DrCannaCanadian: MarsHydro & Seedsman, Soil & Coco, 2020

[DrCannaCanadian]

Daily Tips & Tricks

By Royal Queen Seeds


Many-Coloured Weed - What Is Colourful Cannabis And Why Does It Exist?
​

It has always been a mystery to most people how cannabis comes in different colours. Does it taste better? Is it more potent? Too many questions were unanswered, so here is our guide to all things colourful cannabis.

Judging a book by its cover is what humans do. Over thousands of years, we’ve developed into creatures that need to make decisions fast. Ever since the stone age, we’ve judged individuals, foodstuffs and housing by appearance. It’s no surprise that nowadays, we judge cannabis in the same way.

Most consumers are influenced by colour cues in their cannabis when choosing whether or not to purchase it. Consequently, dispensaries and growers have tailored their strains to fit these shocking or appealing visuals so they stand out in a weed bar.

For the past decade, new strains have started to appear with tones of blue, purple, red, orange and even black. Today, we take a look at how and why this happens.

​

ANTHOCYANINS - THE SECRET MOLECULES
There are several methods that growers use to alter the colour of a cannabis plant. Some changes affect the whole plant, while others affect only the buds. Some start showing tones from an early stage, while others only come to light near harvest.

The main concept to grasp here is the word “anthocyanins.” These are a group of over 400 pigment molecules present in many fruits, vegetables and flowers. They can manifest in different colours depending on the pH they’re exposed to. These molecules do not alter the taste or the smell of the plant. It’s your everyday ganja, besides the colour.

Chlorophyll, an important part of photosynthesis, is responsible for giving a plant its green colour. When matured, the plant starts producing less and less of the dominant pigment. It’s at this point that anthocyanins come through in a range of different colours. This halt in chlorophyll production can be triggered by different sets of conditions.

WHY THE POT AT THE END OF THE RAINBOW?
Much like autumn leaves, cannabis will express different colours when exposed to shorter light and temperature cycles. This will mimic the change of season, which a grower can easily replicate in an indoor grow room.

Purple, red, and blue hues come as a consequence of drops in temperature. This happens as the chlorophyll stops production naturally in autumn when the days become colder.

One of the most significant changes you can make to encourage colour variation is pH. Acidic conditions bring out the reds while alkaline fluids bring out the blue tones. As chlorophyll starts to fade near the end of the flowering phase, other predominant colours will start showing. In the red spectrum, you can see shades of yellow and orange. In the blue one, you’ll mostly get hints of purple as this is the most common colour in cannabis plants after the traditional green.

ALTERNATE METHODS
Besides temperature and pH, messing around with the light spectrum in LED lights will enhance the production of anthocyanins in the plant’s tissues. These molecules work as a sunscreen for the plant; therefore, creating stress using harsher lighting will increase its production. Here is where the boys are separated from the men. Pro growers will be able to stress the plant enough that the molecules will get the equivalent of a tan. Not so experienced cultivators, however will probably give the plant skin cancer and cause nutrient deficiencies.

Some deficiencies may come to be useful as they don’t actually kill the plant. Nitrogen deficiency in cannabis plants leads to a decrease in chlorophyll, which consequently turns the cannabis leaves yellow. Lack of phosphorous will give your cannabis darker green with purple veins or even slightly red buds. Yet, this strategy is not recommended as it’s not as healthy nor will it yield as satisfying results.

​

COLOUR EQUALS POTENCY?
In some rare situations, strains develop genetics so dark that they appear black. These strains are most common in Vietnamese landraces. These are genetically pure strains, the ones not altered by years of selective breeding by humans. They’ve naturally evolved into strong and even psychedelic strains. Black cannabis is noted for giving strong cerebral highs with occasional visuals. But this has nothing to do with the colour.

Associating colour with a stronger high is a common misconception that most consumers experience when purchasing bud. We cannot stress this enough that colour does not equal quality nor potency. The only thing extra you might get is antioxidants. These come from the anthocyanins, but they are also present in strawberries and cherries. They’ll give you analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, but you’re much better off eating red fruits than smoking weed for that purpose.

Not related to size or to resin production, bud colour is purely aesthetic in value. Although, further research is needed on how the presence of anthocyanins may give the strain an added entourage effect. Much like the TV series, the “entourage” effect is when certain constituents in the cannabis plant synergize to create outcomes greater than the sum of their parts.

Go out and try the craziest-coloured strain you can find. But do so with the knowledge that if this is found to be more expensive, you’ll just be paying for the look. You can now judge cannabis better and make a more conscious decision when buying your next blue-hued weed.

 

[KingJoe83]

Daily Tips & Tricks

By Royal Queen Seeds


Many-Coloured Weed - What Is Colourful Cannabis And Why Does It Exist?
​

It has always been a mystery to most people how cannabis comes in different colours. Does it taste better? Is it more potent? Too many questions were unanswered, so here is our guide to all things colourful cannabis.

Judging a book by its cover is what humans do. Over thousands of years, we’ve developed into creatures that need to make decisions fast. Ever since the stone age, we’ve judged individuals, foodstuffs and housing by appearance. It’s no surprise that nowadays, we judge cannabis in the same way.

Most consumers are influenced by colour cues in their cannabis when choosing whether or not to purchase it. Consequently, dispensaries and growers have tailored their strains to fit these shocking or appealing visuals so they stand out in a weed bar.

For the past decade, new strains have started to appear with tones of blue, purple, red, orange and even black. Today, we take a look at how and why this happens.

​

ANTHOCYANINS - THE SECRET MOLECULES
There are several methods that growers use to alter the colour of a cannabis plant. Some changes affect the whole plant, while others affect only the buds. Some start showing tones from an early stage, while others only come to light near harvest.

The main concept to grasp here is the word “anthocyanins.” These are a group of over 400 pigment molecules present in many fruits, vegetables and flowers. They can manifest in different colours depending on the pH they’re exposed to. These molecules do not alter the taste or the smell of the plant. It’s your everyday ganja, besides the colour.

Chlorophyll, an important part of photosynthesis, is responsible for giving a plant its green colour. When matured, the plant starts producing less and less of the dominant pigment. It’s at this point that anthocyanins come through in a range of different colours. This halt in chlorophyll production can be triggered by different sets of conditions.

