Chapter 1: THE THEORY
Chapter 2: PERSPECTIVE
Chapter 3: THE SPACE
Chapter 4: NOVEL GARDENS
Chapter 5: THE PLANT
Chapter 6: VARIETIES
Chapter 7: PLANT
Chapter 8: LIGHT
Chapter 9: LIGHTING
ODOR AND IONS
The most important factor in producing
high yielding potent marijuana is the plant’s
genes. The goal of the grower is to cultivate
a garden of healthy, vigorous, fast-growing
plants which are induced to flower while
they are still short. Indoor marijuana farms
are limited spaces. To succeed they must
be used as efficiently as possible.
To get the highest yield gardeners grow
many small plants rather than a few large
ones. Smaller plants yield more per square
foot of space, mature faster, and are easier
to care for than large ones. People used to
think that size or age were important, but
they soon found out that maturity or
ripeness is the important factor. As the
buds on the plant ripen, their potency
increases. Depending on how intensive the
technique and the variety being grown,
plants are forced to flower when they are
between 8-15 inches tall. Mature plants
reach a height of 18-30 inches.
Plants forced when they are small have
little chance to develop side shoots. This
means that each plant uses not only a
smaller vertical space, but has a smaller
radius. Plants which are flowered when
they are very small can be placed very
close together. Short plants use much less
vertical space so gardeners often find it
convenient to divide the growing area into
several levels of shelves or bunks.
The garden with the small plants
uses all of the space efficiently.
Setting up and maintaining a successful
indoor garden requires a bit of work and
some hands-on experience. No one gets
the garden running at full potential the first
time out. Any farmer will say: "Don’t count
your chickens before they’re hatched."
Rather than setting up a gigantic
sophisticated garden with little experience,
the best growers start off with a less
ambitious project which has more chance
Small gardens are easier to maintain
than large ones. They take less time, but
more importantly, they do not have the
problems of energy consumption,
ventilation and heat that large gardens
have. With a small system, the energy
consumption does not go up that much. A
large system using several large wattage
lamps spins the meter. The heat created in
a small system is easily dissipated into the
surrounding environment, especially during
cool months. A large system requires a
more sophisticated heat exchange system.
Marijuana has two distinct parts to its
growing cycle. First it grows vegetatively,
then it goes into flowering. During the
vegetative cycle the plants receive lighting
continuously or for a minimum of 18 hours
a day. During the flowering cycle they
receive fewer hours of light. For this reason
it is convenient to separate any garden into
two separate units, one for vegetative
growth and one for flowering. The
vegetative growth unit need not necessarily
be large since it is used mostly for starting
seeds and clones.
In the most efficient growing system,
plants are grown in the vegetative section
until they are 8-12 inches high and then are
placed in the flowering area. The vegetative
section requires about 1/3 the space of the
Gardeners who I have observed have
converted all kinds of spaces to grow
rooms: closets, small rooms, pantries,
basements, attics, and small sheds. The
space must be high enough to allow the
plants to grow to 2-3 feet height. A space 4
feet high can be converted into a garden. A
space eight feet high can be converted into
a two-level garden.
The area that a space covers is figured
by multiplying the length by width. The
result is the number of square feet. The
size and number of lights used is based on
the total area. When the garden is
configured, aisle space is left between the
plants, so that they can be attended easily.
People have an effective reach of 2 to 3
feet, averaging around 2½. Usually aisles
are 1½-2 feet wide. When the growing unit
is placed on moveable platforms, most aisle
spaces can be eliminated. Aisles are made
by simply moving the units.
Light fixtures and reflectors should hang
from chains mounted directly to a stud, or
using a molly bolt, into the lathing. A lamp’s
height is adjusted by changing its position
on the chain. It is extremely important for
the light to be hung securely. Should the
reflector fall, it could cause an electrical
short in a wet area, which is very
dangerous, even life threatening.
Gardens are equipped with circuit
interrupters, which functions as a circuit
breaker. This unit shuts off the power in
case of a short or an interruption in service.
The floors of the grow rooms I have
seen have been well prepared. Smart
growers protect the floors, especially wood
or linoleum tile, from water using heavy
plastic lining. If the grow room is in a
basement or a cool room, where the
temperature of the floor is always cool,
either the surface has been insulated or the
plants had been raised off the floor. This is
very important because cold floors draw
heat from the containers. Plants germinate
and grow considerably slower when their
roots are cold.
There are a number of ways growers
insulate the floor. Styrofoam insulation,
which comes in sheets or rolls, has been
placed over the floors. This material has the
added advantage that it is very reflective,
so that any light hitting this surface bounces
back to the plants. Plywood is often placed
over a layer of insulating material. Plants
are raised off a floor using a table or
wooden boards. Shipping pallets provide air
spaces so the warm air circulating in the
room can reach the containers.
Heating the Roots
Cold roots slow growth to a crawl.
Heating cables or a heating mat made for
heating soil or containers keep the roots
warm. Some cables and mats have a built-
in thermostat to keep the temperature a
constant 70-75 degrees. Heating cables
and mats are available from many garden
shops. They are convenient to use and
consume only a few watts.
Growers use room temperature or
lukewarm water to irrigate the plants so that
the roots are not shocked and cooled down.
They use lukewarm tap water, or heat the
water in the reservoir. Small reservoirs (up
to 100 gallons) are warmed using an
aquarium heater and thermostat. Larger
tanks are heated using a water heater. An
ideal water temperature is 70 degrees.
Here are some floor plans from typical
1. A closet 9 feet high by 36 inches deep
by 40 inches wide. This space did not
have convenient dimensions for using
fluorescents, so it was easiest to use a
MH or HPS lamp (see page 28). The
total space was about 10 square feet.
A 250 watt MH lamp lit the space. A
shelf was constructed at half the
height. The shelf supported a second
garden. Each garden was powered by
a 250 watt MH lamp. Ventilation is
provided by keeping the door open. No
2. A closet 8 feet high x 2 feet x 9 feet. As
a single level unit the closet was
originally illuminated by 4 8 ft
fluorescents. This was converted to a
400 watt MH mounted on a Solar
Shuttle type track. The garden was
modified to 2 shelf gardens. The top
one still under the Solar Shuttle and
MH. The bottom one uses two 250 watt
HPS lamps permanently mounted. A
small oscillating fan mounted on the
top of each garden keeps the air
flowing. Most of the time the doors are
kept open. When they are closed, wide
cracks between the doors help bring in
fresh air. No CO2.
3. A room 9 feet high x 12 feet x 10 feet,
all growing on one level. It is lit using a
MH and a HPS, each 1000 watts. The
lights rotate on a Whirlagig so that light
is spread more evenly. Ventilation
through a window fan regulated by a
thermostat. CO2 using a tank and
regulator. Steel shelving with three
levels, each 4’ x 2’ with 4 fluorescent
tubes is light sealed from the rest of the
room using opaque curtains. Clones
are generated in this space.
The room had 3 aisles. The first
started along the door on the side of
the room and extended most of the 12
foot length of the room. It was 24
inches wide. Two additional aisles
branched off from the main aisle. They
paralleled the width of the room and
started at 2½ feet from the side wall.
Each was 18" wide. They each
extended a length of 7 feet from the
wall leaving a 2 foot growing space at
the end of the garden. The total
growing area of the garden was about
100 square feet including growing
This room could have been
configured as a shelf growing space
using the same aisle space. Lighting
would be provided by 400 watt HPS
units mounted on the ceiling of each
shelf. A total of 6 units would be used.
Total growing area would be about 190
Ventilation from this space was via
a fireplace. A one foot diameter tube
sucked air from the top of the room and
using a powerful fan mounted inside
the tube, drove the air out.
4. A basement space 5 x 5 feet 40 inches
high. To conserve vertical space
fluorescents were used. Ten were
mounted permanently to the rafters
overhanging the garden. Two 4 foot
fluorescent tubes were mounted on
each of three sides of the garden to
encourage healthier growth. Reflective
surface and heat preservation were
accomplished by hanging mylar by the
rafters along the perimeter of the
garden. The floor is always cold so a
thin piece of plywood was placed over
a vinyl plastic sheet covering R11
insulation. A tank with regulator
distributes CO2. During winter, rather
than trying to heat the air in the space,
heating cables keep the roots and
other plant surfaces warm.
5. An attic garden Raw attic space has
been cordoned off by hanging reflective
curtains of astrolon in an area 6 x 6
feet. A 400 watt HPS light is hung from
the rafters over the garden. Draft
provides ventilation. Growers have
reported that attic gardens have a lot of
problems because they are subject to
severe weather shifts and extreme
seasonal conditions. If an area can be
contained, either by building walls or
using heavy curtains, it is easier to
maintain reasonable growing
temperatures. In winter, temperatures
can be raised using a gas heater
regulated for indoor use. The heater
emits CO2 as well as heat. During the
summer attics must sometimes be
abandoned because the temperature
gets too high.
Marijuana, which would grow so easily
on a windowsill or in a garden, must be
hidden from unfriendly eyes. Still, people
want to try their hand growing this plant
Human ingenuity is a wonderful thing. So is
cannabis’ ability to adapt to unusual
growing conditions. Here are some novel
ways that marijuana has been grown.
1. Training to a fence. Marijuana can be
controlled so that it does not have
much of a 3 dimensional shape by
tying the branches to a fence. Here is a
typical example. A gardener had a
space which was 30" x 15" and 9 feet
high between two shelves in a storage
area. The walls were covered with
aluminum foil. Chicken wire with two
inch holes was stretched to a frame of
1" x 2"s on one of the lengthwise wall.
Six 8 foot fluorescents were placed
vertically on the other side of the
garden so that the light was coming to
the plants from the side. Three shelves
were built to hold two foot long window
As the plants grew, their stems
were gently spread and tied to the
fence with metal twist-ties. The third
dimension was almost entirely
eliminated. Since the plants
configuration was well controlled, the
gardener controlled the spacing and
helped light to reach all plant parts.
2. Some growers build training stakes for
their plants. These are actually wooden
stakes with cross stakes attached.
Growers tie the plants to the guides as
they grow. The stakes are configured
for maximum exposure to the light.
Excess growth is trimmed so that the
plant conforms to the pattern set by the
3. Horizontalizing. Marijuana uses gravity
to sense which direction is "up" and
then grows that way. When a plant
which has been growing normally is
placed on its side new growth reorients
itself and starts growing up. Growers
with short spaces can sometimes
maximize the space in their garden by
taking a plant and placing it
4. Selective Pruning. Marijuana grows
branches in four directions, first in
opposite pairs and then alternating. By
pruning two opposite sides of the plant,
it grows flat naturally. The branches
can be tied down a bit so that branches
of two plants can be alternated.
5. A space was only 2½ feet high, 13"
wide and 5 ft long. A four tube flat
fluorescent unit, designed for ceiling
installation, was placed against one
wall. The other wall was lined with a
single row of 6 inch containers.
Years ago people grew seeds from their
best stash, mostly sativas, originating in
Colombia and Mexico. These plants grow in
a classic conical shape, with long spreading
limbs at the bottom and a single main stem
on the top. Since then, Americans have
discovered many other varieties such as
single-stem Moroccans, asymmetrical
indicas, and variants such as "creepers."
