midwestdensies
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Ive done that method before with the wine bottles. Very cool pics tex. thanks again
MW
MW
K
kolah
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- 263
Very nice TK
Since my original posting on this topic I have done quite a bit of reading on DJ Short, his strains, his breeding practices and beliefs. I also purchased his book which is very interesting. and I have grown out some of his strains in the last two years. I think DJ's stuff falls into a connoisseur type of MJ. You may not get high yields but it seems most of his strains are geared towards nice clear eurphoric highs, great aroma and taste and marked with his signature mutated? crinkley and craggy leaf formations with huge thick hollow stems. I have read that his strains may have a tendency for the males to be sterile but I myself did not experience that with the strains I grew out. They can also be a bit fussy. DJ occasionally holds seminars and often has his beans on-hand for sale. DJ hangs out on another forum but rarely posts there. I did find a very nice archive of all his posts though.
Since my original posting on this topic I have done quite a bit of reading on DJ Short, his strains, his breeding practices and beliefs. I also purchased his book which is very interesting. and I have grown out some of his strains in the last two years. I think DJ's stuff falls into a connoisseur type of MJ. You may not get high yields but it seems most of his strains are geared towards nice clear eurphoric highs, great aroma and taste and marked with his signature mutated? crinkley and craggy leaf formations with huge thick hollow stems. I have read that his strains may have a tendency for the males to be sterile but I myself did not experience that with the strains I grew out. They can also be a bit fussy. DJ occasionally holds seminars and often has his beans on-hand for sale. DJ hangs out on another forum but rarely posts there. I did find a very nice archive of all his posts though.
Texas Kid
Some guy with a light
- 4,159
- 263
Here is his strain chart thingy
Texas Kid
Some guy with a light
- 4,159
- 263
DJ Short - The Origins of Blueberry
Choosing your parents
The place for breeding to begin is with choosing the parent plants, called the P1 generation. For best breeding results you use true-breeding stabilized strains as your P1's. Different breeders have different standards as to what qualifies as a P1. I have very high standards for my P1 generation. For me, the P1 must be either a fully acclimated, region-of-origin land-race variety, or no more than one generation removed, and crossed with itself or another highly similar, region-of-origin land-race variety.
I used three P1 strains to breed Blueberry, Flo and others. They were the Highland Thai (also called Juicy Fruit Thai, a first-generation Thai seed grown in the Pacific Northwest); a cross called Purple Thai which was a first generation land-race Chocolate Thai crossed once with a first generation land-race Highland Oaxaca Gold; and an Afghani Indica which came to me one generation removed from Afghanistan via the California/Southern Oregon growing community.
Juicy Fruit
The Highland Thai was a joy to grow and behold, despite its hermaphroditism. This plant grew fast, filling in any empty spaces with lush, green growth. It was a very slow finisher, 12 to 16 weeks and beyond in the bud period for most. It had the longest and skinniest leaves out of all the plants I have worked with. Thick side-branching is another characteristic of this variety.
The plant only periodically produced any kind of "tight" bud structure. Most of the buds were very loose, with some sporting long, slender shoots of widely-spaced single female flowers in a row (especially when grown hydroponically under halide lights.)
This bud structure is known as "spindly". Many of these spindles resemble threads protruding from a semi-formed bud. Each single thread averaged anywhere from five to ten inches long, some even longer, and consisted of a row of evenly-spaced female flowers and their corresponding bract leaves, anywhere from a quarter inch to one inch apart, alternating bract and flower in single file.
Thai
The entirety of the "thread" and bud structure was coated with sweet/fruity aromatic resin glands.
The overall plant color was dark, while the bud structures matured a lighter shade of green, sometimes green/yellow.
I was never able to get a Juicy Fruit Highland Thai to "over mature". I took one to almost twenty weeks into its flower cycle and she just kept pumping it out. Outdoors, one was taken in early-mid December from a greenhouse. The only difference was that the later harvest was a more stony, body high.
The finished product from the Highland Thai was an all-around champion herb. Though difficult to trim and cure, the outcome was fully worth the effort. It was a powerful, long-lasting and exquisitely flavoured herb with little or no ceiling. The high could last up to seven hours! The flavour, aroma and taste were a totally sweet tropical punch – tutti-fruity all the way.
The Purple Thai was the other sativa in my repertoire. This was a first generation cross between the Highland Oaxaca Gold and the Chocolate Thai. This cross grew medium/tall and was very symmetric in structure. The side branches were shorter and, if left alone (untopped) the main stalk (meristem) remained the dominant shoot.
Afghani
The entire plant of the Purple Thai was very dark-coloured and would express a deep royal purple colour at the slightest exposure to cold. It did not exhibit any of the spindly bud syndrome of the Juicy Fruit Thai, and the finished buds were a medium and compact sativa type. The finished product was equally as fruity and strong as the Juicy Fruit, also without ceiling.
For whatever aesthetic reason, I preferred the Purple Thai to the Juicy Fruit Highland Thai. I believe that the Purple Thai was emotionally kinder or gentler than the Juicy Fruit. At larger doses the Juicy Fruit could evoke quite a terror, especially when combined with psychedelics. Though no less potent, the Purple Thai seemed easier to handle, including when tripping. The Purple Thai was one of the first to show resin gland production in the early bud cycle, at roughly three to four weeks into the cycle. It also matured at 10 to 12 weeks indoor, and early to mid November outdoors.
The Afghani Indica plant is short with large, wide leaves, stout and thick-stemmed. It has early to very early maturation, producing large, dense buds that smell earthen to skunk, with a strong smoke that is generally sedative or "down" in effect. Though consistent in its growth and overall effect, its appeal is somewhat limited in my opinion. I believe more indicas should be made into hashish, which is where the finer qualities of the indica appear.
Blueberry x Afghani
The sinsemilla Afghani Indica first showed up on the market in 1979. They were huge, green, stinky, sticky, dense buds of potent, pungent herb that smelled like a skunk and produced a narcotic-knockout stone that was tremendously novel, when compared to all the sativas that had come before. This was right after sinsemilla herb hit the market with big appeal.
The triad of sinsemilla, indica, and the advent of high powered halide and HPS lights, all wreaked havoc on the breeding programs of most pot-entrepeneurs. Few people maintained their sativa lines, and the strains virtually disappeared from the commercial markets. The short, dense, early-maturing and body-powerful indica has dominated the scene since 1983 – a matter of disjointed economics.
Such were the three main P1's I used for my breeding lines.
Afghani male
The f1 cross
The f1 cross is the first cross between two distinctly different P1 parents. The "f" stands for filial (child). I cannot overstress the importance of the two P1 parents being as genetically different as is possible. It is this initial genetic diversity that leads to the most possibilities in succeeding lines.
If the P1's are sufficiently diverse, then the f1 will be a true hybrid, expressing a near total uniformity and great vigor. It is in the crosses beyond the initial f1 (especially the f1xf1=f2 cross) that specific traits are sought. There will be a tremendous amount of variance in the f2 crosses of f1's obtained from a female pure sativa and a male pure indica.
The Blueberry (among others) was discovered and stabilized from an f1 cross between the P1 parents of a female Juicy Fruit Thai or a female Purple Thai and a male Afghani Indica. Thus there were two possible routes to essentially the same finished product. Blue Velvet and Flo seem more accessible via the Purple Thai route, while Blue Moonshine seems more accessible through the Juicy Fruit lineage. That is, there is a higher probability of occurence of the specific traits which I'm seeking, and so they're easier to "find".
Oddly enough, the opposite cross (female Afghani indica crossed with pollen from male Thai sativa) was not nearly as interesting. The f1's from this cross were more leafy and less desirable. They were also more hermaphroditic and subsequent breeding revealed them to be less desirable. It has been my observation that in a successful cross, the (usually female) sativa contributes the type of aroma and flavour, while the (usually male) indica contributes the amount of aroma and flavour to the prodigy. So far this observation has proven fruitful.
Blue Moonshine
So the Thai female is pollinated with the Afghani male and an abundance of seed is produced. The seed is uniformly sized and shaped; small, ellipsoid and mottled with dark stripes upon a grayish brown shell. A single female is capable of producing thousands of seed, leaving plenty for experimentation. This is the f1 generation, which I called simply "The Cross".
The plants of The Cross grew uniform, medium-tall "spear" structures of many competing side-branches around one main (meristem) stalk. Large, long buds formed along the branches. There was a wide palate of colours, especially among the Purple Thai cross. The buds were lighter, almost yellow to the centres, wile the outer leaf, bract and calyx tips showed red, purple and blue hues. The maturation rates were uniform as well, with a wide window of harvest being between weeks eight to eleven in the bud cycle, indoors. The finished bud had a very strong "astringent" chemical/terpene aroma that bordered between pine, gin, licorice and paint. Only a very few of The Cross expressed hermaphroditism, about 1 out of every 25 females.
Choosing your parents
The place for breeding to begin is with choosing the parent plants, called the P1 generation. For best breeding results you use true-breeding stabilized strains as your P1's. Different breeders have different standards as to what qualifies as a P1. I have very high standards for my P1 generation. For me, the P1 must be either a fully acclimated, region-of-origin land-race variety, or no more than one generation removed, and crossed with itself or another highly similar, region-of-origin land-race variety.
I used three P1 strains to breed Blueberry, Flo and others. They were the Highland Thai (also called Juicy Fruit Thai, a first-generation Thai seed grown in the Pacific Northwest); a cross called Purple Thai which was a first generation land-race Chocolate Thai crossed once with a first generation land-race Highland Oaxaca Gold; and an Afghani Indica which came to me one generation removed from Afghanistan via the California/Southern Oregon growing community.
Juicy Fruit
The Highland Thai was a joy to grow and behold, despite its hermaphroditism. This plant grew fast, filling in any empty spaces with lush, green growth. It was a very slow finisher, 12 to 16 weeks and beyond in the bud period for most. It had the longest and skinniest leaves out of all the plants I have worked with. Thick side-branching is another characteristic of this variety.
The plant only periodically produced any kind of "tight" bud structure. Most of the buds were very loose, with some sporting long, slender shoots of widely-spaced single female flowers in a row (especially when grown hydroponically under halide lights.)
This bud structure is known as "spindly". Many of these spindles resemble threads protruding from a semi-formed bud. Each single thread averaged anywhere from five to ten inches long, some even longer, and consisted of a row of evenly-spaced female flowers and their corresponding bract leaves, anywhere from a quarter inch to one inch apart, alternating bract and flower in single file.
Thai
The entirety of the "thread" and bud structure was coated with sweet/fruity aromatic resin glands.
The overall plant color was dark, while the bud structures matured a lighter shade of green, sometimes green/yellow.
I was never able to get a Juicy Fruit Highland Thai to "over mature". I took one to almost twenty weeks into its flower cycle and she just kept pumping it out. Outdoors, one was taken in early-mid December from a greenhouse. The only difference was that the later harvest was a more stony, body high.
The finished product from the Highland Thai was an all-around champion herb. Though difficult to trim and cure, the outcome was fully worth the effort. It was a powerful, long-lasting and exquisitely flavoured herb with little or no ceiling. The high could last up to seven hours! The flavour, aroma and taste were a totally sweet tropical punch – tutti-fruity all the way.
The Purple Thai was the other sativa in my repertoire. This was a first generation cross between the Highland Oaxaca Gold and the Chocolate Thai. This cross grew medium/tall and was very symmetric in structure. The side branches were shorter and, if left alone (untopped) the main stalk (meristem) remained the dominant shoot.
Afghani
The entire plant of the Purple Thai was very dark-coloured and would express a deep royal purple colour at the slightest exposure to cold. It did not exhibit any of the spindly bud syndrome of the Juicy Fruit Thai, and the finished buds were a medium and compact sativa type. The finished product was equally as fruity and strong as the Juicy Fruit, also without ceiling.
For whatever aesthetic reason, I preferred the Purple Thai to the Juicy Fruit Highland Thai. I believe that the Purple Thai was emotionally kinder or gentler than the Juicy Fruit. At larger doses the Juicy Fruit could evoke quite a terror, especially when combined with psychedelics. Though no less potent, the Purple Thai seemed easier to handle, including when tripping. The Purple Thai was one of the first to show resin gland production in the early bud cycle, at roughly three to four weeks into the cycle. It also matured at 10 to 12 weeks indoor, and early to mid November outdoors.
The Afghani Indica plant is short with large, wide leaves, stout and thick-stemmed. It has early to very early maturation, producing large, dense buds that smell earthen to skunk, with a strong smoke that is generally sedative or "down" in effect. Though consistent in its growth and overall effect, its appeal is somewhat limited in my opinion. I believe more indicas should be made into hashish, which is where the finer qualities of the indica appear.
Blueberry x Afghani
The sinsemilla Afghani Indica first showed up on the market in 1979. They were huge, green, stinky, sticky, dense buds of potent, pungent herb that smelled like a skunk and produced a narcotic-knockout stone that was tremendously novel, when compared to all the sativas that had come before. This was right after sinsemilla herb hit the market with big appeal.
The triad of sinsemilla, indica, and the advent of high powered halide and HPS lights, all wreaked havoc on the breeding programs of most pot-entrepeneurs. Few people maintained their sativa lines, and the strains virtually disappeared from the commercial markets. The short, dense, early-maturing and body-powerful indica has dominated the scene since 1983 – a matter of disjointed economics.
Such were the three main P1's I used for my breeding lines.
Afghani male
The f1 cross
The f1 cross is the first cross between two distinctly different P1 parents. The "f" stands for filial (child). I cannot overstress the importance of the two P1 parents being as genetically different as is possible. It is this initial genetic diversity that leads to the most possibilities in succeeding lines.
If the P1's are sufficiently diverse, then the f1 will be a true hybrid, expressing a near total uniformity and great vigor. It is in the crosses beyond the initial f1 (especially the f1xf1=f2 cross) that specific traits are sought. There will be a tremendous amount of variance in the f2 crosses of f1's obtained from a female pure sativa and a male pure indica.
The Blueberry (among others) was discovered and stabilized from an f1 cross between the P1 parents of a female Juicy Fruit Thai or a female Purple Thai and a male Afghani Indica. Thus there were two possible routes to essentially the same finished product. Blue Velvet and Flo seem more accessible via the Purple Thai route, while Blue Moonshine seems more accessible through the Juicy Fruit lineage. That is, there is a higher probability of occurence of the specific traits which I'm seeking, and so they're easier to "find".
Oddly enough, the opposite cross (female Afghani indica crossed with pollen from male Thai sativa) was not nearly as interesting. The f1's from this cross were more leafy and less desirable. They were also more hermaphroditic and subsequent breeding revealed them to be less desirable. It has been my observation that in a successful cross, the (usually female) sativa contributes the type of aroma and flavour, while the (usually male) indica contributes the amount of aroma and flavour to the prodigy. So far this observation has proven fruitful.
Blue Moonshine
So the Thai female is pollinated with the Afghani male and an abundance of seed is produced. The seed is uniformly sized and shaped; small, ellipsoid and mottled with dark stripes upon a grayish brown shell. A single female is capable of producing thousands of seed, leaving plenty for experimentation. This is the f1 generation, which I called simply "The Cross".
