We have our fair share of special promotions at Paradise Seeds but we have to say that this one takes special to the next level! Our great friend and cannabis collaborator, Tommy Chong, is the prize this month! 

No, not literally of course, but as near as damn it during these socially distanced times! This month we are giving away tickets to Meet The Legend and chat face to face, via Zoom, giving you some time to hang out with Tommy and chat about whatever is on your mind! (please read our ‘essential information’ section below for full details).

There are two ways to book a space on this exclusive Zoom chat during September:

1) Earn a ticket: The first 20 customers to spend €100+ on Tommy Chong’s collection strains in September will get a free Meet The Legend ticket. Choose from our super popular L.A. Amnesia (sativa), Blue Kush Berry (indica), Mendocino Skunk (hybrid) and Auto Kong 4 (autoflower).

2) Win a ticket: We have 12 tickets to give away in our September social media promotion. Check out our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for details on how to win your Meet The Legend tickets.

Have you ever met a bonafide cannabis legend before? They don’t come much bigger than the man who, with his partner, invented stoner comedy and who has been a prominent cannabis activist for over half a century.   

Ladies and gentlemen, please give it up for Tooooooooommmmmmy ‘The Legend’ Chong!

Team Paradise

Essential promo information! 

- The promotion runs from 01/09/2020 - 30/09/2020.

- Zoom meetings will be held on the 6,7, 8 October at 20:00 CEST
(2 sessions for customers + and last session for competition winners - Tommy Chong’s team will assign a time slot to each ticket holder).
- Ticket holders will need to supply full name and an email contact. The ‘first 20’ customers will be contacted by email so please keep an eye on your Inbox/Spam folder to avoid missing out.
- Ticket holders will need to download Zoom to participate.

- Zoom chats will be in English and a ‘ticket’ will allow a 2-3 minute (one on one) face time with Tommy Chong.
- Please note that each Zoom session will include other ticket holders so they will be able to see you and hear your questions.
- If you wish to remain anonymous, it is your choice to turn off your camera for the session.

- Social media competition tickets will be distributed equally between Paradise Seeds social media platforms.

This month we have a very special promotion for you to take the edge off the end of summer! Earlier this year we released two new strains – a high performance sativa (Rainbow Road) and a super resinous indica (El Dorado OG).

It’s the first season and we have seen some beautiful specimens so far, so now we have decided to spread the love and spread some seed! Buy Rainbow Road or El Dorado OG seeds and we will top up your order with extra seeds! 

* Buy 3 seeds. Get 1 free seed.
* Buy 5 seeds. Get 2 free seeds.
* Buy 10 seeds. Get 3 free seeds.

Rainbow Road is a big growth sativa which comes with the dial turned up to maximum for taste, smell and effect. More resinous than many sativas, to see how it can perform in your grow room, read the Rainbow Road Grow Report.

El Dorado OG is the ultimate trichome bomb – incredibly resinous, aromatically overpowering and a delivery system for intensely happy relaxation! To find out more about how it will enhance your grow room, read the El Dorado OG Grow Report.    

***Please note: This promotion applies to the same strain eg Buy 3 Rainbow Road Seeds, get 1 Rainbow Road seed for free***

For most people September is a bit of a sad month which means back to school, back to work, end of Summer... However for the outdoor cannabis grower, September is the month of flowering! While nature will run its course over the next couple of months the grower needs to be prepared in the name of outdoor cannabis crop protection. Your vigilance at this stage will increase the opportunities for a bumper outdoor cannabis harvest! 

1) Watch the Weather!  

Autumn months can bring inconsistencies from the weather and for this reason you need to keep an eye on the longer term forecast. The nights begin to carry more coldness in the air – even bringing an early season frost – and there can be dramatic fluctuations in the temperature in general.  Rain is also a problem, particularly in northern regions and especially when accompanied by a drop in the air temperature, which can promote mold on outdoor cannabis plants.

2) Protecting Cannabis Plants From Rain

Cannabis buds are pretty robust and the odd shower does not trouble them too much. However, sustained rain will certainly have a negative impact on those lovely crystal clusters and inhibit bud development. Outdoor cannabis crop protection from the rain should be a priority although this is easier said than done with big plants (which is why many outdoor cannabis growers opt for a SCROG set up to control growth/height). 

Obviously hardcore protection can be achieved with timber trellis work and clear plastic sheeting, but more temporary structures can also help - we have seen leisure gazebos, tepee frames wrapped in plastic and even umbrellas position over garden canes!  The trick is to be prepared for the rain and get your shelter up in good time. Unfortunately the air will still be thick with humidity content, but every little helps.

3) Protecting Outdoor Cannabis Plants From Sun and Frost

In more southern regions of the world, heat and sun can bring their own problems in the form of stress which manifests itself in the form of cupped leaves (with the edges curling) and can cause ‘foxtailing’ buds. The key to preventing this happening is a good watering regime, keeping roots cool and providing shade. In Autumn hot sunny days can often be followed by cold nights and this brings the danger of frost. Unlike the rain, this is more difficult to predict. If you know one is coming, cover your plants with garden fleece (plastic sheeting will also work) and make sure to remove early the next day to stop a build up of condensation on your plants.  

4) Watch Those Buds!

Throughout the flowering process make daily checks on your plants and invest Invest in a magnifying glass or a jeweller’s loupe so you can really get up close and personal with those nuggets. Most pests and diseases will strike while the plant is in the veg stage and are a problem because they inhibit growth. By the time a plant gets to flowering outdoors all of its energy is going into flower production. At this stage a minor attack from a pest such as spider mite, for example, is not going to be fatal, however it may impact on your yield.  Checking your buds regularly will alert you to any issues before they become critical and you can take action.

5) Be Vigilant for Mold!

More dangerous at this stage of an outdoor cannabis grow is an attack from bud mold (aka botrytis or ‘gray mold’). This gardener’s enemy is extremely stealthy and can easily go undetected unti, it is too late. Tell tale signs of mold are small leaves protruding from buds that suddenly turn a greyish color. At a quick glance they may seem to be just another dying leaf, but look closely and they will reveal a patch of gray mold infecting the bud. Consult our guide for preventing and identifying bud mold here.

6) Let the Air Flow!

Pruning your plant during the flowering stage can be very beneficial. It will open up bud sites and expose them to the Autumn sunshine and getting rid of some of that foliage will also help to give some airflow to your plants which is one of the best defences you can have against mold. However, this needs to be done carefully in order not to stress the plant too much. Check out our Skunkworks video from the Topshelf Grower which deals with de-foliation and lollipopping in the flowering stage.

7) Plan Ahead for an Outdoor Cannabis Harvest

The unpredictability of Autumn means that as your flowers mature you should be thinking ahead about your feeding and watering schedule. Autumn rains can cause extra issues as prolonged rainfall and high air humidity will create ideal conditions for mold and mildew, so adding more water into the mix is only going to increase the risk.  Aim to reduce the amount of water you give to your plants if the long term weather forecast is showing rain. In these circumstances it is advised to let your soil thoroughly dry out following the final flush. It is advisable to make an advance plan with an estimated harvest date in the diary so that you have some flexibility with watering.

8) Be pragmatic!

Outdoor cannabis growing is different to an indoor set up. You do not have the luxury of a controlled environment. Sometimes circumstances demand action. If there is a week of rain coming then be prepared to cut down a little bit early or risk losing everything to mold. Listen to the plant, use your instincts, be pragmatic!

Are you a creative cannabis type? The folks at AskGrowers.com have supplied a guest blog which takes a look at the best Paradise Seeds cannabis strains to put the C into creative!

Cannabis is used for various reasons. Some take it to rest and relax. Others need it as a medicine. It is noted that a number of hemp varieties are favorable for creative thinking. If you are curious about the cannabis strains with which creators lure muses then read on.

Although Sativa and Haze varieties are often primarily associated with creative thinking, many musicians and artists love the quick effect of consuming another member of the cannabis family: Indica. How to achieve it? For example, you can select a hybrid variety, where a good-quality sort of Sativa will be combined with high-quality Indica. As a result, a hybrid is often obtained, which pleasantly relaxes the muscles and has a powerful effect on the brain. Therefore, many should think about choosing the optimal personal dose. There are many online resources where you can find out more about the effects of cannabis, including the team at AskGrowers.

1. Dutch Dragon

Sativa/Indica (75%/25%); THC: A lot; CBD: Small amount. 

