Cannabis Investments

As a landlord , when you let a property, you hope that your tenants will treat your property with care and respect ensuring that, at the end of their tenancy, they return the property to you in the same condition they found it in when they arrived. You also assume that your tenants will not undertake any kind of illegal activity in the house. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. In the UK there is a growing trend towards tenants renting properties for the purpose of cultivating illegal drugs. Make sure you reduce the risk of becoming a victim of this type of activity by learning how to spot the warning signs of illegal activity.

The equipment and materials required for growing cannabis can be acquired quickly and cheaply by almost anyone. This combined with the attraction of being able to carry out the activity in someone else’s property has made it a relatively simple task for the criminally minded tenant to set up a cannabis factory. However you can mitigate your risk of falling foul of this type of activity by looking out for a few simple clues

Your vigilance should start at the tenant viewing. Tenants intending to grow cannabis may show little regard for the practical considerations that would normally concern prospective tenants such as identifying a space to position their washing machine in the kitchen or checking there are enough sockets where they would want to position their television. They may not even look in all of the rooms. This is because they do not intend to use the property to live in, in a normal fashion

You should also be wary of tenants who show an unusual interest in the electricity supply at the viewing. If a tenant asks repeated questions about the location of the rcd board, where the supply enters the house, and other aspects of the electrical infrastructure this could be another indicator that they intend to grow cannabis at the property. The reason for this is that cannabis needs a lot of heat and light to grow, meaning that the  electricity consumption in the property will increase massively. Invariably the grower will try to tamper with the wiring, by bypassing the electricity meter, as a way to avoid detection

You should also be wary of any tenant offering to pay the rent for the entire tenancy upfront and in cash at the start of the tenancy. Cannabis growers will often make such an offer to increase the chances of you not needing to visit them and disturb their activity, during the tenancy. Also, doing this will mean that you do not have their bank account details, making them more difficult to trace if their activity is discovered.

When a tenancy has started there are other signs to look out for. Cannabis cultivators will obviously try to hide their activity from view and therefore will ensure that curtains remain closed and windows blacked out at all times. If you notice that this to be the case during the day time it should arouse your suspicions. You should then attempt to contact the tenant to arrange a property inspection. If the tenant ignores your calls or tries to avoid an inspection this indicates that they do not want you to see the inside of the property and should arouse you suspicions further.

In such cases you may wish to examine the rubbish being thrown out of the property for further evidence. Large quantities of plant waste and an unusual odour provide further reason to be suspicious.

Following these tips should ensure that your uk property investment is not an easy target for cannabis growers. However, if you have reason to suspect that cannabis is being grown in  one of you investment properties, you should contact the police immediately and ask them to investigate.

Grow Medical Marijuana Outdoors, The Easy Way,  Part II

Congratulations, you’ve made great progress in the planning stages of your Medical Marijuana cultivation. You’ve checked the legislation of your State, stockpiled some “skunk seeds”  from Amsterdam, charted the sun pattern of your backyard, plotted out your soil which tested at a ph of 6.0, and there’s a water spigot/w hose nearby. Sun, soil, seeds, and water were the basics of part I. Part II will explore some other issues involved with successful Medical Marijuana growing.

Garden pests can be, well, pests! Most insects cruising through your patch are harmless, and some are garden friendly, like lady-bugs. Since we decided that the growing strain of choice would be Indica, or skunk plants – there is no getting around the pest known as Whitefly, nemesis of many a gardener. Once your plants grow leaves, periodically check the undersides for tiny whiteflies. They may just sit there, or hundreds fly off, (infestation)

but their eggs do damage to the plant. The best remedy, is what the commercial growers use, Encarsia Formosa – a predatory insect. Find a 24hrs. delivery of Encarsia Formosa strips and hang them in your garden. Whitefly won’t stand a chance. You could also use an insecticide soap, but it’s not as effective in my opinion. Left unchecked, Whitefly will wipe out your crop.

The fertilizer that is our most common nutrient mix, is Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium, with trace amounts of some lesser one’s. If you need to use fertilizer, get a package that has numbers on the front like these, 20-30-40. Those are the percentages of the pre-mentioned nutrients. Fertilize early with this inorganic mix. Unless you are really experienced, avoid concentrated formulas, Compost areas are great to grow in also. Many people only fertilize early in the off-season, which is what I recommend. In their zest to enrich the soil, and grow record size buds, a lot of folks end up burning (killing) their plants with the fertilizer. Only mess with fertilizer early, or if the plants go from rich green, to a yellowing color. Sluggish growth or deadening leaves may indicate a need of liquid nutrients. If you are experienced, you may fertilize pre-season, mid, and during flowering. In Cali, just let them grow naturally.

