Hydroponic Heroin

This book is soldfor informationalpurposesonly. Neither the author nor the publisherwill be held accountable for the useor misuseof the inforrnationcontainedin this book

CONTENTS Hydroponiclleroin: IIow To Grow Opium Poppies Without Soil O 1998by"RobertNeil Bunch Ail rights reserved.No part of this book may be reproducedor storedin anyform whatsoeverwithout the prior writtenconsentof the publisher.Reviewsrnayquote without the written consentof the publisher brief passages aslongaspropercreditis given. Publlshed by:

FS BookCompany P.O.Box 417457 CA95841 Sacramento, 1-916,771-4203 Email: [email protected] Web Site:www.fsbookco.com

Introduction.............

.....................1

ChapterOne... ....... .......................5 History Of The Poppy,Opium And Heroin Usage ChapterTwo.......... WamingTo Would-BeGrowers ChapterThree The OpiumPoppy

......................11 ...........2t

ChapterFour......... OverviewOf Hydroponics

.....................29

ChapterFive.......... FromSeedTo Weed

.....................55

ChapterSix..... ....... OptimalHarvestParameters

.....................61

ChapterSeven ...........67 CreationOf Medicinal And Recreationalhoducts From Exudedl,atex ChapterEi9ht........ .....................77 Dosages, Addiction,PotentialDangers ChapterNine......... Glossary

.....................85

Introduction

1

INTRODUCTION Heroin (her'o-in) n. 1, rccreationalnarcotic that is spthesized from morphine extracted from the opium poppy; highly addictive;cortrnon street nanps include: chinawhite, H, horse,junk, skag,srnackand suicide.2, King of drugs. Casualheroinuseis not only on th upswingagaituit is now chic and quasi-sociallyacceptableto sport the lithe body, dark sunkeneyes and withdrawn posture of the corunon streetaddict. Supernndelsstnrt the catwalk with gauntfranps and heavilyshadowedeyes,afrernativerock music giants axen't giants unlesstbey have been in tbe Betty Ford Clinic at leastonce,andevenhigh-fashionrnogul Calvin Klein bombardsthe generalpopulacewith tebvision advertisenpntswhich boast sickly teenagerswho look like theyhavebeenon a week-longbender. With the influx of the cbarest smackthe Unitd States has ever seenflowing into a haff-dozenna]x port ciths, anyonewho is'coof is t"Hng a rfoleon the whe huse. The drug war has donc litth, if any damage to tb 600,00Gpoud worHwid,eheroindemand.The demandin

l

Hydroponic Heroin How To Grow Opium Poppies Without Soil

Introduction

3 the United Statesalonerangesfrom 20,000 to 30,000 pure pounds (average 454,000,000 initial uncut doses at 25 mg!), and showsno sign of decline. The reasonwhy smackhasbecomeAmerica's next drug "epidemic" is clear: potent, unadulteratedproduct is hitting the street, and the outdated necessityof intravenous injection hasbeeneliminated.Heroin in the '70s contained 7-l5%opure product, and it took some regular usageto become addicted. Now that supply greatly exceeds demand, streei-leveljunk can register up to 97Vopure! This level of purity allows more aestheticdly correct methods of ingestion such as smoking and snorting. Numerous users have reverted to snorting, for a dose as small as half a grirm can be lethal to a non-tolerantindividual. With the increasedpurity conrcs the increasedpotential for addiction,and no one is exempt from the psychological dependenceheroin creates. Even though estimates state that only 25-40Voof usersare physicallydependent,if you know someone who has ever gotten a good dose, you know it is clear that a profound psychological addiction can occur within secondsafter the line is gone or the tourniquet is removed.If the tolerant user attemptsto quit, he can be assuredof a prolonged (at least four months) withdrawal which will be more rnentally debilitating and painful than any form of tortue rnankind might draw from the darkestrecessesof its collective mind. With all of this said, one might wonder why anyone would even attempt to try heroin. The reason is quite simple: in the correct atmosphere,dosage and frequency, a heroin buzz is one of life's great rewards. The intense surge in creativity, euphoria, and relaxation can make the

occasionalweekenduser soar to heightsneverbeforeexperienced. Becauseof the tolerancefactor,theffiequent'thipper" will get ashigh, if not higher,thanthe most needle-tracked crusty wanderingthe back alleysof the Big Apple. If the unbelievershould debatethe massivecreativity factor of heroin, sonp notableaddictsfor the rebuttal include:enthony Kiedis (Red Hot Chili Peppers),Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots), I-ayne Staley (Alice in Chains), Brad Nowell (Sublfurrc),Jimi Hendrix, JanisJoplin, John Belushi and Robert Downey Jr., all creative geniusesin their own right. To digestall of the governmentand nrediapropaganda, one would think that all usersdie minutesafter their first dose.This is, as usual tafty far from the truth. Hospital recordsshow that the majority of junkies die from bogus horse, impurities used to cut the srmck, infections and malnutrition,rather than hot loads (a street term used to describe sudden,unforeseenincreasesin purity of the heroininjectedby inravenoususers). For someonewho would like to achievethis statewithout the fear of overdosing,inrpurities,or coming down, there is anothereasily attained drug that is much more pleasant(puking can be circumvented)and saferthan heroin - its grandparent,opium. This book is gearedtoward the opiate-dependent as well asthe inexperienced recreationaldrug userwho would like to havehis own stashof l$OVopure opiumlatex,nnrphine hydrochloride,or, in the caseof the chemicallyinclined, srnack.The text following the introductionwill guide the

HydroPonic Heroin How To Grow Opium PoppiesWithout Soil

reader through all of the steps necessaryto maintain a year-roundcrop of hydroponicopium poppies,therebl of..iog the grower the exclusiverights to the free and pureopiateof his choice. Readthe text asif your life dependedon it (it does),especiallythe chapteron dosagesand ingestion.When your fittt ctop hasbeenharvestedandyou are experiencingthe warm opiaterush,know that you havejoined an elite club' Membersinclude: Inrd Byron, Coleridge,CharlesDickens,BelaLugosi,EdgarAllen Poe,Mary Shelly,Thomas de Quinceyand Mao 7*Jrong.You are in excellentcompany for creativity, astral-planeexploring, and higherbrain reformattingvia nreditation'Keep in consciousness mind, however,that you are riding the most majesticand horseon theplanet.Make swe that your reins unbreakable arekept tight; otherwise,it will ride you.

