Grow Your First

THE STONER MOM’S GUIDE

TO A SAFE AND PLENTIFUL GROW
Table of Contents

Introduction 3

I. Flowers in the Attic | Setting up your Grow Space 5

II. You put the Lime in the Coconut | Starting in Coco Coir 7

III. Got that Sunshine in my Pocket | Lights + Lighting Schedule 8

IV. Bringing up Baby | Seeds + Clones 13

V. Kiss from a Rose | The Basics Behind Nutrients 16

VI. You Don’t Bring me Flowers | Supplies Worth Having 19

VII. Flies in the Vaseline | Bugs 23

VIII. Reap what you Sow | It’s Harvest Time 26

IX. Final Thoughts from | The Stoner Mom & David 30

X. Shopping List 31

Botanicare Feeding Schedule 32

XI. Plan Your Grow 33

XII. Weekly Guided Grow Plan 34

Glossary 48

Printable Feeding Schedule 50

2
Introduction

For the dedicated cannabis enthusiast, there comes a point - usually when your
monthly weed bill exceeds $300, when you ask yourself, can’t I just grow this stuff
myself?!

We got to that point long ago. When my husband David decided that, yes he can
grow it himself, he dove into researching the right way to go about it. On the Internet
of course, and that’s when he ran into trouble.

The Internet has contributed to a paralysis of choice in all subjects, and researching
how to grow cannabis is no different. There is no shortage of books, guides, forums,
threads, subreddits, Facebook pages and private groups dedicated to discussing at
home cannabis cultivation, each with it’s own culture and etiquette.
David spent many nights reading as
much as he could, obsessively making
shopping lists only to toss them and
begin again, based on a new online
forum he had discovered. Unfortunately,
he found again and again that the groups
he was joining inevitably had a toxic
and unsupportive culture.

Share a picture of a plant you were

particularly proud of, and the internet
would find fault with it. Either something is wrong with your lighting, or you’re using
the wrong nutrients, or maybe you should just throw the plants away and start over
completely. The criticism outweighed the encouragement, making it extremely difficult
to absorb any authentic advice.

The real education began when David got off the Internet and just started growing.
Instead of being paralyzed with fear over deciding how to start, he just put seeds in
soil and grew his first small cannabis plant, easy peasy.

That is the inspiration behind this guide. The cannabis world can be very preachy,
something we like to avoid at all costs. Add to that social media’s extremely lax
etiquette, and you get a lot of people who just don’t understand that it’s rude to
be publicly sharing their unsupportive opinion. We wrote this book to serve as a
comprehensive reference guide in addition to a source of positive support and
inspiration.
3
Why We Grow Our Own Medication
Whatever stigmas you have attached to people who grow cannabis, prepare to
throw them out the door. We believe every individual has a right to safe and regular
access to cannabis and have found few things as empowering as cultivating our
own medicine.

• Ultimate control of our cannabis supply, from the specific strains, to the quantity
grown.

• The benefit of knowing exactly what is in our medication - organic materials and
no pesticides means healthier medicine.

• Cost effective - we make up our startup cost every time we have another
successful harvest. Less trips to the dispensary means less money spent,
less time in the car, less gas used, less impulse buys.

• A hobby that brings endless gratitude and closeness in our marriage.

How This Guide Works

There are many methods of growing cannabis. This guide does not cover them.
Instead, this guide explains in detail our exact method, the one that has worked
many times over, in our own home.

It is our intention to share with you our exact method of growing cannabis, so it can
be replicated by you. As your knowledge and confidence expands, you can try your
hand at different methods.

This guide is organized into two parts. In part one we lay the foundation by giving
you all the necessary information to get your grow up and running. The second
part is divided into weekly sections for all stages of your grow. You will find a
complete supplies list and a weekly grow advice as well as blank pages to plan your
grow and keep notes.

Nurturing plants from seed to harvest is something that humans excel at. We’ve
done it for eons and we’ve developed all sorts of methods to achieve the desired
end product. With enough effort you will succeed in growing your own cannabis,
and you’ll join the hundreds of others who cultivate their own medication, in the
comfort and safety of their own home.

Wishing you the greatest success in your cannabis cultivation journey!

Kathryn + David

4
I. Flowers in the Attic
Setting up your Grow Space

There are a few things to consider when planning out your grow space, and
everyone’s needs are different. Consider these tips and guidelines, but always defer
to what is correct for your situation.

Space + Location

When choosing your grow space, consider how many plants you are growing and
the space they will need to grow. Factor these in to your space.

• Ample space for plants

• Easy access to all plants
• Lightproof

The basement is an obvious first choice for many homeowners, but any cool, dark
space can be made suitable.

Grow Tents

It is our opinion that the grow tent is the easiest

spot for a cannabis grow. A grow tent is a light
proof box that provides the perfect environment
for your plants, all self-contained. They have
venting holes for vent ducting to run through,
removing stale air and bringing in new air for your
plants.

Grow tents come with various zipper access points

so you can access your plants with ease. You will
need to be able to water your plants so having
ample space to do this is ideal. We know we are all
not blessed with tons of space so we recommend
sacrificing more plants for more space to tend to
them. Don’t worry, there are ways to maximize
your yields with less plants, which we will get to in
later grow guides.

5
Grow tents have a frame sturdy enough to hang lights and fans, and have many
access areas so you can get to your plants from multiple sides. They come in a
variety of sizes from 2’ x 2’ tents to monster 20’ x 20’ tents and up. Grow tents are
also lined with reflective material to maximize your light source.

Grow tents are excellent for maintaining a secure grow area in a family home. If your
grow cannot be in a locked room and you have children in the home we strongly
encourage you to invest in a grow tent that you can secure. Grow tents are
excellent for maintaining a secure grow area in a family home.

If you decide to forgo a grow tent, you will need to lightproof the area you intend to
grow in, meaning you will need to block any windows or natural light.

Conversely, you will also need to make the area reflective to maximize your light
distribution when the lights are on. Sheets of mylar, available at any hardware store,
are an excellent reflective source. Bright white walls can also achieve adequate
reflection.

Venting

Venting air is also important in your grow. Now this is where things can get a little
tricky. If you decide to do a big indoor grow with many plants in a room, you will
need to run ducting to vent outside of your home. The grow tent method is great for
venting as you just vent the air from inside the tent to the outside of the tent in the
same room.

In order to keep a fresh supply of new air in your tent, you will need a vent fan.
These can be found at any grow shop and come in a wide range of prices and
sizes. The most common exhaust fan size for a 4’x4’ tent is 6”. These fans can be
suspended by the poles included in your grow tent. You should also obtain a can
filter for the end of the fan as well as the right size ducting to carry the air outside of
the tent.

The can filter is not necessary but is good for helping to eliminate the smell of
cannabis when your plants are in flower. Most can filters require a fabric sleeve that
fits around them. The purpose of the sleeve is to filter the air as it is sucked through
the exhaust fan and sent outside of the tent. This sleeve will get dirty as time goes
on and will need to be replaced eventually.

Security

Finally, make sure wherever you grow, be it a room, closet, garage or wherever,
that you have a door with a lock on it to gain access to your grow room. We have a
grow room with two tents in it and a door with a lock on it to get into the room. The
main purpose here is to keep kiddos out of the grow room.

6
II. You put the Lime in the Coconut
Starting in Coco Coir

Coco coir is a completely sustainable, natural

byproduct of coconut husks. It is used in hundreds of
products, from mattresses to rugs, and is a popular
and effective soil amendment. After several grow
cycles using both soil and hydroponic methods, we
have finally settled on coco coir as the perfect medium
for growing cannabis at home.