WHY THE POT AT THE END OF THE RAINBOW?
Much like autumn leaves, cannabis will express different colours when exposed to shorter light and temperature cycles. This will mimic the change of season, which a grower can easily replicate in an indoor grow room.

Purple, red, and blue hues come as a consequence of drops in temperature. This happens as the chlorophyll stops production naturally in autumn when the days become colder.

One of the most significant changes you can make to encourage colour variation is pH. Acidic conditions bring out the reds while alkaline fluids bring out the blue tones. As chlorophyll starts to fade near the end of the flowering phase, other predominant colours will start showing. In the red spectrum, you can see shades of yellow and orange. In the blue one, you’ll mostly get hints of purple as this is the most common colour in cannabis plants after the traditional green.

ALTERNATE METHODS
Besides temperature and pH, messing around with the light spectrum in LED lights will enhance the production of anthocyanins in the plant’s tissues. These molecules work as a sunscreen for the plant; therefore, creating stress using harsher lighting will increase its production. Here is where the boys are separated from the men. Pro growers will be able to stress the plant enough that the molecules will get the equivalent of a tan. Not so experienced cultivators, however will probably give the plant skin cancer and cause nutrient deficiencies.

Some deficiencies may come to be useful as they don’t actually kill the plant. Nitrogen deficiency in cannabis plants leads to a decrease in chlorophyll, which consequently turns the cannabis leaves yellow. Lack of phosphorous will give your cannabis darker green with purple veins or even slightly red buds. Yet, this strategy is not recommended as it’s not as healthy nor will it yield as satisfying results.

​

COLOUR EQUALS POTENCY?
In some rare situations, strains develop genetics so dark that they appear black. These strains are most common in Vietnamese landraces. These are genetically pure strains, the ones not altered by years of selective breeding by humans. They’ve naturally evolved into strong and even psychedelic strains. Black cannabis is noted for giving strong cerebral highs with occasional visuals. But this has nothing to do with the colour.

Associating colour with a stronger high is a common misconception that most consumers experience when purchasing bud. We cannot stress this enough that colour does not equal quality nor potency. The only thing extra you might get is antioxidants. These come from the anthocyanins, but they are also present in strawberries and cherries. They’ll give you analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, but you’re much better off eating red fruits than smoking weed for that purpose.

Not related to size or to resin production, bud colour is purely aesthetic in value. Although, further research is needed on how the presence of anthocyanins may give the strain an added entourage effect. Much like the TV series, the “entourage” effect is when certain constituents in the cannabis plant synergize to create outcomes greater than the sum of their parts.

Go out and try the craziest-coloured strain you can find. But do so with the knowledge that if this is found to be more expensive, you’ll just be paying for the look. You can now judge cannabis better and make a more conscious decision when buying your next blue-hued weed.

I am digging your journal

 

[DrCannaCanadian]

Dagobah Frost Forest
Update

Veg - Day 02

​

When I got home, I checked the seedlings and then worked on the garden for a bit.

I added 6 litres (6 quarts) of Advanced Nutrients Sensizyme, CarboLoad, Voodoo Juice, Piranha, & Tarantula to the pots of soil while we are waiting for the plants to grow up. This is going to add microlife to the soil and also help break down the old roots.

When I run out of the Advanced Nutrients Root Mass Expanders, I'll be getting Green Leaf Nutrients Sea-Kelp and Sweet Candy.

I fed the plants that are in coco about 25 ml (2 oz) of Advanced Nutrients Coco Grow A&B at pH 5.9. I was sure to water mostly around the outside of the solo cups - to help the roots grow laterally.

I am being careful not to overwater the seedlings - I don't want them to drown or to overfeed them.

All seedlings continue to be foliar fed about four to six times each day with Advanced Nutrients Coco Grow A&B at pH 5.9.

The small oscillating fans needed to be cleaned, so I wiped all the dust off the fan blades and the fan housing.

The seedlings got their names today - the Hippie Cripplers are with the Empire, and the Peyote WiFis are with the Rebel Alliance. Yep - Seedsman is the good guy

I am a little worried about Darth Vader - I hope he has a growth spurt soon! He was the seedling I had to perform surgery on yesterday.

And here are our Jedi Padawan still flourishing under the Force of Mars Hydro:

Dagobah Frost Forest - Darth Vader

• DrCannaCanadian
• Jan 6, 2020
• hippie crippler

Hippie Crippler - Coco - Veg Day 02

Dagobah Frost Forest - Darth Sidious

• DrCannaCanadian
• Jan 6, 2020
• hippie crippler

Hippie Crippler - Coco/Perlite - Veg Day 02

Dagobah Frost Forest - Luke Skywalker

• DrCannaCanadian
• Jan 6, 2020
• peyote wifi

Peyote WiFi - Coco/Perlite - Veg Day 02

Dagobah Frost Forest - Obi-Wan Kenobe

• DrCannaCanadian
• Jan 6, 2020
• peyote wifi

Peyote WiFi - Coco/Perlite - Veg Day 02

Dagobah Frost Forest - Master Yoda

• DrCannaCanadian
• Jan 6, 2020
• peyote wifi

Peyote WiFi - Fox Farm Ocean Forest Soil - Veg Day 02

Dagobah Frost Forest - Princess Leia

• DrCannaCanadian
• Jan 6, 2020
• peyote wifi

Peyote WiFi - Fox Farm Ocean Forest Soil - Veg Day 02

 

[DrCannaCanadian]

I am digging your journal

Thanks guys, I really appreciate that!

It's a bit of extra work - but hey, it makes it fun and will be a great memory one day

 

[Backlipslide]

Daily Tips & Tricks

By Royal Queen Seeds


Many-Coloured Weed - What Is Colourful Cannabis And Why Does It Exist?
​

It has always been a mystery to most people how cannabis comes in different colours. Does it taste better? Is it more potent? Too many questions were unanswered, so here is our guide to all things colourful cannabis.

Judging a book by its cover is what humans do. Over thousands of years, we’ve developed into creatures that need to make decisions fast. Ever since the stone age, we’ve judged individuals, foodstuffs and housing by appearance. It’s no surprise that nowadays, we judge cannabis in the same way.

Most consumers are influenced by colour cues in their cannabis when choosing whether or not to purchase it. Consequently, dispensaries and growers have tailored their strains to fit these shocking or appealing visuals so they stand out in a weed bar.

