In this issue:

18+ For adults only. Soft Secrets is published six times a year by Discover Publisher BV Netherlands Issue 2 - 2011
Continues on page 3
Spring Planting 12
DRIP IRRIGATION
This issue we put the spotlight on a method
that is simple to set up and produces results so
good that it is utilised in commercial growing
applications across the globe, from producing
quality tomatoes for the biggest UK super-
markets to producing top quality smoke for
the coffee shops of Amsterdam. Our quest
for quicker crop cycles and heavier yields
continues; this issue, we take a closer look at
the drip irrigation...

15
Weed in Thailand:
Law and Reality 21
FREE
An Interesting Conundrum?
Question: When is cannabis not cannabis?
Answer: When its a medicine and not a
recreational drug. Or so it appears.
Or maybe thats wrong as well.
Apologies, readers; Im trying to get some-
thing straight in my own head here, and
sort of thinking out loud as I write this.
Cannabis isnt cannabis when a pharma-
ceutical company stands to make/lose a
load of money from it. Or not.
Okay, heres the thing. Semi regular
readers of this column will at least
be aware of an outfit called GW
Pharmaceuticals, the leading expo-
nents of cannabis-based medicine.
Thats to say, cannabis that doesnt get
one high, but does make the use feel
better (all a bit vague, I know, but I
dont know what more I can tell you;
were in the realm of the very vague.
And just wait! It gets better!).
GW Pharmaceuticals have been fanny-
ing around genetically modifying this
cannabis isomer (or whatever), chemi-
cally tweaking that cannabis polymer (or
whatever: this isnt really my area, you
understand), for a good ten years now
that Im aware of, and in the process have
poured tens of millions of sharehold-
ers pounds into this wonder drug (its
called Sativex), and now all that blood,
sweat and tears is coming to fruition.
Except that the fact of the matter is that,
however its dressed up, Sativex is still
basically cannabis, and cannabis is an
illegal drug with (and this is the sucker
punch) no medical benefits.
Yes, readers, this is the enormous ele-
phant mammoth is perhaps a better
way of describing it in the corner
of the room. After all the time, after
all the effort, after all the money that
GW Pharmaceuticals have invested in
this project, what exactly do they have
at the end of it? Tincture of cannabis,
thats what. Basically active cannabis is
extracted from the plant using alcohol,
so what youve got stripped right
down to the basics is something like
dope oil with a bit of booze in there for
added oomph.
Now, leaving aside the whole issue of the
inclusion of alcohol in this mix, there are a
load of other bits to chew over here.
So, what is Sativex, then? Um, its er, can-
nabis.
What? All the stuff Ive been reading
about this wonder drug for goodness
knows how many years; youre telling me
its just cannabis?
Well, its not quite just cannabis...
Oh, okay. Hows it different?
Um, weve modified it a bit.
Right. Modified it how, exactly?
Well, its very complicated and you
wouldnt really understand...
Try me.
Oh, okay then. Blah blah changed the
structure blah same effect as dope.
But if it has the same effect as dope and it
comes from the cannabis plant, isnt it just,
effectively dope?
Er, Im glad you raised that...
And dont the Home Office, the minister
for drugs and all the rest of them still have
AFTER ALL THE TIME, AFTER ALL THE EFFORT, AFTER ALL
THE MONEY THAT GW PHARMACEUTICALS HAVE INVESTED
IN THIS PROJECT, WHAT EXACTLY DO THEY HAVE AT THE END
OF IT? TINCTURE OF CANNABIS, THATS WHAT
3
This variety of Pyramid Seeds is the result of
the cross between two of the recent years
most valuable and appreciated varieties. White
Widow is the most frequently used plant in
the creation of new varieties, while Ak-47
adored by the majority of cultivators is no less
appreciated or valuable. This clash of titans led
to Osiris, a stable and productive variety, with
a fruity scent and a strong, long-lasting effect.
These plants are large and sturdy with wide,
dark-green leaves and large, thick, crystalline
buds. This variety is easy to grow, and is
suitable for both indoor and outdoor growing.
Strain: White Widow x AK-47
Genetic background: Indica 60% / Sativa 40%
THC Level: 16%-20%
Indoor yield: 53-63 days
Outdoor yield: Late September
Photo: Pyramid Seeds
O
s
i
r
i
s
Osiris 3 PAGE 3 GIRL
Readers Letters 5 DEAR SOFT SECRETS
Products 11 PRODUCT FLASH
Springplanting with Lazystrain 12 CULTIVATE
Hydro systems, part 3 15 CULTIVATE
Cannabis Pioneers 18 BACKGROUND
RIP Smiley 19 BACKGROUND
Weed in Thailand 21 TRAVEL
Dutch Passion 25 PROFILE
The Prague Cup 2011 28 EVENTS
The root zone 30 CULTIVATE
Spring planting with Grubbycup 33 CULTIVATE
Sweet Seeds 35 PROFILE
Jorge Cervantes 39 Q & A
Ice hash 43 DIY
Ed Rosenthal 45 ASK ED
Spannabis 50 EVENTS
The mother room 52 CULTIVATE
Atami 54 PROFILE
King Shiloh 57 MUSIC
Hot Wax 58 MUSIC
Shops 60 REVIEWS
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Continued from front page
this cannabis has no medical value thing?
Er, um, yes they do, but...
So how are you planning to get this won-
der drug licensed?
Er...
Why should it be okay to buy cannabis off
a pharmaceutical company because its in
fancy packaging, rather than just buy half
an ounce off the bloke in the pub? Or bet-
ter still, grow it yourself?
Ah, look, while Id love to chat to you, I
really do have to be somewhere...
Im sure you do. Well, nice talking to you;
do please let me know how you get on. I
really do want to know how the govern-
ment plan to make a killing on this while
putting Joe Public in jail for doing exactly
the same thing. You will be sure to let me
know, wont you?
In the UK, weve an expression for this:
hoisted by your own petard.
Best,
Dr John
Comments to the usual address:
dimethyltryptamine777@hotmail.com
5
Attention Readers!
Fancy a FREE packet of FEMINISED seeds
from DINAFEM? Then send us a picture of
your grow room or best cannabis plant,
including a visible copy of Soft Secrets, and
well send you 3 seeds. Should your photo
happen to feature your beautiful wife or girl-
friend wearing a sexy microbikini or super
hot lingerie, you will receive 6 seeds. Photo
of the Month will even receive 9 prime qual-
ity feminised seeds. With compliments of
Soft Secrets and DINAFEM!

E-mail your entries to SSUK@softsecrets.nl
or send them to our PoBox. NOTE: All entries
are handled with the utmost discretion. We
dont publish out of focus pics, and we dont
like photos of plants in veg stage. Its fat
buds & sweet babes we want to see!
PoBox 17250,
1001 JG, Amsterdam,
Holland
E-mail:
SSUK@softsecrets.nl
Readers Stuff
Hi, these are some beauties from France, both are good!
Jack Herrer Hydro and Samygirl.
Automated hydroponic pots can reduce the amount of work for a gardener.
Third attempt in a tent and by far the best. Each
branch is like a whole plant! She is a Paradise Seeds -
Delahaze grown in a modified water farm in clay peb-
bles. GHE nutes and no boosters! 4 week veg 8 week
flower + 1 week flush. 600w light in a 1x1x2m tent.
She smells sooooo good! Too bad u dont have smellO-
vision! Check out the close ups. Dont she look tasty? I
estimate well over 10oz dry on this one!
THANKS FOR ALL THE TIPS AND ADVICE IN YOUR GREAT
PAPER. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!
J. SOUTH EAST.
Good use of a small space. Pretty specimens such as this
could be grown as ornamentals in a just world. 8 weeks
of flower and one of flush is in line with the Paradise Seed
estimate of 9 weeks. Delahaze can get bushy if left in growth
for too long, but it appears that you have a nice balance
between the number of buds and the size of each
Hi guys,
I am an avid reader of your great magazine and love looking at
the various strains shown for personal reference. I just thought I
would send this photo of a Big Devil from Sweet Seeds an auto-
matic I grew towards the end of last year. I grew it in a Wilma
4-pot system under 1200w HPS using Canna Aqua Vega and Flora
A&B, with Rhizotonic, Cannazym, Bud Blood, PK13/14 and double
Canna boost, it was ready from seed to harvest in 9.5 weeks and
yielded 192 grams dry!
ANONYMOUS
Automatic cultivars flower without a changing the lighting to a long
night period. Because the change from growth to flower is out of the gar-
deners control, care must be taken to ensure vigorous and speedy vegita-
tive growth. If an automatic cultivar is still small when it starts to flower,
the harvest will be disappointing. However, with solid early growth, auto-
matics can also produce plants like this one.
6
Here are some updated pics of my lady that I first sent you a few years ago (she is
still number 8 in the UK and I believe up in your NL Headquarters) with some more
lovely Bubblegum with three weeks to go.
KEVIN
For fans of the smell of pink bubblegum, the Bubblegum aroma develops nicely dur-
ing curing.
Hi Soft Secrets,
First of all thank you for a great magazine. I try and pick up every copy but
sometimes I have to go to 3-4 shops before I get my hands on one, and even
then sometimes they have all gone, but its worth the effort for all the invaluable
information you give us, especially the Dummies Growing Guide that I down-
loaded from you. Thought you might like to see my 3rd attempt at growing my
own smoke, My mate gave me one Feminised Critical Jack seed from DinaFem
that I grew into a mother plant and then took 10 clones from her, After I rooted
them in Root Riot cubes under a 250W 6400K CFL I re-potted into 6.5litre pots
with BioBizz Light Mix and put them straight into flower (due to time restraints)
under a 600W Sunmaster Super High Output HPS, in a 1.2mx1.2mx2.0m
Budbox. I used the complete BioBizz range of nutrients apart from the alg-a-
mic (which Ive never used). To tell you the truth I didnt hold out much hope
due to rushing them but they turned out to be really good, they grew to about
70-80cm high and put my carbon filter through its paces as they were very VERY
stinky, I got 183grams of dry product from them. Take it easy and keep writing
your brill mag.
KIDD
Readers can download the Dummies Growing Guide for free at www.softsecrets.
nl. A balance of theory and practical application is the key to a successful grower.
The day one stops learning is the day one stops getting better. Small boxes with
large lights is becoming a popular choice, but care must be taken as they are
prone to heat issues. Critical Jack is a very popular Critical+ x Jack Herer cross, and
feminized seeds eliminates the need for sexing.
My plant is producing
resin, literally dripping. I
first noticed it was getting
a bit sticky beside the pot.
After inspecting it, noticed
a resin dripping of the
leaves, and the stem. Its
my World of Seeds cross/
Domina Star x Yumbolt47.
It got a light pollution of
the dark period at week
4/5,b ut other than that
nothing eventful hap-
pened. I have grown this
strain (Starbolt47) before
and this never happened.
There is still about a week
left to go, it is about half
the size as it normally is
but crystal production is
increased. Have attached
a few pics, can get better
ones if need be.Ive never
seen this before and was
wondering is this normal?
ANONYMOUS
Thats not resin, and its not normal. It is difficult to tell from the photos, but it
appears that you have an insect infestation. What is dripping may be sap from
wounds inflicted by the bugs. Take a sheet of paper, and gently scrape some of those
white dots onto the paper. Observe them, and see if they move when exposed to a
hot light. If the plant is infested, left untreated it can infect the entire garden.
8
These are my two babys one is my Dinafem Blue Hash grow under 400w
sodium with Biocanna feed flores and boost, shes covered in nice hard sticky
buds not sure of yield cus its still got a week to go but enough about the
plant... the other one is just happy posing for you lot.
DR GREEN THUMB
Dinafems Blue Hash is a cross of Blueberry with a California Hash Plant. Very
nice use of a 400 watt high pressure sodium.
ANONYMOUS
From the looks of the bud development, it looks like your lights are either underpowered
or set too high. Trimming the lower growth can help encourage top development, and
cut down on the number of popcorn buds at harvest.
This is a IWS 12 pot under 5 600w Cool Tubes got 55 dry, two strains Blue Cheese and
Chronic Cheese.
Beautifully packaged, like holiday gifts. Looks like it would make for a very nice holiday.
Venting lights allows for them to be closer to the plants, and reduces waste heat released
into the garden. It appears that you are a fan of Cheese crosses. It is a good idea to try sev-
eral similar crosses once you find a cultivar you like to find the one that agrees with you best.
Foto: Soft Secrets archive
11
PRODUCTS
BLOOMBASTIC
Bloombastic is a high-quality cocktail of bio-
minerals and bio-stimulators that is suitable
for the last flowering and ripening phase (4-6
weeks). Bloombastic increases the sugar con-
tent of your crop and therefore the weight and
the smell. Through an explosion of sugar and
flower production Bloombastic provides thick,
dense, sweet-smelling flowers.
Compared with other liquid flowering prod-
ucts Bloombastic contains over 50% more bio-
minerals (phosphorus and potassium) for which
absolutely no ballast substances have been
used (sodium and chlorine). Bloombastic also
has an enzymatic influence in several areas
and therefore exercises a stress-preventing and
recovering influence on the plant.
Available in 100ml, 250 ml, 325 ml,
1,25 L and 5,5 L.
COCO / HYDRO / SOIL BOOSTERS
The booster has a favourable impact on important micro-organisms and bacteria
that give soil live a proper boost and thus help to improve the condition of the plant.
This way the Booster ensures extra stability and a biological balance in the substrate,
which will increase the development of the root system.
In addition to aquatic bacteria this booster also contains essential chelated micro-
nutrients. Micro-nutrients are nutrition components that the plant absolutely needs
to develop well, but cannot produce by itself. This booster therefore ensures that
shortages during the growing cycle will not occur quickly. The Booster also helps
to set the citric acid cycle in motion, so that all important nutrients are converted
directly into energy for the plant.
The Coco, Hydro and Soil Boosters are
available for T44, S.A. and I.D.
www.atami.com
TML-THE MISSING LINK THE ULTIMATE FLOWERBOOSTER
This most recent product from the Bio Nova laboratory, protects plants from
damaging external influences, it stimulates the plants natural defence system,
and demonstrably increases the yield.
The Missing Link consists of a great number of special trace elements that have
become essential for the growth and flowering of any living creature on this plan-
et as a result of a process of millions of years of absorption and release by plants
and animals, composting, re-absorption, microbic activities etc.,
Nowadays people cultivate all sorts of crops in our overcultivated environment.
They disregard the needs of crops, and often disrespect the laws of nature. These
facts lead to deficiencies, which result into a great number of plagues and diseases
among, not only animals and plants, but also human beings. Moreover, as a result
of deficiencies of these essential nutrients, organisms are no longer able to fully
develop themselves.