The plants of The Cross grew uniform, medium-tall "spear" structures of many competing side-branches around one main (meristem) stalk. Large, long buds formed along the branches. There was a wide palate of colours, especially among the Purple Thai cross. The buds were lighter, almost yellow to the centres, wile the outer leaf, bract and calyx tips showed red, purple and blue hues. The maturation rates were uniform as well, with a wide window of harvest being between weeks eight to eleven in the bud cycle, indoors. The finished bud had a very strong "astringent" chemical/terpene aroma that bordered between pine, gin, licorice and paint. Only a very few of The Cross expressed hermaphroditism, about 1 out of every 25 females.
Texas Kid
Some guy with a light
- 4,159
- 263
Afghani
The f2 cross
The f2 is the second filial generation, simply a cross between any two of the f1 stock. With my f2 crosses the outcome was extreme, with almost every characteristic of the cannabis plant being expressed in some of the plants. The diversity was spectacular, both in structure and aesthetics. From sativa to indica, short to tall, dark to light, early to late maturation, wide to narrow leaves, along with an extensive array of flavours, aromas, tastes and highs. The f2 seeds collected were equally diverse, ranging from large to small, plump to slender, striped to solid, round to oval.
A grand amount of time, energy and money was spent from this point to isolate and stabilize the desired traits. There is a tremendous amount of work between the f2's and the f4's and f5's. Trial and error is the rule; certain paths prove futile while others bear further examination. On average, there are about nine errors to each success. Coupled with the difficult clandestine aspects of the trade through the 80's and 90's, it was a difficult task to accomplish. Many sacrifices were endured by my family and friends.
It was however, a fun and worthwhile occupation to sample all the research material. It was hard work and dedication to record the findings and attempt to create useful categories and find patterns and traits to specific characteristics. Then there's the wait for the cured sample. If the sample passed "the test" then the plant was kept for further consideration. The most desirable samples were used for further breeding to f3, f4 and f5. The harvested plants, cut above the lowest few nodes, were placed under a vegetative light cycle to stimulate new growth for cloning.
Blueberry x NL#5
I like to do one backcross somewhere between the f3 and f5 generation. Exactly when, where and how that is done remains a trade secret for now. Another trade secret is the art of selecting the best males for breeding. These topics and others will be covered in future articles.
Have phun!
Select the best, reject all others
Mendelian procedures are fine for sweet peas, but when it comes to herb I much prefer Luther Burbank's philosophy: "Select the best and reject all others!" This simple phrase is worth much consideration. Mendel's work is useful, especially concerning P1 and f1 crosses. But beyond the f2 and f3 cross, Mendel's theories add copius complexity to the equation.
Afghani clones
Your friend the freezer
A benevolent tool in our trade is the refrigerator and freezer. The fridge is extremely useful in extending the longevity of seed and pollen. The trick to successful freezing is to freeze deep (-10 to -40°F/-20 to -35°C) and then keep the seed undisturbed. Hard frozen objects are very fragile. The slightest shock may shatter crucial, delicate cell structures within the seed. Double wrap the seed in paper; little manilla envelopes work great.
I like to do small amounts, in one-time-use packets, to keep waste to a minimum. Then place the wrap into a plastic freezer bag, then place the freezer bag into a plastic tub or tupperware container. Now the seed is ready for the deep-freeze. In the fridge, storing seed in airtight, brown glass jars with a little rice or other non-toxic desiccant seems to work best.
I have had pollen last for years in a deep freeze. It must be frozen immediately after fresh collection from the plant, in as low a humidity as possible (preferably 0%). I like to shake the productive male flowers over a flat and clean piece of glass. The pollen pile is sifted to rid the unwanted plant material from the pure powder.
It is also useful to cut pollen with flour to stretch the amount. A pollen-to-flour ratio of 1:10 or even 1:100 works best. The cut pollen may then be separated into small, one-time-use amounts, stored in a flap of paper and frozen the same way as the seed. The frozen pollen must be applied to the live female flower immediately after thawing to increase viability.
Blue Velvet
The sweet sativa room
I recommend the creation of a special "sativa room" for indoor breeding of such strains. This room needs to consider and satisfy the unique needs of the sativa variety. The goal is to replicate the equatorial conditions of the world’s various "sweet spots". Some of these conditions include: a different light cycle than the standard 18/6 vegetative 12/12 bud cycles, a higher angle of light (using a straight track shuttle instead of a circular one), humidity control set on low for the highland and high for the lowland, and variations in soil composition and depth.
Light cycle is one of the key considerations for those wishing to breed truly fine quality cannabis indoors under lights. The 18/6 veggie and 12/12 bud cycles are perhaps the main influence towards the indica dominant strains and generic blandness of the indoor commercial product. A true equatorial sativa will require closer to a 13/11 vegetative and a long (four to six month) 11/13 flower cycle. Different variations may be tried, such as 15/9 veggie and 10/14 flowering cycle. Be prepared for much fine tuning.
Equatorial strains also experience a higher arch of sunlight than those grown beyond 38° north or south – with a sunrise almost due east and sunset nearly due west. Therefore the sativa room will edintense overhead lighting with a straight track mover. Keeping the plant in a stationary position, especially through the bud cycle, may positively influence the outcome of the finished product.
As jungle (lowland) herb requires only a thin layer of nutrient soil, perhaps a four-to-eight inch layer of soil over clay or concrete (with some form of drain system) would encourage lateral root growth, stationary plants, and a more lowland sativa-friendly environment.
If successful, the sativa-friendly room can be used to acclimate an indoor sativa variety, which expands the possibilities of your breeding operation.
The f2 cross
The f2 is the second filial generation, simply a cross between any two of the f1 stock. With my f2 crosses the outcome was extreme, with almost every characteristic of the cannabis plant being expressed in some of the plants. The diversity was spectacular, both in structure and aesthetics. From sativa to indica, short to tall, dark to light, early to late maturation, wide to narrow leaves, along with an extensive array of flavours, aromas, tastes and highs. The f2 seeds collected were equally diverse, ranging from large to small, plump to slender, striped to solid, round to oval.
A grand amount of time, energy and money was spent from this point to isolate and stabilize the desired traits. There is a tremendous amount of work between the f2's and the f4's and f5's. Trial and error is the rule; certain paths prove futile while others bear further examination. On average, there are about nine errors to each success. Coupled with the difficult clandestine aspects of the trade through the 80's and 90's, it was a difficult task to accomplish. Many sacrifices were endured by my family and friends.
It was however, a fun and worthwhile occupation to sample all the research material. It was hard work and dedication to record the findings and attempt to create useful categories and find patterns and traits to specific characteristics. Then there's the wait for the cured sample. If the sample passed "the test" then the plant was kept for further consideration. The most desirable samples were used for further breeding to f3, f4 and f5. The harvested plants, cut above the lowest few nodes, were placed under a vegetative light cycle to stimulate new growth for cloning.
Blueberry x NL#5
I like to do one backcross somewhere between the f3 and f5 generation. Exactly when, where and how that is done remains a trade secret for now. Another trade secret is the art of selecting the best males for breeding. These topics and others will be covered in future articles.
Have phun!
Select the best, reject all others
Mendelian procedures are fine for sweet peas, but when it comes to herb I much prefer Luther Burbank's philosophy: "Select the best and reject all others!" This simple phrase is worth much consideration. Mendel's work is useful, especially concerning P1 and f1 crosses. But beyond the f2 and f3 cross, Mendel's theories add copius complexity to the equation.
Afghani clones
Your friend the freezer
A benevolent tool in our trade is the refrigerator and freezer. The fridge is extremely useful in extending the longevity of seed and pollen. The trick to successful freezing is to freeze deep (-10 to -40°F/-20 to -35°C) and then keep the seed undisturbed. Hard frozen objects are very fragile. The slightest shock may shatter crucial, delicate cell structures within the seed. Double wrap the seed in paper; little manilla envelopes work great.
I like to do small amounts, in one-time-use packets, to keep waste to a minimum. Then place the wrap into a plastic freezer bag, then place the freezer bag into a plastic tub or tupperware container. Now the seed is ready for the deep-freeze. In the fridge, storing seed in airtight, brown glass jars with a little rice or other non-toxic desiccant seems to work best.
I have had pollen last for years in a deep freeze. It must be frozen immediately after fresh collection from the plant, in as low a humidity as possible (preferably 0%). I like to shake the productive male flowers over a flat and clean piece of glass. The pollen pile is sifted to rid the unwanted plant material from the pure powder.
It is also useful to cut pollen with flour to stretch the amount. A pollen-to-flour ratio of 1:10 or even 1:100 works best. The cut pollen may then be separated into small, one-time-use amounts, stored in a flap of paper and frozen the same way as the seed. The frozen pollen must be applied to the live female flower immediately after thawing to increase viability.
Blue Velvet
The sweet sativa room
I recommend the creation of a special "sativa room" for indoor breeding of such strains. This room needs to consider and satisfy the unique needs of the sativa variety. The goal is to replicate the equatorial conditions of the world’s various "sweet spots". Some of these conditions include: a different light cycle than the standard 18/6 vegetative 12/12 bud cycles, a higher angle of light (using a straight track shuttle instead of a circular one), humidity control set on low for the highland and high for the lowland, and variations in soil composition and depth.
Light cycle is one of the key considerations for those wishing to breed truly fine quality cannabis indoors under lights. The 18/6 veggie and 12/12 bud cycles are perhaps the main influence towards the indica dominant strains and generic blandness of the indoor commercial product. A true equatorial sativa will require closer to a 13/11 vegetative and a long (four to six month) 11/13 flower cycle. Different variations may be tried, such as 15/9 veggie and 10/14 flowering cycle. Be prepared for much fine tuning.
Equatorial strains also experience a higher arch of sunlight than those grown beyond 38° north or south – with a sunrise almost due east and sunset nearly due west. Therefore the sativa room will edintense overhead lighting with a straight track mover. Keeping the plant in a stationary position, especially through the bud cycle, may positively influence the outcome of the finished product.
As jungle (lowland) herb requires only a thin layer of nutrient soil, perhaps a four-to-eight inch layer of soil over clay or concrete (with some form of drain system) would encourage lateral root growth, stationary plants, and a more lowland sativa-friendly environment.
If successful, the sativa-friendly room can be used to acclimate an indoor sativa variety, which expands the possibilities of your breeding operation.
Texas Kid
Some guy with a light
- 4,159
- 263
I have another 10 or so articles from DJ saved I can put up if ya want..
Tex
Tex
K
kolah
- 4,829
- 263
Nice info TK...and yeah the more the merrier.
I read a lot about DJ's Rosebud strain but I do think he ever released any seeds...nor did he explain what happened. ???
I read a lot about DJ's Rosebud strain but I do think he ever released any seeds...nor did he explain what happened. ???
Texas Kid
Some guy with a light
- 4,159
- 263
My Cataloguing System
c. 2004 DJ Short
Perhaps one of the most useful devices used in a quality cannabis breeding project is that of catalogue techniques. This refers to the method used to categorize various traits for future reference, or how to best label traits from a given population. It is also a means to track who came from where (generational references).
First and foremost, I cannot begin to describe the level of complexity involved with a breeding project that extends from the f-2 to the f-5 range. It took me over a decade and a half of trial and much error to fully comprehend and develop a system that actually works to this level and beyond. It starts out simple enough, until the f-2's, then the complexity expands exponentially with each generation.
The P-1's are simple enough, they are the original breed-stock and labeled for what they are, i.e. Highland, Purple or Chocolate Thai, Oaxacan or Santa Marta Gold, Pure Afghan, etc. The f-1's were equally simple as they were of uniform expressions and I simply chose to label them “The Cross”. The f-2 generation was equally easy to identify with the label “Double Cross”, or the progeny of the f-1 cross. However, when the f-2's were grown out, extreme diversity ruled the making of the f-3's (or the descriptions of the f-2's selected to breed further with) a tougher call to make.
It is at this level (and beyond) that some form of labeling system becomes necessary to catalogue all of the different variations found. Beginning with the plants grown out from the f-2 seeds I chose to utilize an alphabetized system with each letter corresponding to a specific trait. For example, the letter “B” came to signify the “Berry” characteristic, “F” stands for “Fruity” (sometimes “Floral“), “G” is for Grape, “C” for Citrus, “O” for orange, “L” for lemon or lime, “K” equaled “Kush”, “S” for “Sativa” “P” for Purple, “X” for extreme glandular trichome production, etc.
I must confess that it took much trial and error to finally get it right. Therefore, if one were to look at my early notes many exceptions to what developed as “the rule” can be found. I left these early “mistakes” as they were so as not to over-complicate what came next. It is also very important to note that most of these observations were relatively subjective and that no more than two traits, or characteristics were ever assigned to any one plant. Therefore, the label “BK” came to stand for “Berry Kush”, or a Kush dominant plant with outstanding berry attributes. It is also important to note that only the most outstanding plant of any given attribute was selected for future work. So the plant that ended up with the “BK” label was the most Berry-Kush of the lot.
So, my f-3 stock became labeled with a two-letter code indicating what the most outstanding characteristics of it’s parent (primarily mother) were, and only those with the strongest expressions earned their label. When the f-3's were grown out and crossed to make the f-4 generation, these labels were coupled to indicate the parents of the f-4 progeny, i.e. BK/FS would be a cross between an f-3 Berry-Kush mother (I always list the female first, male second with a back-slash in between) and an f-3 Fruity Sativa father.
F-4's and Beyond
Consider the label number: 4/5 3 96-2. This is the type of numbering symbol I use to label F-4 and beyond plants. Before we dissect this number I need to point out a few rules that I follow in a breeding project beyond the F-4 generation.
First, I only grow out no more than six varieties at any single time. The reason is to avoid too much confusion. Six is about the maximum number of varieties an individual can realistically keep track of. These six (or five, or four etc.) varieties are then labeled as “1" through “6" (or the number of varieties used). Let’s say the 6 f-3's I use are: 1. “FK/FK”, 2. “BK/PK”, 3. “FK/FL”, 4. “GK/GK”, 5. “PK/FP” and 6. “XP/FK”. Notes are made to record this fact and the seeds are then sprouted and grown using these simple, single digit identification numbers (1 through 6 in this example).
Second, I select only one male from any single breeding project. Again, this simplifies things and avoids mistakes enormously. That male is generally selected at about the third week in the flowering cycle, unless it is a clone from another project. After the single male is selected the other males are removed and the remaining females are numbered according to their variety category (i.e. if there are seven #1. females, five #2 females, etc. they are labeled #1–1 through 7, #2–1 through 5, etc.) The male simply retains the number from its variety label, in our above example the number “5" (in the 4/5), or the “PK/FP” male.
Now we may examine the above example: 4/5 3 96-2. The first two numbers, “4/5" are the variety number of the female first and male second. So in this case that would be: a “GK/GK” female crossed with the “PK/FP” male. The third number in our example, “3" means female #3 from the #4 (“GK/GK”) batch. The next number in the example, “96" is merely the year and the final number is the crop number for that year. So, translated, the number 4/5 3 96-2 is the third “GK/GK” (or #4) female crossed with the “PK/FP” (or #5) male grown from the second crop of 1996.