For the past decade, new strains have started to appear with tones of blue, purple, red, orange and even black. Today, we take a look at how and why this happens.

​

ANTHOCYANINS - THE SECRET MOLECULES
There are several methods that growers use to alter the colour of a cannabis plant. Some changes affect the whole plant, while others affect only the buds. Some start showing tones from an early stage, while others only come to light near harvest.

The main concept to grasp here is the word “anthocyanins.” These are a group of over 400 pigment molecules present in many fruits, vegetables and flowers. They can manifest in different colours depending on the pH they’re exposed to. These molecules do not alter the taste or the smell of the plant. It’s your everyday ganja, besides the colour.

Chlorophyll, an important part of photosynthesis, is responsible for giving a plant its green colour. When matured, the plant starts producing less and less of the dominant pigment. It’s at this point that anthocyanins come through in a range of different colours. This halt in chlorophyll production can be triggered by different sets of conditions.

WHY THE POT AT THE END OF THE RAINBOW?
Much like autumn leaves, cannabis will express different colours when exposed to shorter light and temperature cycles. This will mimic the change of season, which a grower can easily replicate in an indoor grow room.

Purple, red, and blue hues come as a consequence of drops in temperature. This happens as the chlorophyll stops production naturally in autumn when the days become colder.

One of the most significant changes you can make to encourage colour variation is pH. Acidic conditions bring out the reds while alkaline fluids bring out the blue tones. As chlorophyll starts to fade near the end of the flowering phase, other predominant colours will start showing. In the red spectrum, you can see shades of yellow and orange. In the blue one, you’ll mostly get hints of purple as this is the most common colour in cannabis plants after the traditional green.

ALTERNATE METHODS
Besides temperature and pH, messing around with the light spectrum in LED lights will enhance the production of anthocyanins in the plant’s tissues. These molecules work as a sunscreen for the plant; therefore, creating stress using harsher lighting will increase its production. Here is where the boys are separated from the men. Pro growers will be able to stress the plant enough that the molecules will get the equivalent of a tan. Not so experienced cultivators, however will probably give the plant skin cancer and cause nutrient deficiencies.

Some deficiencies may come to be useful as they don’t actually kill the plant. Nitrogen deficiency in cannabis plants leads to a decrease in chlorophyll, which consequently turns the cannabis leaves yellow. Lack of phosphorous will give your cannabis darker green with purple veins or even slightly red buds. Yet, this strategy is not recommended as it’s not as healthy nor will it yield as satisfying results.

​

COLOUR EQUALS POTENCY?
In some rare situations, strains develop genetics so dark that they appear black. These strains are most common in Vietnamese landraces. These are genetically pure strains, the ones not altered by years of selective breeding by humans. They’ve naturally evolved into strong and even psychedelic strains. Black cannabis is noted for giving strong cerebral highs with occasional visuals. But this has nothing to do with the colour.

Associating colour with a stronger high is a common misconception that most consumers experience when purchasing bud. We cannot stress this enough that colour does not equal quality nor potency. The only thing extra you might get is antioxidants. These come from the anthocyanins, but they are also present in strawberries and cherries. They’ll give you analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, but you’re much better off eating red fruits than smoking weed for that purpose.

Not related to size or to resin production, bud colour is purely aesthetic in value. Although, further research is needed on how the presence of anthocyanins may give the strain an added entourage effect. Much like the TV series, the “entourage” effect is when certain constituents in the cannabis plant synergize to create outcomes greater than the sum of their parts.

Go out and try the craziest-coloured strain you can find. But do so with the knowledge that if this is found to be more expensive, you’ll just be paying for the look. You can now judge cannabis better and make a more conscious decision when buying your next blue-hued weed.

That’s a great read!

 

[DrCannaCanadian]

I've been keeping a close eye on Darth Vader. Under the microscope, the cotyledons are slowly turning dark, and the seedling is still not growing very well

I had originally wanted to have three regular seeds so I could increase my chances of having a male to collect pollen for the breeding project.

So, just in case Darth Vader doesn't make it, I've dropped two BC Bud Depot - Tangie Cookies - Regular seeds. As you can see, the Tangie Cookies are going to be part of the Galactic Empire.

Tangie Cookies Regular Germination

• DrCannaCanadian
• Jan 7, 2020
• regular tangie cookies

Two BC Bud Depot - Tangie Cookies - Regular Seeds soaking for 12 hours in water. As you can...

 

[DrCannaCanadian]

BC Bud Depot - Tangie Cookies

Tangie Cookies - Mostly Sativa THC

​

Description
Tangie Cookies is a sativa-dominant cross of Tangie and Girl Scout Cookies (GSC). This hybrid is a veritable terpene-bomb with exceedingly high levels of THC and with high yields to boot!

Tangie Cookies can be cultivated very successfully indoors as well as outdoors, producing rock-hard buds in either environment. Indoors flowering will take approximately 8 - 9 weeks while outdoor harvests in the northern hemisphere will be ready in early October. It is a prodigious producer and resin production is so high that the buds appear white.

The taste of this strain is a delicious blend of sweet citrus (tangerines) with cookies. Its terpene concentration has been measured at 5.5% while THC levels logged an incredible 28.87%! Highly recommended strain which would be great for extract production.

 

[DrCannaCanadian]

Daily Tips & Tricks

By Royal Queen Seeds


Breeding And Preserving Cannabis Genetics At Home​

If you're interested in breeding your own cannabis strain but find scientific jargon confusing, and graphs and punnet squares put you to sleep, this is the blog for you. We break down all you need to know about breeding marijuana at home and how to preserve those precious fire clone-only genetics. Practical advice without the academic speak.

WHY DABBLE WITH CANNABIS BREEDING AND GENETICS?

Breeding cannabis and continuing a lineage in seed is not the exclusive preserve of the experts. Home growers that have acquired high-level cultivation skills and mastered the essential techniques can easily transition from grower to breeder. Creating F1 seeds and hybrids is very doable. Most of the cannabis strains that have become legends were created by home growers. On occasion even by accident.

While it might not be possible to build your own seed bank from the grow tent in the spare bedroom. Small-scale breeding is a viable option. You don’t need a masters degree in botany. Just good old-fashioned dope growing experience will suffice.

Time in the grow op will have already given you a keen eye for pheno hunting. Plus you have developed the hands on cannabis tradecraft skill set to succeed.