Coconut Coir retains a lot of water, up to ten times

its own weight, keeping your plant’s roots from
dehydrating. Unlike soil, it has almost no nutrients
at all, and so the grower must feed the plants with
nutrient rich water.

This medium is also close to “insect neutral” meaning

unlike a soil grow, you won’t have to deal with bugs
(at least not as many). This is one of our biggest reasons for recommending
using coco coir for first time growers. Bugs and soil go hand in hand, and many
promising first time grows have been ruined by spider mites or worse. Growing in
coco coir lessens this problem, allowing the grower to focus on the buds and not
the bugs. Commercial coco coir is typically steamed thus eliminating bugs from the
medium prior to bagging.
In a cannabis grow, coco coir acts like a giant sponge, heavy with nutrient rich
water, for your plants to sit in. Instead of relying on the nutrients from feedings and
the inherent nutrients in soil, you feed the plant nutrient rich water every feeding.

In the veg stage your plants will need to be watered every 2-3 days. You’ll be
checking on the coco to make sure it isn’t drying out. As the plants move into the
flower stage, they will transition into daily feedings.

We really cannot recommend this medium enough and it’s the basis of our whole
growing technique. Due to the water retention from the coco and the nutrient-rich
feedings your plants will get, you greatly increase the odds of large plants with big
colas, all with a much smaller chance of bugs in your grow.

We recommend trying Botanicare’s Cocogro® coco fiber. You can find this online or
visit your local grow store to pick up a bag or two.
7
III. Got that Sunshine in my Pocket
Lights + Lighting Schedule

In this guide, all lights are created equal. We use LED lights in our home grow, but
there are many options out there for the home grower. We encourage you to use
what you like and can afford, and to remember that growers can get pretty creative
in this department.

Light Options

LED Lights

LED stands for light emitting diode. LED lights are available in all colors of the
light spectrum, including full spectrum. Cannabis plants in the vegetative stage
respond to blue light (mimicking spring), while in the flower stage they prefer red
light (mimicking summer). Some LED lights allow you to physically flip a switch to
“flower” or “vegetative”. We use full spectrum LED lights in our grow, which covers
all of our plant’s needs.

LED lights are well known for using less energy

than standard HID (high intensity discharge)
lighting. Our 90 watt LED lights have an output
comparable to a 300 watt bulb. We also use 300
watt lights that are equivalent to 1000 watts.
LEDs do not get hot like normal metal halide
bulbs so they don’t require additional cooling
like air conditioning and fans. Some LED lights
even have built-in fans to keep things cool.

Since LED lights come in a wide array of power

options, determining the exact wattage output
of LED lights can be tricky. However, your lights
should have some information about how many
lumens they produce. Lumens are a measure
of the total quantity of visible light emitted by a source. This is the true output of light
your LEDs give off. To determine how many LEDs needed in a given space, use the
following formula.
8
Here is a formula to determine how many lumens per
square foot you need:

TOTAL
= SQUARE
DEPTH

FOOTAGE

X WIDTH

LUMENS
minimum mid optimal

2000 5000 7500

Wattage can be hard to determine, especially with CFL and LED lights. Look at the
lumens on your lights so you know how many lumens your lights give off. Take the
amount of lumens your light(s) output and divide that by your square footage to get the
amount of lumens per square feet.

Example: Say your space is 3 feet deep by 4 feet wide, this equals 12 square
feet. The total lumens available from your light(s) is 45000 lumens.
45000/12 = 3750 lumens per square foot.

We typically use one 300 watt array and two 90 watt in our veg tent. For flower we
have two 300 watt arrays and four 90 watt setups. This covers 4-6 plants at a time.

9
Bulb Lighting
Metal Halide

Traditional lighting growers use bulbs in their setups. In the veg state they use a
metal halide bulb and typically switch to a HPS (high pressure sodium) bulb for
flower. Metal Halide bulbs produce amazing yields but there is a lot more heat
to deal with, as well as a much larger hit on your energy bill. Oscillating fans or
portable air conditioners can help keep a grow room cool.

Metal halide bulbs require a device called a ballast. This device allows you to control
the wattage running to your bulb. You can dial the intensity back in veg and slowly
amp it up as your plants grow.

CFL & Fluorescent

CFL bulbs and fluorescent lights are another popular option. Both are inexpensive
and don’t give off a lot of heat. CFL bulbs give off minimal light, so you will need
several if you go this route. Fortunately you can stick these pretty close to the plant
without fear of burning.

Fluorescent lights are great for veg when you are trying to simulate spring and
things are a little more mellow in the tent. The flower stage however, requires more
light and more bulbs to really get things going.

Lighting may take a lot of experimenting to really feel confident with your setup. We
are in the minority with our LED lights, but David has become very familiar with them
and they work very well for us. Try not to overthink it, just give your plants some
light and they will love you for it.

10
Light Schedule
Unfortunately, you can’t just turn your lights on and leave them on. There is an
important lighting schedule to follow. You are trying to mimic the patterns of sunrise
and sunset and the changing seasons.
 
The first stage of plant growth is called vegetative. In this state your lights should be
on for 18 hours a day and off for 6. Some growers leave their lights on for 24 hours
during the veg process. David doesn’t do that because when he looks outside in
the spring, the sun isn’t out for 24 hours a day. We try not to stress out our beloved
plants by pouring light over them during their growth. They need a break just like us.

Cannabis plants will need to be in the vegetative state until they are about 2’ high
(around 6 weeks or less). Then they can enter the flower cycle. Once in the flower
stage, change your light schedule to 12 hours on and 12 hours off.

The purpose of the flower stage is to trigger the plants to start to produce their
buds. The light change mimics the end of summer when the days are shorter and
tells your beautiful plants to start flowering. You will see dramatic growth during this
time. When you switch your lights to the flower cycle, your plants may double in
height. This is why you don’t want to veg your plants too long as you could run out
of room in your tent fairly quickly.

Vegging the plant for too long will also cause undo stress on them and could cause
sickness or even force them to turn hermaphrodite (producing seed laden flower).

11
 Vegetative State Lighting

The vegetative state

lasts approximately 3 - 4 8 HO
U
weeks. During this time

RS
your plants will expect

OF
the sunlight to follow

F
spring like conditions.

ON S
Simulated spring sunlight

UR
hours are created by HO
16
leaving your lights on for
16 hours per grow day.

Flowering State Lighting

To start flowering, set

your lights to a 12 hours
on 12 hours off schedule.
This will simulate the
12
H O U RS O N

conditions of the end of

H
OURS OF

summer. Days are now

growing shorter and this
12

will signal your plants

F

to start producing buds

so they can fulfill their
genetic destiny!

12
IV. Bringing up Baby
Seeds + Clones

Enough with the gear, can we please get on with the plant? When you are ready
to start your cannabis grow you will need to decide how to start. You have two
options, start from seeds, or start from a clone.

Clones

We recommend first time growers start with clones. Clones are part of a cannabis
plant that have been cut away and cultivated in a growing medium to the point
where they now have roots and are ready to go into soil. Typically they are in a
material called rock wool which helps to retain water and keep the roots moist.

Clones are sometimes available to purchase from dispensaries. Other home

growers are also a great source for clones. You can also make your own clone from
any cannabis plant, but we will get into that a little later.

Clones are extremely fragile. Think of them as delicate babies that can be shocked
into death, you must nurture them very gently to get them on a path to healthy
growing. We caution you to not simply plant the clone in your coco mix when you
get it home. Use a gentle approach to ensure a healthy transition for your baby.

Bringing Home Your New Baby

The first thing you will want to do is place your clone under a light source. It doesn’t
have to be a powerful one, but it should be a little stronger than a single light bulb
or CFL. We use a low wattage LED light for our clones, but you can get really
creative here. Just make sure whatever your light source that it is not right on top of
the plant and not too hot.