The administration of these indispensable nutrients leads to an unprecedented
positive effect on both the quality and the yield of treated crops. This product fills
the hole in the foodchain which had not been discovered before. Rightfully, this
product can be called The Missing Link
The Missing Link could be used in combination with BN X-ceL. This forms an ideal
combination during the growing and flowering period.
DOSAGE:
Its usage is easy:
TML in a 1:2000 dosage (50 ml. per 100 liters) continuously or weekly in a 1:500
dosage in a single feed.
As a spray: 1:1000 (1 ml. per liter) solution. Overdosage is impossible.
TML should be applied from the first week of growth until the final week of flower-
ing. TML is mixable with all fertilizers.
www.bionova.nl
Bio Novas professionals, based
on years of practical experience,
know which products perform
best. Because we are always
looking for ways to make our
formulas better and your work
easier, our assortment of products
is constantly being reviewed,
refned and enhanced in our
modern laboratories. The result is
cutting edge formulas that deliver
maximum yield with minimal effort.
WWW. BI ONOVA. NL
More green
BioNova does the research. They have the
high-tech environment and the skill to develop
top quality fertilizers and growth enhancers.
And they have a mission.
Each Bio Nova product is produced using
ingredients of the highest quality possible which
are then blended in ways that insure maximum
effcacy. YOU immediately gain a far better result
with far less effort. Everybody wins!
BioNova=More Green, More Green=YOU Prot
We create for your prot!
rogrow
SCOTLAND
12
OUTDOOR
Nature works in cycles throughout the
seasons. Not long after Jack Frosts and
Winter pack their bags for another year,
then Spring appears and injects Mother
Nature with a new sense of direction.
Nature provides many signs that Spring-
time has arrived; from the Mad March
Hare in the field to the birds and the bees
in the trees. For many cultures Spring-
time is a season that represents energy,
renewal, and a sense of belonging. This
is especially the case with Gardeners and
outdoor Cannabis Growers who are most
active at this time of year.
As the days draw longer and the air
feels warmer, the harmonious rhythm of
seeds falling from seed packets begins.
Seed sowing is a means of mimicking
Nature. By saving, storing, and sowing
seeds Gardeners have learnt how to
increase the survival rate of many plant
species. In the Northern Hemisphere the
majority (not all) of the Annual plants
(those that only live for one year) require
a spring sowing. Today the majority of
the Annual seeds in the UK are cultivated
for aesthetic purposes only. Traditionally
however the purpose of cultivating
Annual seeds was in the aim of produc-
ing food, fibre, and/or medicine.
Luckily, a great number of Gardeners
still cultivate plants exclusively for the
purpose of producing their own food,
fibre, and medicine at home. From
inner-city allotments to yuppie-owned
cottages the Grow Your Own bug
has spread like thrips on the wind in
recent summers. Aided by government-
backed television initiatives employing
gourmet chefs to promote a new trend
in growing herbs, fruits, and vegetables
at home. In places (and sad-cases) this
has reduced certain aspects of horticul-
ture down into almost bite-size pieces
without ever explaining the main
ingredients behind the knowledge.
As a Horticulturalist and Amateur
Botanist it is slightly disturbing to think
that the wonders of Nature have been
watered down so readily into the latest
fad or fashion. Whereby those adults
that are not currently growing their
own at home, are now considered not
cool or worst still bad parents. In fact
the Chelsea-Tractor (Land Rover) driv-
ers whizzing their kids to school are all
forgiven for any ecological damage they
do, so long as they are growing a few
rows of carrots at home!
The main reproach to the cynicism dis-
played above is of course the cultural-
wealth in rediscovering food and the joys
of gardening for ourselves. More impor-
tantly perhaps teaching the next gen-
eration of children how Nature works and
where the food they are eating comes
from. In this sense, the trend of glamoris-
ing Nature and the every day aspects of
gardening (in High Definition) is perhaps
a positively good thing, propagating cul-
tural-value way into the future (?)
General consensus and the mainstream
media however still alienates one plant
specifically above all others. When it
does discuss the role of this plant with-
in society it projects it with such a nega-
tive and downtrodden image, that if
we slipped into anthropomorphism for
just one second, it would appear to be
racist. So abundant, mistreated, forlorn
and unwanted, the mainstream media
simply called it a weed for ages. This
plant, which social-scientists are aiming
to eradicate from the botanical record,
and the minds of society, is as naturally
as it occur Cannabis.
The champion plant of all food, fibre,
and medicine is Cannabis sativa / indi-
ca. The nutritional value, fibre content,
and medicinal qualities are proven to
out grow any other plant species on
the planet, meter by meter, pound for
pound, hector by hector. The number
one cash-crop in California today is
not as imagined Grapefruit, Orange, or
even Watermelon. It is Cannabis sativa
/ indica! The fine balance between the
longer flowers and taste of Cannabis
sativa combined with the shorter flow-
ering period and higher CBD content
of Cannabis indica was discovered years
ago in California (and later in Holland).
Since then every season gardeners all
over the world have followed this tradi-
tion of sowing seeds in Spring.
There are several reasons why Spring-
time sowing is advantageous - even when
working indoors! Firstly the general air
temperature is warmer and relatively sta-
ble. This in turn encourages warmer soil
temperatures which promotes healthy
root growth. Secondly the outdoor photo-
period, solar and lunar alignments argu-
ably helps seedlings to grow stronger and
healthier. This is also the case when cul-
tivated at night-time under lamps! Much
of which is relative to the barometric
pressure surrounding the seed and later
the seedling itself. Thirdly, humans are
naturally more active and inquisitive in
the Spring months both physically and
mentally. This is especially the case with
outdoor Gardeners who are busy plotting
and planning the year.
Most outdoor / greenhouse growers will
already have their benches cleaned and
plant pots filled with soil ready of the sea-
son ahead. If not they will have already
started sowing seeds indoors, ready to
plant outdoors as soon as the last threat
of frost passes over. The cannabis sow-
ing season outdoors lasts from May to
July in the Northern Hemisphere leaving
outdoor growers with plenty of room to
expand. Unlike other crops which require
a sett period of growth, Cannabis can
by Lazystrain
be flowered at any time after 14 days of
growth, simply by depriving the plants
of 12hours of sunlight. Arguably the out-
door Gardener with both a greenhouse
and a potting shed comes into guru in
this situation flowering cannabis as and
when required.
Conversely, auto-flowering seeds flower
themselves outdoors (under any day-
length) from May to September/October.
Several breeders also put out feminized
auto-flowering seeds, which (when genet-
ically stable) are practically idiot proof in
any outdoor garden. Besides being useful
for sowing alongside main crops of regu-
lar seeds, the fashion for feminized auto-
flowering seeds however, sadly follows
many of the patterns of trend typical of
domesticated markets.
The most downtrodden within any soci-
ety are those least understood. Within
horticulture this botanical-menace
is Cannabis. Within Cannabis Culture
the next social-pariah is the male ...
yet ironically Cannabis Culture cannot
naturally progress into the next sea-
son without both aspects the yin (the
female) and the yang (the male). Such
is the way of Mother Nature.
15
INDOOR
15
HYDRO OVER HAND WATERING PART 3
Drip Irrigation
This issue we put the spotlight on a method that is simple to set
up and produces results so good that it is utilised in commercial
growing applications across the globe, from producing quality
tomatoes for the biggest UK supermarkets to producing top qual-
ity smoke for the coffee shops of Amsterdam. Our quest for quicker
crop cycles and heavier yields continues; this issue, we take a closer
look at the drip irrigation... By Little Lebowski
Think of drip irrigation and what springs
to mind? Probably large scale green-
house cultivation; acres and acres of
tomatoes or cucumber plants, grown on
rockwool slabs with miles of dripper line
connected to computers that control
complex feeding schedules. A little too
complicated for the home grower, right?
Wrong! Drip irrigation is one of the sim-
plest and most flexible hydro methods
on the market and it is available on any
scale, from one plant upwards!
Drip irrigation systems for the home
grower offer the quicker growth cycles
and bigger yields of active hydro, with the
flexibility to grow in any medium - soil,
coco, rockwool or clay and even grow
in pots.
So, how does drip irrigation work? Lets
start at the beginning...
What is drip irrigation?
There are many types of drip irrigation,
but they all work on the same princi-
ple. Your plants are started in a growing
medium and a dripper is placed into, or
suspended over, the medium. The dripper
is attached to a dripper line, which is in
turn attached to a pump.
You keep your nutrient solution in a reser-
voir and, at periods set on a timer, nutrient
solution is pumped from the reservoir,
through the dripper line and delivered to
plant via the dripper.
The nutrient solution works its way
through the medium and over the roots
of your plants, draining out through
the growing medium and drawing oxy-
gen into the root zone. Feeding small
doses of water and nutrient at frequent
periods throughout the day, means
that the growing medium will not get
totally saturated and there will always
be plenty of oxygen present around the
roots of the plant. This ensures healthy
development and faster growth.
As plants mature, the number of feed
periods is increased. The amount of nutri-
ent solution used by the plant is easily
measured and this allows you to tailor the
number of feeds to achieve the optimum
growth and yields.
Drip irrigation offers something for
every grower, from the soil lover who
just wants to keep their pots auto-
matically watered, to the hydro expert
who is looking to measure the nutrient
uptake of their crop on a daily basis and
devise the perfect feeding schedule for
their own growing environment.
One is for sure, if it is the preferred method
for the commercial growers, then it is cer-
tainly worth giving it a try! Read on...
Why drip irrigation over hand
watering pots?
- Plants grow faster and yleld more -
plants take up more water and nutri-
ents than they would with hand water-
ing, feeding little and often through-
out the day is healthier than giving one
large feed every other day
- Gets nutrlents where they need to be
- in a drip irrigation system you arent
relying on capillary action to deliver
water and nutrients to the plants roots.
Instead, drippers feed the roots from
above and gravity pulls the nutrient
solution down. Feeding techniques that
rely on capillary action make the medi-
um at the bottom of the pot wetter than
anywhere else, which can stunt root
development and slow plant growth.
- Peduced chance over or under-waterlng
- when plants are fed little and often, the
medium is never saturated or starved of
nutrient solution. Hand watering plants
once every few days can result in water-
logging because the plants cant take up
all the solution given to them in one go.
- Less work - drlp lrrlgatlon systems are
low maintenance. Manage one nutrient
solution tank for all of your plants and
top up every couple of days far easier
than hand watering.
Types of drip irrigation system
There are many types of drip system avail-
able to the home grower, they fall under
two main categories;
- Recirculating systems
In recirculation drip irrigation, the plants
usually sit above the nutrient reservoir.
Whatever solution the plants do not
use runs through the growing medium
and back into the reservoir, ready to be
pumped back to the plants again. The
benefit of these systems is that they
are simple to operate and set up and,
because all the workings sit above the
nutrient reservoir, they are virtually leak
proof. There are three main types of recir-
culating systems...
- Single drip ring systems
In a single drip ring system, plants
sit in a planter, usually filled with
clay pebbles, placed above a nutrient
solution reservoir.
Feeding schedules are set on a timer and
solution is automatically pumped from
the reservoir and out of the drip ring
directly onto the root zone. Plants receive
all the nutrients and water they need as
well as superb oxygen access; because
every time the system drains, oxygen is
pulled down into the root zone.
When used with clay pebbles, drip ring
systems provide a healthy, oxygen-rich
root zone, thanks to the free draining
nature of the medium. The ideal envi-
ronment for keeping a mother plant
long term or just taking one big plant
to flower and achieving the maximum
amount of buds! Some of the yield
results achievable using these systems
have to be seen to be believed!
Popular versions of these systems
available in the UK are the AquaFarm,
WaterFarm and the Flo-Gro.
- Pot Dripper System
In a pot dripper system, pots are placed
on a tray above a reservoir. Plants and
drippers are placed in the pots along
with your chosen growing medium.
The feeding frequency is set with a
timer, whereby the nutrient solution is
pumped from the reservoir to the drip-
pers, and over the roots.
The nutrient solution works its way through
the medium and over the roots of your
plants. Whatever the plants dont take up,
drains through the holes in the tank, ready
to be pumped through the drippers again.
Pot dripper systems are perfect for begin-
ners or growers who want to make that
first step to hydro because they can be
used with any growing medium and offer
the familiarity of using pots.
Popular pot dripper systems available in
the UK include the Wilma system - which
is available in a wide range of sizes and
pot variations - and, more recently, modu-
lar pot dripper systems that allow you to
space plants under lights however you
like so they can grow huge!
- The Dutch Dripper System
Very similar to the pot system in that
the plants sit on a tray above the res-
DRIP IRRIGATION IS ONE OF THE SIMPLEST AND MOST
FLEXIBLE HYDRO METHODS ON THE MARKET AND IT IS
AVAILABLE ON ANY SCALE, FROM ONE PLANT UPWARDS!
A VERY HAPPY PLANT IN A FLO GRO DRIP SYSTEM
16
ervoir, but the Dutch Dripper system
uses slabs either rockwool or coir -
rather than pots.
- Run to waste systems
In a run to waste system, nutrient
solution is pumped from a reservoir
to the plants using lines and drippers,
but rather than draining back into the
nutrient reservoir, the solution runs
out of the growing medium and into
a waste tank or drain, it is not reused.
Run to waste systems tend to be used
in commercial scale cultivation, the
main benefit being that the nutrient
solution is always fresh and contains
the optimum balance of elements.
Many large scale cannabis growers use
run to waste systems as they are very sim-
ple to set up, reduce the watering work-
load and produce great results. Plants
can be grown in pots filled with growing
media or in rockwool or coir slabs.
One major benefit of run to waste dripper
systems is that they are so easy to expand.
Extra lines and drippers can be added to
the system easily.
Just make sure that the solution run off is
contained properly. A full hundred litres
of nutrient solution leaking out of your
system is likely to bring some unwanted
attention to your grow!
What type of grower is drip
irrigation good for?
As drip irrigation is such a flexible
method and there are so many styles of
system available, there is something for
every grower;
- New growers who want an easy to use
system so that they can concentrate on
maintaining their growing environment
should try a pot dripper system.
- Experienced growers looking for a hydro
system that allows them to monitor
nutrient uptake and set an optimum
feeding schedule to maximise yield
should try a pot dripper system with a
hydro medium like clay pebbles or try a
Dutch Dripper system.
- Personal growers could grow one blg
plant full cycle in a drip ring system or
get the most from a small number of
plants in a 1.2 metre tent with a pot
dripper system.
- Large scale growers should look to a
custom built run to waste system where
they can spread their plants out in a large
area and feed them from one reservoir.
The Three Steps To Drip
Irrigation Heaven!
- Use the correct drlpper for the growlng
medium. Drippers are available in a wide
range of sizes and flow rates. If you are
growing in a free draining medium like
clay, use an unrestricted dripper. This will
allow the nutrient solution to flow over
the roots as quickly as the pump will
allow and will pull lots of oxygen into
the root zone as it drains through the
medium. If you are using an absorbent
medium like soil, coco or rockwool use a
dripper that restricts the flow rate other-
wise the growing medium will become
saturated. A 2 litre per hour dripper set
on a 15 minute feed will deliver half a
litre of nutrient solution to the plant.
Ideal for most plants.
- |ncrease the number of flood perlods
as your plants mature and increase in
size. This will ensure you get the maxi-
mum growth and the biggest yields.
When using clay pebbles, set the timer
to two 15 minute flood periods per day
for young plants. As plants grow, you
can increase to a maximum of one 15
minute feed per hour. You will need to
perform a complete solution change
every 1-2 weeks. When growing in an
absorbent medium set the timer to just
one 15 minute flood period per day for
young plants. As they grow, increase to
a maximum of four 15 minute feeds per
day. When using an absorbent growing
medium you should run the system to
minimise run off and perform a com-
plete nutrient solution change every 2
weeks or sooner if the level of solution
is running low.
- Use an antl blocklng agent. Drlpper llne
has a small internal diameter and over
the course of a full grow 8 to 14 weeks,
depending on strain there is the poten-
tial for these dripper lines to become
blocked, particularly if you use concen-
trated, mineral nutrients and stimulators
(and if you want the biggest amount of
bud possible, you will be!). Adding an
anti blocking agent to your reservoir will
keep things flowing freely.
Quick Q&A with a Pot
Dripper Grower
When can plants be transferred to the
system?
Just as soon as they are root bound in
their starter medium, you should see
white roots on the outside of the block
or pot.

