Hydrolife Magazine August/September 2016 (USA Edition)

grow. heal. live. enjoy. 

+HOMEGROWN HOW-TO 

• BIO-CONTROL 

• LIGHTING TECHNIQUES 

HEMP 

REVIVAL 

THE 

FREE 

CANNABIS TOPICALS 

FOR PAIN MANAGEMENT 

AUG/SEP 2016

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inside 

14 our crew / 16 from the publisher / 18 own it / 20 ask kyle / 58 ask a nurse / 90 the chill list 

grow. 

24 The Benefits of Bio-Control 

30 BC's Best Bud 

38 Bud Light 

46 Cut and Dried: Strain Report 

heal. 

50 Can Medical Cannabis Relieve 

Rheumatoid Arthritis? 

56 Canna We All Be Happy? 

60 Baking a Fool of Myself: 

Life On Wreck Beach Was Golden 

48 Is It Time to Say Goodbye to Your 

Fan Leaves? 

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live. 

68 Minerals: An Essential Part of 

Cannabinoid Production 

70 The Hemp Revival 

enjoy. 

80 Big Book of Buds 

86 Cannabis Cocktails, 

Mocktails & Tonics 

72 Emerald Triangle Grows 

and Grows 

myhydrolife.com grow. heal. live. enjoy. 11

our crew 

Chris Bond 

Amanda Brown 

Augustus Dunning 

Jessica Ferneyhough 

Colleen Graham 

Cory Hughes 

Kyle Kushman 

Kyle L. Ladenburger 

Gibson Lannister 

Lee G. Lyzit 

Lacey Macri 

Jenn McGarrigle 

Monica Rakowski 

Ed Rosenthal 

Tony 

Watermelon 

August/September 2016 

volume 6 - number 1 

Published by 

Hydrolife Magazine 

3773 Howard Hughes Parkway 

South Tower, Suite 500 

Las Vegas, Nevada 89169 

Inquiries to 

info@myhydrolife.com 

No part of this magazine 

may be reproduced 

without permission from 

the publisher. The views 

expressed by columnists are 

personal opinions and do not 

necessarily reflect those of 

Hydrolife or the editor. 

Printed in the USA 

Distribution 

P.A.I.N. Distribution | 310.488.1911 

magazinedistribution.org 

14 


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from the publisher 

Welcome to the third edition of the new Hydrolife. At 

this point, all we can say is “wow”. The response 

from readers, industry professionals and those who 

use cannabis to heal themselves has blown away 

all expectations. When we started Hydrolife with a 

medicinal cannabis theme, our intent was to connect 

growers, medical practitioners, patients and health 

enthusiasts by providing information related to this 

powerful plant. As we continue to do that, it is becoming 

apparent that passion in the medicinal cannabis 

revolution runs deep. As state governments slowly 

begin to accept the benefits of medicinal cannabis 

—25 states and the District of Columbia have legalized 

MMJ to some degree—an astounding number of 

beneficial products are being rolled out and, just as 

enlightening, stories are being told of how MMJ has 

changed peoples’ lives for the better. 

This emergence from the shadows is captured well by 

this month’s edition of Watermelon’s column, Baking 

a Fool of Myself. From her idyllic, sun-filled days on 

the beach to ‘the arrest’, Watermelon went from being 

carefree and innocent to being targeted by the police. 

She emerged stronger, thanks largely to love and 

support by the people who helped fight for her. 

Those early struggles by Watermelon and others 

helped break down the stigma attached to cannabis. 

As the walls begin to crumble, more and more people 

are being helped. In many cases, people are turning 

to products they wouldn’t have considered even just a 

couple of years ago. 

One of those people is Joanna Clifton. For years she 

battled depression, migraines and lacked joy. She 

turned to CBD oils as a last resort —and the results 

turned her life around. Monica Rakowski tells Joanna’s 

story in this issue. 

There are many more positive stories to tell, and 

through Hydrolife we are happy to tell them as we 

continue to connect patients, practitioners and products 

as we all Grow, Live, Heal and Enjoy. 

GROW, LIVE, HEAL & ENJOY. 

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1 

2 

4 

3 

own it 

1. AnnaBís Whoopee 

Vape Cases fit perfectly 

inside your tote or handbag 

when all you need are the 

essentials: medicine, a way 

to consume it, and your 

charger or lighter. Dressed 

in Italian leather outside 

and AnnaBís’ Odor-Loc 

technology inside for 

maximum discretion, the 

Whoopee is convenient, 

beautiful and incredibly 

functional. AnnaBís is on a 

mission to make women feel 

free and sophisticated when 

they carry their medicine, 

recreational supplies, or 

both. Available in hundreds 

of styles and sizes, from 

clutches to cross-body bags. 

– annabisstyle.com 

2. You love your ink, but you 

also love healthy skin. The 

original Hustle Butter 

Deluxe is a 100 per cent 

cruelty-free, petroleumfree 

and certified vegan 

tattoo lubricant. Used as 

a tattooing glide, tattoo 

aftercare or just as a daily 

moisturizer, Hustle Butter 

Deluxe is made with shea, 

mango and aloe butters 

and is loved by tattoo artists 

and clients worldwide. It 

is available in a variety of 

sizes and should be used 

before, during and after the 

tattoo process. 

– hustlebutter.com 

3. SunPort is the world’s first 

smart-grid solar delivery 

device. Its proprietary 

measure-and-match 

technology enables any 

plugged-in device to run 

on real solar energy from 

certified solar farms. Once 

you plug in your devices 

into a SunPort, the device 

measures the electricity you 

take from your wall outlet 

and automatically upgrades 

it to solar power by 

purchasing small fractions 

of a solar energy certificate. 

SunPort gives you a way to 

purchase solar energy in tiny 

chunks instead of installing 

your own solar panels. 

– sunport.co 

4. Firefly 2 vaporizes looseleaf 

and concentrates, heats 

in seconds and delivers 

consistently superb vapor 

quality. It’s 55 per cent 

lighter and 33 per cent 

smaller than Firefly 1, with 

customizable temperature 

settings, an efficient 

fast-charge battery and 

delightful ease of use. The 

convenient charging dock 

provides a hassle-free home 

for this device, and it is USB 

3.0 compatible. An extra 

battery is also included so 

you’re always ready to vape. 

The Fire 2 also comes with 

a cleaning kit and three 

concentrate pads. 

– thefirefly.com 

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6 

5 

8 

7 

5. GoJoe Coffee Brewer 

and Mug is the world’s first 

travel mug that allows you 

to brew coffee anywhere 

at the touch of a button. 

To use, simply insert the 

special Hey Joe coffee pod, 

add water and hit power. In 

just four minutes, you’ll be 

enjoying a 10-ounce coffee. 

Monthly pod subscriptions 

make the mug even easier 

to enjoy. The GoJoe runs on 

a rechargeable battery. 

– heyjoecoffee.com 

6. Besides being hand-crafted, 

durable, and reusable, No 

Smell Bags feature ‘No 

Smell Technology’. The 

No Smell approach utilizes 

unique design features 

and incorporates a special 

patented activatedcharcoal 

material into each 

bag, delivering unrivaled 

smell-proof performance. 

This state-of-the-art material 

is currently used in the 

British military’s chemical 

warfare suits, and is battleproven, 

so you know it is 

effective. No other bag can 

boast such credentials. Why 

use ineffective plastic bag 

imitators now that there is 

‘No Smell’? 

– nosmell.com 

7. DL Wholesale’s best 

trimmer just had a baby! 

TrimIT Dry 1000 is 

everything you already 

know and love from the 

TrimIT Dry 5000, now 

featured in a more compact 

and portable design. TrimIT 

Dry 1000 has all of the same 

features and attachments 

available from the 5000, 

including the stand, locking 

pin, protective plexi shield 

and alternate saddle for 

use with more delicate 

plant material. TrimIT Dry 

trimmers offer a full oneyear 

warranty on all parts 

and manufacturers defects. 

Trim your harvest with a 

TrimIT Dry today! 

– dlwholesale.com 

8. ONYX Digital Scales 

from American Weigh 

feature touch-activated 

keys embedded in a clean, 

elegant design, fluid ounce 

and milliliter modes for 

liquid measurements and 

four high-precision G-Force 

load sensors. Ultra-thin at 

just 0.6 inches tall, each 

scale is powered by two 

long-life lithium batteries, 

has a backlit reverse 

LCD display and has a 

stabilization time of three 

to five seconds. Available in 

nine different colors. 

– awscales.com 


ask kyle 

Q 

What 

Photo by Kyle Kushman. 

are your top recommendations for drying the most fragrant buds? 

I don’t want to compromise quality at this stage in the game! 

a 

I want to start by saying 

that drying and curing are 

two distinct and separate 

processes. Flowers must 

be properly dried before 

you can begin to cure them. Curing is 

much more difficult and requires some 

trial and error before you can achieve 

a true cure. Experience will be your 

best teacher. 

In contrast, properly drying your bud is 

a fairly straightforward process but you 

must pay close attention to get it right. 

What follows is my favorite technique 

for producing the most flavorful buds 

with all the qualities I desire when 

smoking flowers. 

Plants should be hung upside down 

on a line, whole and intact, for five to 

10 days. How long they need to hang 

will depend on flower size and density. 

Ambient temperature and humidity also 

greatly affect drying times. Higher temperatures 

and low humidity will hasten 

drying, so you want to be able to control 

the environment. For this reason, many 

people use their growroom for drying. 

Kyle Kushman is an internationally renowned marijuana 

cultivator whose collaborations have earned 13 Medical Cannabis 

Cup awards, including three US Cannabis Cups for Best Flowers. As 

the creator of Vegamatrix, the only line of vegan and organic nutrients 

designed for growing cannabis, Kyle continues to make advances for 

people who want to cultivate the purest, cleanest medicine possible. 

Do you have a question for Kyle? 

Email editor@myhydrolife.com to get an answer. 

The optimal humidity level to begin drying 

is 50-55 per cent. After three to five 

days you can lower the dehumidifier to 

45-50 per cent. The optimal temperature 

for drying is 70-72°F. Better a little cooler 

than a little warmer. 

You don’t want your dehumidifiers to 

suck moisture from the plants. You only 

want to remove the excess humidity 

from the room, allowing the plants to 

dry out naturally. You also don’t want 

fans blow-drying your flowers either. 

Just a little circulation in the room is all 

you need. Quick drying causes harshness 

in the smoke. Hanging whole 

plants upside down forces a slower and 

more even drying over the entire plant. 

Moisture within the branches leach 

water into the flowers until the capillaries 

begin to harden. The plant’s tips 

harden first, cutting off moisture from 

the top buds, while the smallest buds 

at the bottom of the plant will continue 

to receive small amounts of water. This 

technique ensures all the buds are 

crispy and ready to be trimmed on the 

same day. There is much debate over 

the choice between trimming wet or dry; 

that is, either to trim the leaf from the 

buds right when you harvest, or wait 

until the flowers are dried. 

Oxidation, a fancy word describing the 

evaporation of essential oils, is what 

happens when you put dozens of scissor 

gashes in fresh flowers. Once the flowers 

have dried out, the capillaries that transport 

water through the plant have also 

dried out. The same concept of capillary 

action applies here. The more access 

points you create for air, the quicker the 

plant will dry out. If your goal is smokability 

and the tastiest flowers, then you 

absolutely want to hang your plants 

whole and trim after the bud is mostly 

dry. 