HOW TO PRESERVE PRECIOUS MARIJUANA GENETICS

CLONING
Taking cuttings from cannabis plants is a great way to preserve a strain. Sometimes prized varieties are available in clone-only form, and the grower has little option other than continuing to take cuttings in order to preserve the genetics.

Cloning is a transferable skill and even more essential to cannabis breeders than growers. You need to have a consistently high success rate with cloning as a prerequisite to breeding.

​

SELFING

F1 seeds can be produced with just a female marijuana clone. These seeds carry only the genetics of the mother. In order to accomplish this, the grower must reverse the sex of the female to induce self-pollination.

Most home breeders will purposefully stress the flowering female to produce a few seeds. Selfing is commonly applied to clone-only marijuana varieties to convert it to F1 seed form.

SMALL SCALE BREEDING OPTIONS

BREEDING FROM THE SAME BATCH

Ok, so if you are happy with a batch of regular cannabis seeds. Perhaps you want to make use of the males? Well, you can cross cannabis from the same batch. Assuming you are familiar with the strain and cropping from the same pack of seeds you can potentially select a breeding pair to cross.

This is an old school ganja farmer’s method mostly applied outdoors. Although, breeding from the same batch has potential indoors provided the original organic seeds are genuine. If so, not only will the resulting progeny be more or less stable but you will have saved cash on seeds for the next crop.

Before further breeding experiments, it’s no harm to practice collecting pollen and making seeds first. Breeding from a reliable batch is a good introduction to cannabis breeding.

​

POLYHYBRIDS

A polyhybrid is simply a strain that results from crossbreeding two hybrid strains. When different landrace or inbred strains are crossed, this results in an F1 hybrid, a term used to label the first generation derived from the cross. F1 hybrids become F2, F3, and so on, as new generations are created via inbreeding.

However, if an F1 hybrid cultivar is bred with an F1 hybrid cultivar from a different genetic line, a polyhybrid is formed. F1 hybrids already possess varying genetic traits from both parent strains, meaning polyhybrids are even more diverse and unpredictable in the traits they possess. Creating polyhybrids is a great breeding method as it allows you to combine unique traits from a wide spectrum of cultivars. Although, as you can imagine, these strains are quite unstable and heterozygous. It takes some solid work to stabilise these varieties and ensure that their offspring are more uniform.

BREEDING POLYHYBRIDS AT HOME

Breeding cannabis requires quite a lot of space. You need a nursery and propagation area and different rooms for male and female specimens to avoid unwanted cross-pollination. Even more space is needed if you intend to start breeding polyhybrids over multiple generations starting with four inbred cultivars. If you intend to begin this process, you’ll need to learn how to pollinate your flowers in the correct way.

Seeing as you’re considering breeding, you are probably already well aware of this fact, but it’s always worth reiterating: Keep your males away from your females! This is especially important when looking to breed a polyhybrid because of the increased chances of breeding the wrong varieties together.

First off, you’ll need to collect pollen from male plants when the time is right. Pollen is ultimately plant sperm, and is needed to fertilise female flowers to make them produce seeds. When the male pollen sacs have opened, place a sealable bag over the plant and give it a shake.

Female plants are ready for breeding during the early flowering phase when small, white pistils start forming. These “pre-bud” structures are basically little hairs that protrude from the calyx to catch pollen. Next, isolate the chosen female plant to further prevent any unwanted fertilisation. Consider setting up a specific fertilisation area to avoid any mishaps.

To pollinate female plants, place the pollen bag over branches that show bud formation. Seal the bag over individual branches and shake again. Leave it there for around 1 hour and repeat the process with each branch that bears buds.

It’s vital to document everything you do when breeding cannabis, especially during the more complex process of creating polyhybrid strains. It’s easy to mix up genetics and lose track of which male you bred with which female, and what strain each of them is. It’s best to label every plant individually so they can be easily identified. It’s also a good idea to create a spreadsheet or draw out a flowchart on a whiteboard to keep track of every cross you’ve made with each individual plant. Add dates beside every documented task to help you estimate waiting periods accurately.

GENUINE F1 HYBRIDS

Genuine F1 Hybrids are the jewels in the crown of the Royal Queen Seeds catalogue. The cold truth is creating fantastically potent, productive and vigorous growing F1 hybrids is a long term process. Professional breeders invest years of their lives into breeding projects and select cultivars from hundreds if not thousands of cannabis plants.

Genuine F1 hybrids can only be derived from crossing pedigree stabilised or landrace strains. They express genuine hybrid vigour. Unless you’re planning a strain hunting expedition, tracking down heirloom landrace seeds is hard graft. It’s probably more convenient to stick with the RQS catalogue for awesome hybrids.

Similarly, filial breeding can be complicated. Honestly, it's far too demanding for the first time home breeder. By crossing a pair of F1s (first generation) the resulting progeny is the F2 (second generation). Unfortunately, these seeds will be far less stable and far more difficult to work with than the previous F1 generation.

Careful selective breeding in large numbers is required to succeed with this approach. Often it takes multiple generations of breeding perhaps until F5 (fifth generation) or even F6 (sixth generation) before the line can be stabilised.

​

BACKCROSSING

Have you ever purchased the same cannabis strain multiple times and noticed that it looked completely different each time? Maybe it even tasted slightly more sweet or sour than before. Or maybe you’ve grown the same strain repeatedly and realised how different one plant looked from the next? These differences within the same strain are referred to as genetic variability. Even though plants share the same lineage, their unique genetic expression, or phenotype, is a result of how their genetics respond to the environment.

Differences in phenotypes can manifest as variability in size, resin production, colour, and so on. Strains can also vary in their chemotype. This refers to the chemical constituents that they manufacture. One plant might have higher levels of a specific terpene, whereas another may have slightly higher levels of CBD. If you germinated a bag of seeds that all shared the same lineage and noticed a large difference between the phenotype of each plant, this would mean that the strain is unstable, and that the seeds are heterozygous. Although this isn’t necessarily an issue for hobby growers, it can become problematic for commercial growers looking for strict consistency among their crop.

This consistency is possible, and can be achieved by stabilising the genetics of a strain. This will then produce seeds that are more homozygous, featuring significantly less variability between phenotypes. But how can breeders go about stabilising a strain?