The light should be on for 24 hours at first. We recommend taking a small cup and
filling it with coco coir. Plant your clone, rock wool and all, into the coco and make
sure to cover the rock wool completely. Now, give it a good water, but don’t over-
water the plant. There is no drainage in a cup so you don’t need to go crazy, just
make sure the coco is moist and leave it under the light for a week or longer. Check
your clone daily to make sure the coco is moist and the plant is doing well. If your
plant starts to look droopy, check to make sure it isn’t over or under watered.
13
Transitioning Your Toddler to the Grow Space

If your plant is starting to show signs of growth, it is time to transition it into the
grow area. Transplant your clone to a 5 gallon container of your choice. Make sure
you plant the clone in the coco coir and cover the rock wool (or whatever your
starting medium) completely. Give your plant’s new home a good water until you
see drainage on the bottom of the container.

You will want the transplanted clone to not have too much light. In our case we
use one 90 watt LED light for a single plant or one 300 watt LED for up to 4 plants,
raised up high.

Once transplanted you can introduce nutrients to your feeding schedule. When
starting out, use half the nutrients in your feeding schedule. After a couple of weeks
start to increase the nutrients until you are at full strength. You will also want your
light to be up high and slowly lowered over two weeks. The light should ultimately
be around a foot above your plants. The light cycle should be set for 16 hours on
and 8 hours off, the schedule for the veg cycle.

Seeds
The other option for beginning your cannabis grow is to start from seed. Because
you can find cannabis seeds online, seeds are often easier than clones to get a hold
of if you have no source of cannabis clones.

For first time growers we recommend

starting with feminized seeds. Male
cannabis plants do not produce flower
and are typically used for creating new
strains and more seeds. Obviously the
point of all of this is to grow flower,
so female plants are a necessity.

With standard mixed bag seeds, you

are not guaranteed a female, and so
one should plant more than one seed
to improve the chances of having at
least one female. Feminized seeds are predisposed to be female about 95% of
the time and are worth the investment since you chance of success is so much higher.

14
Finding Cannabis Seeds

Your local growing community is often a great source for trading and obtaining
cannabis seeds. You can find groups of like minded growers on all sorts of social
media, like Facebook and Instagram.

In legal states you may also find seeds for sale at cannabis dispensaries. If you have
a dispensary you love to frequent, ask your bud tender or grower if you can have
any seeds from their grow.

For more isolated cannabis enthusiasts, the Internet is often the only choice for
obtaining seeds. Almost all online sources are overseas. While you may be tempted
by low prices of a strain you are looking for, make sure the supplier is reputable
and has positive reviews of their seeds. You don’t want to spend a lot of money for
seeds that are duds, or worse, receive no seeds at all.

How to tell if a Seed is a Dud

Speaking of duds... here is the foolproof way to tell when you have one. You will
want to find the seeds that are dark in color and not brittle. Simply put one under
your thumb and apply pressure. If it cracks open with a little pressure, it is a dud.
Avoid light colored seeds - the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice. Seeds
should be dark in color and should not break under your thumb. That’s the test!

Getting Started with Seeds

To get things started we recommend simply dropping your seeds in a cup of water
and leaving them there for a couple of days. After 2-3 days you should see that
the seed has opened and sprouted. If it has been over a week and a half with no
change, the seed is probably a dud.

Take your little seed sprout and transplant it into a growing medium. We use
compressed peat moss plugs (also called rapid rooters). Tear out a small piece
of peat moss, place your seed in the space and cover up the hole.

Next, place the plug in a growing tray with a little reservoir under it filled with water.
The plug will sit about an inch above the water. Water the plug daily and
soon the sprout will emerge from
the top and roots will start to
grow from the bottom. Cover with
the dome that comes with your
growing tray to keep things humid
and change the water weekly.

15
V. Kiss from a Rose
The Basics Behind Nutrients

Nutrients are a non-negotiable for our grow method. Since coco coir has no
nutrients, you will need to add them during feeding to support your plants during
their growth cycle. In a coco coir grow you will want to use nutrients formulated for
a hydroponic grow. Botanicare makes several lines of nutrients for hydro grows and
yes, coco coir is considered a hydroponic method.

Deciphering Nutrient Labels

Nutrients come with a number formula on the front of the bottle. For instance,
you may see 2-1-6 this is the N-P-K number or nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium.
Plants need different ratios of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium depending on
what stage of growth they are in.

In vegetative stage your plants need higher levels of nitrogen [N] for growth.
Nitrogen is essential in creating chlorophyll and vital to photosynthesis. Starting out,
your plants need all the support they can get and higher levels of nitrogen is key.

In the flower stage, plants need more phosphorus [P]. Phosphorus aids in root
growth for your plants. It also helps germinate seedlings. Blooming can’t happen
without it.

Lastly, your plants need potassium [K - from the latin word Kalium]. Used
throughout the grow cycle, potassium stimulates early growth, helps your plants
resist disease and improves water efficiency. Boosting potassium in flowering will
help your plants resist potential diseases they become susceptible to late in the
growth cycle.

For your coco grow We recommend using Botanicare’s Pure Blend® Pro series.
We use the Pure Blend® Pro Grow, Pure Blend® Pro Bloom, Cal-Mag® Plus,
pH up and pH down. There are many other supplements you can add to enhance
flavor and aroma. Check out the entire Botanicare line at www.botanicare.com for
more information on their line of nutrients.

16
Once you are ready to mix your nutrients for feeding, make sure to follow the
nutrient feeding and mixing instructions for your nutrients. The ratios will change
depending on which stage of growth your plants are in. We have included the
recommended feeding schedule in the back of this guide for the Botanicare series.
Don’t feel as if you need to invest in every nutrient on the feed schedule. To start off
you only need Pure Blend Grow, Pure Blend Bloom and Cal-Mag. Supplements can
be added to future grows after you conquer the basics.

Mixing Nutrients

So what is ph? It is a measure of acidity or alkalinity of water soluble substances

(pH stands for ‘potential of Hydrogen’). A pH value is a number from 1 to 11, with 7
as the middle (neutral) point. Values below 7 indicate acidity which increases as the
number decreases, 1 being the most acidic.

The ph levels of your nutrient/water mix are important. Anything about 7.5 and your
roots are unable to absorb vital minerals (like iron, zinc, copper and manganese).
When the levels are below 6, the roots are not able to absorb phosphoric acid,
magnesium and calcium. You will need to use a ph meter to check the ph levels of
your water. Your nutrient feeding chart will tell you what ph range you are aiming for.
To adjust your ph levels, use the ph up and ph down solutions.

Mixing the nutrients may seem daunting at first. You will feel somewhat like a mad
scientist mixing colorful (and fragrant) fluids in water. Get a few 5 gallon buckets
for this task. We collect water out of the faucet and leave it sitting out for a couple
of days so the chlorine evaporates from the water. If you would like to premix your
water so you don’t have to fill up a new bucket when you are out, feel free to do so.

17
In addition to the 5 gallon bucket, add a smaller 3 gallon mixing bucket. We typically
have between 4 and 6 plants going on at once so a 3 gallon bucket for watering is
perfect for us. Pour the water from the 5 gallon bucket into the 3 gallon and begin
adding nutrients to the water for feeding.

Pour your nutrients into a measuring vessel of some sort. Pick up a measuring glass
from your gardening center. It resembles a shot glass with all sorts of markings on
the sides for different forms of measurement. Just do the math and measure out the
nutrients. Typically nutrients are measured in per gallon increments so just multiply
the measured nutrients by 3 for the 3 gallon bucket.