J-r S^t qROW

Clupter One History Of fhc PopW, OpiwnAnd Heroin Usage

ChapterOne

OF THEPOPPY, HfSTORY

oPlut-tfrA/D HERofNUSAqE No plant in history has causedas much adversity,lry and grief as the opium poppy (Greek opos =juice). First cultivated on the shores of the Mediterranean by prehistoricman, texts regardingthis plant did not appear until the Greels praisedthe poppy 500 yearsbefore the birth of Christ. Hip'pocrateswasthe first physicianto exploreits haling abilities,and Hornersangpraisesof the poppy in his epic, the Odyssey.tThe dnrg willl 'lull all pain and anger,and bring forgetfulnessof every sorrow." Obviously,Horner chokeddown a doseor two! The opium poppy next reachedChinesernanuscriptsin 700 AD. Chineseand East Indian doctors regardedthe plant as a generalcure-all For the following 700 yearsin the east, rnan and poppy lived in relative harmony.The plant was picked for its 'lniraculous" s@ds and rarely abuseduntil a slick Chineseman in the 15th century discoveredthat if the capsulewas slicedwithin a ten-day period following the fall of the petals, a wonderful thing

Hydroponic Heroin How To Grow Opium Poppies Without Soil

Chapter One History Of The Poppy, Opium And Heroin Usage

opium! This is where the easy balance happened between man and poppy dissolves. Arrpd with a powerful drug and having little access to addiction treatment information, Eastern man had unknowingly siarted the opium ball rolling towards the remaining civilized world. Two hundred years after this rnornentousoccasion, most of the East, including India and Persia, abused the opiate in the form of a recreational drink, or by sinply eating it. The stage was now set for Western man to swoop down and make a large scale comrnercial venture from the everincreasing demand. The Portuguese were the first to transport and market Indian opium to the Chinese. It was the Dutch seafarers, however, that hooked the Asians and SoutheastAsians by introducing them to smoking the raw latex. Until this point, the bad taste and slow absorption of opium into the stomach prevented profound addiction. Now that the opium could be snpked and the effects could be felt immediately, demand for the pungent black product skyrocketed. By the mid-l7th century, over 50 tons of opium were flowing into Asia by boat. Eventually, the fazz (the Ernperor Yung Chen) became concerned about the addictioq death and "shriveling of the facial features," and laid down the law on opium - total prohibition on the product, sales, and srnoking dens. This lasted about two minutes, as the Asian people had already developed a sophisticated taste for ttre sweet poppy-resin snpke. The Emperor countered this by placing tariffs on imported opiurn, hoping this would drive up the price, but to no avail; the Chinesehad to get their smoke on at any price.

InL773, the opium trade was madeglobal by the British East India Company.The British traded the Patna opium from India to the other Asians for their porcelains,silks, and spices.They used theseproducts to make a fortune in Europe and the Americas. The Chinese Emperor once again enforced the banning of opium by forbidding exportationof Chinesesilver, and the British respondedby waging two all-out wars. These two famous altercations were known as the Opium Wars. By the end of the second war (1860), therewer€ at least 10,000,000opium addicts in China, consuming80Voof.the world's opium supply. In the Western world, opium had madb itself known through numerous "snake oils" and legitimate medical remedies.Since the public self-medicatedat that tirne, the opiate strangleholdtook Europe by storm. The "Big M," or morphine, was first extractedfrom the opium latex in the early 19th century. After some"clinicall' ingestions, the chemist soon named the addictive white powder morphine, after the god of dreams, Morpheus. Morphine has always played a role in armed conflict, due to its immediate analgesic properties. During the Civil War, both the North and South grew opium poppies to treat wounded soldiers, as morphine shortages were conrmon. Seeking a non-addictive alternative to morphine, C.R. Wright first synthesizedheroin in 1874. He tested the heroin on stray dogs in his laboratory, and much to his amazenrcnt,it worked better than morphine and in much smaller doses. After killing several dogs, and s[saning up copious amounts of dog vomit, Wright stopped his research.

Hydroponic Heroin Horv To Grow Opium PoppiesVYithout Soil

I

I lI

Not daunted by Wright's outcomes, Tbe Bayer Corryany (yes, like the children's aspirin) turned out tbe new pain killer in bulk, advertisingit as a cure for all that ails. It cured many people (of sobriety), and imitators rusbed to meet the awesonp demand of the 'honaddictive"' reliever.The harshlifestylesalmng the lower classeswho worked in agriculturalfields accountedfor tbe rnailrity of users, as their gueling labor bd to chronic pains and rheumatoid artbritis. The redications were cheaperthan beer (and rnore powerful), and one could purcha$ea dozenor sodark bottlesfor a dime. This heydaycam to a grinding halt in the 1890s,as Arerican and European doctors' offices became increasingly ovenun by sufrering addicts and dytng children More children were dying of lethal doses of opiatesin their nostrumsthan all other tlpes of poisonings cornbined!In responseto tbe incrcasedpublic awareness, tbe Unitd States passed an act requiring medicine coryanies to cite ingredientsand their amountson tbe labels of tbeh products. This causedthe coryanies to reducethe amountsof opiatesin their remediesby up to 75%. In 1914, Congresspassed the Harrison Act, which banned the sale of narcotics without a doctor's prescription"So many doctors were dealing for profit, however,rhat the governrcnt had to stop it coryletely. So in 1923, after 400 years of hardcoreabuse,the US bannedall nucotics. This efrectivelymade all Pharmacistspushers,started tbe war on drugsandpavedthe way for the DEA The ban also created a market for underworld dntg dealers,

Chapter One History Of The Poppy, OpiumAnd Heroin Usage

smugglersand of courss, the Italian Mafia. Such seedy characterstook advantageof the high demandto make fortunesby smugglingheroininto the US. After the SecondWorld War, the crinp familieswere so scatteredthat the imports into the US fell to new lows. Add to this the fact that antidrug propagandawas rampant,and it is easyto seewhy Arneric4 at that point, had its lowest opiate addiction percentageever. The numbershad droppedfrom arounda quarter of a million before 1923,to only 20,000after the war. A few yearsafter the war, a syntheticheroin substitute was createdfor recovery.In 1964, Doctors Dole and Nyswander discovered the chemical forrnula that was supposedto cure the addict. It boasteda lower intensity high that had a longer plateau,and was not detrinrentalto the user's well-being. This drug, unfortunately,hooked everyonewho cane acrossit, and many now had two addictions:heroinAND methadone! Never fear, the pandemiclove for opiates is neverendingand thereis little chancefor a cornpletecure, save for abstinence.This is backedby the fact that in the '70s, heroin addiction had surpassedits all-tfure high and the numberof addictsnumberednearlyhalf a million. The numberof addictsin the US now is estimatedto be between 500-700,000, with 95,000 in retbadone treatmenL Obviously, this plant and its by-productscan make a penon feel pretty good. If the profound addictioncreated by opiatescan survive, die and regenemteover a 1,000' year period, it would seemthat humansare genetically

IlydroPonic Heroin Opium PoppiesWithout Soil Grow To How

ChapterTwo Warning To Would-BeGrowers

10

1t

predisposedto be hooked. Can it be that man evolved with the poppy, never to be seParated?