One way to achieve this is called backcrossing, also known as “BX” within the cannabis breeding lexicon. When breeders are aiming to create a new strain, they select two parent strains with desirable traits. Upon crossing them, the first generation is created. Backcrossing essentially refers to taking a member of this generation back up the family tree to breed it with one of its parent strains. This type of inbreeding helps solidify the presence of one of the parent’s genes as they are bred together repeatedly.

For example, if the female parent strain was particularly high in CBD and myrcene, thus producing a calming effect, by breeding her with one of her male offspring that also shares some of these traits, the plants of the next generation would be even stronger in those traits. This is because they will contain more of her genetic material than the original generation that was also influenced by the male parent.

Although backcrossing is a tried and tested way to stabilise cannabis genetics, excessive backcrossing can cause some issues. By inbreeding plants to such a degree, any recessive genes that produce undesirable traits will also be strengthened and passed down to all plants of subsequent generations.

As you can see, there are quite a few ways to preserve your favourite strains, and turn them into new strains of their own. This guide is meant to give you a good general overview to get you started, before delving into the more complicated aspects of it.

Good luck!

 

[DrCannaCanadian]

Dagobah Frost Forest
Update

Veg - Day 03​

We've seen some more significant growth with the Seedsman seedlings - it's definitely all about quality seeds!

Nothing bums me out more than seeing a seed not sprout, or a seedling struggle needlessly!

Yep! We might lose the "Darth Vader" Hippie Crippler & the "Yoda" Peyote WiFi!

So I've got two Tangie Cookies seeds germinating in an overnight water soak.

As I settle in here at 420 Magazine, I find myself drawn more and more to other people's journals. They are full of great advice and even better banter!

Tonight I was reading @Dutchman1990 's Frost Factory and saw how he has 9 plants situated nicely in a 4 x 4 tent - so it has me thinking - maybe I should try 9 plants instead of 6 this time. I can easily drop a few more Tangie Cookies seeds and grow them in soil. The more plants, the better the pheno hunt right?

I just don't want to overdo it and step on some hidden landmine, or run out of room in my tent. Besides, there's always a next grow right? Right!

The big stand-up fan & the humidifier got cleaned and put in the tent today.

Also, the "Inkbird IBS-TH1 Wireless Thermometer/Hygrometer" arrived today so I can track Temperature and Humidity. It'll be nice to learn more about VPD and get the VPD dialed-in.

​

As always, here's the stars of the show under the Mars Hydro spotlight:

Dagobah Frost Forest - Darth Vader

• DrCannaCanadian
• Jan 7, 2020
• hippie crippler

Hippie Crippler - Coco/Perlite - Veg Day 03

Dagobah Frost Forest - Darth Sidius

• DrCannaCanadian
• Jan 7, 2020
• hippie crippler

Hippie Crippler - Coco/Perlite - Veg Day 03

Dagobah Frost Forest - Luke Skywalker

• DrCannaCanadian
• Jan 7, 2020
• peyote wifi

Peyote WiFi - Coco/Perlite - Veg Day 03

Dagobah Frost Forest - Obi-Wan Kenobe

• DrCannaCanadian
• Jan 7, 2020
• peyote wifi

Peyote WiFi - Coco/Perlite - Veg Day 03

Dagobah Frost Forest - Master Yoda

• DrCannaCanadian
• Jan 7, 2020
• peyote wifi

Peyote WiFi - Fox Farm Ocean Forest Soil - Veg Day 03

Dagobah Frost Forest - Princess Leia

• DrCannaCanadian
• Jan 7, 2020
• peyote wifi

Peyote WiFi - Fox Farm Ocean Forest Soil - Veg Day 03

PS: The blurry ones are stoned

 

[CannonTheHooper]

Hey @DrCannaCanadian all caught up, and happy to be here. Very impressed by your organization and attention to detail.

 

[Hydroholic]

I have been working 9 Auto plants in a 5x5. Almost a full time job.

 

[DrCannaCanadian]

Hey @DrCannaCanadian all caught up, and happy to be here. Very impressed by your organization and attention to detail.

Welcome to the Jedi Frost Swamp @CannonTheHooper ! We are glad you could make it! And I appreciate you taking the time to go through it.

I'm having a great time with this journal - it's going to be a great family memory for us.

Did you like the Sour Diesel?

Personally, I like the smell of Gasolina in the morning (Name that movie)

 

[DrCannaCanadian]

I have been working 9 Auto plants in a 5x5. Almost a full time job.

Hey @Hydroholic , a 5x5 tent is a nice size - a bit of extra room for the equipment and plants to bush out.

9 Autos - that seems like a lot of work. I'm planning on giving Autos a try later when I have more experience reading the plants and my growing skills have improved.

There are some really nice Auto strains out there now.

I'll swing by your grow room later and check things out.

 

[DrCannaCanadian]

Well, after soaking for 12 hours in tap water, the two Seedsman seeds were still floating, but quickly dropped to the bottom of the glass after a gentle nudge.

Twelve Hour Water Soak

• DrCannaCanadian
• Jan 8, 2020
• tangie cookies

The two Seedsman seeds were still floating, but quickly dropped to the bottom of the glass after...

Only one of the seeds has started to split. The other one I gently pushed on with my finger nail until I heard a faint crack. I'm not sure if that is recommended, but sometimes maybe a bit of toughness is warranted to coax the little rascals out of their pods.

Seeds Have Split

• DrCannaCanadian
• Jan 8, 2020
• tangie cookies

Only one of the seeds has started to split. The other one I gently pushed on with my finger...

I put the seeds on a well rinsed paper towel, using the same water they had been soaking in. I like to line up the seeds with their pointy ends facing the same way.

Seeds Lined Up

• DrCannaCanadian
• Jan 8, 2020
• tangie cookies

I put the seeds on a well rinsed paper towel, using the same water they had been soaking in.

The two hopefuls were then placed into a plastic baggie and put in the tent to stay warm.

Snuggled Into A Baggie

• DrCannaCanadian
• Jan 8, 2020
• tangie cookies

The two hopefuls were then placed into a plastic baggie and put in the tent to stay warm.

When their tails are about 1.0 cm (0.5 inch) long, we will plant them in solo cups - about 2.5 cm (1 inch) deep into soil or coco.

 

[Schnookie]

As always, thanks for the tips @Pennywise!

We did look at a few other 1:1 strains a few months ago, and we were interested in a few that had fruity terpenes (Terpinolene) in them.