Once you pour all your nutrients into the watering bucket, you will need to stir it all
up. We use a bamboo stick, but you can use whatever you have. Just make sure
to measure it well and then check the PH levels of the water. For the duration of our
grow we try to stay in the 6.0 - 6.5 range. One extra supplement for your nutrient
watering to consider is Cal-Mag. Cal-Mag is a Calcium/Magnesium supplement for
your plants. They may not get enough of this from your water source and if your
plants start to develop rust colored spots, you need cal-mag as rust spots are signs
of a deficiency.

Feeding your Plants

So you have mixed your nutrient rich water and it’s time to feed. Make sure you
water your plants only if the coco is dry. A tried and true method is to stick your
finger into the coco one knuckle down. If you feel moisture, your plants don’t need
watering.

If you do need to feed your plants, try watering in a circular motion covering the area
around the center of the plant. Make sure to distribute the water evenly around the
base of the plant.

(*Pro tip! Water around the outer rim of the plant base the most. This will promote
root growth and encourage the roots to grow outward to get to the water. The result?
Stronger roots.)

18
VI. You Don’t Bring me Flowers
Supplies Worth Having

Here are a few items you may want to purchase to make your life easier. Do you
absolutely need them? No.

We completely believe that if you are just trying this out to see if you want to grow
your own, you should not invest in a ton of stuff. Plant a plant and tend to it like any
plant and see what you think. If you like it, then invest in tools that will aid you in
your grow, but don’t feel the pressure to start out with everything.

PH Meter

You will find that PH meters come in a wide array of prices. We use a $15 PH meter
and it works just fine. Fancier meters can range up in the hundreds and measure
not just PH but also temperature and PPM (measuring concentration of minerals
in water). For first time grows we recommend keeping it simple and going with the
least expensive one.
Unfortunately, your meter is not
ready for use out of the box.
You will need to calibrate the
meter to the proper PH read.
For instance, ours is calibrated
with a 7.0 solution. This means
the PH level of the solution is
7.0 and when you stick your
PH meter into it, you will then
need to adjust the meter until it
reads 7.0. PH meters often have
a small screw in the back and
come with a tiny screw driver.
Turning the screw clockwise or
counter clockwise will raise or lower the readout on the meter until you achieve the
desired reading. it is also recommended to leave the meter in a small glass filled
with the 7.0 solution until next use. Check the calibration every week or so and
adjust accordingly.
19
To use the PH meter, stick it in the nutrient water to see if it is in the range you want
it in. To raise the PH, use a solution called PH up (which is a base) and PH down
(which is an acid).

Microscope

Another valuable item is a microscope. You can find many pocket microscopes
online but be sure that it has at least x100 magnification.

The main thing you need it for is to check your trichomes on your flowering plants to
see if they are ready for harvest. Don’t worry, trichomes will be discussed later in the
guide.

Timers

Timers are also pretty important in your grow. We use an outlet strip with a built-
in timer. You will soon have many cords coming out of your grow tent so it’s nice
to have one less thing to plug in to your power strip. Most of these types of timer
strips have one row of outlets that are on the timer, while the other row is not. Plug
the lights into the timer but not the fans. Unless you plan to manually turn your lights
on and off each day, you will absolutely need one of these. These power strips with
timers are available at any hardware store.

20
Ratchet Light Hangers

Although your grow tent will come with poles on the top to hang various items from,
you will also need some ratchet light hangers. These allow you to raise and lower
your lights within your tent. This is important because as your plants grow in size
you will want to raise your lights to adjust to their height. Others will recommend
keeping your lights 6” away from your plants. We raise our plants according to what
the plant looks like it needs.

Young plants cannot handle a lot of intense light. Raise your lights a little higher
in the beginning (around 2’) and watch the plants to see how they respond. If the
plants start to stretch to get closer to the lights, lower them. You will know if they
are stretching if the stalks of the plants are long in between leaves. If the plant
stretches to reach the light, the result will be a lower harvest. Experiment with your
light height until you find your sweet spot.

Fans

Earlier on we mentioned exhaust fans, but regular fans are also important.
Oscillating or standard fans both work, as well as clip on fans.

The purpose of a fan is to mimic the conditions of the outdoors for smaller spaces.
In nature your plants would receive a gentle breeze which helps to strengthen their
stalks. A nice breeze will also help to keep insects away (in soil grows) as well as
prevent mold or powdery mildew from appearing on your plants.

21
Watering Can

This one seems obvious, but you may not have one laying around. There actually
are many options here to choose from. You will also need to get the watering can
that is right for your room. We ended up buying a small watering can with a long
stem. There isn’t a ton of room to maneuver in a grow tent and you certainly don’t
want a cumbersome giant watering can to lug around in limited space. Using a
small watering can to get in those hard to reach places is helpful. We like to water
our plants in a circle evenly distributing the water around the coco. In order to
maneuver in between plants in limited space, try to use a long narrow spout instead
of a wider shower type. This will help you pour your water in a more targeted way.

Bamboo Rods

Bamboo rods can commonly be found at a well supplied gardening store. They
are used to hold your plants up in flower when your plants start to bend due to the
weight of the flowering cannabis on the tops of the colas. Just plunge the bamboo
rod into the coco coir and then strap the plant to the rod with some string. You may
find you need a few rods in each pot as your plants start to thrive. We also use a
bamboo rod to stir our nutrient water mixture.

22
VII. Flies in the Vaseline
Bugs

OK, at the start we told you to start your grow in coco coir. Let’s say you decided to
ignore this advice and use good old soil for your first grow. No problem, Just keep
in mind that you will absolutely have to contend with bugs in one form or another in
your soil grow. And that’s ok. Just go ahead and accept it now.

Cleanliness is Godliness

The number one best defense against bugs is cleanliness. Keep that grow room
as clean as you can. Leaving dirt on the floor or tracking in filth from the outside
world into your grow room is a sure way to promote bugs in your indoor grow
environment.

Take time to vacuum and wipe down your grow room every other week. A shop vac
is a very handy tool for this. Keep a broom and dustpan in your grow space to get
everything off the ground. Doing this will not prevent bugs in your grow entirely, but
it can help reduce the amount of bugs you will deal with.

Dealing with Spider Mites

Spider mites are tiny bugs that like to live on the underside of your leaves. They love
laying eggs on your leaves and eating your plants. If left unchecked, they will cover
your plant in tiny webs. This would be a sign of a full on infestation.

Treating your plants when they are young will help to eliminate spider mites in your
grow. Use a pesticide called mite-rid on your plants and grow tent. Mite-rid can be
found at your local grow shop or garden store and is diluted with water. One of it’s
main active ingredients is neem oil which is a common ingredient in most organic
pesticides. It is an oil pressed from a type of evergreen tree and coats your plant’s
leaves discouraging insects from eating them. To use, mix Mite-rid in a spray bottle
with water and give your young plants a good dousing making sure to completely
cover the plants in the solution. We have found that doing this and spraying the
inside of the grow tent will drastically reduce chances of spider mite invasions.

23
Check for spider mites with your microscope. Get in the tent with the plants and
check the underside of a leaf or two. You will see the mites walking around on your
leaf along with tiny cloudy balls on the undersides of the leaf. Those little balls are
the eggs they have laid. The great thing about mite-rid is that it also kills the eggs.
If you have mites in your grow it is best to spray your plants down right before the
lights go off in the tent. This will help to prevent your leaves from drying out and
sometimes burning from being wet under a hot light.

After spraying for mites, have a look the next day to see if they are dead. You will
see fried little mite bodies and if you are super successful you will also see the eggs
have changed from cloudy to black. Black equals dead. The thing we like about
mite-rid is it lasts. Many other remedies kill the mites but not the eggs. If you aren’t
using mite-rid, make sure you reapply your pesticide a week later to kill the offspring
from the first application. You don’t want more mites hatching and starting the cycle
all over again.