How should plants be spaced?
In a pot system the spacing is already
decided, you can get them with the pots
closely spaced for a sea of green or spaced
far apart if you want to grow some trees!
Will plants need to be supported?
Not in a pot dripper system because
there is plenty of media around the
roots, but if you are using drippers and
slabs then you will need to use some
kind of plant support.
So, there you have it; commercial grow-
ing techniques are available to the home
grower. If you are looking for a simple set
up and big yields... get dripping!
IN A POT SYSTEM THE SPACING IS ALREADY DECIDED,
YOU CAN GET THEM WITH THE POTS CLOSELY SPACED FOR
A SEA OF GREEN OR SPACED FAR APART IF YOU WANT TO
GROW SOME TREES!
THE FLO GRO PROVIDES A GREAT
ENVIRONMENT FOR MOTHER PLANTS
THE AQUAFARM A SINGLE DRIP
RING POWERED BY AN AIR PUMP
THE EVER POPULAR WILMA DRIP IRRIGATION SYSTEM
AQUA TRAYS ARE A KEY COMPONENT
OF THE DUTCH DRIPPER SYSTEM
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18
CANNABIS HISTORY
Cannabis Pioneers, Pathfinders,
and Untold
Every genre and movement has its own
list of Pioneers, Pathfinders, and Untold.
The people that have helped to shake,
shape and revolutionize the way that
other people perceive the world about
them. For example, during the 1950s
Poets such as Allen Ginsberg, Jack
Kerouac, and others Pioneered the Beat
Generation. Later in the 1960s musicians
such as Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Pink
Floyd, Jimmy Hendrix and others spear-
headed the Hippie Movement. During
the 1970s Jay Adams, Tony Alva, Stacy
Peralta, Skip Engblom, and others pio-
neered Street Skating and gave birth to
contemporary Skate Culture and all the
extreme sports and snowboarding that
followed after. In this sense every cultural
revolution has had its original Pioneers,
Pathfinders and the Untold people that
made the scene happen.
In this issue of Soft Secrets we shall firstly
take a look at just a few of the Cannabis
Pioneers that have made major contribu-
tions towards Cannabis Culture over the
past half decade by starting movements
of their own. Secondly we shall take a
look at some of the unknown Cannabis
Pathfinders that really helped to advance
Cannabis Culture into a multi-cultural and
international pastime it is today. Lastly
we shall consider the movers and shakers
that really shaped the botanical-montage
that Cannabis Culture has become.
Cannabis Pioneers
Wernard Bruining is a contemporary
Cannabis Pioneer. As the first cannabis
coffeeshop owner , cannabis seed shop
owner , and cannabis grow shop owner
in Europe (possibly the world), then no
list of Marijuana Shakers could over-
look the work of this man. Today, some
30 years after his revolutionary work in
promoting the way that cannabis is per-
ceived by non-cannabis users in public,
his aim to educate people is still just as
strong. Not only is Wernard Bruining still
an active member of the wider Cannabis
Community as a guru and teacher, yet hes
also a regular judge at cannabis cups and
still writes for Soft Secrets - the little sister
of the High Life Magazine that he owned
and created many years back.
Sam the Skunk Man is another con-
temporary Cannabis Pioneer. Sam was
the original breeder responsible for
hybridizing several indigenous varie-
ties of cannabis together during the
1970s, in California, to produce the
worlds most famous domestic variety
of cannabis - Skunk #1. Sam the Skunk
Man is also accredited as being the
first American grower to bring varie-
ties including Skunk, Hindu Kush, and
Haze onto the European grow scene.
An elusive character, Sam has person-
ally donated 100,000s of his own seeds
to the Cannabis Community over the
past 30 years. His knowledge about
the process of making hashish is also
formidable, having produced his own
all over the world.
Ben Dronkers is a contemporary Cannabis
Pioneer. Founder of the Sensi Seed Bank
in Holland, Ben travelled to Afghanistan
to collect textiles and cannabis seeds dur-
ing its Soviet occupation. The Dronkers
Empire also houses the famous Cannabis
Castle; one of the few places to legiti-
mately keep some of the best domes-
tic varieties of cannabis in existence. In
palaeoanthropology (doing good unto
others) terms Ben now helps chair the
Cannabis College in Amsterdam, taking
over from the long work of Eddy at the
Flying Dutchman Seeds, who is perhaps
yet another Cannabis Pioneer.
On the literary front, then both Ed
Rosenthal and Jorge Crevantes are con-
temporary Cannabis Pioneers. As the
worlds leading authors on cannabis cul-
tivation their work is not only published
in several languages, yet is well versed
by both commercial and underground
home-growers the world round. Both Ed
and Jorge boast their own lists of books
and have passed on lots of knowledge
about cultivation over the years.
Arjan Roskam is another contem-
porary Cannabis Pioneer. Owner of
the worlds most famous coffeeshop
chain The Green House and the
Green House Seed Bank. In recent
years Arjan has set out to publicise
and modernise the whole cannabis
scene in the Netherlands. During this
process Arjan has found some criti-
cism and some praises. His series of
Strain Hunter videos have helped
to broaden a few cultural horizons by
making serious ecological statements.
His companies investment in agricul-
tural technology by way of seed femi-
nization and seed coating methods
have also arguably revolutionized the
cannabis seed industry.
Scott Blakey (aka Shantibaba) is a
contemporary Cannabis Pioneer. The
breeder responsible for so many mul-
tiple cup winning entries (including
White Rhino, Great White Shark, El Nino
and Super Silver Haze), that he said in a
lazystrain interview, that hed stopped
counting.... and entering cups. Today
Shantibaba is still considered to be the
finest breeder of cannabis anywhere on
the planet (wherever he is). His simple
approach towards cannabis cultivation,
cannabis botany, and cannabis culture,
are timeless and show signs of truly
lifting the lid on the most professional
ways to approach cannabis in the con-
text of horticulture once and for all.
Marco Renda is a more recent Cannabis
Pioneer. A few years ago now Marco
Render reached out to the Medicinal
Cannabis Community with the worlds
first publication dedicated to Medical
Marijuana called Treating Yourself
. Since then his informative magazine
has been available in Colleges, Libraries,
and Doctors Surgeries all over Canada,
the United States, Australia, and Europe.
Foremost Marco Render remains as one
OTHER 'CANNABIS PATHFINDERS' INCLUDE A FEW
HUNDRED SPANISH CONQUISTADORS AND HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF AFRICANS
BEATNIK AND LATER HIPPIE TRAVELLERS
DISCOVERED JUST THE VERY SAME VARIETIES OF
CANNABIS GERMAN ANTHROPOLOGISTS HAD HIGH IN
THE HILLS BACK IN THE 1920S
By Lazystrain
19 19
of the few care-givers in North America
to have actively (past tense) sent free
cannabis samples to sick people in the
UK and Europe acts which although he
was arrested for later, several people have
successfully mimicked since in example.
Obviously we cannot begin to men-
tion ALL the other Cannabis Pioneers of
recent years here, since wed run out of
pages. Otherwise definite entries to the
pages would include the people that
first discovered the ice water extrac-
tion method of making hashish (still
debated) and the person that invented
Smiley Culture sadly
no longer with us
R.I.P.
Pioneering English reggae singer and
DJ met his untimely death on 15 March
2011, aged 48, during a police raid on
his home. Born David Victor Emmanuel,
he died, reportedly, from a self inflicted
stab wound to the heart, an hour and
a half after officers arrived with a warrant
to search his house for marijuana. The
Independent Police Complaints Authority
is investigating the circumstances of his
death about which the family and his
many fans are most unhappy. A cam-
paign entitled No Peace-No Justice has
been launched. Campaign members find
it difficult to believe the practical possibil-
ity of a suspect actually being able to per-
form the difficult task of suicide through
stabbing oneself in the heart, or indeed,
anywhere else. At a ram packed meet-
ing, held at Lambeth town hall, his old
sound system spas adamantly declared
that there is absolutely no way that their
dear bredren would have done this.
Born and raised in Stockwell, South
London, in 1963, Emmanuel was the son
of a Jamaican father and Guyanese moth-
er. Locally educated, his Smiley nickname
was gained due to his method of chatting
up girls at school he would ask them
for a smile. Prior to his recording career
he worked as a DJ with many of Londons
reggae sound systems, most often with
Saxon Studio International, where he met
and worked with a number of other reg-
gae artists, including Maxi Priest, Papa
Levi and Tippa Irie.
Signed to the London based label,
Fashion Records, his first single Cockney
Translation (1984) was a Jamaicans
guide to the East End dialect Cockneys
have names like Terry, Arfur and Del Boy/
We have names like Winston, Lloyd and
Leroy. The song mixed cockney dia-
lect with Londons version of Jamaican
patois, translating between the two
and presaged the creation of a new
hybrid accent in which white Londoners
adopted many terms of black origin.
Smiley Culture popularized the fast chat
style of deejaying that had originated
with Jamaican DJs such as Ranking Joe,
and was developed further by British
toasters, particularly those on the Saxon
sound system such as Peter King.
His next single Police Officer, released
towards the end of 1984, scored him
chart success and he shot to interna-
tional fame with radio and TV appear-
ances, memorably including on Top of
the Pops. An autobiographical record, he
described it as a true story the police
used to take my weed. It was better than
being arrested, and I made it into a hit.
Although humorous, it did have a seri-
ous aspect in that it highlighted the way
black people were, via stop and search
laws, and indeed still are, treated unfair-
ly by the police. The success of Police
Officer prompted a re-release of Cockney
Translation that now also reached the
charts, and he appeared at the Reggae
Sunsplash festival in Jamaica in 1985.
Following this, despite (or perhaps
because) signing to a major label,
he found it difficult to attain these
heights. Yet for those who know and
love the music of Smiley Culture, and
for those still to discover him, this is
not important. He not only shaped a
unique style of music, the imprint of
which is still present and continuous to
influence today, but he has also forged
an indelible place in our hearts with his
loveable and radical stylee.
HITCH AND BOOST!
the force-flowering cannabis method
to induce early harvesting (unknown).
The roots of which probably lie with the
Cannabis Pathfinders anyway.
Cannabis Pathfinders
Cannabis Pathfinders are the unnamed
people that pushed Cannabis Culture
forward throughout history. Besides the
famous Presidents like Lincoln, Kings
like Henry, and Queens like Victoria,
who each either promoted the cultiva-
tion or advocated the medicinal use
of cannabis directly, it is the nameless
figures in cannabis history that are per-
haps the most interesting, and those we
shall focus on in this section.
For example, the first Neolithic traders
to bring the seeds, flowers and resin of
cannabis from East to West deserve a
sticky pat on the back, 20,000 years ago.
Otherwise, today cannabis would be still
be unaccepted in Western Society and
labelled a rare species - not the common
ancestor of a plant cultivated by millions
of gardeners every year.
Much later the rise of Islam during the
Middle Ages and Bedouin Pathfinders
brought a separate hashish culture fur-
ther west into North Africa c1000 onwards.
This hashish culture slowly trickled up into
Europe over many years and helped fuel
the minds of the Renaissance. Cannabis
at this time was also cultivated and kept
by the religious. Later the Churchs own
Path-finding Missionaries would spread
cannabis culture into some of the most
remote places on earth.
Other Cannabis Pathfinders include a
few hundred Spanish Conquistadors
and hundreds of thousands of Africans.
Many African slaves hid the seeds of
their favourite plants in the folds of
their ears while forced in transit across
the Atlantic Ocean. This included the
seeds of Okra / Abelmoschus esculen-
tus which was first smuggled into the
Americas in this way. Perhaps some of
the most famous varieties of cannabis
from the USA today, were first bought
to America in this way also. Who knows?
Such is the beauty of Cannabiss deep and
varied past, that the forbidden fruits of its
unrecorded, undocumented, untold his-
tory still tantalise the taste buds into the
modern era as they unfold.
The Untold
From the 1900s onwards English, Dutch,
and later German explorers started to
map out the Himalayas and its peoples.
While collecting anthropological infor-
mation, they also sampled some of the
finest hashish available. In the process
they gave taxonomical labels or names
to the species of new Cannabis they dis-
covered - those that were not already
recognised as Cannabis sativa. Thereafter
Cannabis indica from the Indus River val-
ley region and Cannabis afghanica from
Afghanistan mountain region were added
to the list of cannabis varieties available
names that cannabis growers and smok-
ers still use today.
Finally, from the 1950s onwards liberated
Beatnik and later Hippie travellers dis-
covered just the very same varieties of
cannabis German Anthropologists had
high in the hills back in the 1920s. Easy air
travel meant that distant varieties from the
Himalayas washed up on the West coast
of California like surf boards do on Venice
Beach. The finest seeds from the grass
bought back from the Korean War in the
1950s and the Vietnamese Cambodian War
in 1960-70s mixed spice into the played
out Mexican and Colombian strains, and
kicked the marijuana grow-scene in a new
frame of thought.
Not long after, some war-smoking
Vietnam Veterans joined up with a radi-
cal New-Wave generation of Cannabis
Activists many of whom are still just as
active today. This unlikely combination,
of Drop outs and Academics, Surfers
and Organic Farmers, Musicians and
Skateboarders, still meet up at happen-
ings, music festivals, cannabis cups and
other groovy hang-outs today. From
the Mountains of the Himalayas to the
beaches of Malibu, from the gardens
of Humbolt County to the Coffeeshops
of Amsterdam, are the real grass roots
from which the contemporary Pioneers
of Cannabis Culture are grown from.
THE MOTHER ROOM 52 WEED IN THAILAND 21 GROW WITH JORGE CERVANTES 39
By Kaz Peet
21
TRAVEL
Modern Thailand is a frightening example of the classic police state, and
it is a veritable minefield when it comes to drugs of all kinds. Dealers in
Thailand fall into three main categories; very well-connected, desper-
ate, or incredibly stupid. Soft Secrets takes a look at the laws and street
reality of the ganja business in Thailand. By The Professor
Thai cops are the major players in the
national drug business, on both sides of
the law; police corruption in Thailand is
so rife its infamy is global. This means that
if you get involved with drugs out there
you have to be aware of the law, and also
aware that, if you are caught, the cops will
try and scare as much money out of you
as possible hoping that you are ignorant
of their laws.
Under the terms of their Narcotics Act
of 2522 (1979) marijuana is a category
5 narcotic. This law states that produc-
ers, exporters and importers are liable
for imprisonment of two to fifteen
years and/or a fine of 200,000 to 1.5
million baht (Section 75).
Supply and possession with intent to sup-
ply (10kg or less) is punishable with a
stretch of 2 to 10 years and/or a fine of
40,000 to 200,000 baht. If you are caught
with more than 10kg then youll be look-
ing at 2 to 15 years with a fine of 200,000
to 1.5 million baht (Section 76/1).
Straight possession is a maximum of five
years inside and/or a fine of up to 100,000
baht (Section 76).
Its also worth knowing that the police
have the right to question, detain, search
premises and person, and seize any prop-
erties of people suspected of involvement
with drugs. Dreadlocks, long hair, being
black, giving them a funny look, or even
just walking down the pavement in view
of them are all reasons for them to suspect
you of involvement with drugs.
At the end of 2010 the Prime Minister
announced a new year-long war on
drugs for 2011, and hes given the cops
a target of reducing crime in Bangkok by
20% this year. An immediate result of this
new war on drugs is the police cranking
up the use of their stop and search pow-
ers; tourists with a bit of weed are known
to be an easy and rewarding target for
them even though pot is not a major
social, economic or political issue out
here, especially when its compared to
smack, ice and the more common ya-ba
(methamphetamine).
If you spend a bit of open-eared time on
the streets of Bangkok youll hear plenty
of horror stories: people get nicked for the
possession of seeds and scared into paying
thousand dollar fines; people get stopped,
searched, and have drugs planted on them
by cops who then take them to a cash
machine and empty their accounts. A lot of
people who get caught with a bit of percy
are also taken to the ATM to have their
accounts raided instead of going through
the cop shop. Tipped-off police knock on
the doors of rooms in guest houses and
bust people for smoking a joint, these
people are then scared into paying bribes
of 500 to 800 US dollars, each.
Cops can and will use the piss-test weap-
on as well. Stories of bars and clubs being
raided were common during the last drug
war and you can bet your favourite pipe
theyll start up again this year the cops
barge in, lock the doors and piss-test
everyone. A positive test is classed as pos-
session
A couple of months ago, before the new
drug war was announced and just after
smoking a joint in the privacy of my apart-
ment, I was eating noodle soup with a
friend at an on-the-pavement restaurant.
A serious looking Thai guy pulled out
the chair across the table from me, sat
down, introduced himself as an off-duty
cop, showed us his ID, ordered some food
and started asking me questions. At first
I thought he just wanted to practice his
English but his questions got a bit strange;
he asked if I was drug addict, if I had
any food allergies, where I lived, what I
was doing in Thailand and a few other
intrusive questions. I answered him, but
I refused to let him bully me by throwing
a few of my own intrusive questions back
at him. All of a sudden, the guy stared me
straight in the eye and said:
I piss test you, now.
Pardon?
I piss test you, now.
What? I feigned misunderstanding, You
wanna see my dick?
No, no
My mate, whod been away with the fair-
ies, heard the change in the tone of the
conversation and snapped back around
from his street-watching:
What?
Get up mate, were out of here, this guys a
freak - he wants to see my dick.
The look on the cops face was priceless;
he still had his noodle soup in front of
him and he was too taken aback to react
as I paid my bill and hurried off down the
street with my mate. I shot him a look that
told him I thought he was a disgusting
pervert as I walked past him, that kept
him rooted long enough for us to escape.
It was a close one though - Id have lost
my job, a good deal of cash and my visa if
I hadnt had my wits about me and gone
on the offensive.
You also have to keep your eyes open for
the DEA, Interpol, and other western cops
in Thailand. Not only are they operating
in the main tourist hotspots of Bangkok,
Pattaya, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Chiang
Mai and Phuket, but theyre not bound by
the procedures of home they operate
under Thai law, which, if youre a cop, is
tantamount to making your own law up
as you go along.
The general rule of thumb out here
is that if you do get busted then you
should keep your cool and pay off the
cops as early as possible because the
more cops who know about it then the
bigger the fine that you have to pay.
Dont let them bully you though, make
them respect you stand strong, dont
panic, apologise profusely and admit
your stupidity. Wai them high (put
your hands in a prayer position, hold
them to your forehead and look at the
ground) and offer them a few thousand
baht if youve only been caught with a
few joints. Be warned though, if they
dont like you theyll screw you hard.
Its a well-known fact that a lot of the
drugs on the streets out here go through
the hands of the cops first; there is a very
recent story of a girl who got nicked with
some seeds, paid a hefty fine and then got
told on the doorstep of police station, by
the cop who nicked her, If you want some
good stuff you should come and see me!
Whilst spending some time on Koh
Phangan, the home of the full moon par-
ties, I was chatting to a local who was
bagging up a kilo to sell to tourists. I asked
him where the weed came from, meaning
Thailand, Laos, Cambodia or Myanmar
His answer made me laugh; It comes from
Had Rin Police!
When youre in Thailand you also have
to be wary of stitch ups. Tuk Tuk driv-
ers are famous for this theyll sell
you some weed and then tell their cop
friends wholl turn up and bust you,
the informant gets a cut of the bribe.
This tuk tuk scam all but disappeared
for a few years, but since the start of
2011s new drug war you can, once
again, hear the odd tuk tuk driver
whispering mareewahnaah when
you walk past him.
Bitter ex-girlfriends are a common prob-
lem too. People get grassed up by exes
and then nicked, piss tested and banged
up or fined. I have a (Thai) friend who
is currently suffering from this fate he
got locked up for 45 days, but instead
DREADLOCKS, LONG HAIR, BEING BLACK, GIVING
THEM A FUNNY LOOK, OR EVEN JUST WALKING DOWN THE
PAVEMENT IN VIEW OF THEM ARE ALL REASONS FOR THAI
COPS TO SUSPECT YOU OF INVOLVEMENT WITH DRUGS
22
of letting him out at the end of it they
carted him off to a military-style boot
camp. Hes been there for 2 months
now and no one knows when theyll let
him out. The embittered ex also found
out where his new (English) girlfriend
worked, rang the school, accused her
of taking drugs and having a boyfriend
in prison for drugs and she lost her
job even though she was completely
innocent. If youve been grassed on by
someone who knows a cop and the cop
is doing them a favour then you just
have to take whats coming to you this
spiteful revenge-seeking cow wanted
her ex locked up and got a cop friend of
hers to nick him, no amount of money
that he was capable of rustling up was
going to buy his freedom.
Its not only the real cops you have to
worry about either. Recent reports in the
Bangkok Post told of fake police raiding
and extorting tourists in Pattaya!
When you look at the statistics (of the
Narcotics Control Board of Thailand)
you can see that marijuana busts have
been increasing since 2004. One inter-
esting note is that there were 10,842
cases in 2008 and 12,898 in 2009, in
spite of this 20-odd per cent rise in
cases the actual amount of marijua-
na seized dropped from 18,894kg to
17,534kg: this shows that more small
time folk are being targeted. Statistics
in this country are useless for tell-
ing the whole story though; a huge
amount of cases never make it on to
the official statistics because theyre
dealt with unofficially.
You have to think of the quality and
the price as well Most Thai weed is
not grown very well, it is often heavily
fertilised, heavily seeded, and wrapped
up in plastic before it is dry so a lot of it
is mouldy: good quality ganja out here
is a rarity. If you know someone safe,
local and connected you should be able
to get a good score of 10g for around
100 baht thats the local price. Even
so, your chances of knowing someone
that safe, that local and that connected
are pretty slim, or absolutely zero if its
your first time in the country. For quality
smoke, the best time of year is the end
of the dry season and just after (March/
April/May), but when youre scoring
grass in Thailand you should be pre-
pared for frequent disappointment.
If you or someone you know is com-
ing to Thailand and fancies getting
stoned then be warned you are an
easy target and in 2011 you are, again,
a prime target. The cops out here are
not paid well, they have to buy their
own motorbikes, guns and promotions,
and theyre dirty bastards. A lot of them
dont like us tourists being here either;
as far as theyre concerned we come
out here, throw our money around,
insult their cultural sensibilities and
steal their women they enjoy busting
us and emptying our pockets. So, if you
get caught then check youre dealing
with real cops, be strong and be cool
yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir, admit
your stupidity and make sure youve
got a fast and ready bribe whenever
you and weed are in the same place at
the same time. If youre clean and you
get stopped and searched for no appar-
ent reason though, ask a passer-by to
be a witness for you and dont be afraid
to have a go at them for their bully-
ing tactics tell them their corruption
is world famous, and that you were
warned about them before you came
out here, but beware of the piss test!
TIPPED-OFF POLICE KNOCK ON THE DOORS OF ROOMS
IN GUEST HOUSES AND BUST PEOPLE FOR SMOKING A
JOINT, THESE PEOPLE ARE THEN SCARED INTO PAYING
BRIBES OF 500 TO 800 US DOLLARS, EACH
25
SEED BREEDERS
Dutch Passion began working with cannabis seeds and cannabis
breeding in the 1970s and we were formally established as a
business in the 1980s making us one of the earliest original
seedbanks and one of the oldest remaining ones. Our initial
ambition was simply to create superior quality strains, making
use of some of the best genetics from places such as Thailand,
Afghanistan, Africa and South America and California. In fact the
marijuana produced from our first strains was far better than all
of the cannabis that was imported into Amsterdam in the 1970s
and 1980s. Many of the early coffee shops wanted our strains as
a more potent alternative to the always variable quality mari-
huana that was imported. Our business was born and I suppose
Dutch Passions destiny was too.
We didnt really appreciate it at the
time perhaps, but a slow revolution
had started. The first Dutch growers
realised that with good quality seeds
they could grow better weed than
they could buy. Then, step by step, so
did people in other countries. Today
a generation later and more people
are growing their own weed than at
any other point in human history. It
has been a truly astounding transi-
tion that few would have foreseen.
In Europe and other centres of can-
nabis consumption much of the weed
is now produced domestically rather
than imported.
With so many people growing weed the
demand for seeds has never been as
high. A generation ago relatively few
people thought of buying and growing
their own seeds, yet today it is seen as
quite normal. Growing cannabis indoors
does requires some specialist knowledge
to get the grow area designed well, but
growing in a greenhouse or outdoors is
not at all complicated. The internet or
cannabis grow-books explain what little
information you need and none of it is
too complicated. Once you have good
growing conditions you just need seeds
from a stable, top quality strain and you
are well on track to get some top quality
stash for your recreational or medical
needs. Many of our customers get great
results with their first grow and remain
self sufficient afterwards.
We shouldnt forget the medical mari-
juana users, they have fought hard to
get mainstream acceptance for medical
cannabis and the growth of medical
marijuana may well prove to be the
big story for the coming years. Behind
the scenes there are many pharma-
ceutical companies funding research
into products they can manufacture
from cannabis for a surprisingly wide
range of conditions, both for physical
and psychological. With pro-cannabis
science replacing societys traditional
anti-cannabis prejudice I expect medi-
cal marijuana will be firmly part of
mainstream medicine in coming years.
Dutch Passion have had an interest-
ing journey. We have always tried to
make important contributions to the
cannabis world through the strains
we offer and through the technology
and investment we apply to our work.
Many will remember us for our pioneer-
ing work introducing feminised seeds
in the 1990s. At the time numerous
people from within the cannabis com-
munity wished us luck but said that
it was a crazy idea and could not be
done. Today, for many growers, femin-
ised seeds from a top quality strain is
the only way to go and some new seed
companies have emerged that only sell
feminised seeds. Feminised seeds give a
more uniform and consistent crop. For
more than 80% of varieties potency is at
its best with feminised seeds. Feminised
seeds are an important legacy that we
have given the cannabis world, though
we will always sell regular seeds as
they are crucial to those customers that
like to breed their own seeds.
2011 A busy year for the seed suppliers
2011 will be another busy year for
Dutch Passion. The continued increase
of home-grown cannabis means we
can apply some economies of scale to
OUR INITIAL AMBITION WAS SIMPLY TO CREATE SUPERIOR
QUALITY STRAINS, MAKING USE OF SOME OF THE BEST
GENETICS FROM PLACES SUCH AS THAILAND, AFGHANISTAN,
AFRICA AND SOUTH AMERICA AND CALIFORNIA
DUTCH PASSION
A gener ation of change in the
cannabis wor ld
A gener ation of change in the
cannabis wor ld
SKUNK #11. THE FIRST DUTCH PASSION
STRAIN TO SELL A MILLION SEEDS.
INCREDIBLE SKUNK POTENCY AND TASTE.
26
our seed production, we will be cut-
ting prices by around 10% this year.
The more seed you sell the more you
can standardise your production tech-
niques, which in turn gives more con-
sistency. Skunk#11 is a good example,
it was our first strain to sell over a
million seeds and it remains a personal
favourite of one of our top breeders,
one of the best in the world. Some
regular customers have been growing
Skunk#11 for years and refuse to even
try other strains that we recommend.
Skunk#11 is not our most expensive
strain but the volumes we sell allow us
to price it at low cost.
We will also start selling feminsed
seeds in packs of 3 seeds (along with
of 5 and 10 seeds). This has been in
response to customer feedback many
of whom said they didnt really need as
many as 5 seeds in a pack. The small-
er packs will be more affordable yet
will still contain the same high quality
genetics that have been our trademark
and won many awards. For those that
havent grown Dutch Passion strains
before, there has never been a better
time to try us.
You can learn more about us on our
website www.dutch-passion.nl which
is available in 11 languages and the
downloadable seed catalogue is avail-
able in 6 languages. We will be upgrad-
ing our website this year with some top
quality grow information and FAQs so
please add our website to your favour-
ites and visit us regularly. We aim to
have one of the most informative and
professional websites of any of the
seed suppliers. Needless to say we
continue to work on some really special
new strains for 2011 and will publicise
these on our website if they success-
fully qualify for product release.
More people use marijuana now for per-
sonal enjoyment or for medical reasons
than at any point in the past. This is
despite the increasingly ridiculous legal
prohibition of marijuana in many coun-
tries which is now completely impossible
to enforce. It is probably the fact that it
is so easy to grow that has encouraged
more people to try growing cannabis for
themselves. Despite of the prohibition
most cannabis plants being grown right
now will reach full maturity. The summer
of 2011 will probably see new record num-
bers of cannabis plants grown in Europe.
Autoflowering seeds a revo-
lution for outdoor growers.
There has been a recent innovation
in cannabis seeds that make it even
faster and easier to grow great qual-
ity weed the arrival of autoflowering
seed technology.
Autoflowering seeds were created by
blending the genetics from the nor-
mally non-psychoactive Ruderalis can-
nabis. This is a type of cannabis that
has adapted to survival in climates
such as northern Russia and Canada
by evolving a short life cycle that is
compatible with the short 2-3 month
extreme northern summers. By pro-
gressively blending selected Ruderalis
genetics with regular cannabis strains
we create autoflowering strains which
are potent yet will grow from seed to
finished bud in around 10 weeks. Dutch
Passion sell only feminised autoflow-
ering strains which we call autofem
strains. Even growers in Siberia and
northern Scandinavian regions can
now grow their own weed outdoors or
in greenhouses in their short summer
season. Cannabis has finally made it
from the tropical regions to over the
edge of the Arctic circle!
Indoor growers can also grow the
autofem seeds under a light regime of 20
hours on, 4 hours off. Plants grown from
autofem seeds are generally short plants
and yield typically in the region of 25-50
grams when grown in a sunny spot with
good soil. Dutch Passion are the leader
in autofem seeds and our AutoMazar
has been a bestselling highest yield-
ing autofem variety, one customer from
southern Europe reported a staggering
200 gram yield from a single plant that
grew into a dense squat bush.
Our original PolarLight and SnowStorm
autofem varieties have been significant-
ly improved. PolarLight#2 is an auto-
matic version of our acclaimed Dutch
Haze variety. SnowStorm#2 uses our
best selling Orange Bud skunk genetics.
We will also sell a coloured seed pack
featuring 3 varieties of autofem seeds
(2 colour coded seeds per variety) so
our customers can try a range of strains.
AutoBlueberry remains a favourite with
our customers which true user can
really resist those wonderful flavours
and rich aromas?
Many people that grow traditional
strains are now also looking to buy a few
autofem seeds to grow in the summer.
For outdoor growers it is no longer nec-
essary to look for a plot that will be safe
for a 6 month grow, simply find an area
where the short autofem plants can live
for 10 weeks and you will be rewarded
with some quality stash.
The Dutch Passion Ethos
Dutch Passion have always tried to be
ethical in all that we do, perhaps that
has helped us stay around for so long.
Yes, we have some great strains and
have great contacts all over the world
in our quest to innovate, improve quali-
ty and deliver new strains. Some of our
worldwide rewarded strain developed
in the past are: Power Plant, Mazar,
Orange Bud, Skunk #11, Passion #1,
Euforia and certainly our extraordinary
versions of Blueberry and White Widow.
In the 1990s we teamed up with
the top Canadian breeder DJ Short
and introduced our versions of his
Blue family genetics to Europe. The
combination of fresh genetics, great
taste and amazingly coloured potent
buds were a great hit and spawned
all kinds of spin-off breeding projects
from various seed companies and pri-
vate breeders. Apart from our mutual
project Jorges Diamonds that we
did with Jorge Cervantes, the famous
cannabis cultivation author/expert,
we also have contacts in the medical
marijuana world and cannabis growers
around the world.
We have been busy with other work too.
The release of The Ultimate last year has
been warmly received by the demand-
ing Dutch growers, who have always
wanted true connoisseur quality along
with outrageous yields. We have numer-
ous examples of growers increasing both
yield and quality from the same grow-
space simply by switching from their
favourite strain to The Ultimate.
Like anything else cannabis can be
abused and we dont like to see that,
but we have challenged the prejudice
and bias that has been deliberately and
unfairly used against cannabis for so
long. Unlike alcohol and tobacco, can-
nabis never killed anyone. Unlike both of
these legal drugs, cannabis has numer-
ous medical uses. When medical can-
nabis finally achieves widespread medi-
cal approval, people will look back and
question how a moral minority tried to
outlaw a plant that had been used for
thousands of years. In the meantime
Dutch Passion will do our part and pro-
vide as much top quality seed as we can.
Happy growing!
TODAY MORE PEOPLE ARE GROWING THEIR OWN
WEED THAN AT ANY OTHER POINT IN HUMAN HISTORY. IT
HAS BEEN A TRULY ASTOUNDING TRANSITION THAT FEW
WOULD HAVE FORESEEN
THE ULTIMATE. A STRAIN INTRODUCED AFTER MAIN YEARS
OF WORK TO PRODUCE AN ABSOLUTELY TOP QUALITY
STONE ALONGSIDE AMAZING YIELDS. THIS ONE WAS GROWN
INDOORS UNDER HPS AND YIELDED 125 GRAMS
P
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A
S
E