There are thousands of varieties of
marijuana. They have different potential
yields, highs, flower size, bud structure,
ripening time, height, leaf shape, color,
bushiness, and amount of light required for
In much the same way that the
environment affects the yield and flavor of
grapes, it also affects the genetic potential
of marijuana. The taste, quality of the high,
yield, and color are all subject to
modification by the environment. Some of
the factors include amount and quality of
light, water, temperature, amount, ratios
and kinds of fertilizers or nutrients, and
The Marijuana Lifecycle
Marijuana is an annual plant. Each spring
the plants germinate and begin a period of
rapid growth. As fall approaches, the plants’
growth changes from vegetative to
flowering or reproductive. Female and male
flowers are found on separate plants. To
produce seeds, pollen from male plants
must fertilize the female flowers. When the
male plants are removed from the garden,
the females remain unfertilized. The
resulting clusters of virgin flowers are called
sinsemilla, which means "without seeds" in
Spanish. These "buds" are prized by the
Undisturbed by gardeners, the male
plants release their pollen into the air, lose
vigor, and die. The female plants continue
to produce flowers for quite a while as long
as they remain unfertilized. Once fertilized,
the small ovary found behind each flower
begins to swell, and within a few weeks,
mature seeds are produced. When most of
the flowers are fertilized, the plant ceases
to produce new flowers. Instead, most of its
energy goes to the maturing seeds. As the
seeds mature, the plant loses vigor and
The Modern Plant
In the past few years the breeders at the
Dutch seed companies have popularized
new strains especially bred for indoor
growing. Many varieties are available which
are high yielding potent and compact. For
most gardeners, Dutch seeds are their best
choice. While the price of these commercial
seeds may seem costly at first; getting the
best seed stock is the most inexpensive
way to improve a garden. No matter how
good the system or attentive the care of the
plants, if they do not have the potential for
massive high quality buds, they will never
produce them. A seed does not represent
just a single plant; but an entire genetic
line. New plants are cloned by growers
from plants or more seeds can be produced
which carry this heritage.
Marijuana varieties are often
categorized as either sativa or indica.
Indica plants tend to grow compact with
heavy dense buds, relatively short stature
and a minimum of wide branching. Sativas
used to be gangly, with smaller buds. Now
they have been bred to grow smaller with
heavier yields. When marijuana plants are
forced early the new sativas and indica
plants gain 25-100 percent height. However
the older sativa varieties, even when forced
at a short height may continue to grow into
a large size plant. This makes them
unacceptable for growing in short height
Growers have been breeding and
adapting marijuana to indoor growing since
the late 60’s. Starting with equatorial and
indica strains, breeders have produced
faster growing more potent varieties.
Although this work has been done
informally, the net effect of having
thousands of breeders working has been
the equivalent of a national program to
Since the opening of the marijuana
seed companies in Holland, growers in the
United States have easy access to many
excellent varieties. Some of the varieties
well adapted to closet cultivation are listed
SKUNK #1 - Developed by Sacred
Seeds and produced by both Seed Bank
(SB) and S.S.S.C. It is a stabilized indica-
sativa hybrid with a strong odor and very
potent, pleasant high. It is fairly high
yielding and can be grown with high
intensity lights indoors. It has a moderate
internode (length between leaves) length.
Excellent for greenhouses or skylights. For
indoor growers Skunk is used for
NORTHERN LIGHTS - An indica hybrid
bred by northwest growers and popularized
by the Seed Bank. This variety does very
well in grow rooms because of relatively
low light requirements. It is a compact and
is easily kept short. Northern Lights buds
are among the most potent in the world. It
has quite a distinctive "personality." It is
often hybridized with distinctive plants.
EARLY PEARL - An indica-sativa
hybrid developed at a midwestern
university. It has a nice, up high, pleasant
taste and is strong. Very fast maturing but it
has fairly long internodes.
BIG BUD - A variety with a dense
smoke, and indica high. It is very high
yielding with a large bud on a compact
plant. However it is very finicky, needs a lot
of light and is difficult to clone. It has been
phased out of the Seed Bank’s catalog but
is still being used by cultivators.
All of these varieties have been
stabilized a bit. They are often hybridized
with each other.
Plants use light as energy to fuel
photosynthesis, a process in which water
and carbon dioxide (CO2) are the raw
materials used to make sugar. Sugar is the
basic building block of all plants. By twisting
the sugar molecule, plants form
carbohydrates, which are more complex
molecules. Plants use carbohydrates to
build tissue. When nitrogen atoms are
integrated into the molecules, amino acids
are formed. These are eventually grouped
together to form proteins.
Light is also used to regulate many
varieties of cannabis' reproductive cycle.
Scientists speculate that the plant produces
a hormone during the dark period (night in
nature) which induces the start of the
reproductive (flowering) cycle. When the
hormone builds up to a critical level, flower
growth commences. The number of hours
of darkness required to induce flowering
differs for each variety.
Gardeners have a choice of lamps to
illuminate their garden. Incandescents,
tungsten-halogen lamps and screw in "grow
bulbs" are inefficient sources of light.
Although they are inexpensive to purchase,
their cost of operation makes them the
costliest source of light.
Until the early 1980’s most indoor
growers used fluorescent lights to illuminate
the garden. These tubes have tremendous
advantages over screw-in incandescent
lights. A fluorescent tube emits about 3
times as much light as an incandescent of
the same wattage and has a light spectrum
that plants can use more efficiently.
Fluorescents have their limitations.
Light is emitted over a large area, the entire
surface of the tube, so it is not
concentrated. Because the tubes are bulky
only a limited amount of light can be
delivered to a given area. The fixtures are
usually placed within inches of the plants so
that the light does not spread and become
less intense. When the light fixtures are
hung they are hard to manipulate and make
it more difficult to tend the garden.
Standard fluorescents have an
efficiency of about 30%. Seventy percent of
the electricity is not turned into light but into
heat. There are newer types which are a
little more efficient, but the increase in light
is of only marginal help.
VHO (very high output)
FLUORESCENTS are also available. They
use about 3 times the electricity of standard
fluorescents and emit about 2½ times the
light. While they are not as efficient as
regular fluorescents, each tube delivers 2½
times more light to the garden.
The inner surface of each fluorescent
tube is covered with a phosphor which
glows when tickled by the flow of electrons
through it. Fluorescent tubes are named for
the spectrum of light which they emit. Some
of the spectrums are more conducive to
plant growth than others. Deluxe warm
white, warm white, and deluxe cool white
are three types which promote fast growth.
Special grow bulbs concentrate light in
areas used most efficiently by the plant.
However, they are fairly dim and plant
growth is slowed when they are used.
HIGH INTENSITY DISCHARGE LAMPS
High intensity discharge lamps (HIDs)
are easier to use and more efficient. Low
wattage HIDs are sometimes sold for
household outdoor use. Large wattage
lamps are used to light yards, streets,
parking lots, stadiums and other large
areas. They come in two versions:
METAL HALIDES or MH lamps emit a
white light that looks slightly bluish. They
are used to light stadiums, convention
centers and other large areas where a
natural looking light is desired.
HIGH PRESSURE SODIUM or HPS
lamps emit a pink or amber light. They are
used to illuminate parking lots and other
areas where the color of the light is not
important. HPS units are more efficient than
MH lamps. They are often used alone with
no detrimental effect to the plants, and will
promote faster plant growth than MH bulbs
during both vegetative growth and
flowering. Combinations of bulbs are not
required, as the HPS lamp has all the light
spectrums necessary for healthy growth.
MH lamps come in 175, 250, 400 and
1000 watt sizes. HPS lamps come in 150,
400 and 1000 watt sizes. Each lamp has its
HID lighting systems are much more
convenient to use than fluorescents
because the lamps have a higher wattage
and are more efficient at producing light
than fluorescents. Large wattage systems
are more efficient than smaller ones. MH
lamps have an efficiency of 35-50%
depending on the wattage. HPS lamps
have an efficiency of 50-55%. Moving the
lamp and reflector is fairly easy since they
are fairly light. The light is powered by a
heavy ballast; but it is connected only by a
long electrical wire. Some 400 watt HID
systems are manufactured with the ballast
built into the same housing as the reflector.
These lamps are harder to move around
and are usually considered for lighting only
if they are to be permanently mounted.
This chart shows how much light each
lamp emits, its lumen output per 100 watts
and the area it covers adequately.
1,750 1,750 N/Applicable
4’ FL (CW-
2,960 7,400 1-2
8’ FL (CW-
5,800 7,733 2-4
MH 175W 14,000 8,000 5-10
MH 400W 40,000 10,000 12-20
MH 1000W 125,000 12,500 35-70
HPS 100W 9,500 9,500 3-6
HPS 15OW 16,000 10,600 5-10
HPS 400W 50,000 12,500 15-30
HPS 1000W 140,000 14,000 40-80
Because of the ease and convenience
of operating a HID lamp and their increased
efficiency they are recommended for
lighting indoor gardens.
Gardens should receive between 1000-
3000 lumens per square foot. Of course,
plants in a 3000 lumen garden will grow
faster and flower more profusely than those
under dimmer lights. Successful gardens
usually are lit at between 1500-2500
lumens per square foot. During the
vegetative stage, plants stretch out when
they receive low levels of light. During
flowering the flowers are looser and sparse.
This chart shows the approximate
amount of light received by gardens of
various sizes with a very efficient reflector.
Twenty percent of the light emitted has
been deducted from the total to correct for
reflector inefficiency and light which never
reaches the garden. Light is never
distributed evenly so some parts of the
garden will get more light than others.
Garden # of # Of Lumens Per Square Foot
Size Sq. Feet
3’ x 3’ 9 3,500 11,100 4,450 12,450
4’ x 4’ 16 2,000 6,250 2,500 7,000
5’ x 5’ 25 1,300 4,000 2,000 4,500
6’ x 6’ 36 900 2,800 900 3,100
7’ x 7’ 49 650 2,050 650 2,300
8’ x 8’ 64 500 1,560 390 1,750
9’ x 9’ 81 400 1,250 500 1,400
100 300 1,000 400 1,100
LIGHTS AND REFLECTORS
Sunlight comes from a distant source,
so that the light rays hitting a small portion
of planet Earth (say a garden 12 feet wide)
are virtually parallel. Their intensity does
not diminish over the length of a plant 6 feet
Light emitted from tubes and lamps
travels in all directions. As the distance
from the lamp increases, the intensity of the
light decreases. It is not that any light is
lost, just that the same amount of light is
spread over larger area.
HID lamps and reflectors come in two
configurations. Either the lamps are held
vertically or horizontally.
Horizontally held lamps direct most of
the light downward because the light is
emitted along the length of the lamp. Only a
small reflector is required to beam the rest
of the light downward.
Vertical lights emit most of their light
horizontally. In order to reach a garden, the
light must be reflected downward using a
large, bulky reflector. Manufacturers have
developed elaborate and innovative hoods,
still they cannot reach the light delivery
efficiency of a horizontal lamp.
Horizontally held lamps have several
other advantages over verticals. They take
less vertical space, which is crucial for short
gardens, and the reflectors are much less
bulky. All in all, horizontally held lamps are
considered the best configuration for the
Aluminum reflectors deliver the most
light, more than white ones. Stainless steel
reflectors absorb some spectrums of light
and should not be used.
A small horizontal reflector actually
delivers more light to the garden
below than this large horizontal
reflector. The small vertical reflector
allows much of the light to escape to
FLUORESCENT LIGHT REFLECTORS
A garden lit by two tubes per foot of
width with a high quality reflector receives
about 1,100 lumens per square foot. A
garden lit by three tubes per foot of width
receives about 1700 lumens per square
Fluorescents come in many lengths, but
the two most commonly used by indoor
gardeners are 4 and 8 ft lengths. They are
convenient to use and are more efficient
than other sizes.
Poorly designed fluorescent fixtures,
with no baffles between the tubes to reflect
light downward may lose up to 40% of the
light. Instead, tubes are mounted onto a
reflector with individual baffles between the
tubes so that light is directed downward to
the garden. A good reflector may keep
losses down to 20%. An alternative is to
use tubes with reflective surfaces. These
are made several manufacturers. Often
stores do not carry them but will special
Reflectors without baffles are very
inefficient so light is lost. Baffles
direct the light downward.
New fluorescent configurations have
made it easier to build a garden. Circle
tubes and thin tubed 8" doubles screw into
incandescent sockets. Although these
bulbs are not very efficient they are step up
from incandescents. Combinations of circle
lights and tubes can illuminate a garden
very brightly. They can be used in
extremely small spaces. These lamps
always seem to be on sale. When electrical
costs are not a factor they are a
inexpensive way of setting up a garden.
These units easily provide over 2000
lumens per square foot.