Just like all of the sorts in this article, Dutch Dragon is one of the best weed strains for creativity. The effect of this variety is very strong and long. Mostly without paranoia. It gives you powerful energy, creative detonation, and is noted for its enhancement of audio and visual senses.

Dutch Dragon, thanks to African genetics, is best manifested in a warm climate. It grows tall, has small fan leaves and thick, elongated cones. When grown in SOG it is possible to convert to color early, since Dutch Dragon is a fast-growing, vibrant plant with a typical Sativa bush structure. In the grow room, you need to take into account its desire to grow in height and may need to manage its growth.

2. Rainbow Road

Sativa|Indica (60%|40%); THC 18%-22%; CDB <0.1%

Just like most of Sativa-dominant hybrid strains, Rainbow Road gives you a boost of energy and unveils your creative potential. This strain does not give you that powerful punch you would usually expect from a Sativa weed; instead, it softly and slowly elevates you to the point where you feel good, creative, and relaxed at the same time. The effect definitely feels like going on the Rainbow Road – relaxed, comfy, uplifting, and euphoric. This hybrid strain will surely boost your creative potential and give you some extra energy to get your job done.

Thanks to its potency and Sativa-dominant genetics, the weed from the Rainbow Road cannabis plant is going to make you feel just right, lift you up, and make you feel really comfortable during your high. This cannabis strain does not kick you in the backside pushing you to do something foolish; it just gives you that extra boost you sometimes need to get through the dull day. 

3. Dutch Kush

Sativa|Indica (20%|80%); THC 18%-22%; CDB 0.1%

Dutch Kush is an Indica-dominant weed, and you might think that it will just make you sleepy. Well, this is not the case with this hybrid strain. Instead it gives you that soft, relaxing, and creative high. This is exactly what you might need in the evening when you want to feel that extra creative boost, and do something fun with the increased sensory awareness of the effect. This strain will keep you grounded while leaving you enough energy just in case you want to do something creative while feeling relaxed. A perfect weed for the evening sesh on your own or with some good friends – totally recommended.

4. Auto Wappa

Indica|Sativa (50%|50%); THC 14-18%; CBD 0.1%

Auto Wappa is a classic hybrid weed you can smoke in the middle of the day just to feel alright. It gives you a perfect combination of both Indica and Sativa effects, which is exactly what mid-day smokers need. This weed is meant to provide you with just the right high so you can keep up with your daily tasks and feel good at the same time. 

If you feel bored and out of fresh ideas, using the Auto Wappa cannabis strain might just be the right way to crank up your creativity and get that extra kick of fresh ideas and positive thoughts. This is a perfectly-balanced weed, and it is guaranteed to deliver a quality high at any time. You might want to try this one if you tend to lack that drive in the middle of the day to go through your routine. 

5. Auto Jack

Indica|Sativa (30%|70%); THC 14-18%; CBD 0.01%

Auto Jack is a flaming hot Sativa strain that will give you a boost of energy you might need any time of the day. With a solid onset and a slow and seamless offset, this weed gives you a comfortable and energizing effect that lasts for an hour or even longer and cranks up your creativity. If you need to feel good in the afternoon and get the job done, smoke Auto Jack and feel the burst of creativity that will get you through the day. Sativa-dominant cannabis strains are the best choice for providing you with that energetic kick you need to focus on creative tasks. 

6. L.A. Amnesia 

Sativa/Indica (75%/25%); THC 20%-24%; CBD 0.01% 

L.A. Amnesia is a high-potency Sativa cannabis strain that will give you energy, an uplifting high and boost your creative potential. This is a perfect strain for when you want to have some fun, create something new, get some ideas, and do your work in a different way. This is a really potent variety, so one for more experienced smokers. LA Amnesia is a great weed for the Sativa cannasseurs who need to fire up a bit more than usual. This is a great weed to smoke whenever you feel the need for a bit of excitement. The creative boost you are going to feel is a great bonus you will get by smoking it.

7. Mendocino Skunk

Indica|Sativa (60%|40%); THC 20%-24%; CBD 0.01%

Mendocino Skunk is a legendary weed, to say the least, and a great hybrid strain that allows you to feel this amazing combo of relaxing Indica and energizing Sativa. This, of course, does not mean you are about to go on a roller coaster ride, but rather that you are up for a well-rounded trip that is going to deliver on so many levels. You are going to feel a creative boost, relaxation, slight bursts of energy, and generally just feel good! This is the stuff to experience whenever you have a couple of extra hours to relax, think about something positive, and generate some new good ideas.

Conclusion:

Of course, one can argue about the popularity of different varieties of cannabis, because someone likes one effect, and another person likes another. You can always choose between Indica or Sativa for creativity. Nevertheless, it is possible to draw conclusions about which variety is suitable for you according to a simple formula: all Indicas favor relaxation of the body, and Sativas cause energetic and psychoactive states. 

Every new cannabis grower faces a dilemma as they begin their cultivation. They have made a space for their grow room, invested cash in their set up and equipment and are now all ready to grow. As they begin to search for something to put in their pots they are bombarded with advertisements for cheap cannabis seeds. It seems like a no brainer - after all why would anyone pay more for fewer seeds when there are companies out there selling more seeds for less – a seed’s a seed yeah?

STOP! There’s an  old saying, ‘if something is too good to be true then it probably isn’t’... and in the same way, if something is too cheap to be true then it probably isn’t. We have all bought things that were cheap only to have them break or not work as they should (which reminds us of another saying – ‘buy cheap, buy twice’!). 

Cheap Cannabis Seeds at the Root of Your Grow Problems?
Well the same thing is true with cheap cannabis seeds. Yes, they may all look the same from the outside, but it’s what’s inside that really counts. Unfortunately, there’s no way that you can see what’s inside until those cheap cannabis seeds have sprouted and developed into plants. Way too often we hear stories from people who have wasted months nurturing plants that have underperformed, display wildly different growth patterns and yield dismally.  They assume that there’s something wrong with their set up or nutrient doses, when the problem lies with the seed.

In recent years, the cannabis industry has exploded due to legalization and increased toleration of cannabis in countries around the globe. At the same time the cannabis loving community has become much better informed thanks to the knowledge shared online, improved performance and cheaper costs of equipment such as LEDs, and the realization that home growing is much healthier than buying from the black market.         

Unfortunately, along with positive innovations, the expansion of the industry has seen the arrival of rogue operators chasing a quick and easy buck. One of the disadvantages of the internet is the lack of quality filter;  it’s easy to make big claims, especially if they are wrapped up in shiny marketing packaging. The source behind ‘too good to be true’ deals on cannabis seeds is often in-bulk seeds. Rogue operators will simply buy up generic cheap seeds from a wholesaler, repackage them, invent wild claims about their performance and sell them at huge profit. So, for example, a generic Kush seed will be repackaged as something like ‘Greatest Ever Big Bad OG Kush (with extra nuggets!)’.

Cannabis Seeds: Do Your Research     

The truth is that if you want a cannabis seed that is going to produce quality plants then you need to pay a little more up front in order to maximize your rewards at harvest time. Do your research and buy from a credible source. Established seed companies have history and their claims are backed up by reviews, awards and inclusion in reputable seed shops, such as Amsterdam Seed Center.   

The best cannabis seeds are the result of extensive development and testing and breeding a new strain is a process that can take one to two years. One of the best ways to spot a cheap seeds scam is when a new company is offering a version of the latest popular marijuana strain within months of its release. Aside from false claims applied to in-bulk wholesale seeds, counterfeit strains are also an increasing issue for consumers. Last year Blue Dream was the most counterfeited cannabis strain in the USA. Why? The answer is kind of obvious. It’s just too easy to simply give a seed a popular name.   

True, every cannabis plant that is grown from seed will show slight differences. A whole host of factors will influence how your final plant will finish, from different phenotypes, to the unique conditions that are unique to your individual grow (indoor, outdoor, soil composition, temperature etc). However, cannabis seeds that come from a genuine source, with provenance, are your best guarantee for healthy plants that will perform as their descriptions say they will.

For most growers who are buying cannabis seeds, all eyes are on a ‘big’ end result - big plants, big buds, big harvest! However, there’s a growing niche of cultivators out there who have decided to think outside the pot and who are happily taking their marijuana to new lows.... welcome to the world of bonsai cannabis plants.

Really? We hear you ask. What is the point of growing a weed plant that will produce just about enough nugs to keep Stuart Little happy for the weekend? Well, for the bonsai enthusiast it’s all about the aesthetics, the challenge, or simply being able to grow a cannabis specimen in an environment where it is impossible to grow a regular marijuana plant. 