During the drying process, avoid 

squeezing the flowers. Check the stems 

daily and monitor the level of dryness. 

When they begin to stiffen you may start 

to check the dryness of the flowers. They 

should be crispy on the outside and 

you’ll start to be able to separate the 

flowers from the stem by hand. Take into 

consideration you will need time to chop 

the plants up and remove the flowers. 

Leave enough moisture in the flowers to 

make it through trimming. I like to call 

this bucking the flowers. 

I’ve dried many crops with no controls 

at all. Northern California is pretty 

hospitable. The main killer of great bud 

is low humidity and high heat. Make the 

best of every situation by being vigilant. 

Take it down before it is bone dry so you 

never find yourself in the awful situation 

of trying to rehydrate cannabis that has 

been over dried. 

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THE BENEFITS 

OF BIO-CONTROL 

by Amanda Brown 

When it comes to pest control and your crop, it pays to arm yourself 

with good bugs before the bad bugs take over. Crop protection 

specialist Amanda Brown provides an anecdote and helpful insight on 

how to ensure the good bugs win and why bio-control is beneficial. 

24 


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PHOTO COURTESY OF 

Making the best of 

nature work for you. 

Use biological control as your first line of defense! It is good for you, 

your staff, your crop, your customers and the environment. 

Success starts with knowing the enemy and learning how to prevent 

them from establishing in your plants, using our many species 

of beneficial insects and predatory mites. Work with one of our 

consultants to design and maintain the bio-control program tailored 

specifically for your operation. Contact us at antonin@biobest.ca 

DISTRIBUTED BY 

BIOBESTGROUP.COM

grow 

War of the Bugs 

I walked into the room looking pretty cool with my 

sunglasses over my glasses, decked out in a Tyvek 

suit four times too big, and braced for the worst. What 

I saw was even worse than that. A sea of spider mite 

webbing covered the entire crop, flowers and all. The 

entire facility was infested and sprays that had long 

ago stopped being effective were being applied every 

two days. Needless to say, this was not the best time to 

start a bio-control program, but the growers were left 

with no other option. So we began strategizing. It’s the 

quintessential Good Bug vs. Bad Bug conflict, and we 

had to be sure that good would prevail. 

“A BIO-CONTROL PROGRAM INVOLVES 

RELEASING BENEFICIAL ORGANISMS 

THAT WILL FEED ON OR KILL THE PESTS 

THREATENING YOUR CROP. ” 

Bio-Control 

Bio-control for cannabis makes 

perfect sense. It reduces the time 

required for spraying and exposure 

to employees, it eliminates the need 

for chemicals on a medicinal crop, 

it’s affordable and it works. A biocontrol 

program involves releasing 

beneficial organisms that will feed 

on or kill the pests threatening your 

crop. With a preventative approach, 

growers know that the good bugs 

are in their crop working hard before 

anyone, even an experienced scout, 

has spotted a pest yet. 

Bio-Control Agents 

Bio-control agents can be 

predatory mites, parasitic wasps 

or entomopathogenic nematodes, 

just to name a few. They are your 

warriors, and it is always wise to 

build your army before the pests 

build theirs. Some bio-control agents 

can feed on other food sources, 

and so can be released with this 

alternate food before any pests are 

present in the crop. Other bio-control 

agents are so specific they will only 

feed on spider mites, for example. 

In this case, we sometimes release 

them preventatively, knowing 

they will die if they don’t find food, 

but that they will save you from 

headaches later if they do find their 

food source. 

Spider Mites Bio-Control 

You’re wondering what happened 

to that spider mite infestation, 

aren’t you? The webbed crop was 

vacuumed and much of it damaged, 

but we immediately implemented 

a preventative bio-control program 

in all the upcoming veg plants and 

clones. Four weeks later I returned 

to the facility and the plants in that 

same room were literally spotless. 

Within three months the entire 

facility was clean and spider mites 

were no longer an issue. 

How Did We Do It? 

Californicus is a predatory mite 

that feeds on spider mites, but 

also feeds on other small mites 

and pollen. These mites come in 

small waterproof packages called 

sachets which can be hung from the 

branches. Californicus sachets were 

hung one per plant as soon as clones 

were transplanted. This means 

that the californicus has enough 

food in the sachet to stay alive 

and reproduce for up to six weeks, 

providing a protective army during 

that time. 

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grow 

“IT IS ALWAYS WISE TO 

BUILD YOUR ARMY BEFORE 

THE PESTS BUILD THEIRS. ” 

For extra precaution we also hung 

a small box from each plant in veg 

(called bioboxes) and filled them 

with a small amount of Phytoseiulus 

persimilis (a.k.a. persimilis) each 

week. Persimilis is a bright orange 

predatory mite with a voracious 

appetite for spider mites, and only 

spider mites. Since they refuse to 

feed on anything else, we assume 

they die within five days of not 

eating, and thus, release more in 

small amounts each week. Since 

the rooms and mother plants were 

infested with mites, we were quite 

safe in assuming there was food for 

them, at least initially. 

We also made sure to sprinkle 

persimilis over the canopy of the 

clones as well to make sure they 

were protected from the start. The 

weekly persimilis applications 

into the bioboxes were all the way 

through veg and flower, initially, 

but once control is achieved and the 

sources of contamination have been 

cleaned up, you can back off. 

Photo submitted. 

Keys to Success 

Bio-control is exciting, fun to watch 

and can be incredibly successful. 

It does, however, require some 

patience and problem solving 

occasionally to determine exactly 

which strategies work best for your 

facility and growing style. In the 

best case scenario, a plan should be 

in place before you even have plants 

in plugs. In the worst case scenario, 

you need to persevere until things 

have cleaned up and then 

implement a proactive and 

preventative approach. It 

also helps to have someone 

who loves bugs and is 

willing to look for them and 

release them, and you need 

to be patient with them when 

they occasionally spend an 

entire 10 minutes watching 

a predatory mite devour a 

spider mite. It comes with the 

territory, extreme bug nerds 

need apply! 

Amanda Brown works with 

Biobest Canada as a Biological 

Crop Protection Specialist. 

She has 10 years’ experience 

in IPM and works in food, 

ornamental and medicinal 

crops. Amanda strongly 

believes that using biological 

control is safer, effective and 

the way of the future. Products 

in the USA are distributed 

through Urban-Gro. 

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BC’S BEST 

BUD 

BY JENN MCGARRIGLE | Just south 

of Nanaimo, a city of about 85,000 

people on Vancouver Island in British 

Columbia, is one of the largest 

and most sophisticated medical 

cannabis cultivation facilities in the 

world. Tilray offers pharmaceuticalgrade 

medical cannabis products to 

patients, pharmacies and researchers 

in Canada, Australia, the European 

Union and the Americas. CEO Greg 

Engel shares a few more details for 

Hydrolife readers. 

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grow 

"WALK INTO THE COMPANY’S STATE-OF-THE-ART, $26-MILLION 

FACILITY ON ANY GIVEN DAY AND YOU’LL SEE ROUGHLY 40,000 

PLANTS GROWING IN 31 CULTIVATION ROOMS." 

If you want the best, most reliable, consistent and potent medical 

cannabis available in Canada, make sure you’ve got Tilray on speed 

dial. The owners of the Nanaimo, BC-based company jumped into the 

green scene three years ago, after legal conditions became just right 

for large commercial growers who were able to offer consistent, highquality 

supplies of cannabis grown in controlled conditions. 

At the time, the Canadian government changed the rules regulating 

access to medical cannabis, allowing patients to choose from 

multiple licensed producers. Privateer Holdings, Tilray’s parent 

company, along with investors from around the world, all of whom 

believe in access, saw an opportunity to dive into the medical 

cannabis business. 

The company’s name was selected by the Privateer team in 

collaboration with Heckler Associates—the same branding company 

that helped name Starbucks. “Til” is meant to represent or call to mind 

the tilling of the earth and “ray” refers to rays of the sun. 

In April 2014, the first order shipped out, and the company has grown 

in leaps and bounds since then to become one of the country’s largest 

and most respected licensed producers. Tilray has also begun to 

offer its pharmaceutical-grade products to patients, pharmacies and 

researchers in Australia, the European Union and the Americas. 

Walk into the company’s state-of-the-art, $26-million facility on 

any given day and you’ll see roughly 40,000 plants growing in 31 

cultivation rooms, as well as three labs and 10 manufacturing and 

processing areas. Tilray grows more than 50 different strains of 

medical cannabis. “We started out with a much broader selection 

of strains and then in response to feedback from our patients, we 

reduced the offering to a core group of strains to ensure patients have 

a consistent supply of the same strains to meet their personal needs,” 

explains CEO Greg Engel. “Having discreet rooms with controlled 

conditions enables us to manipulate different variables, such as 

water amounts, light exposure, nutrient delivery systems and more, 

on a strain-by-strain basis at different points throughout the plants’ 

life cycles.” 

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Growing cannabis in such controlled conditions 

allows Tilray to offer its customers peace of mind 

through unparalleled quality and consistency. 

“Thousands of patients across Canada depend on 

us for consistent access to safe, reliable, pure and 

effective medicine every day,” says Engel. “Our team 

of experts, which includes PhD research scientists, 

professional managers, manufacturing executives, 

patient advocates, botanists and horticulturalists, are 

industry leaders in their fields who are on the cuttingedge 

of advancing the science, safety and efficacy of 

medical cannabis for physicians and patients.” 

Tilray’s dried flower products include both THConly 

strains and CBD strains that contain some THC. 

With the Supreme Court of Canada’s historic ruling 

earlier this year affirming Canadians’ constitutional 

right to possess non-dried forms of marijuana, the 

company is also able to offer patients alternatives to 

smoking. The company’s line of extract products—the 

widest selection available under the federal MMPR 

program in Canada—is produced using state-of-theart 

ethanol and CO 2 extraction methods to preserve 

delicate cannabinoid and terpene content. “Some of 

our patients, for instance pediatric patients wishing 

to access our CBD products, do not wish to consume 

a dried flower product via smoking, and the extracts 

GETTING TECHNICAL 

JOSHUA EADES, TILRAY’S 

VICE-PRESIDENT AND CHIEF 

SCIENCE OFFICER, SHARES 

SOME OF THE COMPANY’S 

SECRETS TO SUCCESS IN 

THE GROWROOM: 

“In a largescale, 

high-tech 

cultivation 

facility like Tilray, 

technologies 

that allow for 

automated, 

precise control are paramount. 

For instance, our automated 

nutrient delivery system allows 

our horticulture team to easily 

control and monitor delivery of 

water and nutrients to plants. These 

systems allow customized nutrient 

recipes that can be administered, 

for instance, to different strains in 

different rooms. The same is true for 

automated environmental controls 

that ensure the temperature and 

relative humidity in each cultivation 

room is at the perfect level to 

promote healthy plant growth. 

All data from these systems is 

logged and tracked, allowing for 

the monitoring of trends that may 

impact plant growth. The most 

important investment we made, 

in addition to bringing in the best 

employees possible, was our 

environmental control systems. 

In terms of our extract-based 

products, we have invested in hightech 

equipment to maximize the 

extraction of beneficial compounds 

found in the cannabis plant. We are 

able to accurately formulate these 

products to ensure precise dosing 

for our patients. This extraction 

equipment uses supercritical liquid 

CO 2 , which evaporates from the 

final product as a harmless gas, 

and is thus considered a solventless 

extraction method.” 