Please note that the “/5” male-used indicator will be /5 for all of the seeds labeled from this batch as the #5 (“PK/FP”) male is the only one used. If a male clone from a past crop is used it may be indicated by using the #7 in the initial notes (if six varieties are sprouted) and described as the male-clone-used in the #7 description. Likewise, if any of the six varieties tested are from a past clone (female), they may be selected as one of the #1 through #6 varieties, labeled and described accordingly.
It seems complex at first, but I assure you that it works great. The same system is used for the F-5 generation, and beyond. The system merely requires that dated notes be kept and catalogued. That way, any crosses may be backtracked and referenced via one’s notes and a simple, six or seven digit code is all that is needed to label and catalogue one’s plants.
Finally, this system works best for forward crosses mainly. Backcrosses will need another connotation to note their use . The “clone-used” labeling described prior works well for backcrosses involving clones.
This system is good for only one grow out at a time. If multiple grows, or facilities are used then they will need to be noted as well, perhaps with a lettered “A”, “B”, “C” etc. appended onto the catalogue number. Also, detailed notes of each individual plant are necessary to fully utilize any cataloguing system and are obviously required for success. Other than that, I have found this to be a relatively simple and foolproof system for cataloguing one’s breeding projects beyond the f-3 generation.
c. 2004 DJ Short
Perhaps one of the most useful devices used in a quality cannabis breeding project is that of catalogue techniques. This refers to the method used to categorize various traits for future reference, or how to best label traits from a given population. It is also a means to track who came from where (generational references).
First and foremost, I cannot begin to describe the level of complexity involved with a breeding project that extends from the f-2 to the f-5 range. It took me over a decade and a half of trial and much error to fully comprehend and develop a system that actually works to this level and beyond. It starts out simple enough, until the f-2's, then the complexity expands exponentially with each generation.
The P-1's are simple enough, they are the original breed-stock and labeled for what they are, i.e. Highland, Purple or Chocolate Thai, Oaxacan or Santa Marta Gold, Pure Afghan, etc. The f-1's were equally simple as they were of uniform expressions and I simply chose to label them “The Cross”. The f-2 generation was equally easy to identify with the label “Double Cross”, or the progeny of the f-1 cross. However, when the f-2's were grown out, extreme diversity ruled the making of the f-3's (or the descriptions of the f-2's selected to breed further with) a tougher call to make.
It is at this level (and beyond) that some form of labeling system becomes necessary to catalogue all of the different variations found. Beginning with the plants grown out from the f-2 seeds I chose to utilize an alphabetized system with each letter corresponding to a specific trait. For example, the letter “B” came to signify the “Berry” characteristic, “F” stands for “Fruity” (sometimes “Floral“), “G” is for Grape, “C” for Citrus, “O” for orange, “L” for lemon or lime, “K” equaled “Kush”, “S” for “Sativa” “P” for Purple, “X” for extreme glandular trichome production, etc.
I must confess that it took much trial and error to finally get it right. Therefore, if one were to look at my early notes many exceptions to what developed as “the rule” can be found. I left these early “mistakes” as they were so as not to over-complicate what came next. It is also very important to note that most of these observations were relatively subjective and that no more than two traits, or characteristics were ever assigned to any one plant. Therefore, the label “BK” came to stand for “Berry Kush”, or a Kush dominant plant with outstanding berry attributes. It is also important to note that only the most outstanding plant of any given attribute was selected for future work. So the plant that ended up with the “BK” label was the most Berry-Kush of the lot.
So, my f-3 stock became labeled with a two-letter code indicating what the most outstanding characteristics of it’s parent (primarily mother) were, and only those with the strongest expressions earned their label. When the f-3's were grown out and crossed to make the f-4 generation, these labels were coupled to indicate the parents of the f-4 progeny, i.e. BK/FS would be a cross between an f-3 Berry-Kush mother (I always list the female first, male second with a back-slash in between) and an f-3 Fruity Sativa father.
F-4's and Beyond
Consider the label number: 4/5 3 96-2. This is the type of numbering symbol I use to label F-4 and beyond plants. Before we dissect this number I need to point out a few rules that I follow in a breeding project beyond the F-4 generation.
First, I only grow out no more than six varieties at any single time. The reason is to avoid too much confusion. Six is about the maximum number of varieties an individual can realistically keep track of. These six (or five, or four etc.) varieties are then labeled as “1" through “6" (or the number of varieties used). Let’s say the 6 f-3's I use are: 1. “FK/FK”, 2. “BK/PK”, 3. “FK/FL”, 4. “GK/GK”, 5. “PK/FP” and 6. “XP/FK”. Notes are made to record this fact and the seeds are then sprouted and grown using these simple, single digit identification numbers (1 through 6 in this example).
Second, I select only one male from any single breeding project. Again, this simplifies things and avoids mistakes enormously. That male is generally selected at about the third week in the flowering cycle, unless it is a clone from another project. After the single male is selected the other males are removed and the remaining females are numbered according to their variety category (i.e. if there are seven #1. females, five #2 females, etc. they are labeled #1–1 through 7, #2–1 through 5, etc.) The male simply retains the number from its variety label, in our above example the number “5" (in the 4/5), or the “PK/FP” male.
Now we may examine the above example: 4/5 3 96-2. The first two numbers, “4/5" are the variety number of the female first and male second. So in this case that would be: a “GK/GK” female crossed with the “PK/FP” male. The third number in our example, “3" means female #3 from the #4 (“GK/GK”) batch. The next number in the example, “96" is merely the year and the final number is the crop number for that year. So, translated, the number 4/5 3 96-2 is the third “GK/GK” (or #4) female crossed with the “PK/FP” (or #5) male grown from the second crop of 1996.
Please note that the “/5” male-used indicator will be /5 for all of the seeds labeled from this batch as the #5 (“PK/FP”) male is the only one used. If a male clone from a past crop is used it may be indicated by using the #7 in the initial notes (if six varieties are sprouted) and described as the male-clone-used in the #7 description. Likewise, if any of the six varieties tested are from a past clone (female), they may be selected as one of the #1 through #6 varieties, labeled and described accordingly.
It seems complex at first, but I assure you that it works great. The same system is used for the F-5 generation, and beyond. The system merely requires that dated notes be kept and catalogued. That way, any crosses may be backtracked and referenced via one’s notes and a simple, six or seven digit code is all that is needed to label and catalogue one’s plants.
Finally, this system works best for forward crosses mainly. Backcrosses will need another connotation to note their use . The “clone-used” labeling described prior works well for backcrosses involving clones.
This system is good for only one grow out at a time. If multiple grows, or facilities are used then they will need to be noted as well, perhaps with a lettered “A”, “B”, “C” etc. appended onto the catalogue number. Also, detailed notes of each individual plant are necessary to fully utilize any cataloguing system and are obviously required for success. Other than that, I have found this to be a relatively simple and foolproof system for cataloguing one’s breeding projects beyond the f-3 generation.
Texas Kid
Some guy with a light
- 4,159
- 263
Background, Review and DJ’s Law
Remember; all of my seed-stock came from the cross of two distinctly different P1 parents with the mother being of pure, land-race sativa origin and the father being a pure indica. This cross produced a very uniform line I’ve referred to as “The Cross”, or f1 generation. When “The Cross” was bred with itself (dubbed “Double Cross” at the time) the resulting variance was phenomenal in the f2 generation expressions. Beginning with this f2 generation, intense scrutiny and application of the selection rules and laws come into play. The bulk of the variation from this f2 generation were primarily discovered in the 1980's.
I must comment here that the variation witnessed from this f2 cross, and subsequent crosses, was truly amazing in its complexity of variance. I also need to mention the fact that, as far as “the number’s game” is concerned (selecting from as large a population as possible), this f2, and to some degree the f3 generations are the most relevant. That is, the larger the number of f2's and f3's sprouted, the greater the degree of variance that is witnessed. It is from the f3 and beyond generations that specific traits are bred for and stabilized. Once a specific trait is recognized, the numbers necessary for success diminish with each generation successfully crossed toward the desired traits. In simple terms; the more f2's and f3's sprouted for examination the better. However, once a specific trait presents itself and is chosen for future work and appears to breed true through subsequent generation, the less f4's, f5's etc. that are needed to witness the desired results.
There is one very simple rule that I feel is primary when considering one’s involvement in a quality cannabis breeding project, or when applying Luther Burbank’s law (“Select the best and reject all others.”). It is an extension of Luther Burbank’s Law that I will refer to as:
DJ’s Law of Quality Cannabis Breeding.
“The progeny must equal or surpass its parent in overall quality and desirability to be considered for future breeding.”
That is, if the progeny is not as good as the bud it came from, it is rejected from further breeding. The finished product from the grown seed does not need to be exactly like the bud or parent from which it came. A good example is from the land-race Thai and the plants grown from its seed. The plants grown from the land-race Thai seed, especially produced indoors, were not much like the imported Thai from which it came (primarily due in this case to very different growing environments and curing techniques). It was, however, very equal, and in some instances superior to the buds from which it came and therefore worthy of consideration.
On the other hand, I have not had much luck in equaling the effects of certain tropical Island herbs such as Hawaiian or Jamaican indoors, and therefore these offerings never made the grade. For the record, the majority of land-race varieties grown out prove to fail DJ’s law, IMHO. Very few end up being of significant value or worthy of future consideration. But DJ’s law also applies to the selection of the f2's, f3's and beyond.
I realize that it is sometimes impossible in the current seed market to be able to sample a true example of the bud (parent) of the seed one purchases. Sometimes these varieties are commercially available in places such as a Dutch coffee shop, but one is never really certain if the bud one is purchasing (or the seed for that matter) is the real deal. This is perhaps one of the main flaws in the current seed market–reliability. Given this situation, the seed buyer and breeder will need to employ Luther Burbank’s Law first, and DJ’s Law after a parent is created for testing.
A Word About Mutagens
I am aware of concerns involving mutagens such as colchicine and their possible use on cannabis plants. Colchicine is a chemical that when applied to seeds or sprouts can cause extreme genetic mutations in future generations of the seeds that survive the treatment (often less that 1%). For the record let me state that I have never used colchicine, or any other mutagen, in my breeding work . All of my selections are from organically produced crops. I do have my suspicions, however, primarily concerning some of the Thai strains that I have used.
I am not certain, but I suspect that the Highland and Chocolate Thai may have been the results of a mutagenic regimen. The reasons I make the speculation is due to observations witnessed in the growing cycle of the Highland and Chocolate Thai and their progeny. Both were extremely “freakish” in some of their expressions, as were a number of subsequent generations. These freakish anomalies are similar to many of the abnormalities documented by mutagenic experiments published in journals such as High Times and Cannabis Culture. These abnormalities include asymmetric growth patterns, “albino” mutations that affect parts of the plant such as half of a leaf, various polyploid expressions and mild to extreme leaf mutations. I am very interested to learn about any first hand experience anyone may have had in this capacity. Having said that, one of the most important aspects to consider in regard to a breeding regimen is that of ratios.
Ratios
The math for this selection process involves watching the ratios of desirable plants from f2 to f3 and beyond generations. The ratio of plants exhibiting a specifically desired trait from the f2 generation may be 1:20 or 1:50 or 1:100 or even as high as 1:1000 (approximate ratios). Once obtained and selected, however, and crossed to the correct pollen source, this ratio will equate more and more per each successful generational cross. This is another indicator of which individuals actually breed true for the specific desired trait(s). Therefore, if the ratio of plants with desired traits presents itself in an approximate 1:100 ratio in the f2 generation, and successful crosses are made, this ratio should diminish to between 1:50 to 1:20 for the same desired trait in the f3 generation. If the cross remains successful, the ratio will diminish to anywhere from 1:10 to an absolute IBL (In-Bred Line) beyond the f4 cross of 1:2 (or 1:1 barring male sexual exclusion, i.e. the ratio among the female plants only).
It is important to note that any 1:2 (1:1 female) IBL ratio is generally for a very specific, singular trait. When considering combinations of traits, the best obtainable ratio I have found is between 1:5 to approximately 1:10, depending on the number of desired traits sought. Please note that these ratio numbers are approximate and the true numbers may be closer to the powers of two such as 1:8, 1:16, 1:32 etc. It also needs to be noted that my ratios relate to total number of seeds sprouted and not just the number of female plants.
Therefore, if I sprout 100 f2 seeds and find one female plant with any number of desirable qualities, and I successfully find a male f2 pollen donor to cross with, and the ratio of these same desirable plants in the f3 generation becomes at least 1:50 (preferably 1:30 or better) then I consider myself on the right track and proceed from there. If a subsequent cross of the f3's provides a ratio of desirability in the f4's of 1:20 (or closer), I am definitely on the right track. In essence these are the (general) numbers I look for in the early breeding trials. Suffice it to say that my informal observations have proven true enough for me to be able to judge desirable results with adequate success, despite the approximations.
Suffice it also to say that I have a large collection of f3's and f4's and beyond that merit further investigation. These f4's (and some f3's and f5's) are the primary source for all future breeding work along the lines established by the ratios of plants with the desirable traits expressed therein.
Remember; all of my seed-stock came from the cross of two distinctly different P1 parents with the mother being of pure, land-race sativa origin and the father being a pure indica. This cross produced a very uniform line I’ve referred to as “The Cross”, or f1 generation. When “The Cross” was bred with itself (dubbed “Double Cross” at the time) the resulting variance was phenomenal in the f2 generation expressions. Beginning with this f2 generation, intense scrutiny and application of the selection rules and laws come into play. The bulk of the variation from this f2 generation were primarily discovered in the 1980's.
I must comment here that the variation witnessed from this f2 cross, and subsequent crosses, was truly amazing in its complexity of variance. I also need to mention the fact that, as far as “the number’s game” is concerned (selecting from as large a population as possible), this f2, and to some degree the f3 generations are the most relevant. That is, the larger the number of f2's and f3's sprouted, the greater the degree of variance that is witnessed. It is from the f3 and beyond generations that specific traits are bred for and stabilized. Once a specific trait is recognized, the numbers necessary for success diminish with each generation successfully crossed toward the desired traits. In simple terms; the more f2's and f3's sprouted for examination the better. However, once a specific trait presents itself and is chosen for future work and appears to breed true through subsequent generation, the less f4's, f5's etc. that are needed to witness the desired results.
There is one very simple rule that I feel is primary when considering one’s involvement in a quality cannabis breeding project, or when applying Luther Burbank’s law (“Select the best and reject all others.”). It is an extension of Luther Burbank’s Law that I will refer to as:
DJ’s Law of Quality Cannabis Breeding.
“The progeny must equal or surpass its parent in overall quality and desirability to be considered for future breeding.”
That is, if the progeny is not as good as the bud it came from, it is rejected from further breeding. The finished product from the grown seed does not need to be exactly like the bud or parent from which it came. A good example is from the land-race Thai and the plants grown from its seed. The plants grown from the land-race Thai seed, especially produced indoors, were not much like the imported Thai from which it came (primarily due in this case to very different growing environments and curing techniques). It was, however, very equal, and in some instances superior to the buds from which it came and therefore worthy of consideration.