ChapterTwo

wARNfNq To qROWERS wouLD-BE

Examples of hybridization in an open garden. Notice shade and patterning differences.

The opium poppy is in a legal class by itself when it conrcsto propagation.In sonreareasof the United States, it is treated as a normally occurring noxious weed, and no trouble would result if it appearedto be growing wild in a backyard garden. In sonp areas,however, all steps must be taken to eradicatethe poppy, lest the hapless,unknowing landowner fall under the heel of local and state goverffnent. The smart ihing to do would be to write your local council or agriculture agency and ask for a list of banned plants and weeds, and take it from there. If you live in a rural area with plenty of farmers and rednecks, you could probably plant the poppies in your front yard amidst similarly sized weeds and no one would never even suspectthat they were a psychotropicspecies.Poppiesare legal to grow in most of Europe, including England, but Canada's government does not tolerate it at all - yet. Speciesof poppy that are semilegal to grow in the US: Papaverargemone,bracteaturn, dubiunL hybridiurL orientale, pilosun, radicaturn, rhoeas, spicatum and walpolei. These are known as field poppies and are much smaller and yield considerably less potent gum (if any) than the

Hydroponic Heroin How To Grow Opium PoppiesWithout Soil

t2

more famous Indochinese, Persian, Turkish and Yugoslavic somniferumvarieties. The best way to get around this legal snafu is to grow the little devils insidewhere pryrng eyescan't see,but with this tactic comes a much more serious offense and punishment:conspiracyto manufacturemorphine,a Schedule II narcotic. If you are foolish enough to get caught with a basenrent-fu[ be prepared to do a life sentencewithout parole, as the fuzz will more than likely slap a narcotics trafficking charge on you. For this reasorL it is best to grow a small"year-roundcrop than take the chanceon one hugehaul. If the goverilnent createsa stink in your nose, and you are pro-anarchy,growing poppies is probably not the best way to give Uncle Sam the bird. Growing marijuana or mush,roomswould be a better deal should you get caught. To give you an idea of how serious the punishnrentsare for Papaver somniferum propagation, take a look at some of the punishmentswhen caught in North America. This is what the Canadian Pharmacy I-egislation has to say about getting caught with the "dreaded poppy" (this applies only to the somniferum species): R.S.,c. N-1, s. 5. 6.(1) Cultivation of opium poppy or marihuana.- No person shall cultivate opium poppy or nurihuana except under the authority of, and in accordancewith, a license issued to the person under the regulations.

ClnpterTwo Warning To Would-Be Growers

13 (2) Offense and punishnrcnt.- Every person who contravenessubsection(l) is guilty of an indictableoffenseandliableto inprisonmentfor a term not exceeding sevenyears. (3) Destructionof plant.- The Minister may causeto be destroyedany growing plant of opium poppy or marihuanacultivatedotherwisethan under authorityof and in accordancewith a licenseissuedunderthe regolations. Uprooted plants and sevenyears in a Canadianprison may soundbad, but it's nothing conpared to the punishrrcnt rEted out for growing enough plants to prove a 'qtrafficking"charge.Traffickinglegallynreansto rnanufacture, se[ give, administer,transport,send deliver or distribute Papaver somnifemm or its constituent phenanthrene(activenarcotics)alkaloids. R.S.,1985,c. 27 (1stSupp.),s. 197. a. (1) Tratrcking. - No personshall traffic in a narcotic or any substance representedor held out by the person to be a narcotic. (2) Possession for purposeof trafficking. - No person shall have in his possessionany narcotic for the purposeof traffrcking.

Hydroponic Heroin How To Grow Opium PoppiesWithout Soil

Chapter Two Warning To Would-BeGrowers

T4

15

(3) Offenseand punishment.- Every personwho (l) or (2) is guiltyof an indictsubsection contravenes ableoffenceandliableto be imprisonedfor life.

P+"t-vl'tt^z*Afu q*ruL"e Olp;u,rrPotDlp;,lllt" Tk U4^;fu4fiafa, The United States lawmaking bodies have, of course, handeddown their versionof the opium poppy law (note: poppy seeds,unlike marijuanaseeds,are legal). This convoluted and multi-faceted passageis the FederalInclusion list for Schedule II drugs as it pertains to the Papaver somniferum: listed in ScheduleII. (a) The drugs and other substances this section, by whatever official name, common or usualname,chemicalname,or brand namedesignated, are included in ScheduleII. (b) Substances.(Vegetable origin or chemical synthesis.) Unless specificallyexcepted,any of the following substances,except those listed in other schedules, whether produced directly or indirectly by extraction from substancesof vegetableorigin, or independently by meansof chemical synthesis,or by combination of extractionand chemical synthesis: (1) Opium and opiate, and any salt, compound, derivative, or preparation of opium or opiate, excluding apormorphine, dextrorphan, nalbuphine, nalmefene,

naloxone,and naltrexone,and their respectivesalts, but includingthefollowing: (i) Raw opium;(ii) opiumextracts;(iii) opiumfluid; (iv) powderedopium; (v) granulatedopium; (vi) tinctureof opium;(vii) codeine;(viii) ethylrnorphine; (ix) etorphinehydrochloride;(x) hydrocodone;(xi) hydromorphone;(xii) rnetopon; (xiii) morphine; (xiv) oxycodone;(xv) oxynnrphone;and (xvi) thebaine. (2) Any salt,isorner,derivative,or preparationthereof that is chemicallyequivalentor identical with any of the substances (b) (1) of this referredto in subsection section,but not includingthe isoquinolinealkaloidsof opium. (3) Opiumpoppyandpoppystraw. (4-5)Concerningcocaine. (6) Concentrate ofpoppy strawCfhecrudeextractof poppy straw in either liquid, solid, or powder form which contains the phenanthrenealkaloids of the opiumpoppy.) As you may alreadyknow, the United Stateshas much more stringent drug laws than Canada.If a grower is caught cultivating or extracting the latex from opium poppies,he will more than likely be chargedwith conspiracy to traffic morphine.Trafficking a ScheduleII narcotic carriesa n&styminimumof three yearsfor a first offense. If the grower has a prior drug-relatedconviction in this arena,10 years.The third convictionwould fall under the