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grow 

To learn more and view patient 

videos, visit tilray.com. 

"MEDICAL CANNABIS HAS ENORMOUS POTENTIAL TO SUPPORT PATIENTS 

AND PHYSICIANS LOOKING FOR ALTERNATE TREATMENT OPTIONS." 

are an excellent alternative for these patients,” says Engel. “These extracts 

offer patients and physicians more precise control over dosage as well as a 

convenient alternative to smoking or vaporizing. Extracts are also critically 

important for the future of research investigating medical cannabis as a therapy 

for specific conditions. We currently offer both THC and CBD drops, which are 

oil-based products.” 

Engel believes medical cannabis has enormous potential to support patients 

and physicians looking for alternate treatment options. To better understand 

the possibilities, Tilray is funding clinical research to advance the scientific 

understanding of the safety and efficacy of cannabis as a therapeutic treatment 

option for patients with various conditions, and is working on several clinical 

trials in Australia, Canada and Spain. In 2016 and 2017, the company also plans 

to open additional production facilities in Australia, the EU and the US. 

Jenn McGarrigle is a writer, editor, gardener, mountain biker and nature lover who has lived on the 

West Coast all her life. When she’s not telling stories and helping people get the word out about the 

exciting things they do and why they do them, you’ll find her on the trails or in her garden. 

36 


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grow 

Bud 

Light 

LIGHTING IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR FOR ANY INDOOR GROWER. 

QUALITY, EFFICIENCY, COST AND COVERAGE ARE CRITERIA TO BE CONSIDERED WHEN 

PURCHASING LIGHTS FOR YOUR GROWROOM. TONY, A LIGHTING EXPERT FROM DUTCH 

PASSION SEED COMPANY, OFFERS THE LOW-DOWN ON THE LATEST IN LIGHTING. 

BY TONY 

38 


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grow 

"THE RIGHT TECHNOLOGY 

FOR YOU DEPENDS ON 

YOUR BUDGET, APPROACH 

TO NEW TECHNOLOGY, AND THE 

CHALLENGES YOU FACE IN YOUR QUEST 

FOR HOME GROWN SELF-SUFFICIENCY." 

Indoor growers have never had as much choice for 

grow light technology as they do today. In addition to 

the faithful old HPS technology there are competitive 

newer technologies such as the rapidly maturing LED, 

and the emerging ceramic metal halide lights which 

offer something completely new. 

The right technology for you depends 

on your budget, approach to new 

technology, and the challenges you 

face in your quest for home grown 

self-sufficiency. Here is an overview 

of the main options and latest 

developments. 

HPS 

Without 

doubt HPS is the 

lowest cost mainstream way to buy 

yourself an indoor grow light capable 

of serious bud production. HPS may 

be cheap to buy but it doesn’t boast 

the lowest running costs due to 

the inherent inefficiency of ageing 

HPS technology. HPS was adapted 

to work for indoor growing rather 

than designed specifically for 

it. HPS produces a lot of heat, and 

it uses a lot of energy producing 

less useful orange and yellow light 

wavelengths. The heat can be dealt 

with through extraction, and in hot 

climates air conditioning can be 

used to reduce heat to manageable 

levels. HPS running costs also include 

regular bulb replacements after three 

to four cycles. 

For a 4x4 foot growroom a 600W HPS 

is often recommended. A 400W HPS 

is often recommended for a 3x3 foot 

growroom. 1,000W HPS lights tend to 

be used only in larger rooms, such 

as 5x5 foot or more. However, many 

growers feel superior performance 

and better light spread is achieved by 

swapping 1,000W HPS lights for larger 

numbers of 600W units. 

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grow 

LED 

LED is slowly entering the mainstream as 

component costs reduce in price while LED 

intensity improves year-on-year. LED has a higher 

purchase cost than HPS, but the running costs 

are lower. The LED grow light market is confused 

by the presence of premium quality suppliers 

(including some of the US-manufactured grow 

lights) and the lower quality imports from the 

far east. Comparing apples with apples is not 

always easy and the buyer is advised to do their 

research carefully. A good quality LED with a 400W 

power draw can replace a 600W HPS and use 33 

per cent less energy than a 600W HPS in a typical 

4x4 foot growroom. In addition, there is less waste 

heat generated, no bulb replacements and a much more 

precise light spectrum. Anyone with a 3x3 foot growroom 

looking to use LED should be looking for around a 250W 

power draw from good quality components. The better quality 

LED manufacturers use LEDs which convert 40-50 per cent 

of the electricity into wavelength specific light. Scrutinize 

specifications carefully, because many of the lower cost 

imported LED grow lights use cheaper LEDs which convert 

only 25 per cent (or less) of the electrical energy to light. They 

may still have the same power draw as a more expensive grow 

light but they are producing significantly less light than the 

market leading LED chips. 

"MANY PROFESSIONAL 

GROWERS ARE SEEING THE 

SPECTRAL FLEXIBILITY, REDUCED 

RUNNING COSTS AND REDUCED 

COST-OF-OWNERSHIP AS THE MOST 

COMPELLING REASONS TO SWITCH TO LED." 

LED grow lights are also programmable, this allows 

variable levels of blue and red light to be introduced 

at varying stages of the grow. Red wavelengths 

will promote more stretching, blue light will do the 

opposite. Red is more useful in bloom, blue is more 

useful in early veg growth. Many professional growers 

are seeing the spectral flexibility, reduced running costs 

and reduced cost-of-ownership as the most compelling 

reasons to switch to LED. The main objection to LED for 

home growing has been the high purchase price. But 

a few quick calculations show that LED grow light 

technology eventually pays for itself through energy 

savings after a few grow cycles. 

Plasma 

Light emitting plasma (LEP or simply ‘plasma’) is a 

premium priced grow light technology that appeals to 

those looking for maximum quality. The wavelengths 

produced by plasma are similar to the sun—full spectrum 

growing. Plasma enthusiasts will claim that the quality 

of the smoke is enhanced by the more natural spectrum 

which includes some of the wavelengths missing in HPS, 

including UV. Many growers will add a plasma light to 

complement (rather than replace) the existing lights—it’s 

a good way of improving the light spectrum available to 

the plants. But the cost still deters many. 

CMH 

Ceramic metal 

halide (also 

known as 

light emitting 

ceramic) is an 

emerging new 

technology 

previously 

used in 

photographic 

lighting. Traditional 

metal halide lighting 

uses quartz to provide 

the light source, with CMH 

a ceramic material is used for the light source which 

improves both the efficiency and the spectral output of 

the resulting light. The improved spectral output and 

efficiency improvement have been attractive to indoor 

growers and the results are impressive. CMH, like LED, 

seems to be a more progressive approach to lighting 

technology than HPS and offers some benefits. Research 

and development continues with CMH, and many 

expect it to be an area which will see further 

development in areas such as spectral output and power 

improvements. One of the more common options, a 315W 

CMH light is well-suited to a 3x3 foot growroom and will 

be a good replacement for a 400W HPS. 

42 


myhydrolife.com

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"ONE OF THE BIGGEST FIXED 

COSTS FOR COMMERCIAL 

CANNABIS CULTIVATORS IS 

THE ELECTRICAL COSTS FOR 

RUNNING DOZENS OF 600W 

HPS FIXTURES." 

Impact of New Plant Genetics 

Many home growers have started to grow autoflowering 

cannabis varieties in the last couple of years. These grow 

under 20 (or even 24) hours of daily light from seed to harvest 

in around 70 days. Often, the harvests from an autoflower 

exceed those from a photoperiod variety grown under the 

same conditions in the same time period. That’s simply 

because autoflowers have the advantage of blooming under 

20-plus hours of daylight with consequential advantages in 

biomass for autos compared to a photoperiod variety which 

has just 12 hours of photosynthesis in bloom. The result for 

home growers is that the grow light is often running for 20 or 

24 hours per day instead of 12. This allows heavier harvests 

in shorter timescales, something all home 

growers love. But the trade-off is higher 

electricity costs. That’s another factor 

accelerating the adoption of high 

efficiency lighting such as LED. 

Commercial vs. 

Home Growers 

One of the biggest fixed costs for 

commercial cannabis cultivators is the 

electrical costs for running dozens of 600W HPS fixtures. A 

number of commercial growers have started swapping out 

their 600W HPS lights for good quality (300W-400W) LED 

replacements. The reduced electricity costs mean that the 

payback on the LED lights can be achieved within a couple of 

years. Many expect the trend away from HPS towards LED will 

continue, but that is expected to be an evolution rather than a 

revolution simply because of the upfront costs to upgrade. 

The self-sufficient home grower is often operating to a 

different set of parameters. Quality rather than efficiency 

is frequently the main motivator. Many home growers 

regard their growroom as one area of their life where 

compromise is not necessary. For the enthusiastic hobby 

grower, cost is sometimes no obstacle to the onward and 

upward improvements to their grow room. And that quest for 

continued performance and better quality cannabis, both for 

commercial and domestic production, will ensure continued 

investment and advancement in growroom lighting 

technology for years to come. 

Tony has been part of the Dutch Passion Seed Company 

for 10 years, with a lifelong love of the cannabis plant 

and cannabis breeding. He has a particular interest in the 

evolution of autoflowering cannabis, selective breeding of 

varieties rich in minor cannabinoids, and unusual genetic 

lines. His ambition is to see cannabis widely legalized and 

made available as a mainstream medicine. 

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grow 

Cut and Dried: 

A Monthly Look at Different MMJ Strains 

This month’s featured strain, Purple Berry, grows well in indoor environments because 

of its average-sized stature. Best enjoyed at the end of a long day, the finished product 

is perfectly dense and delivers a welcoming combination of sativa and indica effects. 

by Lacey Macri 

Blazin’ Purps 

Blaze, of Sacramento, California, 

describes her favorite all-around strain 

to grow, as well as medicate with: Purple 

Berry. She reports that it is a great 

medicine for beginners, whether they are 

growing it or consuming it. 

Origin & Genetics 

Blaze’s particular strain of Purple Berry 

is bred from seed from a cross between 

DJ Short Blueberry and Purple Kush. 

Unlike its name, DJ Short Blueberry can 

actually stretch fairly tall in its early 

developmental stages of growth due to 

its sativa roots. Purple Berry picked up 

some height from DJ Short, but it doesn’t 

get so huge it cannot be grown indoors. 

This heavy hybrid is characteristically 

indica-dominant in nature, but due to 

its extensive lineage, Blaze’s strain has 

some renowned sativa effects as well. 

Physical Description 

The flowers of Purple Berry are generously 

frosted and the color appears to 

be on the cooler end of the spectrum, 

including pastel shades of greens, blues 

and purples. Blaze says another perk 

about this medicine is its perfect density; 

patients do not need to use a grinder 

to avoid waste when preparing their 

medicine as it can be easily pulled apart 

by hand. However, it has been known to 

leave you with pretty sticky fingers when 

it is fresh. Not so oddly enough, Purple 

Berry smells just like berries right off 

the plant. It’s sweet and earthy, and will 

produce a thick plume of smoke or vapor, 

leaving the room smelling rich with 

traces of pine and even chocolate. 

