Male plants, which are not very good to smoke,
will bloom & die. You can use them to make extracts or
pot butter, or as placebo smoke.
The tightfisted grower will want to remove the male
plants early to leave extra light & space for the still¬
growing females. Male plants begin blooming heavily the
last week in August, & daily close attention must be given
to prevent chaotic seed making. This means going to the
garden each day & looking at the growing tips of each
plant for signs of flowers. Male blossoms usually cluster at
the tops of the plant. Gently separate the leaves & examine
what's growing there. Male buds resemble broccoli buds,
clustered football-shaped green buds about Va inch long.
The largest buds open first, releasing yellow pollen into
the breeze.
On later days, more of the buds open until the plant is
covered with little dangling dusty flowers. Cut the males

67
back to the ground or leave a bottom branch for polli¬
nation purposes if the plant is desirable for parenthood. In
the female, development is less rapid; watch the leafy
growing tips for white feathers in ever-increasing numbers.
Some plants will make a few small blossoms very
early, down on the main stem at a leaf joint. These early
flowers do not indicate the final sex of the plant, but seem
to occur most frequently on female plants. Females often
produce one or two male blossoms along the main stalk in
August, while male plants rarely produce female flowers.
Often a male & a female flower will grow next to each
other at the same leaf joint. This apparent bisexuality can
be used to produce an all-female strain of seeds. (See herm¬
aphrodite, page 74.)

68
To Seed Or Not To Seed

A ll pot fans have heard of sinsemilla. This

translates to "seedless." Sinsemilla is a female
plant grown to full blossoming maturity with¬
out any male pollen reaching it. No pollen, no
seeds. Why is this desirable? Seeds are the
final, ultimate purpose of marijuana life, so the strong fe¬
male plant will make as many as it can (if you let it). Pot
seeds are high in proteins, fats, and stored sugars to start
that baby plant. The plant will spend its entire store of
nutrients & energy making pounds of seeds, not resin.
Seedless or very slightly seeded plants make many
more flowers, with a much stronger high & a sweeter taste.
Plants grown this way will continue to produce new
flowers every day at the tops of each flower cluster until
the tops are huge. Plants that have been heavily pollinated
seem to stop growing new flowers right away, & throw all
their energy into seed making.
A few seeds are a good idea, two or three per top. It
helps the plant remain convinced of its femininity, assur¬
ing next year's crop in case the plant is "The One." It is
truly entertaining to begin crossing favorite types & this is
where the labels pay off.
To select a male parent, pick one with strong, well-
branched stems & healthy appearance that is also an early

69
 bloomer. Cut if off, leaving one branch on the stump to
bloom. Before the male flowers open, put a plastic bag
around the plant & fasten tight. You can reach in later,
pull off a few pollinating flowers, & blow pollen on a few

Store valuable pollen in film cans

70
select females—only the bottom flowers should be fertil¬
ized to carry the seeds. It's wise to do this well before har¬
vest when the females are just starting to bloom heavily,
giving these few seeds a long time to mature.
A favorite trick of the sinsemilla plant is to grow one
tiny male flower or part of one at the very tip of a main
flower cluster. Sharp observation daily will turn up this
little yellow banana. Pick it off. It doesn't seem to appear
until the end of the growing season, just before harvest.
That little male flower is your plant's stab at perpetuity—
a female so hungry to reproduce that it can manipulate its
hormones to fertilize itself.
The virgin sinsemilla plant waits & hopes, each day
producing new flowers. The older flowers swell, the white
feathers change color to gold or even rose-pink. The
calyxes, or seed jackets, thicken & develop a heavy layer
of resin in droplets visible with a hand lens. The flowers
may change color to deep red, purple, or a rich yellow. If
pollen from a male still isn't forthcoming, the little flowers
shrivel & turn brown. The smell knocks you down with its
sweetness. The big leaves droop, turn yellow, & start to
fall off. A slight gray tinge develops over the whole plant.
A seeded plant will follow the same pattern as the seeds
begin to mature.