Handling Gnats

Another common bug you may encounter are gnats. Fungal gnats are visible to the
naked eye. You will know you have them if you open your tent and see them flying
around. Another indication of gnats is droopy plants with moist soil. Ridding yourself
of these pests is a two fold process. The first thing you will want to do is kill the
adults (the ones you see flying around). To do this get yourself some sticky strips
from the hardware store or garden shop. They are brightly colored (usually yellow)
to attract the bugs. They are extremely sticky so when you hang them up be careful
not to touch the sticky part to your growing plants.

After the first day of hanging your strip you will see many dead gnats stuck to the
strip. This is a good thing as you are killing off the adults. Now it’s time to deal with
their offspring who are living in the dirt and eating at the roots of your plants. If you
simply avoid watering your plants for a few days, allowing the soil to dry out, you
will kill the little gnats in the soil. The gnat population thrives in a moist and warm
environment so taking away the moist part in your soil kills the little gnats. Not
watering your plants will also stress them out and may cause further problems your
plant can’t fully recover from.

Another product that works, available from the garden shop, are mosquito dunks.
They look like little gray dough-nuts and are used to kill mosquito eggs that have
been laid in water. They work on gnats too. To use, break up one of the dunks into
smaller pieces and sprinkle on to the top layer of your soil. Continue to water your
plants as usual and the dunks should kill of the eggs resting in the soil along with
the little gnats eating on the roots.

24
Fight Bugs with Bugs

Of course there are many more bug varieties out there, but spider mites and fungal
gnats seem to be the most common pests you will have to contend with. If you
keep one of your fans blowing just above your plants so they move a bit, this will
help to discourage bugs from crawling around on your plants. Predator bugs are
also helpful. Lady bugs, praying mantis’ and predatory mites can be a solid ally on
the war against bugs. We have not used predator bugs on our grows. Our goal is
to rid the plants of all bugs, and while the idea of having a little buggy friend fend off
pests sounds pretty cool, we feel that the fewer bugs in the house the better.

25
VIII. Reap what you Sow
It’s Harvest Time

It’s been months and it is now time to reap what you have sown. Harvest time is
the best. You are ready to cut your plants down and as always you will need a few
things to make your life easier. Invest in a nice pair of trimmers. You can get your
run of the mill pair of Friskars that can be found at any good garden shop. These
trimmers have a small spring that keeps them open all the time and are great for
getting in those hard to reach places. There are also trimmers used for trimming
bonsai trees that look like little shears with oversized handles. They give you more
control over what you are doing. Use what you are comfortable with.

When to Harvest?

Using your microscope,

have a close look at your
trichomes. You will see
a stalk with a tiny round
head on it. That’s the
trichome!

When they are immature,

the head will be clear. As
they mature they will start
to get cloudy. As time
goes on your trichomes
will turn from cloudy to
an amber color. What you
want to see are a mix of
cloudy trichomes and
amber trichomes. 70%
cloudy, 30% amber. If
you wait too long, when
all the trichomes are amber, you will be glued to your couch when you smoke it. It
promotes a complete body high which is very sedative in nature.

26
Storage for Curing

You will need something to store your cannabis in for curing. We recommend a jar
with a lid that has a rubber seal. Mason jars are always a good choice. We buy jars
from the craft store for canning that have a latch on them with a rubber seal. To
collect your shake, have another jar handy as well as something to trim your leaves
in to.

Trimming

So you checked your trichomes and they are where you want them to be, Let’s cut
that plant down. We like to work around the plant removing branches one at a time.
The reason for this is we can really get in there and cut away all the leaves easier
when we are working on one branch as opposed to an entire plant. Remember you
are holding this in your hand and trimming with the other so the less you are holding
the better.

Start by removing the big fan leaves and discard them in a trash can or bucket.
You won’t be needing these. Once you have trimmed all the big fan leaves off, you
will move to the smaller ones surrounding your buds. You want to trim these leaves
now so when your buds are dry you aren’t left with a bunch of dry leaves around
your buds. If you leave the leaves on, there are trichomes there, but you will also be
smoking a lot of dry leaves that are not half as tasty as the buds underneath them
and smoking dried leaves = lots of coughing.

Carefully trim the leaves as close to the buds as possible. We recommend doing
this over the jar you are saving the trim in. These trimmed leaves are called
shake. Try hard not to cut your buds off into your shake jar. It is ok if you cut the
smaller buds that are not fully formed into the shake as well. The really small ones
are not worth drying as they will get even smaller as they dry out. Just cut them into
the shake jar. You will be able to use shake to make even more wonderful goodies
down the line. You should be left with a branch that has some nicely trimmed buds
on them.

27
Drying
Drying is a easy and necessary step
prior to curing. Simply hang the cut
branches of your plant on a clothes
line. You can purchase clothes line at
a hardware store and while you are
at it, get some clothes pins to attach
the branches to. The drying process
takes approximately 5 - 8 days. You
will also see significant shrinkage of
your buds while they dry out.

We recommend trimming away all

large fan leaves prior to hanging. This
will make manicuring your buds easier
when they are completely dry. You
can tell when the drying process is
complete when you bend one of the
branches and it ‘snaps’. Once you feel
the snap, it’s time for curing.

Curing

Curing is the final step in the cultivation process. We cure our cannabis buds
to purge the remaining chlorophyll from the dried plant. Chlorophyll contains
magnesium which when burnt causes the smoke to be harsh and sharp. By curing
the buds in an air tight container, you give the buds time to purge their remaining
chlorophyll without drying out too much.

Cured cannabis will bring out the flavors and aroma of the plant. More potency is
also a wonderful byproduct of the curing process. Your buds are ready for curing
when they have struck a nice balance of dry and wet from drying.

To cure your weed you will want to place your jar in a dark, dry, and cool place.
Check your jar daily and let some air in. We typically open a jar in the morning for
about 2 - 5 minutes then close it and put it back. We do the same thing in the
afternoon. You will continue to do this for a week. After a week, begin letting air in
every other day. At the end of two weeks, your weed is cured and ready to
smoke. Truthfully your weed is ready to smoke when it is dry, but curing the weed
produces a smoother more flavorful taste. Curing your weed will also help reduce
it’s harshness and increase it’s potency.

28
 You can absolutely cure your cannabis
for more than 2 weeks and some people
cure for a year or longer. Just make sure
to keep your weed sealed in a jar where
no air or light can get in. If you open
your jar and your weed is moist and
sticky, you can leave the jar open for an
hour or two to help dry it out. You have
to find the right balance of moisture
and dryness for your cure. Too wet is
not great, too dry is also not great. You
want the buds slightly sticky.

If you are really wanting to make sure

your cure is done right, you can invest
in a tool called a hygrometer. This tool
measures the moisture in your curing
jar. Hygrometers are small enough to
fit inside your curing jar. Here is a little
guide on how to read them.

How to
Read a
Hygrometer
-55% - Too Dry
Not able to be cured

55% - 60% - Long Term Storage

Can be stored long term without
worry of mold

60% - 65% - Cure Zone

Cure Zone - Leave it alone

65% - 70% - Almost There

Open the lid on your jar for 1 - 2 hours

+70% - Too Wet

Sit your buds outside the curing jar
for 12 hours

29
IX. Final Thoughts from
The Stoner Mom & David

Something unexpected will always happen in a grow. Remember, growing should

be fun. Expect to have some failures and to learn from them.