While growers of cannabis bonsai plants aren’t exactly lining up at the Paradise Seeds sales counter, we have definitely seen more interest in this cannabis cultivation phenomenon. Last year we had a handful of conversations at expos with budding bonsai growers and naturally we were curious to find out about their reasons for growing this way.

The Zen nature of the bonsai mindset is a significant factor. After all this Far Eastern cultivation process, which dates back hundreds of years,  requires care, attention to detail and a great deal of patience. In traditional bonsai culture, trees can be labours of love that last for many years, so the quick growth of cannabis plants provides a fun short term project to play around with and hone their bonsai skills.

Added to this is the pleasing aesthetic of the cannabis plant, the symmetry and symbolic shape of the leaves and the exotic nature of the flower growth. A big part of the attraction of growing bonsai cannabis plants is the ‘wow’ factor associated with showing off a miniature cannabis tree on your windowsill to friends and Insta followers!

How to Grow Bonsai Cannabis Plants

So how easy is it to grow one of these micro cannabis plants? The practice is actually not so different from LST (Low Stress Training) and other training techniques which are used to train regular plants. While being careful not to stress the plant, never underestimate the versatility and robustness of a cannabis plant in vegetative growth. It can be bent and shaped in all kind of ways and will always bounce back, and often stronger, as a result.

Many growers are reluctant to abandon the established Christmas tree vertical growth pattern and make the leap of faith to training or Scrogging because it feels unnatural and looks so destructive in the early stages. However, those that do are always more than pleasantly surprised, and few will return to their previous methods. To see a good example of how scary such training techniques look check out the Top Shelf Grower Skunk Works Project episode on mainlining (and then tune in to a later episode to see just how good the results are!).   

To pursue the art of cannabis bonsai, the process begins with a seed planted in a small pot and the training begins when the plant is no more than 10 cm. Shaping the plant requires bending and twisting, using craft/gardening wire and supports (wooden BBQ skewers for example), to support the tension on the stem. Some bonsai weed growers will drill holes in the rim of the plant pot so that wire or string can be looped through to anchor the plant’s branches in place later in the process.

As the plant grows, the process of strategic pruning begins – removing bigger/older leaves and snipping away offshoot branches at node level in order to allow light to reach smaller leaves and accentuate the shape of the plant. See the internet for video tutorials giving essential tips and some amazing bonsai and sculpted cannabis examples (check out the work of @budzaiofficial and @bonshighon Instagram and @vilbyG on Twitter).

Two recommended strains for a cannabis bonsai experiment are Wappa (an excellent and versatile hybrid with a short and robust growth pattern) and Ice Cream a short stature indica with beautiful flower coloring. If this sounds like a project for you, then good luck and please do send us some photos of your Zen masterpiece. We’d love to see them!

Did you take the autoflower challenge this summer? If you did then you are not alone! We have previously talked about the easy to grow nature of these wonderful genetic mutations of the cannabis plant. And by understanding more about how they work, and how they differ from their photoperiod cousins, it is possible to significantly boost cannabis autoflower yields. 

They have been an ideal solution for many cannabis growers who have found their grow environment restricted by circumstances beyond their control this year. For this reason, the versatility and compact nature of autoflowers have become desirable qualities. Paradise Seeds has been working with the Topshelf Grower on an experimental project that compares how different techniques can potentially boost cannabis autoflower yields. 

In last month’s autoflower article  we took a look at the early stages of the plant’s growth and followed the Topshelf grower on his Area 51 Autoflowering Test Site experiment which is showcased on the Paradise Seeds Youtube channel. In this series, the TSG works with two Paradise Seeds auto cannabis strains, Auto Jack, and our newest auto variety – Auto Kong 4 from the Tommy Chong’s collection.  

Training Techniques for Bigger Autoflower Yields

A well repeated fact about autoflowering cannabis plants is that their growth cycle is so rapid that training techniques should be avoided because they produce too much stress for the plant. The Area 51 Autoflowering Cannabis Test Site experiment suggests differently however! Episode 6 of the video series shows a comparison between plants grown in three different ways; natural structure, a topped plant and a 4 way LST (Low Stress Training). Take a look for some rather surprising results....

Tips for Autoflower Watering and Nutrient Dosing

One of the biggest mistakes made by growers new to autoflowers is to treat them the same way as photoperiod plants (whose lives respond to changes in hours of light and dark). This is particularly true in relation to nutrient dosage. Because of the shorter life cycle, autos don’t need such a heavy hit of nutes and the Top Shelf Grower takes a closer look at this in Episode 7. He also gives some tips on watering which will help to boost your cannabis autoflower yields in the long term, such as not feeding them with cold water.

It is also worth noting the role that different cannabis genetics play in the growth patterns of certain varieties. This video series gives a perfect illustration as we see Auto Kong’s super quick lift off compared to Auto Jack’s slow and steady growth. Less experienced growers often relate slow growth to a lack of nutrients and will end up overdosing the plant. It sounds basic, but a top tip from the Paradise grow team is to always research the strain you have chosen - from descriptions and grow reports - to appreciate its growth characteristics.

Time Your Harvests!

The disadvantage of autoflowers is that their smaller size inevitably means that harvest yields are less than they are with photoperiod plants.  However, the big advantage of autos is that an outdoor grower can sow for three or even four successive harvests in approximately the same time period it takes for a photoperiod plant to produce just one.

This is what makes them such a great option for the home grower, especially if they can combine the use of artificial and natural light. The key to this is in the planning process- starting the first crop under lights in (March in the northern hemisphere and September in the southern hemisphere) to harvest under a midsummer sun, and successive sowings to produce harvests in the late summer and Autumn.

Leading up to harvest there are simple steps a grower can take to boost cannabis autoflower yields, such as strategic defoliation to open up bud sites to more light (Episode 8), getting the timing of the flushing process right (Episode 9)  and observing the optimum moment to harvest your plants based on the appearance of your buds (Episode 10). All of these late stage processes are critical for squeezing out the most of auto plants in terms of weight and potency.  

Embrace the Auto!

 It is true that photoperiod feminized varieties such as Paradise Seeds’ Wappa, El Dorado OG and L.A. Amnesia provide the big harvest bounties only achievable with longer plant lives, but that is not a reason to avoid autos! By taking the time to learn how to cultivate autos correctly, and with the right management through the growth cycle, these plants really can be the cannabis grower’s best friend.

Guest blogger DrViola Brugnatelli is the scientific director of Cannabiscienza, a lecturer at the University of Padua (Italy) and the  Italian Ambassador for  IACM (International Association for Cannabinoid Medicines).

Stress seems to be an inseparable condition from modern daily life. Stress caused by too much - or too little - work, by traffic, by the continuous bombardment of information, by the frenetic rhythms imposed by society and, more recently, by being locked up at home with the fear of being infected or by the uncertainty of the future. 

We live with stress and, if some seem to have adapted to this condition, for others it can cause significant problems, often causing uncontrollable anxiety, which negatively affects both one's psychosocial condition and interpersonal relationships. 

Cannabis Sativa has always been proposed as an anti-stress remedy to reduce anxiety but, although its effectiveness seems to be somewhat accepted, the brain mechanisms through which it acts are still unclear. However, research published in the journal, has unveiled one of the possible mechanisms through which the Endocannabinoid System is involved in the prevention of stress-induced anxiety. This research indicates the potential of cannabis for stress treatment.  

An introduction to stress-induced anxiety 

But first, what is stress? Stress is an imbalance of the normal equilibrium of an organism – homeostasis - caused by both external and internal factors, to which the individual reacts. How? By either changing the internal balance to adapt to the environment or by modifying the external environment to adapt it to individuals’ needs. 

Stress is therefore not always a negative factor. In fact, it is part of what is called the General Adaptation Syndrome, with which the individual acts on environmental stresses. When man lived in contact with a sometimes hostile nature, he needed to react to every little stimulus and adapt immediately to be able to save his skin. This has been the case for thousands of years until, with the advent of modernity, natural hazards began to diminish. 

However, the ability to react to stimuli has not diminished; once stress was induced by the smell of a predator or an unrecognized noise and prepared us for escape, whereas now the so-called stressors (factors that induce stress) are more intangible. Instead of preparing us for flight, they can induce psychophysical imbalances which in some cases lead to the so-called states of anxiety. 

Like stress, anxiety is not necessarily a negative condition because it is the way our body warns us that something is wrong. But when that something is beyond our control (as is often the case in modern living) then the state can become a chronic disorder that negatively affects daily activities. 