71
 How To Grow
All Female Plants

T his method is somewhat tricky & isn't easy

for first-time gardeners. Anyone who has ever
done serious flower & vegetable gardening
will find it relatively simple & error-proof.
The seeds are planted in spring either in
pots or a special planter box, or outdoors in a special
raised bed or cold frame. Put in plenty of seeds—the
young seedlings can be thinned to stand 3 or 4 inches
apart—& grow these in the normal manner. Plenty of
strong light during the day with protection at night from
frost is necessary. Don't feed them & take care not to
overwater or underlight.
When the young plants are about a foot tall, subject
them to deliberate light deprivation. Cover the plants with
a large cardboard box (or move them into a closet) to
completely shut off all light for sixteen hours at night.
During the day, light the plants for only six hours. This
means taking the box off at 10 a.m. and replacing it at
4p.m. every day for two weeks.
After two weeks, look very closely: tiny blossoms
will have appeared in the leaf joints on most of the plants.
You will be able to clearly see which ones are female &
which are male. Cut off or pull out the males, saving the

72
healthiest, strongest females to transplant into the
permanent location outdoors or in the greenhouse.
To stop blossoming & to return the plants to the vege¬
tative growing stage, give them light 24 hours a day for
three days. This is not needed if the daylight hours are 13
or more.
After transplanting, the plants rapidly grow to full
size, maturing & blossoming normally at the correct time/
This technique is perfect for small growers with
limited space. The same technique can be used by indoor
growers to bring small plants into bloom at any time, a
method that will work with any plant over five weeks old.

73
The Hermaphrodite

T he hermaphrodite, or monoecious marijuana,

is a pest if you are trying to grow seedless, but
a gold mine for the careful breeder with an eye
to next year's crop. Extensive scientific re¬
search has been done on cannabis "herms,"
& their results are remarkably similar to those I came up
with accidentally.
Cannabis is usually divided clearly into half male,
half female plants. Under certain conditions—short days,
high-nitrogen feeding, cool temperatures, & intense
lighting—many of the female plants will produce quanti¬
ties of male blossoms. They will appear in clusters below
the female flower clusters or will be mixed in. The plants
are really females, & the pollen produced from these male
flowers is genetically short one chromosome—the one
that produces masculinity. It is this quality which makes
hermaphrodites so valuable to breeders. Cannabis
behaves like humans—male sex is determined by the pres¬
ence of a y chromosome in the male pollen. Female plants
produce only x chromosomes, so a flower pollinated by
"female" pollen is going to produce a seed that will grow
only a female plant.
Male marijuana pollen, grown in the wild, is 50 per¬
cent male-producing, 50 percent female-producing. The
first year of growing will probably produce this propor¬
tion. If you are lucky, you can grow a larger percentage of
females, possibly because a previous grower was careful

74
to remove male plants before they shed their pollen.
Sinsemilla marijuana will usually have a seed or two,
which are likely to be female-producing.
To cultivate hermaphrodites deliberately, subject the
plants to shorter days & strong nitrogen feeding.
Indoor growing could produce a strain of all-female
seeds in the winter months before the main crop is
established outdoors. By manipulating light, you can
force plants to bloom & seed in 6 to 10 weeks indoors.
By careful control, the all-males can be removed, leaving
the females to pollinate themselves & produce all-female
seeds. (See the previous section.)
Hermaphrodites occur more frequently under diffi¬
cult growing conditions, such as shady areas, cold
weather, shorter days, & nitrogen overfeeding. Winter-
grown plants in the greenhouse will show more male
flowers than plants grown in summer with long days &
warm air. It is the hot summer with long daylight hours
that seems to develop clearly sexed plants with no inter-
sexual flowers.
Does the hermaphrodite get you high? Yes, & the
bonus of female-producing pollen is a great gift to the
small-time grower with limited room.
Sometimes hermaphrodites will produce such an
abundance of male flowers that sinsemilla is out of the
question. To avoid this, pick off the largest male bunches
before the flowers open. This is time-consuming, but
worth it. Plenty will escape your notice & pollinate some
flowers anyway. If too many male flowers appear all at
once, as a last resort, transplant to another area. Even
very large plants can be transplanted with partial success if
great care is taken (see page 46).
Researchers say that some types of pot have strong
hermaphroditic tendencies while others say not.
Marijuana genetics is still largely unexplored.