As tubes age they become less
efficient. On the average, they lose 25% of
light they were rated for after about a year
of use. Lights which are turned on and off a
lot wear out faster. Three to six inch
sections on both sides of the tube dull out
from deposits after a short term of use.
Growers figure the effective length of a 4 ft
tube as 3 feet 4 inches and of an 8 ft tube
as 7 feet.
Light Spectrums and Photosynthesis
Each source of light has a characteristic
spectrum, which is caused by the varying
wave lengths of light therein. Fluorescents
and other electric lights emit different
shades of light. To our eyes midday
summer sunlight looks neutral,
incandescent lights have a reddish tint,
fluorescents vary in spectrum according to
their type, MH lamps a have a blue
coolness to them, and HPS lamps look
To produce chlorophyll, plants need
light from specific spectrums, (TABLE 1)
mainly red and blue. This is called the
chloroplast light spectrum. Once the
chlorophyll is produced, a slightly different
spectrum of light (TABLE 1) is used by the
plant for photosynthesis, the process which
results in the production of sugars. Plants
use red and blue light most efficiently but
they also use orange and yellow light.
Plants are continually growing, producing
new chloroplasts and chlorophyll so both
spectrums of light are being used by the
plant continually. Plants reflect green light
rather than using it.
Action Spectrum of: (A) Photosynthetic
(B) Chlorophyll Synthesis
Although the MH and HPS lamps emit
different color light both lamps emit high
levels of light in the critical red and blue
wavelengths. Either lamp can be used for
cultivation. HPS lamps produce faster
growth because they emit more total light
useable by the plant.
Many shop owners maintain that
combinations of MH and HPS lights
produce the fastest growth, or alternatively,
that MH units should be used for growth
and HPS units for flowering. There is no
indication that either of these theories holds
up. HPS lamps produce faster growth than
a combination of HPS and MH lamps.
There is absolutely no need to or
advantage to buying a MH unit. Plants
grown under HPS show some stem
etoliation (stretching) and ripen about a
week later. This is more than compensated
with a considerably larger crop.
Some fluorescent tube manufacturers
produce grow tubes which are especially
formulated to provide a spectrum of light
similar to the chlorophyll synthesis or
photosynthesis spectrum or a compromise
between them. The idea is sound, but grow
tubes produce only 35-60% of the light of a
cool white fluorescent, and less light
useable by the plant. One manufacturer
advertises Vita-Lite® and Optima®
fluorescent tubes which emit a light
spectrum color balanced close to the sun’s
spectrum. However, they emit only 75% of
the light of a warm white fluorescent.
HPS systems are the most expensive to
purchase of all of the lighting units. MH
units are a little cheaper and fluorescents
are the cheapest of all. However, this is
figuring only the initial outlay. Factoring in
the cost per unit of light produced, the
positions are reversed. HPS lamps are the
cheapest, followed by MH lamps and far
behind come the fluorescents. In addition
HID lamps are considered easier to work
with in the garden and produce a better
crop than fluorescents.
Cost in cents per 1000 lumens of
(Expressed in cents per kilowatt)
Cost Per Kilowatt Hour Of Electricity
Lamp Output 8¢ 10¢ 12¢ 16¢
1,750 .46 .57 .68 .91
2,960 .11 .13 .16 .22
175W MH 14,000 .10 .12 .15 .20
400W MH 40,000 .08 .10 .12 .16
1000W MH 125,000 .06 .08 .10 .13
100W HPS 9,500 .08 .10 .13 .17
400W HPS 50,000 .06 .08 .10 .13
1000W HPS 140,000 .06 .07 .08 .11
Note about the chart: These figures denote the
part of a cent used to produce 1000 lumens. In
dollar terms the figures for a 1000W HPS are
$.0006, $.0007, $.0008, $.0011.
Step By Step
1. The successful gardens I have
observed use a minimum of 1000
lumens per sq. ft during vegetative
growth and 1500 lumens during
flowering. These figures are bare
minimums, the more light the better.
Gardens with 1500-2500 lumens during
vegetative growth and 2000-3500
during flowering seem to do best.
2. The most efficient light source is a HPS
lamp in a horizontal reflector. No other
light source is needed. An HPS lamp
supplies all the spectrums of light
needed by the plant for normal growth.
Both fluorescent fixtures and HID lamps
use a much higher voltage of electricity
than standard 110 volt house current.
Fluorescent fixtures contain a ballast or
transformer that converts electricity to its
proper voltage. HID lamps sometimes
come in a fixture containing the ballast, but
most of the units made for indoor gardens
are designed with the ballast remote
(separate, but connected by an electrical
cord) from the lamp and reflector.
HID’s with remote ballasts are much
more convenient than units with the ballasts
enclosed since they weigh less. 400 watt
ballasts weigh about 28 lbs. and 1000 watt
ballasts weigh about 40 lbs. It is much
harder to manipulate and secure a heavy
object like that overhead than it is to just
leave it near ground level attached to the
lamp by an electrical cord. The lamp is
hung from the ceiling using cord or wire
attached to a hook or pulley.
Outdoors, plants receive light from
many directions. Over the course of the day
the sun bathes plants in light starting in the
east and travelling west. Leaves shaded
during part of the day are under full sun at
Indoors, using a stationary light, some
plant parts are always shaded while others
are always lit. With a light in the center of
the garden, plants closer to the source
receive brighter light than those at the
Reflectors with different shapes
distribute light in varying patterns. A good
quality reflector will spread the light evenly
over the garden. Still, a light coming from a
single stationary source leaves some areas
in permanent shadow.
Light movers were invented to solve
these problems. The movers carry the lamp
over a fixed course so that entire the
garden comes directly under the light part
of the time. These units are manufactured
by a number of suppliers and use several
innovative techniques to move the lamps.
Some of them move the lamps quickly, so
that the light passes over the garden in less
than a minute. Other movers take 40
minutes to traverse the course. Both types
improve light distribution in the garden. As
a result, the plants grow at an even rate.
Since the plants are not stretching in one
direction to the light, they grow straighter,
with more symmetry.
The rotating units seem most effective
in a square room, while the shuttles, which
go back and forth, seem best in rectangular
or odd shaped spaces.
Whirlagig and Solar Shuttle
Closet cultivators have found that
electrically generated light is precious so
any generated is best conserved. Efficient
indoor gardens must reflect back the light
straying out of the perimeter. Growers
cover walls which cannot be painted with
flat white paint, with aluminum foil, Astrolon
or mylar. This is extremely important. Any
light which hits a dark surface is absorbed
and converted into heat, rather than being
used in the garden. Reflective material is
easily hung using staples tacks or tape.
There are several ways growers make
walls very reflective:
White reflective paint. Flat white paint
diffracts the light so that it is distributed
more evenly through the garden. Off-whites
absorb a considerable amount of light so
they are avoided. The best paint for indoor
gardens is greenhouse white which is
formulated for maximum reflectivity.
Aluminum foil is used to line the walls. It
is highly reflective and very inexpensive. Its
down sides are that it is noisy when it
moves with a breeze and has little tensile
strength, so that it tears easily when not
attached to a surface. It is usually not used
where it will be moved around or used for a
curtain or doorway because it crinkles and
tears easily. When the dull side out is used
the reflection is defused rather than just
reflecting hot spots. Eighteen inch wide
heavy duty rolls are the easiest to work
with. In places where heat must be
conserved fiberglass insulation with
aluminum reflective surface is often used to
line the walls.
Silvered gift wrap comes in rolls or
sheets. it is composed of a thin metal foil
glued onto paper wrap. It is very reflective,
easy to use and inexpensive. It is available
from some wholesale gift paper houses or
from gift shops.
Styrofoam is used in cool spaces where
heat must be conserved. The walls can be
lined with styrofoam insulating material
which comes on a roll or in sheets.
(available in some home improvement
stores). It is extremely reflective. The rolls
come in several widths, and is about 1/8"
Mylar. Grow stores sell silvered mylar
which is extremely reflective. While mylar
reflects most of the light; it is not opaque
and it allows a dim image through. The
plastic film creases easily.
Astrolon is a silvered plastic which is
extremely reflective, but not opaque. The
thin plastic is quilted and very pliable It is
very durable and very reflective.
Step by Step
1. Successful closet cultivators know that
light should be distributed evenly
throughout the grow space. Light
movers or several lights may be
2. Smart growers line the walls of the
growing area with a reflective surface
to conserve light.
A plant’s growth rate, high and yield are
determined mostly by its genetic material.
No matter how well the plant’s needs are
met, it can only grow up to its potential.
The environmental factors affecting
plant growth are light, root conditions,
water, nutrients, temperature and air (CO2
and O2). A plant can grow only as fast as
the weakest link on the chain permits. For
instance, when a plant which receives all of
the light, water, and CO2 it can use, without
adequate nutrients, its growth is thwarted.
Roots serve plants in several ways.
They hold the plant in position and they are
its primary means of obtaining water and
nutrients. The size and efficiency of the root
system has a great effect upon the
development of the plant and ultimately,
upon its yield.
The amount of space that the roots
have to grow depends on the cubic space
of the container and the size of the particles
in the growing medium. Roots growing
around large sized particles obviously have
less room than roots growing through small
The size of the container is determined
by the final size that the gardener intends
for the plants. When plants are grown to the
same size in different size containers the
plant grown in the larger container is lusher,
with more branching and more vigorous
Usually gardeners use a container for
each plant. This allows them maximum
flexibility in moving the plants in the garden.
However, using the techniques described in
the book, trays holding a group of plants
are just as convenient to use. Trays provide
more room for the roots to spread out as
well as more total cubic space than
individual containers. Once a group of
plants is established in a tray, the only way
a plant can be removed is by clipping it off,
or the other plants’ roots may be disturbed.
Cannabis is very easy to transplant so
plants are often moved to larger size
containers as they grow.
Size of Containers
Most containers have less space than
you would think because they are round
Size of container
2 inch (2"x2"x2") 5 4-6" 10-15 days
3 inch (3"x3"x3") 15 Will allow
4 inch (4"x4"x4") 40 12" 20-35 days
5 inch (5"x5"x5") 80 20" Some plants
6" (6"x6"x6") 120 36" Indicas are
10" (10"x10"x10") 640 60" Sativas are
One way to increase the amount of
material a container holds is to increase its
height. An additional 1 inch depth to a 4
inch container increases its capacity by 16
1 quart = 57.75 cubic
1 gallon = 231 cubic
Container sizes are notoriously
inaccurate. Some "6 inch" containers are
really five inches, and the standard "1
gallon" container is usually about 3 quarts.
Growers make sure all containers have
large holes on the bottom or sides to allow
A grower cannot go wrong growing a
plant to maturity in a square six inch
container. The roots will have enough room
to support healthy vigorous bud growth.
Step by Step
1. Plant roots need adequate space to
grow. The more space the roots have,
the larger the topside growth.
2. There are a number of choices
regarding containers. Trays provide the
most space but do not allow the
convenience of being able to move
individual plants. Most gardeners
choose individual containers.
3. A two inch square container supports a
plant 4"-6". A 4 inch to 1 foot. A 5 inch
to 2 feet. A 6 inch to 3 feet. Mature
plants do very well in a 6" container.
4. An easy way growers provide more
space to the roots is by increasing
The growing medium holds the roots
firmly so that they can support the plant,
and holds the water-nutrient solution and
air so that they are available to the plants. It
is obvious that the roots are used by the
plant to obtain water and nutrients, but they
need oxygen too. Roots not obtaining
sufficient oxygen become sickly and are
attacked by mildews and rots.
Planting mediums range the spectrum
from totally organic to artificial materials.
Organic materials such as compost, topsoil,
humus, worm castings and steer manure
have nutrients tied up in complex
Almost everyone has grown a house
plant After the plant was in the container for
a while, its growth slowed for 2 reasons: the
roots were pot bound and the nutrients in
the planting medium were used up. When
some fertilizer was added to the water, the
plant showed renewed vigor.
The inert soil held the water-nutrient
solution but did not supply nutrients of its
own. The container became a simple
hydroponic unit The nutrients in the fertilizer
were in soluble form and immediately
available to the plant through the water.
