redvine

I think we would be pleasantly surprised if we could get numbers on what the dagga economy actually generates, from rural Transkei, Swazi and Lesotho growers, as well as the growing number of urban growers i.e. indoor and outdoors. But I guess this is hard to get reliable info.

I came across this article recently. It was posted in 2015. Still makes for interesting reading on the possibilities for economic stimulation from the "informal sector" which SA could well benefit from. Another strong argument for changing our outdated dagga laws. https://swamiselect.com/you-wont-believe-these-numbers/

Very good segment. Makes you stop and wonder. Is this the legacy of Bush and Blair coming home to roost. One thing is for certain. Europe is a much scarier and dangerous place right now. Let's hope and pray that war never comes to our shores.

My plant biology is firmly rooted in high school lessons of many years ago, and my understanding of such is rudimentary. I have often wondered how strains are developed and maintained with a consistency that remains year in and year out, particularly for growers who buy seeds, out there Sure, there are dodgy seedbanks who will sell seeds and call them whatever we expect them to be, and then be disappointed with the results. I came across this interesting link and it is inspiring, in that there are still gardeners who are passionate, to the point of obsession, about consistency of the seed, which is the key to it all, really. Check it out, it is great history/biology/botany lesson, if nothing else. http://blog.humboldtseeds.net/en/the-spice-of-life/

I used the hydrogen peroxide bath with great success. I grow outdoors and my prized dahlias garden always develops end of summer PM which spreads to some of my grow. Some strains are more susceptible than others. H2O2 works brilliantly to wash off the PM. Make sure to give it a good rinse with plain old tap water after the H2O2 bath. Gently shake off the excess water and dry by hanging in front of a fan. There is no trace of any chemical smell or taste. Smoking PM infested weed or any fungus can't be good for the old lungs. I also sprayed a mild solution of Sodium Bicarbonate and water onto the infected plant. This killed off the PM but also burnt the sugar leaves and the trichomes. It could be that my mild my solution was too strong. If I remember correctly, it was a quarter teaspoon bicarb to two litres of water. Prevention is always better than having to find a cure after the cause. Jamie's Garden Shop stocks Ampelomyces quisqualis which is a biological fungicide http://www.jamiesgardenshop.co.za/shop/ampelomyces-quisqualis-200gs-biological-fungicide/ The specs sound good. I will try use some this summer before the PM starts. Has anyone used this stuff? I have no knowledge of indoor treatment except from what I have read and it all seems like hectic chemical treatment is way to go.

I got a mixed pack of 5 seeds from Rembrandt Seed Bank (outdoor mix). It's like getting a no name brand from the shop. Not sure what is going to come up. I hope it is going to be good. Will share pics and hopefully somebody out there can help me identify what's growing.

Brilliant!

I am about to embark on my new summer grow. This is my 4th grow and I started out as a rookie who decided to gooi some of my DP seeds into some pots and see what comes of it. I have been hugely surprised to learn of the massive amount of knowledge, research, strain development, grow techniques, strains, seed banks etc that is out there. My preference is outdoor as I have the space to do so, so I try to work on seeds that do best outdoors. One problem we have here, and I stand to be corrected, is our genetics. Out local landrace genetics have made a huge contribution to the development of amazing strains, mainly to be found overseas and at huge cost. We should develop our own 'seed economy' as it were, and I certain it could be as good as what is out there in Europe and the Americas. If there is good local genetics please let me know. I have a bit of stuff I can share as well. I got a present from friend from Amsterdam, so I quite excited to see what comes of it this summer. Keep you posted

I live in JHB and work in the media industry and grow bud in the summer.