Monday 17 August 2020

The Best Marijuana Fertilizers on the Market

Marijuana plants, much like animals, need food. A common misconception is that all a marijuana plant needs to thrive, and grow is sunshine and water. However, marijuana plants also need a healthy amount of nutrients in the soil to make them grow strong and healthy.

Without the proper 'food' for your plant, there is a higher chance of it developing diseases and dying--or failing to grow entirely. That is why choosing the right fertilizer is essential to a healthy and happy marijuana plant. PS. Have you checked out our newest article on Organic Weed Vs. Nonorganic Weed?

Let's talk about marijuana fertilizers, and which ones you should be looking at for when you begin to grow your own marijuana plants.

What is Fertilizer?

Fertilizer is simply a blanket term for nutrients that are introduced into soil in order to make it more beneficial for the plant. Fertilizers come in all different varieties with a host of different nutrient and mineral combinations. It is very important, before buying, that you always make sure the fertilizer you are using is good for marijuana plants. Marijuana plants are very particular about what sets of nutrients and minerals they like, and when they like them.

Commercial Fertilizers

For beginner growers, it might be easier to simply go with a specialized marijuana fertilizer compound that will take a lot of the guesswork out of the process. There are tons of amazing options out there for marijuana safe, pre-made nutrient supplements that can be added to the soils.

For example:

  • FoxFarm's Liquid Bloom Trio
  • Osmocote Smart Release Plant Food
  • Maxicrop Soluable Powder

These are not marijuana specific necessarily, but they do offer all of the valuable nutrients that marijuana needs. Choosing pre-made fertilizers makes it easy to mix with water and without having to worry about the deep intricacies of the process of mixing your own fertilizers.

Using Mineral Compounds Like Perlite & Vermiculite

Perlite and vermiculite are two separate mineral compounds that are tried and true in the marijuana cultivation community. While often mentioned synonymously, they are actually two separate compounds. Perlite (volcanic glass) and vermiculite (mica) are both made by super heating different starting compounds until they transform into the porous, nutrient dense soil additives that they are.

Both perlite and vermiculite are excellent sources of potassium, calcium, and magnesium. These are three core nutrients that marijuana plants need to thrive and grow. When going with a hydroponics set up, mixing 50% perlite or vermiculite with peat moss and water is the perfect ratio. When using natural soil, all you need is about 10% perlite or vermiculite.

Composting Takes Time but It’s Worth It

Many marijuana cultivators like to make their own compost. While this takes the 'buying' aspect out of it, you can generate a more connected feeling to your crop this way.

Composting can take a very long time, and a lot of effort--but it might be the most effective. Composting allows you to precisely mix and create the perfect marijuana superfood YOUR way. Just remember that marijuana needs potassium, magnesium, and calcium when thinking of what to add into your compost mixture.

Making sure that your marijuana plant gets the nutrients it needs is always the most crucial step towards cultivating cannabis. It's not enough to simply plant and water it. It needs all the right little touches of nutrients and conditions in order to thrive--just like the human body. Make sure to feed it well no matter what source of nutrient delivery you choose. In the end, you will have a tall, thick, and healthy marijuana plant to enjoy!

Original Content Source: discountpharms.com

Sunday 16 August 2020

What Makes MedMen One of the Top Dispensaries?

In the world of medical marijuana, some companies have been able to stand above the rest in success and industry. Much like with the tech boom in Silicon Valley of the early 70's, the marijuana industry is exploding across the nation--with only a small handful of individuals leading the charge.

In the case of the marijuana industry in North America, being first to market has been a swift indicator of potential success. This is what helped propel two young marijuana tycoons into national cannabis stardom.

What began as a small business in medical marijuana, turned into the vast multi-state retail marijuana enterprise that it is today.

That is, the dispensary chain called MedMen. As a sidenote, feel free to check out our Tips on Improving Your Cannabis Flavor.

Seeing Potential in Marijuana

Marijuana has been legalized in California for medicinal use for quite some time. However, it wasn't until 2012 that the real explosion of marijuana as an industry in the United States began.

Prior to this, in 2010, Adam Bierman and Andrew Modlin claim that they saw a serious potential for the marijuana industry nationwide and decided to invest as soon as they could.

It would take 8 years to achieve widespread success. It was in 2018 when the state of California legalized marijuana use for recreational purposes, and MedMen became a household name. In that same year, using aggressive expansion tactics, the pair expanded MedMen into New York, Nevada, and even Florida in 2019.

As of now, you can find MedMen stores in Arizona, Nevada, California, Illinois, Florida, and New York. Today, MedMen is a multi-million-dollar mega corporation within the small (but growing) marijuana industry. Aside from becoming so massive so quickly, what makes this 'Apple Inc' of the Marijuana world so much better than the rest?

De-stigmatizing Marijuana

In many ways, the marijuana industry is still rather stigmatized. Many recreational and medicinal users find themselves trying to visit their dispensaries discreetly, and away from prying eyes. There is simply too much social stigma surrounding cannabis use to eliminate in only a few years. However, MedMen has done a bang-up job of trying.