Most books take a vehement stand on
the advantages of hydroponics vs. soil for
indoor cultivation. We are courageously
sticking to a non judgmental middle ground.
Almost everyone growing marijuana
indoors delivers at least part of the nutrients
mixed in water. This is, of course,
Many growers make a nutrient rich
"planting mix" or use top soil. These
mediums support growth for some time
without additional fertilization, but they are
not "natural". Frankly, it is impossible to get
a mini-ecosystem going in each container
or tray. It does not matter to the plant. As
long as its needs are met, it thrives.
Some growers maintain that earth
based systems produce tastier crops, but I
have experienced some appetizing
hydroponic product, and in fact the best
tasting tomato I ever ate was grown in a
hydroponic store’s Sunlit growing unit.
Various books and magazines advise that
hydroponic growing is more exacting and
less forgiving than organic growing
methods. In fact, hydroponic growing takes
no more expertise or skill than growing in
soil based mediums.
Here is a list of ingredients for planting
TOPSOIL - is a rich mixture of decaying
organic matter and minerals which is the
uppermost and richest layer of soil. It is
sold in nurseries for use outdoors. It is
looks dark brown, almost black and smells
earthy. It is about as organic as you can
get. However, it is not sterilized or
pasteurized, so it may contain pests or pest
eggs as well as fungi and diseases. This is
usually not a problem though. Although
topsoil works well in the ground, it is heavy
in containers and clumps or packs unless
used with other ingredients which lighten it.
Packed soil prevents water from being
distributed evenly. Part of the medium
becomes soaked, while the other part
COMPOST - is an earthy smelling
almost black crumbly mixture containing
decayed plant matter. it is teeming with life
and although not necessarily high in
nutrients, it provides a rich environment for
the roots. It is acidic unless limed. Some
commercial composts are nothing more
than chopped up dried plant matter. This
material may add some organic matter to
the soil, but is not the same as real
WORM CASTINGS - is compost
digested by worms. As they digest the
ingredients they concentrate them so that
the nutrients are readily available to the
plants. It is a excellent ingredient in mixes.
HUMUS - is a compost produced in a
very moist environment. It is very fine
textured and rich in nutrients, but is quite
COMMERCIAL POTTING MIXES - are
not soils at all, but mixes containing
ingredients such as tree bark, peat moss,
wood by-products, as well as artificial
ingredients. These mixes have virtually no
nutrient value unless fertilizers have been
added. Usually mixes with organic
ingredients are long on carbon compounds
and short on nitrogen, which means they
need fertilization. In a controlled
experiment, researchers with the California
Dept of Agriculture found that commercial
planting mixes vary in their ability to support
plant growth, even with fertilizers added.
There was no way of telling which mediums
were best without testing them by growing
plants in them.
VERMICULITE - is puffed mica which
has been "popped" with heat. It is inert, and
holds water like a sponge. It is often mixed
with other ingredients to loosen the mix and
aid in both its water and air retention. It
comes in various sizes. The coarse and
medium sizes are preferred because they
allow more air to form between the particles
than the fine. Vermiculite is very light
CAUTION: Dry vermiculite produces
a lot of dust which is
harmful to breathe. It
contains minute amounts
of asbestos. Before using
the material wet it down
with water. This prevents
the dust from forming. It
comes in 4 cubic foot
bags at nurseries and
PERLITE - is puffed volcanic pumice. It
does not absorb water, but holds it on/in its
pitted surface. It is used to loosen planting
mixes and stabilize their water holding
properties. It is so light weight it floats in
water. It comes in various sizes. Coarse
perlite allows the most air to mix with the
CAUTION: Dry perlite produces an
obnoxious dust. Wet it
down before using it.
SAND - both construction or
horticultural - was much more popular as a
soil ingredient before vermiculite and perlite
were available. It performs many of the
same duties in the planting mix; stabilizing
water retention and loosening the structure.
The problem with sand is its weight. Even a
cupful of sand adds considerable weight to
GRAVEL - holds a little water on its
surface and loosens soil. It is heavy and
tends to sink in the medium. It is sometimes
used alone in hydroponic mixes.
LAVA - holds water on its irregular
surface and holes in its structure. It is
lighter weight than gravel. It is sometimes
used as a hydroponic medium. Clay pellets
are sometimes used in place of lava
because they are lighter weight Pea size
pieces are the best to use.
STYROFOAM - is hydrophobic, and is
used to keep mediums dryer. It is extremely
lightweight and tends to float to the surface
of the medium. Usually the little balls are
used but sometimes irregular chips are.
PEAT MOSS - is chopped and decayed
moss. It performs many tasks in planting
mixes. It helps to retain water and holds
nutrients and is a nutrient buffer which
holds excess nutrients rather than letting
them remain too concentrated in the water.
For this reason most commercial mixes
contain peat moss. It is very acidic and will
lower the pH of the medium so that it
should compose no more than 20% of the
STEER MANURE - is fairly rich in
nitrogen and other nutrients including trace
elements. It holds water well. Many growers
swear by it. Unless it is pasteurized, it may
contain insect eggs and other pests.
BARK - is lightweight, absorbs water
and holds air in its pores. As it comes in
contact with fertilized water it slowly
deteriorates, becoming more of a compost.
It is used extensively by commercial
greenhouse growers. It can be substituted
for lava and it weighs much less.
Substrates have recently become the
hot end of the medium market These are
materials which come in a solid form,
usually a block, and need no pre-
preparation. They are just placed in the
growing chamber and watered. They are
inert; sterile and hold water and air well.
Most experiments show that plants do
better in these mediums than in most
mixes. Transplanting substrates is very
easy. The smaller used piece is placed on
top of the larger new piece. The roots grow
into the new block. All of the substrates
support fast vigorous growth.
ROCKWOOL - is the most popular
substrate. Originally it was used as an
insulating material in home construction.
Then commercial greenhouse growers in
Europe started to use it for their crops.
Rockwool looks a lot like fiberglass. It is
made by heating rock and extruding it into
thin threads. Rockwool comes in pre-
pressed blocks and filled bags. It is
lightweight and it holds a tremendous
amount of water, more than soil, but allows
plenty of air in. It comes in several forms,
blocks and cubes of various sizes, bags
filled with loose fiber and bales of fiber to
be placed in containers. It is reuseable for
CAUTION: Rockwool releases
noxious fibers when it is
dry. Before growers use
rockwool, the material
should be wetted. A face
mask and rubber or
leather gloves, should be
used. Body should be
covered with a face mask
Rockwool provides a uniform
consistency and holds both water
FLORAL FOAM - is used to make
flower arrangements. It is very lightweight
when dry, but holds a tremendous amount
of water. It is inert and easy to use. It
releases no deleterious fibers into the
environment. The problem with floral foam
is that horticultural grades come only in
small cubes. The larger blocks which are
used for floral arrangements have been
treated with a preservative which is not
good for growing plants. Before these
blocks are used they should be well rinsed
with water to remove the chemicals.
FOAM RUBBER - (such as the stuff
used for mattresses) is lightweight and
holds a lot of water and air. It is inert and
easy to use in either the block form or as
chips in a container. It can also be added to
planting mixes if chopped to pea size.
UPHOLSTERER’S FOAM - is a thin
structured foam used for furniture. It comes
in rolls and is about ½-¾ inch thick,
although it is easily compressed. It holds
ample quantities of both water and air.
Since it does not come in block form it can
be used by rolling it up firmly and placing
the cylinder in a container or by holding it
together using a rubber band or tape.
Growers have reported fantastic results
What Growers Do In The Confusion
All of this information might seem a little
confusing. An interested Party might ask,
"Can’t someone just throw some dirt in a
pot and plant the Seed? What’s with all of
this complex stuff?" Selecting the right
medium is very important to the plant, and
the mixes are easy to prepare.
Successful houseplant growers often
choose their favorite house plant mix. Here
are some adaptions of popular mixes. The
mixes with soil, compost or worm castings
contain some nutrients for plants and help
to "buffer" the nutrients supplied through
the water. Buffering means holding
nutrients within the chemical structure so
that they are temporarily unavailable. This
helps prevent over fertilization.
These mixes contain organic
ingredients which help to support plant
growth and act as a buffer.
1. 4 parts topsoil, 1 part peat moss, 1 part
vermiculite, 1 part perlite. Moist.
Contains medium high amounts of
nutrients. Best for hand watering
2. 1 part worm castings, 2 parts
vermiculite, 1 part perlite. Light weight,
high in nutrients.
3. 1 part worm castings, 1 part compost, 1
part topsoil, 2 parts vermiculite, 2 parts
perlite, 3 parts styrofoam. Holds high
amounts of water and air.
4. 1 part worm castings, 1 part peat moss,
1 part lava, 1 part vermiculite, 1 part
perlite, 1 part styrofoam. Good
These mixes contain only sterile, inert
ingredients and have no nutrient value.
5. 1 part vermiculite, 1 part perlite.
6. 3 parts vermiculite, 3 parts perlite, 2
7. 1 part vermiculite, 1 part perlite, 2 parts
styrofoam, 1 part sand, I part lava, 1
part peat moss.
8. Lava, pea sized gravel or small
ceramic beads alone or mixed with a
All of the mixes listed will support a
vigorous, fast growing crop. Some growers
try several different mixes to see which they
like working with.
If I had to choose one medium for
cultivation, I would use one of the
substrates. I feel they have many
advantages: They are easy to prepare (no
preparation), distribute water and air well,
are easily disposable and promote rapid
growth. Their main disadvantage is that
they have no buffering abilities so that the
plants are more sensitive to over
fertilization. First time growers usually feel
more confident with a mix.
Step by Step
1. Several different mixes are sometimes
tried at the same time.
A. Mixes with nutrients supply some
of the nutrients required by the
B. Mixes with organic ingredients
"buffer" or chemically bind with
fertilizers. They allow the grower a
C. Substrates are convenient to set
up. They often require no other
containers. They require a little
more care than other systems.
2. Enough mix is prepared to fill the
PH is the measure of acid-alkalinity
balance of a solution. It is measured on a
scale of 1-14 with 1 being most acidic. 7 is
neutral and 14 is most alkaline. Most
nutrients are soluble in a limited range of
acidity from about 6-7. Should the water
become too acid or alkaline, the nutrients
dissolved in the water precipitate and
become unavailable to the plants. When
nutrients are locked up, the plants cannot
grow. Typically, a plant growing in an
environment with a low pH is very small,
often growing only a few inches in several
months. Plants growing in a high pH
environment will look pale and sickly and
also have stunted growth.
PH is measured using aquarium or
garden pH chemical test kits pH paper or a
pH meter. PH meters are the most
convenient to use. The probe is placed in
the water or medium and indicates pH.
These items are available at plant stores
and hi-tech garden centers and are easy to
Once the water is tested gardeners
adjust it if it is not in the ideal range of 6.2-
6.8. Hydroponic supply companies sell pH
adjusters which are convenient and highly
recommended. The solution can also be
adjusted using common household
chemicals. The pH of highly acidic solutions
can be raised using bicarbonate of soda,
wood ash or hydrated lime. Alkaline water
can be adjusted using nitric or sulphuric
acid, citric acid or vinegar. Once a standard
measure of how much chemical is needed
to adjust the water, the process becomes
fast and easy to do.
Plants affect the pH of the water
solution as they remove various nutrients.
Microbes growing in the medium also
change the pH. PH is adjusted whenever
the water is changed or added. Since the
medium and plants affect the water’s pH,
growers often take a pH reading of the
water after it has passed through the
system. Water passing through a low pH
medium can be adjusted upwards. High pH
mediums such as rockwool are often
irrigated using low pH water.
Step By Step
1. The water’s pH is tested and adjusted
whenever the garden is watered.
There are several ways to get water to
the plants: from the top by hand watering or
using an automatic drip emitter system,
from the bottom using a reservoir system or
wicks. All of these systems are easily set
up and maintained.
Everybody has watered a plant from the
top. Water is poured into the container until
the medium is saturated. After saturation,
water drains from the container. Sometimes
the containers are placed in a tray.
