Marijuana Grower's Handbook

Growing cannabis outdoors faces several challenges, and among the most problematic pests are, as you probably know, caterpillars. These moth and butterfly larvae actively feed on leaves, stems, and buds, causing structural and aesthetic damage that directly affects the health and productivity of the plant, as well as attracting fungi such as the dreaded botrytis.

Exposure to natural environments facilitates the arrival of this pest, which usually increases during the warmer months. In addition to their visual and physical impact, caterpillars can cause secondary diseases in plants due to the wounds they leave, which open the door to infections caused by viruses or fungi. Today we explain how this threat acts on your plants and what you can do to keep it under control.

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Traditionally, cannabis has been used for centuries for its various therapeutic effects, and one of the most common reasons for its use is the ability of many varieties to induce a deep feeling of relaxation. Indica-dominant varieties, rich in THC and other cannabinoids such as CBD, have sedative effects that help reduce stress, and anxiety and, above all, help to fall asleep, a problem that affects millions of people around the world today.

Terpenes such as myrcene and caryophyllene also play a key role in this relaxation, enhancing the "couch-lock" effect, which facilitates rest. The proper selection of a relaxing strain can be essential for those seeking effective relief from insomnia or daily stress, so today we have proposed to invite you to discover 7 genetics from our catalog that will definitely help you relax your body and mind and prepare your body for a restful sleep.

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Recently, Philosopher Seeds catalogue has expanded with new releases, new hybrids and limited editions in both feminised and auto-flowering varieties. To concludethe 2024 season, Philosopher Seeds proudly presents its new Super Auto, a cannabis plant that elevates the Skunk concept to an entirely new level.

The new genetics by Philosopher Seeds pay tribute to the iconic Nürburgring circuit, a true testing ground for Ringmeisters and beginners alike. Any motor enthusiast can take their personal vehicle (daily driver) onto the Ring and enjoy a session, simply for the sole pleasure of the experience. Similarly, Nürburgring Super Auto delivers a unique range of sensations in the purest Green Hell, making it a plant suitable for growers of all skill levels, from professionals to beginners. Currently, Nürburgring Super Auto is available only in Limited Edition seed format.

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Earlier this year 2022, Dark Heart Industries, one of the leading cannabis genetics companies in California, announced that it had produced the world's first triploid seedless cannabis for commercial growers. Dark Heart's 'PistilGuard' technology purportedly produces triploid cannabis seeds and clones that are essentially unable to produce seeds, even when directly exposed to pollen.

This technological innovation means that triploid cannabis can be grown on the same scale as maize or wheat, minimizing the risk of accidental cross-pollination and seed production. “The introduction of this characteristic in cannabis is a real advance that will allow higher yields, a drastic reduction in costs and better aromatic and chemical qualities of the crop. All of this leads to increased profitability,” the company said in a press release.

According to the company, the ability to grow THC-rich cannabis from sterile triploid seeds and clones that guarantee the production of seedless plants "is a huge win for growers" as pollen-proof cannabis and the benefits that offers "will help marijuana production move from artisanal cultivation to the large-scale agriculture division."

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In many countries, it is now easy to find seeds of hundreds of cannabis strains on the market. However, most of these seeds are hybrids, that is, crosses between plants with more or less different genetics, or direct crosses between hybrids, which further increases the genetic mix that these varieties present.

But where did the first marijuana hybrids come from? What plants were used for its development? Well, they were the pure varieties or landraces, genetics adapted to a specific environment and that, at the time, were cultivated in other territories for the creation of the first hybrids. Today we will talk about them and we will see their importance to explain the current situation regarding cannabis varieties.

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Aphids are parasitic insects that feed on a large number of plant species and represent a serious threat to many crops. Their adaptability and high reproduction rate make them a pest to be taken seriously, especially when they are accompanied by other insects such as ants.

Today we are going to tell you everything you need to know about these annoying insect pests and explain a trick that works wonders for eradicating them from your plants, because you don't want to spend months looking after your garden only to have these little insects come and devour everything!

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Every once in a while, the cannabis seed market undergoes a true revolution, such as the one that occurred at the end of the last millennium with feminised seeds, or like the appearance of a new type of non-photoperiod-dependent varieties, in other words, auto-flowering or automatic varieties.

The emergence of this new type of plants marked a before and after for many growers, over the years and through good breeding programs, they have greatly improved much of their cultivation characteristics. And we owe all this to the fact that, at some point, someone decided to use a type of genetics that until then had been "forgotten" by cannabis consumers: Ruderalis genetics. Today we tell you its story and how the incorporation of these new genes has changed the cannabis cultivation scene forever.

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The fungi that cause mildew usually appear when there is too much humidity, in those places where sunlight does not reach or when the plants are very close to each other. These microorganisms also affect other plants, since the disease known as mildew is caused by a large number of fungal species, both fungi themselves and the so-called fungoidal protists (molds that resemble true fungi, but in reality do not are related to them).

These are fairly specialized pathogens, with several host-specific species. This means that the type of fungus that infects one type of plant may not be the same species of fungus that infects another plant, even though the symptoms may appear to be the same. Downy mildew spores are easily spread through wind drift and air movement, although they can be carried by insect pests moving from plant to plant. As the spores settle on a host plant, they can germinate and infect in as little as eight to 12 hours if the plant or its leaves are wet.

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Rooting or the root development phase is crucial to subsequently achieve abundant and lush vegetative growth, whether we are talking about plants coming from seed, cuttings or clones. For this reason, the use of rooting or root growth enhancers is very common among all kinds of growers, who want to ensure the best conditions for their seedlings or cuttings, something very important in order to get the maximum possible crop yield at harvest time.