Medical Uses 

Purple Berry is a well-rounded medicine 

that will help with a number of different 

conditions. Patients will experience the 

mild euphoric head high you get from 

a sativa, while relaxing your body and 

reducing pain like after medicating with 

an indica. Some patients may experience 

moderate mental cloudiness if too 

much is consumed, so it is advised to 

save this strain for the evenings when 

all of your responsibilities and chores 

have been completed. Patients suffering 

from depression and listlessness may 

also find positive effects while using 

this strain, as it is uplifting in nature 

and typically doesn’t spawn any sort of 

paranoia or heart-pounding like some of 

the heftier strains out there. 

Growing Patterns 

This strain grows well in an indoor 

environment because of its averagesized 

stature. However, healthy plants 

will likely fill your whole grow tent to 

maximum capacity. Blaze grows this 

strain year-round in a sterile environment 

using an ebb and flow system and highquality, 

super-soluble liquid nutrients. 

Purple Berry is known to be highly 

resistant against pests and diseases, 

so assuming proper cleanliness and 

conditions are met, Blaze says she rarely 

runs into devastating issues. 

“ It’s sweet and earthy, 

and will produce a thick 

plume of smoke or vapor, 

leaving the room smelling 

rich with traces of pine 

and even chocolate.” 

The first time she ever grew this strain, 

she was slightly taken aback by a peculiar 

development in the later stages of 

flowering. “There were these long chutes 

that would literally shoot up way beyond 

the rest of the colas that made them look 

like quails,” she says. At first she was 

worried something had gone wrong, but 

after doing some research, she determined 

that this was a classic trait of this 

particular phenotype. “There is nothing 

wrong with the elongated chutes; they 

are actually very potent,” she says. “We 

typically use them to make concentrates 

and edibles, but they definitely need to be 

trimmed away because they are severely 

lacking in sexiness.” 

Overall, Purple Berry is a heavy yielder 

and overall very forgiving plant in most 

any situation that comes your way. 

Lacey Macri works as head of sales at 

CleanGrow, focusing her time on business 

development within the company. 

She received a bachelor’s degree in 

communications and psychology from 

the University of California, Davis in 2011, 

where she worked at the California Aggie 

student newspaper on campus. 

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grow 

Is It Time to Say Goodbye 

to Your Fan Leaves? 

by Cory Hughes | Dense canopies can cause a 

variety of problems in your growroom. By taking 

the time to get hands-on with your plants and 

removing excess fan leaves, you can save yourself 

a ton of heat and moisture related problems. 

By far, one of the most overlooked practices in maintaining 

a pest- and mildew-free environment for your cannabis 

plants is the manual removal of fan leaves. Removing 

excess fan leaves and creating airflow to the central, 

denser areas of your canopy is essential in maximizing 

yields. Balancing your temperature and humidity is a good 

start, but it’s not enough to produce the end results you are 

looking for. You need proper ventilation and air circulation 

in order to optimize your plants’ ability to take in the 

rich atmosphere around them. Sometimes, however, due to 

the density of your canopy, airflow can become restricted 

despite having a good HVAC and ventilation system. 

If your plants are in late stage and looking great, but you 

find pockets of powdery mildew when you dig into the 

dense canopy, manual removal could have probably saved 

you some heartache. Powdery mildew is a fungal disease 

that at a glance looks like baking flour dusted on your 

plants. It thrives in warm, moist conditions. Sometimes this 

“dust” can be ejected from the plant, resulting in a small 

puff. Gross. The manual removal of fan leaves located deep 

in your canopy opens tunnels through which fresh air can 

flow. Why do you need tunnels of air? Opening up your 

canopy keeps temperatures cool in those deep, dark places. 

When the density of your canopy reaches a certain point, 

temperatures and humidity can rise. The fresh, cool air 

from your HVAC just can’t efficiently reach the central 

dense areas. Having pockets of warmer, moist air doesn’t 

always lead to problems with powdery mildew. If the 

spores aren’t there, then they just aren’t there, but to not 

find powdery mildew, and to some degree mites, in a home 

or commercial grow, is rare. 

Another problem that may arise is an infestation of spider 

mites. Spider mites, much like powdery mildew, love warm, 

humid conditions. These are pests that are hard to completely 

remove. As a friend of mine once put it, it’s about integrated 

pest management, not integrated pest eradication. 

The time you really want to watch for dense pockets of fan 

leaves is in the mid to late stages. In early stages, density 

is not a problem. Plus, in early stages you want your plants 

to grow up and out, using as many fan leaves as possible to 

suck up energy from your lights. Now, this might be obvious, 

but I have to say it anyway: if you are not concerned with 

maximizing weight through plant count, and are growing 

for more aficionado purposes, then odds are you are not 

going to have many of the same problems with your canopy. 

The only manual removal that should probably have been 

done in this instance is your basic bottom pruning. But if 

weight is your goal, plant count will get you there, and 

manual removal is your friend. 

Here is my strategy for manual fan removal: I like to 

imagine a point deep in the canopy—one I obviously cannot 

see. From there it is as simple as removing the fan leaves 

that are blocking my view. Walk along the side of your tray 

or growing space and look between each cola. If you can’t 

see into the heart of the canopy, feel free to start plucking 

leaves, but be careful not to remove the precious sugar 

leaves that circle your colas. Those tiny crystalline beauties 

can go on to make extractions, so you might want to leave 

them. At first you should only be concerned about removing 

the large fan leaves that are obstructing airflow to the core 

of your canopy, and then approach the removal process from 

different angles. Stand above your plants and look down. 

Are there any colas being blocked from the light by excess 

fan leaves? They should be removed to not only open airflow, 

but to clear paths of light to areas that may have fallen 

into the shadows. 

If you have to manually remove powdery mildew-covered 

leaves, it won’t entirely remove the problem, but it’s a start. 

You are really only removing the leaves to prevent the 

mildew from spreading further. At this point, you really 

should have tackled the problem sooner. Not much consolation, 

I know, but I’m here to help you prevent these problems 

in the future. Monitoring your canopy and tackling fan leaf 

removal early enough will save you a headache later on. 

Growing cannabis is one heck of a balancing act. The 

manual removal of fan leaves to control pockets of humidity 

and prevent fungal infections is just one part of a larger 

pest management program. Keeping away the critters and 

the mildews may seem challenging, but putting to use best 

practices of an integrated pest management system works. 

Manual fan removal is one of the easiest and best ways to 

boost the health of your plants. 

Cory Hughes is a former police officer turned full-time 

commercial grower in Denver, Colorado. 

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heal 

Can Medical Cannabis Relieve 

Rheumatoid Arthritis? 

Physicians are still advised to counsel against cannabis-based 

medication as a first response, but as research increases, evidence 

shows cannabis does reduce pain. Chris Bond sources recent 

studies to explain why cannabis can play a bigger role in pain relief, 

beginning with rheumatoid arthritis. 

By Chris Bond 

Cannabis as a medical treatment for individuals suffering 

with pain and inflammation is becoming a more accepted 

treatment, especially in the United States and Canada. A 2014 

article from the journal Arthritis Care and Research reports 

that up to 80 per cent of patients in the United States and up to 

65 per cent of patients in Canada that seek medically prescribed 

cannabis do so in order to alleviate the severe pain 

inflicted from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or other musculoskeletal 

pain. 

As a pain reliever, cannabis has been known to be 

effective for at least 5,000 years. In clinical trials in 

Western medicine, however, it has only been seriously 

studied for the last 20 years. Indications of its efficacy 

in controlling symptoms of RA specifically are 

somewhat lacking according to an article as recent 

as 2014 in the International Journal of 

Clinical Rheumatology. The medicinal 

use of cannabis is, of course, known 

to relieve stress, promote sleep and 

increase appetite for those that are 

in need of either gaining weight or 

increasing their nutrition. There 

are side effects for many though 

that should be considered before 

using cannabis as a treatment for 

RA. The stimulation of appetite 

may not be a desirable outcome 

of individuals that may already 

be overweight or obese. Cannabis 

use, especially if over-used 

by those self-medicating, can 

have mood effects, cognitive 

and psychological impairment 

and changes in the cardiovascular 

system. Those individuals that 

smoke cannabis as opposed to taking it 

in a pharmaceutically prepared form such 

as a pill or spray may also experience negative 

respiratory symptoms. Despite these side 

effects, there are several forms of cannabinoids 

that, due to extensive study, do have known efficacy 

and predictable side effects for individuals 

suffering from arthritis. 

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heal 

“As a pain reliever, cannabis has 

been known to be effective for at 

least 5,000 years.” 

The same 2014 issue 

of the International 

Journal of Clinical Rheumatology 

as referenced 

above cites three 

such examples of 

these cannabinoids. 

A synthetic 

“analogue” of 

tetrahydrocannabinol 

(THC) is the product 

Nabilone. Dronabinol is another, which is a stereoisomer of 

THC. A spray form has also been developed, Nabiximols. 

These pharmaceutical developments have been created to 

have more long-term anti-inflammatory effects and fewer 

psychoactive effects than the recreational forms of cannabis. 

A 2006 article in the Journal of Rheumatology cites yet 

another cannabis-based medication (CBM), Sativex. 

A double-blind, five-week long study conducted by British 

researchers from the departments of Rheumatology at 

Northampton General Hospital, Selly Oak Hospital, the 

Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases and the 

Cannabinoid Research Institute at Oxford studied the efficacy 

of Sativex on 58 individuals suffering from RA. They 

found statistically significant improvement from the individuals 

actually receiving Sativex and not a placebo. These 

improvements ranged from the patients achieving more and 

better sleep to experiencing less pain and attaining better 

scores on the standard inflammation activity measure test, 

the DAS28. The improved sleep resulting from the use of 

Sativex was postulated by the researchers to be due to the 

pain relief of the medication, and not from any hypnotic effect 

of the medication. 

Israeli researchers as cited in a 2016 article from the 

Israeli publication Rambam Maimonides Medical Journal 

are not as sure, but still suggest that CBMs could help with 

the pain associated with suffering from RA. Only 17 per 

cent of the Israeli rheumatologists who were surveyed suggested 

that there was “no role” for cannabis as a treatment 

option for those suffering from symptoms of arthritis. Those 

83 per cent who did feel there was a role were “willing 

to prescribe herbal cannabis if other treatments failed.” 

A noted shortcoming of this study, however, was its low 

response rate from professionals that could be unfairly 

influencing its outcomes. 

Evidence cited in the Journal of Experimental and Integrative 

Medicine is supportive of the role of cannabis in 

treating pain and suffering associated with RA. It notes the 

role cannabis plays as an anti-inflammatory agent and pain 

reducer. Cannabis can remove harmful stimuli and help to 

begin the process of healing the damaged tissues that can 

result from arthritis. Additionally, rheumatoid joints contain 

high numbers of receptors for cannabinoids making this 

particular treatment highly effective. The article further 

states cannabis’ ability to inhibit edema, a sometimes sideeffect 

of inflammation where fluid can accumulate between 

the joints and the skin. 

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grow heal 

“Cannabis can remove harmful stimuli and help to begin the process of healing 

the damaged tissues that can result from arthritis.” 

More recently (June 2015) here in the US, the Obama administration 

removed the Public Health Service (PHS) review, which 

had previously made available funding for research into the 

health benefits of medicinal cannabis use extremely scarce 

and difficult to obtain. This will also increase the amounts 

of cannabis that researchers can have on hand at 

any given time during their study. Ironically, this 

same review initiated during the Clinton presidency 

was intended to make research funds available 

to start looking into the health benefits of cannabis. 