Hydroponic Heroin How To Grow Opium PoppiesWithout Soil

ChapterTwo WamingTo WouA-BeGrowerc

16

17

"habitualoffendet'' statuteand the grower would spenda minimumof 15yearsto life in prison. If the wily grower wereto extractthe opiumanddiscard the seedcapsulesbeforebeing caught,the offensewould be lessenedto possession(if no puriffing chemicalsor glasswarewere uncovered).The thing to do to lessenthe chancesfor a harsherpenalty would be: harvestand extract latex from the poppies, throw away ALL leaves, podsandstemsandthenbuy your purifying chemicals. The charges,should you be caught with the purified opiates,arebasedon a marijuana-weightconversiontable.

of the raw opiur4 the arnountof product that was refined would be +10 grams.As you can see,the United States hascorryensatedfsl this power increaseby increasingthe marijuanaconversionby tenfold. The punishmentwould be ttte sarre for 4-10 gramsof morphineHCI as 4G100 gramsof raw opium. Possession of heroinis probablythe worst dnrg offense one might imagire. If the cbemicallyinclinod grower arnped the morphineup to diacetylnnrphine, the penaltiesif caught are staggering:4-10 gramsof pure heroin would get the first offenderat leastten months.If the drug warrior is caughtwith the upperlimit, he canexpectto ponder life in an institution for aroundtwo years.This is far too much tinrc, considering4-10 grarnsof heroin could only bring $80G2,000if sold. Obviously,the best idea is not to get caught! No one thinks they will anyway, so it is suggestedthat only a rnodestgardenbe grown Don't do the crire if you can't do the time. (Seechartat the endof the chapter.) Below is a tabb which will clue the potential grower in asto the severitythe US Governrnentputs on the poppy's constitrrentopioids.

OPilil.+4aa;4aana (bxnbt* Accordingto the USCA,Title 18 ChapterI toZ: I gmmof raw opium = 50 gramsof marijuana I gmmof morphine= 500 gramsof marijuana 1 garn of heroin= I kilogram of marijuana For a first offensewhereone gramof opium wasseized, the possessorcould face anywherefrom probationto six rrcnths in custody. This is the least offense, and the chancethat the hone grower would possessthis srnall arnountis slirn If you grow a decentgardenof poppies' your yield could be 40-100 gramsof raw opiurn The pmistrmentfor being caught with this anrcunt(first offense)' rangesfrom six to 16months. Supposingthat the opium was purified to nnrphine hydrochloride,the weight would be lesseneddue to the renpval of plant acids.Sincernorphireis a tenth the weight

U^;fA $afa ScLh,le Talrl^o ScheduleI Nancotics: No bgal useknown, not availableeven with presctip tion Abusepotential- higb. Such dnrgs are heroinb ISD, rpscaline, marijuan4 PCP, peyote and Quaahdes. These rocrcationalchemfoalscarry the stiffest

Hydroponic Heroin How To Grow Opium PoppieslVithout Soil

ClnpterTwo Warning To Would-Be Growers

t8

T9

penaltiesfor possession,except for marijuana,which now has legitimateusesthanls to California'sArticle 215. ScheduleII Narcotics: Usuallyavailableonly by non-refillableprescriptionor tfure-delay prescriptions. Abuse potential - high. Suchdrugs are amphetamines, cocaine,rnorphineand nethadone.Close records are kept about dispensers and users,and pharmaciesusuallykeep thesegoodies locked in a sensitizedfloor safeto preventdrug fiend holdups. ScheduleIII Narcotics: Availableby refillableprescription.Abusepotentialrnoderate.Suchdrugs are watered-downversionsof strongerdrugslike Tylenol with codeine,Phenobarbital and Vicodin. Only hard-up narcotic addicts and desperateburn-outsabusetheseweakchemicals.

narcoticover-the-counterpain killers, antipyreticsand weak opiates.Anacin, Motrin and St. Joseph'sfor Childrenfall underthis category. FederalMarlluana{plate ConverslonLevel Table For Poesesslon OdrrnSf.XorphlnrWt rg : log

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ScheduleY Narcotics: Availableby refillable prescriptionor no prescription. Abuse potential - low. Included drugs are non-

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ChapterThree TheOpiumPoppy 2T

Chapter Three

THEOPIUHPOPPY PA44kaLW The opium poppy (Papaversomniferum),alsoknown as the White PoppyandMawseed,is an erect,annualrosette plant that glows nearlyworldwide from SoutheastAsia to Europeand the Anrericas.It is a long-dayplant; that is, it will flower most efficiently when the photoperiod(total daylight hours) is between15 and 16 hours. This photoperiod, combinedwith indigenoushabitat,puts the poppy in the winter annualclass of plants. It ttrives in cooler weather,and is often plantedin late summerin the northern hemisphere.It has the exact opposite flowering scheduleas marijuan4 which flowers fastest when the photoperiodis lessthan 13hours. Unlike marijuanaand most other narcotic plants, the opium poppy is responsiveto the critical photoperiodas early as two weeks after ernergence.It variesin flowerpetal color from pale white (rnostpotent) to red and purple (wild strains).Its statureis alsowildly variant,ranging from a two- to six-feetmainstalk with six to 12 minor offshoots.Its seedpo4 or capsule,which perchesatop a ring

Hydroponic Heroin Ifow To Grow Opium Poppies Without Soil

22

Chapter Three The Opium Poppy

23

on the main stalk, varies from hemisphericalto ovoid, depressedor non-depressedand delineatedto smooth. This pod can range in size from egg to orange-sizedand its top is crowned with a group of star-shapedstigma rays. The tiny kidney-shapedseedswithin the green pod can be colored white (most desirable)to dark puple.

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&':ta "

This variety displays a nearly pumpkin-shapedseedpod.

q4Du:"^een/,il.a+" Life cycle (from germinationto senescence)varies with strain and location from six to sevenmonths - a few of the papaverswill even grow all year. Since the poppy is a classic weed, it can thrive in a variety of soils; sandy to moist and rich as long as the plant isn't killed by frost and is kept watered. Intense sunlight is also preferred, as this Large Turkishvariery.

HydnoponicHeroin To Grow Opium PoppiesVYithoutSoiI Eow

Clapter Three TheOpiumPoppy 25

factor directly contributesto the plant's overall size and pot€ncy. The poppy's opium gum yield is relatedto the plant's sizeas well, so strive to find the largesthytrid straiq as it will producethe largestseedpods.Also, the longer a Particular plant takes to flower, the larger the seedcapsule will eventuallybe. Suchinforrnationis usefulwben estab lishinga desiredinbredline. Contradictoryto old popular belief, lower tetrperature doesnot havean effect on the flowering tire of poppies. It does,however,positivelyefrect ttrc potencyof the exuded latex. This widely held fact conrcsfrom the knowledgethat npst otber rosette plants' flowering cycbs are by ryriods of cold lessthan50" F. enhanced

entsinclude:morphirrc,codeine,codamine,nrtopon, rulrceine,narcotine,papaverine,thebaine,rhoeadine,and npconic and sulfuric acids.The meconicacid is usedin toxicology and drug screeningto determinethe presenceof opiatealkaloids,specificallymorphine. Sonreother non-narcoticchemicalscontainedin the latex are: albumin,calcium salts, caoutchouc,magnesiun; mucilageand sugar.Tlpse agentsact as bindersand make up the gum asthe waterin the latex evaporates.