75
How to Prevent Runaway Hermaphrodism

When the very first female blossoms appear on the

main trunk of the plant, pollinate them. These tiny
blossoms are always the first to show, & if they are
touched with a fingertip coated with real male pollen, the
entire plant receives the signal. This must be done early to
be effective. It is also a potent signal for the main blossom¬
ing to begin.
The large flower clusters at the ends of each branch
remain seedless but satisfied, while only the tiny worthless
single flowers on the main stem carry the seeds.
Male pollen may be kept in a small container, a film
can for example. It remains active for a long time if not
overheated.

76
 Part VI

The Harvest
Watching The Sun

T he changing hours of sunlight are the key to

rapid growth & maturity. Midsummer's day
in mid-America, June 21, is fifteen hours
thirty-six minutes long. By August 1 it's short¬
ened to fourteen hours forty minutes. Sep¬
tember 1 has thirteen hours of light. The plants are totally
locked into these cycles of changing light, & a longer night
is the hurry-up signal that forces them to mature.
Plants started outdoors in mid-June will mature
almost simultaneously with earlier plantings. When the
plant's day is long, longer than fourteen hours, no bloom¬
ing can occur. The plant grows extremely rapidly, but
only leaves appear. Only when the light level has dropped
to days shorter than thirteen hours will blooming occur.
Plants grown indoors may be forced to bloom any
time by manipulation of the hours of darkness. Indoor
growers can make use of this trigger by subjecting plants
to an eight-hour day for three to five days, & withdrawing
light completely the other sixteen hours. Then resume
normal lighting. The plants will exhibit visible flowers
about two weeks later. This is a perfect technique for small
growers with limited space & works best with plants at
least six weeks old.
Large outdoor plantations can't physically accom-

78
plish this, & ideally should be located where a decent fall
climate exists.
Pot is affected by light in other ways. After several
years of observation, it appears to me that plants receiving
the orange-red light of sunset mature sooner than those on
the east side of the garden. Orienting the plants so they
receive the sunset rays will shorten the growing period by
as much as two weeks. Wide spacing outdoors helps.
If your growing site isn't very well lighted, raise the
light level by using reflectors: white painted surfaces
around the plants or just white paper pinned up or laid on
the ground. In general, try to avoid street lighting or night
lights that might shine on the plants; even low-level light¬
ing could confuse flowering. Night should be night & day
day, as far as the plants are concerned. They are highly
sensitive to small changes in environment & respond
visibly to changing conditions. As small an amount as
.03 footcandles during the night can delay flowering
indefinitely.*

Frost

The great limiter—baby plants can't stand any frost

at all. Larger plants develop woody trunks that resist
freezing. Blossoming females can survive repeated light
frosts, but too much ruins the flavor & blackens the
leaves. Temperatures below 28 degrees will freeze the
plant completely. Cover threatened plants with blankets,
plastic, etc., or harvest them immediately.

* "Photo Periodic Responses of Hemp", H. A. Borthwick & N.J. Scully in the

Botanical Gazette, 1954

79
80
Harvest Time

O
The Big Payoff

ver most of North America the time of har¬

vest is usually between the equinox, Sep¬
tember 21, & October 10. Some plants mature
two to three weeks earlier or later.
When you think you have waited long
enough, go out with the scissors & snip off a few buds. Dry
them quickly & roll. The little flowers should stick to your
fingers, smell wonderful, & smoke very poorly (you will
have to relight for every toke). The white feathery pistils
should be turning brown or gold. Close examination of the
flower tops should show sparkling droplets of resin all
over the flowers & small leaves.
When the flowers are ready to pick, half of the little
feathers should have turned gold. The big leaves have
started to hang down & turn yellow. The leaves on the
tops bend back, tips pointing down. The plant is preparing
to die & looks like it. Check for seeds: if the plants have
lots of seeds, harvest before most of the seeds turn dark. If
they have only a few seeds, wait until some, at least, are
mature & black enough to plant next year.
If you allow severe paranoia to control harvest, you
lose. It is very hard to go on waiting a few more days, but
that's what you must do. Grit your teeth & sleep out there
with the flashlight, borrow a barking dog, rig up some

81
bells on invisible fishline, anything. Those last warm days
of sunshine, the famous 'Indian summer," put a final spurt
of energy into the flowers that's worth waiting for.
However, if rain is pouring down, fear not. Perfectly
fine marijuana has been harvested from saturated fields.
The rain does not injure the resin on the flowers nor does it
ruin the flavor of the grass.
Watering should have been stopped a couple of weeks
before the harvest since upward growth stops when the
plant matures. A few plants may not be ready when the
main crop is, so leave them in if possible. Remember, late
bloomers should not be used for seed. Pick your best,
earliest-blooming female to use for next year.