Its cumbersomeness ended up creating unintended 

roadblocks and impediments for researchers. Researchers 

Fabian Hernandez and Sathees Chandra 

of the Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of 

Nursing and Health Sciences at Barry University, stated 

in a 2016 article in the Journal of Experimental and Integrative 

Medicine that this removal “will initiate the next 

generation of research on cannabis. By permitting more 

federal funding and access to samples, the medicinal 

benefit and their bio-molecular pathways will be better 

understood… as federal funding for cannabis research 

increases all over the world, a better understanding 

of these healing benefits will be reached.” Hernandez 

and Chandra cite the undeniable evidence of the benefits of 

cannabis to sufferers of not only RA, but other inflammatory 

ailments as well as its benefits to those afflicted with anything 

from insomnia, broken bones and cancer. 

It seems as if there is hope for those suffering from the painful 

effects of rheumatoid arthritis to be found from CBMs. 

Physicians, though, are still obligated to counsel 

against their use as a first response. Factors such as 

a patient’s past recreational use of cannabis, their history 

of addiction and family history of mental and psychoactive 

disorders must all be taken into account before 

a health professional will likely prescribe a cannabisbased 

pharmaceutical for sufferers of RA. 

Chris Bond is the horticulturist at Case Western 

Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, and host of 

the Keeping It Green radio program. His primary 

role is co-ordinator of the university’s Farm Food 

Program, but Chris also teaches classes about 

growing food. His research interests are sustainable 

agriculture and alternative growing methods. 

54 


myhydrolife.com

For Retail and Distributor Information Please Call 1.877.384.9376 (Toll Free) 

BIOFLORAL.COM

heal 

Canna 

// We All Be Happy? // 

Joanna 

Clifton's 

Story 

BY MONICA RAKOWSKI 

In pain, numb and depressed, Joanna Clifton spent years feeling 

unfulfilled and emotionless. She eventually turned to cannabis 

oil to ease her migraines, and it worked. It also opened up a 

brighter new world full of joy and empathy. Monica Rakowski 

shares her story. 

These days, an average day for Joanna Clifton, 33, might include playing 

with her kids, volunteering at the local food bank or painting in her 

backyard. The joy these activities bring Joanna 

eluded her a few years ago. Back then, Joanna 

was experiencing painful migraines on a 

regular basis, fighting depression, and barely 

felt her emotions. She was not the happy woman 

I know, and truth be told, she didn’t know what 

happy felt like. 

// Her genetic 

mutation 

caused a 

disruption 

in her 

methylation 

cycles. // 

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Studies 

are also 

showing 

evidence that 

cannabinoids 

reduce 

chronic pain 

and improve 

mood. // 

THE DIAGNOSIS 

When a DNA test revealed to Joanna that she had a genetic mutation 

causing these problems, she was able to begin understanding 

her condition. Her genetic mutation caused a disruption in her 

methylation cycles. The methylation cycle is important because it 

converts vitamins and amino acids from our food into the energy 

our bodies need to work properly. It removes toxins, fights infection 

and creates healthy cells. The cycle also produces neurotransmitters 

such as serotonin and dopamine, the chemicals responsible for 

balancing our mood. 

If your methylation cycle is functioning properly, you will be in a 

good mood and feel full of energy. If it is not functioning properly, 

you will be more susceptible to infection and your mind will feel 

foggy. You’ll feel depressed, tired, irritable and run-down. Needless 

to say, Joanna didn’t feel good most of the time. Her genetic mutation caused her 

to feel emotions at about a 70 per cent lower level than most people, and she 

constantly battled depression. 

THE CANNABIS CURE 

Although she didn’t care for it when she was younger, she decided to try 

medical cannabis to treat her extreme migraines. She found that CBD oil and 

Rick Simpson oil were the most effective in treating her pain. Over the course of 

the next eight years, her migraines became less frequent and eventually went 

away altogether. 

She began experiencing other positive benefits as well. For the first time in her 

life, she was feeling her emotions at a heightened level. Her face lights up when 

she talks about feeling empathy for the first time in her life. These new feelings 

pushed her to take steps that ultimately pointed her life in a happier direction. 

With less pain to wear her down and more empathy in her heart, Joanna has 

learned to experience situations from other people’s perspectives. She says 

cannabis helped her to reflect on and process the ugly parts of her past in a way 

she had never been able to before. She realized we are all broken and fighting 

our own battles. She apologized to those she hurt, and in the process lost her 

ego and gained humility. 

THE SCIENCE 

Recent studies support Joanna’s experience using cannabis to treat her migraines, 

depression and emotional health. Our bodies have an entire endocannabinoid 

system, and studies are showing that endocannabinoid deficiencies play a role in 

migraines, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, depression, chronic pain and 

a growing list of other medical conditions. In fact, a substantial body of evidence 

suggests the endocannabinoid and opioidergic systems interact symbiotically in 

areas of the brain associated with emotional and pain processing. 

Studies are also showing evidence that cannabinoids reduce chronic pain and 

improve mood. A study published in The Clinical Journal of Pain (February 2016) 

ascertained that the treatment of chronic pain with medicinal cannabis resulted in 

improved pain and functional outcomes, and a significant reduction in opioid use. 

Results of a study published in Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior (June 

2010) show that THC and other cannabinoids exert antidepressant-like action and 

contribute to the overall mood-elevating properties of cannabis. A study published 

in Neuropharmacology (April 2016) concluded that CBDs could be a fast-acting 

antidepressant drug. Once again, cannabis is gaining prestige as an effective 

antidepressant and pain reliever. 

Studies offer us facts, figures and scientific explanations of how cannabis heals 

our body, but Joanna is a living, breathing success story. Her quality of life has 

increased dramatically since she started using medical cannabis. Before, she was 

in pain, emotionally numb and depressed. Now her days are spent creating fulfilling 

memories with her loved ones. Cannabis has accomplished what nothing else could, 

and it has made all the difference. 

Monica Rakowski has 

been an avid gardener 

for seven years and 

currently owns KP Indoor 

Garden Store in Lakebay, 

Washington. She is 

passionate about 

gardening, sustainable 

living and holistic 

health. Monica writes 

about these topics in 

her column for her local 

paper and on her blog at 

thenaturelifeproject.com. 


heal 

Herbal 

ASK A NURSE: APPETITE & ECZEMA 

Q 

Dear Nurse Jessica, 

My mother is a cannabis patient and she is currently 

undergoing chemotherapy. She loses her appetite 

completely after treatment and says that her food 

tastes “off” when she tries to eat. She also has 

restless leg syndrome and bad eczema on her hands 

and arms. Any suggestions? 

Daughter 

Dear Daughter, 

Working in conjunction with your mother’s doctors 

A 

and holistic practitioners to support her process 

is highly recommended. Please note that my 

suggestions as a nurse are meant to be taken as 

guidelines derived from my personal experiences 

with patients and research. Enduring chemotherapy is exasperating, 

not only for the patient but for the family and friends 

connected. My heart goes out to your mother and your family 

during this time of healing. 

Appetite loss was designed for Mary Jane in my opinion. 

Common strains for appetite stimulation that patients 

gravitate to include White Widow, Jack Herer, Super Lemon 

Haze, Girl Scout Cookies, Afgan Kush, Northern Light 

Special and Lemon OG Kush. 

Trying a cannabis tincture/oil to stimulate the palate and 

activate the salivary glands may assist. The concentration 

of the oil will provide longer cannabis relief as she rests and 

allows herself to sleep and heal. Using affirmational healing 

and meditation may also assist with your mother’s discomfort. 

Louise Hay’s book You Can Heal Your Life is a personal favorite, 

especially for positive motivation. 

Eczema can be treated topically with a thick infused salve or 

a light lotion. Both are used often by patients I see and seem to 

clear up dryness and relieve pain. Hydration and water intake 

are key. Internally, eczema often indicates that digestion is not 

in a good place. She can find great herbal support here with 

cannabis and with other readily available plant medicines. 

Some other common herbs that might be used for digestive 

issues include: 

• Plantain: This herb is soothing and can help to heal scars 

in the lining of the stomach. Great as a calming cup of tea. 

• Lemon balm: A garden plant that’s easy to grow and widely 

available at nurseries will help to ease tension in the digestive 

system while acting to calm the nervous system. 

The emotional aspect can be dealt with through the use of another 

kind of herbal remedy called vibrational flower remedies. 

Check these out. Edward Bach pioneered this work in the 1930s 

and as a result his products and other flower remedies from 

other sources are widely available in the marketplace today. 

Restless Leg Syndrome can really benefit from baths in cannabis 

infused salts, edibles and topicals that are applied all 

over the legs with generosity. There have been a lot of positive 

results with patients going for hands on bodywork from Cranial 

Sacral Healers, Reiki Masters and acupuncture from doctors 

of Chinese medicine. Energetic work is just as important to me 

as nutrition and rest. 

Jessica Ferneyhough, a registered practical nurse, brings a 

unique approach to care, empowering patients as a medicinal 

cannabis nurse and horses for healing advocate. Do you have a 

question for Jessica? Email editor@myhydrolife.com. 

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heal 

Baking 

A FOOL OF MYSELF 

by Watermelon 

A Cannabis Culinary Column 

LIFE ON WRECK BEACH WAS GOLDEN 

The early days on Wreck Beach were sun-filled and idyllic. Then came the 

arrest. Through the uncertainty, Watermelon found love and support. She 

continues her story and shares her recipe for marijuana-infused bacon. 

There I was, working full time for myself, in the summer 

at least. I would skip along a log singing out my slogans. 

“Wata-wata-wata melon. Woo hoo for watermelon,” or 

“crazy cookies going like pot-cakes.” 

There were no coffee breaks. I skinny-dipped in the 

ocean instead. My work uniform was sunshine all over my 

body. My tan was all-over even. I smoked lots of pot and 

ate loads of free watermelon everyday on the job. I was 

happy. I was healthy. Life was glorious. 

It was many years before the law turned their attention 

to my pot cookies and me. I was that sweet girl who gave 

all the kids free watermelon. However, I also sold a great 

many of their parents, uncles, aunties and grandparents 

pot cookies. Chocolate mushrooms, too. 

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THE ARREST 

Crime had steadily been getting more sophisticated than the 

police. The RCMP didn’t know how to go after real criminals 

committing real crimes, so they kept doing what they did best, 

arresting pot smokers. On September 8, 2001, I was arrested for 

the first time in my life. My knees buckled. 

I was vending to a group of lovely gentlemen at the farthest 

end of the beach when I saw the officer coming straight for 

me. I kindly asked the nice gentlemen to stash all my cookies 

behind their backs and they did. Imagine, desperately stashing 

gingersnap cookies from the police? 

I had nothing on me but a pair of sunglasses when the officer 

informed me I was under arrest. A bolt of adrenaline came over 

me and my mind began to race. Nothing prepares you for your 

first arrest. You become hyper-aware. You begin to prickle with 

terror and excitement of all the uncertainties. You are a wild 

animal ready for fight or flight. 

We had a long way to go back across 

the beach and up those 400 stairs. It 

was all I could do to stay standing 

and maintain my composure. After 

the fear subsided I became indignant. 