A
S
K

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R

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,
F
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!
28
Last Februar at a secret location in
Prague for the second time in a row the
Soft Secrets Cup was held. After the
succesful launch of the first cup one
year ago (it was the very first cannabis
cup ever in the Czech Republic!), Soft
Secrets then decided to continue its
Czech adventure and go ahead with a
second edition. With the help of some
friendly contacts it was possible for the
organizers to host a perfect Cup, at a
secret location and only accessible to
specially invited guests.
Soft Secrets editor-in-chief Cliff Cremer
was of course on hand to celebrate
this momentous fact, as were various
other people from the Soft Secrets
crew. Hugo Madera, the editor of the
Spanish editon of Soft Secrets, even
flew in with some of his mates to take
part in the jury. And the fact that some
Dutch geezers from the industry were
SOFT SECRETS CUP
The 2nd Soft Secrets
Cup in Prague! Text and photos: cccp
And the winners are:
Indoor:
1) CN Haze - Freza
2) Nebula - Bioplants
3) Jack Herrer Babeta
Outdoor:
1) Purple - Tao Growshop
2) Top Tao - Tao Growshop
3) White Russian - Jamaica Team
also around to do their duty, made this
event a truly international occasion.
With the new Czech laws in place
surely one can argue that the qual-
ity of the product was high as ever.
After a hard days testing, smoking
and sampling, the jury was out for
the verdict. Locally grown CN Haze
took Indoors first prize, whereas the
now famous Tao growshop took pos-
sesion of the first prize in the outdoor
category with a real classic: Purple #1.
Both winners not only won a highly
prestigious cup, but were invited to
join Soft Secrets at the Spannabis
fair in Barcelona too, and even to be
VIPs at the legendary Highlife Cup in
Amsterdam later this year.
The times, they are changing, and that
goes too for the Czech Republic and its
effervescent capital Prague. Because
since 1 January 2010 the possession of
small amounts of weed or hash is no
longer punishable, and even the grow-
ing of up to five plants is also allowed!
All in all, more than enough reason for
Soft Secrets to throw a stonking good
party for the second time and organize
this legendary Cup in proper fashion!
Soft Secrets wishes to thank its
sponsors for this magic event:
Bioplants
Canna
Growshop.cz
Growstar Gold
MagicTruffles.com
Mazar
PiH
Reflex
Royal Queen Seeds
Sensi Seeds
Soft Secrets
THE ORGANISATION WAS WELL DONE
A SMOKE-FILLED ROOM CREATED THE
PERFECT AMBIANCE FOR THE CUP
JURORS GOT A LOT OF GEAR
AT THEIR DISPOSAL
SOFT SECRETS CREW DID MORE
THAN THEIR FAIR SHARE IN THE
TESTING OF THE SAMPLES
THERE WERE SOME TOUGH
NUTS TO CRACK
PROUD WINNERS NOT ONLY WON A
CUP, BUT A TRIP TO BARCELONA TOO
THE AFTERPARTY IN CLUB ROXY WENT
ON AND ON INTO THE EARLY HOURS...
ZZZQLUYDQDQO
BBBB BBBB
$ 0 6 7 ( 5 ' $ 0
Guaranteed Quality
*** ***
FLOWERING
BIue Mystic Short Rider
BubbIeIicious Jock Horror
Northern Lights
30
GROW WITH LITTLE LEBOWSKI
MORE ROOTS = MORE FRUITS!
Part One: Mother Nature
Friend and Foe!!
Top end growth may well be your ultimate goal, but dont neglect
the foundations that your plants are built on. Concentrate on a
developing a healthy root system and youll achieve healthier
growth and bigger yields. By Little Lebowski
First off lets all agree on one thing; the
roots are the most important part of your
plant. The roots are responsible for deliv-
ering water and minerals. The amount
of water and nutrient a plant uptakes
is directly related to its rate of growth
and ultimately the size of the fruits it
produces. Without a well developed root
zone, you are not going to achieve well
developed buds.
But roots just take care of themselves
right? Well in most cases yes, to an extent.
But when roots are not given what they
need, they can become damaged and
this is where the problems can start. A
damaged root zone is vulnerable and
nature will step in and attack! Diseases
(or pathogens) will invade a root zone
and at best slow down growth, at worst
ruin an entire crop.
So, how do you prevent attack? Firstly,
provide roots with what they need. A well
draining, aerated root zone that is clean
and kept at the right temperature as
close to 22C as you can will keep roots
healthy and happy.
One important fact that should motivate
you to take care of the roots is that, when
stressed, the roots will emit a hormone
called ethylene; this hormone is recog-
nized by some plant pathogens as a sign
of weakness and a motivation to attack!
The Invaders: The Bad Guys
Root problems develop when pathogens
attack the roots. Put simply, a pathogen
is an organism that induces sickness in a
plant. They live all around us (and in some
cases on us!) and remain harmless as long
as the plants are in good health. But as
soon as your plants become damaged or
stressed, they attack.
Know your enemy; here is a quick expla-
nation of two of the most common root
zone pathogens;
Rhizoctonia
This soil borne fungus causes root rot
and collar rot in seedlings and young
plants. When a plant is infected, small
white threads may be visible in the soil
and reddish brown spots may appear on
the leaves and stem.
When Rhizoctonia causes collar rot, a ring
of fungus will develop on the stem; cut-
ting off the supply of nutrients to the rest
of the plant. When it infects the main stem
of a seedling, the whole plant will die.
Rhizoctonia flourishes in wet and warm
environments. If it is present, ensuring
plants are not over watered and grow
room temperatures are not too high can
keep it suppressed (as will an early appli-
cation of Trichoderma).
If you do lose a crop to Rhizoctonia, ensure
you dispose of all of the soil in your grow
room and remove all dead plant material,
before thoroughly scrubbing down and
starting again.
Pythium
Of all the pathogens that attack plants,
Pythium is the one that strikes fear
into the heart of the home grower.
Particularly the home grower using
bare rooted, re-circulating hydro sys-
tems; like NFT or aeroponics.
Pythium is better known as root rot or
damping off. Its symptoms are easy
to spot; the growth of the plant will
become stunted, leaves will become
yellow and eventually die and the roots
look brown, become sludge-like and
are easy to break off.
It is a spore that lives in air and water
and it will be present in your growing
area, no matter how clean it is. There
are plenty of opportunities for it to
enter your room. It will enter on your
shoes, your clothes, your hands, etc. It
will also come in with your water, espe-
cially when your water supply comes
from wells or rivers and streams. So it is
important to keep your growing envi-
ronment clean and make sure that you
use clean water to feed your plants.
So if Pythium is everywhere around your
plants anyway, why dont all your crops
go down from root rot? One thing to
remember is that Pythium is a secondary
infection, it will only attack your plants if
they are already sick or damaged, or when
growing conditions are not at their best.
It takes advantage of sick or wounded
tissues to colonise the root and creates
damping off and root rot.
In nature, Pythium is often found in field
soil, sand, pond or stream water and dead
roots of previous crops. It can sometimes
be found in commercially available soil-
less potting mixes and is easily introduced
into a root zone by using dirty tools, dirty
pots or general poor hygiene in the grow
room. It is also believed that Fungus gnats
and Shore fly may also be involved in
moving Pythium from place to place.
Pythium can cause severe root rot
because it has few competitors to check
its activity. If Pythium infests a cutting
bed, or if contaminated water is used
in propagation, large losses occur. Root
tips, very important in taking up nutrients
and water, are attacked and killed first,
Pythium spores then take over the root
zone and can even spread up the main
stem of an established plant.
How to deal with Pathogens
It may be a clich, but when dealing with
root zone pathogens prevention is the
best cure. Keep your plants healthy and
they will be far less susceptible to attack;
- Keep thlngs clean from the begln-
ning seedlings and cuttings are most
at risk because they are young and still
developing. Ensure your propagation
area is clean and choose your propaga-
tion medium carefully.
- Use sterlle cuttlng tools - cuttlng a plant
provides an opportunity for pathogens to
enter, so keep those tools clean.
- Change your mother regularly - a healthy
mother may still contain pathogen spores
which will then attack any cuttings that
are taken from it. If you are consistently
having problems with your cuttings, it
may well be your mother plant.
- Transplant gently - a damaged root
allows pathogens to enter, so ensure you
are gentle with young plants when trans-
planting and potting up.
- Malntaln good ventllatlon and alr move-
ment replacing the air in the grow room
ensures plants remain healthy, air move-
ment is important as it will help prevent
leaf mould which can weaken plants.
Natures Helpers: The Good Guys
So, you have scrubbed down the grow
room, checked the health of your
mother plants and have been extra
careful not to damage the roots of
young plants when transplanting; all
important house-keeping factors in
keeping plant roots healthy. If you are
looking for a little extra help, Mother
Nature has some tricks up her sleeve,
but they may seem a little strange...
Say the word fungus and what springs
to mind? Mouldy bathrooms and left
over food? Put down that spliff and go
clean your house! While it is true that
some types of fungus are undoubtedly
a bad thing, Mother Nature does have a
few tricks up her sleeve to help out the
home grower;
Mycorrhiza
The word "mycorrhiza" literally means "fun-
gus root." Mycorrhizal fungi invade the root
zone of a plant to obtain nutrition. In doing
so, these fungi assist the roots in uptake
of minerals from the growing medium.
This added nutrient uptake leads to faster
development and quicker growth.
When added to soil or coco, the
Mycorrhizal fungi quickly establishes itself
and forms a symbiotic relationship with
the roots; breaking down elements and
making them available for the plants,
whilst feeding on the carbohydrates that
the plant produces. Think of them as a
root extension, increasing nutrient uptake
and speed of development.
Mycorrhizal fungi increase the uptake of
nutrients because the fungus forms a fine
network of thread-like strands - called
hyphae - that serve as an extension of
the plants root system. There may be up
to 10 feet of hyphae growing out from
each half-inch of root that is infected by
Mycorrhiza. The diameter of the fungal
hyphae can be one-fifth of the size of
even the smallest root hair and may be
many times longer, allowing it to explore
WITHOUT A WELL DEVELOPED ROOT ZONE, YOU ARE
NOT GOING TO ACHIEVE WELL DEVELOPED BUDS
IT MAY BE A CLICH, BUT WHEN DEALING WITH ROOT
ZONE PATHOGENS PREVENTION IS THE BEST CURE. KEEP
YOUR PLANTS HEALTHY AND THEY WILL BE FAR LESS
SUSCEPTIBLE TO ATTACK
WHILE IT IS TRUE THAT SOME TYPES OF FUNGUS
ARE UNDOUBTEDLY A BAD THING, MOTHER NATURE
DOES HAVE A FEW TRICKS UP HER SLEEVE TO HELP OUT
THE HOME GROWER
31
areas of the growing media that the roots
of the plant would not be able to reach
on their own. By reaching the previous-
ly untapped nutrients in the growing
media, the plant receives overall better
nutrition and is more likely to reach its
optimum potential i.e. bigger yields.
Mycorrhizal fungi are especially ben-
eficial in helping the plant access nutri-
ents that are not particularly mobile
in the growing medium, such as phos-
phorus and potassium key elements
required for packing on buds!
Products containing mycorrhizal fungi
can be purchased and applied to arti-
ficially introduce the fungi into soils or
coco. When applying these products,
the hope is that the mycorrhizal fungi
will not only increase plant growth
and vigour, but will make them more
tolerant to stresses, such as tempera-
ture fluctuation, over or under-water-
ing and attack from root pathogens.
Stresses and issues familiar to every
indoor gardener, new and experienced!
Trichoderma
Trichoderma are fungi that are present
in nearly all soils and other diverse habi-
tats. In natural soil, they are typically
the most commonly occurring type of
fungi. The majority of compost growing
media available from your local grow
shop will have Trichoderma present...
and with good reason... Read on...
Trichoderma is an aggressive fungus which
will readily colonise on the roots of the
plant, the most competent strains can be
added to growing media, or even to seeds,
and are able to grow on roots as they
develop. This is why many growers choose
to dip their cuttings in Trichoderma, as the
fungi will remain present on the roots of
the plant throughout its life cycle (although
it is a good idea to reapply every 30 days to
keep numbers effective).
The strains of Trichoderma available at
your local grow shop are known to con-
trol every pathogenic fungus for which
control has been sought. They work on
two levels;
Trichoderma is a parasitic fungus that
actively takes over a root zone and
makes it difficult for damaging patho-
gens, like pythium and rhizoctonia,
to compete for space on the roots
and for nutrients. Once established
on the roots of a plant, Trichoderma
will detect other organisms within the
vicinity and grow towards them. The
Trichoderma then coils itself around
the organism and breaks down the
cell walls by releasing enzymes, para-
lyzing the offending organism and
rendering it inactive!
Once they come into contact with
roots, Trichoderma will colonise the
root surface and penetrate a few lay-
ers into the root itself; which actually
induces plants to "turn on" their natu-
ral defence mechanisms making them
stronger and less susceptible to attack.
Think of when you have your vaccina-
tions before going abroad, when your
body is attacked it produces anti-bod-
ies to fight the attacker, similar thing
here. By fighting against the attack-
ing Trichoderma, the plant bolsters
its defences marking it harder for any
pathogen to penetrate.
So, its Mycorrhiza for faster develop-
ment and increased growth rates and
Trichoderma for pathogen control and
defence. But hang on, those of you
paying attention may be thinking one
thing; I want the best of both worlds,
but if Trichoderma is so aggressive,
wont it attack any Mycorrhiza I add to
the root zone?
Many scientific studies have been carried
out to monitor the effects of adding both
fungi to the root zone and the consensus
is that both perform separate jobs and
can work in synergy, rather than cancel-
ling each other out.
Ultimately, the key to remember is
that the level of beneficial fungi activ-
ity in the root zone will reach a satura-
tion point depending on the amount
of food available for the fungi. So,
keep conditions right, reapply your
beneficial fungi at least once every
30 days, keep the root zone well fed
and let Mother Nature do her work.
Happy growing!
HEALTHY HYDROPONICALLY GROWN ROOTS
ROOTS, GLORIOUS ROOTS! A BAD CASE OF ROOT ROT
PURE ROOT PORN!
x1 12
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Tastes Like God!
MOBY DICK
Strong Efect
D I N A F E M
CRITICAL+
New Formula
More Production!
D I N A F E M
ORIGINAL AMNESIA
Super Strong
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Quick & Sweet Sativa
D I N A F E M
CRITICAL+ AUTOFLOWERING
Hard Buds Best Taste by Dinafem
D I N A F E M
HAZE AUTOFLOWERING
Haze Taste
Big Flowers 70 Days
D I N A F E M
WHITE WIDOW
Resin and potency together
D I N A F E M
...CLOUD 9, WHITE SIBERIAN, SHARK ATTACK, ROADRUNNER, ROADRUNNER2, AND MORE.
x1 14
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FRUIT AUTOFLOWERING
Fruity taste in 60 days
D I N A F E M
CHEESE
Old Classic
D I N A F E M
CRITICAL JACK
Big Buds High Potency
Critical Flavour
D I N A F E M
POWER KUSH
High Yield
Sweet Taste
D I N A F E M
CRITICAL JACK AUTOFLOWERING
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D I N A F E M
NEW STRAINS 2011
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x1 12
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x10 90
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x1 11
x3 25
x5 40
x10 80
33
GROW WITH GRUBBYCUP
by Grubbycup
It may still be a bit chilly, but spring will
soon be here.
For indoor gardens the change in seasons
isnt all that dramatic. Spring, summer, fall,
winter are just different settings on the
lighting and temperature controls.
For outdoor gardens however, there
is a pre-spring moment, when the
ground has been cleared and the only
seeds in the garden are ones of hope
and anticipation that is very special.
Outdoor gardens are a cheap and nat-
ural way to grow smoke. However, it
can also attract drama like a magnet if
discovered by some idiot, so even legal
weed should be grown with discretion.
The biggest threat to outdoor canna-
bis walks on two legs.
Marijuana grows well in containers or
directly in the ground. It is a very simple
spice to grow (to be correct, its a spice
not an herb since the flower clusters are
the part of the plant that is harvested). In
my opinion, it is easier to grow a nice crop
of marijuana than a nice crop of tomatoes
or peppers. If youve had a successful veg-
etable or flower garden, you already have
most of the needed skills.
Depending on the gardening zone of
your area, spring may be just right
around the corner. In most of the US
cannabis is planted outdoors in April
through May in anticipation of a fall
harvest. Check with your local garden
zone guide, but as a general rule, plant
no earlier than a week after the last frost
date. Plant near the spring equinox and
harvest around the fall equinox.
You can put them outside later in the sea-
son, even up to midsummer, but the more
time the plants spend growing, the larger
they can grow, and the larger the harvest
should be.
Once you know when you want to
move the plants outside, count back
the weeks to figure out when to start
them. Outdoor plants can be started
indoors by cloning or seed.
Start clones indoor by taking cuttings
from a known female at least three weeks
in advance to have them ready to move
outside. Take cuttings that include a grow-
ing tip, and at least below the next node.
Dip in cutting hormone if desired, and
bury the node into the growing media
with the tip above the surface. Keep the
media moist, but not soggy. Roots should
be form in two to three weeks.
Start seeds indoors at least two weeks
in advance to have them ready to move
outside. When starting by seed, start
at least twice the number of seeds as
plants desired for harvest, as a little
under half tend to be male. To avoid
investing too much time and energy
into male plants, once established,
clones taken from the outdoor plant
can be sexed indoors to learn gender.
An alternative is to start with feminized
seeds, which will all be female. Sprouts
should be kept moist, but not too wet.
One drawback to starting indoors is
that the plants need to be hardened
before they can be left outside perma-
nently. To harden a plant, it is placed
outside in a mild location for a longer
period each day for anywhere from
a few days to about a week. It will
ease the transition from the protected
indoor environment to the harsher out-
doors. Plastic domes can help protect
young plants. Depending on condi-
tions, plants not hardened may die if
the change in environment is too great.
If starting from seed outside, you can
wait until your planting date to start.
The same gender concerns as starting
seeds indoors apply.
Companion planting is a method often
used to help prevent outdoor plants from
being attracting certain types of pests.
Nearby indeterminate tomato plants
bring natural defenses against some types
of insects. A brief glance at green foliage
with tomatoes on it can appear to be a
tomato plant, and the marijuana can help
provide some support for the tomato
plant. Besides, homegrown produce is a
worthwhile harvest of its own.
Tying open branches allows a more even
distribution of sunlight, and training tall
plants to bend over with twine can limit
height concerns.
Fertilize with more nitrogen before the
summer solstice, and gradually reduce the
amount afterwards. Do the opposite with
phosphorous and potassium, start with a
small amount, and gradually increase use
after the summer solstice.
Marijuana is a very tolerant plant, which
can do well under a wide variety of condi-
tions, both indoors and out. An outdoor
temperate grow can be spectacular, pro-
ductive, and save kilowatts of electricity
over an indoor grow.
If you are blessed with a circumstance that
will allow outdoor gardening, be thankful.
It is a wonderful way to grow, as long as
you can do it in peace.
Peace, love and puka shells,
Grubbycup
THIS 11-DAY-OLD SPROUT WILL
SOON BE READY TO START THE
HARDENING PROCESS
ALTHOUGH NOT ABLE TO STAND UP
TO EXAMINATION, THIS TOMATO COM-
PANION AFFORDS SOME COVER
GROWING VEGETABLES ALONGSIDE MARI-
JUANA CAN PROVIDE NUTRITIOUS TREATS
AT 13 DAYS, THE SPROUTED SEED
(LEFT) SHOWS MORE PROGRESS THAN
THE SPROUTED 13-DAY-OLD CLONE
(RIGHT). CLONES SHOULD BE GIVEN
AN ADDITIONAL WEEK TO DEVELOP.
New Strains 2011

Big
Price
Drop!
*Big Devil #1
3s. 19,90 / 5s. 33
10s. 66
*Fast Bud #1
3s. 14,90 / 5s. 24,80
10s. 49,60
*Speed Devil #1
3s. 17,50 / 5s. 29
10s. 58
C/ Dr. Nicasio Benlloch n36-38 46015 Valencia Espaa +34 963 890 403 Fax +34 961 934 843
Sale prohibited to people under 18 years old. Seed for coleccionist use exclusively. Its ilegal to make them germinate. Theyre not for agriculture purposes. Consult laws about cannabis aplied in your place of residence.
Sweet Seeds will not be acountable for ilegal use of this seeds done by third parties.
3 s. 24 / 5 s. 40
10 s. 80
Indica/Sativa: 90%-10%
Blue Black
x
Maple Leaf Indica
x
White Rhino
1st Pr i ce
Out door Cannabi s
Chami ons Cup
Cream Caramel

Indica/Sativa: 50%-50%
Black Domina
x
Jack Herer
3 s. 19,50 / 5 s. 32,50
10 s. 65
Black Jack

Indica/Sativa: 90%-10%
Black Domina
Self-Pollination
3 s. 18,50 / 5 s. 30,50
10 s. 61
1st Pr i ce
Indoor Bi o Cannabi s
Chami ons Cup
S.A.D . S.1

Sweet Af gani D el i ci ous
Indica/Sativa: 25%-75%
Jack Herer
x
Ak 47
3 s. 33 / 5 s. 55
10 s. 110
Jack 47

Indica/Sativa: 40%-60%
NYC Diesel Line
3 s. 29,30 / 5 s. 48,80
10 s. 97,50
I ce Cool

Indica/Sativa: 70%-30%
Secrets Ingredients
3 s. 22,50 / 5 s. 37,50
10 s. 75
Green Poison

Secrets
Ingredients
Indica/Sativa: 90%-10%
3 s. 24,90 / 5 s. 41,50
10 s. 83
Snow Frui t

Cheese
x
Black Jack
Indica/Sativa: 30%-70%
3 s. 29,70 / 5 s. 49,50
10 s. 99
Sweet Cheese

White Widow
x
Great White Shark
Indica/Sativa: 60%-40%
3 s. 19,50 / 5 s. 32,50
10 s. 65
Double Whit e

Cream Caramel x AK 47
Indica/Sativa: 50%-50%.
Indoor Blooming: 9 weeks.
Outdoor Harvest:
Beginning October.
3 s. 28,50 / 5 s. 47,50
10 s. 95
*You can nd more
information in our Website
New autoflowering of our stra-
in Cream Caramel. Result of the
cross breeding of our best au-
toowering geneticss of Cream
Caramel. Automatic of superior
quality, with dense buds and big
resine production, with a sweet
and musky intense aroma, quick
owering, strong effect and a big
strong hybrid.
New autoowering of our strain
Black Jack. Result of the cross
breeding of our S.A.D. Auto with our
Jack Herer Auto. Automatic of supe-
rior quality, with dense buds and big
resine production, with a sweet and
musky intense aroma, quick owe-
ring, strong effect and a big strong
hybrid.
New autoflowering of our strain
S.A.D. S-1. Result of the cross bree-
ding of our best autoowering gene-
tics of S.A.D. S-1. Automatic of su-
perior quality, with dense buds and
big resine production, with a sweet
and musky intense aroma, quick
owering, strong effect and a big
strong hybrid.
Autoowering: 100%
THC: 19% CBD: 1,1% CBN: 0,3%
Indoor Blooming: 6 weeks.
Indoor / Outdoor Harvest:
9 weks from germination.
Height: 40-110cm.
Autoowering 100%
THC: 18% CBD: 1,6% CBN: 0,4%
Indoor Blooming: 5 weeks.
Indoor / Outdoor Harvest:
8 weeks from the germination.
Height: 40-90cm.
Autoowering: 100%
THC: 18% CBD: 1,4% CBN: 0,4%
Indoor Blooming: 5 weeks.
Indoor / Outdoor Harvest:
8 weeks from the germination.
Height: 40-90cm.
3 seeds 24 / 5 seeds 40
10 seeds 80
3 seeds 20 / 5 seeds 33
10 seeds 66
3 seeds 22 / 5 seeds 36,50
10 seeds 73
Bl ack Jack

Aut o
Cream Caramel

Aut o
S.A.D .