Grow Shops

A great resource for growers is a grow shop. Find one that you like and ask
questions. Typically, the people working at a grow shop have some knowledge
about the products they sell and they can help steer you in the right direction if you
get stuck.

Local Communities

It is also nice to find a grow community you like. If you are able to find people
interested in swapping information rather than judging, then you have found your
people. I have learned a LOT from growers over the years. Tricks and tips that you
may have never heard of that really work. The most important thing is to have fun
and don’t shy away from trying new things. We learn from watching our plants
respond to their daily environmental changes.

Understanding the Time Investment

Time is definitely a factor in your new hobby. You will soon learn that you will
be planning things like your vacation with your grow in mind. It is a lot of work
maintaining your plants so be ready to dedicate the time needed to do this.
Checking on your plants daily is something you will need to factor in. If you don’t
have the time to devote at minimum 30 minutes a day to your grow, then
save yourself the hassle and go to the local dispensary.

Don’t be afraid to try new ways of growing. In future guides we will share our
experiences with growing in hydroponics. We are DIY-ers and love experimenting.
Soon you might be frankensteining crazy contraptions together in an effort to
produce higher yields. Growing is a very rewarding experience and will help you
develop a new level of patience you didn’t know you were capable of. Take your
time, cut yourself some slack, and good luck with your grow.

30
X. Shopping List
3-5 5 Gallon Pots
3 Bags Coco Coir Mix (1 1.75 cubic foot bag for every 2 5 gal pots)
1 Quart Botanicare Pure Blend Pro Grow
1 Quart Botanicare Pure Blend Pro Bloom
1 Quart Botanicare Cal Mag Plus
Lights (LED, Metal Halide, Fluorescent or CFL)

ESSENTIALS
1 Timer with Power Strip
4 Ratchet Light Hangers
3 5 gallon Buckets
1 Pair of Trimming Shears
6 Quart Sized Curing Jars
1 Extension Cord (3 - 6 feet)
1 Watering Can
1 Measuring Cup with ml

1 Grow Tent
1 Exhaust Fan

NICE TO HAVE
1 Oscillating Fan
1 Clothes Line and Clothes Pins
1 PH Meter
1 Quart Botanicare PH Up
1 Quart Botanicare PH Down
1 100x Pocket Microscope for Trichome Check

1 Journal to Track Progress

1 Digital Scale for weighing your harvest
1 Box Latex Gloves resin is sticky when trimming
LET’S GET CRAZY

1 Can Filter for Exhaust Fan to keep that air clean

1 Second Tent for Vegging create a perpetual grow
1 Quart Botanicare Sweet Raw Supplement
1 Quart Botanicare Liquid Karma
1 Quart Botanicare Hydroplex
1 Quart Botanicare Clearex
Hygrometers
31
All application rates for liquids are in ml/gal. *ph to 5.8 - 6.2 (Coco Coir), 6.0-6.5 (Soil)
MIXING INSTRUCTIONS: Add each product to reservoir/mixing bucket in the order listed
on this feeding schedule. From top to bottom.
Stage of Growth Seedlings/Clones Vegetative Bloom Transition
Number of Weeks Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4
Cal-Mag Plus 5 ml 5 ml 5 ml 5 ml 5 ml
Pure Blend Pro Grow 12 ml 15 ml 15 ml 15 ml 0
Pure Blend Pro Soil
or 0 0 0 0 15 ml
Pure Blend Pro Bloom
Growth Enhancer 4 ml 4ml 4ml 4ml 4ml
Liquid Karma
Bloom Maximizer 0 0 0 0 0
Hydroplex
Aroma/Weight 0 0 0 0 6 ml
Sweet Raw
Salt Leach Supplement 0 0 0 0 0
Clearex

ROOTS
Hydroguard 2 ml 2 ml 2 ml 2 ml 2 ml
Rhizo Blast 0 2 ml 2 ml 2 ml 2 ml

Stage of Growth Bloom Transition Flowering/Fruiting Ripening Flush

Number of Weeks Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12
Cal-Mag Plus 5 ml 5 ml 5 ml 3 ml 3 ml 3 ml 3 ml 0
Pure Blend Pro Grow 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Pure Blend Pro Soil
or 18 ml 18 ml 18 ml 18 ml 18 ml 18 ml 15 ml 0
Pure Blend Pro Bloom
Growth Enhancer 4ml 4ml 4 ml 0 0 0 0 0
Liquid Karma
Bloom Maximizer 3 ml 3 ml 5 ml 5 ml 5 ml 3 ml 0 0
Hydroplex
Aroma/Weight 6 ml 6 ml 4 ml 4 ml 2 ml 0 0 0
Sweet Raw
Salt Leach Supplement 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 ml
Clearex

ROOTS
Hydroguard 2 ml 2 ml 2 ml 2 ml 2 ml 2 ml 2 ml 0
Rhizo Blast 2 ml 2 ml 0 0 0 0 0 0

32
XI. Plan your Grow
Strain Fem Auto Strain Fem Auto
Strain Fem Auto Strain Fem Auto
Strain Fem Auto Strain Fem Auto
Strain Fem Auto Strain Fem Auto

Date Nutrients

Grow Medium

Light Source

Pot Size

Create your grow space

33
XII. Weekly Guided Grow Plan
Seeds and Clones

Fill your pots with coco coir mixture.

Pour the coco mixture into the pot until it is 2 inches
from the top of the pot. ph - 5.6

Soak Coco mix in water

Add water to your mix until there is water run off coming from the
bottom of the pot.

Add plant into the Coco

Your plant should be fully rooted before transplant. Make a hole in
the center of the pot. Put your plant into the hole and make sure to
cover the bottom of the plant in the grow medium completely with
coco. There should be no exposed plant rooting medium.

Place plants in tent

You don’t want to crowd your plants. Space them about a foot
apart in your tent. You want to make sure you can access the plants
for proper watering. Don’t put a plant in the very back of the tent
if you can’t reach it. Once it is mature, you will find accessing the
plant can be difficult so plan ahead.

Raise the lights high and set the timer

New plants cannot handle intense light. Raise your lights to the top
of the tent. Set your timer on a 16 hours on, 8 hours off schedule.
Take your time planning the settings. You need to be able to water
the plants prior to the lights going off. Once the lights are off, no
opening the tent.

Feed the plants

Follow the Botanicare feeding schedule for Seedlings and Clones.
Check daily to see if the plants need water. Put your finger in to the
Coco mixture until the first knuckle. If it is moist, no need to water.
Check daily.
34
Week 1

Mixing your nutrients

Measure out the appropriate nutrient ratio according the Botanicare
feeding schedule. Mix the water thoroughly (Try stirring using a
bamboo rod). ph - 5.8 - 6.0

Check the ph levels

If you have a ph pen, make sure you have calibrated it according to
the instructions provided with the ph meter. Check your ph levels
of the nutrient water after mixing and stirring. Try to keep your ph
levels at this early stage around 5.8 - 6.0. Use ph up and ph down
to adjust the nutrient water solution.

Feed the plants

After checking the coco mixture to see if it is ready for a feeding,
you are ready to water. You want to promote root growth so
water in a circular motion outside the center of the plant. Water
generously. Feed your plants at the end of their day (before the
lights go off).

35
Week 2

Mixing your nutrients

Measure out the appropriate nutrient ratio according to the
Botanicare feeding schedule. Mix the water thoroughly
(Try stirring using a bamboo rod). ph - 5.8 - 6.0

Check the ph levels

If you have a ph pen, make sure you have calibrated it according to
the instructions provided with the ph meter. Check your ph levels
of the nutrient water after mixing and stirring. Try to keep your ph
levels at this early stage around 5.8 - 6.0. Use ph up and ph down
to adjust the nutrient water solution.