A striking example is what we have been experiencing in recent months: the Covid-19 - stress factor – which has hit our lives suddenly and forced us to change habits. In addition to not being able to move freely, the fear of contagion has also entered and all this has induced a state of daily anxiety in many people. 

The link between stress and anxiety has long been known. The longer a phenomenon that causes stress is present and lasting, the more likely it is to develop anxiety disorders. The brain areas involved are also more or less known. It is known that the amygdala - the area used to process fear - is hyper-activated in stressful conditions and that its signalling towards the prefrontal cortex - the area used for the processing of complex cognitive behaviors - is increased. Stress therefore induces a "coupling" between the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex. 

The endogenous mechanism underlying this coupling - previously unknown - has been, at least in part, revealed by new research entitled "Endocannabinoid Signalling Collapse Mediates Stress - Induced Amygdalo-Cortical Strengthening” published in the March issue of the scientific journal Neuron. 

Cannabis for the treatment of anxiety? 

Through this very well designed study and using innovative techniques, the authors have shown that stress induces a "collapse" of the activity of the endocannabinoid 2-AG between the amygdala and the pre-frontal cortex and this induces stress which, if prolonged over time, can lead to anxious behavior. This research therefore seems to confirm what both anecdotal reports and scientific research have long indicated: the potential of using Cannabis for stress treatment, and particularly anxiety disorder. 

Cannabiscienza’s neuropharmacologist professor, Livio Luongo, comments on this new research: “The role of endocannabinoids is very important in maintaining complex brain homeostatic processes. In fact, their role is consolidated in brain areas responsible for the integration of external stimuli, anxiety states and unpleasant emotional-sensory events, as well as in the central sequelae associated with chronic pain. 

The study is interesting, although very technical and takes into consideration a specific circuit, the one that goes from the amygdala to the cortex. The data shows that some components of Cannabis Sativa could be used, at appropriate concentrations, in certain states of anxiety. An interesting example in this sense is given by Cannabidiol (CBD), a phytocannabinoid widely used currently for the treatment of symptoms associated with anxiety”. 

Indeed, various studies have shown that CBD, rather than THC, appears to be the anxiolytic component of Cannabis, although its effect is dose dependent. Therefore, stimulating the Endocannabinoid System - even through the use of Cannabis for stress treatment - seems to be a good strategy to combat anxiety. 

However, some doubts have not been fully clarified. For instance, it is still necessary to ascertain why not all individuals develop anxiety when subjected to stress. There may indeed be other circuits that compensate for the decrease in 2-AG signalling, which in some individuals are more functional than in others. In addition, this data, although very interesting, must also be confirmed in human experiments.

What this research further highlights however - if still needed - is the key role that the Endocannabinoid System plays in regulating important body functions, especially behavioral functions and with that, the numerous opportunities offered by the incredible plant that modulates it: Cannabis. 

Reference:
Marcus DJ, Bedse G, Gaulden AD, Ryan JD, Kondev V, Winters ND, Rosas-Vidal LE, Altemus M, Mackie K, Lee FS, Delpire E, Patel S. Endocannabinoid Signaling Collapse Mediates Stress-Induced Amygdalo-Cortical Strengthening. Neuron. 2020 Mar 18;105(6):1062-1076.e6.

Buy 1 pack of Auto Wappa, Pandora or Vertigo and get 1 pack (of the same strain you order) FREE! The summer promo is valid for 3, 5 and 10 packs (the extra pack will be automatically added at check out).

- Auto Wappa is the auto version of our ever popular Wappa and it does the original all the justice it deserves! This compact hybrid explodes with big buds that bring with them an intensely fruity flavour. Ready in 65 – 70 days from popping the seed (60 indoors). Check out the Auto Wappa Grow Report.  

- Pandora is one of Paradise’s original autoflowering plants and one of the biggest yielding autos in the collection. It’s an indica in the tradition of the mighty Sensi Star. Its calming and relaxation qualities make this plant popular with medical users too. Check out the Pandora Grow Report.   

- Vertigo is another original Paradise auto strain and also popular with medical users. With more sativa in the mix of this hybrid, this auto grows a little taller than the other two. It brings a very fruity flavour to the palate, full of citrus notes. Seed top harvest takes 60 – 70 days (indoor/outdoor).

The benefits of growing cannabis indoors are well known and having the ability to control a plant’s environment at every stage of its life has obvious advantages. However, every outdoor gardener will tell you that buds grown under natural conditions come with an extra special something... the magic ingredient of real sunlight! However the journey from seed to harvest needs careful navigation to overcome common outdoor cannabis grow problems. 

Every outdoor gardener has experienced this scenario; the cannabis seeds have popped, the seedlings have sprung and been placed outside in May (or November in the southern hemisphere) and for a couple of months they have shown great health and vitality. Then one morning you check on the girls and find a blemish – maybe the leaves show signs of discolouring, the edges have turned or strange spots have appeared...  

This is the point when the outdoor cannabis grower has to do a bit of detective work! Without that controlled environment they have to put on the Sherlock hat (and of course stoke up the pipe!) to solve the clues. Rarely is diagnosis a straightforward process – one often has to eliminate other outdoor cannabis grow problems on the way to finding a solution – but here are  some factors behind common issues found in the garden.

Outdoor Cannabis Grow Problems: Environment 

Every garden and outdoor space is different; northern region to southern region, sunny climate to rainy climate, with different soils, surrounding vegetation and different pests and diseases that have decided they prefer your garden to somebody else’s. To know your problem it’s essential to be aware of your environment.

Heat, Wind and Rain

The weather report is essential reading for any outdoor cannabis grower because the elements can play a significant role in cannabis plant problems. In southern regions, extreme heat is the enemy of healthy plant growth, causing heat stress which will show itself through the curling of leaf edges and tips. While lack of water is an obvious issue but sometimes the problem is closer to home in the form of your growing medium. Simple mistakes, such as using a black pot which absorbs heat or keeping your plant on a heat absorbing surface (ie concrete or tiles) are also frequent causes of heat stress. 

In northern regions, where conditions can fluctuate dramatically during the summer, wind burn can be an issue. This will manifest itself in small brown/bronze patches towards the center of leaves and slight yellowing at the leaf base. This condition is often missed because the spots can easily be misdiagnosed as nutrient burn (which will affect the tips of leaves).  Excessive rain can also be a problem, giving bacteria and fungus the ideal conditions to spread disease which will produce stunting, leaf decay and brown spots and patches, which are often the result of root rot from the plants being saturated. 

Outdoor Cannabis Grow Problems: Pests 

In June and July your garden becomes the insect equivalent of The Purge! Depending on which part of the world your cannabis plants are growing will determine which pests are likely to give you outdoor cannabis grow problems, although some of these pests are universal. 

Common pests include red spider mites which will feast on your plant’s chlorophyll reserves, producing little white or yellow spots on the leaves. Other suspects are aphids (aka greenfly and blackfly) and fungus gnats, which will latch on to your plant and suck out the juices. By the time the damage becomes clear (wilting or yellow leaves) you have an infestation on your hands.

The best prevention for all pests is vigilance. Get into the regular habit of checking the undersides of plants. If you see tiny dots on the surface they could be pests or just specks of dirt, so hold a white sheet of paper below, tap the leaf and closely investigate what falls.  Check out the Paradise Seeds news archive for other common cannabis plant pests and cannabis plant pest treatments.   

Before we leave pests behind, there is one more, the name of which is sure to strike terror into the heart of any cannabis grower – Phorodon Cannabis!While the Cannabis Aphid is relatively uncommon, this is an insect that has cannabis munching hardwired into its genetic code!   

Work With Mother Nature!

Many people think it’s easy to grow cannabis outside (“It’s a weed right? It will grow anywhere!”), but the truth is much more complicated. Growing au natural brings its rewards but, as with all gardening experiences, it’s vital to respect the forces of Mother Nature.

It’s very rare that outdoor plants will reach harvest without some signs of wear and tear. The important thing to remember is not to panic at the first signs of damage and take hasty actions! Be methodical in the diagnosis; what have you - or your environment done - in the past few days to influence changes in your plants? Although cannabis plants are incredibly resilient, solving the clues will be the difference between a surviving plant and a thriving plant. Good luck Sherlock! Don’t forget your pipe... 