Chop Chop

Pick a warm sunny day if you can. Watch the weather

report closely & cut before it rains.
There are several ways to harvest:
The Nibble Method: Only for frost-free areas. The
ends of the branches will mature sooner than the lower
buds. Go out with the scissors every day for a few weeks &
trim off the best-looking stuff. Carefully cut only the
flowers as this will cause new, smaller flowers to form in
the same spot. Good for small plots, but very
time-consuming.
The Clean Sweep: Cut the plants at ground level with
a saw or knife.
Pulling Up By the Roots: Nearly impossible with
compost-grown plants. Besides, it gets the dope all dirty,
& boiling the roots seems mean.
Immediately take the plant out of the sun. Drying in
the sun destroys the fine green color & sweet taste. Dry it
slowly in a dark place at a cool room temperature with
good air circulation. If you have a tall drying place, hang

82
the whole plant upside down from a nail; or cut the plant
into sections, removing the main stalk, & hang the pieces.
Hanging upside down makes a classy, neat finish to the
dry tops, with all the leaves in order, nothing squished or
bent. For more rapid drying, trim off all the tops & discard
the big leaves & stems which contain a lot of water. Lay
the tops on screens or hook them over strings strung across
the room. The fresh wet stuff must be kept up in the air &
well separated, or it could get moldy.
A closet with the door slightly open or a basement is
ideal. Put in an electric fan if it's humid or raining hard.
Catalytic heaters work in areas without electricity.
Drying should take a week to ten days, leaving the
plants dry but still a little springy. Don't let them get
crumbly dry, or they will be impossible to handle. They
will shrink a lot, even the monster tops. The results from
slow drying are far superior to fast drying with heat. The
slower it drys, the more flavor & aroma the plant retains.

83
Storage

T he best storage container is a glass jar with

an airtight lid. Glass is totally moisture- &
vapor-proof & will keep dope fresh a long
time. Plastic ziplock bags are leaky & worth¬
less for long-term storage. Tins are fine if air¬
tight, but no plastic lid is airtight. Keep the stash in a dark
place; light will slowly reduce the amount of THC.
The very best place to keep your stash is in the
freezer, if you have one. But do not freeze in plastic bags.
Seeds survive freezing for years, especially if they are still
in the flower. Refrigerators, however, are too damp & get
looked into too often, although an old refrigerator can be
hidden away, turned up to its coldest, & used just for the
stash. Test it first to see if it will get cold enough, & use a
big old padlock.
Freshly dried tops, when packed into airtight glass
jars & frozen, will remain unchanged for at least a year.
Which is all the time you need.

84
Appendice
How to Know When
A Plant Needs Your Help

C olor is your best indication. A pale, yel¬

lowish or grayish plant is in need of aid. First
check the soil. Soggy, watery soil or hard-
baked soil needs aeration. Stick in the digging
fork & wiggle it all around the plant, mulch
lightly with compost, & water it well if dry.
Overacidity can also cause poor color. Check with
pH paper. Correct with lime or ashes until the plant
improves, dusting the soil before watering.
Check for gophers undermining the plants. An under¬
mined plant needs extra water. Try to stuff topsoil or com¬
post down the holes to fill them in. Step lightly around the
base of the plant to reunite it with the earth. Water & feed
teas to the plant promptly & regularly, as the roots have
been damaged.
A general yellowing of all the older leaves may be a
sign of nitrogen lack. Feed it fish emulsion or manure tea if
it's young, but don't feed much nitrogen to a plant that's
about to mature. A slight lack at maturity stimulates good
flower production.
A creeping red tint under the leaves could be a phos¬
phorus deficiency; work in a cup of bone meal or rock
phosphate, then water it in.
Any other lack your plants might have due to poor

86
soil can be helped with liquid seaweed fertilizer & a heavy
compost mulch.
Broken branches should be carefully propped up.
When heavy weather arrives, blossoming plants can be
knocked flat by the sudden weight of rain in flower
clusters. Keep alert, there is nothing you can do but prop
them up too. This can develop into quite a debacle, so
forewarned is forearmed—tie them up.
During cold, wet weather, gray mold can appear on
stems or in the flower clusters. Any mold-infested parts
should be cut off immediately & quickly burnt. This will
halt the spread of the infection. This same mold can gallop
through a stack of freshly-cut flower tops.
Insect damage to the hardy herb is usually minor, but
occasionally you will have problems.

