There are certain plants that, used in excess, can cause delusions or paranoias, in addition to addiction, such as peyote or, our protagonist, marijuana. It is probably one of the best known in the world: either for better or for worse, from time to time it appears in the news and / or magazines.
In this article we will see what are the characteristics of this plant, its care, as well as the properties it has.
Marijuana characteristics
This is an annual herbaceous plant whose scientific name is Cannabis sativa, and its common names are marijuana, hemp or hemp, morisqueta, grass, speck or shora. It grows naturally in the mountain ranges of the Himalayas, although today it is cultivated in temperate and warm regions of practically the entire planet. It has a fairly fast growth rate, not in vain, only takes a few months to germinate, grow, flower and bear fruit.
It can reach a height of one meter, but if the conditions are right the specimen can exceed one and a half meters easily. The plant has compound leaves, odd-pinnate, with more than five lanceolate leaflets whose margin is serrated. These sprout from the stems, which become rounded as they thicken.
The flowers appear grouped in cymose inflorescences. There are male flowers, which are panniculiform, highly branched, and female flowers that have a short, membranous, tubular calyx. It is thus a dioecious species: there are male and female specimens.
* How is hempseed grown?
Sowing (How to germinate marijuana seeds)
The seeds have to be sown in spring, when the risk of frost is over. For it, we recommend following this step by step:
- The first thing to do is prepare the seedbed. As such you can use a flowerpot, a seedling tray, milk containers or glasses of yogurt. Regardless of what you choose, make sure you have at least one hole for excess water to drain out.
- Next, it will be filled with universal growing substrate, for seedlings or you can even find one prepared for this plant in nurseries.
- Afterwards, the seeds will be placed leaving a distance of at least three centimeters between them so that it can germinate and grow well during its first days.
- Then, they are covered with a little substrate - enough so that they are not so exposed to the sun.
- Finally, it is watered thoroughly and the seedbed is placed outside, in an area with direct sunlight.
They will germinate in 14-22 days.
Replication and transplantation
When the plants have reached a height of about 10cm, it will be time to transfer them to individual pots. How do you do that? As follows:
- Carefully remove the plants from the seedbed. If necessary, the container will be tapped a couple of times so they can come out easier.
- Now, with patience, we must remove those specimens that are growing very weakly. They will be distinguished from the others by having a lower height.
- Then, the remaining specimens will be planted in pots of about 20-25cm in diameter with some substrate mentioned above. Make sure they are neither too low nor too high over the edge of the pot. Ideally, they should be about 0cm lower, no more.
- Afterwards, they are watered well and placed in semi-shade.
When roots grow out of the drainage holes, they should be transferred to a 30-35cm pot following steps 1, 3 and 4.
Maintenance
In order to have a well-cared for marijuana plant, it is important to provide it with the following care:
- Location: semi-shadow. You have to give it a minimum of five hours of direct light, if possible in the morning since the sun's rays are not so intense.
- Irrigation: the substrate must be kept moist but not flooded. Generally, it should be watered every 2 to 3 days, but it is always best to check the humidity. For this purpose, the pot can be weighed once it has been watered and again after a few days (wet soil weighs more than dry soil, so this difference in weight can serve as a guide), or by inserting a thin wooden stick ( if it comes out with a lot of soil attached, it will not be watered as it will still be wet).
- Subscriber: during the growing season, that is, in spring and early summer, it must be fertilized with a fertilizer rich in nitrogen; however, during flowering it will be fertilized with a fertilizer rich in potassium. The indications specified on the container must be followed. Specific fertilizers for marijuana can be found in nurseries and garden stores.
- Multiplication: we can obtain new plants by sowing their seeds following the steps explained above, or by stem cuttings, which must have an extra knot that is the one that will be buried. New roots will emerge from it. In order for it to take root, it is advised to plant it in peat pellets, known as Jiffy.
- Pruning:
- To get new stems at the top: when the plant is still very young, the newest leaves are removed. It can also be done on cuttings that have been rooted.
- To leave two central eyes: you have to cut above the two stems that you want to leave, after where the new stems come out.
- To have a low and wide plant: it is cut where the trunk is widest, sealing the wound with healing paste.
- To stop growth and strengthen it: you just have to bend the stems near the eye a little, without breaking them. Thus, a callus will form that will give them strength.
- Pests:
- Red spider. It adheres to the underside of the leaves, feeding on their cells. Over time, white spots appear. It is treated with an acaricide, or with neem oil.
- Whitefly: it is a small flying insect of 1,5mm of white color that is located on the underside of the leaves, from where they suck the sap. It can be treated with potassium soap or neem oil.
- Thrips: they are insects of just one centimeter very similar to earwigs that adhere to the underside of the leaves, weakening the plant. They can be removed with neem oil, and by placing blue sticky traps around the marijuana.
- Management:
- Botrytis; It is a fungus known as gray mold or gray rot. The symptoms are brown spots on the buds of the plant. To prevent the disease from getting worse, the plant must be treated with a fungicide.
- Powdery mildew: also known as ash or blanquilla is a fungus that mainly affects the leaves, where specks of white powder appear on the beam. This dust can be easily removed with a finger, but to treat the disease it is necessary to do treatments with fungicides.
Where to buy seeds?
Cannabis seeds can be bought legally in the Grow Shop, both online and physical. Possessing them is not a crime (in Spain); Of course, if you are from another country before acquiring them you have to inform yourself to avoid legal problems.
What is marijuana or hemp seed used for?
Well, it is true that everyone, who more who less, knows what is the main use that is given. As it has psychoactive properties for centuries, it has been consumed and continues to be consumed to have psychedelic "trips". Now, we are not going to talk about them, since the side effects can end up ruining the life of the consumer, but about their other use, which is much more interesting: the medicinal.
Marijuana has medicinal properties. In fact, the first records of the medicinal use of this plant date back to China from 2737 BC. C. Already then it was used to relieve pain, anxiety and nervousness. But not only that: nowadays it is also used to control vomiting and nausea produced chemotherapy, to decrease intraocular pressure, and to treat diseases such as Parkinson's or multiple sclerosis for its antispasmodic properties.
Its medicinal use is allowed in the following countries: Israel, Canada, Germany, Austria, Holland, Finland, Portugal and Spain.
efectos secundarios
Those people who take marijuana regularly, without any medicinal purpose, may experience changes in character, dependence on the plant, as well as learning problems and / or memory loss.
Marijuana can be very helpful, but it is only used properly.
* Before starting to grow, find out if it is allowed in your country so as not to have legal problems. In the case of Spain, you can have it as long as it is in a place that is not visible and you are a member of a Cannabis Social Club.