Different Cannabis Phenotypes Explained

If you are a Paradise Seeds fan then you will know that we spend a lot of time talking about the quality of our genetics. This is for the very good reason that the majority of our breeding takes place in-house through an extensive program of R+D with the result that new strains will display a common stability and uniformity. However, even the most stable strain can display different cannabis phenotypes and this article will delve a little deeper into this term. 

A distinctive strain is referred to as a genotype, and if we rewind the history of cannabis, the many strains we can choose from today can trace their genetic lines back to a handful of landraces which displayed very typical genetic traits. For example the extremely resinous nature of a Paradise strain such as Dutch Kush is hardwired into its genetic code (DNA) in the form of a classic Afghan indica plant (the genotype) which has grown on mountain slopes in the Hindu Kush region for many thousands of years and is renowned for its characteristically high resin production.    

What is a phenotype?

Although genotypes and phenotypes are often confused, there are significant differences, and they are not specific to cannabis. Whereas a genotype is all about the internal action of a living organism (whether a cannabis plant, a dog or a person), a phenotype is the result of the genotype reacting with its environment. 

For those readers struggling with the science, let’s paint an easier picture! As a human being we all share the same genotype that distinguishes us from another species however, we all have different appearances. Over generations our bodies have naturally adapted to the environment around them and this is reflected most evidently in different hair, eye and skin colors, heights and disposition to certain types of diseases. 

While human generations take many years to play out this process, plant generations pass by much quicker and for hundreds of years humans have been tweaking the process. Perhaps the most famous example of phenotypical manipulation can be found in your local vegetable shop in the form of the simple carrot.

Once upon a time these vegetables were purple, yellow or white. However, long before the Dutch became experts in cannabis cultivation, they had a pretty good reputation for growing carrots too. In the 1700s, so the story goes, Dutch carrot breeders bred orange carrots in honor of William of Orange who founded the Dutch Republic. They did this by selecting carrot plant phenotypes with higher levels of beta carotene, which gave the vegetable its orange coloring.

Different cannabis phenotypes

Many of your favorite cannabis strains are the result of the breeder starting out with a wish list of the characteristics they would like to see in a new cannabis strain; from enhanced taste and smell, to higher potency and bigger yields. Clones are taken from a mother plant which is selected for sought after qualities and from these hundreds of plants will be produced in successive generations. From each generation only a handful of phenotype specimens (sometimes as few as 1 or 2) will display desirable qualities and be selected for the next round. This is repeated until the breeding produces the ideal phenotype. 

Let’s go back to the Dutch Kush example. This is a plant that is recognized for displaying quite dramatic different cannabis phenotypebehavior. Some specimens produce typical indica plants which are short and bushy with coloured leaves, while the others produce taller plants with pure emerald colored leaves. This is a consequence of the range in the genetic mix caused by crossing the mother Kush with a 50/50 hybrid (combining indica and sativa genes).  

Other Paradise Seeds strains which are recognized for producing different phenotypes are Ice Cream (with 3 phenos identified), Vertigo (which can display quite unique and different flavours) and Auto Kong 4, for which we chose to concentrate on two different cannabis phenotypes (sativa and indica). Therefore the same Auto Kong 4 seeds can deliver a flavour that is more sour (indica prevalence) or herbal (sativa prevalence).

What influences the phenotypical performance of a particular strain in your grow? This is down to environmental factors, from the grow medium and location (indoor/outdoor), temperature and nutrient program can trigger the genetic code to react differently. These factors also influence how your plant will grow and the truth is that no two plants grown are ever the same. The biggest lesson to learn from nature is that while a strain’s genetics form a basic guide, characteristics can and frequently change; each plant has a life of its own!

It’s Spring, the time of year when nature starts to fill with the sights and sounds of wildflowers, birds, beasts and cannabis guerrilla grow activity! For some cannabis lovers, the guerrilla grow is an action of necessity, while for others it is the thrill of the challenge - but most guerrilla growers will agree that there ain’t nothing sweeter than tasting bud harvested from a ‘secret space’.

Unlike a home grow, there is a considerable amount of risk involved with sowing your cannabis seeds in a space that does not belong to you. Nevertheless, with the right management (and a bit of good luck) a cannabis guerrilla grow can be rewarding. Over the years, Paradise Seeds has met many guerrilla growers who have shared their experiences and, based on these, here are some of the main logistical issues that need to be considered.

Cannabis Guerrilla Grow – Location, location, location

While it may seem like there are grow spaces everywhere, finding the right spot is actually much harder than you think. An experienced guerrilla grower has a good nose for a prime spot however and will always be keeping a look out for one. It has to be accessible, but at the same time be far enough away from people traffic and be near a good water source.

Experienced growers will plan their guerrilla grow with an eye on the seasons – anticipating how the surrounding area will change through Spring, Summer and Autumn. This means finding a spot that will not become too overgrown with vegetation - starving the cannabis plants of light in the early days – but also will not fall back when Autumn arrives, leaving the cannabis plant naked and exposed to view! For this reason berry bushes or ferns are a good source of cover.

In urban spaces, this requires anticipating how that space might be used as people begin to come outside in warmer weather (wasteland plots can be good, parks and other public spaces are a definite no!). Extra attention also needs to given to the smell, the most common give away of an urban hiding place, and avoiding proximity to public paths and neighbours down wind.

Urban guerrilla growers tend to give more focus to camouflage techniques, in order to make their plants blend into their environment. For this reason, using techniques such as topping, LST and super cropping produce a sculpted, more low-lying cannabis plant (check out our Skunkworks video series for expert tips from the Top Shelf Grower) that can be more easily concealed. Another popular method is to grow autoflowering strains which have reduced height and a more compact composition.

Establishing the Grow

Most guerrilla growers will plant their cannabis seeds at home and plant out when they have healthy seedlings. If sowing direct into soil it is important to clear ground, so that the seedling has a chance of competing with the plants around it, and preparing the soil with a mix that will promote good growth (ie nutrient based and mixed with perlite, coco or clay balls for good aeration).

Pots are easier for management (they can be moved around if needed), but they do require consistent watering. One useful tip is to use gravity fed autopots, which prevent the need for constant review. Another option favoured is the use smart pots with a half/half mix of soil and water absorbing crystals that will harvest and store rainfall. In more southern regions, where the summer heat and sun is intense, water is inevitably the crucial element to any guerrilla grow. Planting out in late June/early July will also avoid problems with pests.

Risk Management

The dedicated cannabis guerrilla grower is always thinking about potential risks. Managing these successfully is the difference between a good harvest and a bad disappointment. A key factor in risk management is location and doing whatever is needed to make it secure right the way through the plant’s life cycle – from cannabis seed to harvest - and that begins with finding a good pest resistant strain such as Spoetnik #1, Belladonna or Durga Mata.

Hard to get to places are preferable. One guerrilla grower uses a kayak to access plants grown by a riverside while another takes great pride in cutting a tunnel into a large patch of blackberry brambles where he has cut out a clearing (a trick learned from one of the original authorities on the art of the guerrilla grow, Jorge Cervantes).

As already mentioned, it is better to plant seedlings and these need to be protected from the attentions of animals such as rodents, rabbits and deer. While four legged animals are a nuisance, it is the two legged human species which is the biggest threat to the cannabis guerrilla grow.

The best guerrilla grows are set up with the necessary self-management in place to leave the plants on their own for long periods of time. One of the risks of doing frequent checks is that very quickly a path will form, so another guerrilla grower’s tip is to try and vary the approach route. Choosing a quiet time of day to pay ‘the girls’ a visit – early morning or dusk - is also advised.

This is a rule that is extended to harvest time, which is the final (and most heart palpitating) risk. The best guerrilla growers will make sure they have a good cover story in case of discovery at this crucial time . We have heard of people pretending to be looking for lost dogs, bird watching or an innocent hiker (complete with a compass and a map as corroborating props) who accidentally finds an illegal cannabis crop!

For every triumphant cannabis guerrilla grow harvest there is inevitably a handful of disappointing fails. However, most guerrilla gardeners agree that the outlaw set up is a seductive art to master...

If you missed the opportunity to plant cannabis seeds earlier this Spring, don’t worry! It may be too late for photoperiod strains, but order autoflowering cannabis seeds now and, with a little help from your friends at Paradise, you’re still in time for a bumper harvest this year!

Autoflowering cannabis strains provide the beginner grower and the amateur gardener with a plant that is easy to grow, quick to harvest and so versatile that it is as happy on a sunny balcony or garden deck as it is in a pro grow indoor set up. The advantages are obvious and the winners are many – from those growers living in more northern regions where summers are short and the weather is variable, to those with minimal space (autos grow between 1 – 1.5 meters in height) and those who are just curious to try their hand at growing a cannabis plant.

