Growing medical marijuana
Considering that Hawai'i medical marijuana patients can only grow seven plants, we recommend growing clones rather than from seed. When the clones are cuttings from a female plant, the plants will be guaranteed female. Growing from clone is the best way to ensure that the sex and genetics of the plant are conducive for the patient. If planting/transplanting directly outside, find a safe and private place. The plants will begin to flower (bud) within two weeks unless it is long season (planting in april-may). Otherwise, it is possible to stretch and "supercrop" your plants to get more production out of the short season. Without artificial light, it is possible to stretch the plants a bit with the help of high nitrogen food right away. If you have the space, by bringing your plants inside each night, under a special lighting program, you can grow your plants as big as you want before putting them outside to flower. Since clones typically come from inside under artificial light, it is best to give the plants two to three days of indirect sunlight/ late afternoon sun before putting them directly into the full sun; The sun is far stronger than the artificial light and can burn young plants without an ample transition period. If you can afford it, always feed organics. Leave the Miracle Grow on the shelf.
1. Transplant them into a 1-2 gallon pot of potting soil (sunshine aggregate mix #4 or an organic compost--Fox farm makes a bat guano and earthworm castings one). Two inches of lava cinder at the bottom of the pot is good for drainage, weight, and minerals. Cover the rockwool with soil. Transplanting them at an angle to promote more production.
2. Feed them heavy with nitrogen (e.g. Earth Juice or Fox Farm Grow and bat guano) right away. Since it is almost always short season in Hawaii, unless perfectly timed, plants will begin flowering right away. The more nitrogen and less phosphorous you feed them the more the plant will grow before flowering; resulting in a greater yield later on.
3. Feeding regiment: Liquid application--Earth Juice Grow, Bloom formula (or some organic equivalent)--Follow directions on the bottle (about 1 capful into a gallon of water). Feed the plants everyday. Only water them with the food inside. Start out with just the grow formula. When the plant starts to flower use the grow formula for two weeks, 1/2 grow and 1/2 bloom for the following two weeks, and then over the next two weeks use just the bloom formula before flushing with just water for 2 to 4 weeks. Do not feed any food to the plant for at least the last two weeks--just water. Solid application--Bat Guano (this is a powder 10-3-1). Cover the top of the soil once a week until the last three weeks. Earthworm castings (tea) works well.
4. The flowering cycle: 60 days (2 months) for predominantly Indica Diesel, The Purple, and the Dawg. The predominantly sativa "Silver Haze" is a two weeks, at least, longer cycle. Keep track of your progress on the calendar.
5. When to harvest: Get a magnifying glass to look at the resin glands--or better yet, a battery powered light scope from Radio Shack. When the resin crystals first form (a few weeks into flowering), the crystals are clear. As they mature, they turn a milky white, and the way you know the bud to be mature is when at least 1/3 of all glands are an amber color.
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6. How to cure properly: Hang the bud to dry out of the sunlight, in a well-ventilated room or closet with relatively constant humidity. The best drying time is 10 to 14 days. the bud is dry when the stem snaps clean. Continue to cure in a glass jar; vacuum sealing preferred. Remember your leaf can be used for edibles, and your trim can be processed into concentrates.