In fact, we almost bought some 1:1 strains, but our friend said "Why not try growing high content THC strains and high content CBD strains - then experiment with ratios which work best for each individual."

And that was it - our minds were made up - we will grow our own high quality custom cannabis meds instead of supporting overpriced pharmaceuticals.

Cannatonic is 2:1 CBS:THC ... very useful for aches and pains.

 

[DrCannaCanadian]

Cannatonic is 2:1 CBS:THC ... very useful for aches and pains.

Hey @Schnookie , welcome to our garden!

And thanks - I just looked up the Cannatonic strain, and the Herbal terpene definitely appeals to us.

I'm still bummed out about the Dinamed CBD Plus seed not making it - but on the bright side - there's always a next time

 

[DrCannaCanadian]

Daily Tips & Tricks

By Royal Queen Seeds


How To Make Feminized Cannabis Seeds Like The Pros​

Growing from feminized cannabis seeds is a space and resource-efficient way of getting all girls, all the time. Find out how to create your own feminized cannabis with Royal Queen Seeds.

MAKING FEMINIZED SEEDS

Growing cannabis is all about resinous flowers, trichomes, and rich cannabinoid profiles. These splendid characteristics can only be found on the female flowers. Having gardens full of robust, un-pollinated sinsemilla females means jars full of mind and body-friendly, crusty nuggets.

The only bummer, unless you grow from clones, is that cannabis is wired to produce about 50% male seeds and 50% females. It is just the nature of the beast.

Wouldn’t it be sweet if it was possible to grow all females from seed, every plant, every time?

Well, that is where the feminizing technique comes into play: two methods of manipulating the cannabis plant to produce only females from seed, every-time. To be truthful, it isn’t every single time. But 99% of the time is a pretty good number, and could be considered entirely male risk-free.

The general practice behind feminization is that female plants are forced to produce pollen, which is in turn used to pollinate other female plants. The outcome? Resulting seeds will be feminized, with no risk of further pollination.

WHY FEMINIZE?

Feminized seeds are super efficient for indoor and outdoor gardeners. Area, time, and resources aren’t being given to plants that will be thrown away two weeks after the 12-12 flip. Similarly, outdoors where a large plant can consume a lot of time and resources in upkeep prior to the autumn show of flowers, feminized plants are also a good way to reduce guerrilla crop pollinating. There’s nothing worse than bush-bashing out to a well-hidden crop only to find a rogue male or two have impregnated every female plant.

INHIBIT THAT ETHYLENE

“Applications that reduce the ethylene level in tissues or antagonise the action of ethylene causes the formation of male flowers instead of female ones” — Paraphrase, Byers et al., 1972.

There are a number of solutions that can be sprayed on female plants to create male pollen sacs: benzothiadiazole, gibberellic acid, silver thiosulphate, silver nitrate, and colloidal silver.

Colloidal silver is by far the easiest to source or make. It is non-toxic, non-caustic, and can be bought from a pharmacy or easily online. The other solutions can be dangerous, difficult to get a hold of, and expensive—except gibberellic acid, which can be found in nurseries, but is not as effective as colloidal silver. But if you want to watch some freaky plant growth just for the fun of it, give gibberellic acid a try. It is a growth stimulant and makes plants stretch and stretch.

​

TECHNIQUE 1: COLLOIDAL SILVER

Colloidal silver is a distilled water-based solution in which microscopic particles of silver are suspended. The nature of colloids means the particles will never settle out and can’t be removed by normal filtering. Colloidal silver is available commercially, or you can make your own if you want to totally geek out (see how-to section at the end). It has numerous uses as an alternative medicine. For example, it is used to soothe burns, as an antiseptic and digestion stimulant in people, and as a fungal control in horticulture.

Be sure the strength is at least 15ppm, preferably 30ppm. Less than 15ppm produces male sacs with little viable pollen.

To begin with, select a plant that has the characteristics you want to preserved. Feminizing clones is the usual practice as the growth, flowering, and resin characteristics from the mother are already known. There is no need for any vegetation time once a clone is well-rooted. Simply pot the clone into a small pot, give it a day or two to recover, and begin a 12-12 light cycle right away. A pollen-producing plant only needs to be small as cannabis produces copious amounts of pollen.

Hint: Make two clones once a plant has been selected, one to be feminized and one to be left for pollination. This way, a separate breeding space is created and accidental seeding of other plants, or an accidental sneeze pollinating a whole grow cupboard, is avoided.

Plants can be induced to grow male sex organs as late as four weeks into flowering. Though spraying one week prior to the light changeover is recommended for clones. If a plant grown from seed is being used, wait until the plant has sexed before spraying so you can be sure it is female.

Spray the plants to be feminized with colloidal silver every day, and three times a day if you can manage. Soak them well. Do this for two weeks, then leave the plants to grow as normal. Some growers report getting results after spraying for only 5–10 days.

When sexing begins, male pollen sacs will develop instead of female calyxes and pistils. Male plants mature much faster than females, and viable pollen can be expected within 3–4 weeks once the plant has been sexed. Some growers will spray until the plant shows sexual growth, just to be sure the method has worked. Make sure these plants are well-isolated from any flowering females. A burst pod can release millions of pollen spores, and it only takes one spore per hair to create a seed.

DON’T SMOKE IT

Once the plants have been sprayed with colloidal silver and the pollen is collected, they are write-offs—86 them and don’t smoke them. Giving them a thorough rinse will not work. The colloidal silver is a systemic treatment absorbed into the plant through the foliage and not a topical application. Be safe and bin them.

​

TECHNIQUE 2: RODELIZATION

Sinsemilla is an unnatural state for cannabis. Without human intervention, it would be rare to find an unpollinated female in the wild—unless it was sterile. When sinsemilla plants are left to go beyond their desirable maturation stage by a number of weeks, the plant, through whatever amazing processes evolution has bestowed, knows it has not been pollinated. As a last ditch effort at propagation, it will produce male pollen sacs in an effort to self-pollinate.

This is not the result of genetic or stress-induced hermaphroditism. They are genuine XX chromosome male bananas. With all the genetic information from the female and no Y chromosome, using rodelized pollen creates female-only seeds, although as with colloidal silver, an occasional male may appear.

HARVESTING POLLEN AND POLLINATION

There are a number of harvesting methods employed to catch pollen.

