Marijuana Botany

[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.Several seedlings can be grafted togetherinto one to produce very interesting specimen plants.One procedure starts byplanting one seed ling each of several separate strains close together in thesame container, placing the stock (root plant) for the cross in the center of therest.When the seedlings are four weeks old they are ready to be grafted.Adiagonal cut is made approximately half-way through the stock stem and one ofthe scion (shoot) seedlings at the same level.The cut portions are slippedtogether such that the inner cut surfaces are touching.The joints are held with afold of cellophane tape.A second scion from an adjacent seedling may begrafted to the stock higher up the stem.After two weeks, the unwanted portionsof the grafts are cut away.Eight to twelve weeks are needed to complete thegraft, and the plants are maintained in a mild environment at all times.As thegraft takes, and the plant begins to grow, the tape falls off.PruningPruning techniques are commonly used by Cannabis cultivators to limit the sizeof their plants and promote branching.Several techniques are available, andeach has its advantages and drawbacks.The most common method is meristempruning or stem tip removal.In this case the growing tip of the main stalk or alimb is removed at approximately the final length desired for the stalk or limb.Below the point of removal, the next pair of axial growing tips begins to elongateand form two new limbs.The growth energy of one stem is now divided into two,and the diffusion of growth energy results in a shorter plant which spreadshorizontally.Auxin produced in the tip meristem travels down the stem and inhibits branching.When the meristem is re moved, the auxin is no longer produced and branchingmay proceed uninhibited.Plants that are normally very tall and stringy can bekept short and bushy by meristem pruning.Removing meristems also removesthe newly formed tissues near the meristem that react to changing environmentalstimuli and induce flowering.Pruning during the early part of the growth cycle willhave little effect on flowering, but plants that are pruned late in life, supposedly topromote branching and floral growth, will often flower late or fail to flower at all.This happens because the meristemic tissue responsible for sensing change hasbeen removed and the plant does not measure that it is the time of the year toflower.Plants will usually mature fastest if they are allowed to grow and developwithout interference from pruning.If late maturation of Cannabis is desired, thenextensive pruning may work to delay flowering.This is particularly applicable if astaminate plant from an early maturing strain is needed to pollinate a late-maturing pistil late plant.The staminate plant is kept immature until the pistillateplant is mature and ready to be pollinated.When the pistillate plant is receptive,the staminate plant is allowed to develop flowers and release pollen.Other techniques are available for limiting the size and shape of a developingCannabis plant without removing meristematic tissues.Trellising is a commonform of modification and is achieved in several ways.In many cases space isavailable only along a fence or garden row.Posts 1 to 2 meters (3 to 6 feet) longmay be driven into the ground 1 to 3 meters (3 to 10 feet) apart and wiresstretched between them at 30 to 45 centimeters (12 to 18 inches) intervals, muchlike a wire fence or grape trellis.Trellises are ideally oriented on an east-westaxis for maxi mum sun exposure.Seedlings or pistillate clones are placedbetween the posts, and as they grow they are gradually bent and attached to thewire.The plant continues to grow upward at the stem tips, but the limbs aretrained to grow horizontally.They are spaced evenly along the wires by hookingthe upturned tips under the wire when they are 15 to 30 centimeters (6 to 12inches) long.The plant grows and spreads for some distance, but it is neverallowed to grow higher than the top row of wire.When the plant be gins to flower,the floral clusters are allowed to grow up ward in a row from the wire where theyreceive maximum sun exposure.The floral clusters are supported by the wireabove them, and they are resistant to weather damage.Many cultivators feel thattrellised plants, with increased sun exposure and meristems intact, produce ahigher yield than freestanding unpruned or pruned plants.Other growers feel thatany interference with natural growth patterns limits the ultimate size and yield ofthe plant.Another method of trellising is used when light exposure is especially crucial, aswith artificial lighting systems [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Linki