Aut o
Sweet Af gani D el i ci ous
N
e
w
!
N
e
w
!
N
e
w
!
N
e
w
!
N
e
w
!
N
e
w
!
N
e
w
!
First genetic evolution of BigDevil.
Feminised autoowering variety
and high-class, in response to
the demand of our customers that
requested Iarger sized autoowe-
ring we selected this gene, which
reaches a height of 1-1.5 m. More
productive and more aromatic than
its previous version, and compact
resinous buds with numerous side
branches. Sweets and incense aro-
mas with hints of Skunk.
Autoowering: 100%.
THC: 19-20%. CBD: 1,1%. CBN: 0,3%.
Indoor Blooming: 6 weeks.
Indoor/Outdoor Harvest:
9 weeks from the germination.
Height: 100-150cm.
3 seeds 25 / 5 seeds 42
10 seeds 84

AUTO AUTO
AUTO AUTO AUTO
AUTO
First evolution of the Fast Bud ge-
netics. Autoowering strain of good
yield with big buds with plenty aro-
matic resine. New strain more pro-
ductive and aromatic. It produces
very strong and plenty lateral bran-
ces, that reach a height between 40
and 90 cm. Strong effect and sweet
aromas with exotics shades coming
from its Diesel legacy.
Autoowering of very fast owering.
Autoowering: 100%.
THC: 17%. CBD: 0,8%. CBN: 0,4%.
Indoor Blooming: 5 weeks.
Indoor/Outdoor Harvest:
7 weeks from the germination.
Height: 40-90cm.
3 seeds 19,50 / 5 seeds 32,50
10 seeds 65

First evolution of the genetics

of Speed Devil, developed du-
ring the 2009-2010 season. In
this version of the Speed Devil,
has been increased the avera-
ge size of the plants that reach
around 70-80 cm. In this version
we aIso nd a bigger formation
of se in crystals with an aroma
much more intense, sweet and
musk with avors that remind
to yeast and cheese.
3 seeds 24 / 5 seeds 40
10 seeds 80
Autoowering: 100%.
THC: 18%. CBD: 1,1%. CBN: 0,5%.
Indoor Blooming: 5 weeks.
Indoor/Outdoor Harvest:
2 months from the germination.
Height: 70-80cm.
Speed Devil

#2
Cream 47
Sweet Tai

Indica/Sativa: 30%-70%
3s. 17,50 / 5s. 29 / 10s. 58
Wild Rose

Indica/Sativa: 35%-65%
3s. 21 / 5s. 35 / 10s. 70
Botafumeiros

Indica/Sativa: 25%-75%
3s. 26,50 / 5s. 44 / 10s. 88
Psi codel i ci a

Indica/Sativa: 30%-70%
3s. 19,50/ 5s. 32,50/ 10s. 65
Flash Back# 2

Indica/Sativa: 40%-60%
3s. 19,50/ 5s. 32,50/ 10s. 65
Ganesh Spirit

Indica/Sativa: 40%-60%
3s. 21/ 5s. 35/ 10s. 70
Mohan Ram

Indica/Sativa: 85%-15%
3s. 20 / 5s. 33 / 10s. 66
Best Seeds Bank
Spannabis 2008
Best Seeds Bank
EXPOcannabis 2007
A M ast erf ul Combi nat i on of
Sw
eet ness and Pow
er
35
SEED BANKS
Nowadays, auto-flowering varieties are
becoming more and more sought-after
and requested by cannabis growers all
over the world. Their main trait is that they
flower automatically, regardless of the
hours of light they receive. This entails a
whole series of advantages in comparison
with their non auto-flowering relations,
thus resulting in the fact that, in such a
short period of time, these once-despised
plants have found their place in the hall of
fame of cannabis varieties.
Modern auto varieties inherit the auto-
flowering trait from plants of the Ruderalis
type (Cannabis Ruderalis), which come from
the cold areas of Eastern Europe (Hungary,
southern Siberia, Russia) and Central Asia,
where the climate especially the cold
and snow - only allows for three or four
months of favourable conditions in which
the plants can grow and reproduce each
year. Thus, these varieties developed spe-
cial adaptation traits in order to flower and
produce their seeds in the short period of
time available to them, perpetuating their
species even in such inhospitable places.
The above-mentioned wild Cannabis
Ruderalis plants have always been looked
down on, for medicinal as well as rec-
reational uses, as they produce cannabi-
noid plants with a very low THC content.
Furthermore, these Ruderalis plants are
fairly short, 30-80 cm which is another
reason they used to be scorned as raw
material for industrial uses, due to the
small size of the fibres.
Interest in auto-flowering varieties ini-
tially arose when a few enterprising
breeders observed the immense poten-
tial hidden by the small, condemned
plants in question. Thus, the decision to
experiment, cross-breeding the primitive
Ruderalis with selected clones. Their pur-
pose was to obtain 100% auto-flowering
plants, which maintained cannabinoid
levels without giving up the aromas typi-
cal of the lite clones used.
The amazing success obtained by these
auto varieties in recent years is due to their
ever improving quality, as far as cannabi-
noid levels and aromas are concerned. It is
also and especially due to the many advan-
tages discovered by cultivators in these
new strains. The main advantage is the
ability to flower and be harvested regard-
less of the hours of light they receive.
In outdoor cultivation, this allows for sev-
eral new possibilities and combinations,
helping cultivator-consumers to better
program their annual cannabis self-suffi-
ciency. The possibility of harvesting out
of season is an incredible advantage for
all outdoor cultivators. With the arrival on
the scene of auto varieties, these farmers
no longer need to limit themselves to a
single yield at the end of the summer;
now they have the possibility of enjoying
yields before the summer, as well.
Taking advantage of these opportunities,
outdoor cultivators in humid areas, which
are susceptible to fungal attacks because
of the environmental conditions, have
also started to grow these varieties, to
avoid the September-October climate,
when fungal attacks might otherwise
cause the buds to rot. Cultivators in high
mountain or cold areas are also beginning
to plant these varieties in the spring-sum-
mer season, obtaining excellent results.
In cities, these varieties are immune to
light contamination from street lighting,
flowering correctly even directly under a
lamppost. This, together with the small
size of the plants, makes them perfect for
city growing, perhaps on a balcony.
There are also several indoor cultivators
who are starting to make space for these
varieties in their closets. The main rea-
son these cultivators select auto varie-
ties is the velocity of their life cycle: just
60-70 days from planting to harvesting.
Although these auto-flowering varieties
are cultivated indoors, with a photoperiod
of 18-20 hours of light and 4-6 hours of
darkness for the duration of the plants
life cycle, this excess of hours of light
compared to the 12 hours needed by non
auto seeds is more than made up for by
the month of growing duration that the
cultivation of auto-flowering seeds saves.
The end result for indoor growers is a
savings in electricity, as well as a month
of cultivation. Those growers who have a
room set aside for mothers and cuttings
also enjoy the benefits of the openings
in the room, with an 18/6 growth photo-
period, to grow auto plants.
Another of these varieties main features is
their small stature. This is also considered
to be an advantage by the many growers
who require small, discreet plants. It has
been observed that these varieties are
much more popular in the Western coun-
tries with rigid laws against self cannabis
Since the beginning of the 21st century, the entire Western world has
known a boom in the growing of cannabis destined for consumer self-
sufficiency. In the following article, we describe the basic features
of auto-flowering seeds, as well as introduce the new wave of auto-
flowering seeds known as Super Autos. As an example, we provide
information pertaining to the development of the Sweet Seeds seed
banks catalogue of auto-flowering seeds. All photographs are of
auto-flowering seeds belonging to this bank. Mr. Stoned Edge
BLACK JACK AUTO
36
growing than in countries whose legisla-
tion is more permissive.
The Sw eet Seeds exampl e
The Sweet Seeds seed bank of feminised
seeds began experimenting with auto-
flowering seeds around 2007. Early in the
2009 season, Sweet Seeds presented their
first auto-flowering variety, Speed Devil, to
the cannabis community. And it was imme-
diately successful, offering growers a 100%
auto-flowering strain with an extremely
rapid flowering period, characterised by
an abundant resin and cannabinoid pro-
duction as well as a pleasant Skunk-type
aroma, with yeast and cheese tonalities.
Sweet Seeds presented two new auto-
flowering varieties for the 2010 season:
Fast Bud and Big Devil. Fast Bud is
the Sweet Seeds catalogues most rap-
idly growing strain, a high-quality auto-
flowering seed that is ready to yield just
seven and a half weeks after planting. It
is characterised by an abundance of resin
and exotic aromas inherited from plants
of the Diesel family. Big Devil is the result
of a program designed to come up with
high quality, larger auto-flowering plants;
this strain produces plants that reach a
height of 80-150 cm, with an abundant
production of resin and a sweet, incense
aroma similar to Haze plants.
During the 2009 and 2010 seasons, Sweet
Seeds breeders continued to work with
these three auto varieties, keeping them
in a constant state of evolution, mainly
due to the necessity of selecting the best
specimens of each generation to be par-
ents for the next generation. Breeders must
also keep in mind that the process has to
include new genetic contributions, to avoid
inbreeding, which could cause the loss of
valuable hybrid vigour. Selections must
be made, generation by generation, also
considering the risk of producing genetic
derivations with undesired qualities. With
non auto-flowering varieties, genetic com-
positions remain much more stable as the
years go by; thus, selected clones are used
to produce commercial seeds.
Now, for the 2011 season, Sweet Seeds
presents a revolution of these three pro-
posals. The new versions are being mar-
keted under the names Speed Devil #2,
Fast Bud #2 and Big Devil #2.
The seed bank doesnt intend to elimi-
nate the original versions of these varieties
from the market; also, and very important-
ly, not to mention appreciably, considering
the current financial crisis, Sweet Seeds
is offering a significant price reduction
for these varieties, which were the most
popular auto-flowering seeds in Spanish
grow shops for the 2010 season. With this
price reduction, we can safely say that
they are the most inexpensive feminised
auto-flowering seeds on the market, with
a really excellent value for money.
Aside from the three new versions, Sweet
Seeds surprises for the season include
another three new auto-flowering varie-
ties: Cream Caramel Auto, Black Jack Auto
and S.A.D. Auto. They are the result of
breeding programs aimed at introduc-
ing and stabilising the auto-flowering
trait from some of the best and most
renowned Sweet Seeds strains. The seed
bank currently has more than ten open
programs for crossing their best strains
with the latest auto-flowering strains. The
long-term objective is having all of the
Sweet Seeds catalogue varieties available
both in the auto and non auto versions.
These new auto-flowering versions repre-
sent a step up, quality-wise, compared to
the majority of auto-flowering seeds that
are currently on the market. They are far
removed from their Ruderalis ancestors
and more similar to the modern, polyhy-
brid, non-automatic seeds we are used
to. These new generations, 100% auto-
matic and feminised, are in no way lacking
compared to their non auto-flowering
relations as far as vigour, flower density,
aroma, resin and cannabinoid production
are concerned. Thus the definition Super
Autos, which is beginning to circulate
amongst cannabis farmers. Not much
is left of the Ruderalis in these strains,
except for its auto-flowering trait and the
rapidity of its life cycle.
Below you will find some information on
the new auto-flowering seeds, courtesy of
the bank itself.
Speed Devi l # 2
First evolution of the Speed Devil strain,
developed during the 2009/2010 seasons.
All plants begin flowering approximately
from the fourth pair of real leaves, regard-
less of the photoperiod and the time of year.
This new version of Speed Devil maintains
its predecessors rapid flowering period,
yielding plants whose resinous and aro-
matic buds are mature and perfectly
formed just 60 days after planting.
With Speed Devil #2, the average plant is
larger, 70-80 cm. Another characteristic
is the noticeable increase in side branch-
es, which produce large buds; this also
increases production.
This version shows an increase in resinous
crystal. The aroma is much more intense,
sweet and musky, with tonalities reminis-
cent of yeast and cheese.
Fast Bud # 2 :
First evolution of the Fast Bud strain. This
auto-flowering variety produces numer-
ous large buds laden with an abundance
of aromatic resin; a more productive
and aromatic new version. It produces
extremely vigorous plants, with more side
branches compared to the previous ver-
sion, and reaches a height between 40
and 90 cm. Powerful effect and sweet
aromas with an exotic touch inherited
from plants of the Diesel family. Rapid
flowering auto plant.
Bi g Devi l # 2 :
The first evolution of the Big Devil strain
is an auto-flowering and feminised, high
stature variety. Sweet Seeds selected this
strain, which can reach a height of 1-1.5
m, to satisfy customer request for taller
auto-flowering plants. More productive
and aromatic than its previous version,
resinous and compact buds with an abun-
dance of side branches. Sweet, incense
aromas with a touch of Skunk.
S.A.D. Aut o:
Auto-flowering version of the S. A. D.
S-1 aromatic, the result of cross-breeding
and subsequent stabilisation of the best
auto-flowering indicas with the S.A.D. S-1.
A high quality auto plant, with abundant
buds and resin productions, an intense,
sweet and musky aroma, rapid flowering,
powerful effect and the great vigour of a
hybrid. The auto-flowering revolution is
here. By the end of their flowering period,
these plants show the same resinous and
desirable appearance as their non auto-
flowering siblings.
Cr eam Car amel Aut o:
New auto-flowering version of Cream
Caramel, the result of cross-breeding
between the best auto-flowering indicas
with the Cream Caramel strain. A high qual-
ity auto plant, with abundant buds and
resin productions, an intense, sweet aroma
with earthy tonalities, a powerful effect, the
great vigour of a hybrid and rapid flower-
ing. Medium-small size (40-80 cm).
Bl ack J ack Aut o:
An auto-flowering version of Black Jack,
the result of a cross-breeding between
S.A.D. Auto and a Jack Herer Auto, created
by Sweet Seeds R&D department espe-
cially in order to produce this cross.
A high quality auto plant, with abundant
buds and resin productions. Intense, sweet
incense aroma, rapid flowering, powerful
effect, with the great vigour of a hybrid.
BLACK JACK AUTO
BIG DEVIL
CREAM CARAMEL
SAD AUTO
SPEED DEVIL
SPEED DEVIL
39
Jorge Cervantes is the author of: Marijuana
Horticulture: the Indoor/Outdoor Medical
Growers Bible in English and Spanish,
Jorge Cervantes Ultimate Grow DVD, Indoor
Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor Bible,
Marijuana Indoors: Five Easy Gardens,
Marijuana Outdoors: Guerrilla Growing and
Jorges Rx. He writes for 12 magazines in 6
languages. Jorges books are published in
Dutch, English, French, German and Spanish.
QUESTIONS
TO JORGE
GROW WITH JORGE CERVANTES
When to flower?
After you grow your seedling and put them in bigger
pots and start the vegetative stage with 18 hours of light,
how long do you let plants grow until you cut the light to
12 hours? Or do you shorten the hours little by little?
ABBY
The number of plants under a light and the height they
are at flower induction depends on your desires. Lets
use a single 600w HP sodium hanging over a square
meter for our example. You can grow in small 5-liter
pots and stuff in 36-48 plants below the lamp. If you are
growing with this method plants should be induced to
flower with the 12/12-hour day/night photoperiod when
they are less than 6 inches tall. This way the plants will
shoot up anotherv30-45 cm before harvest. The light
is able to penetrate to the bottom of the plants easily.
But, if getting arrested with more plants is of concern
to you, you may want to grow fewer bigger plants and
achieve the same harvest. Many growers have changed
from the sea of green technique that requires growing
many small plants, to growing no more than 18 plants
under a 400 or 600w lamp. When this regimen is used,
plants are grown 1-2 weeks before inducing flowering.
Plants are 18-24 inches tall when induced to flower with
the 12/12 day/night photoperiod. Some plants shoot up
more than a foot when flowering. The most notable are
the skunk varieties. You may need to experiment to find
the exact best size of specific varieties for growing the
heaviest harvest. I suggest that you check with specific
seed companies that produce seed you are growing for
more exact guidelines.
Harvest heavy with half the light
The Marijuana Horticulture Bible is a great book! I have a closet space 3 feet square by 4 feet tall. I want to grow
2-3 plants in this area. How many HP sodium watts should I use to get a good amount of finished product?
ROXY F
Good question. How much light is too much? How much light is enough? You can use anything from 150 to 400
watts to have an adequate harvest that will keep you in smoke. The light does not necessarily have to be gener-
ated from a HP sodium lamp. However, I suggest growing a few more plants. Grow at least 6 plants and possibly
as many as 18 in the room. Growing more plants will ensure that you have a good harvest. If you have disease,
pest or cultural problems and are growing only 2-3 plants, they could get wiped out quickly and you would have
to start over. If you grow a dozen or more plants, you can easily pull some of them if they are too big for the closet
and still get a strong harvest. It is much easier to pull a plant than it is to wait for a new one to mature.
I just returned from visiting many grow rooms in the Netherlands. Most of the rooms were illuminated by less than
a dozen 600w HP sodium lamps. Growing marijuana in Holland is illegal and many grow shows are busted every
year. Growers seldom spend any jail time, but are given fines and their equipment is confiscated. One of the main
ways growers are caught is by power consumption. The less electrical power consumed the lower the chance of
being found out. Several growers in Southern Holland were growing with half as much light as they were before
and harvesting about 85 percent as much weight as when they used double the amount of light.
The premise is simple. If you have two lights, turn one on for two hours and keep the other lamp off. At the end of
two hours, reverse the order; turn one light off and the other light on. Continue this regimen for 12 hours so that each
lamp is illuminated for a total of 6 hours at two-hour intervals. Im not exactly sure what all happens within the plant
when it is given strong light for two hours and less light for two hours. I will have more information on this subject
later. I did see plants growing under this light regimen and doing quite well. The buds were well formed and fairly
compact. Everything I saw led me to believe the light regimen works just like all the growers that I spoke to said it did.
I will know more in another month when I return to visit the same grow rooms and weigh in on the harvest.
There are quite a few other benefits realized by using half as much light. Temperature and humidity are much eas-
ier to control and maintain at acceptable levels. Summertime growing in hot climates would make vast improve-
ments using such a regimen of light.
So to answer your question about light, I suggest using four 65w compact fluorescent lamps. Hang the lamps
overhead in a matrix pattern so that each lamp illuminates approximately one quarter of the grow area. Turn
two lamps on for two hours. At the end of two hours, turn two lamps off and two lamps on. Continue with this
regimen for 12 hours each day. You will be using no more than 130 watts and be growing the absolute maximum
amount of smoke for the amount of light you are using.
For more information about this light regimen hit www.marijuanagrowing.com for more information. I am cur-
rently researching an article on the subject.
Autopilot Growing
I want to grow indoors and outdoors. I am confused
with all the kits that sell and advertise. I really dont
want to buy a book. I prefer a video that tells me the
basic information. Is there a video you can recom-
mend? Are there a small book and a hydro kit that
I can forget about and just check once in a while? I
dont want to spend much. I also get confused about
sexing plants and cloning etc.
GUS
Growing both indoors and outdoors is definitely pos-
sible where you live. There is a lot of land outdoors to
grow on. There are many different videos that explain
the basics on how to grow. The videos will give you
the ABCs of growing and get you started in the right
direction, but they are difficult to pull specific details
from when you have a problem. You should check out
www.youtube.com and search Jorge Cervantes Jorge
Cervantes Medical for how to grow videos. Other
entertaining videos about genetics is found on youtube.
com at Strainhunters. Two very complete grow videos
in Spanish (www.cannabisindoor.com).
Your request to forget about and just check once
in a while is not realistic since you have little or no
experience. Would you feel safe as a passenger in a
car with a driver whose only experience behind the
wheel was watching an instructional driving video?
Do you think it is a good idea for this inexperienced
driver to put the car on autopilot because they did
not want to deal with traffic?
You can also buy one of the grow closets that make
growing very easy. But there is always more to learn.
If you are like most growers, you will want to be the
best. Take time to learn more and put it into practice.
Buy a book, go to www.softsecrets.nl website to find
a wealth of information in your language. You are at
the beginning of a life-long journey of growth.
Start small plants indoors in February or March under 18-24 hours
of light. Move them outdoors early and plants get big!
40
Too many fingers
My boyfriend and I are growing indoors. We have 5 plants that are 3 months old.
They have been on constant light until last week. Now they are on 20 hours and off
4. The plants tops have 9 leaves. I thought seven was the target number?
HEIDI
Keeping the lights on 24 hours a day might make plants grow a little faster. But I
think you will be doing fine with 18 hours of light. Plants need a bit of time without
light. It is when they process a lot of the chemicals in their cells.
Leaves with 9 blades are normal for plants that are strong healthy and growing
well. The number of fingers on your leaves means they are growing well. Also
look for a healthy green color and the margins of the leaves should not be discolor-
ed or distorted in any way. Discoloration and distortion signify fertilizer imbalance
and are generally treated by flushing out excess fertilizer salts.
Mineral (salt) water
I germinate my seeds by putting them in a washcloth saturated with bottled drink-
ing water, then potting them. I am getting only 20 percent of my (seeds/sprouts)
to flower in 3 weeks. I dig up the sprouts that did not sprout and I find they grow
about 0.25 inch before turning black and dying.
INDICA JONES
Sounds like your seeds are staying too wet and the water could be packed with
salt. I just checked a bottle of European water and found that it is packed with
salts, sodium, calcium, magnesium, etc. That could be why they call it mineral
water! Sodium inhibits seed germination. When germination is arrested, the same
amount of moisture is still given to seeds. When this moisture is not put to use by
the seed, it creates unhealthy conditions for germination. The water lies on the
seed or around it and causes rot.
You should have a germination rate of 80 percent or better. To solve your germina-
tion problem, change water. Use distilled water that has no other dissolved solids,
such as sodium salt, to moisten seeds for germination. Set seeds in a moist paper
towel. Prop the paper towel up so that is on edge (vertical) folded with the seeds
inside. Keeping the paper towel vertical will make sure moisture stays at a safe
level and drains away freely so that seeds will not get too wet.
Grubbycup's Simple Hydroponics
Potential hydroponic gardeners can
easily become overwhelmed by the
complex processes involved with soil-
less cultivation. Understanding the
basics prior to venturing into advanced
gardening manuals can help prevent
frustration and confusion. An informed
gardener is more likely to succeed, and
a successful gardener is more likely to
continue to garden.
Written by international gardening
author and Soft Secrets contributor
Grubbycup Stash, Grubbycup's Simple
Hydroponics is a starter primer on hydro-
ponic growing. The booklet is motivating
and interesting, filled with informative
pictures and easy to read text.
Written in conversational English,
Grubbycup breaks down hydroponic con-
cepts, and simplifies the technical informa-
tion. This book quickly delivers informa-
tion to the reader without talking down
to them. Forty beautiful color pages illus-
trate concepts including artificial lighting,
media choices, and basic nutrition.
Grubbycup is obviously passionate
about gardening, and helping garden-
ers improve. This booklet is informa-
tive enough to understand the dif-
ferences between the most common
types of hydroponic methods without
being overwhelming.
Grubbycup's Simple Hydroponics also
outlines more advanced hydro sys-
tems, but the main thrust is for the
beginner, the person a little hesitant
to take that leap of faith and try hydro-
ponic gardening.
The booklet also touches on environ-
ments, lighting, growing mediums,
humidity, and temperature, it is a
book even the most beginning gar-
dener can follow.
Grubbycups Simple Hydroponics is
available at hydroponic stores and
online sites.

