The Cannabis Breeder's Bible (40 page)

Force flowering is a concept derived from clone growers. Again, since clones carry the same age as the parent plant they where taken from, they are also more sexually mature than they look. After rooting, clones should be put into vegetative growth for a few weeks depending on how much vegetative growth you need. Whether the clone was taken from a flowering female or a female in vegetative growth determines how long it should take for the clone to flower. Usually clone growers refer to inducing flowering in clones as force flowering. This simply means stopping vegetative growth by triggering flowering with the 12/12 photoperiod. Clones that are taken very early on, before the parent plant’s flowering, must undergo a few weeks of growth before they are sexually mature enough to flower themselves; however, when factoring rooting time and vegetative growth into the equation we soon find that clones are nearly always sexually mature by the time the clone grower wants to flower.

Another procedure of interest that has generated false notions about force flowering comes from images of flowering plants that appear only a few inches high. This has led many to believe that the plant is a seedling that has been flowered early using the 12/12 photoperiod, when in truth what we are seeing is just a clone taken from a flowering mother that has been rooted and rejuvenated for a few days before flowering was triggered again. The result is like a cola of bud on a short stick.

Another reason why force flowering is misunderstood is that growers sometimes switch to the 12/12 photoperiod a week before initial calyx development occurs. During this time the plant may naturally produce initial calyx development that is not related to the photoperiod change but plant maturity. However because the 12/12 photoperiod is present in the growing environment the plant will start flowering shortly after calyx development. Thus the grower has mistaken calyx development and flowering as a response to the photoperiod when in fact the calyx development was a natural development unrelated to the photoperiod change, though the flowering after calyx development was.

Force flowering does have some effects on certain strains during the vegetative period but good growers and breeders will generally not employ it because of adverse effects it has on gender development. It also can lead to sexual dysfunctions. Usually the early 12/12 photoperiod stresses the strain into a hormonerelated activity that promotes flowering to occur. In most cases this leads to the early flowering of hermaphrodites and is very strain dependent. For this reason most growers simply wait until calyxes show before flowering their plants. To understand more about the photoperiod and flowering we should take a close look at phytochrome and photoperiodism.

PHYTOCHROME

Phytochrome is a family of proteins with a small covalently-bound pigment molecule. It is a blue-green compound that has two forms that are interconvertible by the absorption of light, and which regulates many aspects of development in cannabis according to the nature and timing of the light it absorbs. Light regulates plant growth and development and is important for photosynthesis. There are two light-sensitive mechanisms involved in this process.

Blue light response mechanisms are generally not flowering related. Blue light response mechanisms include phototropism, chlorophyll synthesis and stomatal opening. Red light response mechanisms, including flowering, leaf senescence and chloroplast development.

PHOTOPERIODISM IN CANNABIS

If the photoperiod is interrupted during the flowering period it can inhibit cannabis flowering. If the flowering photoperiod is commenced before sexual maturity then phytochrome may react in two ways. It may simply not do anything and we must wait until the plant is sexually mature before it has an effect, or it may force the plant into a crisis flowering situation which usually leads to early flowering and hermaphrodites.

The best approach to flowering is to always pay attention to calyx development. 100% of growers who wait for calyx development until they start flowering will see flowering within the first week of switching to 12/12. Growers who try to flower their plants before calyx development generally find the following problems:

• They wait weeks for flowering to occur.

• They find hermaphrodites.

• They have problems gauging the correct harvest time.

Some growers start counting the harvest time from the moment they switch to 12/12. If they switch to 12/12 before calyx development occurs, then chances are they will harvest early if they are going by the breeder’s recommended flowering times. The best way to count the flowering time is after calyx development has occurred. Then when you switch to 12/12 you can start counting down to harvest time with a better likelihood of meeting the breeder’s recommended flowering times. Still the best harvest indicators are the professional expert harvest indicators outlined in
The Cannabis Grow Bible.

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RESOURCES

CANNABIS WEBSITES

http://www.hightimes.com
-- High Times Magazine
http://www.marijuananews.com
-- Marijuana News and Legal Information
http://www.cannabistimes.com
-- Cannabis Times Newspaper
http://www.cannabis.com
-- General Cannabis Information Website
http://www.yahooka.com
-- General Cannabis Information Website
http://www.cannabisculture.com
-- Cannabis Culture Magazine
http://www.overgrow.com
-- Cannabis Growing Website
http://www.cannabisworld.com
-- Cannabis Growing Website
http://www.cannabishealth.com
-- Cannabis Health Website
http://www.erowid.org
-- Drug Information Website
http://www.lycaeum.org
-- Drug Information Website
http://www.icmag.com
- Cannabis Growing Magazine
http://www.newlines.nl
- Cannabis Cloning Organization
http://www.planetganja.com
- Cannabis Cultivation Community

HASH AND PROCESSING

http://www.bubblebag.com
http://www.pollinator.nl
http://www.mixnball.com

HYDROPONICS AND LIGHTING

http://www.hydroponics101.com
-- Hydroponics Shop Locator USA
http://www.hydroponic-shop.com
-- Greenfields Hydroponics UK
http://www.greenthings.co.uk
-- Green Things Hydroponics UK
http://www.allamericanhydro.com
-- Online reseller Michigan USA
http://www.bchydroponics.com
-- BC Canada
http://www.blunt.co.uk
-- Esoteric Hydroponics, Surrey UK
http://www.hydrogrowth.co.uk
-- Hydrogrowth Wigan UK
http://www.hydroponics.com
-- Ontario Canada
http://www.hydromall.com
-- Worldwide Store Search (Over 500 entries)

MEDICAL CANNABIS INFORMATION

Now that you are able to grow your own medicine why not join up with the International Association for Cannabis as Medicine (IACM). They can be contacted at the following address below.