The last area of concern is, thinning out plants. There are a few schools of thought regarding this. One, what ever you sow or plant, just let the crop grow out. For your first garden of Medical Marijuana, I think that is best and easiest. This way you don’t worry about male or female plant identification, you get a chance to maybe see the differences, and finally – if there are both sexes present – get some future seeds from your own crop that will be indigenous to your area. Basically, you are on the way to creating your own strain of Medical Marijuana, how exciting! Secondly, if you have an abundance of seeds, or easy access to seeds, cut the male plants (don’t pull them up, the roots may affect the other plants) out as soon as you know their sex. This will give the females more room, plus, now the female will be seedless, or “sinsemilla”, which many people prefer. Don’t toss out the males, as they are still psycho-active, and may be dried for use.

Finally, remember, Cannabis Indica is basically a weed, and we all know how easily weeds grow.  Joyce

Grow Medical Marijuana Outdoors, The Easy Way.

If you have seeds, sun, soil and water- then growing Medical Marijuana should be one of the easiest ventures you’ve set out to accomplish. As of this writing, only California, Oregon, Hawaii, Alaska, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington have passed legislation for their qualified patients to cultivate Medical Marijuana. Arizona and Maryland are in a favorable holding pattern.

If you have reviewed your State’s laws and have a green light, let’s proceed. We’ll use an easy State also as our growing state model, California.  The first thing a grower or gardener needs to be aware of is the sunniest spot in the back-yard. Of course you realize that the sun tracks differently in the winter, as opposed to the summer months. Basically, a 10×10 area with a minimum of 5 hours a day is great. If you prefer, you could plant all around in different sunny areas of the yard. Cannabis plants are sun lovers, so don’t worry about too much sun.

Next are seeds, which you’ve been saving up for an occasion like this. But, which strain or type should you plant? In warm weather States like California, it doesn’t matter. In others, you’ll need the skunk, or Indica strain. Some seed banks have a Sativa/Indica mix, but you need to avoid Sativa’s or mixes of them, as they may need to mature past your grow area’s first frost. Obviously, a frost could kill your crop. Skunk plants (Indica), which are short, bushy, and very potent – will come in before Halloween in most places.

In the soil part, once again California is quite easy. Many southern Cali backyards have never been truly cultivated, so they are just waiting to grow wild. The soil is rich, dark, teeming with worms, and has an earthy humus aroma. Worms live in nutrient rich soil, and after you turn the dirt 15-20 times, they’ll take off to another part of the yard. Cannabis loves to be in a soil with ph between 5.5 – 8.5, 6.0 is ideal. If you are an experienced gardener, obtain a soil probe from a nursery for a ph check. If you’ve never grown in the area, don’t worry about fertilizer the first season. If other plants and regular weeds are effortlessly growing, your Medical Marijuana will do even better. Turn and rake the grow area several times during winter and early spring, until the soil is smooth and fine. There should be no large clumps of dirt or rocks.

When you plant, use an eraser end of the pencil as the depth for the hole, then lightly cover your seed with soil. Do this prior to a rain or keep a light mist over the soil until the seeds pop.  If you are familiar with germinating techniques or transplanting, then you are ahead of the game. On average, water about once a week or when the soil feels dried out. It’s better to underwater, than to over water Cannabis. When you do water, make a reservoir around the base of the plant so that you can give it a good soaking. This type of watering will help the roots to follow the water deep into the earth. Light watering on top causes superficial roots. The tap root will be really long if you watered correctly. Don’t even think about fertilizers, unless the plant’s growth seems sluggish, or the leaves start to yellow. If necessary, use a liquid mix or fish emulsion as fertilizer.

Well, that’s it in a nutshell, – seeds, sun, soil, and water. Good-luck,    Joyce.

The Decision to Grow Your Own Medical Marijuana

The decision to grow your own medical marijuana is a unique opportunity for patients wishing to defray medical expense for their treatment of an ailment. In California, (please check your State laws regarding medical marijuana) a qualified patient may cultivate 6 mature plants/ 12 immature plants, and have 8 ounces of dried marijuana on hand. Once you have obtained relative State information on growing medical marijuana, issues of indoor or outdoor cultivation, security, seeds, excess marijuana, and resources – need to be addressed.

First, the outdoor growing environment in California is just about the best on this planet! Take a look around at all of the beautiful natural plant growth and foliage. The thriving fruit, vegetable, and plant industry in California is a testament to the botanical wonders of the state. Any wine lover could vouch for the Cali vineyards and their legendary wines.

A 10×10 patch of earth in your sunny backyard will do equally as well. Remember, marijuana is a weed, hence the nick name, and we’ve all seen how well weeds do even without any assistance. With southern exposure, or at least 5 hours of sunlight, you’ll be amazed at your harvest. A few seeds planted the day before a spring rain in April, gets you out the gate. Periodic watering and weeding will lead you to a Thanksgiving harvest. Intercropping, or mixing plants and vegetation in and around your marijuana plants helps avoid detection. You may also make a cheap grow house with 2×4’s wrapped in that wavy plastic you see on top of swimming pool fences, corrugated filon.