Photos: Debi Davis
Grow giant plants like this outdoors this year! Sometimes plants like this will have
leaves with 9-finger leaves.
GROW WITH JORGE CERVANTES / BOOKS
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43
DIY
Ice Hash: Efficiency with
the Bare Essentials
Ice hash production can be a messy
and error-strewn process especially
if youre relatively new to it. After
years of experiments, experiences and
mistakes Ive found that the following
method is by far the most efficient
way to make the most out of your
left-overs, and it can be done with the
bare essentials in term of equipment.
Be warned though, if youre a purist
who uses an electric toothbrush to
bash yer hash youll probably scream
when you read it this is about quan-
tity over quality! So, if youre ever in
a country where cannabis is legal and
you find yourself in the right place
at the right time then it goes a little
something like this
Equipment:
1 x stereo
1 x mixing bucket (50/60+ litre rubber
builders buckets are great)*
1 x plastic kitchen bin, or any container
that accommodates your ice hash bags
(the deeper the better, and preferably
with a smooth bottom)*
1 (min) x ice hash separation bag
1 x ice hash collection bag
1 x big wooden spoon
1 x large mirror/pane of glass
1 x oscillating fan
Ice
The left-overs
*This size equipment will suit up to about
half a kilo of leaf, if youre lucky enough to be
mixing bigger batches then youll obviously
want bigger equipment.
The left-overs: make sure these are well
dried and then frozen. Freeze it in plastic
bags then, when it comes out of the
freezer, scrunch it up through the bags so
you break up all the plant matter without
directly touching it.
The Ice: freeze filtered/boiled/aired water
if you live in a hard water area do not use
the tap water without filtering it and then
airing it for 24 hours. If you live in a soft
water area just airing it for 24 hours is fine.
Whatever water you use, try and make
sure its as clean as possible. Youll need a
lot of ice as well so fill the freezer at least a
day before you get cracking.
The Buckets and Mirror/Glass: clean.
The Stereo: loud.
Instructions:
- (l) Turn your tunes on - thls ls much more
fun with some music blaring!
- (2) Set your mlrror/glass up at a sllght
uphill/downhill angle and position your
fan at the bottom of the mirror/glass
so it is aiming uphill. This will help to
dry the hash a lot quicker than passive
drying and the slope of the mirror/glass
allows water to run off. Make sure you
do this in a different room, or at least
somewhere out of the way.
- (3) Chuck a load of lce lnto the rubber
builders bucket, make sure you throw
plenty of it in there at the beginning.

- (4) Lmpty your plastlc bags of drled, fro-
zen, scrunched up green bits on to the ice.
- (5) Use the wooden spoon to smash lt
about and mix it up. Do this for about 20
minutes this is where the music comes
in especially useful! You might want to
add a litre of cold water at this stage, just
to make it a bit easier to mix around
But only ever add a minimum of water
you dont want to be using any more
water than will fit into your kitchen bin.
- (6) when the lce ls meltlng, the leaves
are battered, your arms are aching and
you cant take it any more then you can
fetch the kitchen bin and the ice hash
bags. Set them up.
- (7) Pour the contents of your mlxlng
bucket through your bags into the kitch-
en bin. Stir gently for a minute or so and
then allow it all to settle for ten minutes.
- (8) Pemove the flrst bag and dump the
contents into your mixing bucket again.**

- (9) Pemove the second bag slowly, let-
ting all the water drain without forcing it.
-(l0) Deposlt the beautlful, golden con-
tents on to the top end of the mirror/glass
and turn your fan on.
-(ll) Pour the water that's stlll ln your
kitchen bin back into the mixing bucket.
- (l2) Pepeat steps 5 to ll untll you don't
get any hash left in your collection bag
you should be able to do it several times.
Add more ice if necessary but DO NOT
throw any water away.
- (l3) when you've done the last cycle
take your kitchen bin full of murky water,
cover it to stop any dust getting in, put it
somewhere out of the way and let it sit
for 48 hours.
- (l4) Do whatever you want wlth the
soggy green mess thats left over; the
best thing is to dry it out slowly and
get cooking!
- (l5) 48 hours later, when the contents
of the water in your bin has settled,
you can either siphon or pump out the
water from the top Be very careful
not to disturb all the sediment at the
bottom though. When you get down
to the last inch or so of water proceed
very carefully... The aim here is to res-
cue all the sediment from the bottom
of the bin theres always an amazing
amount of this and you can turn it into
a nice ball of black hash.
**The last time you take the soggy leaves out
of the hash bag squeeze as much water out
of them as possible and give any hash left
chance to filter through the bags.
Drying tip: you should be able to sepa-
rate most of the water from the hash
through run-off and by blowing it off
with the fan. If youre impatient you
can take some of the hash, ball it up,
and press it between a couple of pages
of Soft Secrets these pages are spe-
cially designed for the purpose! Youll
know when its ready because youll
stop seeing damp spots on the pages
and bits of the paper will start sticking
to hash. Be warned though, do not try
and press it dry too early or else youll
lose a lot of hash in the water that you
squeeze out of it.
By the end of all that you should have a
nice collection of different grade brown
hashes and a strange looking ball of
black hash as well. Let us know how
you get on with it, and if you have any
other tips for ice hash production then,
please, let us all in on it!
By The Professor
Ask Ed
TM
Ed Rosenthal is the guru of ganja -- High Times
Order Direct:The Freedom Book Co.
www.freedombooks.co.uk
Call: 02392 780 600
UK Distributor:Avalon Wholesale Ltd.
www.avalonwholesale.co.uk
Call: 02392 832 383
UK Distributor:Turnaround
www.turnaround-uk.com
Call: 020 8829 3002
Best from the
Seed Breeders
Big Book of Buds
is back, and more
spectacular than ever!
Volume 4 features 86
new varieties. Find
exactly what you want
to grow and enjoy.
Save Your Garden
Troubleshoot any problem
with expert help, whether it
is garden set up, nutrients,
pests or disease.
s Best of Ask Ed
s Marijuana Garden
Saver
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lncludes diagnostic guide to the
most common garden problems
The Big
Book of
Marijuana varieties Irem the Wer|d's Creat 5eed reeders
4
v e | u me
LEDs are powered by either a trans- former or a digital driver. Transformers are similar to old-style magnetic ballasts for HID units; they use more energy than digital controllers and produce heat that may need to be dissipated. This is a small consideration compared to the heat HPS lamps produce, which has to be vented. LED lamps emit virtually no heat, so they can be placed very close to the garden and are not encumbered with tubes for air or water cooling, heavy ventilation, or any of the other problems or inconveniences of HID lamps.
Light from LEDs can be combined with HPS and MH lamps, so there is no reason to scrap your digital HID lamp. Adding LEDs to your other lights increas- es the amount of light delivered to the gar- den. For instance, a garden using a 400w HPS can be increased to the equivalent of 600 watts using 100 watts of LEDs. Adding 300 watts of LEDs creates the equivalent
of a 1000w HID system.
An advantage of using a combina- tion of HPS and LED lights is that you can ensure that you are providing all the spectrums that plants need to thrive. If more HID lamps rather than LEDs are used, they add PAR light, but most of the increase is in the yellow spectrum. Add- ing red and blue LEDs instead increases PAR light, but not in the yellow spectrum.
tems because each diode emits light in an unusually narrow spectrum. The minerals used to make it determine the spectrum the diode emits. HID lamps emit most of their light in spectrums that are not very useful to the plant. With LEDs, xtures can be designed to provide the plants with exactly the spectrum that they need for maximum growth.
By tailoring the diodes light spec- trum to plant requirements, LEDs can be more efcient PAR producers. HPS lamps deliver more total light per watt of input, but LEDs are twice as efcient in PAR light per watt as HPS lamps. That means a 200w LED lamp can be substituted for a 400w HPS lamp, and the 300w LED lamps can be substituted for 600w HPS lamps. The rst generations of LED lamps did not emit an intense-enough light to sup- port either active vegetative growth or owering, but modern xtures, which use higher-capacity diodes, have solved those early problems.
Higher quality systems use mostly red light along with some blue. Just as with any other product, manufacturers stan- dards differ. A few manufacturers add the green light NASA has shown to be effective with plants, and amber is also sometimes added. Most manufacturers include a few white light emitters in their units. These diodes actually emit a combination of red, green, and blue spectrums, which com- bine to appear white. White lights help to both supply useful wavelengths for the plants and soften the eerie purple color generated by the combination of red and blue light. Luckily, the spectrum range is usually wider than the band that is guar- anteed for each emitter.
LEDs emit very little heat and can be placed very close to the plants. The light spreads at a 120 angle. This LED from Maxx Power has a built in digital driver that moni- tors the power going to the bulbs 100 times a second and adjusts accordingly to ensure that maximum output is being achieved.
LEDs are convenient to use because they are lightweight highly efcient light producers, and emit far less heat than HPS lamps. They are small, so they are easy to install. The Stealth LED grow light has a 50,000 hour lifetime and reduces energy consumption as compared with HPS or MH systems by 60-70%.
1 2 0 | MA R I J U A N A G R O WE R S H A N D B O O K
LIGHT
MA R I J U A N A G R O WE R S H A N D B O O K | 1 2 1
L I G H T
LED xtures are more expensive than HID lights, but they save money in the long run:
U LED lamps use less than half the electricity of HIDs per unit of PAR light produced. At $.10 a kilowatt, LEDs will save $215 per year when compared to the cost of running a 1000w HID twelve hours a day.
U LEDs last longer than HID bulbs. U LEDs need little to no cooling equipment, in contrast to HIDs that require air or water cooling, ventilation systems, or air condi- tioners.
HYDROPONICS
H Y D R O P O N I C S
eastern U.S., and other areas, there may be no need to irrigate plants at all or to use it as just a supplement to natural sources. In areas where there is a summer drought such as parts of southern Europe and the North American west, irrigation is required or the plants will die. Outdoor plants and gardens can be irrigated using a hose that lls a trough reservoir, using a gravity powered canal that delivers water to a group of plants or most efciently using a drip system. Overhead watering is very inefcient because of loss to evaporation and the shotgun approach of delivering water in areas where there are no crop roots. Once the plants are owering, overhead water is dangerous to the buds which are sus- ceptible to attack by mold when moisture is present.
DRIP SYSTEMS OUTDOORS Drip irrigation is a 90% more efcient method of delivering water to plants out- doors than other methods. That is much higher than ooding an area using a hose, or overhead spraying. The result is more water delivered to the root zone than any other watering system. Drip irrigation has other benets that make it useful. It is easy to install, easy to design and is in- expensive.
Drip systems use pressure from the public water system, gravity or a pump to deliver water where it is wsanted. Spa- ghetti lines tap off a main delivery line that is connected to the water source. An emitter on the other end of the spaghet- ti line controls the rate at which water ows.
As with other plumbing systems there are all kinds of accessories to deal with problems that may be encountered by plants or gardens. Some of these are gar- dens located on different levels, remote gardens and different size plants with varying water needs. The plants can be fertilized using a fertilizer siphon placed in the water line.
Irrigation systems vary tremendously in their complexity resulting from the tasks they are designed to accomplish. Store bought kits are suitable for most back- yard gardens. Even simpler is the pinhole pail or bag irrigation. A container is lled with water. The water slowly drips to the desired area through small holes drilled or pierced into the reservoir. It delivers water slowly to the plant so that little is lost.
For even distribution, use a water soaker hose, which leaks water through its porous material.
2 9 2 | MA R I J U A N A G R O WE R S H A N D B O O K
MA R I J U A N A G R O WE R S H A N D B O O K | 2 9 3
INDICA
Indica plants developed in central Asia between the 25th and 35th latitudes, where the weather is changeable. Drought one year may be followed by cloudy, rainy or sunny weather. For the population to continue, the plant group needed dif- ferent individuals that survive and even
thrive under those specic conditions. Thus, in any season, no matter what the weather, some plants will do better than others.
Indicas, including Kush varieties, have broad general characteristics: they mature early, have compact short branches and wide, short leaves which are dark green, sometimes tinged purple. Their buds are
MAZAR: 100% Indica. Afghan x Skunk. The Afghani (Mazar-i-Shariff) part is a very short Christmastree-like plant. High: very "up." Flowering: 8 - 9
weeks, early Nov. outdoors. Photo: Dutch Passion Seeds
3 6 | MA R I J U A N A G R O WE R S H A N D B O O K
INDICAS, SATIVAS, ETC.
I N D I C A S , S A T I V A S , E T C .
MANGOLIAN INDICA: 100% Indica, Flowering 55-60 days, High: heavy body stone, sleepy, long lasting,
Smell/Taste: fresh woodsy, mango citrus taste.
MA R I J U A N A G R O WE R S H A N D B O O K | 3 7
Ed Rosenthals
Your Complete Source for
Medical & Personal Marijuana Cultivation
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45
Ed Rosenthal is recognized worldwide as
a leading authority on marijuana. In his
30-plus years as Americas guru of ganja
he has written or edited more than a dozen
books about marijuana cultivation and
social policy that cumulatively have sold
over one million. His first book, Marijuana
Growers Guide, is the only title on mari-
juana cultivation to be reviewed by The
New York Times Book Review. After almost
two decades, his Ask Ed advice column con-
tinues to answer questions on all matters of
marijuana from readers around the world.
Edibles are made by mixing cannabis-infused butter or oil into
food. Because the marijuana is ingested, it is a more powerful
alternative to medicine.
SEA OF GREEN SYSTEM

I am setting up a sea of green (SOG) system.
Should I trim the lower portions of the plants
or side branches? When I look at the pictures
of SOG systems I only see one bud per plant.
What should I do about side branching?
TEAM GILLY
The advantage of sea of green (SOG) systems is
that very little time is spent in vegetative growth.
Rather than having a few plants growing linearly
until the canopy is filled with vegetation, which
can take a month or more, many plants are
placed in the garden. Each has to grow only a
little bit for the garden to fill up. SOG plants are
grown vegetatively for just one to three weeks
after seedling stage or transplanting clones. The
plants reach a height of about 20-30 cm, and
then the light regimen is changed to the flower-
ing cycle, 12-13 hours of light and 12-11 hours of
uninterrupted darkness each day.
In most SOG systems the plants are placed about
15-25 cm apart. This allows each plant to grow
one large bud. Some growers use a modified sys-
tem, growing the top bud and 3 or 4 side buds.
When growing one bud plants you may see
some side branching during the first few weeks of
flowering. This varies by variety, fertilizer and the
amount of space provided each plant. Plants that
are crowded together grow fewer side branches
and place more emphasis on vertical growth.
Remove these branches so energy is not diverted
to extraneous growth.
HEATING COLD SPACE

I am building a 3 x 2 meter grow room in an unattached shed. I am worried
about the winter months. How can I keep the space warm enough when
the lights are out? What is a safe and effective way?
G. GRANT
There are several things you can do to keep the shed warm in the winter. First, it
should be insulated so that heat doesnt escape. Two easy to use materials for
this are Styrofoam board and aluminized bubble pack. Either of these materials
can easily be installed in the room and are also easy to remove.
If the lights are high enough above the garden so they do not have to be air-
cooled, the heat they generate can be blown down to the plants in the garden.
Overhead or side fans can be used and can be regulated by a thermostat, so they
turn on when the temperature in the canopy decreases to a certain level, below
300 C when the lights are bright and the garden is supplemented with CO2.
Gas heaters or CO2 generators, which burn natural gas or bottled gas
and release CO2, heat and humidity are good choices for both keeping
the room warm and supplementing it with CO2. The generator should be
regulated by the thermostat for heat. When the temperature falls, the gen-
erator is turned on. Gas heaters are economical and add humidity to dry
air. However, the humidity should be maintained at a level no higher than
50%. A dehumidifier may be needed occasionally to lower the moisture
level of the air. This unit also creates heat. Use a CO2 tank that is regulated
by a CO2 PPM meter placed at the top of the canopy.
An electric heater is another alternative. Just plug the heater in, turn it on and set
the desired temperature. The heater will maintain the temperature. When cold air
is heated electrically it becomes very dry because cold air holds very little water.
As it heats up and can hold more moisture, its relative humidity goes down. To
maintain the relative humidity at a minimum of 40% you may have to install a
humidifier regulated by a humidistat.
If you maintain the dark period temperature close to the on period you will find that
the stems will be thicker and stouter. The plants will also grow and mature faster.
OUTDOOR CONTAINER GARDENING

I am planning to grow outdoors in 20 and 25 liter containers. To protect my garden I
purchased a mobile greenhouse cart, so I am able to move the plants into the garage as
needed. The cart has four wheels, adjustable shelves and a clear plastic cover. I live in an
inland area of Southern California between Los Angeles and San Diego. It is very warm
in the summer, 35 to 44 C. Can plants handle this intense sun or should I use filtered
sun under the patio? Do you have any other tips for me?
RICHARD D.
It is not the intense sunlight that affects the plants negatively. They can bask in the light. It is
the intense heat that stresses them. They shut down photosynthesis at 35 C. During most
of the day they are just transpiring, trying to keep cool, but not photosynthesizing. The solu-
tion to the problem is not to shade the plants to keep them cool, but to use micro-misters
to keep them cool. Micro-misters and misting fans cool the air by 5-10 by breaking water
into 5mm particles that quickly evaporate, cooling the air in the immediate area. They use
very little water and energy to create a cool outdoor area.
With the intense light but a cool environment the plants will grow very quickly and vigor-
ously. The plants will require a lot of water, not only for photosynthesis but also to stabilize
temperature. Make sure the plants always have plenty of water, but use soil that is porous
enough to give the roots a good supply of air. For this reason, they should be fed a dilute
nutrient-water solution. If they are given a strong solution they will absorb too much nutri-
ent and can suffer from over-fertilization.
Since the plants are easily mobile they can be forced to flower once they grow large enough.
Just wheel them in and out of the garage each day making sure they get 11-12 hours of
darkness each day at a consistent time. Another solution, if that is not practical, is to cover
them with white-black plastic using a frame. They will flower and ripen during the summer,
when the light and UV-B light is strongest so the buds will be extremely potent.
If the buds are harvested early in the season the plants can be re-flowered. Keep them
outdoors so they get more light, and break the dark period (the night) by exposing
the plants to light for a few seconds or more. This pushes them back into vegetative
growth. Within a few weeks the plants will start growing leaves again. Once they
have re-vegetated they can be re-flowered or they will start flowering naturally as
summer turns to fall and the nights grow longer.
46
CFL LIGHT DISTANCE

I have a small marijuana garden 60 x 60cm, that I am lighting with 300 watt and a
150 watt compact fluorescent (CFL) bulb. Everything is going well.
How far should the lights be from the plants? They are seedlings, about 2 weeks
old and will be put outside as soon as weather permits.
KIMBERLY S
The CFLs should be kept at enough of a distance from the plants so the light spreads to
illuminate the garden as evenly as possible and all the plants are well lit. For best results
you should use a bell reflector or handmade heavy-duty aluminum foil reflectors. These
help direct the light downward towards the garden rather than the ceiling or walls.
The perimeter of the garden should be painted flat white or lined with highly reflective
material.
The lamps have an input of 450 watts, which will support fast growth. You can keep the
bottom of the bulbs 30cm from the top of the plant canopy and get excellent growth.
Make sure that you give the garden a constant supply of carbon dioxide (CO2) during
the lighted period by ventilating the space using a fan blowing in plenty of fresh air. If
the garden was to be more permanent I would say that you should use a CO2 system
using a tank regulated by a parts per million (ppm) meter.
NEGATIVE IONS AND POTENCY

If my plants are exposed directly to the output of a Negative Ion Generator, will
the potency of the finished product be affected?
MYJA MUSIC
No and yes. The amount of THC that the glands (trichomes) hold remains the
same when negative ions come in contact with the living buds. The terpenes fol-
low a different path. They have flash points (evaporate readily) starting at 21 C.
Negative ions attach to these molecules, neutralizing their odor and precipitating
them so they fall out of the air. They also attach to terpenes that have escaped
the gland or that are in broken glands and in contact with air. Going into a flower
room de-odorized with a high power negative ion generator is an eerie experi-
ence because even up close you cannot smell any odor. It is only when a bud is
pinched and the terpenes are released that you can smell the odor.
Negative ion generators charge oxygen molecules with a loosely attached extra elec-
tron that is ready to jump to positive charged molecules floating in the air. Terpenes are
positively charged and are neutralized when the transfer occurs, resulting in the elimi-
nation of odor.
A negative ion generator is a good appliance to use in the vegetative grow room.
Because the generators attack terpenes I do not recommend using them in the flower
room during the last few weeks. However, I would use them in adjoining spaces, where
they will seek out and destroy stray odor molecules.
Negative ions improve mood, attention span and learning/memory in humans and
also may improve plant growth so they are safe to use in the home and in work areas.
Ozone generators create ozone(O3) from oxygen(O). As a gas, O atoms lock together
into fairly stable pairs which are described as O2. Ozone generators create the unstable
molecule O3, which consists of three O atoms and is negatively charged. When one
of these molecules comes in contact with a positively charged molecule, one of the O
atoms jumps from the molecule to the other molecule and neutralizes it and eliminates
its odor. O3 has the same effects as negative ions in searching out and destroying odor
molecules that are in contact with air.
Ozone is not considered healthy to be around so they should only be used in spaces
that people dont work or live in.
Carbon filters eliminate odor only in the air that passes through the filter, not the terpe-
nes that are attached to the plant. They are an excellent way to keep the garden odor-
free without affecting plant odors.
INDOOR-OUTDOOR CULTIVATION

Where I live, I get full sun all year long and the winters are extremely mild. The
minimum temperature is 150. If I germinate indoors and grow the plants vegeta-
tively to 75cm under HPS and place the plants outside during the winter period
will the short light period induce flowering? If they get full sun will they finish off
in 6 to 8 weeks, just like indoors?
Can the plants be transplanted into the soil when they are placed outdoors?
J. THANG
Yes. You can start the plants indoors, grow them to sufficient size and then transplant
them outside. The plants will start flowering as long as they get a minimum of about 11
hours of uninterrupted darkness each evening.
By transplanting into the soil the roots will have an opportunity to obtain water and
nutrients from new sources.
You can actually grow from seedling outdoors. Just interrupt the dark period halfway
through each evening by shining a warm white fluorescent light all over each plant.
A bright night-light will also work well. The plants just have to receive light for a few
seconds. This will prevent the plant from flowering and it will continue to grow vegeta-
tively. When you want the plant to flower, stop shining the light.
Any area that stays warm and sunny in the winter can be used to flower out winter
crops. In cooler sunny areas, a greenhouse can be used to keep the plants warm while
the sun provides illumination.
The Pollinator (c) works by sifting dried plant material through a screen drum, the tri-
chomes are separated from the plant matter and can be pressed into hash or used as kief
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MOLASSES IN RESERVOIR HYDROPONICS

Will using molasses clog up my hydroponic reservoir drip system unit? My plant
is four weeks from harvest. I read that molasses puts the final touch for maximum
yield. The article said to use 4 grams per 1 liter water. Would you suggest using
the molasses while growing hydroponically?
RODNEY
Placing molasses in any kind of reservoir system results in fermentation as yeast and
other organisms feast on the high-energy sugars. This can cause an unhealthy situation
for the roots, since the organisms use up oxygen as they burn the sugar and create CO2.
As the yeast grow, they form foamy globs that can clog up the drip emitters. Molasses
also raises the pH of the water. There are a number of commercial products that are
recommended for hydroponic systems that contain sugars but wont cause infections or
clog up the plumbing. This is a safer way to add carbs to your hydro system.
VENT OR COOL?