Feed the plants

You may not be watering daily (More likely every 3rd day or so). Be
sure to check your coco mixture with your finger to test and see if it
is moist or not. Continue to water in a circular motion starting on the
outside of the plant and working inward.

Lower your lights

Your plants have now acclimated to their new environment, Lower
your lights down so they are about 1 foot away from the top of the
plant.

36
Week 3

Mixing your nutrients

Continue to check your nutrients to ensure you are adding the
correct amounts for your weekly Botanicare feeding schedules. It’s
week 3 so follow the mix ratios for week 3. ph - 5.8 - 6.0

Check your Lights

While your plants grow, you will want to make sure your lights are
not too close. Do a quick check and make sure your plants are
about 1 foot from the top of your plant,

Feed the plants

Continue to check your plants daily to see that they need water. Use
the finger in the Coco method to check for moisture. As your plants
continue to grow, they will use more water. Soon you will find you
will be watering daily.

Add some air

Add an oscillating fan in the tent. If you don’t have room, you can
purchase a couple of smaller clip on fans and attach them to the
tent poles in the tent. Circulating air helps promote plant growth and
also helps to strengthen the stalks of your plants. The gently back
and forth motion helps to make the plant stronger as it helps them
continually try to stand up straight to receive the light.

37
Week 4

Mixing your nutrients

A quick mix check. Consult your Botanicare feeding schedule to
make sure you are adding the proper nutrients for week 4 feeding.
It is the beginning of the bloom transition. Make sure you have your
Botanicare Pure Blend Pro handy. ph - 5.8 - 6.0

Check your Lights

Quick light check. Do they need to be raised a bit?

Feed the plants

Around now your plants are probably either on a daily watering
schedule or almost there. I would also make sure you are watering
right before the lights go off nightly.

Start checking the growth for the end of the Veg stage
You are at a month now and depending on the strain you are
growing you will need to start checking if your pants are ready for
switching your light schedule to the flower schedule. You will want
your plants to be around 2 feet before switching to flower. Don’t
wait too long to switch because there is a lot of growth in the flower
phase and you won’t be able to raise your lights up enough to
accommodate if they are too tall.

38
Week 5

Mixing your nutrients

Continue to check your Botanicare nutrient feeding schedule for the
Bloom Transition week 5 ratio.
ph - 6.0 - 6.2

Check your Lights

Make sure the lights aren’t too low or touching the tops of the plants.

Feed the plants

You should be watering the plants on a daily basis now.

Start checking the growth for the end of the Veg stage
How tall are your plants? Are you ready for things to switch to
flower? If so, start planning out what your schedule will be. I have
my flowering plants on a 12 hour on 12 hour off turning on at 7pm.
This gives me enough time to check and water my plants prior to
the lights going off for the night. Ideally you will already have your
plant’s lights going off at the time you want them to. Just reset the
timer’s on time to the 12 hour schedule and leave the off alone. That
is the least stressful to the plants.

39
Week 6
Mixing your nutrients
Continue to check your nutrient feeding schedule for week 6.
Just follow the directions from Botanicare.
ph - 6.0 - 6.2

Check your Lights

Make sure the lights aren’t too low or touching the tops of the plants.

Feed the plants

You should be watering the plants on a daily basis now.

Start checking the growth for the end of the Veg stage
Are those plants ready for flower? Check the height and if they are
at least 2’ tall, switch them to flower. Even if the majority of your
plants are 2’ tall and some are not, flip to flower.

40
Week 7

Mixing your nutrients

You should absolutely be in flower now. Check the feeding
schedule.
ph - 6.2 - 6.5

Check your Lights

If you have not set your timer to a 12 hour on 12 hour off schedule,
you should do that now. Go ahead and raise the lights up almost as
high as they can be.

Feed the plants

Water the plants daily. Depending on what you keep your nutrient
rich water in, you may want to consider using a larger bucket
or possibly 2. You can premix nutrients in advance. You will be
watering daily for sure now so be prepared.

Start checking for males or hermaphrodites

Even if you are using feminized seeds, you will want to make sure
your plants aren’t males or hermaphrodite. Clones eliminate this
issue. Stress on a plant can cause it to sprout boy parts and pollinate
itself. Start checking now diligently. Female plants will grow pistils that
look like white hairs. If your plant is male or hermaphrodite, you will
see small clusters around where the plant will flower. They honestly
will look like little tiny green pods in clusters. If you see this, remove
it from your grow immediately. Sometimes they are very hard to spot
and you may miss them. Your plant may appear to be flowering,
but it could also have male parts so look closely. If the pods mature
and open to pollinate, your entire grow is pretty much useless as all
flowering cannabis will be loaded with seeds.

Support
Use your bamboo rods to support larger plants. Stick a rod into the
coco and strap the plant to the rod with either string or buy some
padded wire from your gardening store.

41
Week 8
Mixing your nutrients
Check your nutrient feed ratios for week 8. Most likely you are
watering daily now and are probably starting to see signs of bloom.
ph - 6.2 - 6.5

Check your Lights

Are your plants touching the lights? If so raise them up higher.

Feed the plants

The coco around the base of your plants may appear to be dry from
now on. It is important you water them daily. If you miss a day and
they are droopy, don’t worry they will perk up after their watering.

Keep checking for males or hermaphrodites

Be vigilant. Look daily for signs of pollen sacks. They grow in tiny
clusters. You must remove them from your grow as early as possible.

Clean up your plants

Through the duration of the grow you will see some of the bottom
leaves turn yellow and eventually fall off. This is completely normal
especially during the end of the grow. The plant is using all of it’s
energy to produce flower. Clean up the dead leaves and throw them
away. Remove the dead leaves from the pot. Feel free to trim off
the smaller bottom leaves of the plant if you like it will help the plant
focus on the top colas.

42
Week 9

Mixing your nutrients

Are you going through more than one bucket of water a week? If so, add
another bucket. It isn’t a bad idea to fill two buckets and let them sit a
day to evaporate off the chlorine. Check your feed schedule for week 9.
ph - 6.2 - 6.5

Check your Lights

As your plants get bigger and bigger, you may have the tops touching
your lights. If you run out of room, try removing the ratchet hangers
and hook the lights to the poles in the top of the tent. This will give you
an extra 5 inches or so.

Feed the plants

Check the plant’s daily and use the finger in the coco method to see
if they are thirsty.

Keep checking for males or hermaphrodites

Seeing any clusters on your plants? If so carefully remove the males
(or hermies) form the grow area.

ADVANCED TIP: You can destroy them or keep them and collect
the pollen for creating your own strains. Just gentle tap the plant
with a small glass jar under one of the pollen sacks. Seal it up and
store in a nice dark cool place. We will discuss creating strains in
another guide.

43
Week 10

Mixing your nutrients

Mix your nutrients for week 10. Watering daily should be the norm.
ph - 6.2 - 6.5

Keep checking for males or hermaphrodites

While you are checking your plants for signs of pollen sacks, you
should maybe be smelling something reminiscent of marijuana.

Clean up your plants

Keep cleaning the dead leaves from your grow area. You can pull off
the yellow dieing leaves from the plant if you like.

44
Week 11

Mixing your nutrients

Mix your nutrients for week 11 and remember to check those ph levels.
ph - 6.2 - 6.5

Keep checking for males or hermaphrodites

You should absolutely see if your plants are male or hermaphrodite
by now. Sorry to say that if you spot a male, it is most likely too
late and your grow has been pollinated. I would remove the plants
regardless just be careful not to knock them around on the off
chance that they have not been pollinated, and you break open the
pods and pollinate.