CAar'*aL CoNfifuril Dtring the last stagesof flowering, the opium poppy will drop its petalsandproducea millcy-whitelatex within the lactiferous vessel system of tbe egg-like capsule's outer wall for a period of no longer than ten days.If allowedto maturepastthis tirne,the seedpod will changeto yellow, then b,rown,and the peak harvesttime will have passed.Oncethe capsuleis pierced,or slice4 tightly along its bngitude (over a perid of four to sevenduyt), tbe latex will ooz€ out and hanlen into opium, a psychoactive substancethat contains nunrerous narcotic cbemicals. Theseeftaloids, which arc bound to 'flant acids," make up 6 ?n% of tbe weight of the uffiPe seedpod. Sore of tbe better known and rcre powerfirl twodozen constitu-

Latcx ooztslron tfisftcshly-pked large f,

HydroPonic lleroin IIow To Grow Opium PoppiesWithout Soil

Chapter Three The Opium Poppy

27

26 The seed capsule is not the only source for the latex' When the main stern, branches or leaves have been severed, latex will weep from the slice. This latex is not as potent as pod latex, but there is no use in wasting any! To collect this low-grade opiate, snrcar a cigarette with the cut end of the branch or leaf.

Starnd&^r ah"l, Weab^ana As powerfula plantasthepoppyappea$to be in nature Frostanddry andcontent,it is not withoutits weaknesses. weatherare the plant's worst enemies,yet it does prefer cold nights (50'D and rather warm (85" F) days.Too much rain or constantdew formation can causethe plant to succumbto a fungal attack (dampingoff) and nrin the pod color andpotencY. Becauseof its odd stature,the poppyis top-heavyand can be stem-bentand broken by a gust of npdium-speed wind. This is especiallytrue when flowering, as the seed capsuleis large. As you will soondiscover,papaversdo not take well to so a modifiedgerminationtechniqueis beingtransplianted, calledfor. If the transplantsare conductedin an improper rruulner,the poPpy will repay the grower with stunted yields. growthandless-than-bountiful The strengthsof the poppy are uncorlmon for an alkaloid-producing psychotropic plant- Poppies can be stomped into the ground when they are sprouts and plantlets,and it only makesthem grow faster and larger! The wild versions(red to purple and spotted strains)are

but stompingthe Impeespecially resistantto punishment, rial White, PersianWhite and Hens and Chickenshybrid varietiesprobablyisn't a good ide4 sincefine imported seedscanrun as high as $8.00per gram.Most other papaver seedsbought from magazinesourcesare 509 per $am.

Ba.r/;^e a^"/" Varr;d+ Patnerl Unlike marijuana,it is very easyto inbreedthe papaver somniferumto achievethe desiredplant characteristics. An inbredline (IBL) hybrid will not expressgeneticdrift and lose potency or vigor, no rnatter how many times the poppy is bred to its cousins.This is excellentfor all those breedersout therewho would try andbreakthe ITVoalkaloid level in the mostpowerfulnaturallyoccurringstains. Strainvarietiesdiffer greatlywhenit comesto potency and yield. When tested,poppiesfrom Yugoslaviaappear to be the most potent (due to harshclimateconditions), with up to a lTVoalkaloidcontent.Runners-up from Asian and Middle-Easternsourceshave only half the amountof alkaloids,sochooseimportedstrainswisely.

bt,*t

^ot" tl4.r

The poppyhasbeen,cultivated and collectedfor centuries and usedas an analgesic(externalas well as internal), antidiarrhetic,antispacmodic, astringent(skin bracer),cure for alcoholisnl expectorant,hypnotic, orgasmintensifier, sedativeandstimulantnarcotic.

ChapterFour OvemiewOf Hydroponbs

ChapterFour

OF OVERV/IEW HyDROPONICS Hydroponicsarcn't new at all The HangingGardensof Babylonwerehydroponb.So were tbp floating gardensof ancientChinaand thc royal garde,nsof tbe Aztecs,Egle tiens and Mayans. Tbese technobgy defcbnt cutures nanaged to gtow without soil, and so catr tbe hore grcwerof today! B€ing hirly cost prohibitive and dangerousto buy and otbr assorted through the meil, hydroponb syst€,ms equipmentarc not easilyacquiredby tbc av€ragegrcwer without arousingsuqplion How can ore grcw opiates indoorswitbout spendinga forture or risk beingcaughtby the infra rgd devilsin tbe skf Easy.By nnlcingorc's own systemandlight barrbrst For thc prbe of an ource of fire marijuane orr can build a homc syst€mthat will wort with minimqlupkeep,and will enabbtbe growerto realize a year-roundhuvest Sorc thingswillhave to be bougbt,zuchas a TDS rcter and pH test kit. Most gnrw storescarry tbese,and if the grower doesn't rct suspbiouswhen hying tbem, no onewillbe the wis€r.

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31

Nuh;afu ;rt* tll

tl1laDph;e

Sri.n"

Nutrient concentrationis the amountof primarychemipresentin the watersolutionin a hycals(macronutrients) droponicsystem.The basicchemicalsneededfor anyplant are describedas the N-P-K percentage. The N-P-K numbers are often found on the front label of gardening amendments. The N, or nitrogen, is the most important chemical neededfor the vegetativestageof plant growth.Nitrogen regulatesprotein uptakeand is heavilyinvolvedin chlorophyll (plant pigmen$ synthesis.Nitrogen is also responsible for leaf and stemgrowth. Nitrogen addsto the overall healthand vigor of the poppyplant.A shortageof nitrogen is diagnosedas yellowing leavesand a generalslow downor halt in growth. The P, or phosphorus,providesa deviceby which energy is transferredin the plant. It is also the chemicalthat is responsiblefor diseaseresistance,seedand fruit formation, and strong root growth. Phosphorusuptakepeaks during the budding and flowering stages.A shortageof phosphorus causesdark greenleaves,stuntedgrowth,and a reddeningof stemsand leaf junctions. As with other primary nutrient deficiencies,lower leavesare the first to be affected. The K or potassium(potash),is neededto facilitatethe rrovement of food within the poppy plant. It also helps $owth by aiding cell division. Potash regulatesthe arnount of chlorophyll in the foliage and controls the