It’s for this reason that we are seeing far more interest in Paradise Seeds autoflowering cannabis strains these days and much of it from people who are new to growing cannabis – including older growers and particularly medical users. So how do you maximize your auto crop? Let’s investigate, with guidance from the Top Shelf Grower and his autoflower tutorial series on the Paradise Seeds Youtube channel, and answer some of the most common questions we are asked about growing cannabis autos.

On Your Marks, Get Set, Go!

The trick with autoflowering cannabis plants is to view them as a separate entity to their photoperiod peers (for which flowering is dependent on the hours of light they receive). The length of their harvest - 7 - 9 weeks as opposed to 5 – 6 months for photoperiod cannabis strains – means that auto cultivation requires quick response and timely action. Autos are a bit like hand grenades; once you pull out the pin (germinate the seed), the clock is ticking before they explode (with buds fortunately!).

“With the accelerated lifestyle of autoflower cannabis, timing is absolutely everything. You’ve got to make your move early and you can’t have any mistakes,” says the Top Shelf Grower about his ‘Area 51 Autoflowering Cannabis Test Site’ video series. “I hope you’re going to enjoy this series and follow along. We’re at the very beginning of an all new autoflowering adventure!”

There are 10 videos that follow the auto cultivation process from seed to harvest, and what’s different about these is the ‘test site’ aspect which compares the performance of plants grown in different ways. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about autoflower growing with links to the relevant series videos.

How do you germinate auto cannabis plants? The truth is, you can germinate (TSG video series Episode 1) auto seeds the same way as all cannabis seeds – some growers place seeds between damp tissue, while others drop seeds into a glass of (unchlorinated) water.

What size pot should I use? Because autos are so rapid in their growth it is recommended to start them off in the pot they will stay in. However, many auto growers will also grow a seedling in a smaller pot before transplanting (Episode 2) and in this series, the TSG illustrates how you can adapt items found in the house to help the process – from propagators made from plastic bottles, to pots made from party cups! As with all cannabis grows, the general rule is - the bigger the pot, the bigger the plant!

Can you top and train autoflower plants? Due to the accelerated growth of autos, conventional growing wisdom suggests that this process could cause undue stress on the plant and impair its development (autos bud within a month of germination). However, the TSG illustrates that it is possible to top (Episode 3)and train (Episode 4) autos, but emphasises that with this type of plant, timing is everything.

Can an autoflower performance ever compete with a photoperiod plant? So the simple fact is, feminized cannabis plants are bigger in size, however in relative terms (ie comparing growth period lengths and allowing for natural size differences) autoflower performance is awesome. Check out how the Top Shelf Grower’s autos compare to photoperiod plants (Episode 5).

The History of Autoflower Cannabis Strains

The autoflower is a cross between cannabis indica and (or) sativa genetics and cannabis ruderalis – a low growing plant found close to the Arctic circle, which naturally flowers regardless of light hours it receives. First discovered in the early 1900s in Russia, one theory for its existence is that it was a plant that had seeded and ‘escaped’ from hemp plantations and adapted to its environment.

It was at the beginning of this century that these ruderalis genes were bred with indica and sativa plants to produce the first commercialized autoflower varieties. However, it took a while for the cannabis growing community to fully embrace the autoflower. Much of the resistance concerned questions concerned the quality as they weren’t great in terms of growth, taste and yield. However, the science caught up very quickly and Paradise Seeds was in the first wave of producers to release high performance autoflower cannabis strains such as Vertigo, Pandora, Auto Jack and Automaria ll.

According to gardening writer, Jeff Lowenfels autos are a game changer that makes cannabis accessible to “your mother or your aunt and uncle.” In his opinion this is a plant, like the sugar snap pea, which comes along only once or twice in a lifetime. Says Jeff, “I am convinced that the autoflowering cannabis plant is the next tomato!”

Did you miss out on planting cannabis seeds this Spring? Don’t worry, there’s still time to enjoy a great harvest! While it’s getting a bit late for photoperiod strains, there is still plenty of time to benefit from a bumper autoflower harvest!

To celebrate the arrival of summer, Paradise is running a special autoflower promotion this month – both online and at your favourite retail store - on Auto Kong 4, Auto Jack and Auto Acid.

1+1 on 3, 5 and 10 packs

(ie order one pack of Auto Jack and get 1 more pack for free - added automatically at checkout)

Take a closer look at the promo strains:

Auto Kong 4– Our newest addition to the Tommy Chong’s collection, this awesome hybrid comes with two distinctive phenotypes (sativa and indica) and is an explosive mix of GG 4(AKA Gorilla Glue) and Paradise’s award winning Pandora auto strain. More info on Auto Kong 4.

Auto Jack– If you like sativas you will love this auto strain which sees the greatest qualities of our Jacky White feminized variety realized in auto form. The result is great yields, quick finish and an award winning feel good effect. More info on Auto Jack.

Auto Acid– A hybrid carrying the very best of indica and sativa qualities, this plant brings the distinctive Diesel taste in quick finish and compact growth More info on Auto Acid.

We’re celebrating!  Our favorite collaborator, Tommy Chong, turns 82 on May 24th!

So we’ve teamed up with Tommy Chong’s™ to prepare a special birthday treat!

On May 24 th , for 24 hours only (from 00.01 – 23.59 CEST), we have 1 + 1 on all seeds in our Tommy Chong’s collection!

Love Indica? 1 + 1 on Blue Kush Berry
Love Sativa? 1 + 1 on L.A. Amnesia
Love a Hybrid? 1 + 1 on Mendocino Skunk 
Love an Auto? 1 + 1 on Auto Kong 4

PLUS! 5 Birthday promo customers will win a limited edition Paradise Seeds trucker cap with an exclusive Tommy Chong’s signature!

Happy Birthday Tommy you legend!

What’s in your weed? Amongst the cannabis community this question usually revolves around the
positives – THC, CBD and other cannabinoid percentages, flavonoids, terpenes
– but very rarely do we consider the bad stuff – like cannabis contamination.

Cannabis users often live inside a bubble that is surrounded by a protective coating of positivity
about the plant and the culture around it. Perhaps it’s a self defense mechanism prompted by years
of being demonized by society but it does sometimes blind us to the more unpleasant realities.

The extraordinary changes to everyday lives brought by the Coronavirus crisis has made us all
reconsider routines, habits and behaviours that we had never questioned before. This period has
also brought a new focus on personal health and lifestyle habits that may affect it. Many cannabis
users are looking for healthier ways to consume and also starting to take a closer look at the
healthiness of their supply.

The problem with buying from the street is you really have no idea where your cannabis comes from
and what is in it. By the nature of the business, street dealers have an eye on their profits, not on
your health. Do not be under any illusion – that weed you bought from a street dealer was not
grown organically in sterile conditions by a grower in a white lab coat and gloves!

Cannabis Contamination – Under the Microscope

One of the great ‘pluses’ of cannabis is the fact that it is ‘natural’, but the whole process of growing,
harvesting, drying and storing plant matter increases the risk of contamination. Even under the
umbrella of ‘legal’ cannabis cultivation and sale through dispensaries, large scale production brings
risk from contamination by pesticides and heavy metals (the cannabis plant is a recognized
hyperaccumulator, which will absorb heavy metals in soil).

So what else might be in your cannabis? Dead insects are far more common than you may think (do
street weed cultivators dispose of the whole crop when they find they have a spider mite
infestation?) and fungus is another infection component which is regularly highlighted in street deal
tests – particularly Aspergillus mold, which can cause serious issues to anyone with a compromised
immune system.

The Coronavirus episode has taught us all the benefits of thoroughly washing hands but cannabis
sample testing has highlighted the frequent existence of faecal related bacteria such as E.coli and
salmonella are also common and in 1981 salmonella contaminated cannabis affected 81 people
across states in the USA.

Contaminated Cannabis – A case study

A 2019 study by the Complutense University in Madrid highlighted the worst suspicions of hash fans
when it conducted tests on 90 samples bought from the streets of the Spanish capital for cannabis
contamination - putting a new emphasis on the phrase ‘smoking good shit’.

