SETTING UP

Pug (Internet): I am a first time indoor grower. I have access to indica clones that I like to smoke. Would this be a good plant for me to try? Would you suggest soil or growing it hydroponically?

Ed: Indica varieties are good choices for novice growers. They are compact, grow and mature quickly and don’t require as intense a light as varieties highly influenced by sativa parentage.

BLUE LIGHT FOR SEXING

Too Xntrik (Internet): Is there a new technique using blue light to sex plants? Would you elaborate on the procedure?

Ed: Yes. This technique is discussed in detail in the new edition of Marijuana Grower’s Handbook. Short day plants, which measure the number of hours of uninterrupted darkness in order to determine when to flower, have a slight sensitivity to blue light. When given 12 hours of light and 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness, the plants flower.

ROOT APHIDS

Dan, The Hydro Man (Internet): I have been battling root aphids. I have watered with nematodes twice in two weeks. Now the aphids are walking around on the floor but they are still in the root zone. I set a pyrethrum fogger to take care of the exposed live aphids. I am about to water the soilless planting mix with Botanigard. Then in two days add more nematodes.  Do you have any suggestions?

Ed: Most of your efforts are effective. Beneficial nematodes attack most soil dwelling insects. Use pyrethrum as a drench, rather than as a spray or a bomb. This way it gets directly to the insects. Botanigard contains spores of Beauveria bassiana strain GHA. This fungus attacks soft-bodied insects, causing their deaths. It can also be applied as a drench. All three of these treatments can be used concurrently to attack the pests.