The MedMen experience is unlike any other dispensary experience in the United States. Founders Modlin and Bierman always strove to make MedMen akin to shopping at somewhere like 'Whole Foods' or 'The Apple Store'. That is, they wanted buying marijuana to be a sleek, stylish, and cutting-edge experience that makes shoppers feel welcome and 'at ease'.

When you enter MedMen stores, you will find Budtenders who are knowledgeable and welcoming, and who will even check you out with iPads and iPhones. You'll find a clean atmosphere with sleek and minimalist decor and furniture, and the entire experience is like being in a high-end retail chain. Which is what sets them apart in the eyes of marijuana users.

You see, for many, the dispensary experience can be a bit grungy or shady. Many dispensaries across the United States and Canada seem to be marketed towards the stereotypical 'stoner'--which is not what the majority of users are.

MedMen targets their services towards the average user who wants to feel like they are buying something normalized, and even cutting edge--not some back alley weed from their dealer. It's this difference that has made MedMen spread to over 32 locations, across 6 states, with over 1,000 employees, and earning a $1 billion evaluation.

The MedMen chain is a look into what marijuana as an industry can be if given enough time. It is a chain of marijuana dispensaries that aims to provide a comfortable, sleek, and high-tech experience--not a skeezy feeling. Buying marijuana is still stigmatized in many social circles, and the MedMen experience is going a long way towards changing that.

Original Content Source: discountpharms.com

Tips on Growing Bushy and Dense Marijuana Plants

Getting the most out of your marijuana crop harvest is always the ultimate goal of any marijuana cultivator. A dense and bushy marijuana plant is one that will have a higher yield, waste less space in the grow room, and remain heartier during the growing process.

In essence, everyone is trying to get thicker, bushier, more dense marijuana plants. Before you delve deeper into this article, feel free to check out another one of our recently published articles, Tips on Improving Your Cannabis Flavor.

If you are new to cultivating marijuana, you might want to know a few tips and tricks to getting your marijuana plant to be as dense and bushy as possible. Here are a few of the most reliable methods:

Start Off With A Superior Strain

The greatest tip you will ever receive, is to always start off with a good strain of marijuana. No matter if you are growing from a seed or a clone, good genetics are going to be the first indication of a dense and bushy plant.

If a plant is genetically inferior, it will never grow to be as dense and bushy as you would like it to be. Always avoid getting seeds or clones from anywhere other than a reliable and trusted source--you're better off that way.

Trellis Support Allows the Plant to Grow

Trellising your plants is a great way to make them grow dense and strong. If you want your plant to grow to be huge, it needs the support to be able to do so. A plant that is not trellised or supported in any way will not have the strength to grow massive in size.

Using some form of trellis--made of wood, bamboo, or even metal--you can give the plant the support it needs to grow as tall as you can get it. However, always make sure you are well versed on the art of trellising, otherwise you could end up damaging your plant in the process.

Learn How to Train and Prune Your Plants

Marijuana plants naturally like to grow 'up' rather than 'out'. This leads to very thin and vertically oriented plants. If you wish to maximize your yield and create a more dense and bushy plant, you need to train and prune it.

Training your plant involves either low stress (stem tying) or high stress (topping) training techniques. In addition, pruning away dying or decaying excess leaves and 'mess' in order to allow light to get into otherwise untouched places. These techniques are all crucial for growing a big and thick bush.

Light Control is Very Important

Plants get their energy through photosynthesis (thank-you biology class!). This is the process of converting light into energy for processing nutrients and growth. However, not just any light available will be able to do the trick. Marijuana plants need a very specific type of lighting in order to generate the right amount of growth.

When growing outdoors, this should be very little concern to you except for where you position your plants to give proper amounts of shading during hot peak hours. When growing indoors, LEDs are generally considered to be the best as they are bright, put out the proper light spectrum, and aren't too hot. Always pay attention to the amount of light and the type of light your plants are getting.

Growing and cultivating marijuana is a fun exercise in patience, trial and error, and learning. It's incredibly common to fail on the first try. However, over time, anyone can learn to grow thick and bushy marijuana plants that will produce massive yields. All it takes is a bit of practice, and you too can have plants that look massive, happy, healthy, and dense!

Original Content Source: discountpharms.com

Missouri Finally Has Its First Legal Cannabis Grow House

It's an exciting time to be a marijuana cultivator in the United States today. Each year more and more states are opening their borders to marijuana cultivation, research, and use. Slowly but surely the prohibition on marijuana cultivation is being lifted; and for residents of Missouri, that door has been flung wide open as of June 11th.

As a side note, feel free to check out our Tips on Improving Your Cannabis Flavor.

The St. Louis based BeLeaf Medical LLC was the first applicant to receive their official marijuana cultivation licenses in the state of Missouri. After legalizing the use of medical marijuana in 2018, the Missouri government has spent some time working out the kinks and legalities of allowing legal cultivation.