My legs were still working. We were 

walking across the front of the beach, 

so I began to shout at the beachgoers 

as we paraded by that I was, in fact, 

being arrested. Our ‘friend’ was trying 

to take me away very quietly. By the 

time we reached the halfway point 

where my clothes were, a crowd of 

more than 200 had gathered. Camera 

phones weren’t standard fair yet, but 

many photos got taken. A famous 

photographer named Lincoln Clarkes 

happened to be there sunbathing 

with his relic of a camera and started 

to roll film as I was escorted by. 

“ 

By the time we 

reached the halfway 

point where my clothes 

were, a crowd of more 

than 200 had gathered. 

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THE NAKED TRUTH 

Many beach goers were shaking their fists at the officer in 

anger. People were hugging and kissing me or holding up 

their crying children who wanted to hug and kiss me goodbye. 

Others ran to the top of the stairs naked and stood on the street 

demanding my release. My community loved me. They really 

loved me. It was the greatest day of my life. I celebrate my 

‘arrest-aversary’ every year by throwing a big party and getting 

everyone baked. I invite you to do the same on September 

8 (any year you like). 

Three days after my ordeal the Twin Towers collapsed in New 

York and the whole world changed. This event really overshadowed 

my media coverage. 

Lucky for me, I went on to be arrested several more times. The 

RCMP couldn’t get enough of the cookie lady. Three separate 

provincial court trials. Three separate acquittals. In hockey it’s 

called a hat trick, in bowling it’s a turkey. In court … a stunner. 

I fought the law and I won! Look up Regina v. Dunsdon. 

None of these events ever made me want to quit my work. 

They have made me more determined. Only last week I 

completed an eight-week course and received a diploma in 

chocolate. It is more like a G.E.D. in chocolate, but I am thrilled. 

Soon I will begin a new line of coverture cannabis chocolate 

and mushrooms. This column will chronicle that journey. Until 

then I will discuss some time-honored classics of mine. 

CANNABIS CONVERSION RECAP 

In my first column I discussed the process we call cannabis 

conversion or decarboxylation. Let’s recap shall we? If you 

just eat dried cannabis you wouldn’t receive much, if any, 

psychoactive or medical results. Converting cannabis with 

heat, fat or alcohol knocks off the carbon molecule and allows 

your cannabinoid receptors to receive the blissful molecule in 

all its glory. 

Most everybody is familiar with the butter technique, but I 

am here to tell you many fats do a marvelous job converting 

cannabis. We will use the fat from bacon to convert our cannabis 

today and have your boy/girlfriend offering their hand in 

marriage soon after. 

Marijuana Infused Bacon 

(Flying Pigs) 

It won’t just be the pigs flying high. 

Ingredients: 

• 10-12 strips of thick-cut bacon 

• 4 grams of shake flour 

Steps: 

• Grind 4 grams of shake into fine flour, sift and pour 

into saltshaker. 

• On a large, clean cookie tray lay out the bacon. 

• Using saltshaker, generously sprinkle each piece of 

bacon with the super fine shake flour. 

• Bake in center rack around 300˚F until desired 

consistency is achieved. You can dust both sides of 

the bacon with shake flour or only one. It is entirely up 

to you and how high you want your pigs to fly. 

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Marijuana infused bacon can be eaten alone, 

wrapped around, or served with the following 

delicious accompaniments: 

• Cantaloupe 

• Asparagus 

• Shrimps 

• Hotdogs 

• Hamburgers 

• Eggs 

My favorite is cantaloupe because not only is it 

cool and fresh tasting, you don’t have to cook it. 

Be warned, it’s delicious! 

The real goal in life is happiness. If you can find 

happiness in your heart you have mastered life. 

Thanks for tuning in. 

To watch Watermelon in action, check her out 

on YouTube. Baked: Cooking with Mary Jean is a 

special show that features one special ingredient: 

cannabis! Follow Watermelon, a.k.a. Mary Jean 

Dunsdon, on Twitter @weeddiva to never miss an 

episode, or sign up for updates at potent.media. 

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An Essential Part of 

Cannabinoid Production 

It’s official. Research has proven 

that the quality and potency of 

cannabinoids depends on the 

minerals in the soil where the 

cannabis is being grown. 

by Augustus Dunning 

Soil-borne mineral depletion has caused a crisis in the food 

supply. Mineral-deficient food-borne soil is causing disease 

rates to increase dramatically. Food is nearly empty of the 

genetic triggers—minerals—that help make the compounds to 

keep us healthy. This food-quality reduction is from the yearly 

depletion of soils due to harvesting without restoring mineral 

content to cropland. 

The cropland destruction has created both an explosion 

of illnesses and an explosion of vitamin companies and 

pharmaceutical products. Minerals are critical for the plant 

compounds we need for nutrition and soil minerals are 

taken up into plants to create the compounds we use as 

nutrients when we eat. 

Similarly, deficiency in mineral content can produce deficiencies 

in cannabis plants as well. In soilless hydroponic 

growing media, minerals have to be introduced every time 

you grow a crop. The quality and potency in cannabinoids is 

directly dependent on the minerals in soil where cannabis is 

grown. In the 2014 paper “Metals and Organic compounds in 

the Biosynthesis of Cannabinoids: A Chemometric Approach 

to the Analysis of Cannabis Sativa Samples” the relationship 

of minerals in soil were mapped to the synthesis of the various 

cannabinoid compound content in C. Sativa. In their abstract 

the authors state: “This work is an attempt to recognize correlations 

between the metal content in the different parts of cannabis 

sativa L. and the cannabinoids content, as a potential 

indicator.” Their results? “Correlations between metal content 

in plants and soil, analyzed by chemometrics unsupervised 

methods, highlighted partly their role in the biosynthesis of 

cannabinoids. It was recognized that the CBN and the psychoactive 

THC contents are manganese-dependent while the CBD 

content is iron-dependent.” 

The authors concluded that the contents of metals in the 

rhizosphere could be an indication of the cannabinoid content. 

This can be seen in the test results of numerous examples of 

the same strain. There is a wide variety of potency as seen in 

the Blue Dream samples, and it can be concluded that it is a 

nutrient deficiency in ionic minerals during growth that causes 

these dramatic differences. According to the same study quoted 

above, the high-THC sample had adequate amounts of manganese 

and the high-CBD sample had adequate amounts iron. 

In growth rate, the testing minerals have shown to accelerate 

growth and yields, beginning with rapid and thick root growth 

in identical untreated and treated clones at six weeks. Foliar 

ionic mineral spray applications in the late phase increased 

trichome numbers dramatically. 

Other benefits occur from healthier, strong, ionic mineraltreated 

plants: lack of pathogenic and pest attacks. If you want 

better medicine, you need to supplement it with ionic minerals. 

Most N-P-K fertilizer systems contain up to eight minerals, 

but plants need more than 50 minerals to function for optimal 

genetic expression. Water-soluble, ocean water-derived liquid 

ionic minerals work best because they contain some 60 different 

elements and are taken up into the plant fast because they are 

bio-available. As individual ions (atoms) they can pass directly 

through leaf and root cells. Mineral ions are critical. It is, after 

all, the iron in hemoglobin in the blood platelets that carries 

oxygen to our cells, and iron is critical for making CBD in cannabis. 

In other words, you’ve got to mineralize to energize! 

Want more? Check out the Wide World of Weed on Youtube. 

Augustus Dunning is the CEO of Eco Organics and is a physicist, 

chemist and an inventor. He is the former systems ops designer 

for the International Space Station and a former regional 

manager of liquid, solid and electric propulsion systems for 

Pratt and Whitney space propulsion. 

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The Hemp 

Revival 

by Lee G. Lyzit 

Although hemp has been used around 

the globe since the beginning of human 

existence, the stigma associated 

with marijuana (hemp’s cousin) has 

somewhat stalled its industrial uses. 

Fortunately, that stigma is starting to 

change, and we are seeing more hempbased 

products as a result. 

The biggest potential for hemp 

plants in promoting a culture 

of eco-sustainability is their use in 

building products. Hemp can be used to 

replace or supplement a wide variety of 

traditional building materials, mainly 

wood and concrete. Researchers in 

France have developed a way to use 

hemp fibers to create a natural cement 

with many admirable qualities. Their 

creation, Hempcrete, can be used 

in block-form in conjunction with a 

wooden frame construction, or mixed 

directly into a structure, similar to 

working with stucco or cob. 

Hempcrete is comparable in 

strength to traditional concrete but 

weighs one-eighth as much, which 

makes building with it much easier. 

Additional advantages of Hempcrete 

building materials are: 

• Thermal properties: Hempcrete 

helps regulate both high and low 

temperatures. 

• Low maintenance: Hempcrete is naturally 

mold and rodent resistant. 

• Longevity: Hempcrete has a long lifespan 

and is easy to repair. 

• How sustainable it truly is: 

Hempcrete is made out of plants, 

which grow back. 

Building with renewable, biodegradable 

materials equates to a healthier 

planet. While the hemp plant grows, it 

turns carbon dioxide into oxygen and 

also traps carbon dioxide within itself. 

Structures built with hemp products are 

carbon sinks, meaning they absorb more 

carbon than they release. Traditional 

concrete, on the other hand, is notorious 

for releasing large amounts of carbon 

dioxide when it is made. 

Hemp particle board can be made 

from both the short fibers from the 

core of the hemp stalk and the longer 

fibers found on the outer portion of the 

stalk. In terms of insulation, only the 

outer fibers of the hemp stalk are used. 

Hemp building insulation is being used 

consistently in newer construction and 

has great potential as an eco-friendly 

solution for retrofitting buildings. 

Other Uses for Hemp 

Hemp is also being used to make 

clothing, ropes, paper, wax and much 

more. Hemp seeds contain all the 

essential amino acids humans need 

and are arguably the single most 

healthy food source on the planet. 

They can be pressed to extract hemp 

oil, which can be used as fuel or as 

a natural sealant for wood. Hemp is 

also an active ingredient in beauty 

products and cosmetics. 

Another incredible use of hemp is 

in the automotive industry. Do you 

remember Henry Ford’s hemp body 

car? Due to the steel rationing of 

WWII in 1941, Henry Ford and George 

Washington Carver constructed a car 

body made out of soybeans and hemp. 

Although Ford’s hemp car never took 

off, today’s automakers are paying 

closer attention to hemp, as it can be 

used to make plastics and other composites 

that are stronger and lighter 

than their traditional counterparts. 

In fact, a Canadian company, Motive 

Industries, designed the world’s most 

eco-friendly car, the Kestrel, whose 

entire body is made of hemp. 

Humans are at a point where 

practicing a sustainable lifestyle 

is of the utmost importance. Just as 

the hemp plant was an intricate part 

of early man’s existence, I believe it 

will become an intricate part in ours, 

as more people start to embrace how 

versatile it really is. 

HEMP CAN BE used to replace 

or supplement a wide variety of 

traditional building materials, “mainly wood and concrete.” 

Lee G. Lyzit has been involved in 

the medical cannabis industry for 

nearly 15 years. His passion for natural 

healing drives him to learn as much as 

he can about the miraculous cannabis 

plant. Lee breeds his own strains 

of cannabis to create concentrated 

glycerine and coconut oil extracts. 