leaves'breathingapparatus(stomata),in order to use the availablelight andcarbondioxidemoreefficiently. Along with the prirnarynutrients,there are also secondarynutrients.Theyarecalledsecondarynutrientsbecause they are not neededin the amountsthat N-P-K are. These secondarynutrientsare: Calcium(Ca), Magnesium(Mg) and Sulfur (S). Theseelenpnts are inportant in chlorophyll synthesisandsoil detoxification. In additionto prinraryandsecondarynutrients,thereare trace elerpnts (micronutrients)to account for. These chemicalsare only neededin minuteamounts.Thesetrace elernentscommonlyusedby plantsare: Boron (B), Chlo(Mn), Morine (Cl), Copper(Cu), Iron (Fe),Manganese (7n). As with any other chemibbdenum(Mo) and 7-nc cal, too high of a concentrationof trace elenpntsin a solution can be detrinpntal to a poppy's health.If a grower decidesto add micronutrients,it is suggestedthat he only dosesonceperharvest. The pH level of the nutrientsolutionis as important to the plant's well-being as nutrient concentration.Poppy plantsaren't as sensitiveto pH as someplants, but there remainsan idealrengeof 6.5-6.8.V/ithin this range,the poppy can rnost effectively assimilatethe nutrients and waterof the solution. An acidic(or low pH) bindsthe nutrientsin the solution to acid saltsandpreventsroot absorption.An alkaline(or high pH) harmsplantsby buildingup toxic saltsand roots from absorbingwater. Always test pH after mixing nutrients with water. pH kits are readily available in pool stol€s,hydroponicgrow storesand better gardeningoutlets. pH can be brought into line by using commercially

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Chapter Four Ovemiew Of Hydroponbs

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includethe availablepH up andpH down. Honp rerne-dies aspirin soor a crushed additionof distilled white vinegar lution to lower pH; baking sodaor dilute lye solution to raisethe pH. pH shouldneverbe altereddrasticallywhen the plants are young, as they are sensitiveand will suffer shock. In discussinghydroponicgrow systemsfor the poppy, we will start with the smallestand simplestand work our systems. way to the enorrnousand corrylicatedsp:rce-age Before construction,thereare a few constantsfor the hydroponic poppy garden that beginnersmust familiarize themselveswith.

(TDS, or total dissolved solids, is a measureof salt shength within the solution. It is similar to tbe salinity mea$[e in oceanwater.)

H1la+q;e

P4ry1 qpal& Copiladl

All successfulhydropooicpoppy gardenssystems,no matterhow conplex, must fall within theseparanreters.It only takes a mild variation of one of theseto throw the whole gardenofr-kilter, so maintainclose toleranceson your parameters. pH of nutrientsolution.....

...6.5-6.8

F ........65-75" of nutrientsolution Temperature (If the terperaturegoesabove75oF, the roots will cook. If the terryeraturegoesbelow 65" F, the roots will have somerouble absorbingnutrientsdueto root shock.) TDS of nutrientsolution.....

3OG90OgramVtitne

F day,50' F night Atnospherict€mperahue.................75o (NighafuF terperatures of 50oF havebeenshownto in6ease the potency of the final opium resin Since the poppy is indigenousto very cold, arid regions,one would only be doing naturc a favor by mimicking the flower's naturaltemperaturerange.) min, 65%max ............25% RelativeHumidity.. (Humidity below 25% maydehydratethe plant, sustained bvels above65% will clog tbe breathingapparatusof the cold-weather,arid plants, causingthem to gaspfor frresh air.) stagemax2U2U?-O Fertilizermix N-P-K ..........vegetative floweringstagemax lG'35-10 (No morethanonescoopper two gallons) With thesestandardsin min4 we cannow take a look at sorlE coflunon,aod not-so-cornmon,hydroponicsysterns. Chooseaccordingly,becauseonce you commit, it is pur duty as a grower to be Mother Nature.Tbe more comPlicatedthe sptem of your choice,the moreof a motberit is to naintain! Eventhough),oumight be tenpted to nrsh out and buy a shitloadof higb-techequiprent, resistthis urge untillou get tbe hnngof growingwith your own seE-builtuoit. This

HydnoponicHeroin How To Grow Opium PoppieslVithout Soil

ChapterFour Overttiew Of Hydroponics

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way, if your thumbis not as greenas you would like, the equipmentwon't be a lossif you havea garagesale.

AggregateCulturc Before we can go into the different tlpes of aggregate growing systerns,we must first explorethe differenttypes of aggregategrowing mediumsand the pros and cons of each.As with other systems,pick the one which is bestfor your growing needs.As you will see,sonp of the aggregate mediumsare strangeat best,but whenit conrestime to harvest,you won't give one thought to what the plants aregrowingin!

T,1po4 S,rd.lr,.l,t Paa aa"l eols 4 EarI" There are three tlpes of hydroponiccultrue that one could use for poppy gardening:SandCulttlre, Aggregate Culture,andInorganicExperinrentalCulture.Revieweach carefullyand choosethe one that is most suited to )lour lifestyteandlevel of gardeningexperience. SandCulture Sandculture is a npthod by which cleanedsandis used for the growingnredium-It is easyonceyou get the gtstof it, but canget out of handquickly oncethe grower turns a watctrful eye away from tbe system-Sand is about tbe cheapestthing in the world (exceptfor advice),andmakes for a unique style of gardening. Fluids drain quickly ttrough it andarecapturedin a reservoirbelow the plants. It is nearly impossibleto overwateror overfertilizeusing sandas a growth npdiunr. On the other hand,a sandsystemcan alsobe a poPpygrower's worst nightmare,for the sandis not asforgiving as soil whennot wateredregularly. Let two things stick in your mind when dealingwith sand culture systerns:a grower can kill tbe poppiesby using a strongfertilizer solution,and the grower cankill the pop piesby forgettingto water frequentlyenough.It is bestto eurploya recirculatings)Btemand rnrnitor tbe TDS and pH daily.

Wxgil.

Hd;r',,lo

Broken Bricks Broken bits of brich if scrubbedthoroughlyand broken into small enough pieces,can make a cheap aggregate nedium. If they are not cleanedthoroughly,chemicalsthat are usedto help the bricksconreout of their moldscleanly canleachinto the nutrientsolutionandkill your poppies. The bricks must be brokeninto bits no larger than two fingers' width. Any larger and the surfacearea used to catch and hold nutrients, oxygen and water would be greatly diminished.Also, when the shardsare too htg", theycancut into the stemsandroots whenthe containeris moved. Bricks are only good for onegrow cycle,asthey tendto breakdown in water. KeeppH checkeddaily when using bricks, becausemineralsare leachedfrom the bricks that canalter waterhardness(high TDS andpH).

