The Best All Around Guide I've Seen. Covers Everything Nubes!

klmmicro

Well-Known Member
Would like to thank Kodiak for writing such a great guide. Also, thank you SayWord for posting it here. Good info for new growers and good recap for for the more experienced.
 
I'm glad you liked it. This version of the guide is however outdated and I have since updated it with new information. You might want to check it out.

You can find the updated guide here:

Growing Good Weed

To answer Melizzard's question, much of what I wrote in the section on THC synthesis was based on outdated information. I have since then tried to learn more about cannabinoids and I think that I now have a better understanding of it all.

CBD does not turn into THC (except perhaps under strong ultraviolet radiation). They are produced independently of each other. THC degrades into CBN. I made this diagram for the updated guide, I think that it will explain a lot.



THC starts out as thc acid (THCA). It appears that a large portion of the thc that can be found in the living plant is still in the carboxylic acid form. It is not as potent as fully realized thc and this is why we should allow the bud to cure for a month or two before we smoke it. When the bud cures, the thca goes through a chemical change and thereby loses the carboxyl group (-COOH), effectively turning into thc. THCA also decarboxylates more rapidly with heat but it turns out that this process requires higher temps than what is usually assumed. Temperatures around 212°F (100°C) are not high enough for a proper conversion, even when left cooking for an hour or more. Keeping the temperature at around 270°F (130°C) for 15-20 minutes, should however be enough. THC later oxidizes into CBN over time. This process is sped up by light, air and heat so the bud should be stored inside a container in a cool and dark place.

Besides hemp, it is actually landrace strains that have the highest concentrations of CBD, for the most part indicas. It seems likely that the cannabinoid profile changes with geographical location in response to the environment. Sativa plants usually contain more THC than Indicas but both can be very potent. The cannabinoid profile of say African and South-East Asian sativas can be very complex because they also contain an analog of THC called THCV or Tetrahydrocannabivarin. Commercial drug strains have been selectively bred towards a higher THC content and that usually means that the CBD levels have dropped to nothing. All the various cannabinoids (there are like 80 of them) affect the high somewhat because they interact with each other. Some reinforce the high while others tone it down. Although CBD is not psychoactive, it seems to have some medicinal properties just like THC. I would look for recently imported landrace indica strains that have not been grown indoors for a long time. Apparently hemp/ruderalis is also high in CBD, which would make Lowryders another valid choice. It might be difficult to find one plant that contains high levels of both so perhaps the solution is to grow two plants. One that is high in CBD and another that is high in THC. I hope that you find what you need.

Cannabinoids bind to two receptor called CB1 and CB2, which can be found in human cells. We actually produce similar compounds inside our bodies. They are part of what is known as the endogenous cannabinoid system. This network is part of our immune system and it links up with the nervous system in order to protect our cells from damage, especially nerve cells located in the brain. In other words, both the internal and external cannabinoids are neuroprotective in nature. That is the reason why cannabis is thought to work against a number of medical conditions, including cancer and degenerative brain diseases like Alzheimer's.

As far as I can understand, the effect varies but it seems like THC and CBD are capable of dealing with an assortment of medical problems. CBD has higher affinity for the CB2 receptors, which are highly concentrated in the immune system and interal organs. THC has equal affinity for both receptors so it also targets the brain. In many forms of cancer for example, they bind to the mutated cells and stop them from growing and multiplying. They then send a message down to the cancer cell, causing it to self-destruct. This is triggered by a defense mechanism called apoptosis, which is also known as programmed cell death. It's built into our cells and supposed to kick in when something goes wrong or when the cell reaches a certain age. In cancer cells this mechanism becomes impaired and that is one of the reasons why they are so difficult to get rid of. For some reason it seems like the exogenous cannabinoids found in the plant can trigger PCD nonetheless, thereby destroying the cancer. In Alzheimer's disease they inhibit the production of a certain protein which gives rise to the condition. Healthy cells are not affected in the same way. Most of the studies show promise. I'm no doctor of course but this seems to be the way that the research is heading.

The problem with smoking a lot of weed is that it can cause a shift in brain chemistry as the exogenous cannabinoids might replace some of the endogenous ones because they have an affinity for the same receptors. Anandamide for example is a neurotransmitter that is involved in memory related functions and it is fairly easily displaced. As far as I know the effect is not permanent. The brain returns to its normal function when you stop smoking. Very young people should however not smoke weed because it can interfere with their development.

People used to say that smoking weed causes brain damage but that could apparently not be further from the truth.

Kodiak
 

420Marine

Well-Known Member
Quick question..I've been trolling the boards and keep seeing that there is a very involved grower FAQ...can anyone perhaps share the link...pardon my st00pid n00bness :)
 
Hey this was awesome man! Definitely the best thread i've come across as far as all-around general information/guidelines for growing. It's just art after that
 
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