An automatic system is convenient
when the gardener is not around all the
time or sometimes forgets to water. The
systems are often home-made.
Most grow rooms are in spaces without
drainage. Systems in these areas use an
enclosed system with either a top or bottom
reservoir. Bottom reservoirs store water in a
space below the plants, perhaps under the
platform. A pump running periodically on a
short range timer pushes water from
underneath through a series of drip
irrigation tubes to the top of each individual
container. Excess water drains once the
medium is saturated. Drip irrigation set-ups
and instructions are available at the local
garden supply store. Suitable pumps are
sold in garden supply stores as well as
tropical fish stores. Short range timers as
well as the other supplies are all available
at high-tech indoor garden centers.
Drip irrigation systems with a reservoir
above the garden use a sump pump to
move water from the collection tray at the
bottom of the garden to the reservoir. Water
remains in the top reservoir until a valve
opens allowing it to flow through the drip
emitter tubes to the containers. Automatic
valves with timed opening and closing
cycles are available at garden supply stores
or can be put together using a closed
solenoid valve and timer. Valves are
available at plumbing supply stores.
The plants are irrigated from an
overhead reservoir using drip
tubing. The water drains onto a
sheet of corrugated plastic which
drains into a rain gutter and then
into a tray. A sump pump
recirculates the water back to the
Gardens situated in a space with water
and drain can be constructed using an
open system. Water from the tap is
supplied to the plants using drip irrigation.
Excess water runs out the drain.
Indoor drip emitters are placed over
each container, in this case,
BACK TO BASICS
THE RESERVOIR SYSTEM
When plants are watered from the top
excess water drains out of the container,
and is either captured for re-use or drained
away. However, house plant owners often
put a tray under their plants to capture the
excess water. The container sits in the
water and draws the water as the roots use
the water held by the medium.
To assure that the roots oxygen
requirements are met, especially the roots
which grow into the water, gardeners
sometimes place a fish tank air pump with
aerator attached which constantly moves
the water. Oxygen dissolved in the water is
used by the roots.
This system works best with the drier
mediums, which are impossible to get too
saturated. A mixture of 5 parts lava and 1
part vermiculite is ideal, but mediums which
are compact and hold a lot of water in the
particles are too moist for this system.
Adding a high proportion of lava gravel or
styrofoam pellets helps to dry the medium
With the reservoir method the roots sit
partially in water. The water level can be up
to 20% of the container depth. An 8 inch
high container can sit in 1½ inches of
water, a 12 inch container can have a water
level of 2½ inches. Containers can sit in
individual trays, or for convenience of
watering they can be placed in a single
large tray. Plastic dish trays, lab trays and
plastic kiddie pools all make ideal water
trays, or a watertight tray one can be
constructed from wood coated with plastic
This is the easiest system to set up.
A container with a well drained mix
is placed in the tray and water is
Water can be added through the tops of
the containers or the water can be poured
into the tray. Gardeners use several
methods to maintain this system. The water
level should be maintained at a constant
level by adding water as it is used up.
Most American gardening books advise
that when roots sit in water they may be
damaged. In Europe however, containers
incorporating the reservoir system are sold
as standard items in plant stores. As long
as the roots come in contact with air
containing oxygen, their needs are met.
A ball valve similar to the ones used in
toilets are sometimes used to automate this
system. When the water level falls, the
valve opens up filling the tray to the desired
height. When several trays are being used,
the valve sits in its own container and
controls the water level of all the other
containers. The containers are connected
to the central unit using tubes. A constant
level of water is maintained.
This simple unit is very effective and
will produce about the same yield as
a sophisticated, water moving
These simple units increase the time
between watering by several days.
They add water to the reservoir only
as it is needed.
THE WICK SYSTEM
The very first hydroponic units I ever
used were wick systems. They consisted of
two plastic containers which fit into each
other. The bottom of the top container had
been drilled and 3¼" thick pieces of nylon
cord were strung across the bottom and
hung down into the lower container from
both sides. The top container was filled with
vermiculite. The bottom container was used
as a reservoir and the nylon cord drew up
water into the vermiculite and kept it moist.
The unit produced some incredible
vegetables and flowers. Wick systems are
very easy to construct, work well and are
trouble free. Moist mixes are suitable for
this unit. The wicks act as a self-regulating
moisture supplier. It is often used by novice
growers because it is hard to make a
mistake using this system.
There are several ways to automate the
wick system. Probably the easiest way is
by placing the containers on a platform
above a water tray and let the wicks dangle
into the water. One grower took a kiddie
pool and placed a pallet inside. The
containers rested on the pallet. A flush
valve system as described for the reservoir
system easily automates these units.
THE EBB AND FLOW OR FLOOD
The flood system is the method most
people picture when hydroponics is
mentioned. The containers are periodically
flooded and then drained. Construction of a
manual unit is easy. Imagine a tray with a
flexible drain tube on the bottom. The tube
is held up in the "plug" position. Water
pours into the tray until the containers are
flooded. The reservoir, often a water jug, is
placed back into position so that it can
catch the drain water. Then the tube is
placed back into the "drain" position.
Growers often make small automated
units. First they seal the reservoir tightly.
Two tubes are attached using a bottle
stopper. One is attached to an air pump at
the other end and pushes air into the top of
the reservoir. The other tube goes into the
bottom of the reservoir. When the air is
pushed into the reservoir the water rises,
flooding the growing area. When the pump
is turned off, the water flows back to the
reservoir. More sophisticated units have a
back-flow valve. Usually gardens are
flooded twice a day using a short range
timer. Larger systems use a water pump to
flood the growing area.
Before watering the drain hole in the
tray is plugged. Water is added to
the two and one half inch level, then
the plug is pulled allowing the water
to drain into the holding tank. The
grower watered two to three times a
After each flooding additional water is
added to the reservoir to replace the liquid
absorbed by the containers.
Ebb and flow tables are commercially
available. These work like the flood system,
but only partially submerge the growing
container with 2 or 3 inches of water.
Step By Step
1. Gardeners choose the system that they
feel is right for themselves. All of the
systems work well because they supply
the roots everything they need.
The choices are
A. Watering from the top and letting it
B. Drip irrigation and letting the water
C. Automated drip irrigation.
D. Manual reservoir system.
E. Automated reservoir system.
F. Aerated water system.
G. Wick system.
H. Automated wick system.
I. Manual flood system.
J. Automated flood system.
All of these systems are designed to
support fast growth. The choice is based on
Plants require nutrients in order to
grow. The roots absorb the nutrients from
the water as dissolved salts. These are the
simple compounds found in chemical
fertilizers. Organic fertilizers travel a more
circuitous route, first breaking down from
complex molecules through microbial
action, and then dissolving into the water.
Nitrogen (N), Phosphorous (P) and
Potassium (K) are called the macro-
nutrients because plants use large
quantities of them. The percentages of N, P
and K are always listed in the same order
(N-P-K) on fertilizer packages.
Calcium (Ca), sulfur (S), and
magnesium (Mg) are also required in fairly
large quantities. They are often called
Smaller amounts of iron (Fe), zinc (Zn),
manganese (Mn), boron (B), cobalt (Co),
copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), and
chlorine (Cl) are also required. These are
called the micro-nutrients.
When marijuana germinates, it requires
a modest amount of N and larger amounts
of P. This supports vigorous root growth
and limits etoliation (stretching) of the stem.
When it goes into its vigorous growth stage,
usually within two weeks, marijuana's need
for N increases. The nutrient is used in
building amino acids, the stuff protein is
made from. During the reproductive stage
when the plant flowers, the female’s flower
growth is promoted by P and K.
Plants which are being grown in soil
mixes or mixes with nutrients added such
compost, worm castings or manure do
better when watered with a dilute soluble
fertilizer, too. When a non-nutritive medium
is used, the nutrients are supplied as a
solution in the water from the beginning.
Typical formulas used for the seedling
and early growth stages include: 7-9-5, 5-
10-5, 4-5-3. Formulas for the fast growth
stage usually have a little more nitrogen.
Most growers use different formulas for the
different growth stages. Other growers
supplement low nitrogen formulas with fish
emulsion or other high nitrogen formulas.
Some gardeners use the same fertilizers
throughout the plant’s life cycle. A typical
formula for this is 20-20-20.
Plants growing under warm conditions
(over 80 degrees) are given less N to
prevent stem etoliation. Plants grown in
cool environments are given more N.
During flowering a high P formula
promotes flower growth. Formulas such as
3-10-4, 5-20-5 and 4-30-12 are used.
Plants are sometimes grown using a
nutrient solution containing no N for the last
10 days. Many of the larger leaves yellow
and wither as N migrates from old to new
The fertilizer should be complete, that
is, it should contain all of the secondary and
trace elements. Some fertilizers do not
contain Mg. This is supplemented using
Epsom salts, available at drug stores.
Sometimes growers prefer to use more
than one fertilizer. They find that changing
the formulas and ingredients helps to
prevent stresses and deficiencies.
However, the chemicals in each fertilizer
are blended to remain soluble. Different
fertilizer formulas may react with each
other. As a result some of the chemicals
may precipitate and become unavailable to
the plants. To prevent this growers use only
one fertilizer at each watering.
Overfertilization is very dangerous.
When plants are under-fertilized more
nutrient can be added, no harm done.
Overfertilization can kill a plant quickly.
Growers take no chances when they
change hydroponic nutrient water solutions
every 2 weeks. Even though the solution
may have nutrients left, it is probably
unbalanced since the plants have used
some of the nutrients, and not others.
Temperature, movement, humidity and
content of the air all affect plant growth.
Unlike warm-blooded animals, which
can function regardless of the outside
temperature, plants’ rate of metabolism,
how fast they function and grow is
controlled by the temperature of the
At low temperatures, under 65 degrees,
the photosynthesis rate and growth are
slowed. The difference in growth rate is not
readily apparent if the temperature dips
once in a while or the low temperatures are
not extreme. However, temperatures under
50-55 degrees virtually stop growth.
Temperatures in the 40’s cause slight
temporary tissue damage. When
temperatures dip into the high thirties tissue
damage which takes several days to repair
may result, especially in older plants.
When temperatures rise above 78
degrees, cannabis’ rate of growth slows
once again as the plant uses part of its
energy to dissipate heat and keep its water
content constant. The rate of growth
continues to slow as the temperature rises.
Photosynthesis and growth stop
somewhere in the 90’s.
When the lights are off, photosynthesis
stops. Instead, the plants use the sugars
and starches for energy and tissue building.
The plants do best when the temperature is
lower during this part of the cycle. The fact
that the lamps are off will lower the
temperature quite a bit, and ventilation can
be used to cool the space down.
Looking at a marijuana leaf under a
magnifying glass, a viewer will notice that
there are small "hairs" covering it. These
appendages form a windbreak which slows
air movement around the leaf. This helps to
modify the temperature by holding air which
has been warmed by the tissue surface,
similar to the way hair or fur keeps warm air
trapped near the skin.
Since plants transpire water, the air
surrounding the leaf surfaces is more
humid than the air in the surrounding
Outside, there is usually a breeze so
that air is ventilated from the surface. The
breeze removes waste gasses and
humidity and brings fresh air containing
CO2 in contact with the surface.
Indoors, air movement is easily
achieved using fans. The movement should
be swift but not forceful. Leaves should
have slight movement. Oscillating fans are
convenient means gardeners use to
provide an air stream to all sections of the
garden. A draft which is too strong can be
buffered against a wall so that the current
reaches the garden indirectly.
Marijuana functions best at a humidity
of 40-65%. Higher humidity causes
problems in two ways. First, fungi which
attack marijuana become active at higher
humidities. They affect all parts of the plant,
but especially the buds, which contain
moisture holding crevices, are dark and
have little air movement. The other problem
with high humidity is that plants have a hard
time dissipating water transpired by the
stomata (plant pores).
The humidity level is a measure of how
saturated the air is with moisture. That is,
how much water the air is holding as a
percentage of its water holding potential.