87
Pests & Diseases

M arijuana growing in the natural state is

very hardy & resistant to insect damage or
plant diseases. Compost-grown plants out¬
doors are especially strong & vigorous, only
rarely needing doctoring. Greenhouse plants
are far more vulnerable to insects & illness because of their
softness & the artificiality of environment.
Plants growing indoors or in small pots will often
look sick due to a lack of some basic essential, such as
light, nutrients, or water.
When plants look sick or chewed up, the first thing to
do is stop & look at them very carefully.
Herbal lore calls for hemp as a companion plant for
the cabbage family. The odor of the hemp confuses or
repels the white cabbage butterflies that fill broccoli,
cabbage and brussels sprouts with green caterpillars.

Pests

Snails & Slugs: These can eat seedlings in one night, &
they will torment older plants by constant nibbling.
Combat them by keeping the garden area cleaned up &
weeded. They hide during the day. Without shelter they
will go away. Wood ashes sprinkled around the garden
will slow them down. The best treatment is to pick them
up & get rid of them.

Aphids: Aphids are tiny, soft, sucking bugs, come in

88
green or gray, & are usually not a problem on marijuana.
They can be gently rubbed off & crushed, or washed off
with water. Ladybugs will clean up any aphid attack.

Spider Mites: These are tiny reddish or black sucking

insects, seen only in greenhouses or indoors, that fill the
tops of the plants with delicate webs. The leaves develop
whitish flecks on the topside, mottled silvery undersides.
Hard to get rid of, spraying with soapy water. Nicotine
Sulfate can help. Malathion is sometimes used and while it
is registered for food crops, it is best to avoid if possible, it
has a 15 day to harvest restriction, and is not organic.

White Flies: These are also greenhouse pests. Clouds

of tiny whitish soft bugs fly off the leaves when you handle
the plants. These greenhouse pests can be set back by a
spray of very dilute fish emulsion (1 tablespoon per
gallon). The plants love it, the bugs hate it.

Caterpillars, Weevils, Grubs, & lnchworms: Pick

these things up & crush them if you find them on your
plants. They can be turned into fertilizer by drowning
them in the compost-tea bucket.

Other Pests: Pack rats and ground squirrels will

sometimes climb a plant & cut off branches to stuff in their
nests. Discourage them with wire net, stomping on the
ground near their holes, dog shit near their front door, &,
as a last resort, cats or traps.

Rabbits & Deer: Also cows, horses, & goats—all love

to eat it sometimes, sometimes not. Young plants without
fences around them will get eaten if these animals are
common sights near your garden. Some garden stores sell
deer repellent. Bunnies don't like blood meal sprinkled

89
around. A good fence is best. A diversionary tactic is to
interplant salad vegetables with the pot. Most munching
animals vastly prefer cabbage & lettuce to marijuana.

Two Legged Midnight Creepers: A simple detection

system can be rigged for a small investment in wire,
switches, & a bell or buzzer. A battery-operated bell is
triggered by trip wires (nylon fish line) attached to micro¬
actuators in the garden. A light that goes on when a switch
is tripped is also a good addition.

Babies Fall Flat

Very young seedlings can "damp off" if allowed to get

too dry & are then overwatered for a few days. The tiny
stem suddenly develops a thin spot & the plant keels over
on its side. This is caused by an organism living in wet soil.
Marijuana seedlings will not "damp off" unless they have
been weakened by drowning or serious thirst. There is no
saving their lives. You must cut off the infected plants &
save the rest with extra care. Give plenty of strong sun¬
light, & stop watering until the surface of the soil dries out.
Make sure not to overwater afterwards. "Damp off" stops
when the plants grow their third sets of leaves & the stems
harden.