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Emerald Triangle Grows & Grows 

live 

The Emerald Triangle is a nickname given to a portion of Northern 

California that is comprised of three mostly rural counties: Mendocino, 

Humboldt and Trinity. This area, with its pristine Redwood-laden 

forests and miles upon miles of breathtaking scenery, is renowned 

as the epicenter for outdoor cannabis production in all of the United 

States and perhaps the entire world. 

by Kyle L. Ladenburger 

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THE ORIGINS 

The origins of the Emerald Triangle region stem back 

to the mid-1960s—the same time as the summer of 

love. People in the San Francisco Bay Area looking to 

unplug from the societal woes of modern times packed 

up and headed north into the hills. Off the grid, they 

could remain self-sustainable and carve out a more 

natural life. More often than not they would grow their 

own food gardens and within those gardens there usually 

tended to be a cannabis plant or two. 

The Emerald Triangle area makes for the perfect 

place to grow your own. Covering more than 10,000 

square miles, the region is sparsely populated, has a 

long growing season and has a moderate temperature. 

Over the years, as growers continued perfecting their 

craft, the quality of the product increased and with it so 

did the demand. Cannabis quickly began a lucrative 

crop to grow. As the profits grew larger, so did the size 

of the gardens. With the passing of Proposition 215 in 

1996, California became the first state in the nation to 

legalize medical cannabis. Since then the cannabis industry 

in the Emerald Triangle has grown by leaps and 

bounds to keep up with the skyrocketing demand. 

“Over the years, as growers 

continued perfecting their 

craft, the quality of the product 

increased and with it so did the 

demand. Cannabis quickly began a 

lucrative crop to grow.” 

Today’s Emerald Triangle 

Today the Emerald Triangle cannabis industry brings 

in more than $1 billion of revenue annually that fuels 

the local economies. In this region, growing cannabis 

is not just considered a way of life but also as source 

of funding, through taxes, for projects like building 

schools or fixing roads. It is commonly believed that the 

majority of Emerald Triangle residents benefit either 

directly from the industry or indirectly by providing 

other services. Since there are few other industries 

in the region most local economies rely heavily on 

revenue from cannabis cultivation—removing it from the 

equation would be a big blow. 

The success Emerald Triangle growers have achieved 

is in no way unwarranted. The growers and breeders of 

the area consistently produce some of the highest-quality 

medicinal cannabis available. It is not uncommon for 

the strains they develop to gain international acclaim 

for their quality and potency. By carefully breeding 

plants and targeting specific traits, Emerald Triangle 

growers provide what is quite possibly the best outdoor 

cannabis the world has ever seen. For most growers it 

isn’t just a job, it is a lifestyle, and the culture of the area 

truly reflects this. I remember my first visit to the region. 

I stopped at a gas station and while looking around 

came across a bumper sticker that said, “Welcome to the 

Emerald Triangle. No, you didn’t run over a skunk.” To me 

this really sums up how prevalent and entrenched the 

cannabis industry is in the local culture. 

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The Highly Coveted Emerald Cup 

Every year the best of the best Emerald Triangle 

growers convene in one spot for a chance to show off 

their highest-quality product. This friendly competition 

is aptly named the Emerald Cup. Hundreds of 

different high-quality strains of medicinal cannabis 

are put to the test to see who will go home with the 

much-respected cup. This event began as a small, almost 

secretive get-together for the area’s best growers 

to show off and compare the fruits of their labor. It has 

now grown into a giant celebration of the local cannabis 

culture. In 2015 the Emerald Cup brought more 

than 21,000 people to the Sonoma County fairgrounds 

for the two-day event. This was triple the amount of 

2013’s crowd of 7,000 people, and I believe the event’s 

popularity shows no signs of waning. 

While working on this article I was lucky to get in 

touch with a lifelong Emerald Triangle resident and 

2015 Emerald Cup recipient. Blaze, an alias he uses 

to protect his anonymity, has been growing/breeding 

cannabis in the region for more than 10 years and 

earned his first Emerald Cup working with a collective 

named Blazing Oaks. Blaze is a third generation 

grower that began cultivating as a teenager and his 

family has been involved in the cannabis industry 

since his grandparents moved to Humboldt County in 

the 1960s. His story helps illustrate how entrenched the 

cannabis industry is in the area. 

We discussed the incredible success growers in the 

Emerald Triangle have had and what possible factors 

may have contributed to it. He was quick to point out 

that there is no one single factor but rather several key 

components that coalesced to create what the Emerald 

Triangle has become. “It began with the rough and rugged 

terrain that allowed early growers to hide in the 

hills and pursue their craft,” says Blaze. This, combined 

with ideal climates, including several micro climates, 

has resulted in an area where a huge range of cannabis 

strains can be grown to their full potential, he adds. 

The Emerald Triangle counties are also host to a rather 

favorable political climate. Blaze explained that over 

the years, cannabis growers have become the “real 

engine of our local economy” and this has led “many 

elected officials, business owners and others in the 

community to tolerate and even embrace the industry.” 

Blaze and I also talked about the overwhelming 

“In this region, growing cannabis is 

not just considered a way of life but 

also as source of funding, through 

taxes, for projects like building 

schools or fixing roads.” 

quality of the Emerald Triangle cannabis and what he 

thinks may have led to the area consistently producing 

such a high-quality product. Again, he pointed out 

there is not just one factor responsible, but he agrees 

wholeheartedly that the quality has increased exponentially. 

This is a fact he sees as undeniable. In his 

opinion the Emerald Triangle has advanced more in the 

last 10 years than in the previous 30 years combined. 

THE QUALITY HAS 

INCREASED EXPONE 

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NTIALLY

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Today’s growers have been able to learn from and build upon what previous 

growers have done and can more easily communicate and collaborate with 

other growers. Growers have worked hard to develop sure-fire techniques for 

everything from growing to drying and curing the crop to perfection. Blaze says 

he believes the genetics produced by highly talented breeders have certainly 

played a big role in the overall narrative, with the focus being placed not 

just on potency, but on overall quality. The strain Watermelon Rancher, which 

earned Blaze’s collective an Emerald Cup, was not only high in THC but also in 

overall terpene content. Terpenes are what give cannabis strains their unique 

smells and flavors. They also have a wide range of medicinal effects. If growers 

continue to focus on breeding plants with their overall ultimate potential in 

mind, their qualities will only continue to rise. 

THIS IS A FACT 

The Future of Emerald Triangle 

This coming November, the chance for California to legalize cannabis for recreational 

use will once more be on the ballot. The last time it appeared on the 

ballot it did not pass due in part to a lack of support from growers who feared 

commercialization of the industry may result in smaller independent growers 

being cut out of the system. This of course would have a devastating effect on 

the area's local economies. 

I believe that if these growers are given a proper voice in the formation of 

the legislation surrounding legalization, then the Emerald Triangle has the 

possibility of becoming a true tourist attraction. The Emerald Triangle and all 

of its natural beauty could easily become the go-to destination for those of us 

that have a love for high-quality, locally grown cannabis, much like the Napa 

Valley is a prime destination for those who enjoy great wine. If recreational 

cannabis use is legalized, the industry will continue to grow and the local 

economies will flourish, providing a better life for all of the residents. 

Kyle L. Ladenburger is a passionate indoor and outdoor gardener. He is also a 

freelance garden writer. With more than 10 years of experience in the industry 

working for Age Old Organics, he is well-versed in numerous growing 

methods with a focus on soil health. 

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SNEAK PEEK 

BIG BOOK 

OF BUDS 

GREATEST HITS 

For more than a decade, Ed Rosenthal’s Big Book of Buds 

series has been the connoisseur’s reference guide to the 

best marijuana strains from the world’s greatest breeders. 

Now get ready for the Big Book of Buds Greatest Hits, a 

compilation of the premier strains that have appeared in 

the four volumes of the Big Book of Buds series. Compiled 

and edited by Ed Rosenthal, these noteworthy varieties are 

the cream of the crop and have made gardening easier 

and results more predictable. Here is a little teaser from the 

book on one of its featured strains: Ed Rosenthal Super Bud. 

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“SUCCULENT FLOWER FORMATION 

IS THE SUPER BUD STRAIN’S 

DISTINGUISHING FEATURE.” 

ED ROSENTHAL SUPER BUD – 

SENSI SEED BANK 

Sensi Seed Bank has released this elite 

strain in honor of Ed Rosenthal, the 

undisputed heavyweight champion of 

growing gurus. Literally decades in the 

making, this hybrid achieves a superb 

layering of traits from both the indica 

and sativa ends of the cannabis spectrum. 

This variety was refined from the 

Potent Evolved Hybrid project, where 

pure Afghani cultivars and equatorial 

sativa strains were interbred over many 

years, and their offspring selected for 

potency and yield at every step. The 

blend of tropical genes in ER Super Bud’s 

background is especially wide-ranging, 

representing sativas from all around the 

equatorial zone—Africa, South East Asia, 

Central America and the Caribbean. 

Ed Rosenthal Super Bud thrives 

outdoors in hot climates, and should 

be grown indoors in temperate or cold 

regions like Holland. Any medium is fine, 

and plants enjoy standard to generous 

fertilizer feedings. ER Super Bud is very 

manageable as she grows, with a surprisingly 

uniform growth pattern given 

her diverse heritage. This strain is suitable 

for sea of green; alternatively, both 

her indica and sativa phenotypes can be 

grown into excellent multi-stem plants. 

Succulent flower formation is the Super 

Bud strain’s distinguishing feature. All 

females exhibit flower structures bursting 

with indica density, made even fatter by 

the running sativa tendency. The result is 

buds that swell upwards and outwards to 

crazy sizes and sport a stupendous covering 

of full-sized resin glands. ER buds 

also have a unique pistil formation—the 

oversized antennae sprouting from each 

calyx are covered with a visible fuzz of 

tiny hairs, giving them a woolly appearance. 

Different individuals show 

extra sativa or indica influence through 

subtle variations in the development and 

structure of their resin-soaked buds. The 

sativa-leaning females make particularly 

good multi-stem plants and produce huge 

oval calyxes that spiral into crooked budpyramids 

large enough to bend branches. 

The indica phenotype’s flowers are 

distinct and impressive, building into voluptuous 

columns of snowy bud with main 

colas as thick as an arm. In other respects, 

phenotype variation is small, with a majority 

of plants flowering at the same speed 

and increasing their height by about 

150 per cent. A small proportion will show 

a jump at the onset of blooming, which first 

widens the gaps between internodes and 

later gives an even greater yield potential. 

All plants from this strain are sweetsmelling 

and taste of pineapple punch. 

As for the stone—get ready for an immediate 

body flush, a bright physical glow 

that’s not given to lethargy. Later, a cerebral 

high creeps up, subtle at first, yet 

longer-lasting than the body effect. ER 

Super Bud is sweetly relaxing, leaving 

plenty of energy for conversation and socializing 

with friends. Medicinally, this 

might be a good variety for chronic body 

pain and the blues that come with it. 

BACKGROUNDER 

From the inception of the modern cannabis 

revolution, Ed Rosenthal has been 

at the heart of the movement, a committed 

and fearless campaigner for truth, 

justice and sanity, which is to say, an 

end to prohibition. 

If you’ve ever grown ganja, it’s a safe bet 

that Ed has helped you out in a big way, 

whether directly or indirectly. He’s taught 

generations of growers about the science 

and art of cannabis cultivation, and helped 

them discover their green thumb as well as 

the joys and potential for personal enrichment 

that this hobby can awaken. 