Having jumped at the chance as soon as applications were being accepted, BeLeaf Medical LLC applied and was subsequently approved for 10 separate medical marijuana licenses. Three of their licenses are for cultivation purposes, two of their licenses are for manufacturing, and the remaining five are for retail and sale.

Kevin Riggs, president of BeLeaf Medical LLC, has spent four years operating a CBD cultivation operation within the state of Missouri. In this way, he is no stranger to the world of marijuana cultivation and retail. However, he hopes to be able to fulfill a much sought after gap in the market with THC medical marijuana as soon as product and crop is available--which he hopes to be by the end of the third quarter - beginning of the fourth quarter.

The State Health Department of Missouri has required all marijuana cultivation and distribution license applicants to undergo rigorous inspections prior to being issued licenses. Riggs stated that BeLeaf's cultivation center underwent this 'commencement inspection' 10-days prior to being issued the licenses. The inspection is meticulous in the sense that it covers every aspect of the health, safety, volume, and operations within the marijuana growing facility.

BeLeaf Medical LLC will be cultivating and distributing their marijuana products under the brand name of Sinse. This comes from the term 'sinsemilla' which is a term used to describe prime, ideal marijuana flowers that are seedless and perfect for general consumption. The grow center is located just outside the center of St. Louis in the suburb of Earth City. Riggs hopes to begin the slow roll out of their Sinse brand of medical marijuana.

Currently there is no real knowledge of exactly when the state of Missouri will allow full distribution of medical marijuana. There is still a long list of logistics and licensing issues that need to be worked through before the state will allow cultivators like BeLeaf Medical to distribute what they grow.

Riggs himself cautions residents to temper their expectations, and that launching a medical marijuana infrastructure in a state is not like 'turning on a light switch'.

The process of building the infrastructure for the industry in Missouri is moving forward quickly, but not without some hurdles and challenges along the way.

However, BeLeaf Medical LLC is not the only player in the game. In southern Missouri another cultivation center is set to open under the teamwork of BD Health Ventures and ERBA Holdings LLC. This could very well be the beginnings of a lucrative and vast medical marijuana industry in the state of Missouri.

Original Content Source: discountpharms.com

Marijuana Charge Lands Man in Prison For 18 Years--He Is Now Free

The prohibition on marijuana, and subsequently the war on drugs, has brought no small amount of unjust prison sentences throughout the years. Each year hundreds of non-violent men and women are caught in possession of marijuana and sentenced to massive fines and even prison time. Discount Pharms has the details:

In a country where nearly half of the population has access to legalized recreational marijuana, the imbalance of justice is anything but fair. However, for some, the punishments are more imbalanced than others.

Craig Cesal

In the case of one man, Craig Cesal, the punishment he faced for being caught with connection to marijuana was far, and way worse than anyone could have ever dreamed. Craig Cesal was a Chicago native who lived a life many of us would consider normal. He had a wife, kids, a university education, and he even owned his own business repairing trucks in Lakeland, Florida.

The trouble for Mr. Cesal began when a certain group of individuals began asking him to repair their refrigerated trucks. Mr. Cesal stated that he had a feeling that these trucks were being used for smuggling something, but he felt it was none of his business. That is, until it was discovered that the trucks had been used to smuggle tons of marijuana illegally.

In 1996, Mr. Cesal was sentenced to lifetime in prison for a non-violent conspiracy to distribute marijuana. Despite Mr. Cesal himself never having any contact with marijuana, nor having any knowledge of the marijuana in questioned--he simply repaired the trucks for the clients. This landed him what has now been 18 years in prison and should have been far more if not for a major break in his case.

On the 17th of June 2020, Mr. Cesal was approved for release to home confinement due to complications in the prison system with Covid-19. Mr. Cesal himself is in the high-risk group with diabetes and lung related issues. This only came after multiple denials from the Bureau of Prisons and Federal Corrections Institute of Terre Haute, IN.

His current home release was made possible by a massive online campaign backed by friends, family, locals, and even some within the marijuana industry. The outpouring of support for Mr. Cesal even sent word to Attorney General William Barr. Finally, after enough noise, Craig Cesall was able to be released for the duration of this coronavirus epidemic. Although it should be noted, he has not earned his freedom yet.

Craig Cesal still hopes to fight his sentencing and earn his freedom entirely. Behind him are his daughters, his family, and many within the marijuana community.

Mr. Cesal claims that he did not know what he was doing was even against the law, as he had no connection to the marijuana and did not even know it existed. As a truck repairman, he claims he was innocent of the charges brought against him--and many are inclined to agree.

Despite the situation not being perfectly remedied, Mr. Cesal still states that he is happy to be home with his family. He feared that with a life sentence, he would never get the chance to see and hug his daughters again as a free man. For now, he will get to spend time with his loved ones, and he hopes to fight for his full freedom moving forward.

Original Content Source: discountpharms.com