Start checking your trichomes

If you have your 100x microscope, start checking your trichomes.
They look like little stalks on your plants with tiny bubble heads on
top. Clear trichomes means it isn’t ready. Cloudy means your can
chop them down but your high will be more cerebral. If you wait
until they are a mix of amber and cloudy. This produces potent
cannabis with a nice head high and body high. All amber means you
will be glued to the couch. If you don’t have a microscope. Look for
red pistils. Once the pistils are red, you can chop them down.

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Week 12

Mixing your nutrients

During your nutrient prep for week 12, you may consider “flushing”
your plants. Flushing is when you pour a lot of basic water with
no nutrients into your plant container. More than what you would
normally feed your plants. Follow the Botanicare Week 12 Flush
instructions and mix in Clearex. If you flush, do it once that week
and resume the week 11 nutrient ratios.
ph - 6.2 - 6.5

Trim dead leaves

It is fine to cut away yellow or dead leaves from your plants. It will
make things easier when you hang them to dry and trim.

Arrange your plants

At the end of week 12, you may be pulling plants out to harvest.
For the plants remaining in the grow area, move them around so
they all get enough light. Make sure you are supporting the plants
with bamboo rods to keep the colas from bending and possibly
breaking. If a plant breaks from the weight of it’s cola, cut it down
and hang it upside to start drying.

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Track your Grow

Week Week
Plant Plant
Number of Feedings Number of Feedings

Notes Notes

Week Week
Plant Plant
Number of Feedings Number of Feedings

Notes Notes

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Glossary
Ballast - A device used to regulate the electrical current to a grow light. Mostly used in Metal Halide
or HPS lighting grows.

Cal-Mag - is a custom plant supplement designed to correct the inherent problem of calcium,
magnesium and iron mineral deficiencies.

Calibration Solution - A solution used to calibrate a ph meter.

CFL - Stands for Compact Fluorescent Light. Can be used as a grow light source.

Clones - Cloning is a way of propagating plants through asexual reproduction of the plant by
cutting and rooting a healthy shoot. The clone is an identical copy of the host plant.

Coco Coir - Coco Coir or coconut fibre, is a natural fibre extracted from the husk of coconut and
used in the cultivation of plants. Coir is the fibrous material found between the hard, internal shell
and the outer coat of a coconut. It is known for it’s amazing water retention ability.

Cola - A cluster of buds growing close together.

Curing - The final step in the cultivation process. Sealing your cannabis in a jar after drying for 2
weeks (while opening daily for the first week) will enhance the flavor, make it more potent, and make
it much less harsh. This is the “finishing” part of your cultivation which will bring out the flavors and
aromas.

Feminized Seeds - Cannabis seeds that have a much higher chance of being female around 95% of
the time.

Flowering State - The Flowering State is the time when cannabis begins to bloom. This is typically
in the last 2/3 of the plant’s life cycle. The Flowering is triggered when fall is approaching and the
days become shorter. This process is replicated indoors by switching your lights on for 12 hours and
off for 12 hours.

Fungal Gnats - These gnat lay their eggs in the soil of your plant where it is moist. The larvae feed
on plant roots and cause issues with the growth cycle.

Hermaphrodite - A hermaphrodite or “hermie” plant has both female (colas) and male
(pollen sack) parts.

HPS Light -High Pressure Sodium lights are a traditional grow light. The HPS light gives off more
orange or red colors in the spectrum. They are best used in the flowering state of your grow.

Hygrometer - An instrument used for measuring the water in the atmosphere. Hygrometers are
used to monitor the humidity in your curing jar.

LED - Light Emitting Diode. Grow lights that are much more energy efficient than the traditional
Metal Halide or the HPS lighting solutions.

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Metal Halide - The other traditional grow lighting option. Metal Halide bulbs give off blue light
from the color spectrum and mimic spring light in nature. Best used in the vegetative stage of your
grow.
Lumens - In short, lumens equal brightness. Lumens measure light brightness in all directions
given off from the lighting source. Lumens are used in calculating the amount of light needed for
your grow space.

Mite-Rid - This is a product used to kill spider mites from your grow. The main ingredient in
Mite0-Rid is neem oil which is an oil derived from an evergreen tree from India. It is highly effective
in ridding your plants of pests.

N-P-K -Nitrogen [N], Phosphorus [P] and Potassium [K]. These are macro-nutrients that are
essential for cannabis plant growth. The NPK number is labeled on the front of nutrient packaging to
let you know the ratios.

Neem Oil - Neem oil is derived from an evergreen tree from India. It is a bitter and soapy like oil
that is used to help fight bugs in your garden. The oil coats the leaves and leaves a bitter tastes that
insects do not like.

Peat Moss Plugs - Compressed peat moss plugs are used in the seedling stage of cannabis
cultivation. These small plugs are usually dehydrated and need water to expand. Just put your
sprouted seedling in the plug and it will quickly root and be ready for transplant into a small pot
within a week.

ph - Stands for Potential of Hydrogen. ph levels indicate the levels of acid or base in a nutrient
solution.

ph Down -This is an acid used to adjust your ph levels in water. Add ph down to lower the ph levels
in your nutrient mix.

ph Meter - An instrument used to measure the ph levels in water and soil.

ph Up - This is a base that is used to raise the ph levels in your nutrient mix.

Ratchet Light Hangers - These are used to hang your lights inside of your tent. They are basically
a locking pulley system. Pull a string to raise the pulley system. Release a lever to lower the pulley.
This makes adjusting your lights in your tent a breeze.

Shake - The trimmed leaves left over from the trimming process. Used to make edibles and
tinctures.

Spider Mites - Small bugs that live on the underside of your cannabis plants. If left unchecked,
they can cover your plants with small webs which render them useless.

Trichomes - The stalks that grow on the bloom of the cannabis plant. These contain all of the
cannabinoids of the cannabis plant. They are what makes the plant appear “frosty”.

Vegetative State - The growth stage of the plant’s life cycle. This stage occurs in the spring and is
the initial growth phase of the plant. It typically lasts 3 - 4 weeks. More light is needed here to mimic
spring sunlight ( approximately 16 hours a day).
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 All application rates for liquids are in ml/gal. *ph to 5.8 - 6.2 (Coco Coir), 6.0-6.5 (Soil)

MIXING INSTRUCTIONS: Add each product to reservoir/mixing bucket in the order listed on this feeding schedule. From top to bottom.
Stage of Growth Seedlings/Clones Vegetative Bloom Transition Flowering/Fruiting Ripening Flush
Number of Weeks Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12
Cal-Mag Plus 5 ml 5 ml 5 ml 5 ml 5 ml 5 ml 5 ml 5 ml 3 ml 3 ml 3 ml 3 ml 0
Pure Blend Pro Grow 12 ml 15 ml 15 ml 15 ml 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Pure Blend Pro Soil
or 0 0 0 0 15 ml 18 ml 18 ml 18 ml 18 ml 18 ml 18 ml 15 ml 0
Pure Blend Pro Bloom
Growth Enhancer 4 ml 4ml 4ml 4ml 4ml 4ml 4ml 4 ml 0 0 0 0 0
Liquid Karma
Bloom Maximizer 0 0 0 0 0 3 ml 3 ml 5 ml 5 ml 5 ml 3 ml 0 0
Hydroplex
Aroma/Weight 0 0 0 0 6 ml 6 ml 6 ml 4 ml 4 ml 2 ml 0 0 0
Sweet Raw
Salt Leach Supplement 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 ml
Clearex

ROOTS
Hydroguard 2 ml 2 ml 2 ml 2 ml 2 ml 2 ml 2 ml 2 ml 2 ml 2 ml 2 ml 2 ml 0
Rhizo Blast 0 2 ml 2 ml 2 ml 2 ml 2 ml 2 ml 0 0 0 0 0 0

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