Worst offenders were the hash pellets (or ‘acorns’) that are a common deal in Spain. They often
come heavily wrapped in plastic film accompanied by a dense odor that transcends the aromatic
hashy smell. If hash smokers had their suspicions, then this study confirmed them; of the samples
93% contained E.coli bacteria and 40% smelt of faeces. There is a good reason those acorns are the
size of a piece of candy and what goes in the mouth of a hash smuggler has to come out the other
end....

Can You Avoid Contaminated Cannabis?

The problem with cannabis is that, despite legalization in many parts of the world, its roots still come
from the underground and the black market. This is why much of the debate post-legalization is
about the kind of regulation and consumer safeguarding that is the norm in any other product
sector.

Until there is a universal safety standard that is adhered to – which, realistically, would require a
universal legalization of cannabis cultivation (strangely that time could be coming closer as we face
the economic shock of the Coronavirus lockdown) – the only effective solution is to be in control of
your own supply and what goes into it.

Unfortunately home growing is still illegal in most countries and until this situation changes,
cannabis contamination will continue to be a negative aspect of using the plant that users –
especially those using for medical reasons - need to consider.

With lockdowns and restrictions in place we are hearing about the same problem for many customers: People have more time to focus on growing great plants, but many of you are struggling with lack of space and also looking for a super quick finish.  

So here’s our solution! Give autoflower strains a try this year!
We’ll give you a great start with our Mad May Auto Promo!

Buy 2 x 3 seed packs and receive 3 FREE SEEDS
Buy 2 x 5 seed packs and receive  5 FREE SEEDS
Buy 2 x 10 seed packs and receive 10 FREE SEEDS

They can sit on a balcony, in a corner of the garden, or even in a room under window light.

Unlike some promotion giveaways, Paradise promotion seeds are the real deal – high performance, quality genetic gifts from our amazing Autoflower range.

With the right preparation and care (and let’s face it, a lot of us have time on our hands this Spring), they have the potential to yield big and finish quick, approximately 8 – 9 weeks from seed to harvest, regardless of light cycle.

From flavorful, energizing sativas like our famous Automaria II and Auto Jack to big yield indicas like Vertigo (new improved strain) and the mighty Autokong 4, our latest addition to the Tommy Chong’s Collection, we have the perfect auto for you!

Cannabis, like many other plants, contains good quantities of flavonoids; Flavonoids are secondary metabolites produced by plants to play a protective role against ultraviolet irradiation and pathogens. The production and quantity of flavonoids depends on the type of plant and other external conditions such as nature of the soil, temperature and light. (1) 

Scientific research has identified numerous beneficial effects that flavonoids can have on human health. Flavonoids can modulate the effects of cannabinoids and add medical benefits of their own.

Which flavonoids are produced by cannabis? 

To date, over 20 flavonoids have been identified in cannabis. These compounds are mainly concentrated in flowers, leaves and stems. They represent about 2.5% of the dry weight of flowers and leaves, while they are almost non- existent in seeds and roots. (2,3) The flavonoids present in Cannabis, in addition to contributing to its pigmentation and smell, have beneficial effects, many of which are shared with cannabinoids and terpenes, as part of the "entourage" effect of the cannabis plant complex. (4) 

The main flavonoids found in Cannabis are: quercetin, campferol, vitexin, apigenin, luteolin and Cannflavins. (5) 

1) Quercetin is present in numerous plants, such as oak, is a compound with a strong antioxidant activity. (6) Quercetin, like other flavonoids, is able to slow the proliferation of many types of cancer cells (7) and also exerts a good anti-inflammatory activity, by inhibiting the formation of prostaglandins,. (8) 

2) Kaempferol is a flavonoid with antiviral, antioxidant and anticarcinogenic properties and it seems that, if taken regularly as part of a person’s diet, it can prevent the development of some coronary heart diseases. (9); (10) Kaempferol is also a good natural antidepressant and it has been hypothesized that, in performing this action, it acts synergistically with cannabinoids. (11) 

3)Vitexin is an active component of many traditional Chinese medicines. Various studies have shown that this phytocompound is capable of exerting numerous beneficial activities for health, such as anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti- hyperalgesic and neuroprotective effects. (12) Furthermore, vitexin also has a promising antiasthmatic activity. (13) 

4) Apigenin is a flavonoid present in high concentrations in many plants - such as chamomile for example - and has very interesting properties for humans, as it can produce antioxidant, anti- inflammatory and anxiolytic effects. In addition, apigenin, like other flavonoids, can inhibit the growth of some cancer cells. In fact, this phyto-compound is able to bind to hormone receptors, such as the oestrogen receptor, preventing the accumulation of hormones and thus slowing the proliferation of breast cancer cells. (14) 

A biochemical transformation through the flavonoid enzyme 3 ′ hydroxylase (F3′H) oxidizes apigenin to form luteolin (5) another flavonoid present in the flowers and leaves of Cannabis plants (as well as in broccoli, chamomile or parsley), capable of modulating the activity of some enzymes involved in tumor pathologies. Luteolin is presumably the biochemical precursor of Cannflavins. 

Flavonoids Exclusive to Cannabis

Unlike the previous examples, cannflavins A, B and C are flavonoids produced exclusively by cannabis plants. Cannflavins were first isolated from the cannabis plant in 1985 by a team of London researchers. (15) 

The most studied Cannflavins are A and B, which have shown a powerful anti-inflammatory action - 30 times more powerful than aspirin - managing to act on some enzymes of the inflammatory cascade such as COX, but more specifically on 5-lipoxygenase and prostaglandin E2 synthase leading to a decrease in the production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), a pro- inflammatory molecule present in the pathological states of many autoimmune diseases. 

This anti-inflammatory activity was initially assigned to the tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) molecule, but later it was found that cannabinoid-free cannabis extracts exhibited a better PGE2 inhibiting action than THC, underlining the potential of these non- cannabinoid molecules. (16) 

The selectivity towards these targets by Cannflavins could evolve into a new strategy to fight inflammation with greater efficacy and less adverse effects than some traditional drugs. Furthermore, since some cannabinoids and terpenes also have anti-inflammatory activity, it is easy to imagine a synergy of action between these components. 

The flavonoid component of cannabis shows promising actions that can improve human health. In addition to the activities highlighted in this article, many flavonoids are able to act at the level of cytochromes - enzymes capable of detoxifying the body and involved in the metabolism and elimination of many drugs and exogenous substances - by modulating absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination of THC from the body. 

Which part of the plant must be considered if one wants to benefit above all from the flavonoid component? 

As already pointed out above, unlike cannabinoids present mainly in flowers, flavonoids have been found in flowers, leaves and stem, while campflavins, in some varieties are also produced by the plant during the formation of the bud. (18) 

Concluding remarks 

Often, when identifying substances with therapeutic activity in a plant, there is a tendency to no longer consider the plant in its entirety, but to focus only on isolating or extracting the identified substance. However, to benefit from the properties of Cannabis, given the presence of numerous compounds endowed with therapeutic activity such as cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids, it would be appropriate to consider the plant as a whole (phytocomplex). (17) 

1) Vanhoenacker G, Rompaey P Van, De D, Sandra P. Chemotaxonomic Features Associated with Flavonoids of Cannabinoid-Free Cannabis ( Cannabis sativa subsp . sativa L .) in Relation to hops ( Humulus Lupulus L .). (December 2014):37–41 

2) Andre CM, Hausman J, Guerriero G. Cannabis sativa : The Plant of the Thousand and One Molecules. 2016;7(February):1–17. 

3) Choi YH, Hazekamp A, Peltenburg-looman AMG, Frédérich M, Erkelens C, Lefeber AWM, et al. NMR Assignments of the Major Cannabinoids and Cannabiflavonoids Isolated from Flowers of Cannabis sativa. 2004;354(October 2003):345–54 

4) Do JMM, Russo EB, Russo EB. Cannabis and Cannabis Extracts : Greater Than the Sum of Their Parts ? 2016;9775(September) 

5) Brenneisen R. Chemistry and Analysis of Phytocannabinoids and Other Cannabis Constituents. (7):17–49 

6) Antioxidant Activities of Quercetin and Its Complexes for Medicinal Application Dong Xu, Meng-Jiao Hu, Yan-Qiu Wang, Yuan-Lu Cui. Molecules. 2019 Mar; 24(6): 1123 

7) Flavonoids, Breast Cancer Chemopreventive and/ or Chemotherapeutic Agents. Magne Nde CB et al. Curr Med Chem. (2015) 

8) Lichota A, Gwozdzinski L, Gwozdzinski K. Therapeutic potential of natural compounds in inflammation and chronic venous insufficiency. Eur J Med Chem. 2019 Aug 15;176:68-91 

9) Kaempferol: A Key Emphasis to Its Anticancer Potential. Imran M et al. Molecules. (2019) 

10) Kaempferol-induces vasorelaxation via endothelium-independent pathways in rat isolated pulmonary artery. Mahobiya A et al. Pharmacol Rep. (2018) 

11) Inhibition of fatty acid amide hydrolase by kaempferol and related naturally occurring flavonoids. Br J Pharmacol. 2008 Sep;155(2):244-52. 