On the other hand, I have not had much luck in equaling the effects of certain tropical Island herbs such as Hawaiian or Jamaican indoors, and therefore these offerings never made the grade. For the record, the majority of land-race varieties grown out prove to fail DJ’s law, IMHO. Very few end up being of significant value or worthy of future consideration. But DJ’s law also applies to the selection of the f2's, f3's and beyond.
I realize that it is sometimes impossible in the current seed market to be able to sample a true example of the bud (parent) of the seed one purchases. Sometimes these varieties are commercially available in places such as a Dutch coffee shop, but one is never really certain if the bud one is purchasing (or the seed for that matter) is the real deal. This is perhaps one of the main flaws in the current seed market–reliability. Given this situation, the seed buyer and breeder will need to employ Luther Burbank’s Law first, and DJ’s Law after a parent is created for testing.
A Word About Mutagens
I am aware of concerns involving mutagens such as colchicine and their possible use on cannabis plants. Colchicine is a chemical that when applied to seeds or sprouts can cause extreme genetic mutations in future generations of the seeds that survive the treatment (often less that 1%). For the record let me state that I have never used colchicine, or any other mutagen, in my breeding work . All of my selections are from organically produced crops. I do have my suspicions, however, primarily concerning some of the Thai strains that I have used.
I am not certain, but I suspect that the Highland and Chocolate Thai may have been the results of a mutagenic regimen. The reasons I make the speculation is due to observations witnessed in the growing cycle of the Highland and Chocolate Thai and their progeny. Both were extremely “freakish” in some of their expressions, as were a number of subsequent generations. These freakish anomalies are similar to many of the abnormalities documented by mutagenic experiments published in journals such as High Times and Cannabis Culture. These abnormalities include asymmetric growth patterns, “albino” mutations that affect parts of the plant such as half of a leaf, various polyploid expressions and mild to extreme leaf mutations. I am very interested to learn about any first hand experience anyone may have had in this capacity. Having said that, one of the most important aspects to consider in regard to a breeding regimen is that of ratios.
Ratios
The math for this selection process involves watching the ratios of desirable plants from f2 to f3 and beyond generations. The ratio of plants exhibiting a specifically desired trait from the f2 generation may be 1:20 or 1:50 or 1:100 or even as high as 1:1000 (approximate ratios). Once obtained and selected, however, and crossed to the correct pollen source, this ratio will equate more and more per each successful generational cross. This is another indicator of which individuals actually breed true for the specific desired trait(s). Therefore, if the ratio of plants with desired traits presents itself in an approximate 1:100 ratio in the f2 generation, and successful crosses are made, this ratio should diminish to between 1:50 to 1:20 for the same desired trait in the f3 generation. If the cross remains successful, the ratio will diminish to anywhere from 1:10 to an absolute IBL (In-Bred Line) beyond the f4 cross of 1:2 (or 1:1 barring male sexual exclusion, i.e. the ratio among the female plants only).
It is important to note that any 1:2 (1:1 female) IBL ratio is generally for a very specific, singular trait. When considering combinations of traits, the best obtainable ratio I have found is between 1:5 to approximately 1:10, depending on the number of desired traits sought. Please note that these ratio numbers are approximate and the true numbers may be closer to the powers of two such as 1:8, 1:16, 1:32 etc. It also needs to be noted that my ratios relate to total number of seeds sprouted and not just the number of female plants.
Therefore, if I sprout 100 f2 seeds and find one female plant with any number of desirable qualities, and I successfully find a male f2 pollen donor to cross with, and the ratio of these same desirable plants in the f3 generation becomes at least 1:50 (preferably 1:30 or better) then I consider myself on the right track and proceed from there. If a subsequent cross of the f3's provides a ratio of desirability in the f4's of 1:20 (or closer), I am definitely on the right track. In essence these are the (general) numbers I look for in the early breeding trials. Suffice it to say that my informal observations have proven true enough for me to be able to judge desirable results with adequate success, despite the approximations.
Suffice it also to say that I have a large collection of f3's and f4's and beyond that merit further investigation. These f4's (and some f3's and f5's) are the primary source for all future breeding work along the lines established by the ratios of plants with the desirable traits expressed therein.
Texas Kid
Some guy with a light
- 4,159
- 263
A Word About Anomalies
Anomalies, individuals that are markedly different from the general phenotypic expression of a given variety, are rare, but occur with a near predictable ratio. Beyond the f-3 generation (and from my personal seed-stock) anomalies present themselves at the ratio of approximately 1:100. Because there are both positive (desirable) and negative (non-desirable) anomalies, the overall ratio of positive (desirable) anomalies is probably somewhere in the neighborhood of approx. 1:200. Desirable anomalies are very valuable to cannabis breeding providing that they are viable. So always keep an eye out for desirable anomalies and put sufficient energy into their reproduction. More often than not however, anomalies can be very finicky and therefore difficult to work with
Past Selection Processes Review
Originally, in the late 1970's, I was growing up to 100 plants at a time using over 1000 watts of light, and also outdoors in a backyard garden space. These were all land race sativa that fortunately cloned well. The ratio of highly desirable individuals from these plants was about 1:100. One of the most annoying traits of these varieties was hermaphroditism. Approximately 60% of all of these plants from seed were unmanageable hermis, and about 25% more were what I referred to as manageable hermaphrodites, meaning that with close observation and intense scrutiny the male pods could be seen and eliminated as they appeared. About 15% of these sativa plants were female enough to produce marketable sinsimilla bud, with a constant vigilance toward the occasional stray pollen sack. In other words the hermaphroditism expressed in these equatorial sativa was extreme and nearly total.
A quick word about the virtues of hermaphrodites: Ask any old-time herbalist, one who has been experiencing fine herb since at least the early 1970's, what their favorite all-time herbal variety was, and the answer will be something to the effect of; “Santa Marta or Acapulco Gold” or “Highland or Chocolate Thai” or “Punta Roya (red-tipped gold Highland Oaxacan)” or “Guerran Green” or “Panama Red” etc. et. al., all of which were equatorial, or sub-tropical, origin sativa and hermaphroditic. Even the great hashish of the era such as Lebanese Red and Blonde, all Moroccan and Nepalese were produced from seeded stock.
This is not so much in praise of the hermaphrodite as it is a suggestion in regard to the cannabinoid profile of seeded verses non-seeded herb. It has been my experience that the cannabinoid profile of seeded herb produces a wider range of effect than from non-seeded, or sinsimilla, herb. The equatorial environment also probably contributed to a wider range of cannabinoids. One of the aspects of the equatorial environment is its consistent day/night temperature range, there is little difference between day and night temps on the equator supposedly inspiring a wider cannabinoid profile. Couple this with the seeded cannabinoid profile and it becomes easy to understand the popularity of the equatorial produced sativa, despite its hermaphroditic problems. I am curios as to what future research in this capacity may provide.
Once the indica was introduced into the mix the hermaphrodite “problem” became controllable. It only takes a few zero-tolerance generations indoors to fully eliminate hermaphroditic tendencies. As a matter of fact, this, coupled with shortening the flowering cycle, became the first main concerns of the indoor or commercial horticulturist. This unbalanced focus may be the strongest contributing factor to the “blandness” of much of the herb to follow. The author “R” did a cover piece for High Times magazine in the mid-1980's calling for a “Ban the Bud” campaign, against the indica onslought, due to how bad and bland the quality of some herb was becoming then. I remember the times clearly.
During this period I was beginning to venture out into larger satellite grows (indoor and out) that kicked my selection numbers up to around 1000 plants at a time for awhile. It was from these trials that I was able to do the bulk of my f2 experimentation and selections. I worked with these numbers for enough trials to manipulate and witness the phenomenon of quality production to a high degree of certainty. Once I was certain how to produce the f3's, the f4's and beyond became much easier to produce.
During the late 1980's, and due to the harsh political realities of the times, the high numbers game became too dangerous. The war on some drugs and spooky ops such as Operation Green Merchant forced my experimentation deep underground. Fortunately, the lessons learned prior proved fruitful and progress was possible despite the political weather. I had already learned to produce f3 and f4 Blueberry (et. al.). However, doing so with diminished numbers actually helped boost my learning curve. Between 1987 to 1990 I was able to do so using less than 100 plants from seed at a time. And by 1991 I was able to do adequate selection work from past produced stock using less than 50 plants (seeds) at a time.
Europe
Holland
By the early 1990's I was extremely interested in the burgeoning seed market developing in Holland. I had known about the seed banks since 1983 and was always only interested in obtaining more pure, land-race varieties. Unfortunately, there were only hybrid crosses ever available at the time and I had more than enough of my own to work with. By 1993 I finally made the pilgrimage to Amsterdam where I made new connections. In 1994 I connected with the first company that I worked with in Europe. By 1995 I was supplying this company with seed-stock both for sale and for breed work. I had contracted with this company to produce Blueberry, Flo and Blue Velvet.
The first company I worked with in Europe sprouted only 25 seeds of each of these varieties to make selections from. Other than supplying seed-stock, I was only minimally involved in the selection process. I did get to see the mother and father plants alive, however, the selection process had already been done prior by others. Unfortunately, my relationship with this company was short-lived as all the owner really wanted was my seed-stock. Once he had it I became a very low priority in his scheme. In all honesty I was never paid one red cent for any of the Blueberry (or “Flow” or Blue Velvet) that company number one in Europe produced (plus having over 3,000 seeds that I produced completely ripped off).
Needless to say this lack of concern prompted me to seek other possibilities that culminated in my relationship with the second company I worked with in Europe. At this company about 50 seeds of each variety were sprouted, but I was once again mainly left out of the selection process except for sampling a number of finished products and making selections based on those (which is enough, actually). I never got to see any of the live plants from this selection process at company number two in Europe. I also contributed seed-stock for three more varieties there; Blue Moonshine, Blue Heaven and Purple Passion. The owner of this company was satisfied with paying me the minimum amount I would consider adequate. Fortunately, part of the deal was my ability to remain independent and work with whomever else I pleased.
Switzerland
The third company I worked with in Europe was in Switzerland. The owner of this company was able to dramatically push the envelope there and some interesting results blossomed. I visited Switzerland three times between 1999 and 2001 and was truly amazed at what I witnessed on each visit. Out of all of the companies that I worked with in Europe, I felt the most involved and productive in Switzerland. I was involved with selections of finished products and with live mother and father plants as well. I even got to help plant, transplant and harvest a few of the gems produced there.
The varieties produced by the third company that I worked with in Europe included Moonshine Rocket Fuel, Rosebud and Blue Satellite. I must admit that the bubble hash from the Blue Satellite is among the finest and most desirable product I have sampled (outside of my own) since the 1980's! Unfortunately, the owner of this company was unable to successfully work with the local authorities and was forced to leave Switzerland. Some truly intrepid tales were spun during the brief stay there and I will remember many of them with delight.
Anomalies, individuals that are markedly different from the general phenotypic expression of a given variety, are rare, but occur with a near predictable ratio. Beyond the f-3 generation (and from my personal seed-stock) anomalies present themselves at the ratio of approximately 1:100. Because there are both positive (desirable) and negative (non-desirable) anomalies, the overall ratio of positive (desirable) anomalies is probably somewhere in the neighborhood of approx. 1:200. Desirable anomalies are very valuable to cannabis breeding providing that they are viable. So always keep an eye out for desirable anomalies and put sufficient energy into their reproduction. More often than not however, anomalies can be very finicky and therefore difficult to work with
Past Selection Processes Review
Originally, in the late 1970's, I was growing up to 100 plants at a time using over 1000 watts of light, and also outdoors in a backyard garden space. These were all land race sativa that fortunately cloned well. The ratio of highly desirable individuals from these plants was about 1:100. One of the most annoying traits of these varieties was hermaphroditism. Approximately 60% of all of these plants from seed were unmanageable hermis, and about 25% more were what I referred to as manageable hermaphrodites, meaning that with close observation and intense scrutiny the male pods could be seen and eliminated as they appeared. About 15% of these sativa plants were female enough to produce marketable sinsimilla bud, with a constant vigilance toward the occasional stray pollen sack. In other words the hermaphroditism expressed in these equatorial sativa was extreme and nearly total.
A quick word about the virtues of hermaphrodites: Ask any old-time herbalist, one who has been experiencing fine herb since at least the early 1970's, what their favorite all-time herbal variety was, and the answer will be something to the effect of; “Santa Marta or Acapulco Gold” or “Highland or Chocolate Thai” or “Punta Roya (red-tipped gold Highland Oaxacan)” or “Guerran Green” or “Panama Red” etc. et. al., all of which were equatorial, or sub-tropical, origin sativa and hermaphroditic. Even the great hashish of the era such as Lebanese Red and Blonde, all Moroccan and Nepalese were produced from seeded stock.
This is not so much in praise of the hermaphrodite as it is a suggestion in regard to the cannabinoid profile of seeded verses non-seeded herb. It has been my experience that the cannabinoid profile of seeded herb produces a wider range of effect than from non-seeded, or sinsimilla, herb. The equatorial environment also probably contributed to a wider range of cannabinoids. One of the aspects of the equatorial environment is its consistent day/night temperature range, there is little difference between day and night temps on the equator supposedly inspiring a wider cannabinoid profile. Couple this with the seeded cannabinoid profile and it becomes easy to understand the popularity of the equatorial produced sativa, despite its hermaphroditic problems. I am curios as to what future research in this capacity may provide.
Once the indica was introduced into the mix the hermaphrodite “problem” became controllable. It only takes a few zero-tolerance generations indoors to fully eliminate hermaphroditic tendencies. As a matter of fact, this, coupled with shortening the flowering cycle, became the first main concerns of the indoor or commercial horticulturist. This unbalanced focus may be the strongest contributing factor to the “blandness” of much of the herb to follow. The author “R” did a cover piece for High Times magazine in the mid-1980's calling for a “Ban the Bud” campaign, against the indica onslought, due to how bad and bland the quality of some herb was becoming then. I remember the times clearly.
During this period I was beginning to venture out into larger satellite grows (indoor and out) that kicked my selection numbers up to around 1000 plants at a time for awhile. It was from these trials that I was able to do the bulk of my f2 experimentation and selections. I worked with these numbers for enough trials to manipulate and witness the phenomenon of quality production to a high degree of certainty. Once I was certain how to produce the f3's, the f4's and beyond became much easier to produce.
During the late 1980's, and due to the harsh political realities of the times, the high numbers game became too dangerous. The war on some drugs and spooky ops such as Operation Green Merchant forced my experimentation deep underground. Fortunately, the lessons learned prior proved fruitful and progress was possible despite the political weather. I had already learned to produce f3 and f4 Blueberry (et. al.). However, doing so with diminished numbers actually helped boost my learning curve. Between 1987 to 1990 I was able to do so using less than 100 plants from seed at a time. And by 1991 I was able to do adequate selection work from past produced stock using less than 50 plants (seeds) at a time.