Hydrcponic Eeroin How To Grow Opium PoppiesWithout SoiI

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37

CatLitter gilDrl) Most people think that cat litter is only good for one thing. At a recent horticultue exposition,I saw a uun gowing strawberriesfrom a garbagebag filld with cat natureof oil litter. Tdk aboutcheap!The super-absorbent dry allows the gardenerto water less frequently,but this doesnot rpan it is suitablefor beginners.If you overrilater or overfertilizewith cat litter as yoru subotratgit can't be leachedout. What goesinto the redium staysin tbe npdium! Try using a 5U50 sand/catlitter mixture. This will be a muchmore forgiving plantingmix for the novicegardener.

microscopb porcs to form on tbe exterior of the balls. Thesetiny hobs mp the nutrient mixture and oxygen in the perfectcombinationWater rushingover the clay pelbts is mademore turbulentby the pores and is aerated, like a nrshing$trearnSincethe raw materialthat makesup thesepelbts is bakedclan water solutionsthat passover will retaintheir pH balarce.BrandnatrEsof clay pellctsto look fon Golite, Cirorocks,Gronoxand Hydroton.

Centrul HcatlAb Filton You heardit herefirst! With a hydroponicgrow s)tstem, all the plants need is sorewhere for their roots to take ten or twelve filters from a cenbold. By srnash-stacking (clean ores!) and eryloying a constanttoP tral ah unit drip inigation sptem, you can have a no-fail hydroponic system.If the wetrbingisn't tigbt enough to place pregerminatedseedlingscomfortably,place a layer of fibergilassor cotton tbneelayersdown andplant tbe seedlingon top of that. ExpandalClay BaIIs Rapidly becomingpopular armng marijuanagrowers, expandedclay ballsarethe rext bestthing to slicedbread! Clay balls can be uscdin any hydroponicsptem because of tbeir sirryb makeup.They are mlded and then fired in a furnaoeat exherely high teryeratures (2,000oF!) to make tbem porous.The intensebeat causesthousandsof

Gravel (Pca) Gravelis the perfectmediumfor tbe hydroponicnovbe. It is'easy to fin{ cheapif you have to buy it, inert, fast drainingand easyto keep clean Peagravel drainsso fast that it bas to be combinedwith sandto slow the nutrient mixture. The gravel-sandnixtut€ works spergistically in that the sandkoepsthe water fromnrshing though unused and the gravel preventstbe sandfrom becomingsodd€n and st4gnant.The gravel-sandratio shouHbe around5:3, on how fre the sad is. If usingthis r€cipe,be sur€to mix veryevenly,as alopsided conceirtrationgadient could spell disasterfor yotr plants.Evenwith the correct mixture, this urdium will baveto be wateredseveral tires per day. This rneansthat an automatedcolbction andwateringsystemmustbe eryloyd unlesstbe grower haslots of sparetime. Perlite Perlite is a very usefulgrowing medium,being extraordinarily light when dry and having t high wat€r retention rate (up to 3Wo).It is mde by superheatingvobanic rock past its relting point. This causesthe rock to elEand and

Hydroponic Heroin How To Grow Opium Poppies\ilithout Soil

38 shatter,baving thousandsof flakes of porous material Perlite has the odd characteristicof being able to abso$ water, but not nutrients.This is good for your plants in that the nutrientsax€not boun4 as in soil Although perlite canbeusedby itself, its cost canbe prohibitive,so mix with sand50150%.Thereare two differenttlpes of perlite on tbe market;the redfum grade(3 mm in diareter), and the fine grade.The npdium gradeshouldbe used as the fine is bettersuitedfor cloning.Usecautionwhenopening a bag of perlite.Fine dust particlescausedfrom vibrations during strippingcan enter your lungs and eyesand cause irritation" While nbt toxic, itchy lungs suck! To deal with the cloud of irritating dust, opena smallhole in the top of the bag andpour in sonp water. This keepsthe dust from flying into tlre atnolphere. Rockwool Rochnool is a rclatively new growing medium (est. 'E2). It is made by pouring a mixture of liquid basalt, linpstore andsilicaonto a spinningcylinder.Tbesernolten elernentsstrike tlp wheeland are flung far from the heat, wbere they are collected as fibrous strands.This is the sarneprocedureby which fiberglassinsulationis fornpd. The strandsare then sprayedwith an adhesiveand mlded into blocls, cubesor slabs,andthenoven-cured. This cheap,light materialhasa veryhigh waterretention rate (up to 80%), makingit very easyfor tbe amateurgardener to drown the roots. Rockwool is best suited for slow, topdrip intermittent-flowirrigation due to its water absorptionabilities.Tbe bestthing aboutrockrvool is that it allowsplantsto be transplantd andre-transplanted from

Chapter Four Oveniew Of Hydroponbs

39 one growing vesselto another.A grower can germinate seedsin one-inchplugs, transferall the good starts into two-inch cubesfor further growttu and finally placethem into four-inchblocts on a four-foot slab.Whenemploying a topfeed system,a slick of blue-greenalgaewill form on the blocksandeventuallyon the slab.Thereis no causefor alafin, this is surply nature'sway of saYrng,'Everything is working fine!" The algaeis beneficialto your pop'pies;it providesdissolvedoxygento their roots and removescarbon dioxide from the nutrient mixture. Your plants will thankyou for it! Rockrvoolmust be handledvery carefullywhen dry becauseof its glassy,fibrous naturc. If you do get a rockwool splinter, alleviateit by running water over the irritated area.This will causethe splinterto softenand come out. A problemnpst new rockwool usersencounteris that whenit first getswet, it froths yellow! To avoid introducing this harmlessfoam into your hydroponicsptern, prewash all rockrrool with tap water prior to use. Another minor problemwith rockwool; its pH can be as high as 9! Be sureto addpH down to your nutrientmixtureuntil the pH nurnbersfall into line in the nrnoff water. Sonreexcellent brand narps of rockrnoot Cultilene, Grodan and Hortiwool. Seashells(Crushed) Cnrshedseashellsare an uncorilnon, but worthwhile, npdium to usein a hydroponicsptem- Whencnrstredfine enough (similar to saltwater aquarium substrate), and mixedwith perlite, seashellscan add mineralslike calcium

Eydmponic Eercin How To Gmw Opium PoppieslVithout Soil

ChapterFour OvemiewOf Hydroponics

N

4t

andmagnesiumto tbe nutrientmixture.Not only are these ninerals important for the plants' metabolisrn,tbey are alsoexcellentpH bufrers.Cnrshedcoral and dolomitecan alsobe usedasbuffersin hydroponicsystems.This tlpe of aggregatecanbe found at any saltwateraquariumshop.If you alreadyhave a systemin use, and you would like to add theseanpndrnentsto the mix, just throw a coupleof handfulsinto the reservoir.