Well, today we are going to show you several recipes so that you can produce your own homemade rooting agent quickly and easily and, above all, achieve great results. In this way, we are supplementing our plants with 100% natural and environmentally friendly products, made at home and with a minimal carbon footprint, something very important to take into account in these times we live in.

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Pollination is a process that we do not usually pay too much attention to, despite the fact that it generates and ensures biodiversity throughout the world, in addition to the fact that without it our subsistence would be impossible. And when we talk about cannabis, it is undoubtedly the alpha and omega of the entire biological process of the plant. That is why it is important to understand how it works to get the most out of our crops.

Cannabis can be both a monoecious plant species (plants that can be of both sexes, hermaphrodites) and dioecious (meaning that male and female flowers are borne on separate plants). Both types of cannabis exist in nature, although hermaphrodites mostly only express themselves under certain stress conditions. For example, if a female cannabis plant senses imminent death, she will begin to express male characteristics in order to self-pollinate.

Cannabis transmits its DNA sexually through the act of pollination. Males develop clusters of flowers that spray pollen from their anthers (the part where a stamen ends). A single male flower can produce 350,000 grains of pollen and this genetic material of microscopic size is transported to female plants by the wind (or by pollinating insects such as bees) and can travel great distances, even tens of kilometers, when conditions are favorable. .

The purpose of this pollen is to fulfill its genetic mandate to impregnate as many females as possible. Finally, pollination occurs when the pollen reaches the stigmas of the female, which causes the plants to produce seeds inside the pistils, which is their reproductive organ, to perpetuate the species.

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Whether they cultivate cannabis indoors, outdoors or in greenhouses, many growers like to apply various training or pruning techniques in order to maximise the yield of their plants and thus obtain the most abundant harvest possible. These types of techniques can be of high impact and cause stress, such as pruning (where some part of the plant is cut, no matter how small) or low stress, with less negative impact. A perfect example of the latter would be Low-Stress Training, where the branches of the plant are tied so that it grows with a structure determined by the grower, but where there is no pruning or cutting of the plant, it is simply guided in its structural development.

Today we are going to discuss a high-stress technique - because it involves pruning - although as you will see it differs slightly from the classic apical pruning or topping, as it is usually called. What we're talking about is the FIM pruning technique, with which we will achieve even greater development of new buds and lateral branches than that achieved with the tried and tested technique of apical pruning. Let's see what this it's all about!

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As with many other plants, vegetables, and vegetables, cannabis homegrowing is undoubtedly one of the most satisfying activities for any consumer of this plant, because apart from the advantage of being able to decide what to grow, how, and when, you always have the satisfaction of having taken care of your plant in order to get a product of the best possible quality. And it is that, as they say, there is no better cannabis than the one you grow yourself!

However, there are many reasons why we may not be able to give our plants all the attention we would like during the months that the crop will last; work, vacations, family...or perhaps, simply and simply, we are somewhat lazy and prefer a type of cultivation that does not require too much work on our part. Well, today we are going to give you a series of tips and tricks that you can follow to make cannabis cultivation take as little time as possible, and without subtracting an iota of quality. Go for it!

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When talking about whiteflies, many people might think of some kind of common fly, but in reality these are not flies at all. Rather, they belong to a group of insects called Homoptera, which includes such well-known species as cicadas, aphids and mealybugs. Whiteflies belong to the family of Aleyrodidae, which includes more than 1,500 species of whiteflies.

These flying insects look like tiny white moths that are about 1-2 mm long in females (males are smaller), with three pairs of legs and two to four wings, depending on the species. The body is covered with a thin layer of waxy secretions, in the form of a mealy-looking powder produced by ventral glands. The most common in marijuana is Trialeurodes vaporariorum, whose body is slightly yellowish and has four wings, in the resting state are parallel to the body.

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Two of the most widely used terms in the cannabis world are Indica and Sativa, almost unavoidable when talking about the plant. But, as cannabis takes on a more legitimate form around the world, experts have begun to question the validity of these words. Are they still relevant or, on the contrary, have they become completely outdated?

We've all heard how Indica plants are compact in structure and have broad leaves, and that Sativa varieties are taller with narrow leaves; Or that Indicas will relax you while Sativas will give you energy. This is nothing more than an urban legend as the exact opposite may be true. And in general, it is an overly simplistic classification for a plant that has been evolving alongside humanity for at least 12,000 years. So it's important that we fully understand how exactly to define it.

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You may have heard about the elite clones or selected clones. Perhaps because you are lucky enough to grow one, or because they are plants that are known for their particular characteristics that have "made them famous" among the cannabis community. Certainly, as any grower knows, when cultivating cannabis seeds (in fact any plant) we are sometimes lucky enough to come across a plant that stands out from the rest, usually in terms of
production or flavour and aroma quality. If the plant is preserved, we can certainly be looking at a future elite clone!

We present here some of the elite clones used by our breeding team to develop some of our varieties. Several of the parents used in Philosopher Seeds are selections from our own or from collaborating growers in our environment. In other occasions, elite clones are used, plants well-known for their particular characteristics, mostly of high quality, which have already earned their place in the ever-changing cannabis world.

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As described in our previous article on soil microorganisms, a complex symbiosis is established in the soil between the plant roots and a series of microorganisms and other animals, forming the so-called soil food chain. This microbial life enhances and accelerates many processes involved in plant development, such as the nutrients absorption or root development. The advantages of using beneficial bacteria and fungi also represent an excellent preventive defence against various pathogens, such as other fungi such as botrytis or pythium.

We would like to explore in depth the exciting micro world that lies beneath our plants substrate, observing on the one hand the main beneficial fungi we can find favouring our plants and on the other hand the different ways of stimulating and promoting these fungi's presence and reproduction in the growing medium.

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