Europe
Holland
By the early 1990's I was extremely interested in the burgeoning seed market developing in Holland. I had known about the seed banks since 1983 and was always only interested in obtaining more pure, land-race varieties. Unfortunately, there were only hybrid crosses ever available at the time and I had more than enough of my own to work with. By 1993 I finally made the pilgrimage to Amsterdam where I made new connections. In 1994 I connected with the first company that I worked with in Europe. By 1995 I was supplying this company with seed-stock both for sale and for breed work. I had contracted with this company to produce Blueberry, Flo and Blue Velvet.
The first company I worked with in Europe sprouted only 25 seeds of each of these varieties to make selections from. Other than supplying seed-stock, I was only minimally involved in the selection process. I did get to see the mother and father plants alive, however, the selection process had already been done prior by others. Unfortunately, my relationship with this company was short-lived as all the owner really wanted was my seed-stock. Once he had it I became a very low priority in his scheme. In all honesty I was never paid one red cent for any of the Blueberry (or “Flow” or Blue Velvet) that company number one in Europe produced (plus having over 3,000 seeds that I produced completely ripped off).
Needless to say this lack of concern prompted me to seek other possibilities that culminated in my relationship with the second company I worked with in Europe. At this company about 50 seeds of each variety were sprouted, but I was once again mainly left out of the selection process except for sampling a number of finished products and making selections based on those (which is enough, actually). I never got to see any of the live plants from this selection process at company number two in Europe. I also contributed seed-stock for three more varieties there; Blue Moonshine, Blue Heaven and Purple Passion. The owner of this company was satisfied with paying me the minimum amount I would consider adequate. Fortunately, part of the deal was my ability to remain independent and work with whomever else I pleased.
Switzerland
The third company I worked with in Europe was in Switzerland. The owner of this company was able to dramatically push the envelope there and some interesting results blossomed. I visited Switzerland three times between 1999 and 2001 and was truly amazed at what I witnessed on each visit. Out of all of the companies that I worked with in Europe, I felt the most involved and productive in Switzerland. I was involved with selections of finished products and with live mother and father plants as well. I even got to help plant, transplant and harvest a few of the gems produced there.
The varieties produced by the third company that I worked with in Europe included Moonshine Rocket Fuel, Rosebud and Blue Satellite. I must admit that the bubble hash from the Blue Satellite is among the finest and most desirable product I have sampled (outside of my own) since the 1980's! Unfortunately, the owner of this company was unable to successfully work with the local authorities and was forced to leave Switzerland. Some truly intrepid tales were spun during the brief stay there and I will remember many of them with delight.
Texas Kid
Some guy with a light
- 4,159
- 263
Canada, The True North Strong and Free
With glimmers of hope on the horizon, Canada is fast becoming the Cannabis Breeding capital of the world. With the much-appreciated activism of entrepreneurs such as Marc Emery (et. al.), a new haven for a seriously dedicated cannabis community is developing. One such entrepreneurial dedicate is Red of Legends Seeds. I met Red in Switzerland where he was very busy and involved working for the happening community there. Red is a high-flying, free spirit with a savvy sense of taste.
Red was able to orchestrate the necessary requirements to produce a very large selection process. This grow consisted of about 400 plants (over 200 Blueberry phenos and over 100 Flo). Out of these there ended up being over 160 Blueberry and over 70 Flo females and about 60 males that made the initial cut. Copies of each of these were cloned and meticulously maintained by the crew. This actually turned out to be a slight overkill, but a testimony to the absolute dedication of the crew.
The Crew
Mighty-G is a green-thumbed master gardener whose success with cannabis is phenomenal. Mr. G was able to provide and maintain a near-perfect growing environment for a lengthy period of time as the plants were kept in an extended vegetive state to insure 100% clone success. The plants were absolutely beautiful. Kermit was in charge of clone reproduction and maintenance. Kermit has been a respected part of the local cannabis community for many years. Chimera appeared online a few years ago and has proven himself to be an intelligent and dedicated soul, along with being a focused horticulturist with excellent credentials in the field of genetics. I first learned of Chimera online where he posted to a few message boards that I occasionally lurk and I appreciated the information he shared. The Cannabis Cowboy also added his expertise, especially considering the collection, purification and pressing of the dry-sieved resin.
I just want to give a big “shout out” and a huge thank you to all of the crew for their very successful efforts on this project. You cats rock! Thank you.
The Process
The main room was divided in two with the Blueberry on the left and the Flo on the right. The plants were relatively huge considering how long they’d been in veg. Lush growth dominated as three distinct Blueberry phenotypes and two distinct Flo presented their development, along with a small number of unique anomalies. Of course, all individuals were numbered and labeled and notes were made over the course of several inspections during the flowering cycle.
During this period all of the males were isolated in a separate room and watched closely to enable the best selection from them. From this particular gene-pool, I find it relatively easy to select the best males as they tend to express their traits regardless of environment or light cycle. There were so many to choose from during this process that the difficulty became who to cull out. Most of the males were at least to some degree resinous with glandular stalked trichome, some more than others. This usually makes it easy to test certain profiles such as overall flavors.
Only after the most desirable males are selected (i.e. all the others rejected) are issues of structure and growth pattern considered. Sweet, fruity and floral expressions are most desirable, but attention is paid to other possibilities as well. Top quality candidates of indica, sativa and mutant anomaly are picked by process of elimination. Then those with the best structure; hollow stems, good color and flower density, become the final candidates.
The females also pose the same problem in regard to who is eliminated. Notes are made as to any outstanding qualifications that present themselves during the bud cycle. But it is not until the sixth week in flower, and sometimes not until the eighth week (or longer if the variety is strongly sativa), that the real differences in individuals becomes apparent and the truly amazing qualities shine. And even then, it only amounts to field-notes until well after harvest and the cut-and-dried product is totally cured. It is then that the final selection process begins.
During our selection-crop numerous individuals could have passed the requirements to be a great mother plant. By and large, the overall ratio of desirable plants that qualified for final selection from this crop was approximately 1:10 (employing DJ’s Law). As it turns out the elite ratio of final candidates turned out to be approximately 1:30–the best of the best as it were. By the eighth week in bud approximately two dozen individuals stood out as primary candidates. After these samples were individually labeled and jar cured for about two months, a total of eleven were of supreme quality. Believe it or not, the final elimination process among these eleven was perhaps the most difficult to complete. Part of the sprocess involved selecting one of each of the three Blueberry phenotypes, one of the Flo, one Blue Moonshine and deciding on the possibility of something new.
With glimmers of hope on the horizon, Canada is fast becoming the Cannabis Breeding capital of the world. With the much-appreciated activism of entrepreneurs such as Marc Emery (et. al.), a new haven for a seriously dedicated cannabis community is developing. One such entrepreneurial dedicate is Red of Legends Seeds. I met Red in Switzerland where he was very busy and involved working for the happening community there. Red is a high-flying, free spirit with a savvy sense of taste.
Red was able to orchestrate the necessary requirements to produce a very large selection process. This grow consisted of about 400 plants (over 200 Blueberry phenos and over 100 Flo). Out of these there ended up being over 160 Blueberry and over 70 Flo females and about 60 males that made the initial cut. Copies of each of these were cloned and meticulously maintained by the crew. This actually turned out to be a slight overkill, but a testimony to the absolute dedication of the crew.
The Crew
Mighty-G is a green-thumbed master gardener whose success with cannabis is phenomenal. Mr. G was able to provide and maintain a near-perfect growing environment for a lengthy period of time as the plants were kept in an extended vegetive state to insure 100% clone success. The plants were absolutely beautiful. Kermit was in charge of clone reproduction and maintenance. Kermit has been a respected part of the local cannabis community for many years. Chimera appeared online a few years ago and has proven himself to be an intelligent and dedicated soul, along with being a focused horticulturist with excellent credentials in the field of genetics. I first learned of Chimera online where he posted to a few message boards that I occasionally lurk and I appreciated the information he shared. The Cannabis Cowboy also added his expertise, especially considering the collection, purification and pressing of the dry-sieved resin.
I just want to give a big “shout out” and a huge thank you to all of the crew for their very successful efforts on this project. You cats rock! Thank you.
The Process
The main room was divided in two with the Blueberry on the left and the Flo on the right. The plants were relatively huge considering how long they’d been in veg. Lush growth dominated as three distinct Blueberry phenotypes and two distinct Flo presented their development, along with a small number of unique anomalies. Of course, all individuals were numbered and labeled and notes were made over the course of several inspections during the flowering cycle.
During this period all of the males were isolated in a separate room and watched closely to enable the best selection from them. From this particular gene-pool, I find it relatively easy to select the best males as they tend to express their traits regardless of environment or light cycle. There were so many to choose from during this process that the difficulty became who to cull out. Most of the males were at least to some degree resinous with glandular stalked trichome, some more than others. This usually makes it easy to test certain profiles such as overall flavors.
Only after the most desirable males are selected (i.e. all the others rejected) are issues of structure and growth pattern considered. Sweet, fruity and floral expressions are most desirable, but attention is paid to other possibilities as well. Top quality candidates of indica, sativa and mutant anomaly are picked by process of elimination. Then those with the best structure; hollow stems, good color and flower density, become the final candidates.
The females also pose the same problem in regard to who is eliminated. Notes are made as to any outstanding qualifications that present themselves during the bud cycle. But it is not until the sixth week in flower, and sometimes not until the eighth week (or longer if the variety is strongly sativa), that the real differences in individuals becomes apparent and the truly amazing qualities shine. And even then, it only amounts to field-notes until well after harvest and the cut-and-dried product is totally cured. It is then that the final selection process begins.
During our selection-crop numerous individuals could have passed the requirements to be a great mother plant. By and large, the overall ratio of desirable plants that qualified for final selection from this crop was approximately 1:10 (employing DJ’s Law). As it turns out the elite ratio of final candidates turned out to be approximately 1:30–the best of the best as it were. By the eighth week in bud approximately two dozen individuals stood out as primary candidates. After these samples were individually labeled and jar cured for about two months, a total of eleven were of supreme quality. Believe it or not, the final elimination process among these eleven was perhaps the most difficult to complete. Part of the sprocess involved selecting one of each of the three Blueberry phenotypes, one of the Flo, one Blue Moonshine and deciding on the possibility of something new.
Texas Kid
Some guy with a light
- 4,159
- 263
The Varieties
After the fourth week in bud, generally speaking, certain characteristics become apparent. On the Blueberry side of the room three distinct phenotypes presented themselves, while on the flo side two less distinct phenos appeared. The three Blueberry phenotypes could be referred to as indica, sativa and variegated or mutated. The indica were shorter, denser and had larger calyx and bract leafs making the buds look plump. The sativa were taller, more slender leafed with more elongated buds of dense, smaller calyx. The indica tended to be of a stronger, more musky odor where the sativa were more delicate and floral. The variegated or mutated individuals varied more in their aromatic palate with some seeming more potent than others. On the flo side the difference was less pronounced between phenotypes but two distinct types developed. The primary difference was in bud structure and formation with one type growing with its bract leaves pointing more up and the other with its bract leaves pointing down. Both were more sativa looking with dense buds of small calyx. There was also a difference in potency of aroma between these individuals.
The seed stock “True Blueberry” currently under scrutiny derived from f2’s that were very “BK” or Berry Kush-like. These f2 “BK”’s were crossed with very “TF”, or “True Floral”, sometimes referred to as “Temple Flo”, mates in the f3 and/or f4 generation to brighten the head considerably. Once the right mix was discovered these f4’s (and beyond) crosses were inline bred (filial crossed) to stabilize the proper traits. The “flo” pheno’s are closer to the “TF” (“True Floral”, “Temple Flo”), headier side of the mix, most reminiscent of the Highland Oaxaca Gold.
“Grape Krush” (or “Blue Krush”)–a productive, deep-colored hybrid of very high quality. This plants exhibits partial to full leaf-deformities of the “krinkle” type, but with good structure and heavy bud production of large calyxes. The buds express a strong sharp/fruity odor with a distinct sweet/grape flavor brought out in the cure. A strong, long-lasting head/body mix is evident in the finished product with an exciting, but not “racy”, head and a mild narcotic body. Very euphoric and desirable effects that most seasoned connoisseurs prefer. 50-60 day flowering time.
“Flodica” – a mostly indica phenotype from the flo line. A rare, near-total recessive indica found by chance in the “TF” line (“TF”= “Temple Flo” or “True Floral”). Generally, the flo line sports very sativa like structures of taller plants with slender leaves and spear-shaped buds. The “Flodica”, however, is a near-pure indica phenotype of short, stout, yet productive, structure with very large, dense, dark indica buds. Very resinous with heavy gland production of an earthen palate to the buds that produce a very strong, narcotic-type experience. 50-55 day flowering time. Unfortunately, the “Flodica” (and the “True Blue Moonshine”) were nearly sterile--i.e. no (or very few) seeds developed, and were therefore culled.
“True Blueberry”–the ultimate hybrid of Blueberry expression. Selected for its superior quality from a large pool, this hybrid contains the best from both worlds (indica and sativa). Medium height with long, fruity and productive buds of medium sized calyxes. Beautiful lavender hues become apparent soon into the flowering cycle. The finished product is of the highest quality with sweet, elongated Blueberry buds destined to please the most finicky palate. High resin production as expected from the “Blue” family. 50-60 days flowering time.
“True Blue Moonshine”–a true “hash-plant”. Selected for its outstanding production of large, clear gland heads, this mostly-indica hybrid really packs a musky/fruity punch. Medium height producing parge, dense buds glistening with trichomes. More musky than fruity with a burgundy/earthen flavor at cure. Top-notch Moonshine. 50-60 days flowering time.
“F-13"–a Holy Grail plant of four-star excellence. Previously unreleased, a very desirable product and potential breeder. A more-sativa hybrid of medium height with long, spear-shaped, dense and resinous buds and an earlier finish time than most sativa. The superfluous quality of the finished product is remarkable: a clear, clean, crisp head of the kindest order with a sweet/floral flavor. This girl really rings the bell every time! Not for the couch-lock crowd, this heady sativa is for those who truly enjoy its stimulating yet comfortable appeal. A real day (or night) brightener. My personal favorite from this batch. 50-65 days flowering time.
Stay tuned for future re-releases of Velvet Luna (formerly Blue Satellite and Blueberry Sativa), Moonshine Rocket Fuel and Rosebud in the not-too-distant future. Have fun and best regards toward your horticultural ventures. Enjoy!
After the fourth week in bud, generally speaking, certain characteristics become apparent. On the Blueberry side of the room three distinct phenotypes presented themselves, while on the flo side two less distinct phenos appeared. The three Blueberry phenotypes could be referred to as indica, sativa and variegated or mutated. The indica were shorter, denser and had larger calyx and bract leafs making the buds look plump. The sativa were taller, more slender leafed with more elongated buds of dense, smaller calyx. The indica tended to be of a stronger, more musky odor where the sativa were more delicate and floral. The variegated or mutated individuals varied more in their aromatic palate with some seeming more potent than others. On the flo side the difference was less pronounced between phenotypes but two distinct types developed. The primary difference was in bud structure and formation with one type growing with its bract leaves pointing more up and the other with its bract leaves pointing down. Both were more sativa looking with dense buds of small calyx. There was also a difference in potency of aroma between these individuals.