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“IF YOU’VE EVER GROWN GANJA, IT’S A SAFE 

BET THAT ED HAS HELPED YOU OUT IN A BIG 

WAY, WHETHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY.” 

As the brain behind the Ask Ed columns 

in Cannabis Culture and High Times, 

and the author of a veritable library of 

cannabis books that cover every topic 

from growing to law reform, Ed Rosenthal 

has done more than anyone we know to 

spread accurate, no-nonsense information 

on the world’s most delightful crop. 

It’s no exaggeration to say that Ed 

Rosenthal Super Bud has been decades 

in the making. Sharp-eyed cannabis historians 

and collectors of old seed catalogs 

might have seen the single printed 

reference to the breeding program that 

eventually led to the Super Bud strain. In 

1989, this Ed-affiliated strain was called 

Ed’s Potent Evolved Hybrid Type 1 (PEHT) 

when it was briefly offered in a limited 

edition of 1,500 seeds. It sold out very 

quickly and was never commercially 

offered again. Around this time, there 

was a big shift toward indoor cultivation 

and few growers had the time or space 

for experimental crossings. Sensi Seed 

Bank’s releases in the following years 

were geared toward this new indoor 

trend, featuring stabilized F1 hybrids— 

strains that could be relied upon for 

predictable behavior. 

As the years passed, and Sensi’s 

breeding-stock expanded into a truly 

comprehensive collection of traditional 

cultivars and legendary hybrids, their 

breeders found plenty of fascinating 

new possibilities to explore, and the 

PEHT program continued quietly in the 

background. With occasional infusions 

of promising new genetic material and 

dozens more generations of crossing and 

selection for yield and resin production, 

the program yielded several rarefied 

plants which proved to be valuable intermediate 

parents in complex hybrids. 

A desirably heavy, sticky form began 

to dominate the later PEHT generations. 

Breeders focused on stabilizing the finer 

points of the emerging strain. Unique 

flower structures and flavors discovered 

in the program were successfully reproduced 

as recurring traits and the ER 

seed strain neared completion. By this 

time, near the end of the 1990s, Holland’s 

tolerance for cannabis was in sharp decline, 

and professional breeding became 

much more difficult, as the large crops 

of test seedlings required for rigorous 

selection were no longer possible. 

As a result, the small amount of refinement 

required before releasing ER in its 

final distinct form took many years longer 

than expected, making this hybrid the longest 

single project in the Sensi Seed Bank 

collection. Sensi feels this world-class 

strain shows the years of work and care 

invested in its development. This gourmet 

hybrid promises to be a special addition 

to any serious aficionado’s garden. 

Look for the Big Book of Buds Greatest 

Hits starting August 2016. It will be 

available at book stores everywhere 

and on Amazon. Pre-order from 

edrosenthal.com to receive a signed 

copy. The Big Book of Buds Greatest 

Hits will also feature: 

• 95 varieties from 26 seed companies – 

all commercially available. 

• Beautiful photography 

throughout the book. 

• A striking, brushed metallic 

gold tone cover. 

• Timeless information for 

growers and consumers. 

“ED ROSENTHAL HOLDS 

THE DISTINCTION OF 

TURNING MORE PEOPLE 

ON TO POT THAN CHEECH 

AND CHONG.” 

– TOMMY CHONG 

“MR. ROSENTHAL IS THE 

POTHEAD’S ANSWER TO 

ANN LANDERS, JUDGE 

JUDY, MARTHA STEWART 

AND THE BURPEE GARDEN 

WIZARD ALL IN ONE.” 

– NY TIMES 

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Cannabis 

Cocktails, 

MOCKTAILS & TONICS 

Warren Bobrow’s New Book is 

a Cannabis Drinker’s Dream 

BY COLLEEN GRAHAM 

What’s a DIY drinker 

to do when they 

want to start mixing 

their medicine into 

their drinks? Pick up 

a copy of Cannabis 

Cocktails, Mocktails, 

& Tonics by Warren 

Bobrow. Released Warren Bobrow 

this summer, this 

new book is the ultimate guide to cannabis 

drinks. It will be the topic’s reference 

for years to come and a book that every 

cannabis user with a taste for fine drinks 

should consider essential. 

Its pages are filled with invaluable 

advice about drinking cannabis, including 

recipes for cannabis syrups, tonics, 

butters, infusions, bitters and tinctures, 

along with flavorful drink recipes that 

do not always include alcohol. All of 

your cannabis drink questions will be 

answered with a sophisticated vibe that 

appeals to the connoisseur of both cannabis 

and drinks. 

Bobrow has a colorful background that 

includes culinary training and a family 

of apothecaries, complete with genuine 

1960s hippies. He is the real deal and 

his past was a natural foundation that 

combined with his passion for sharing 

great drinks. “I had a dream and knew 

exactly what I wanted to do with this,” 

Bobrow says of his original inspiration. 

“It worked out well, 

ACTUALLY TOO WELL, 

and I had to ratchet it 

back a bit so it didn’t 

obliterate people.” 

He began by infusing almost any alcohol 

available with cannabis. “It worked 

out well, actually too well, and I had to 

ratchet it back a bit so it didn’t obliterate 

people,” he says. 

Bobrow created and tested each of the 

book’s 75 recipes, so it’s best to heed his 

advice on dosage and consumption, and 

even cut it back a little at first. He is also 

adamant that the book is not dedicated 

to alcohol. “These are health-giving tonics 

to which you don’t have to add alcohol,” 

he says. Many of the book’s recipes 

are non-alcoholic and can be drunk as 

a medicinal dosage or as a therapeutic 

and relaxing drink. 

86 grow. heal. live. enjoy. 

myhydrolife.com


enjoy 

Candy Says 

Makes two cocktails 

One of Bobrow’s favorite recipes from his 

book, Candy Says is an approachable rum 

punch that will appeal to many palates. 

Ingredients 

Coconut water ice 

2 oz. 100-proof Rhum Agricole 

1 oz. non-medicated coconut cream 

2 oz. freshly squeezed orange juice 

1 handful fresh raspberries, crushed 

1 tsp. ground turmeric 

2 oz. Medicated Rich Simple Syrup* 

2 oz. cane syrup-based ginger beer 

6 drops aromatic bitters 

Fill a Boston shaker half full with the coconut 

water ice. Add the Rhum Agricole, 

coconut cream, orange juice, raspberries, 

turmeric and Medicated Rich Simple Syrup, 

and shake hard for about 15 seconds. 

Divide between two miniature coupe 

glasses. Top each with 1 oz. of ginger beer 

and dot with the aromatic bitters to finish. 

*Medicated Rich Simple Syrup 

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and reduce 

heat. Add 1 cup raw honey and stir until 

dissolved. Add 4 grams ground, decarbed 

cannabis, cover and reduce heat. Allow to 

simmer for about 30 minutes. Reduce heat 

again and add 1 Tbsp. vegetarian liquid 

lecithin and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring 

constantly. Remove from heat and strain. 

Where Should a Novice Begin? 

Cannabis Cocktails is accessible to 

everyone—no special equipment or 

training to get the drinks just right is 

required. From decarbing to dosage and 

flavor pairings with common cannabis 

strains, Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails, & 

Tonics contains all of the information you 

need to get started. Bobrow recommends 

starting out with one of his mocktails. 

A simple Turkish coffee like the Beside 

the Bosphorus recipe, made with one of 

Bobrow’s canna butter recipes, would be 

a great beginner’s drink. 

Balancing Alcohol and Cannabis 

As you might expect, combining cannabis 

and alcohol is tricky. Bobrow has 

learned from experience that you need to 

pace yourself when it comes to the cocktail 

recipes in his book. “It’s extremely 

important to know your tolerance level 

as two drinks can make you feel completely 

out of control,” says Bobrow, adding 

that one drink an hour is more than 

enough. “It’s not about getting drunk, it’s 

about holistic and homeopathic healing.” 

One cannabis cocktail a night may 

even be a better recommendation. 

This mindset is clear throughout the 

book; you can relate it to the effects of 

edibles: it may not hit you right away or 

all at once and you certainly want to take 

it easy. If you do find that even one drink 

is too much, there is an antidote of sorts: 

drink the fresh juice from one lemon and 

chew on a few peppercorns. The overwhelming 

feeling from having too many 

edibles will begin to subside. 

Cannabis Flavor Pairings 

One of the fascinating parts of the book 

is Bobrow’s cannabis strain profiles. He 

has dissected nine of the most common 

strains with amazing detail. Each has a 

flavor profile, a little background and a 

number of flavor pairings to use when 

creating drinks. The research put into 

this section alone is impressive. When 

asked to point out one that he found most 

surprising, Bobrow says, “Trainwreck, 

which I use in my version of a Bloody 

Caesar, called A Bloody Good Remedy.” 

It pairs with everything from Cognac to 

gin and the strain is good for both afternoon 

and evening consumption, making 

it a versatile cannabis, he adds. 

Colleen Graham is a writer and freelance 

photographer from the Midwest who 

specializes in mixed drinks and covering 

the liquor industry. She is the Cocktails 

Expert for about.com and author of the 

book ¡Hola Tequila! Gardening and 

kayaking with her husband are two of her 

favorite pastimes. 

88 


myhydrolife.com

y Gibson Lannister 

AESOP ROCK 

THE IMPOSSIBLE KID 

Aesop Rock’s latest album The 

Impossible Kid is fortifying 

what is already considered 

a legendary career. AR spent 

a year living and recording 

in a barn emerging with 

even more polished rhymes 

and an introspective look 

into the mind of one of hip 

hop’s greats. 

4.5 

ATOMS AND VOID 

AND NOTHING ELSE 

Atoms and Void is not a band 

in the traditional sense; they 

are a collective of artists 

including members of Foo 

Fighters and Sufran 

Stevens. Their work spans 

over a decade. Through 

chance encounters and 

shared files, And Nothing 

Else came to fruition. 

4 

BAHAMAS 

BAHAMAS IS AFIE 

Bahamas is Afie. Actually, 

Bahamas is Toronto musician 

Afie Jurvanen. His most 

recent album Bahamas is 

Afie is redefining the genre 

of roots-rock. It’s also as chill 

as can be. This album is so 

intensely real it is destined to 

be a timeless hit. 

5 

Gibson Lannister has 

been a musician for 

more than 15 years and 

continues to expand his 

knowledge of theory 

and technique. 

CHILDREN OF POP 

WHAT DOES 69 MEAN? 

Children of Pop is the 

experimental pop-project 

of Chase DeMaster. Many 

tracks from What Does 69 

Mean? were actually written 

for other great artists such 

as Drake and Madonna but 

were deemed too good to let 

go. This album keeps getting 

better with each listen! 

5 

FITZ & THE TANTRUMS 

FITZ & THE TANTRUMS 

California natives Fitz & the 

Tantrums return with their 

third and self-titled album, 

and it’s a blockbuster! This 

album is strictly dance 

floor gold. Every track was 

meticulously designed by Fitz 

& the Tantrums to make your 

body move. 

4 

KALEO 

A/B 

Bringing the heat with their 

album A/B is Kaleo. Kaleo 

originally hails from Iceland, 

but they now call Austin, 

Texas, home. Their down and 

dirty style of blues/rock and 

the dusky, soulful voice of 

lead singer/guitarist Jokull 

Juliusson create something 

incendiary. They’ll set your 

ears on fire! 

5 

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Hydrolife Magazine August/September 2016 (USA Edition)

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