I am planning to build a room with eight 1000 watt high pressure sodium (HPS)
lights. I plan on growing 20 plants on a rotating basis so I will harvest a plant
every three days. If I use air-cooled lights, with fans taking the air out, will that be
enough to cool the grow area? I will be venting air in from the outside.
WILLY
The lamps will contribute a total of between 500 and 1000 BTUs per lamp, depending
on the characteristics of the reflector. I dont think you should use vented air to adjust
the temperature in the garden because the outdoor temperature varies too much. It is
hot in the summer and cold in the winter. When the outside air is warm it takes a lot of
ventilation to cool the space. When it climbs above 270 C it wont do much to cool the
room. In the winter the air is very cold and should be mixed with warmer air before it
enters the garden space.
Instead of ventilating the room, a better solution is to control the room temperature
using an air conditioner to cool the room, and the heat from a CO2 generator con-
trolled by a thermostat to warm it. When it is warm outside and there is no need for
heat, use a CO2 tank to supply the space with CO2.
DOESNT LIKE SMOKE OR EDIBLES

Im a cannabis patient, but do not like to smoke or eat cannabis. Do I have other
options for medication? Can you tell me the differences between tinctures, oils
and concentrates?
ROD
There are several alternatives to smoking or eating marijuana.
Vaporizers heat marijuana to the point where the THC and other psychoactive com-
pounds evaporate and are then inhaled. Since there is no burn there is no smoke, just
air with the essence of the bud. Marijuana capsules are made from ground marijuana
that is soaked in cooking oil. Rather than having to eat it in food, you can swallow a
capsule and achieve the same result.
Tinctures usually use grain or high proof alcohol, or vegetable glycerin as a solvent.
Marijuana is soaked in the liquid for several days. The THC and other psychoactive
compounds dissolve in the alcohol. The buds are removed. The tincture is used sublin-
gually (under the tongue). This has several advantages over eating or drinking. First, it
enters the blood stream very quickly via the mucus membranes in your mouth as com-
pared with a long path through the digestive system, slowly entering the bloodstream.
Secondly, more of the active ingredient gets into the bloodstream through the mucus
membrane than through the digestive system so it takes less to get you high with sub-
lingual administration.
Marijuana oil is a concentrate that is usually made by dissolving THC in a solvent such
as petroleum ether that boils at a relatively low temperature. Because of the low boil-
ing point of the solvent, it is not present in the finished product. Most of the solvents
that are used are very selective so the oil is usually quite concentrated. It ranges from a
nearly clear liquid to a gooey dark viscous glob. These differences are the result of the
original starting material, the solvent used and the manufacturers technique.
Concentrates- There are many methods of concentrating marijuanas active ingredi-
ents. The easiest is to use a mesh screen to concentrate the glands by rubbing them
off the leaf surface. Both nylon and metal screens can be used for the purpose but the
nylon grows brittle and its fibers find their way into the concentrate. Stainless steel
mesh screens last indefinitely.
The Pollinator mechanizes this using a drum frame covered with mesh. It revolves
inside of a box creating enough friction to remove the glands, which drop to the bot-
tom of the box. The kief obtained from screening can be used to make capsules,
in vaporizers or used to make tinctures as well as for use in smoking and cooking.
When kief is heated and pressed it congeals into a solid with the consistency of taffy
to a sandy soft rock. This depends on the type of marijuana from which the kief was
derived. Hash is usually smoked or vaporized. However, in the 1840s the The Club des
Hashischins, held sances in which the members ate hash to induce trippy experi-
ences. The meetings were held in a Paris hotel. Several noted authors attended.
Water hash is made by washing marijuana in water with ice. The glands break off and
are filtered through a series of bags with different size meshes. Sometimes the bags are
used to filter different sized glands, which some people think have different psychoac-
tive qualities. Washing the glands creates a very clean product, free from impurities. It
can be used in the same way as kief.
Since you do not like to eat or smoke, I would use sublingual tinctures so that you can
self-titrate with small doses. However, there will still be some physiological effect.
DRY EMERGENCY STASH IN OVEN

Since THC boils at 1900 and decarboxylation takes place at 1000 is it possible to
quick dry a small amount of my bud on the lowest setting on my oven, 750, and
retain the potency?
LEWIS
You can heat marijuana to 750 and it will not lose the THC and other cannabinoids it
contains. However, the terpenes, the odor molecules that determine the personality
of the high, whether its inquisitive, happy or couch-lock, for instance. Some of these
evaporate when the temperature rises above 220. All of them evaporate before THC.
So I would not use a hot oven to dry the bud. Instead, I would place the bud on top of
an appliance such as a radio DVD player or other electrical device that produces only a
moderate amount of heat. The bud will take a little longer to dry but more of the terpe-
nes will remain and the bud will provide a more satisfying high.
50
CANNABIS FAIRS
Spannabis: The Brits Perspective
Three days of sun, fun and toking!
Spannabis is a weed lovers dreams come
true, but what is the British perspective on
this - very Spanish - show?
Spannabis in Barcelona is now the largest
event in the cannabis industry attracting
smokers, growers and people watchers
from all corners of the globe. Soft Secrets
met up with two Brit percy growers;
Bartman and Anonymous, who had made
the journey from rainy Britain, to sample
the delights of the Barcelona expo
Soft Secrets: Why did you travel from
the UK to visit Spannabis?
Bartman: I travelled to Spannabis from
the UK because I enjoy the atmosphere at
the expos. I was told by a few mates that
Spannabis was as good, if not better, than
the expo at Wembley back in 2005. I can't
remember who told me, but they were
right!! I also wanted to put the airlines to
the test with regards my disability/power-
chair and they [Easyjet] came up trumps
too. Well worth the visit.
I am lucky to have some fellow toker/
grower mates here in the UK and a few
were available to travel to Spannabis
too, so it was a perfect opportunity to
spend some quality time with some
good friends and meet some new ones
at the same time.
Anonymous: I have visited many events
like this in the UK and thought it would be
a good idea to see how it's done in Spain.
Soft Secrets: What do you think the
differences are between the atti-
tude to growing in Spain and grow-
ing in the UK?
Bartman: The differences between UK and
Spain? It appeared that security services
were much more relaxed in Spain about
the whole cannabis issue than they were
in previous expos I had been to in the
UK. For example, at Wembley in 2005 and
Telford in 2007.
Police presence at Spannabis 2011 was
minimal, if not non-existent. Certainly
not 'on top' like in the UK. The attitude
towards growing in Spain appears to be
much more liberal too. This was evident in
the presence of numerous Spanish grow-
ing associations and clubs at the expo.
People were outside the expo smoking
away with no threat of arrest unlike the
UK expos. It was comfortable and chilled
throughout the three days.
The police presence at the Telford expo in
2007 was highly visible both inside and
outside the venue. Arrests were made and
folks were hassled outside the venue.
One trend I noticed is that auto seeds
seemed to be more popular in Spain than
in the UK. Three outdoor crops per year
certainly sounds very appealing!!
Spannabis was far bigger than any show
I have been to in UK. It appealed to all
types of growers, both the small percy
growers (yay!) and commercial growers
alike, with a wide range of products.
The vaporizers were switched on
constantly for the full three days at
Spannabis. Whereas at Telford in 2007
security threatened to eject a few fel-
las on the UK420 stand as soon as they
fired their volcano up and tried to fill a
three metre bag.
In the UK, it appears that for a show to
be accepted by authorities it has to con-
centrate on growing only and steer away
from the 'head scene'. This is why the
GROWUK 2010 show in Manchester was
so successful. Roll on GROWUK 2011!!
Anonymous: From what I understand, the
stance on growing and consuming canna-
bis in Spain is a lot more relaxed than the
UK, which was reflected in the lack of a vis-
ible police presence, I only saw two police
officers all weekend! The huge numbers
of people of all ages flooding through the
doors shows that cannabis consumption
is more main stream.
From a UK percy grower perspective, it's
hard to see what harm there'd be in hav-
ing a tolerance policy similar to Spains.
Soft Secrets: Would you like to see a
show similar to Spannabis in the UK?
Do you think it would work? Or even
be allowed?
Bartman: Would I like a similar show to
Spannabis in the UK? Hell, yes!!
Would it be allowed? Dunno. The
Wembley expo came close in 2005, yet
it was outlawed in Coventry 2006. The
Telford expo in 2007 was a bit of a joke,
mainly due to shite private security and
heavy police presence.
Time will tell. Weed World have attempted
a few successful small shows in London in
2008/9 but nothing in 2010! Maybe they
will try again in 2011?
Anonymous: I'd love to see a show
exactly like Spannabis in the UK, but
I very much doubt it could ever take
place as that one did. This show was
about Cannabis, no pretences thank
fuck! The last UK show I can remem-
ber that came anywhere close was the
Wembley expo in 2005. It seems the
only way to get permission to run an
event like this these days is to complete-
ly renounce the direct cannabis links.
Soft Secrets: Did you see anything of
interest at the show that you will try
and buy in the UK?
Bartman: Some sun! Yes I did, I had my
eye on some seeds, digi-ballasts, Mary-Jo's
lager, pre-rolled cones and a few pipes
and bongs.
Anonymous: It was pretty much the usual
suspects where growing equipment and
nutes were concerned, but with a little
more pizzazz!! I bought some seeds and
at some point soon Im going to get them
wet! It was nice to talk with the breeders
we've been buying genetics off for years,
shame we can't invite them to the upcom-
ing Manchester grow show!
Soft Secrets: Any other comments
about the show or growing in the UK
in general?
Bartman: Yes, roll on Spannabis 2012!!
Anonymous: Ive always wanted to say
this 'no comment!'

A big Soft Secrets thank you to both the

guys for their time and honest answers,
see you in Barcelona 2012. Now, whos up
for creating a UK show?!!
WOULD I LIKE A SIMILAR SHOW TO SPANNABIS IN
THE UK? HELL, YES!!
By Little Lebowski
52
INDOOR GARDENING
The Mother Room
The mother room is where we all keep
our healthiest and most prized mother
plants. Without this room we would
have to start from scratch (seeds) every
time we wanted a new harvest of
healthy fat buds. Having such a room is
important as it allows us to keep a good
plant or plants in the vegetative stage
for as long as desired. With a bit of care,
they can provide us with all the cuttings
(clones) needed to keep us stocked up
with bud for a long time to come.
Below is an insight to how this type of
room can be managed and what you
could expect to find within the mother
room. I hope you will be able to take
something away that will be of use to
you and your garden, and make the
whole process of growing a little bit
easier and trouble free...
I selected these strains as they are all
either Indica or Indica-dominant, since
I prefer the size of my plants to be a bit
more predictable than I can be grow-
ing Sativas.
Right then, if you are growing your
own crop of dank, potent ganja, you
will be fully aware of how long the
whole process can take. From seed
to harvest you can wait anywhere
between 3 and 8 months!
Now I dont know about you, but all
that damn waiting for the plant to
grow to maturity is a bit of a drag,
ESPECIALLY if growing from seed!
Having the option of another room
to grow in opens up the possibility
of more harvests in a year than we
are used to. This extra room is going
to be our mother/veg room, which
will house between 5 and 10 mother
plants, as well as up to 30 clones.
The lighting we are using, as you can see,
is banks of 5ft fluorescent fittings plus
250w cool white AND red CFL's, as they
all give off plenty of lumens for good,
healthy veg growth.
The systems, as always, are my favored
10-pot Wilma system with drip irrigation.
They are easy to use and user friendly, you
can move the pots around with ease and
all accessories to go with the system are
reasonably priced in the event of malfunc-
tion or damage.
Each of the pots is lined at the bottom
with felt to stop any residue from the
expanded clay pellets I use from entering
the nutrient tank and blocking up the
drip emitters. When doing this you must
remember that after each crop it is impor-
tant to remove and replace the felt at the
bottom otherwise it can lead to flooding
of the pots!
Okay, now lets have a good look at what
is needed for a good mother/veg room.
Below is a small checklist of the essentials
that you will need:
Plenty of FRESH air!
Adequate lighting (at least 150w)
Circulation fan(s)
Access to a water supply
Drainage!
Enough space for the strain(s) you intend
to grow
Propagator for cuttings (clones)
Clonex (rooting hormones)
Sharp scalpel/scissors
Vegetation/growth nutrients
Spray bottle
Well-established mother plant(s)
Rooting medium e.g. rock wool cubes,
Jiffie cubes...
Syringe/pipette
pH/EC Meters (if required)
And finally.... more FRESH AIR!
In the veg/mother room we have about
five different strains that are being used
as mother/donor plants. These have all
been grown from seed for good healthy
growth. The strains are Power Kush,
Shark Attack and White Widow, all from
Dinafem, as well as Super Skunk (Nirvana)
and LSD (Barneys farm).
Each mother plant has been selected from
a packet of 3 seeds and the healthiest
plant has been held back for mothering
while the other two are sent on their way
to the flowering room for a little tester
down the line.
When these were selected, we set up
a new system to grow them in. Since
they will not be moving for a long time,
we have already filled our tank with EC
neutral water from a dehumidifier with a
Heppa filter a day or two previously, and
have adjusted the pH to 5.9.
When looking after mother plants, I
like to keep the feeding as simple as
possible so as to reduce the risk of over-
feeding them too young and stunt-
ing their growth. By this I mean that
all they will get a specially designed
2-part growth formula from Advanced
Nutrients which is pH and EC perfect.
The only addition is of a root enzyme,
Multi-Zyme (from House & Garden). This
helps the roots grow stronger and aids
quicker break down of old/dead roots
to keep the root system in as best
health as possible.
I know that there are many different
additives you can use that supposed-
ly give you "bigger, greener, stronger
plants, but I read all the time of people
getting tiny yields after using all these
products that are supposed to be of
benefit to your beloved ganja plants.
Some people will be happy with what
they get and I cant criticize them for
that, if thats all they want from all the
time and effort put into their plants.
I like to keep it simple and always get
good results. If you take care of your
plants from early on and dont overload
them with this additive or that additive,
you will be rewarded with good healthy
plants that are viable to use however you
want (flowering or mothering).
The one thing you can not, no MUST not
forget is that you need a constant flow of
FRESH AIR otherwise all your hard work
aint worth shit...
With the nutrient tank finally seen to,
(4ml per liter of Advanced Nutrients' base
nutrients and 40ml of Multi-zyme), all our
levels are within the stated guidelines, we
set the plants into their individual pots
and place them onto the tray above the
tank and insert a drip emitter from the
pump in each pot for irrigation (watering).
The light is then moved down as low as
possible to allow for maximum uptake
of light. Please note that I am using
Fluorescent lights and CFLs, which give
off little heat compared to HPS or
metal halides, therefore I can get my
light source closer to the plants - which
they immediately put to use and are
flourishing within a week.
Now, all this sounds and seems pretty
easy, and it is. But I repeat: the one
thing you cannot forget is that you
need a constant flow of FRESH AIR.
Fresh air is what every plant and living
being needs as a vital part of life. Give
them stale or contaminated air and
their health deteriorates, growth slows
down and the plants are open to dis-
ease and infection. I have suffered as a
result of these conditions and have had
to rid my grow room of them wretched
spider mites which spread like wildfire
(more on these in a future issue).
CO2 is said to be a worthwhile invest-
ment but is really only advantageous if
used throughout the entire life of your
plants. I have not yet tried this out as I
still feel as though it is still a bit heavy
on the pocket, although there are some
cheaper short-term use products on the
market, which may be worth a try at a
later point in time.
After all this is done and you are satisfied
that everything is in its place, everything
is on and working and your plants are
looking good, you should be good to
grow in harmony for the remainder of
the time between the weekly feeds with-
out having to do too much additional
work. But its always good to keep an eye
on your ladies just in case!
The better the environment you give
your plants, the better your plants are
going to grow, and you must always
remember that FRESH AIR is your friend!
We all want a crop that is just a little
more than we need and there is no
reason why we shouldn't get a good
harvest, but you have to make that dif-
ference from the start.
I hope that some of this information will
be of some use to you in your own ven-
ture with hydroponic gardening. You
can never have too much information
about different methods, as sometimes
they are easier and quicker than previ-
ous attempts and suit your/your plants
needs a little better.
In the next issue I will be continu-
ing a previous issues article about a
comparison test between a 300W LED
EVADER BLOOM light and a 150W HPS
with electronic ballast. This will be an
interesting test as the LED is only 300W
but is supposed to equal and even out
perform a 600W HPS light! (There will
be a test between these two as well a
little later down the line).
Happy smoking, fellow stoners
Smokedout
By Smokedout
DI SCOUNT WHEN YOU BRI NG
YOUR SOFT SECRETS I N STORE*
of f er onl y appl i es t o our st or es not onl i ne 10%
uuuuuuuuuuk skunk nkw rks
licensed head shop | lifestyle accessories
52 Avenue Road
Bex|eyheath
Kent
DA7 4EG
0208 304 0444
79 |ondon Road
Br|ghton
East Sussex
BN1 4JF
01273 601140
184 v|ctor|a Road
A|dershot
Hampsh|re
G11 1JZ
01252 447752
U
K