The warmer the air the more moisture it can
absorb, so that when the temperature rises
the air becomes less saturated and the
humidity goes down, even though the same
amount of water is dissolved in the air. The
reverse happens when the temperature
declines. The same amount of water may
be in the air, but the airs water holding
capacity is lower so the humidity rises.
There are several ways to maintain the
proper temperature and humidity. The
easiest method gardeners use to rid a
space of excess heat or moisture is to vent
the space. Small spaces such as a closet
or shelf are easily vented into the room
because of the large surface area in
contact with the general space. Room
temperature and humidity conditions are
similar to those needed by the plants.
Heated rooms may be a little low in
humidity, but the moisture level in the
micro-environment surrounding the plants
is usually higher. This is caused by
evaporation of water from the medium and
by plant transpiration.
Since hot air rises and cool air sinks, a
fan placed above the plants pulls out the
heated air. Squirrel fans and other
ventilation fans make these setups a snap.
Experienced gardeners choose fans with
the capacity to move the room’s cubic area
every 10 minutes. As an example a fan in
200 cubic foot grow space moved 20 cubic
feet per minute.
Increasing the rate of air change using
a fan has beneficial effects besides
controlling temperature and humidity. A
breeze which causes some movement of
the stem increases its strength. When a
plant moves in the wind, small tears
develop in the tissues. The plant quickly
grows new tissue, thickening and
strengthening the stem. A breeze also
increases the amount of CO2 available to
the plant. This is covered in depth in
chapter 17 - CO2.
Sensible growers know that open
windows are not as good a solution as fans
for several reasons. They present a new
problem regarding detection, both by light
and odor, and plant pests living outside
might use the passageway to find new
indoor feeding grounds.
Some growers use a closed system.
The air is cooled using an air conditioner,
the humidity is lowered using a dehumidifier
and the CO2 is supplied using a tank. Each
of these units is connected to a sensor so
that they go on and off automatically. In
temperate areas the air conditioner remains
on only a small part of the time, except
during the summer when it may be called
on for heavy duty work. The air conditioner
also dehumidifies the room. A small sized
dehumidifier can keep a room at desired
humidity when the temperature is within the
Grow spaces located in basements or
attics may get cool during the winter. An
electric or gas heater designed for indoor
use is often used to increase the
temperature. Electric heaters raise the
temperature, but decrease the humidity of
the room because no additional moisture is
added to the air. Gas heaters vented into
the grow space provide CO2, moisture and
heat to the plants.
Plant roots are very sensitive to cold
temperatures. Containers placed directly on
a cold floor lose their heat. To conserve
warmth the units are set on a pallet or the
floor, or it is covered with a layer of
styrofoam sheet, which is both an excellent
insulation material and light reflector. Heat
mats and heating cables which are
thermostatically regulated to keep trays and
soil in the mid-seventies are sold in many
garden shops. Water in reservoirs is often
heated using aquarium equipment.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a colorless,
odorless gas found in the air. Under normal
circumstances, including the conditions
growers deal with, it is totally harmless.
Each molecule consists of one part carbon
and two parts oxygen. CO2 is often
generated in the home. When a stove or
water heater bums gas it produces water
vapor and CO2.
Plants use CO2 as a raw material during
the process of photosynthesis. CO2 is
quickly used up in a well lit enclosed space
Until it is replaced, the process cannot
continue. The availability of CO2 to the plant
can be a limiting factor in photosynthesis
and plant growth.
Keeping the door or curtain of a small
grow room open helps tremendously
because a whole side of the grow space is
exposed to external air. An open door in a
large a room gives a much smaller ratio of
interface, since the percentage of the
perimeter serving as a vent is much
CO2 constitutes about .03%, or 300
parts per million of air in country areas and
about .035 - .04% in industrialized regions.
Photosynthesis and growth could proceed
at a much higher rate if the amount of CO2
available were increased to about .15% or
1500 parts per million instead of the .035 -
.04% found in urban areas. Higher
concentrations of CO2 can increase the
growth rate up to 300%. Usually though,
growers report increases of under 100%.
Either way growth rate is increased
significantly. When plants grow faster, it
takes less time to yield a bigger crop. Once
CO2 enrichment is added to the grow
space, light will most likely be the limiting
The most practical method that a closet
farmer has to enrich the garden with gas is
a CO2 tank with a regulator. The regulators
are sold by all of the high-tech garden
supply companies. These devices control
the number of cubic feet of gas released to
the garden. CO2 gas refills are available
from companies listed under the Bottled
Gas or Industrial Gas sections of the Yellow
Pages. The largest tanks hold 50 pounds of
gas, but they weigh 170 pounds filled. A 20
pound tank is much smaller and weighs
about 50 pounds filled. At room
temperature there are 8.7 cubic feet in a
pound of gas. Refills are inexpensive.
CO2 enrichment reduces ventilation
requirements considerably for several
reasons. First, the CO2 in the air is being
replenished and the plants function more
efficiently at a higher temperature when
CO2 is at high levels. Rather than trying to
draw in CO2 from the surrounding
atmosphere, the aim is now to stop the gas
from dispersing into it.
Growers figure out how much gas to
use by finding the number of cubic feet (ft3)
there are in the grow space (Length x Width
x Height). For instance, a closet 6 feet long,
2.5 feet wide and 8.5 feet high contains
127.5 ft3. Then they multiply that number
by .0015. In this case the figures look like
this: 127.5 x .0015 = 191 ft3.
One grower had a closet 3 feet by 3
feet by 10 feet. He figured that its area was
90 ft3. To find the amount of gas to inject he
multiplied 90 x .0015 = .135 ft3.
For each one hundred ft3 of space
about .15 ft3 of gas is required.
1 lb. CO2= 8.7 cubic feet
Small unventilated closet areas are
sometimes set up with a constant flow of
CO2 enrichment when the lights are on.
Well designed ventilated rooms are re-
enriched every time the ventilation stops.
Unventilated rooms need a full
replenishment of CO2 every one to two
A room 6 x 3 x 9 = 162 ft3. The lights
are on continuously and the air is enriched
with a steady flow of.25 ft3 of CO2 per hour.
Six feet of gas is used per day. A 20 lb.
tank holds 20 x 8.7 = 174 ft3 ÷ 6 = 29 days
of use per refill.
Growers often ventilate the hot air out
of the space to disperse heat. They found
that it does not do much for the plants to
run the CO2 enrichment system and the
ventilation system at the same time, since
the gas is drawn out. Instead, the CO2 unit
goes on after the ventilation system has
stopped and quickly re-innoculates the area
with CO2. Some high-tech garden
companies sell devices designed to
regulate the systems automatically.
CO2 is heavier than air, and when it
comes out of the tank it is being
depressurized, which makes it cold.
Subsequently, the gas sinks as it enters the
space. In gardens with little internal
ventilation the tubing is usually suspended
just over the tops of plants. In large spaces
the gas is sometimes dispersed using laser
drilled irrigation tubing or released in front
of the internal fans.
Exhaust gas emitted from a stove or
water heater is suitable for the garden. A
garden in a room with a water heater will be
enriched every time the burners light. Of
course, anytime a person works with
natural or LP gas or with fire, they must be
A CO2 tank and regulator is used to
enrich the air. CO2 laden air
increases the growth rate
Step By Step
Plants do best in indoor gardens when
they are supplied with CO2. Growers
1. An open door or curtain is often the
best solution for small spaces which
have a large surface-to-air ratio.
2. External ventilation to blow out the
used air and draw in new air. This is
usually adequate for small rooms.
3. A CO2 enrichment system. This
consists of a tank and regulator flow
meter and either a timer or other
automatic valve. This increases the
growth rate of the plants phenomenally.
4. A water heater or gas stove may
supplement the garden with CO2.
ODOR and IONS
Odors are caused by minute solids
floating in the air. Each particle has a
positive electrical charge because it is
missing an electron. This enables it to drift
as it is drawn in one direction and then
another by electrical charges.
There are several ways growers
eliminate these particles. Air filters use filter
pads and activated charcoal to cleanse the
air. More sophisticated units also use
electrostatic precipitators to remove minute
particles. These units have a negatively
charged lining which attracts any positively
charged particles passing through.
The easiest and most effective method
gardeners use to eliminate odors is using a
negative ion generator. These units are
sometimes called ion fountains or air
ionizers. Negative ion generators charge air
molecules with extra electrons, giving them
a negative charge. When negatively
charged air ions comes in contact with a
positively charged dust particle, the air
molecule gives up its electron. The
positively charged particle is neutralized
and no longer floats since it is not as
influenced by electrical charges. The
particle drops from the air (precipitates) and
falls onto the wall or floor. It no longer
creates an odor.
Negative ion generators are
inexpensive and cost very little to operate.
They solve the most daunting odor
problems. In addition, ionizers precipitate
A number of studies have shown that
the electrical charge of the air influences
behavior in animals and growth in plants.
Negatively charged air seems to be
conducive to less irritable behavior in
animals and faster growth in plants.
These units release negative ions
which precipitate solids including
Before a seed is planted or a cutting
transferred to the new garden, successful
growers make sure the space is ready. All
lights, timers, water and ventilation systems
should be working. The space should be
lined with reflective material so that all light
is directed to the growing area. Units in
which water is transported are thoroughly
tested and adjusted so that there is no
flooding and so the pumps work when they
are supposed to.
Ingredients are mixed in buckets or a
large tray. Larger amounts are more easily
mixed using a cement mixer or a shovel in
a large space. The mix is added to the
container to a level ¾-1 inch below the top.
After adding the mix, the container is
watered again so that the mix settles.
Substrates are placed in position and
CAUTION: Planting medium dust is
harmful to breathe.
Intelligent growers have
been known to moisten
all the ingredients of with
a watering can or hose
before mixing. This
prevents dust from
getting into the air. This
is extremely important
problems have been
associated with dust.
No matter what kind of system is being
used, experienced growers try a final test
run. They make sure that delivery and
drainage lines are working properly and
that the units are receiving the right
amounts of water in the right places.
Pumps and timers are carefully inspected
to make sure they are working properly. it is
much easier to repair the system before the
plants are growing.
Wall areas likely to receive light are
painted reflective white or lined with
reflective materials so that any light missing
the garden area is reflected back to it.
The ventilation fans must be working
properly. The goal is to supply a steady
stream of air to the plants without the space
Finally, the system is run for a day to
make sure that all of the components are
working in a coordinated fashion. The
outside ventilation should be regulated by a
thermostat or timer so the room stays in the
70’s during the light cycle. When the fans
go off, CO2 should be released. Automatic
irrigation systems should keep the medium
When everything is working it is time for
the grower to plant.
These trays were planted with seed
about five days ago. They will be
harvested in 100 days.
Successful growers plant marijuana
seeds about a half inch deep and then
cover them. Seeds placed in substrates are
pushed into the material so that they are
totally surrounded. Once the seeds are
planted, the medium is watered again to
help the seeds settle in place. The direction
that the seed faces is not important. Using
gravity as a means of sensing proper
direction, the seed will direct roots
downward and the stem upward.
Marijuana need not be planted in its
final container to start. Even a plant which
is destined to be a giant can be started in a
2 inch pot or block. The advantage to
starting small is that the plants do not take
up unneeded room. However, plants must
be given more room soon after germination
or they will become root bound, which
stunts the plants. Seedlings are
transplanted using the same techniques
described under cuttings.
Germination begins when moisture
seeps through the seed coat and signals
the seed to start growing. Heat regulates
the rate of germination and growth until the
seedling reaches light.
The planting medium is kept moist until
germination is complete. If the surface of
the medium tends to dry out, plastic wrap is
placed over it to retain moisture.
Seedlings have tender root systems
which are easily damaged when the
medium dries out so the medium is kept
moist at all times.
Marijuana germinates rapidly when the
planting medium is kept at an even
temperature. Room temperature, about 70
degrees, is best. When the medium is cool,
germination slows and the seeds may be
attacked by fungi or other organisms. With
high temperatures, seedlings grow thin and
spindly, especially under low light
conditions. This occurs because their
growth rate is sped up by the heat, but the
seedlings are not photosynthesizing
enough sugar for use as building material.