The indoor garden requires a bit more effort. You will need to brush up on hydroponics, grow lights, fertilizers, pest control, and energy requirements. The biggest advantage to an indoor set-up is security. You will not have to deal with nosey neighbors. The disadvantage would be a high light bill, depending on the source you select. Some 2×2’s wrapped with reflective foil in an eight by eight area should get you started. One 1000 watt light is enough artificial light though for that size, especially with the Indica or skunk strain of marijuana.

This leads us to the seeds situation. Hopefully you’ve saved seeds from the past, or can obtain some from friends. Many people throw away seeds, not realizing their potential. Even seeds from a dirt bag of weed, could turn into a fabulously potent plant, given the conditions you provide during growth. Cannabis Indica is a short bushy plant, Cannabis Sativa grows very tall, and some strains are a cross of the two. Indica, or “skunk” has a knock-out high, as opposed to the Sativa “Up” or soaring high. If you have trouble obtaining seeds, some online sites like Amsterdam Marijuana Seeds could assist you. Don’t worry about automatic flowering. Feminized or other specialty seeds.

Unfortunately, there are some low life people out there who would rather take your crop than tend to one of their own. There isn’t anything more disheartening than a ripped off crop, right before harvest. For this reason I recommend a good canine, preferably a female German Sheppard from the pound. Many dogs have an affinity for the plants, so chain them or keep their direct access to the plants restricted. The excitement of growing marijuana will cause you to talk about your venture, don’t. This is a clandestine, stealth, James Bond type operation. Do not allow anyone to become aware of your garden. A fully matured crop is worth a lot in dollars, effort, and product. Don’t let your loose lips sink the operation.

You would think that excess pot would be the least of your worries, but it isn’t. More pot, more problems! Cali only allows for 8ozs. of dried medical marijuana. Depending on your strain, you may produce 3 times that or more.  Just like a sudden lottery winner sometimes finds misery with the wealth, you may be tempted with the “dark side.” What will you do with the excess? I don’t know,  good-luck with that one.

Finally, if this info still has you perplexed, there are several resources from my experienced crew that conduct forums from time to time, the library, and online DVD’s.

Make sure you never guess about a problem, as your mistake could ruin your crop. Most of the time people destroy their crops by trying to do too much! Too much watering, too much fertilizer, too much talking, not enough reading or research – can lead to disaster. If you really struggle with growing medical marijuana, look for me online, I’m not hard to find.

Those who assume that it is easy to grow medical marijuana are actually people who have less or no knowledge about marijuana growers. They tend to mislead you with their deficient and somehow wrong information regarding the growing of medical marijuana.  So beware of those who are saying that there are short cuts and quick fixes which minimize the hard work and focus required to succeed in this endeavor.  An effective medical marijuana garden always satisfies the needs of the grower who knows and follows these seven important rules:
Cleanliness
Procrastination is not recommended in growing of medical marijuana.  Simple task such as picking up dead leaves and sweeping of debris should not wait until piles of these have accumulated.  It is considered to be an important daily routine that requires due diligence.  Make it your mission to keep things clean always.  So start putting down the bong, get off the couch and clean your grow room from top to bottom.  Always keep in mind that the work you do now will surely pay off in the end.
Stealth
When it comes to growing medical marijuana, silence is always the golden rule.  Although it might be tempting sometimes to brag and show off your hard work, but it can only cause you more troubles along the road.  Try to minimize or avoid throwing big parties or let people hang out all day smoking weed in your area.  Suspicious events like this have been the downfall of many pot growers before.  You need to make yourself invisible to neighbors and keep a low profile in order for you to keep your marijuana garden discrete.  On the other hand, don’t be too paranoid as well by blocking off all your windows or avoiding interaction with neighbors because this will only indicate that something is not right.  Instead be friendly but not too friendly and never panic or antagonize those around you.  Keeping everything peaceful is the key to have successful harvest after harvest.
Realistic Expectations
You need to set your goals wisely and realistically, by doing so; you can maintain your motivation at all times.  Be realistic and consider many factors that affect the growth of your medical marijuana plants.  Try to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of all decisions and possible outcomes.  Knowing and properly anticipating possible expenses can lead you to long-term success.
Attentiveness to Plant Needs
To grow medical marijuana, you also need to be attentive to your plants needs.  Although marijuana plants isn’t all that hard to please, but still they need to be provided with the proper atmosphere at all time, maintained appropriate temperature, feeding and airflow.  Try to be meticulous with small details to avoid stress that causes marijuana plants to delay their growth or even die.  Knowing and understanding all elements of plant growth is necessary to become successful in growing medical marijuana.
Patience
Marijuana plants needs to complete their life cycle to fulfill their true destiny and it is your job to do everything to make that happen.  Try not to harvest early because you are preventing the marijuana plants to reach its full potential.  That means that you need to have patience and know the fact that you will be in this thing for quite a long time.  Patience really does pay.
Humility
Infuse some positive energy into your plants by showing humility.  Take pride with your gardening accomplishments but don’t become the “human buzz-kill” person who always seeks to one-up all comers.  Besides, to grow medical marijuana is not a competition of who gets to produce better and high quality pots.  Just let your buds speak for themselves.  If you love what you are doing then you are already a winner.