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54
Youve been in business for 15 years;
how did it all start?
Atami began with stimulators - that was
our core business. We were one of the
first to recognize the different phases.
We made a distinction between the
rooting, growth and bloom phases, and
developed stimulators for each. With
these we aimed to be innovative and
unique. That was quickly picked up on
by the market, also because the price/
quality ratio was very good. Later we
added nutrients to this line, followed by
substrates and the grow systems. With
these, Atami is one of the few compa-
nies that offer the complete range from
beginning to end in its own range. This
total package that we offer is also one of
the foundations of our success.
With BCuzz, Ata and Ata Organics
you have three lines, and each of
these lines has various products for
each phase. Was this extended offer-
ing a conscious choice?
Yes, because with it the consumer, the
grower, has complete freedom to make
his own choices. The advantage of such
an extensive range is that we have a
solution for every new trend. For every
wallet or for every grow plan we have a
product available.
So you listen really closely to what the
grower wants?
Thats right. Look, growers start out with
a basic set up, but obviously they learn
more with each grow. They gradually
develop a better eye for details. And that
means that they also want a more extend-
ed choice to pick from. It is the nature of
the grower to experiment. The more you
experiment and try things out, the better
your results will be. Undoubtedly there
is a ceiling, and things cannot improve
any further than this upper limit, but
every serious grower is of course looking
for this upper limit. That is the challenge
you have. You seek your boundaries. That
also resonates with me a lot. Seeking
boundaries and offering diversity, thats
what Atami is about.
How does that translate in your
products?
It is often about details. For example with
combinations, so combining a certain
nutrient with certain stimulators. Look,
even though a particular phase only lasts
a very short period of time, everything is
important. The smallest details can have
huge consequences.
Are you keeping a close eye on new
developments such as autoflowering
and LED growing?
Of course. I personally have doubts about
LED growing, but I think autoflowering is
a huge breakthrough. When I look at the
Caribbean, where I come from originally,
how established that has become So
you no longer have to wait three, four
months but can harvest more crops; that
is really marvellous.
Werent you also one of the first to
come out with the well-known boxes?
We were certainly one of the first to
come out with them, in our case that
was in England. And believe me, back
then there was quite a bit of resistance.
If you sell the products separately then
the resellers earn relatively more in the
short term. But in contrast to that is the
fact that if people with such a box have
a successful grow, then the chances are
that they will use that box again and stay
loyal to our brand. You only earn that
loyalty by offering quality.
You are internationally oriented?
Yes, that is also a basis of our success. We
went abroad very early. And that is now
where the fruits are being plucked. We
have been in North America for a very
long time. We are there now as a relatively
young company but already seen as an
old school brand. If you are active in dif-
ferent parts of the world, that also means
an enormous spreading of the risks. In any
particular region, one year things might
get worse, but in another region things
go better. So things cancel each other out.
Worldwide the cannabis market still
has a huge potential, dont you think?
Certainly. In the Netherlands the market
is pretty saturated, although even here
there are still plenty of opportunities. But
on the whole we have not yet reached
the peak. Look at Eastern Europe, how
quickly that is growing. And what a lot
of people tend to forget is that with the
rise of Spain the whole of Latin America
ATAMI:
With branches all over the world, Atami is active on a global scale.
The company, which started out with stimulators but which has
since also developed its own extensive range of nutrients, sub-
strates and grow systems, has for years been a trendsetter in the
development of new products. They recently scored another hit
with their Bloombastic. We spoke with Erwin Rosario, the big man
behind Atami, about the secret of this success.
is booming. In Buenos Aires, the capital
of Argentina, there are already 14 grow
shops. And the rest of Latin America,
countries like Chile, Ecuador, Brazil,
Guatemala, Costa Rica, these are coming
along too. The sky is still the limit.
You have a column, Ask Erwin. Can peo-
ple come to you directly with questions
about growing?
Yes, that can be done via our website. We
have a whole team standing by for them.
Since we have so much expertise around
us, we will always find an answer. We
have also just hired some extra staff to
upgrade our site. Because you can make
great products, but you also have to
explain well how people are supposed to
use them in order to get the best results.
A good example of this is Wilma, our line
of grow systems. After we started offer-
ing more information about it, the whole
line started to sell better immediately.
That shows that the grower is still the
one that determines the market. At the
end of the day it is the grower, the con-
sumer, who determines whether a com-
pany is successful. That is why it is great
that so many growers choose Atami.
Finally, it must give you a sense of
personal satisfaction to have achieved
all this.
Yes, who would have thought it? Twenty
years ago I was an impoverished student
in Amsterdam who at a certain moment
thought, the weed that I smoke, couldnt
I grow it myself? I went in search of
information and then started with 12
cement tubs on a South-facing balcony.
And that growers virus is something
that Ive never lost. That something grew
into a concern like Atami is just brilliant.
Dreams can come true!
www.atami.com
Seeking Boundaries
and Offering Diversity
uk grow rks
hydroponic & horticultural specialists
DI SCOUNT WHEN YOU BRI NG
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of f er onl y appl i es t o our st or es not onl i ne 10%
94 pper W|ckham |ane
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Ask your l oc al gr owshop Ask your l oc al gr owshop
57
MUSIC
King Shiloh - Amsterdam
Sound System
King Shiloh are a collective of Reggae and Roots musicians based in
Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Together King Shiloh tour Europe with
their own exclusive Sound System of amplifiers, turn tables and loud
speakers. Over the years the King Shiloh Sound System has gained a
big reputation for playing genuine dub-plate at free parties, universi-
ties and dance-hall venues. With the true intention of uniting people
through music King Shiloh hold no boundaries and were happy to
share their philosophy with the readers. Soft Secrets then arranged
an interview with King Shiloh's Bredda Neil to get the full low-down
on Jah roots sound and the movement. with lazystrain
Soft Secrets: When did the King Shiloh
first form to become an entity?
Bredda Neil: Its been so long I cant really
remember! No seriously 2011 is our 20th
year as a sound system, before that we
were functioning under the name Roots
n Culture, the name taken from the radio
programme on Radio 100
How was the King Shiloh Sound System
created?
It was a mystical series of events, I had
just moved to Amsterdam from London
and linked with a brother from Bradford,
where I was born, in the UK. He was run-
ning a weekly radio programme on the
popular Radio 100, a pirate station that
everyone in Amsterdam listened to in
that timec you know sit down with a
spliff, tune in the dial and listen to the lat-
est roots reggae from around the globe,
before going out later in the nightc Jack
was trying to promote the cross over
thing, I suppose you could call it early
dubstepc the thing was he didnft have
that many records, 2 hours every Saturday
night sapped his resources! Thatfs why
he asked me to join him, we took half a
programme each. In the end the Roots
took over and the programme went from
strength to strength running 10 years
long, every Saturday night.
How many watts of power does your
sound system currently put out?
From those humble beginnings, a jumble
of different speakers both bought and
home-made we have grown into a fully
fledged sound system with the capability
of producing over 40,000 watts of power.
Please can you explain a little about the
'Dub' and 'Dance Hall' scene.
The gDubh scene is predominantly
a UK based movement. gDancehallh
being more a Jamaican thing. The one
being firmly seated on a Roots founda-
tion and the other on a more fashion
orientated, quick moving reflection of
day to day life.
How do live performances differ from
recorded music in the same genre?
Live is always organic, speaking about
Shiloh, we've never planned anything
before hand, everything happens
gfreestyle. You know we burn our
herbs, give thanks to Jah and follow His
guidance. What happens in the dance is
Jah workin thru us.
Which 'Dance' have King Shiloh most
enjoyed playing at and why?
Thru the years we've been privileged to
play in some great places, done some
amazing sessions, so its difficult to pin-
point just one. Playing at the University
of Dub in London was always a great
pleasure, like playing in the Champions
League final! Remember well the ses-
sions at the Uni in Marseilles and in the
streets of Aixc outdoor sessions in
Roma and Napoli.
Why do you think the dub-scene is so
influential in uniting people from dif-
ferent backgrounds?
Because Reggae has always been a voice
of the poor its always been a music of
upliftment, you know what I mean? We
listen to roots and go to sound system
dances to be uplifted out of the depths of
Babylon. To find a way out of the daily shit-
stem. Also in this time the youth, from all
racial backgrounds, are realising this and
coming to take their medicine so to speak.
Music is a far better healer than a doctor!
A better educator than a class room!
How does Rastafarianism influence
your music?
Jah come First. Without Ras Tafari there
would be no King Shiloh sound system.
We serve His Majesty spreading His
message thru the music. That is the
purpose to uplift people thru positivity
and the Love of the Father.
Does cannabis influence your music?
Cannabis is for the Healing of the Nations.
Itfs a good meditation in times of tribula-
tion, a friend in times of trouble. It brings
us closer to the Father and therefore
inspires the music.
When did you first discover 'Ganja'?
As a youth growing up in a multicultural
society in Leeds and Bradford ganja was
always aroundc so I guess my first spliff
was at school behind the bike shed!
Do King Shiloh use cannabis for medi-
tation? recreation? or medication?
As I said early it is for our meditation.
Babylon tries to pressure us all into a life of
subservience, go to work, earn your money,
pay your bills. Herb opens the mind and
enables one to see clearly the real picture,
thatfs why the system fights it so strong.
What is your favourite type of cannabis
to enjoy?
We all enjoy different herbs, person-
ally I smoke the higher indoor grades,
Amnesia, Cheese that sort of thingc
others smoke strikly outdoor weed,
Jamaican being the preference of course!
Others smoke top quality Moroccan
hash. Horses for courses as we say!
Why do you think cannabis posses-
sion is still criminalized in places like
the UK?
Because there scared of it, they donft
understand it, so therefore they fear it.
They write so much rubbish as propagan-
da. Laughable! One day they might realise
if they free it up it will make them rich like
Holland! Tax it and gwaan! And cool the
youts same timec
Is there any lasting message King
Shiloh would like to put out to the
readers of Soft Secrets?
Stay conscious and search for the Truth.
Try and realise your purpose in Life,
because we all have one, we just have to
discover it. Learn to know the Father for
we are all born through His Blessing and
not by coincidence. Love HIM and your
fellow man and lets work together to
make the world a better place to live in.
Jah Rastafari be Praised.
SOFT SECRETS PROMOTIONAL POSTERS
Soft Secrets is Europes biggest and most popular cannabis magazine and is distrib-
uted through thousands of grow-, head and coffee shops throughout the conti-
nent. Naturally shops that offer the publication want to let their customers know
they have it. But in some countries this is a problem, since there Soft Secrets has
to be distributed under the counter, as a precaution against restrictions by local
authorities. In order to increase the visibility of Soft Secrets we are now able to
offer two neutral posters to all shops that distribute the magazine. Now if theres
an attractive poster on the wall, or if theres the similar sticker on the door, then the
visitor knows that he can safely ask for Soft Secrets. Or at least, he can as long as it
hasnt sold out all ready!
For more information, contact: info@softsecrets.nl
58
MUSIC
African Headcharge Voodoo of the Godsent ONU SOUND
Arising from the San Francisco Bay area that infamous hotbed of creativity from freaks of all fashion,
flavor and form five-piece outfit Nosolo release this free-to-all downloadable five-track EP.
Theres fantastic news for all lovers of the brilliant On-U Sound label. This brand new album by
African Headcharge is released as the first of a series of new recordings and classic reissues to
celebrate their 30th anniversary.
Formed in the early 80s by On-U head honcho Adrian Sherwood and percussionist Bonjo Iyabinghi
Noah, African Headcharge have established a unique reputation for producing exceptionally beau-
tiful and deeply strange music. Although one might think it difficult for the band to attain the great
heights of the early seminal albums, fans will surely not be disappointed with this first release since
2005s Visions of a Psychedelic Africa.
Produced by Adrian Sherwood, Bonjo once again joins forces
with long time stable mates Skip Macdonald, Crocodile and
the Crispy Horns, together with contributions from legend-
ary bassist George Oban, dancehall pioneer Jazzwad and
electronic wizard Adamski. All the elements of a classic
Headcharge album are here. Like a freshly emerging spring,
lushly dripping dub basslines of pure molten sound, form the
source of life from which everything else can flourish. Gently
massaging tribal percussion, tipped with the delicacy of angel
wings, flutters effortlessly amidst a psychedelic matrix of
instrumentation and electronica stemming from a place deep
within. Crowned with soulfully uplifting vocals, and chanting
empowered by a direct line to the ancestors, the frequency is
switched, transporting the conscience way beyond the cesspool of contemporary global politics into a sea
of infinite and wonderful possibilities.
VOODOO OF THE GODSENT WILL BE FOLLOWED WITH THE SOON COME RELEASE OF THREE
PIVOTAL ON-U SOUND ALBUMS: CREATION REBELS STARSHIP AFRICA (THE BEST DUB
ALBUM EVER MADE), AFRICAN HEADCHARGES OFF THE BEATEN TRACK AND THE NEW AGE
STEPPERS EPONYMOUS FIRST ALBUM, HERALDING THE START OF THE ON-U SOUND LABELS
RECORDING HISTORY.
Daedelus Bespoke NINJA TUNE
After a busy couple of years of touring, remixing and releasing singles and EPs with Brainfeeder, All City,
Magical Properties (the Daedelus home-imprint), Alpha Pup, Warp and Stones Throw, Alfred Darlington
aka Daedelus returns with his new full length album on Ninja Tune, Bespoke, a title summing up the
unique and eccentric vision of a musical artist as obsessed with the clothing of the Victorian era as
he is with the music of the future. Bespoke is defined as a
term employed to mean an item custom-made to measure.
Darlington explains I not only intended it as a reflection of the
LP itself, but also an outlook on life. Its Daedalus way of stat-
ing that its possible to grow and flourish as a musician with-
out settling for the drab factory pre-sets of genre. The album
features vocal talent from all around this current music mess
(as Darlington puts it). The wobble-bottomed Overwhelmed
features acclaimed soul singer Bilal. Inara George (of The Bird
and The Bee) illuminates the woozy psychedelia of Penny
Loafers with nursery rhyme clarity. Kelela Mizanekristos adds
an aching soulfulness to late night ambience on In Tatters,
whilst the spooked steel drum and tabla montage of French
Cuffs provides the perfect atmosphere for Baths (aka Will Wiesenfeld). Sometime fast rapper Busdriver
shows he can croon on the up-tempo Latino-carnival-house of What Can You Do? and Amir Yaghmai
(appearing as Young Dad) offers clean and melancholy post-Mozza melody to the disturbed under-
pinning of One and Lonely. In addition, Yaghmai also played guitar on much of the record, as Daedelus
set about working more live instrumentation into his musical textures than ever before. Ommas Keith
of Sa Ra contributes keyboards to the space-symphonic Suit Yourself and Alfreds Uncle Pete (aka Pete
Curry of surf band Los Straitjackets) played most of the drums.
UNSURPRISINGLY, DESPITE THE EXCESSES OF A MUSICAL DANDY, THE SWITCHBACK TURNS
OF A RESTLESS AND INQUIRING MIND, THE SHEER INVENTION OF THE MAD SCIENTIST,
EVERYTHING ON BESPOKE FITS PERFECTLY, THE WORK OF A MASTER TAILOR, FOR WHOM
CRAFTSMANSHIP AND QUALITY IS EVERY BIT AS IMPORTANT, BUT NO MORE IMPORTANT,
THAN STANDING OUT FROM THE CROWD.
Rewd Adams Rewd Awakening
WWW.REWDADAMS.COM
At this time when
the idiotic element of
our youth fail them-
selves with their silly
and disastrous wanna
be gangster games,
whilst not even being
able to shoot straight,
causing life threaten-
ing injuries to chil-
dren; Rewd Adams
tenders the welcom-
ing arms of hope by
spitting this, on point
strike hip-hop album, well and truly into the lying and deceit
ridden eye of authority. Formerly known as MC Skandal, his
latest release, Rewd Awakening is available on free download.
Through lyrics invigorating by a deep breath of reality, Rewd
bares his soul openly, yet with pride and dignity; the often
emotionally intense raps are poetically ripped, direct from his
personal life experience.
THE BEAT, LIKE AUDIO DYNAMITE, IS JAMMING UP THE
WAY OF CONTROL, AND COLLABORATIONS WITH VARIOUS
HEAVYWEIGHT LUMINARIES, FROM THIS NON-COMMER-
CIAL AND BUOYANTLY SELF-SUSTAINING CHAPTER OF
REBEL MUSIC, FIX A SLICK PRODUCTION FINISH. WISDOM
IS THE WAY OF THE WARRIOR!
Etana Free Expressions VP RECORDS
Reggae singer/songwriter sensation Etana returns with her highly
anticipated sophomore album Free Expressions, a release that truly
establishes her as an artist of great might.
Etana deems this second album Free Expressions because she ada-
mantly refuses to be constrained by approach or lyrical content. Her
beautifully sweet, yet powerful voice easily adapts itself across a
gamut of reggae styles including lovers, roots rockin, one drop and
dancehall; not stopping there, this songbird flutters elegantly and
ably into soulful r&b and hip-hop.
Penning 12 of the 14 tracks herself, Etana has already had three
hit singles from the album so far- Free, Happy Heart and August
Town. Socially conscious undertones can be found in tracks
such as the brilliant Mocking Bird, Retribution and of course
the popular August Town. In the songs Day by Day, Moving On,
People Talk, Free and Dance Etana croons uplifting messages of
positivity. Whats a reggae album without a little love? Etana sings
about the subject in the tracks Happy Heart, I Know You Love Me
and My Name Is.
Etanas regal countenance, uncompromising messages of self-
empowerment and the
lyrical depth of her songs
are proving to be a chal-
lenge to the dominant per-
ception of female artists
images and identities.
ENGENDERING REVO-
LUTIONARY CHANGES
IN JAMAICAN POPULAR
MUSIC, ETANA IS THE
JILL SCOTT OF THE REG-
GAE WORLD.
By Kaz Peet
New grow shop and Hydro supplies
for Kidderminster
New grow shop and Hydro supplies
for Kidderminster
Crystals
Coffeeshop
Crystals
Coffeeshop
33 The horsefair
Kidderminster DY10 2EN
Tel:07787076753 or
07985281780
Email:
crystalscoffeeshop@ymail.com
33 The horsefair
Kidderminster DY10 2EN
Tel:07787076753 or
07985281780
Email:
crystalscoffeeshop@ymail.com
www.freewebstore.org/crystals-coffeeshop
www.crystalscoffeeshop.co.uk
www.freewebstore.org/crystals-coffeeshop
www.crystalscoffeeshop.co.uk
Free delivery
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60
SHOPREVIEWS
Driving down the country roads to get
to this shop gives you a sense of escap-
ism and the feeling you get on arriving
at Ashford Hydro is one of peace and
tranquillity. The shop is set in the Kent
countryside and stands out as being one
of the most discreet locations visited. The
owners have over 18 years experience
in the horticultural industry and pride
themselves on providing useful infor-
mation and competitive prices for the
novice to professional grower.
Welcome to Ashford Hydro!
Once inside the shop you have all the
growing equipment and expertise any
shop can provide and the owners are
always ahead on product selection as
they already have the newly developed
MiniMax 150 in store! This light set up
needs to be seen...
A complete range of nutrients is
available on line and in store. These
include Hesi, Canna, G.E.T. Power,
BioBizz, they have all the leading soil
brands and provide a great selection
of grow tents, hydroponic grow sys-
tems and lighting.
Be sure to visit their website:
www.ashfordhydro.com for more informa-
tion. The shop owners will provide a safe
environment for you to buy all your hydro-
ponic equipment, so...
Come in, chill out and lets get growing!
Ashford Hydroponics
Unit 1, Haycross farm, Woodchurch,
Ashford, Kent TN26 3TF
(t) 01233 861097
(w) www.ashfordhydro.com
(e) sales@ashfordhydro.com
Shop opening times:
Mon Sat : 0930 1800 hrs
UK GroWorks
UK Groworks have 3 shops located in the
south east of the UK:
Brighton, Welling and their newest shop
in Gravesend. What stands out at all
UKGroworks stores is their considerable
knowledge and expertise. They aim to bring
alternative gardening techniques into the
mainstream market. They can offer helpful
advice for the novice grower right through
to the professional grower and ensure that
orders are dealt with quickly and efficiently.
The product selection, shop ambiance
and decor have been carefully considered
and need to be experienced. The rainfor-
est artwork that has been applied to the
walls is outstanding and really adds to the
atmosphere that has been created within
the shops. Its always good to see flora
and fauna growing in stores and provides
a good working example of the products
and systems that they have on sale. All
this really does add up to a very unique
and informative shopping experience!
The shops and website can cater for all
your growing needs and should there be a
product you want which is not available, it
can be in the store within 24hrs. The own-
ers are confident they can fulfil any of your
requirements. They distribute worldwide
and all their products carry original man-
ufacturers guarantees. When shopping
online you can be sure its safe and secure.
Hockley Hydro
Hockley Hydro is a large shop and one
of the newest Hydro shops to open in
the UK. Its set in a great location as not
only is it on a nursery; its also in an old
mushroom growing unit, very cool. It
can be found about 18 miles from junc-
tion 29 of the M25 in Hockley, Essex, at
the back of Pond Chase Nursery and
the shop provides good parking and
discreet loading. There are a couple of
good pubs in the area if you fancy some
food or just a casual drink.
The owners have over 8 years horticul-
tural experience and are keen to provide
a professional service with good advice
and competitive prices. The floor space
has been used well and as you enter
you are greeted with clean displays and
a good selection of the leading brands
and their various ranges of products.
The product selection has been cho-
sen carefully to ensure all your needs
are met and what is available is all any
grower would need from the novice
to the professional. Nutrients available
range from Canna to Plagron, all tent
sizes, lighting systems, hydroponic sys-
tems and soils are available.
Hockley Hydro
Unit 17 Pond Chase Nurseries,
Folly Lane,
Hockley,
Essex
SS5 4SR
01702 205330
UK Groworks Stores:
94 Upper Wickham Lane, Welling,
Kent DA16 3HQ
Unit 4 Belltower Industrial Estate,
Roedean Road, Brighton BN2 5RU
Unit F16 Northfleet, Lower Road,
Gravesend DA11 9SW
62
INDEX OF ADS / COLOFON
Next issue out:
June 24 2011
Colofon Index of ads
Name Page
8 Ball Hydroponics 56
Advanced Seeds 24
Ashford Hydro 51
Atami 27
Atami 64
Attitude the 4
Aztec Garden 61
Big Stone River Indoor Garden Centre 55
Bio Nova 11
Bio-G-Power 63
Bristol Genuine Seed Bank 59
Brit Crops 61
Buddha Seeds Bank 13
Buddha Seeds Bank 37
Bud-Eez 59
Bushman 61
Clever Green 1
Clockwork Horticulture 48
Crystals Coffeeshop 59
DavesHydroLand.com 59
Delicious Seeds 23
Devils Harvest Seed Company the 10
Dinafem Seeds 32
Distribuciones Marianas 41
Down to Earth Kent 53
Dr. Blooms Hydroponics 1
Dutch Passion Amsterdam 42
Dutch Passion Maastricht 42
Ed Rosenthal 44
Essex Hydro-Garden 56
Eva Female Seeds 41
Flash Seeds 53
Green Fever 56
Grow 2 Go 61
Grow Green 56
Growers Shop the 56
Growing Underground 35
Growstar Gold 42
Hayzee Hydro 8
Head 2 Head 61
Hesi 1
Hesi 2
Hockley Hydro 51
Hygrow II 53
Ice Man Bags 56
J10 Hydro 47
Jorge Cervantes 38
Libertarian 51
Messe-s Headshop 59
Mycologics 56
Nirvana 29
Odyssey Hydro 59
One Love Hydroponics 61
Paradise Seeds 17
Plant Magic Plus 7
Procare 56
Professional Seeds 55
Pyramid Seeds 48
Rapid Roots 1
Red Eye Jungle 55
Royal Queen Seeds 20
Samsara Seeds 14
Seeds of Life 51
Sjamaan de 47
Smokin Vinyl 56
Southern Hydro Centre 59
Sweet Seeds 34
Triangle Hydroponics 61
UK GroWorks 55
UK Skunkworks 53
Wellingborough Hydroponics 59
World of Seeds 14
Soft Secrets is published by
Discover Publisher BV
P.O.Box 362, 5460 AJ, Veghel, Netherlands
Telephone: +31-(0)73-5498112
Fax: +31-(0)73-5479732
E-mail: uk@softsecrets.nl
Editor: Cliff Cremer
Contributors: Ed Rosenthal, Jorge Cervantes,
Jules Marshall, Lazystrain, Dr. John Dee,
Grubbycup, Little Lebowski, The Professor, Kaz
Peet, Smokedout and others
Translations: Jules Marshall
Comics: Jim Stewart
Editorial adress: Soft Secrets,
P.O. Box 17250, 1001 JG, Amsterdam, Holland,
E-mail: ssuk@softsecrets.nl
Advertisements:
James
Telephone: +44 (0)751-4273810
E-mail: james@softsecrets.nl
A word from the publisher:
The UK government has embarked on a process
of relative liberalisation towards the use of
cannabis, and cannabis activists are engaged
in broadening this engagement. Several local
councils and police chiefs now actively sup-
port a Dutch-style coffeeshop system as a
way of separating soft and hard drugs, as it
has proven to do in Holland. Whether they are
finding their way to new coffeeshops or grow-
ing for their personal supply, cannabis users
are a menace to no one, and are causing no
discernable social problem. Some politicians
and commentators are calling for the outright
legalisation of marihuana. Lets wait and see
how the debate develops during a period of
relative peace between all sides of the argu-
ment. In the meantime, the publisher hopes
Soft Secrets will show the public a positive
side to the normalisation of cannabis use, and
is anxious to offer a forum to both pro- and
anti-legalisation advocates. This assumes that
the publisher does not necessarily agree with
everything that appears in articles and adver-
tisements. The publisher therefore distances
himself explicitly from published statements
or images that might give the impression that
an endorsement is being made for the use or
production of cannabis.
Nothing from this publication may be cop-
ied or reproduced in any format without
prior permission from the publisher and
other copyright holders. The publisher is not
responsible for the content and/or point of
view of advertisements. The editors take no
responsibility for unsolicited submissions.
Note of correction
Due to a misprint on the 2011 Soft Secrets
strains catalog, a photo appears twice. The
picture corresponding to Black Jack Auto, from
Sweet Seeds, can be found on the piece about
Black Jack Auto and, also, on the piece about
Kritikal Bilbo, from Genehtik Seeds. The actual
photo of Kritikal Bilbo, from Genehtik Seeds, is
the one included with this note of correction.
Red Eye Jungle
YOUR PLEASURE IS OUR BUSINESS
Red Eye Jungle started over 15 years
ago in the markets of the Quasar Centre,
Walsall. In just 3 years they moved into
their current retail premises in the cen-
tre of town and they have been there
ever since supplying Walsall and the
surrounding counties with affordable,
quality Head products.
The Welcome you receive from Ozzy
and Penny is worth the visit alone; their
knowledge and product selection suits
all requirements/ budgets and this fam-
ily run business can cater for all your
smoking needs. They especially pride
themselves on their seed selection and
the usual suspects are available to pur-
chase: Dutch Passion, Greenhouse,
Dinafem and they are an official distribu-
tor of Royal Queen Seeds. Big Buddha
is of course available, with their famous
cheese strains. They also carry a good
range of legal highs, scales, smelly proof
baggies, pipes, grinders, bongs, ONA
deodoriser and pride themselves on hav-
ing the finest selection of rolling papers
and the largest selection of blunts in the
Midlands! CD packs can be purchased as
well as bandanas, flags and hats.
Be sure to drop in soon!
Red Eye Jungle
228 Stafford Street,
Walsall, WS2 8DG
(t) 01922 631008
ATAMl B.V. T. +31 (U) 73 522325 ASKERWlNATAMl.COM WWW.ATAMl.COM ATAMI B.V. T. +31 (U) 73 522325
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