Once the seedling breaks ground and
comes in contact with light, it starts to
photosynthesize, thus producing its own
food for growth. When the light is dim, the
plant stretches to reach it. In the wild the
seedling is in competition with other plants
which may be shading it. By growing taller it
may be able to reach unobstructed light.
However, a stretched seedling is weaker
than one with a shorter but thicker stem
and has a tendency to fall over. Seedlings
with ample light grow squat, thick stems.
Seedlings can be started in constant bright
light of the same intensity that is to be used
for their growth cycle.
Some growers recommend that seeds
be germinated in a napkin or on a sponge
and then placed into the growing area. This
method risks damage to the seedling in
many ways; the delicate plant tissues may
be damaged by handling or moisture
problems, the seedlings are more likely to
be attacked by infections and they maybe
subject to delays in growth caused by
changes in their position in relation to
DAY 1: Germination. The cotyledon,
the first leaves of the plant open,
and start photosynthetic food
DAY 2 - 3: The first set of true leaves
DAY 3 - 5: A second set of leaves
has opened and the third and fourth
sets have opened. Vigorous growth
is about to begin.
Many growers populate their gardens
with cuttings rather than seeds. Cuttings
have several advantages over seeds.
These are discussed in Chapter 23,
Clones. Transplanting cuttings is very easy.
Cuttings which have been rooted in a
substrate such as floral foam, Jiffy rooting
cubes or rockwool are easily placed in a
larger rooting area. If the cuttings are being
transferred to another substrate, the small
block with the rooted cutting can be placed
firmly on top of the larger substrate.
Growers rub the two blocks together so that
there is firm contact between the two
materials. The roots will grow directly from
the smaller block into the larger one.
Growers report that it is also easy to
transplant substrate rooted cuttings into a
soil or soil-less medium. The cutting is not
held by the leaf or stem, because the pull of
the heavy block may injure the stem or tear
the roots. Instead, the block is held and
placed in a partially filled container. After
placing the block in the container, mix is
placed around it so that the block is totally
covered. The medium is tapped down firmly
enough so that it is well packed but not tight
When transplanting plants grown in
degradable containers such as peat pots or
Jiffy cubes, growers report best results
when the containers are cut in several
places. This assures an easy exit for the
Cuttings growing in individual
containers are transplanted before they are
root-bound. First, the rootball is knocked
from the container. To do this, growers turn
the plant upside down so that the top of the
soil is resting between the index and middle
finger of one hand with the stem of the
plant sticking through the fingers. The
container is held in the other hand and
knocked against a hard surface such as a
table. The rootball is jarred loose from the
old container and rests in the gardener’s
hand. The rootball is placed in a larger
container partially filled with mix. Then mix
is added to bring the medium to within a
half inch of the top of the pot. When plants
have a long bare stem, growers sometimes
place the plant deeply in the container,
burying part of the stem.
Paper cups are sometimes used as
containers. They are carefully opened using
a utility knife or scissors. Rootballs sticking
to styrofoam cups sometimes release if the
cup is rolled tightly between two palms
before knocking. If the rootball still sticks,
the cup is cut open.
Once the rootball is out it is placed in a
container partially filled with medium. More
medium is added packed firmly around the
rootball, until the top is covered.
Transplants sometimes take a few days
to adjust. Then their growth spurts with
Step By Step
1. Seeds are usually planted one half inch
deep and covered.
2. Growers often start seeds in small
containers. They are transplanted as
they grow. This way small plants do not
waste unused space.
3. Seeds are kept moist at 70 (degrees)
to encourage fast germination.
4. Growers transplant cuttings easily by
placing the the rootball in a partially
filled container. Then planting medium
is added until the ball is completely
Growers report that once the seeds
have sprouted, the plants begin a period of
fast growth. With good conditions plants
grow three or four sets of leaves within the
first 10 days. After that they really take off
growing both top and side branches. By the
end of the first month, a stocky plant
usually grows between one and one and a
half feet. After two months of growth plants
grow between two and three feet
depending on conditions and variety. Plants
grown using intense light and CO2 grow
Rooted cuttings in an adequate size
container grow very quickly, usually faster
than seedlings for the first few weeks.
Clones develop a stockier stem, with
shorter internodes and their branching
patterns may also be different from their
sisters grown from seed.
During vegetative growth the plants do
best when the lights are kept on
continuously. The plants do not need a
"rest period". Some growers cut the
expense of running high watt lamps 24
hours a day by turning them off for 1-6
hours. However, costs other than light;
such as rent, labor and risk remain fixed no
matter what the light cycle is set at. This
means that the garden is at maximum
efficiency on a continuous light cycle. It
actually costs growers more to grow an
ounce of bud using an 18 hour cycle rather
than a continuous one. Of course, meter
considerations may dictate a break in the
The medium is kept moist continuously.
Reservoir and wick hydroponic systems are
self regulating: the medium draws water
from the reservoir to maintain an even level
of moisture. However, the reservoirs must
be refilled periodically. Large plants use
more water than small ones, so their
reservoirs are checked more often. Once
the reservoir is filled with water-nutrient mix
added water is clear, pH adjusted and
Active hydroponic systems require
irrigation two to four times a day. Warm
gardens with large plants use more water
than cool gardens with small plants.
Reservoirs of re-circulating systems are
refilled with pH adjusted nutrient-free water
after each irrigation.
Plants growing in soil-type mixes also
must be kept moist.
Small plants in a cool space may not
need water for 4 or 5 days. Larger plants in
a warm space may require irrigation daily,
especially if they are kept in small
When watering most growers irrigate
until the containers drain. Cold water can
shock the roots and hot water can burn
them. They do best when irrigated with
lukewarm water, in the low 70’s.
Smart growers know that fertilizers are
best used as directed. The worst thing that
a gardener can do is over fertilize, since
this can cause the plants’ sudden death.
The nutrient-water solution is changed
every other week. The old water is drained
and replaced with fresh nutrient-water
solution. The system need not be rinsed.
The old water is suitable for use in the
Plant at 10 days Plant at 20 days
Plant at 30 days Plant at 40 days
The goal of the closet cultivator is to
grow plants which yield a large crop of
sinsemilla, the unfertilized female flowers of
the plant. Usually male and female flowers
grow on separate plants. By removing the
male plants from the garden, the females
remain unpollinated. Pollinated plants put
much of their energy into producing seeds,
rather than bud growth.
Unpollinated plants grow clusters of
flowers over a period of 4 to 8 weeks.
Within a few weeks the growth takes the
shape of a bud. As the buds ripen, the
clusters of flowers grow thicker and the
resin glands found on the small leaves and
branches begin to swell as they fill up with
THC. When it is ripe, the bush fluoresces
with 10,000 points of light.
When to Flower
Indoors, growers force marijuana to
flower at any time. Even seedlings will
indicate sex and produce flowers given the
Marijuana flowers in response to the
light cycle. Under natural conditions, the
plant senses oncoming autumn by
chemically measuring the uninterrupted
dark period. Indoors, when the light
regimen includes a dark period of 10-12
hours each day, the plant stops its
vegetative growth cycle and starts growing
reproductive organs, male and female
flowers, which usually occur on separate
When light hits a leaf the tissue absorbs
certain rays which it uses in
photosynthesis. Those rays are unavailable
to leaves below the top. 1000 watt HID
lights penetrate only 12-18 inches of leaves
depending on their size and quantity.
Vegetative material below this canopy
receives little light, does little
photosynthesizing and produces little
energy for the plant.
Since a tall plant produces no more
than a short one, the plants are forced to
flower when they are 8-15 inches tall. At
maturity they will stand only 18-36 inches.
When the light cycle is switched to
"short day," the plant's growth changes
from vegetative - the production of leaves
and stems, to the reproductive cycle. A few
days after the change in the light regimen,
all visible growth slows down. Then the first
Males usually indicate first. Using a
photographer’s loupe or a magnifying glass,
the immature male flowers can be
differentiated from the females. They look
like small pawnbrokers balls hanging from a
stem, or a small cluster of grapes. The
mature flowers have 5 very small white or
yellow petals and a lot of pollen.
The immature female flowers are oval,
pointed up and have avery thin hair-like
strand extending from each flower. These
strands are called pistils and when they
pick up pollen which is floating in the air,
the flower is pollinated.
As soon as any male plants indicate
sex, before the flowers open, growers
remove them from the garden. This
prevents the females from being fertilized.
Vegetative growth has stopped and
several pistils have grown.
The tops of each branch are
beginning to erupt with the simple
Masses of pistils stretch from the
branches seeking pollen. It is
apparent that the plant is putting all
its energy into flower production.
The resin glands are beginning to fill
up and are beginning to fill with
The flowers are very dense and new
growth is making the bud tight and
heavy. The buds diameter is
increasing daily. There are resin
glands covering the entire flower
area. They have filled enough to
glow under a bright light.
The entire area is covered with
glands. There is just a little new
growth. The pistils are beginning to
dry up and change color from white
to orange, red, or purple shades. The
resin glands are swelling.
Virtually all of the pistils have dried.
The glands are swollen with THC
and have an iridescence under a
Each flower has swollen with a seed.
The pistils seem to be withdrawing
into the seed pods. The pods are
covered with glands swollen with
THC. The bracts are beginning to
open, revealing mature seeds.
Here are the stages of flower growth.
1. Slowdown then stop of vegetative
growth. 4-10 days after beginning
forcing. Lasts up to a week.
2. Appearance of first flowers. 10 days to
15 days after beginning forcing.
3. Massive growth of flowers at the
budding sites. Continuing after the first
appearance of flowers for 30 to 40
days. During this time the buds develop
and take shape. Starting with a few
flowers, layer after layer of flowers is
grown until the bud sites are merged
together into one large cola.
4. Maturation. Eventually the pistils start
to turn color from pale white to red or
brown At the same time the flowers
close up, forming false seed pods. The
small glands on the flowers now start to
grow. These are called stalked capitate
glands and are composed of a tiny
stalk supporting a thin clear membrane.
As THC is produced near the site, the
membrane swells with the potent liquid.
The membrane stretches and the gland
takes on the appearance of a
mushroom. When the glands have
swelled and the pistil has receded into
the false pod, the bud is ready to pick.
At the point of maturity, the cola almost
glows. This is caused by light hitting the tiny
glands filled with THC. The bud looks like a
flower which has jewels scattered all over.
The number of days from onset of
flowering to maturity varies depending on
variety and the length of the dark period.
The shorter the dark period, the faster the
flowers mature. However, when the flowers
are brought to maturity faster, they are
smaller than when they are given more time
to mature. For instance, a bud under a
regimen of 12 hours of darkness may take
6 weeks to mature. The same bud, kept
under a 14 hour darkness regimen may
take only five weeks to mature but may
weigh 15% less than the longer maturing
Some growers start the flowering cycle
at 10-12 hours of darkness. After 4 weeks
they turn up the dark part of the cycle to 14-
16 hours of darkness and the buds quickly
Sometimes parts of the bud are mature
but new growth is continuing. Most growers
pick when the rate of this growth slows.
However, the mature parts of the bud can
be removed using a small pair of scissors.
Some varieties respond to pruning by
continuing to produce new growth.
A few varieties including Thai and other
South East Asian plants are natural
hermaphrodites which produce flowers
intermittently under a 12 hour regimen.
They have adapted to the latitude in
Thailand which is close to the Equator and
does not have much seasonal variation of
daylight hours. Colombian varieties have
also adapted to low latitude conditions by
prolonging flowering a bit, until it catches up
with a chronological schedule.
Some growers point out that a few buds
are easily dried by placing them in a loosely
folded brown paper bag at room
temperature. Larger amounts are hung or
placed on trays in a dark area such as a
closet. The buds need some air circulation
and have a relatively high humidity, so that
they dry fairly slowly. It is reported that bud
dried for 2-5 days smokes much smoother
than it does when it is dried quickly. The
reason is that after picking the buds are still
alive and some of the chlorophyll and
starch is used by the dying cells.