The seed stock “True Blueberry” currently under scrutiny derived from f2’s that were very “BK” or Berry Kush-like. These f2 “BK”’s were crossed with very “TF”, or “True Floral”, sometimes referred to as “Temple Flo”, mates in the f3 and/or f4 generation to brighten the head considerably. Once the right mix was discovered these f4’s (and beyond) crosses were inline bred (filial crossed) to stabilize the proper traits. The “flo” pheno’s are closer to the “TF” (“True Floral”, “Temple Flo”), headier side of the mix, most reminiscent of the Highland Oaxaca Gold.
“Grape Krush” (or “Blue Krush”)–a productive, deep-colored hybrid of very high quality. This plants exhibits partial to full leaf-deformities of the “krinkle” type, but with good structure and heavy bud production of large calyxes. The buds express a strong sharp/fruity odor with a distinct sweet/grape flavor brought out in the cure. A strong, long-lasting head/body mix is evident in the finished product with an exciting, but not “racy”, head and a mild narcotic body. Very euphoric and desirable effects that most seasoned connoisseurs prefer. 50-60 day flowering time.
“Flodica” – a mostly indica phenotype from the flo line. A rare, near-total recessive indica found by chance in the “TF” line (“TF”= “Temple Flo” or “True Floral”). Generally, the flo line sports very sativa like structures of taller plants with slender leaves and spear-shaped buds. The “Flodica”, however, is a near-pure indica phenotype of short, stout, yet productive, structure with very large, dense, dark indica buds. Very resinous with heavy gland production of an earthen palate to the buds that produce a very strong, narcotic-type experience. 50-55 day flowering time. Unfortunately, the “Flodica” (and the “True Blue Moonshine”) were nearly sterile--i.e. no (or very few) seeds developed, and were therefore culled.
“True Blueberry”–the ultimate hybrid of Blueberry expression. Selected for its superior quality from a large pool, this hybrid contains the best from both worlds (indica and sativa). Medium height with long, fruity and productive buds of medium sized calyxes. Beautiful lavender hues become apparent soon into the flowering cycle. The finished product is of the highest quality with sweet, elongated Blueberry buds destined to please the most finicky palate. High resin production as expected from the “Blue” family. 50-60 days flowering time.
“True Blue Moonshine”–a true “hash-plant”. Selected for its outstanding production of large, clear gland heads, this mostly-indica hybrid really packs a musky/fruity punch. Medium height producing parge, dense buds glistening with trichomes. More musky than fruity with a burgundy/earthen flavor at cure. Top-notch Moonshine. 50-60 days flowering time.
“F-13"–a Holy Grail plant of four-star excellence. Previously unreleased, a very desirable product and potential breeder. A more-sativa hybrid of medium height with long, spear-shaped, dense and resinous buds and an earlier finish time than most sativa. The superfluous quality of the finished product is remarkable: a clear, clean, crisp head of the kindest order with a sweet/floral flavor. This girl really rings the bell every time! Not for the couch-lock crowd, this heady sativa is for those who truly enjoy its stimulating yet comfortable appeal. A real day (or night) brightener. My personal favorite from this batch. 50-65 days flowering time.
Stay tuned for future re-releases of Velvet Luna (formerly Blue Satellite and Blueberry Sativa), Moonshine Rocket Fuel and Rosebud in the not-too-distant future. Have fun and best regards toward your horticultural ventures. Enjoy!
Texas Kid
Some guy with a light
- 4,159
- 263
My contact was via "The Crew" I know some of those cats..
Tex
Tex
Texas Kid
Some guy with a light
- 4,159
- 263
25 Years Growing Indoors by DJ Short
Tales from a Breeder of Fine Cannabis
In the '70's, connoisseur-quality marijuana was being imported from all corners of the world, but one grower decided to sprout some of those seeds in the privacy of his own house. Working with original genetics, pioneer indoor grower DJ Short has since produced some of the finest herb which has never seen the light of day
Its our time. Time to sprout and plant. Time to water and feed. Time to grow and mature. And finally, time to cut, cure and - my favorite - time to consume the fruits of the labor. There was once a time, not too ancient, when it was all done in the great outdoors, under the full, open sky. But as fate would have it, some creatures have chosen to appoint themselves as predators. They have chosen to prey upon the good folk who produce and use the blissful fruit of cannabis.
Some of the more sadistic control freaks of the world have taken it upon themselves to fabricate rules and laws that demonize and criminalize the production, transport, sale, possession and/or use of this amazingly benign and benevolent substance we know as cannabis. These latter day witch hunters like to believe that they are succeeding. But we know better, only now things have to be done behind closed doors.
I am slowly trying to accept the fact that I have been a closet horticulturalist for 25 years now. Let me tell you, I have the hairs to prove it!
In the early 1970's we did not know much at all about growing good herb. We knew we had grand quantities of seed from the commercial Mexican and Columbian herb that we were consuming. And we knew that the plants grew from seeds. But we couldnt get the damn things to sprout, no matter how hard we tried. Years later we found out that the seeds in those huge, multi-ton commercial shipments were sterilized - some by pressure, others by heat (steam), and (rumor has it) some by irradiation.
Two phenomena sparked what would become my lifelong ambition. The first came in 1973, when I received a little "seed sprouting chamber". A two inch round clear plastic bubble that came as a prize in a box of breakfast cereal. It had one flat side that opened with a little sponge that sat in the bottom.
It just so happened that I had acquired a decent quantity of good, semi-commercial, seeded Hawaiian. I put a whole finger-tipped sized seeded bud into the moistened chamber. A few days later the seeds sprouted and roots shot through the buds - and away we go! These early plants sat under a 12-inch fluorescent desk lamp and grew to be one to two feet tall. This was the humble beginning of my indoor marijuana cultivation experience.
In 1974 another important event occurred - the founding of High Times magazine. Tome Forcase's vision accurately pegged and era and served a movement. I bought my first copy, the second issue, shortly after coming of age. The first issue had already sold out by the time I discovered it. High Times lent a great amount of credibility to what many of us knew to be true: that certain personal freedoms and liberties are natural rights, yearning to be exercised and expressed. Also in the mid '70's, Mel Frank and Ed Rosenthal finally taught us how to "grow the good buds" through their timely how-to grow books.
It was after this that another interesting progression was able to occur. Certain American growers became proficient at growing and understanding the finer qualities of the herb. Some of them moved to regions of the world famed for their high quality cannabis. I like to refer to these specific regions as "sweet spots". Many teamed up with the locals, while others designed their own production schemes. But their goals were the same; to help fund and produce high-quality, semi-commercial quantities of indigenous and designer cannabis. Many of these entrepreneurs were very successful in their quests, both in terms of quantity and quality.
From the mid '70's to the early '80's, some of the finest herb of all time was produced and distributed. These "sweet spot" areas included many parts of the highland Oaxaca and southern Mexico, Columbia, Thailand, Africa, Hawaii, Jamaica and the Northern California/Southern Oregon coastal mountain regions, to name a few. The famous hashish-producing areas of the Arab world and Asia - Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, Lebanon, Morocco and Nepal - were also very active. These areas originated the acclimated land race varieties that were the P1 generations of much of the seed strains available today.
It is important to realize what it is that made each of these varieties of herb so distinctive and desirable. Back then the main terms used to describe fine herb referred to its "head". What kind of "head" or head space, or mind, or feeling, or whatever it is one uses to refer to the stone, does the bud give? A question often asked concerning the quality of the experience of good herb might be: "Does it have a good head?" (Or a happy, goofy, stony, sleepy, paranoid or nervous head?) The ganja varieties of this era and these regions each offered their own unique heads, which were not yet availible from the limited environments of our indoor grown worlds. But we were getting closer.
A good head high is not entirely dependent upon set and setting. Up until the late 1970's my setting was Detroit. And there were few setting more depressingly awful then Detroit in the winter. Yet my buds and I were able to get incredibly high, high enough for us to rise above the depression of the urban blight around us, and to see beyond. I attribute much of our anti-depression (and "intact" survival for that matter) to the high quality, "good head" herb that was available to us then. Good head herb has the tendency to expand the consciousness of those who use it. We were learning and growing, and my expanding consciousness began to learn of an OZ-like land to the west.
Oregon - the promised land, during that period anyhow. Governor Tom McCall was the first major politician to survive the "third rail issue" and mandate cannabis decriminalization. He was also very green in his efforts to restore and protect the natural environment. And rumor was beginning to spill about another very green bounty of the region: West Coast sensimillia, the seedless buds. Hippy-magnet vortices developed all up and down the Pacific Northwest coast. In and around Humboldt, the Oxbow, the Applegate, Ashland, Eugene, Portland, Olympia, Seattle, and Vancouver, B.C. (to name but a few) cannabis communities sprouted and thrived.
My first bag of sensimillia came from a reputable dealer in Eugene in 1978 I have been blessed with the knack of making good connections. I believe it has to do with a certain respect of etiquette - the ability to conduct ones self in a professional manner and the ability to recognize the same respect and professionalism (or lack thereof) in others. This dealer had good Columbian for $55 and ounce. I was used to paying $40-$45 an ounce for good "Lum" , our slang for Columbian back in Detroit, and the "sticker shock" took some getting used to. He mentioned having something called "Oregon sensi". He called it "Butler Green" and it was going for $70 and ounce.
"Ouch! $70 an o-z, Man thats steep!" I thought. But the little bright-green bud the dealer gave me to check out had me very curious. It was so different compared to the herb I was used to. It was so fresh and green and sweet! "Will ya do a half for $35?" I asked. "Sure" The dealer was flexible and I had cash, so I ordered a half of the Lum and a half of the Green. He went to another room to weigh up the bags while I waited. When he returned he handed me the two-finger half of seed-weighty Lum in the traditional sandwich baggie, and a fat ziplock sack of green sensi buds.
"Oh, hey man, I only wanted a half of the green" I stated. The dealer, only slightly annoyed with my naivete said, "That is a half". Holy Moly! I was sold.
Tales from a Breeder of Fine Cannabis
In the '70's, connoisseur-quality marijuana was being imported from all corners of the world, but one grower decided to sprout some of those seeds in the privacy of his own house. Working with original genetics, pioneer indoor grower DJ Short has since produced some of the finest herb which has never seen the light of day
Its our time. Time to sprout and plant. Time to water and feed. Time to grow and mature. And finally, time to cut, cure and - my favorite - time to consume the fruits of the labor. There was once a time, not too ancient, when it was all done in the great outdoors, under the full, open sky. But as fate would have it, some creatures have chosen to appoint themselves as predators. They have chosen to prey upon the good folk who produce and use the blissful fruit of cannabis.
Some of the more sadistic control freaks of the world have taken it upon themselves to fabricate rules and laws that demonize and criminalize the production, transport, sale, possession and/or use of this amazingly benign and benevolent substance we know as cannabis. These latter day witch hunters like to believe that they are succeeding. But we know better, only now things have to be done behind closed doors.
I am slowly trying to accept the fact that I have been a closet horticulturalist for 25 years now. Let me tell you, I have the hairs to prove it!
In the early 1970's we did not know much at all about growing good herb. We knew we had grand quantities of seed from the commercial Mexican and Columbian herb that we were consuming. And we knew that the plants grew from seeds. But we couldnt get the damn things to sprout, no matter how hard we tried. Years later we found out that the seeds in those huge, multi-ton commercial shipments were sterilized - some by pressure, others by heat (steam), and (rumor has it) some by irradiation.
Two phenomena sparked what would become my lifelong ambition. The first came in 1973, when I received a little "seed sprouting chamber". A two inch round clear plastic bubble that came as a prize in a box of breakfast cereal. It had one flat side that opened with a little sponge that sat in the bottom.
It just so happened that I had acquired a decent quantity of good, semi-commercial, seeded Hawaiian. I put a whole finger-tipped sized seeded bud into the moistened chamber. A few days later the seeds sprouted and roots shot through the buds - and away we go! These early plants sat under a 12-inch fluorescent desk lamp and grew to be one to two feet tall. This was the humble beginning of my indoor marijuana cultivation experience.
In 1974 another important event occurred - the founding of High Times magazine. Tome Forcase's vision accurately pegged and era and served a movement. I bought my first copy, the second issue, shortly after coming of age. The first issue had already sold out by the time I discovered it. High Times lent a great amount of credibility to what many of us knew to be true: that certain personal freedoms and liberties are natural rights, yearning to be exercised and expressed. Also in the mid '70's, Mel Frank and Ed Rosenthal finally taught us how to "grow the good buds" through their timely how-to grow books.
It was after this that another interesting progression was able to occur. Certain American growers became proficient at growing and understanding the finer qualities of the herb. Some of them moved to regions of the world famed for their high quality cannabis. I like to refer to these specific regions as "sweet spots". Many teamed up with the locals, while others designed their own production schemes. But their goals were the same; to help fund and produce high-quality, semi-commercial quantities of indigenous and designer cannabis. Many of these entrepreneurs were very successful in their quests, both in terms of quantity and quality.
From the mid '70's to the early '80's, some of the finest herb of all time was produced and distributed. These "sweet spot" areas included many parts of the highland Oaxaca and southern Mexico, Columbia, Thailand, Africa, Hawaii, Jamaica and the Northern California/Southern Oregon coastal mountain regions, to name a few. The famous hashish-producing areas of the Arab world and Asia - Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, Lebanon, Morocco and Nepal - were also very active. These areas originated the acclimated land race varieties that were the P1 generations of much of the seed strains available today.
It is important to realize what it is that made each of these varieties of herb so distinctive and desirable. Back then the main terms used to describe fine herb referred to its "head". What kind of "head" or head space, or mind, or feeling, or whatever it is one uses to refer to the stone, does the bud give? A question often asked concerning the quality of the experience of good herb might be: "Does it have a good head?" (Or a happy, goofy, stony, sleepy, paranoid or nervous head?) The ganja varieties of this era and these regions each offered their own unique heads, which were not yet availible from the limited environments of our indoor grown worlds. But we were getting closer.
A good head high is not entirely dependent upon set and setting. Up until the late 1970's my setting was Detroit. And there were few setting more depressingly awful then Detroit in the winter. Yet my buds and I were able to get incredibly high, high enough for us to rise above the depression of the urban blight around us, and to see beyond. I attribute much of our anti-depression (and "intact" survival for that matter) to the high quality, "good head" herb that was available to us then. Good head herb has the tendency to expand the consciousness of those who use it. We were learning and growing, and my expanding consciousness began to learn of an OZ-like land to the west.
Oregon - the promised land, during that period anyhow. Governor Tom McCall was the first major politician to survive the "third rail issue" and mandate cannabis decriminalization. He was also very green in his efforts to restore and protect the natural environment. And rumor was beginning to spill about another very green bounty of the region: West Coast sensimillia, the seedless buds. Hippy-magnet vortices developed all up and down the Pacific Northwest coast. In and around Humboldt, the Oxbow, the Applegate, Ashland, Eugene, Portland, Olympia, Seattle, and Vancouver, B.C. (to name but a few) cannabis communities sprouted and thrived.
