JORGE'S RX

Sativa for Spring
I live in the southeastern U.S. What strain of sativa would be my best bet for getting the highest quality as well as the heaviest yield? I see crosses of G-13 with various strains—is it possible to obtain G-13 that hasn’t been crossed in seed form? Everything I’ve read about these crosses says that they’re disappointing in terms of yield. Would the strain Kalichakra give me a heavy yield as well as high quality with the climatic conditions we have here in the Southeast?
Jimbo
Via Internet

Dear Jimbo,
I’ve seen “pure” G-13 advertised for sale at marijuanagenetics.com, but I don’t know the company or the owner. Mandala Seeds is a reputable company, and everything I know about Kalichakra says that it’s a good yielder. There are several other sativa crosses that would also do very well in your climate. A few years ago, I spent time in Colombia researching an article on European strains grown at the 5ºN latitude. The top 10 producing strains that grew well there are, in ascending order, Chocolate Chunk, Puna Budder and SAGE (all from TH Seeds), Jamaican Pearl and Super Silver Haze (both from Sensi Seeds), Power Plant (from Dutch Passion), Sugar Babe (Paradise Seeds), AK-47 (Serious Seeds), Ultra Skunk (Dutch Passion) and finally Taitanic, a pure sativa (Flying Dutchman).

Flowering Clones
Is it possible to take cuttings from a flowering plant, force it back into vegetative growth and use it as a mother? Will roots form? Should I clip off the flowers to prevent rot? Would the process resemble the regeneration of a flowering plant?
Chris
Via Internet

Dear Chris,
Yes, but why would you clone a flowering plant? First off, the root system is generally impaired, because the clone will be stressing out trying to grow roots without enough green leaves to promote photosynthesis. Second, it will be reverting back to an earlier vegetative-growth stage and won’t be prone to growing fast. Damping-off and rot often become serious problems.

Your goal is to grow a mother plant from a crop you are about to harvest. Go ahead and harvest the crop as you normally would, but keep a few lower branches that still have leaves and a few small buds on them. Snip off all the big buds and let a few small ones remain where the leaves are. Grow several of these favorite plants under 18 to 24 hours of light. They will revert back to vegetative growth in four to six weeks. First leaves with one blade will appear, then with three blades, then five; soon, new shoots and branches will grow. This is the time to take your clones—from the new branches that are clearly in vegetative growth.

THC and Terpenes
Your Marijuana Horticulture Bible is awesome! I’ve read every single page and know it by heart. But why do various buds smell and taste so different, like Mango, Blueberry, Bubble Gum, etc.? I know it has something to do with terpenes, but can you add or subtract a substance to create a certain type of smell in the buds, or is it just inherent to different strains?
Method M.
Via Internet

Dear Method,
Sprinkling essential oils on buds will make them smell differently, but it will not change the psychoactive effect. Cannabis is the only plant that produces cannabinoids, and cannabis can produce up to 200 different terpenes or essential oils. Terpenes are complex molecules present in many other medicinal plants that also have aromatic properties. The specific cannabinoids and terpenes produced are a factor of the genetics of each cannabis plant. Cannabis plants need to grow in the best possible conditions and to their full genetic potential to develop each molecule completely. Plants that grow outdoors under natural sunlight with a well-balanced organic fertilizer will develop to their fullest potential and yield the best cannabinoids and essential oils. This natural “cocktail” of cannabinoids and terpenes gives each strain its particular fragrance and taste. It would be very difficult to mimic the delicate balance of terpenes and cannabinoids in, say, a bathroom laboratory.

The cool thing about cannabinoids (other than THC) is that they are not psychoactive when ingested by themselves, but they do play a part in the way THC affects us. Change the mix of cannabinoids and terpenes and the THC will affect us differently. Medical patients provide a good example of this, because they find more relief from different specific strains. By definition, a molecule always has the same atomic structure, meaning that the THC is the same in all cannabis plants. But when you mix in other elements with THC (i.e., cannabinoids and terpenes), the psychoactive effect is distinct.