Some growers use a microwave or
oven to dry the buds. Microwaves do not
hurt the THC, but marijuana dried this way
has a harsh taste as compared to the slow
dried. Growers microwave by placing a wet
bud in the oven for 30 second periods until
it is smokeable. After seeing how long the
sample takes to dry, the grower sets the
timer for a minute less than the total time
used on the sample so the grass does not
Oven drying is riskier. If the
temperature is too warm, the THC
evaporates and is totally lost, so the oven is
kept at a low temperature, and should not
go above 150 degrees. Hemp kept in the
oven too long comes out crisp and stale.
Electric dehydrators are safe to use, but
once again, the hemp is dried very quickly
and has a harsher, green taste, than when
it is dried over a longer period of time.
Cannabis connoisseurs do not recommend
solar dehydrators. Sunlight reduces the
potency of drying buds.
Buds drying on a line.
Nearly everyone has taken a cutting
from a house plant and placed it in water.
Within a short time roots grew and the new
plant was ready to be placed in a container
with medium. The new plant had the same
genetic make-up of its clone mother. The
new plant’s growth, flowers, and reactions
to environment were exactly the same as
the plant from which it was taken.
The genetic make-up, and therefore the
characteristics of a plant started from seed
cannot be determined until the plant is
grown. Although the lineage of the plant
may provide a fair amount of information,
there is no way of pre-determining its exact
qualities. There are literally billions of
possible combinations of genes that the two
parents can supply. No two plants from
seed are likely to be identical.
There are many advantages to growing
genetically identical plants. Here are some
which growers have brought to my
1. The plants have uniform growth
characteristics so the garden is easier
to maintain. Each plant grows to the
same size, has approximately the
same yield and matures at the same
time as its sisters. Starting from seeds,
plants of the same variety exhibit subtle
differences in growth patterns.
2. Buds from clone sisters will be of the
same potency and taste the same.
3. There will be no males in the garden.
Since all clones from a single "clone
mother" have the same genetic make-
up, clones from a female plant can be
only female. Usually about half of the
plants from seeds turn out to be male.
Using clones saves valuable garden
space which would have been used to
4. Clones seem to exhibit shorter
internode length (distance between the
leaves) which means that the garden
has shorter, stouter plants.
5. The exact genetic make-up of a
particular plant is easily preserved.
This means that the characteristics of a
super-plant or other novel specimen
can be continued.
There are also disadvantages to growing
1. All of the plants from a single clone
mother yield the same product. There
is no variation. Gardeners growing for
personal consumption often wish to
grow several different varieties.
2. There is no genetic progression. Since
no breeding is taking place, the genetic
line remains static. There are no
surprises and no new finds. Using
clones, there is no way of genetically
adapting a line to a particular
HOW CLONES ARE MADE
Cuttings are taken from soft green
tissue because the drier, woody sections of
the plant do not root as easily. Sections
taken are 2-5 inches long with several sets
of leaves. The cut is made with a very
sharp blade which makes a clean, straight
cut, rather than a scissor which pinches
and injures the tissue. As the cuttings are
made they are placed in a bowl filled with
lukewarm water to prevent them from
Once all the cuttings are taken, they are
trimmed of their lower leaves, leaving only
one or two sets plus the growing tip. This
helps to prevent the cutting from being
water stressed. If the leaves were left on
the cutting, they would create water
demands that the stem end, with a limited
draw, cannot meet. Any large fan leaves
are also removed for the same reason.
Next, the rooting solution is prepared.
Liquid type rooting compounds are the best
to use because the active ingredients are in
solution and are guaranteed to come in
contact with the stem. Powders are often
scraped off as the cutting is set in place,
and drop off when placed in water. Some
popular rooting solutions which work well
, Klone Concentratetm
. The solution is
used as directed for woody plants.
The trimmed cuttings are placed either
in water or a rooting medium such as
vermiculite, rockwool or floral foam which
has been watered with one quarter strength
flowering formula fertilizer solution. At least
¾ inch of stem is inserted in the rooting
medium which is patted down to make sure
that the stem is in direct contact with it.
The cuttings growers make are placed
in an area of high humidity to limit water
stress. Growers often construct a "mini-
greenhouse" using plastic wrap placed over
the rooting chamber. Some trays come with
clear plastic covers to retain moisture. The
cover is removed when the plants develop
roots. A fine mist spray helps relieve water
stress. The clones respond best to a
moderate rather than a bright light. Some
gardeners light the clone garden using 2
tubes for an area 4 x 2 feet, 10 watts per
square foot. Clones being rooted in water
do best when the water is changed
frequently and aerated using a small pump
and an aquarium bubbler. Rooting blocks or
medium must be kept well saturated.
The temperature of the medium affects
the rooting time of the clones. Cuttings root
fastest when the temperature is kept in the
low to mid 70’s. At lower temperatures the
cuttings take longer to root and are more
likely to suffer from infections. Growers
report the easiest way to keep the cuttings
warm is to use a heating cable or heating
mat made especially for germinating and
rooting plants. These are available at most
plant nurseries and are very inexpensive.
Given good conditions, cuttings usually
root in one to two weeks. Some varieties
are easier to root than others. For instance
Big Bud, is notoriously difficult to root.
Skunk and Northern lights are much easier
Every gardener faces some problems
with the garden at one time or another.
Environmental problems, insects and
diseases can create havoc among the
plants and often leave the grower stumped.
The best way gardeners have
prevented problems has been to carefully
examine the garden at least once a week.
First a gardener looks at the entire space.
Do the plants look healthy and vigorous? Is
their color normal and bright? Then the
grower examines a few plants closeup. Do
they look healthy? Have they grown since
the last examination? Do the leaves or any
other plant parts show signs of nutrient
problems? Taking a photographer’s x 4 or x
8 loupe, available at camera stores, the
cultivator looks at the leaves of several
plants. He asks, "Are there any
abnormalities? Any insects or eggs on the
The most common problems with plants
are not pests. They are over watering,
under watering and over-fertilization.
When the medium is waterlogged the
roots cannot obtain enough oxygen. At the
same time, anaerobic bacteria, which are
active in oxygen free environments, attack
the roots and produce ammonia. Plant
leaves may curl under from lack of oxygen.
Waterlogged medium is not usually a
problem for hydroponic gardeners but may
occur in a some planting mixes. One
solution is to water the plant less.
Roots have a harder time drawing water
as the medium dries. During the light hours,
the need for water is especially acute. If the
roots have no moisture; first the bottom
leaves and then the entire plant starts to
wilt. Water must be added before the
leaves die, which can be only a matter of
hours. The old myth that water stressing
the plant increases potency is not relevant
to indoor cultivation.
Slight chronic over fertilizing can cause
the leaves to curl either upward or
underneath. Heavy over fertilizing can
cause the plant to wilt in a matter of
minutes. When the soil medium has a
higher concentration of salts (nutrients)
than the plant, it draws water from the
plant. The only solution growers reported to
this problem is to get rid of the excess
nutrient by rinsing it out. Once the plant
starts to wilt, a few minutes may mean life
The best way to deal with pests is to
prevent them from infecting the garden. A
smart gardener never goes to the indoor
garden after being in the yard or around
outdoor plants. S/he may inadvertently
carry in pests. While they are kept in check
naturally outdoors, they have a field day
indoors in a much less hostile environment.
Healthy plants should be kept away from
infected plants and should not be handled
after handling infected ones. The pests
most likely to infect an indoor garden are
mites, white flies and aphids.
Mites are not insects but arachnids,
related to spiders. They are very small and
look like small brown, red or black dots on
the undersides of leaves. A blemish can be
seen on the top side of the leaf where they
have been sucking. The infection may not
be noticed until after there are 10-50 of
these on a leaf. Using a magnifier they will
be noticed walking around on their eight
legs when they are not sucking the plant
dry. Mites thrive in a dry environment. High
humidity and low temperatures slow them
There are two major problems with
mites. First, they breed very quickly every
8-14 days and they like large families.
Secondly, they are hard to control. Before
budding a soap dip or the homemade bug
killer will knock down the population. Then
pyrethrum and soap sprays will keep it low.
Growers realize that the idea is not to
expect to eliminate them, but to keep the
population down so that it does little
damage to the crop. Once established; mite
predators, which are other mites which feed
on their cousins, keep the population totally
under control it may take several
introductions to get them started There are
several different species of predator mites,
each does best at a slightly different
temperature range. Some growers
introduce mixed populations, others just
Aphids are oval looking insects about
1/16 of an inch long that come in a rainbow
of colors including white, green, red brown
and black. They are soft skinned and are
often farmed by ants which squeeze them
for their "honeydew" which is a sugar
concentrate. Aphids suck on plants looking
for protein. The excess sugars are exuded
onto plants and these areas become hot
spots for fungal and other infections.
Aphids breed very quickly, and like warm,
dry climates. They are very susceptible to
pyrethrum and dry up from soap sprays.
The home made spray a grower developed
works wonders against them.
Whiteflies look just like a housefly
except they are only about 1/5-1/10 the size
and are all white. They fly around the plants
when they are disturbed. Whiteflies are
susceptible to pyrethrum, but the best
control is with Trichogamma wasps, which
get them under control in just a few weeks.
Trichogamma wasps are about ¼ the
size of a white fly and are harmless to
humans and pests but not to whiteflies.
They parasitize the larger whitefly egg,
laying their egg inside it. Once released
they fly around and live in the garden but
are rarely seen. Until wasps are introduced
the aphid population is kept in check using
pyrethrum sprays. The wasps are
susceptible to sprays so growers do not
spray for several days before release.
In the past few years there have been
giant strides made in the development of
safe pesticides for indoor use. A few
companies produce safe insecticides in
aerosol form which release a measured
spray periodically. The aerosols use
environmentally safe propellants.
Concerned growers never use
pesticides which are recommended only for
ornamentals. What this really means is that
it is NOT RECOMMENDED for food crops.
The best pesticides to use are natural ones
which have a short life, or simple non-toxic
ones which often act by physical or simple
chemical rather than biological means.
Some growers have found a few safe
pesticides which are available at plant and
grow stores. They said they helped to
eliminate pest problems.
1. Pyrethrum based insecticides and
miticides. Pyrethrum is a broad
spectrum insecticide produced by the
pyrethrum, a flower closely related to
the chrysanthemum. It is toxic to cold-
blooded animals including fish. Insects
and mites are all susceptible. It seems
to have no effects on warm-blooded
animals and once it is used it quickly
loses its activity. Pyrethrum based
insecticides usually state that they can
be safely used up to the time of
2. Soap based insecticides and miticides
use the ingredients in soap to
physically dry out and incapacitate the
pests. These sprays usually come in
trigger type bottles. After using, the
soap residue dries. Then it can be
rinsed off the plant, Liquid soaps found
in the supermarket such as Ivorytm
Eucalyptus can also be used. They are
usually diluted at the rate of ½
teaspoon per quart of water.
3. Biological controls. Some pests have
natural predators which keep them
under control. Predatory mites keep
mites under control. Whiteflies are
easily controlled using the
trichogamma wasp, which lays its egg
in the fly egg. These wasps are very
tiny, do not bite or sting and are non-
social, they do not have nests. Once
they are released, they are hard to find
because they are so small. But they do
a great job and are the best control for
4. A grower’s homemade spray which he
said works well has the following
1 quart water
3 ounces strong onion, peeled
2 ounces fresh garlic
2 tobacco cigarettes (remove
1/8 teaspoon dish washing
4 ounces denatured alcohol
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 Teaspoon Dr. Bronners
The onion, garlic tobacco and water
are mixed in a blender until liquefied.
Then the mash is cooked until
simmering. It is cooled to luke warm.
Then the soap, detergent, alcohol and
buttermilk are added. The liquid is
poured through a fine mesh strainer.
The plants are sprayed or dipped. Most
of the pests hang around the underside
of the leaves. Special care is taken to
reach these sections. The spray is
used every two or three days. Keep
out of the reach of children and pets
as the nicotine leached from the
tobacco is highly toxic.