My first bag of sensimillia came from a reputable dealer in Eugene in 1978 I have been blessed with the knack of making good connections. I believe it has to do with a certain respect of etiquette - the ability to conduct ones self in a professional manner and the ability to recognize the same respect and professionalism (or lack thereof) in others. This dealer had good Columbian for $55 and ounce. I was used to paying $40-$45 an ounce for good "Lum" , our slang for Columbian back in Detroit, and the "sticker shock" took some getting used to. He mentioned having something called "Oregon sensi". He called it "Butler Green" and it was going for $70 and ounce.
"Ouch! $70 an o-z, Man thats steep!" I thought. But the little bright-green bud the dealer gave me to check out had me very curious. It was so different compared to the herb I was used to. It was so fresh and green and sweet! "Will ya do a half for $35?" I asked. "Sure" The dealer was flexible and I had cash, so I ordered a half of the Lum and a half of the Green. He went to another room to weigh up the bags while I waited. When he returned he handed me the two-finger half of seed-weighty Lum in the traditional sandwich baggie, and a fat ziplock sack of green sensi buds.
"Oh, hey man, I only wanted a half of the green" I stated. The dealer, only slightly annoyed with my naivete said, "That is a half". Holy Moly! I was sold.
Texas Kid
Some guy with a light
- 4,159
- 263
By 1979, many people along the West Coast were growing relatively openly in their backyards and other areas. Certain years yielded tremendous results. Many growers experienced unexpected bumper windfall harvests in '79 and '80. Well cared for plants grew into at least four to five foot bushes which could easily yield over a pound of high quality bud. It was fun having shelves stocked full of giant glass jars filled with perfectly matured, manicured and cured buds.
The indoor grow scene progressed considerably during this period. Mel and Ed did their first "Indoor Under Lights" grow books. Early on it was all fluorescents, Vita-Lites and Grow-Lux Bulbs, high output and very high output systems, and the equipment soon developed. Some outdoor growers used indoor methods during the off-season (winter) to develop and produce the next years stock. The first Halides appeared in late 1978, and the high pressure sodiums systems soon followed.
The late '70's, up to and including 1980, was truly an era for the expansion of cannabis consciousness. So many things were going so well, and there were so many things happening. I'm not sure if it was "us" behaving so boldly back then who spooked the status quo into electing Ronald Reagan president, or what. It was probably destined to happen regardless. But the '80's soon became the evil twin of the '60's. The foolish flames of the War on Drugs were fanned back into existence, to the delight of many a greedhead. Paramilitary raids on outdoor grows intensified limiting supplies. As supplies dropped, prices rose. More and more outdoor producers moved indoors, some on a commercial level. For many it became a time to hide. For some it was a time to run.
And the indoor grow industry breathed a life of its own. Advances in equipment technology were regular and swift, and the industry blossomed.
My forte was the breeding of fine herb. My primary goal was always to satisfy my own head. The primary aspect I attribute my breeding successes to is a very sensitive, discerning and educated palate. I was one of the lucky few who had access to many different strains. Id been collecting and saving imported seeds since 1975, which was the basis of my early breed stock. These imports however, were all Sativas.
The first indica buds entered the market in 1979. They all came from one source in Northern California who had imported the seed directly from Afghanistan. Short, stout, dark, compact and skunky, these plants were totally different from what the industry had been accustomed to. The most desirable features of the pure indica varieties were their compact productivity and short growing season. Indica plants produced large, dense potent buds very quickly. They soon became the variety of choice for growers, especially those on the indoor scene. The pure Indica head was generally much more of a narcotic and sleepy/dreamy body high, as opposed to the soaring cerebral buzzes of the sativas.
I was not at all pleased with the pure indica head. It lacked much of the good head quality I had grown fond of. It had its place, but for me, its place was rather limited. I did however, enjoy the plants good growing qualities along with its potency so I began "working" with it in 1979. Incidentally, the imported strains that I had been working with were Golden and Chocolate Thai (some loose and some from stick). The Golden Thai became known as "Juicy Fruit Thai" and the Chocolate Thai became known as Purple Thai. Both were sweet and fruity. Others included Purple/Gold Highland Oaxacan, Lowland Columbian Red, High Coastal Columbian Gold, a nice Guerreroan Green Spike, various Hawaiian and Jamaican, a ":woody" Mexican Flowertop and a Piney/Citral from India that I called "Gin Blossom". I had also been working with a few of the more special local treats (from the prized new renegade seeds that I found).
After a couple years of working the breeder's magic and performing the necessary crosses, the Sweet Kush Indicas arrived in 1981. These ranged in luscious flavors from honey to various fruits and berries. "Blueberry Kush" became the herb of choice for many growers and smokers from then on. I spent several more years of research and development before finally yielding the floral and blossom flavors of "Flo", "Blue Velvet" and other strains that I had bred.
The late '80s and early '90s were some of the hardest years on us growers. The Campaign Against Marijuana Planting escalated to a frenzy, and Operation Green Merchant went after the indoor farmers and equipment suppliers. Mandatory minimum sentences and unjust forfeiture laws proved to be a greater burden on the community. We were forced further underground - deeper and smaller. It was a very rough go for awhile there. We were scraping the bottom during those lean years.
I learned early on that the best camouflage in regard to greedheads was under a veil of poverty. That is where I tenaciously waited for the sun to shine again. And that is where I protected and continued my humble but precious stash.
And now, going into '99 the sun seems to be beginning to shine a little more lately. The clouds are slowly parting in many parts of the world. In parts of Canada, Europe, the South Pacific and even some places in the States, many people are beginning to lighten up their attitudes and open their minds towards cannabis. I do hope that the trend continues and our cannabis consciousness has a chance to expand and grow a little further. As for the long run, I know a few things for certain; We will survive, and the sun will shine again. After all its merely a matter of time.
The indoor grow scene progressed considerably during this period. Mel and Ed did their first "Indoor Under Lights" grow books. Early on it was all fluorescents, Vita-Lites and Grow-Lux Bulbs, high output and very high output systems, and the equipment soon developed. Some outdoor growers used indoor methods during the off-season (winter) to develop and produce the next years stock. The first Halides appeared in late 1978, and the high pressure sodiums systems soon followed.
The late '70's, up to and including 1980, was truly an era for the expansion of cannabis consciousness. So many things were going so well, and there were so many things happening. I'm not sure if it was "us" behaving so boldly back then who spooked the status quo into electing Ronald Reagan president, or what. It was probably destined to happen regardless. But the '80's soon became the evil twin of the '60's. The foolish flames of the War on Drugs were fanned back into existence, to the delight of many a greedhead. Paramilitary raids on outdoor grows intensified limiting supplies. As supplies dropped, prices rose. More and more outdoor producers moved indoors, some on a commercial level. For many it became a time to hide. For some it was a time to run.
And the indoor grow industry breathed a life of its own. Advances in equipment technology were regular and swift, and the industry blossomed.
My forte was the breeding of fine herb. My primary goal was always to satisfy my own head. The primary aspect I attribute my breeding successes to is a very sensitive, discerning and educated palate. I was one of the lucky few who had access to many different strains. Id been collecting and saving imported seeds since 1975, which was the basis of my early breed stock. These imports however, were all Sativas.
The first indica buds entered the market in 1979. They all came from one source in Northern California who had imported the seed directly from Afghanistan. Short, stout, dark, compact and skunky, these plants were totally different from what the industry had been accustomed to. The most desirable features of the pure indica varieties were their compact productivity and short growing season. Indica plants produced large, dense potent buds very quickly. They soon became the variety of choice for growers, especially those on the indoor scene. The pure Indica head was generally much more of a narcotic and sleepy/dreamy body high, as opposed to the soaring cerebral buzzes of the sativas.
I was not at all pleased with the pure indica head. It lacked much of the good head quality I had grown fond of. It had its place, but for me, its place was rather limited. I did however, enjoy the plants good growing qualities along with its potency so I began "working" with it in 1979. Incidentally, the imported strains that I had been working with were Golden and Chocolate Thai (some loose and some from stick). The Golden Thai became known as "Juicy Fruit Thai" and the Chocolate Thai became known as Purple Thai. Both were sweet and fruity. Others included Purple/Gold Highland Oaxacan, Lowland Columbian Red, High Coastal Columbian Gold, a nice Guerreroan Green Spike, various Hawaiian and Jamaican, a ":woody" Mexican Flowertop and a Piney/Citral from India that I called "Gin Blossom". I had also been working with a few of the more special local treats (from the prized new renegade seeds that I found).
After a couple years of working the breeder's magic and performing the necessary crosses, the Sweet Kush Indicas arrived in 1981. These ranged in luscious flavors from honey to various fruits and berries. "Blueberry Kush" became the herb of choice for many growers and smokers from then on. I spent several more years of research and development before finally yielding the floral and blossom flavors of "Flo", "Blue Velvet" and other strains that I had bred.
The late '80s and early '90s were some of the hardest years on us growers. The Campaign Against Marijuana Planting escalated to a frenzy, and Operation Green Merchant went after the indoor farmers and equipment suppliers. Mandatory minimum sentences and unjust forfeiture laws proved to be a greater burden on the community. We were forced further underground - deeper and smaller. It was a very rough go for awhile there. We were scraping the bottom during those lean years.
I learned early on that the best camouflage in regard to greedheads was under a veil of poverty. That is where I tenaciously waited for the sun to shine again. And that is where I protected and continued my humble but precious stash.
And now, going into '99 the sun seems to be beginning to shine a little more lately. The clouds are slowly parting in many parts of the world. In parts of Canada, Europe, the South Pacific and even some places in the States, many people are beginning to lighten up their attitudes and open their minds towards cannabis. I do hope that the trend continues and our cannabis consciousness has a chance to expand and grow a little further. As for the long run, I know a few things for certain; We will survive, and the sun will shine again. After all its merely a matter of time.
Texas Kid
Some guy with a light
- 4,159
- 263
I'll put a break bewtween them so they don't get too jumbled up
Tex
Tex
Texas Kid
Some guy with a light
- 4,159
- 263
Proper curing can exponentially increase the quality and desirability of your harvest. The key word to remember is "slow".
Dark & Dry
After cutting the plant or branch, hang it upside down in a cool, dry, and most importantly dark place. Light must be avoided from this point on. Leave the larger shade leaves on and they will gently droop and wrap around the plant, protecting the buds.
The time to the next step depends on how dry your hanging area is. This requires regular checking to determine when to proceed. When the larger shade leaves become dry and brittle to the touch it is time to gently clip them off.
Re-hang the branches in the drying room and regularly check them until the smaller leaves and bud tips become dry and brittle to the touch. It is then time to remove the buds from the branch and remove the rest of the leaf material as best as possible. This is what is referred to as "manicuring".
Now you have a few choices as to what to do with your manicured buds. The buds should still be a little wet at this point, especially on the inside, but the outer part of the buds should be starting to feel dry. Some of the buds, the smaller ones in particular, might even be smokable at this point.
If you are in a more humid area, or if the buds are still feeling heavy with moisture, you may want to try placing them on a suspended screen for a little while. This will help to hasten the drying process. Once again, regular checking to decide when they are ready for the next stage is crucial. This is also a skill that is developed more with time and experience, so practice!
Brown Bagging It
Once the buds are crisp on the outside but still moist on the inside it is time for the next step in the process: the paper bag. I like to use brown paper shopping bags due to their not being bleached, an unwanted chemical.
Simply fill a paper bag a few inches deep with the manicured buds. Don't pack the buds down and do not fold the bag too tight. A few small folds at the top of the bag, like a lunch bag, should suffice.
If the buds are a tad wet or if humid conditions dominate, you might want to consider cutting a few small holes in the bag, above the level of the buds, for ventilation.
As with proper manicuring, regular checking is key. The bags should be gently shaken, ever-so-carefully turning the buds, at least once a day. As the buds dry they will naturally compact into the self-preserving state that we all know and love. It is at this time that the buds can be more compacted together and the bag folded down tighter. They should now be fully smokable, though perhaps still slightly damp at the core.
The entire process, from harvest to these first smokable products, should take anywhere from two to four weeks, depending on your climate. Extremes in climate, such as very arid deserts or tropical humid areas, may take more or less time. There is no substitute for consistent, hands-on checking.
The Final Stage
A final curing stage, preferred by most connoisseurs, involves sealable jars. The nearly ready buds are transferred from the bag to the jar, packed in very loosely, and the jar is sealed. It is very important in the early jar-stage to check the buds at least once a day.
I like to dump them all out of the jar and gently fluff them up at least once a day at first, then less often as time progresses, usually for a week to ten days. It is important to be as gentle as possible so as not to damage too many of the resin glands. After a week or so all I do is simply open the jar and check the buds on a daily basis.
Watch for Mold
The main thing to watch (and smell) for throughout all of the curing process is mold. Whenever mold is found it must be dealt with immediately. The moldy bud needs to be removed, and the rest of the product needs to be exposed to a drier environment for a while.
The simplest solution is to go back one step. For example, if the mold was detected in the jar stage simply put the rest of the product back to the bag stage for awhile (after removing the contaminated product from the batch). If the mold is detected in the bag stage, go back to the screen. The screen is the driest process that I know of. If problems with the mold occur prior to this, a dehumidifier in the drying room may be the answer. Aside from watching and smelling for mold, always remember to keep the product in the dark.
Ready to go!
A bud is completely dry, cured, and ready for sale or consumption when the stem in the middle of the bud snaps when the bud is cracked with the fingers. The snap is easy to detect with practice. It is at this stage that the product can safely be sealed and stored for an indefinite period of time.
The longer you can stretch out this process, while also avoiding mold, the better. I like when it takes six to eight weeks from harvest to the finished product. You will be able to detect the fragrance of the product becoming more and more desirable as time progresses.
DJ Short welcomes questions and feedback, especially in the cultivation of the Blueberry and Flo varieties. He can be contacted care of Cannabis Canada.
Dark & Dry
After cutting the plant or branch, hang it upside down in a cool, dry, and most importantly dark place. Light must be avoided from this point on. Leave the larger shade leaves on and they will gently droop and wrap around the plant, protecting the buds.
The time to the next step depends on how dry your hanging area is. This requires regular checking to determine when to proceed. When the larger shade leaves become dry and brittle to the touch it is time to gently clip them off.
Re-hang the branches in the drying room and regularly check them until the smaller leaves and bud tips become dry and brittle to the touch. It is then time to remove the buds from the branch and remove the rest of the leaf material as best as possible. This is what is referred to as "manicuring".
Now you have a few choices as to what to do with your manicured buds. The buds should still be a little wet at this point, especially on the inside, but the outer part of the buds should be starting to feel dry. Some of the buds, the smaller ones in particular, might even be smokable at this point.
If you are in a more humid area, or if the buds are still feeling heavy with moisture, you may want to try placing them on a suspended screen for a little while. This will help to hasten the drying process. Once again, regular checking to decide when they are ready for the next stage is crucial. This is also a skill that is developed more with time and experience, so practice!
