MMJ: Growing For the Gold

My homie has a nice grow, but I have noticed mold on his plants. If his weed gets moldy, how harmful is it to smoke? - Chaki the Fun Guy

Don’t smoke mold. Ever. Mold and fungus are no bueno. You are just asking for a nasty-ass lung infection by smoking moldy weed. Molds and funguses love warm, moist, dark spaces. Guess where you have a warm, moist, dark space? Not there, you perv. I am talking about your lungs. Throw it out and and try again.

My friend adds far too much fertilizer and the flavor comes through. Is it possible to fert strong while maintaining the flavor of the strain? - K.O. Curtopia

Who wants to taste another person’s fertilizer, right? That’s gross. Flush your plants! Stop giving them fertilizer about one week after they go into flower. Just give them pure water and watch your plants thrive. Problem solved.

I have a nice little grow out here in the woods. What do you do to keep wildlife and other pests away? Also, can outdoor cats play around your plants – is that safe? - Mr. Green Jeans

Good fences make good neighbors – and good cannabis. A nice chicken-wire fence will keep most four-legged beasts at bay. Deer can be tricky, but mostly they just nibble a few leaves. As for the other pests, like spider mites and russet mites: Make sure you have good dirt. Good dirt makes for healthy plants, and healthy plants are more resistant to pests. Beneficial insects like ladybugs might also help. Mixing in some beneficial nematodes or diatomaceous earth can help. You might also try some predatory fungus mites like Hypoaspis miles (Stratiolaelaps scimitus) if you like the idea of millions of tiny bugs waging war on the ground beneath your feet.

If adding more bugs to your bug infested plant doesn’t appeal to you, you can just spray them. I hear good things about the organic pesticide known as AG Plus.

As to your cats: It shouldn’t be a big deal. I am a proponent of keeping all pets out of the garden, but it isn’t always possible. Your cat may eat a leaf or two, but it shouldn’t really affect them. Maybe spread out some catnip in an area away from the weed to keep them distracted.

The price of good weed is eternal vigilance. Good luck.