• Cover the top of the pot with plastic or card to catch pollen as it falls, or modify a plastic drink cup to shroud the plant and catch falling pollen.
• Fix a clear plastic bag, perforated at the top for air exchange, around the whole plant.
• An experienced eye will remove each flower pod prior to it bursting completely open to be sure of catching every spore.
• Pollinating a female is the easy bit. Depending on how many seeds you want to make, there are a couple of methods that can be used.
• Using a watercolour or other fine, soft brush or even a cotton bud, dip into your pollen collection and gently apply to the chosen flower. Although thousands of viable spores will be on the end of the brush, enough to pollinate a whole plant, the trichomes on the surface of the pistils will greedily glue everything you offer them. So dip into your pollen stash a few times as you dust.
• For lots of seeds, put pollen in a bag and put over a whole branch or a whole plant, shake well, and leave for twenty four hours.
• It is possible to pollinate different branches with different pollens and have a breeder plant that has 1, 2, or 15 different crosses on it.
• It is also possible to self-pollinate the plant from which the male parts were created. This won’t produce as many seeds as pollinating a separate plant because less female flowers are produced and many are nonviable because of the feminization process.

GROWING FEMINIZED PLANTS

Treat feminized seeds as you would any other seed from germination to veg, and veg through flower. Observation is where it’s at now, you want the best plants for your garden. Ideally, setting up a separate vegetation/flower space where a number of plants can be grown lets your standard grow space continue with uninterrupted production.

Plants bred using feminization are homozygous. This can have two effects that can’t be assessed until the seeds are grown. Homozygosity will increase the dominant or recessive traits of the parent in the progeny, so features you don’t want and do want can be amplified. Genetics is a weird, weird thing.

Just as with standard male to female crossings (which is a heterozygous process), a number of plants will need to be grown and the best selected for mother plants and future breeding. With enough room, hundreds if not thousands of new plants can be grown in order to select the best of the best phenotypes.

​

FEMBOTS RULE

With a bit of aforethought, it is possible to set up an efficient feminization breeding programme—and have female seeds from your favourite phenos on hand all the time. You never know, you might discover the next big thing!

MAKING YOUR OWN COLLOIDAL SILVER

The easiest and relatively inexpensive way—considering how much money is potentially saved by not growing resource and time-consuming males—is to buy a colloidal silver generator, which is the no-fuss plug and play option. Or, make your own, which is quite straightforward and doesn’t require any special skill.

Colloidal silver is formed by passing a current from a pure silver electrode through distilled water. This simple electrolysis is all there is to it. Although distilled water does not conduct electricity very well due to its lack of mineral content, enough is passed through to create micro silver particles and silver ionisation. Sounds technical, but it really isn’t.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

• A power adapter—9–12 volts is ideal, or a 9-volt battery. Higher voltages can be used, but you really need to know what you are doing so you don’t get electrocuted.
• Electrical wire. One length for the positive and one length for the negative.
• Distilled water. This is easy to find at your local supermarket. Do not use tap water as it has too many impurities that can harm the process.
• Pure silver, at least 99% pure. Silver coins are ideal and relatively inexpensive. They are available on eBay, coin dealers, and mints. Silver wire gets results, with some reports that silver solder works also, although it is unknown what the other metals in these alloys might do. Going with a source of pure silver is safest.
• Small alligator or crocodile clips to hold the silver.
• A ppm meter

HOW TO

1. Make sure the adapter is set at 9–12 volts.
2. Strip each end of the wires using scissors or wire strippers.
3. Securely connect the alligator clips to one end of each wire to ensure a good flow of current. Soldering is best.
4. Fix the wires to the positive (red) and negative (black) terminals on the unplugged adapter or onto the battery.
5. Put a piece of silver in the jaws of each clip. Don’t touch them together. Fill a glass jar or glass beaker ¾ full with the distilled water. 500ml will easily do two plants.
6. Suspend each silver/alligator clip combo in the water on opposite sides of the glass.
7. Plug in and turn on the adapter. If you are using a battery, the process began the moment the electrodes were submersed in the water.
8. After 20 minutes, remove the electrodes and test with the ppm meter. 15ppm (0.5) and over is the goal. The solution should become a pale gold colour.
9. When finished, clean the black silver oxide off the silver electrodes and put the kit into storage until next time.
10. Store the colloidal silver in an amber-tinted bottle in a cool place. It is light and temperature-sensitive. However, don’t put it in the fridge.

 

[DrCannaCanadian]

Dagobah Frost Forest
Update

Veg - Day 04​

Oh Man - Am I ever tired today! I just want to take my dose of Canna Butter, hit the rack, and get some shuteye!

I like to put the Canna Butter on a cracker with cream cheese and red pepper jelly - Yum!

I felt the seedlings were big enough to get a full feed today; so, I mixed up about 14 litres (3.5 gallons) of feed which included: Advanced Nutrients Coco Grow A&B, B-52, Sensizyme, CarboLoad, Voodoo Juice, Piranha, & Tarantula.

Princess Leia and Master Yoda - both in soil - took about 200 ml (6.75 oz) each at pH 6.35.

The remaining seedlings, in coco/perlite, took about 250 ml (8.45 oz) each at pH 5.85. I always feed the coco/perlite plants to about 10% run-off. Why? Because I don't like salt build up which causes so many imbalances and growth defects! Grrrr!

I will be feeding the seedlings in coco/perlite everyday now - unless of course they start screaming and telling me to back off. I'm trying to give enough oxygen and nutes to the roots without burning the poor little dears.

I'm a firm believer in pushing healthy plants and only babying sick one.

Hopefully Darth Vader gets better, although it looks to me like he picked up a fungus or something because he's still a little runt and the cotyledons are such a dark dark green!

But hey - a good motto - "never give up on a plant" - it's just good practice to try to diagnose them and to save them!

The empty coco pots and the empty soil pots also got a full feed at pH 5.85 and pH 6.35 respectively.

Why? Because I want to match feeds in the final pots with the solo cups - and I also want the Sensizyme to keep breaking down the old roots and for the microlife to keep munching on the old fan leaves I mixed into the soil a while back.