Y*t, et@irrl This chart allows tbe gardenerto determinewhich aggregateis tbe bestoverallfor his living conditions(e.9.,no large lava rock gardenson the secondfloor!), mnetary sinrationandgardeningexperiene. LllrrPrn

Cod

ttDrY,

m

trlglVuncNr6 monlhs low/Hdt 6 monft8 lndellrilie lil,lovv trlgtYnnctt lndoltnlb meduncit lndefrnlto lrldvuttctt lnddrille lor{med 1 yes lourmed 2yeeF 6 months lilffidt hldunctt ktdoinlb

ll20l}l

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tur.

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Vcrmiculite Vermiculite,like its cousinperlite, is a high-tenperature treatedmineral Mica is pressurecooked until it expands to 2,000tirnesits originalvolurne,while retainingits initial werght. Its water retention properties are nearly double that of perlite! It tends to bneakdown after a seasonof Sowing. For thesereasons,vermiculiteis more of a soil enhancerthan a soleaggregate.As with perlite, be caleful not to bneathein the dustfrom a bag of vermiculite.

Bdc*s Catutiar ArFlie|3 Cqd ClayBat3 Gratrgl P€rb Fodalod Vemlodlto VolcanlcRod(

Volcanic Rock(Lava Rock) Nature's best for an ebband-flow system!Thesebrickred porous rocks can be found at rnany garden stores, nurseriesand retail stores.They are inert, non-toxic, cannot becornewaterloggedor rot, hold the perfect arnount of air and nutrientsin their pores,and best of all - they can be usedindefinitely!The only drawbackfor volcanic rocks is that if you chooseto createa large garden,it will weigh a ton! However, for a smallersysten, it can't be beat.

This chart demonstrateswhich aggregateis best suited No additivessuch as for a particular hydroponicsysteno" standon its own must redium sandare included,so each properties. The tpes of systernsto grow opiumpoppbs are as follows: topdrip, which seesthe plants receiving constant drops of nutrient solutbn from above the root line; ebb andflow, which seestbe plants' roots floodedand drained with nutrient solution at intervals;ad wick' in which the plantsare in a containerfilbd with a redium that will act

kry bf, low rpd h h bf

lrr h

Bllt Wryil.

lbk&ood Ca, Sl hlgtula'F Ca, Sl Ined brvrfiur pocrgood Ce,LlS Itgh,t{gh ln€rt lil/rned Ce"Sl rnedm€d lmd trlgh,low hrtt lneil ilgh,lor medfn€d Ined

Fot *fp*?

Hydroponic Heroin How To Grow Opium PoppiesWithout Soil

Chapter Four Overview Of Hydroponics

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43

as a capillary agent, drawing nutrient solution from a lower reservoirthroughcloth wicks. For the amateurgrower, a wick systemis the absolute best,requiringlittle attentionand still producingexcellent results.

30Vowater andTUVoair! Comparethis to rockwool's 807o water and 20Vo air, and one can clearly see that it would be nearly impossible to overwater plants using foam slabs as a npdiurn The only adjustnrcnt that would have to be made using foam slabs is the feeding schedule.Due to the high flow-through nature of the slabs,feedings would have to be much more frequent, even constant.

Ebb lnd Flow

Bridc CatLltbr Air Fllter Coral Chy Balb Grawl Pedib Rodcod Vemlculite lava Rock

falr poor good good good lalr Poor good poof good

good poor poor falr good tair poor poor Poor good

poor good poof poor poof Poof good fair fair poor

lrcryt*WeA,h,4. Polyuretlune SlabM ethod The polyurethane(or PU) slab npthod is the newest crazn,to conp out of the Netherlands.The slabs,which can be found at any carpetingor warehouse-t)?egardening store, are used in topdrip systemsin the place of rockwool The advantagesare quite clear: foam slabsare pH neutraf rockwool can raise your pH; foam slabsare not irritating to the skin and lungs, rockwool posesthe sanp healththreatas asbestos;foam slabsare reusableindefinitely(they offer a ten-yearguaranteeon horticultural slabs),rockwool bneaksdown after a season;and,possibly the best reasonto use foam slabs over rockwool, is its water retention property. Polyurethaneslabs hold only

Light Systems After weeding through the nunrcrous hydroponic systems and picking the one which is right for your situation, you have one more important choice to make to complete the unit; a light source. The most important (and expensive) decision you have as a guerrilla gardener must be made.Although we havecheapskatedour way through the hydroponic systernslabynnth, we cannot scrimp one bit on light choice. The two types of lights that are acceptablefor growing poppies are fluorescent tubes (which are the best choice) and high-intensity dischargelamps. Fluorescents Fluorescent lights are a great alternative for someone who wants to grow, but can't afford the heat output of the high-intensity discharge lamps due to confined grow space.Fluorescent or tube lights are filled with inert gases, mercury vapor and phosphor. When the current is passed through the tube via ballast, the chemicals are excited and emit a glow. Most of the heat that is emitted by a fluorescent system is by the ballast. If you choose tubes and heat is a problern, ask the light store attendant about a rernote ballast. They cost more, but the crop will be worth it!

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4

Fluorescenttubes fall under thre power categories: standard,HO (high output), and VHO (very high output). The standardtubesusuallycolnurte 10 watts per foot of length.The HO tubesconsunefive or six tirrBs the wattage, and the VHOs can consunrcas much energy as a high-intensitydischargelary. Tbe ballastsare tbe same for the standardand HO, but difrer for tbe increasedvoltageneedsof the VHOs. The bestfull-spectrumtubesto useare the HO T-10's. They are made by Vita-Lite and produce a whopping 2,750lurpns per four-foot tube (non-twisted).A lumenis a standardunit for rreasuringlight flow. One lumen is €qual to the amountof light that ore candlewould produceon one squarefoot of surfaceonefoot away.The Tl0's are guaranteedto match 9l% of the sun's color spectrumandlast \&0 hours(five yean). Always useelectronicballastswben they can be found. They arequite costly,but are well worth it in the long run. Ebctronic ballastsare silent, extendtube life up to 30%, reduceluren depreciationby l0%, makeHO tubesburn 4O%brighter, and use only 62% of the power a normal bdlastwould.

n