Brown Bagging It
Once the buds are crisp on the outside but still moist on the inside it is time for the next step in the process: the paper bag. I like to use brown paper shopping bags due to their not being bleached, an unwanted chemical.
Simply fill a paper bag a few inches deep with the manicured buds. Don't pack the buds down and do not fold the bag too tight. A few small folds at the top of the bag, like a lunch bag, should suffice.
If the buds are a tad wet or if humid conditions dominate, you might want to consider cutting a few small holes in the bag, above the level of the buds, for ventilation.
As with proper manicuring, regular checking is key. The bags should be gently shaken, ever-so-carefully turning the buds, at least once a day. As the buds dry they will naturally compact into the self-preserving state that we all know and love. It is at this time that the buds can be more compacted together and the bag folded down tighter. They should now be fully smokable, though perhaps still slightly damp at the core.
The entire process, from harvest to these first smokable products, should take anywhere from two to four weeks, depending on your climate. Extremes in climate, such as very arid deserts or tropical humid areas, may take more or less time. There is no substitute for consistent, hands-on checking.
The Final Stage
A final curing stage, preferred by most connoisseurs, involves sealable jars. The nearly ready buds are transferred from the bag to the jar, packed in very loosely, and the jar is sealed. It is very important in the early jar-stage to check the buds at least once a day.
I like to dump them all out of the jar and gently fluff them up at least once a day at first, then less often as time progresses, usually for a week to ten days. It is important to be as gentle as possible so as not to damage too many of the resin glands. After a week or so all I do is simply open the jar and check the buds on a daily basis.
Watch for Mold
The main thing to watch (and smell) for throughout all of the curing process is mold. Whenever mold is found it must be dealt with immediately. The moldy bud needs to be removed, and the rest of the product needs to be exposed to a drier environment for a while.
The simplest solution is to go back one step. For example, if the mold was detected in the jar stage simply put the rest of the product back to the bag stage for awhile (after removing the contaminated product from the batch). If the mold is detected in the bag stage, go back to the screen. The screen is the driest process that I know of. If problems with the mold occur prior to this, a dehumidifier in the drying room may be the answer. Aside from watching and smelling for mold, always remember to keep the product in the dark.
Ready to go!
A bud is completely dry, cured, and ready for sale or consumption when the stem in the middle of the bud snaps when the bud is cracked with the fingers. The snap is easy to detect with practice. It is at this stage that the product can safely be sealed and stored for an indefinite period of time.
The longer you can stretch out this process, while also avoiding mold, the better. I like when it takes six to eight weeks from harvest to the finished product. You will be able to detect the fragrance of the product becoming more and more desirable as time progresses.
DJ Short welcomes questions and feedback, especially in the cultivation of the Blueberry and Flo varieties. He can be contacted care of Cannabis Canada.
Texas Kid
Some guy with a light
- 4,159
- 263
And then.....
Texas Kid
Some guy with a light
- 4,159
- 263
Grow organic
by DJ Short (29 Dec, 1999)
If you want the most fragrant, delicious pot on the planet, use organic nutrients and flush your buds. If you want to grow some of the finest herb on the planet, then the True Fragrant varieties of cannabis, such as Blueberry, Blue Velvet and Flo, are an excellent place to start. I speak from experience, as I am the goddess-father of these fine products, which have all come to me from various sources and locations throughout the years. I have had an excellent and productive relationship with the herb since my early teens in the very early 1970's. I have had the fortunate opportunity to not merely sample many of the great cannabis strains, but to have saved and grown their seeds. The last time I used any seed stock outside of my own was in 1982.
I think that my breeding successes are primarily due to a very discerning palate and sense of smell. A strong and pleasing odor is the dominant feature expressed in the True Fragrant varieties. But you must remember that subtle and subjective characteristics such as "fragrance" and "bouquet" are dependent upon their environment as much as their genetics. I cannot emphasize enough the fact that it takes the purest of environments to grow the purest of herbs.
Bio vs Hydro
The purpose of this article is to help guide you in understanding the basic needs of these and other fragrant varieties, and how to best maintain their uniqueness, originality and quality. The key word to this understanding is "organic," or what the Europeans like to call "bio" methods of production, (as opposed to chemical and most hydroponic methods). Simply put, there is no real substitute for the complex relationship of plants and organic soil.
There are those in the hydroponic industry who will argue that certain hydroponic methods are nearly organic and very productive. I don't disagree. However, the main focus of the hydroponic industry is that of production, or quantity, whereas my focus is on quality.
Granted, there are situations where a hydroponic system may be superior to an organic one, especially when the grower wants only one crop and the absolutely highest yield. Sadly, the fact is also that many people simply cannot tell the difference between hydro and organic products, or they simply don't care.
The quality of the hydroponic product may be increased greatly by employing the simple "two week flush" method prior to harvest. This means that only pure water, with no additives or nutrients, be given to the plant for two weeks prior to harvest. This will only slightly decrease production, while greatly increasing the quality of the finished product.
Potency ratios
I have found that generally the potency of a given variety of cannabis has to do with the ratio of glandular secreted resins, compared to the overall fibre production of the plant. A higher ratio of resin to fibre generally indicates the superior quality and chemical composition of the resin, and the greater potency of the product. Therefore, in order to maintain potency while increasing production, this ratio must be maintained. It has been my experience that the more one increases the fibre production and overall size of a given plant, the more one decreases this ratio and, therefore, decreases potency.
This quality/quantity ratio is much less of a concern to the grower who is producing in the great outdoors. I can honestly say from experience that all of the "True Fragrant" varieties are major producers when grown in their particular "sweet spot." Blueberry and Flo have both reached 500 grams per plant, multi-harvested between October 1 and November 7, grown near the 45th parallel in the Pacific Northwest. These plants lost little of their overall appeal despite the increase in production. However, the product of the smaller plants still tended to be more desirable than the larger ones in the outdoor environment.
Someday, when we are allowed to properly produce herb in the great outdoors, we will once again see and experience some of the truly finest examples the planet has to offer. These "fine herbs" come from very specific geographic locations which I refer to as "sweet spots." Certain examples would be: The Northern Californian-Southern Oregon coastal regions; the highland Michoacan, Guerrero, Oaxaca and Chiapas regions of Mexico; highland and valley Colombia; Thailand; the islands of Hawaii; Nepal; parts of Afghanistan; and the Hindu Kush, to name but a few. It is in these "sweet spots" that the most favorable and specifically desirable characteristics are acclimated phenotypical. Selective inbreeding hardens the desirable characteristics and gives us specific, varied strains. I am very curious to see and experience exactly what our years and multi-generations of indoor breeding are going to produce when returned to these great outdoor "sweet spots."
Indoor organics
Indoor environments are extremely limited in comparison to the great outdoors. The outdoors is a complete and complex system, balanced by many various circumstances. It is sometimes difficult enough to help provide and maintain the proper balances organically in an outdoor garden. Yet although properly providing and maintaining an organic environment indoors is truly a challenge to face, it is not impossible.
Airborne, soil-born, and water-born pests, fungus, mold, algae and bacteria are just a few of the organisms that can attack a crop and seriously weaken production. It is often too easy to treat these maladies with simple applications of toxic chemicals, and a bit more difficult to solve the problem in a clean and organic way. Yet here are a variety of adequate organic pesticides and fungicides on the market today. There are also living organisms such as specific predator insects and nematodes. If you feel you must use a commercial chemical product, try to find the least toxic one available for the purpose, and use sparingly. Never apply anything toxic to your plants once they're in the budding cycle.
Another factor to consider is what to use as vitalizers and fertilizers. The bulk of commercial fertilizers and vitalizers (along with most commercial pesticides, herbicides and fungicides) are synthesized from petrochemical by-products and are not truly natural products. Worms, seaweed, bat and bird guano, fish, green manures and most of their by-products are examples of substances that are naturally produced that provide plenty of good, clean nutrients to the plant. There are now many specific products suited for the indoor organic gardener. Consult your local or favorite organic garden centre for more detail.
Flush your buds!
The most important, and perhaps the most simple, aspect to consider involves the last two to three weeks of the bud cycle – the last two to three weeks of the plant's life prior to harvest. It is during this time that absolutely NO additives, other than pure water, be given to the plant. This is especially important if you have been using chemical fertilizers.
This is the time when the bulk of the final, "useable" part of the plant is produced. As you may well already know, there are over four hundred separate chemicals associated with cannabis and her effects. It is during the final bud-building stage that most of these chemicals are produced. Thus, it is very important to give the plant as much pure water as possible during this crucial period. I like to remember it as the "rinse" and "flush" cycle. Simply remember to give the plants only water for the last two to three weeks in order to rinse and flush them clean. This is to purge unwanted impurities from the plant.
Pot that has been fertilized right up to harvest is harsh to smoke, sometimes the joint will even sizzle and pop as unmetabolized fertilizer salts combust. Un-flushed pot leaves black ash, is hard to keep lit and burns your throat. Pot which has been organically grown and properly flushed is more flavourful and fragrant, burns easily, leaves grey ash, is easier on the throat and is much more pleasurable to smoke
by DJ Short (29 Dec, 1999)
If you want the most fragrant, delicious pot on the planet, use organic nutrients and flush your buds. If you want to grow some of the finest herb on the planet, then the True Fragrant varieties of cannabis, such as Blueberry, Blue Velvet and Flo, are an excellent place to start. I speak from experience, as I am the goddess-father of these fine products, which have all come to me from various sources and locations throughout the years. I have had an excellent and productive relationship with the herb since my early teens in the very early 1970's. I have had the fortunate opportunity to not merely sample many of the great cannabis strains, but to have saved and grown their seeds. The last time I used any seed stock outside of my own was in 1982.
I think that my breeding successes are primarily due to a very discerning palate and sense of smell. A strong and pleasing odor is the dominant feature expressed in the True Fragrant varieties. But you must remember that subtle and subjective characteristics such as "fragrance" and "bouquet" are dependent upon their environment as much as their genetics. I cannot emphasize enough the fact that it takes the purest of environments to grow the purest of herbs.
Bio vs Hydro
The purpose of this article is to help guide you in understanding the basic needs of these and other fragrant varieties, and how to best maintain their uniqueness, originality and quality. The key word to this understanding is "organic," or what the Europeans like to call "bio" methods of production, (as opposed to chemical and most hydroponic methods). Simply put, there is no real substitute for the complex relationship of plants and organic soil.
There are those in the hydroponic industry who will argue that certain hydroponic methods are nearly organic and very productive. I don't disagree. However, the main focus of the hydroponic industry is that of production, or quantity, whereas my focus is on quality.
Granted, there are situations where a hydroponic system may be superior to an organic one, especially when the grower wants only one crop and the absolutely highest yield. Sadly, the fact is also that many people simply cannot tell the difference between hydro and organic products, or they simply don't care.
The quality of the hydroponic product may be increased greatly by employing the simple "two week flush" method prior to harvest. This means that only pure water, with no additives or nutrients, be given to the plant for two weeks prior to harvest. This will only slightly decrease production, while greatly increasing the quality of the finished product.
Potency ratios
I have found that generally the potency of a given variety of cannabis has to do with the ratio of glandular secreted resins, compared to the overall fibre production of the plant. A higher ratio of resin to fibre generally indicates the superior quality and chemical composition of the resin, and the greater potency of the product. Therefore, in order to maintain potency while increasing production, this ratio must be maintained. It has been my experience that the more one increases the fibre production and overall size of a given plant, the more one decreases this ratio and, therefore, decreases potency.
This quality/quantity ratio is much less of a concern to the grower who is producing in the great outdoors. I can honestly say from experience that all of the "True Fragrant" varieties are major producers when grown in their particular "sweet spot." Blueberry and Flo have both reached 500 grams per plant, multi-harvested between October 1 and November 7, grown near the 45th parallel in the Pacific Northwest. These plants lost little of their overall appeal despite the increase in production. However, the product of the smaller plants still tended to be more desirable than the larger ones in the outdoor environment.
Someday, when we are allowed to properly produce herb in the great outdoors, we will once again see and experience some of the truly finest examples the planet has to offer. These "fine herbs" come from very specific geographic locations which I refer to as "sweet spots." Certain examples would be: The Northern Californian-Southern Oregon coastal regions; the highland Michoacan, Guerrero, Oaxaca and Chiapas regions of Mexico; highland and valley Colombia; Thailand; the islands of Hawaii; Nepal; parts of Afghanistan; and the Hindu Kush, to name but a few. It is in these "sweet spots" that the most favorable and specifically desirable characteristics are acclimated phenotypical. Selective inbreeding hardens the desirable characteristics and gives us specific, varied strains. I am very curious to see and experience exactly what our years and multi-generations of indoor breeding are going to produce when returned to these great outdoor "sweet spots."
Indoor organics
Indoor environments are extremely limited in comparison to the great outdoors. The outdoors is a complete and complex system, balanced by many various circumstances. It is sometimes difficult enough to help provide and maintain the proper balances organically in an outdoor garden. Yet although properly providing and maintaining an organic environment indoors is truly a challenge to face, it is not impossible.
Airborne, soil-born, and water-born pests, fungus, mold, algae and bacteria are just a few of the organisms that can attack a crop and seriously weaken production. It is often too easy to treat these maladies with simple applications of toxic chemicals, and a bit more difficult to solve the problem in a clean and organic way. Yet here are a variety of adequate organic pesticides and fungicides on the market today. There are also living organisms such as specific predator insects and nematodes. If you feel you must use a commercial chemical product, try to find the least toxic one available for the purpose, and use sparingly. Never apply anything toxic to your plants once they're in the budding cycle.
Another factor to consider is what to use as vitalizers and fertilizers. The bulk of commercial fertilizers and vitalizers (along with most commercial pesticides, herbicides and fungicides) are synthesized from petrochemical by-products and are not truly natural products. Worms, seaweed, bat and bird guano, fish, green manures and most of their by-products are examples of substances that are naturally produced that provide plenty of good, clean nutrients to the plant. There are now many specific products suited for the indoor organic gardener. Consult your local or favorite organic garden centre for more detail.
Flush your buds!
The most important, and perhaps the most simple, aspect to consider involves the last two to three weeks of the bud cycle – the last two to three weeks of the plant's life prior to harvest. It is during this time that absolutely NO additives, other than pure water, be given to the plant. This is especially important if you have been using chemical fertilizers.
This is the time when the bulk of the final, "useable" part of the plant is produced. As you may well already know, there are over four hundred separate chemicals associated with cannabis and her effects. It is during the final bud-building stage that most of these chemicals are produced. Thus, it is very important to give the plant as much pure water as possible during this crucial period. I like to remember it as the "rinse" and "flush" cycle. Simply remember to give the plants only water for the last two to three weeks in order to rinse and flush them clean. This is to purge unwanted impurities from the plant.
Pot that has been fertilized right up to harvest is harsh to smoke, sometimes the joint will even sizzle and pop as unmetabolized fertilizer salts combust. Un-flushed pot leaves black ash, is hard to keep lit and burns your throat. Pot which has been organically grown and properly flushed is more flavourful and fragrant, burns easily, leaves grey ash, is easier on the throat and is much more pleasurable to smoke
Texas Kid
Some guy with a light
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