Alright - here come the stars - all shining as bright as the Mars Hydro light they're under:

Dagobah Frost Forest - Darth Vader

• DrCannaCanadian
• Jan 8, 2020
• hippie crippler

Hippie Crippler - Coco/Perlite - Veg Day 04

Dagobah Frost Forest - Darth Sidius

• DrCannaCanadian
• Jan 8, 2020
• hippie crippler

Hippie Crippler - Coco/Perlite - Veg Day 04

Dagobah Frost Forest - Luke Skywalker

• DrCannaCanadian
• Jan 8, 2020
• peyote wifi

Peyote WiFi - Coco/Perlite - Veg Day 04

Dagobah Frost Forest - Obi-Wan Kenobe

• DrCannaCanadian
• Jan 8, 2020
• peyote wifi

Peyote WiFi - Coco/Perlite - Veg Day 04

Dagobah Frost Forest - Master Yoda

• DrCannaCanadian
• Jan 8, 2020
• peyote wifi

Peyote WiFi - Fox Farm Ocean Forest Soil - Veg Day 04

Dagobah Frost Forest - Princess Leia

• DrCannaCanadian
• Jan 8, 2020
• peyote wifi

Peyote WiFi - Fox Farm Ocean Forest Soil - Veg Day 04

 

[nivek]

heya doc,, enjoying the info,, cheers

karma sent to the wee ones

 

[DrCannaCanadian]

Daily Tips & Tricks

By Royal Queen Seeds


Tips For Taking Top Quality Marijuana Pictures

These tips will help photographers capture the best cannabis images possible - from getting up close and personal with macro lenses, to using lighting to create optimal visuals.

​

Cannabis is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful plants out there, which makes it an absolute treat to photograph. The species is also very diverse in size, shape, and colour, so photographing new strains in new locations won’t get old or repetitive. Whether you are photographing your own cannabis crop to display to your friends, or you are a professional photographer looking to capture the most eye-catching shots possible, here are a few tips to obtain some truly stunning cannabis visuals.

CAMERA SETUP

Before we explore other factors, let us first focus on the primary piece of equipment, the camera itself. For those who take their photography seriously (and have the cash), a DSLR camera is the best option for creating the best images. DSLR cameras have a wide array of settings that can be manually changed, such as aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. These settings alone will allow the photographer to get creative with their shots and work within a range of lighting scenarios. On top of this, DSLR cameras allow users to modify their kit quite a bit. Different lenses can be used to capture an array of shots. Macro lenses are great for up close and personal photography, so therefore, they’re great for cannabis. These will allow photographers to really highlight the sheer amount of trichomes present on the flowers of certain strains.

​

If you don’t have a DSLR and don’t want to splash out the cash for one, fear not. As technology moves forward, even the cameras on smartphones are becoming good enough to generate some rather spectacular imagery. The detail provided by these cameras is getting sharper as newer models are released. Additionally, there is now a booming market for smartphone lenses that simply clip onto phone cameras to help photographers obtain the shots they want. When using a phone for cannabis photography, simply clip on a macro lens and shoot away!

CREATE AN APPEALING BACKGROUND

The background of a photograph can be just as important as what is in the foreground. Photographing plants with foil, fans, and light bulbs in the picture can make the image seem quite messy and chaotic. Of course, if you are aiming to display these items intentionally, then do keep them visible. If not, it’s more aesthetically pleasing to only include the greenery of plants in the background, especially for macro shots. Imagine a close-up of a fat bud, heavy with trichomes in the foreground, against a glittering sea of green. Looks pretty beautiful, right?

If your objective is to capture an entire plant within the frame, then you can place the specimen against a pure white background to capture its elegance without any unnecessary objects within the frame. Creating a makeshift studio is very easy to do and the background itself can even be constructed out of non-reflective white paper or cardstock.

USE A TRIPOD FOR STEADY SHOTS

Tripods are used to keep cameras completely stable in order to prevent blurring and tilted frames. They do a much better job than shooting with cameras in hand, and are a worthwhile investment for both the hobbyist and professional “photog.” Tripods are extremely adjustable and will enable you to get perfectly still shots from all sorts of angles, such as from above and very close up. A cheap alternative to a tripod is to simply place your camera on a stack of books or a table to achieve a clear shot. This option can be difficult at times, especially when trying to capture certain angles. Small tripods are also available for smartphones that will allow photographers to get steady shots using these more commonplace devices.

​

USE A FLASH TO LIGHT UP YOUR FLOWERS

A flash can work wonders to really make your flowers start to look like jewels, especially if you don’t have a fancy lighting setup. The flash will light up your picture nicely and really bring out the details. Taking a snap of your flowers in the dark and using the flash to illuminate them creates a great effect and really makes them shine. If your flash is too overbearing and creates too much of an artificial effect, you can simply mute the flash slightly by placing white paper over the light source. Most DSLRs come with a built-in flash, however external flashes of superior quality can be attached. Most smartphones also come with a built-in flash.

USE LIGHTING FOR HIGH QUALITY PICTURES

Although flashes do work well, lighting setups can be used to get sharp images that boost details and minimise any potential blurring. Flash can work great in some situations, but the direct light can often generate harsh lighting. Indirect light causes more of a soft lighting effect that is much more desireable. Soft light can be achieved by bouncing light off of a white surface such as a sheet of paper.

GO MACRO

Macro photography is the art of capturing objects and organisms extremely close up and in great detail. To start with, set your DSLR to macro mode. This will enable your capture to focus well and better detect the small trichomes of the surface of cannabis flowers. Macro mode will pick up on the fine details of plants and make the picture look stunning. Additionally, the use of macro lenses will also really help to get crisp and clean shots of the tiny sections of plant anatomy. There are a wide spectrum of macro lenses for DSLR cameras, and now smartphone owners can utilise this technology by clipping a macro lens onto their device.

​

SHOOTING UNDER HPS GROW LIGHTS

You may think your lighting setup will make a great option for taking pictures, and this is certainly true. However, HPS grow lights can cause unwanted orange and yellow light to appear on pictures. To counteract this, simply change the white balance setting on your camera. Shoot either using the “Tungsten” or “Fluorescent” setting.

EDIT YOUR IMAGES

After taking some good shots with your camera, it’s time to make them great. Post editing is a time to tweak and change certain elements of the image in order to make it perfect. Software for computers and smartphones do a great job at perfecting images. Most software will have slides that allow users to alter the clarity, shadows, highlights, saturation, whites, and blacks. Digital filters and presets can also be used to add that extra aesthetic touch.