90
Experimentation

M arijuana farmers all over the world have

secret treatments to produce their idea of
perfection.
Thai farmers pray & meditate in their
gardens. One plant is recognized as the natural
spiritual link & is given special care & attention. Some¬
times an altar is built in the garden.
In Punjab, India, seed is planted in the mouth of a
dead cobra.
In Mexico, plants are spiked through the base with
cactus thorns, thought to stimulate the flow of resin.
Earth worshippers make love among the marijuana
& appeal to the great god Pan. The Ant Farm in northern
California produced claims that THC can be recycled by
planting in pots lined with your own shit.
There are lots of interesting ideas floating around
about increasing the life energy of growing plants (not
grass specifically). One is wrapping a spiral of copper foil
strips around the stem, another is encircling the growing
area with a copper coil attached to a D.C. source to pro¬
duce a magnetic field. Some recommend constructing
open-frame pyramids over the plants.
Another trick is to bury several magnets in the soil at
the base of the plant at planting time, or to magnetize iron
filings & work them into the soil.

91
 .-
■>~'''v'g£7S»-t
ZJC3&..

92
 People have tried playing various types of music to
plants. Heavy rock was a dud, but plants responded favor¬
ably to Ravi Shankar & Hawaiian steel guitar.
An excellent source of vague but fascinating informa¬
tion about these & other weird experiments is Peter
Tompkins' The Secret Life of Plants, a lengthy compen¬
dium of off-beat gardening lore with a magnificent biblio¬
graphy. Also, some very advanced thinking about com¬
posting has been published by Rudolf Steiner & his school
of Biodynamic farming, & is well worth checking out.

93
Barney 's Tequila Verde

Pour gold label tequila out of its bottle, & loosely

pack it with green, dried buds of homegrown, seedless pot.
Pour the tequila back in.
Hide the bottle in the dark for three or four weeks.
Give it a little shake now & then.
Drink—watchout—before six weeks old. A strange
buzz. . . the taste is incredible.
If you want to save it, drain the "green tequila" off
into another container after five weeks of soaking. Throw
away the marijuana, or eat it if you want.
Leaving the tequila & the marijuana together for too
long changes the flavor for the worse.

94
Marijuana Butter

Use old stash, stems, big leaves, the moldy

unsmokable. Simmer V4 pound of mediocre grass or 1
pound of stems & leaves in a large kettle of water & stir
often. After two hours add 1 Vi pounds of butter. Stir well.
Simmer for at least twelve hours, stirring occasional¬
ly. Add water as it gets low.
Remove from heat & pour the liquid through a strain¬
er into another container. Pour a little boiling water
through the stems & leaves & squeeze them hard into the
container.
Pour boiling water again & repeat until all the butter
is squeezed out. Throw away the marijuana debris.
Let the liquid cool until cold. All the butter will float
to the top & harden. Scoop off the butter, place it in a
saucepan & gently melt it. All debris will settle to the
bottom of the pan. Slowly pour warm butter through a
fine strainer into a bowl.
Chill & use like regular butter in your favorite cookie
recipe.

95
Selected Bibliography

Drake, William D. International Cultivator's Hand¬

book. Berkeley: Wingbow Press, 1974. Cannabis as medi¬
cine in ancient uses.
Frank, Mel & Rosenthal, Ed. Indoor Outdoor
Marijuana Grower's Guide. San Francisco: And/Or
Press, 1973. Two city boys grow it in closets. Complete
instructions.
Frazier, Jack. The Marijuana Farmers: Hemp Cults
and Cultures. New Orleans: Solar Age Press, 1974. Excel¬
lent background information.
Gottlieb, Adam. The Art and Science of Cooking
with Cannabis. San Francisco: Level Press, 1974. All
about eating grass. Very good book.
_Growing Extraordinary Marijuana. San Fran¬
cisco: Level Press, 1974. Very fine small book. Secrets
from around the world.
The staff of "Organic Gardening and Farming," J.I.
Rodale, editor-in-chief & others. The Complete Book of
Composting. Emmaus: Rodale Books, 1960. Mighty tome
on all aspects, large & small.
_The Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening.
Emmaus: Rodale Books, 1959. Excellent general garden
information.
Panama Rose. The Hashish Cookbook. San Fran¬
cisco: Level Press, 1974. Classic Moroccan recipes.
Tompkins, Peter & Bird, Christopher. Secret Life of
Plants. New York: Harper & Row, 1973.

96
Planting Notes & Log
Location Map:

Date: Soil Type:

Plant Number Date of 1st Flower
Planting Notes & Log
Location Map:

Date: Soil Type:

Plant Number Date of 1st Flower
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