Arnimstrasse 1A
50825 Cologne
Germany
Phone: +49-221-9543 9229
Fax: +49-221-1300591
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
http://www.cannabis-med.org

The members of the board of directors is composed of eight medical doctors. Ask them to send you information on medical cannabis and they will invite you to become a member of the International Association for Cannabis as Medicine. This is an excellent resource for updates on medical cannabis information which includes a publication called the Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics.

SEEDBANKS

http://www.geocities.com/stonedas72/AussieSPC.html
-- Australian Seeds
http://www.africanseeds.com
-- African Seeds Canada and Europe (Breeders)
http://www.hempdepot.ca
-- Hemp Depot Canada
http://www.hempqc.com
-- Heaven’s Stairway Canada
http://www.eurohemp.com
-- Heaven’s Stairway UK
http://www.hemcy.com
-- Hemcy Seeds Holland
http://www.legendsseeds.com
-- Legends Canada
http://www.emeryseeds.com
-- Marc Emery Direct Marijuana Seeds Canada
http://www.peakseeds.com
-- Peak Seeds Canada
http://www.seedsdirect.to
-- Seeds Direct UK
http://www.worldwideseeds.com
-- World Wide Seeds Switzerland
http://www.sensiseeds.com
-- Sensi Seed Bank (Breeders)
http://www.cannabisworld.com/cgi000/auction.cgi
-- Seed Auction Worldwide
http://www.greenhouse.org
-- Green House Seeds Amsterdam (Breeders)
http://www.dutch-passion.nl
-- Dutch Passion Seeds Amsterdam (Breeders)
http://www.seriousseeds.com
-- Serious Seeds Amsterdam (Breeders)
http://www.flyingdutchmen.com
-- The Flying Dutchmen Seeds (Breeders)
http://www.homegrownfantasy.com
-- Homegrown Fantasy (Breeders)
http://www.kcbrains.com
-- KC Brains Amsterdam (Breeders)

VAPORIZERS

http://www.xijix.com
-- Digital Herbal Vaporizers
http://www.plasticsmithbc.com
-- The BC Vaporizer
http://www.vaportechco.com
-- Vapor Tech Vaporizer
http://www.vriptech.com
-- Vriptech Vaporizer

CANNABISBOOK.COM

http://www.cannabisbook.com
Feel free to contact us...

The Grow Forums

The Greg Green cannabis grow forums can be found at
http://www.cannabisbook.com/forums

Register a username and feel free to chat with other growers and ask cultivation questions. Also has an image gallery section.

Contacting Greg Green

Greg is unusual because he is a very busy stoner, but will try to respond to your emails. If you have any cultivation questions or information that you would like to share with Greg please contact him at [email protected]

Book Submissions

Submissions for the book should be made to [email protected]
Please learn about our photography requirements at the web site below.
http://www.cannabisbook.com/photography.htm

We look forward to hearing from you!

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GLOSSARY OF TERMS

A

ABAXIAL:
Facing away from the axis of an organ or organism; “the abaxial surface of a leaf is the underside or side facing away from the stem”.

ADAPTATION:
An alteration or adjustment in structure or habits, often hereditary, by which a species or individual improves its condition in relationship to its environment.

ADVENTITIOUS ROOT:
Roots growing in an unusual location e.g. from a stem. Of or belonging to a root structure that develops in an unusual place on the plant.

AERATION:
To supply with air or expose to the circulation of air. To aerate the growing medium.

AEROPONICS:
A technique for growing plants without soil or hydroponic media. The plants are held above a system that constantly mists the roots with nutrient-laden water. Also called aeroculture.

ALLELE:
One member of a pair or series of genes that occupy a specific position on a specific chromosome.

ANEUPLOID:
Having a chromosome number that is not a multiple of the haploid number for the species.

ANNUAL:
Living or growing for only one year or season.

ANTHER:
The pollen-bearing part of the stamen.

ANTHOCYANIN:
Any of various water-soluble pigments that impart to flowers and other plant parts colors ranging from violet and blue to most shades of red.

APHID:
Any of various small, soft-bodied insects of the family Aphididae that have mouthparts specially adapted for piercing and feed by sucking sap from plants. Also called plant louse.

APICAL DOMINANCE:
Inhibition of the growth of lateral buds by the terminal bud of a plant shoot.

ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION:
Relating to, produced by, or involving reproduction that occurs without the union of male and female gametes, as in cloning and tissue culture.

AUTOFLOWERING:
A plant that flowers only according to plant maturity and is not flowering photoperiod responsive.

AUTOSOME
: A chromosome that is not a sex chromosome.

AUXIN:
Any of several plant hormones that regulate various functions, including cell elongation.

AXIAL:
Located on, around, or in the direction of an axis.

B

BACKCROSS:
To cross (a hybrid) with one of its parents or with an individual genetically identical to one of its parents.

BRACT:
A leaflike or scalelike plant part, usually small, sometimes showy or brightly colored, and located just below a flower, a flower stalk, or an inflorescence.

C

CALYX:
The sepals of a flower considered as a group.

CANNABINOID:
Any of various organic substances, such as THC, found in cannabis.

CANNABIS INDICA:
A cannabis of a variety noted by its short squat traits and shorter flowering period. It has a more physical, body stone, type of effect.