12) A review on the pharmacological effects of vitexin and isovitexin. Fitoterapia. 2016 Dec;115:74-85. 

13) Vitexin inhibits inflammation in murine ovalbumin-induced allergic asthma. Venturini CL et al. Biomed Pharmacother. (2018) 

14) Scherbakov AM, Andreeva OE. Apigenin Inhibits Growth of Breast Cancer Cells: The Role of ERα and HER2/neu. Acta Naturae. 2015 Jul-Sep; 7(3): 133–139 

15) Isolation from Cannabis sativa L. of cannflavin–a novel inhibitor of prostaglandin production. Barrett ML, Gordon D, Evans FJ. Biochem Pharmacol. 1985 Jun 1;34(11):2019-24 

16) Oliver Werz, Julia Seegers , Anja Maria Schaible , Christina Weinigel , Dagmar Barz AK, Gianna 

Allegrone, Federica Pollastro , Lorenzo Zampieri d , Gianpaolo Grassi e , Giovanni Appendino. Cannflavins from hemp sprouts, a novel cannabinoid-free hemp food product, target microsomal prostaglandin E 2 synthase-1 and 5- lipoxygenase. Elsevier [Internet]. Elsevier Ltd.; 2014;2(3):53–60. 

17) Elsohly MA, Slade D. Chemical constituents of marijuana : The complex mixture of natural cannabinoids. 2005;78:539–48. 

18) Flavonoid PA, Ross SA, Elsohly MA, Sultana GNN, Mehmedic Z, Hossain CF, et al. Flavonoid Glycosides and Cannabinoids from the Pollen of Cannabis sativa L . 2005;48(June 2004):45–8 

In these challenging times of Coronavirus and lockdowns, we are adapting our popular 1,2,3 promotion to our autoflower collection this month. Autos are a great solution for anyone who has space restrictions. They can sit on a balcony, in a corner of the garden, or even in a room under window light.

Unlike some promotion giveaways, Paradise promotion seeds are the real deal – high performance, quality genetic gifts from our amazing Autoflower range.

* Buy 3 seeds. Get 1 free seed.
* Buy 5 seeds. Get 2 free seeds.
* Buy 10 seeds. Get 3 new seeds.

With the right preparation and care (and let’s face it, a lot of us have time on our hands this Spring), they have the potential to yield big and finish quick, approximately 8 – 9 weeks from seed to harvest, regardless of light cycle.

From flavorful, energizing sativas like our famous Automaria II and Auto Jack to big yield indicas like Vertigo (new improved strain) and the mighty Autokong 4, our latest addition to the Tommy Chong’s Collection, we have the perfect auto for you!

On the cannabis calendar April holds a special place in green hearts. It is the month when Spring roars into gear but it is also the month of 420 – the most holy of cannabis holy days!

Ok so this year 420 could be very different - with many more personalized celebrations around the world – but it is still a time to give love and thanks to the cannabis plant. 

So how is Paradise Seeds celebrating? With an exclusive 420 Promo! Every web order made in April will receive an exclusive complimentary 420 Paradise kit which includes a whole heap of FREE Paradise goodies including:

•  Rolling papers  
•  Stickers
•  Trucker style Paradise Seeds baseball cap
•  Promo code for more savings on future purchases 
•  Lighter 

Take the road to Paradise and celebrate 420 with us this month!

**only available with European (EU) orders

In this article we are going to look at some top tips for cultivating in an outdoor cannabis grow based in a more temperate climate, which we will refer to as ’northern regions’. These include large parts of Europe, America, Canada and Russia.

Once upon a time, if you lived in such regions the chances of getting a fine harvest of high yielding, fine tasting cannabis was the sort of dream that usually included a unicorn flying over the garden too! But thanks to developments in cannabis genetics, feminized cannabis seed strains (not to mention autoflowering seed strains), this is now achievable for most outdoor cannabis grow gardeners. 

Growing Cannabis Strains in Northern Regions

When we talk about an outdoor cannabis grow in 'northern regions', we are typically talking about those areas that lie between the latitudes of 45° - 55°. They are characterized by climates that are basically temperate but also feature extremes - from hot periods in the Summer to a sudden cooling in the Fall (autumn) months, often accompanied by dampness.

When you buy feminized cannabis seeds, you are buying a photoperiod plant - one that will begin to flower when there is less hours of darkness compared to the hours of light. In northern regions with extended summer daylight hours, this means that most paradise Seeds strains will begin to bud at the end of August/beginning of September meaning a perilous journey to harvest through the unpredictable weather of Autumn. 

As such, the outdoor cannabis grower in these regions needs to be well prepared for whatever this year's growing season will throw their way! But there are steps the outdoor grower can take to minimize the impact of northern region climate conditions on their crops.

Establish Your Base! 

At Paradise Seeds we can never stress too much the importance of giving your cannabis seed / plant the best start in life. As our test field videos show, growing in the ground will produce the biggest plants, but this is not necessarily a good thing in parts of the world where mold is a common problem. 

For outdoor grows in northern regions we recommend using pots as they give the grower more control over their environment. A good growing base includes high quality soil, plus mediums such as perlite and coco to provide good aeration for your soil. Simple grow tips if using pots include avoiding the use of terracotta and black pots which will absorb heat and bake the soil hard. It may seem obvious but if you want a big plant then use a big pot, and square pots are better for the development of your plant’s roots.

Think About Mold NOW!

 The beast which stalks the outdoor cannabis grow in northern regions is mold or bud rot, which is a common occurrence when the temperatures start to cool dramatically in the fall and the Autumn rains come.

We suggest you consider a more radical approach to growing your outdoor plants to avoid the mold problem. Adapting the way the plant is grown – thinking horizontal rather than the traditional vertical tree – can provide advantages when it comes to the period leading up to harvest. This can be achieved through early training of your cannabis plants, using techniques such as LST or SCROG, and if you’re looking for tips, check out the Skunkworks video step by step guide. 

The great advantage of growing this way is that the buds are naturally spread over a wider area. You won't get those big dense top buds... but that is exactly the point! When mold strikes it is usually these swollen, dense buds that get hit hard. By spreading the load you will end up with a plant covered in more moderate (but equally dense) nuggets. Less foliage means better airflow, which is the best defence against cannabis mold.

There is another obvious benefit of growing this way. Have you ever tried to protect a full sized cannabis tree from the rain and frost? It requires a lot of infrastructure! With a low lying cannabis plant it's easy to make yourself a mini greenhouse cover with a chicken wire cage and clear plastic sheeting. Put it over your plant with the first raindrop, take it off with the last and keep that plant dry! 

Choose Your Outdoor Cannabis Grow Strain Wisely!

We are always amazed at how often this advice is ignored by the rookie outdoor cannabis grower. Paradise seeds has been breeding cannabis plants for 25 years and we have strains that are suitable for most environments - fortified with genetic traits to make the grower's life easier.

If you live in a damp climate, avoid indicas. Those big fat buds are mold magnets when the rains come. Instead go for one of our hybrid varieties - for example Wappa or Mendocino Skunk which are Indica dominant but more versatile.

Autoflowering varieties are also a way to avoid any of those nasty Autumnal elements. You can plant them in May and enjoy a harvest in July (although we would recommend holding off planting until June in order to make the most of the midsummer sun's warmth). 

Taste of the Outdoor Cannabis Grow Difference!

The great thing about an outdoor cannabis grow is the final product. There are advantages to growing indoors of course, but you can’t beat a cannabis plant that grows outdoors under natural light. It comes with a very different smell, taste and even effect. While the path to harvest can sometimes be a difficult one to travel, the destination makes it very worthwhile. 

Every garden is different and therefore every outdoor cannabis grower must find their own way, but we hope these tips will help. Please do share pictures of your results so you can inspire other outdoor growers in northern regions – it’s all about sharing the knowledge!

What did we do in April before the 420 cannabis celebration became ‘a thing’?! In recent years this worldwide festival of appreciation for the plant and the rights of everyone to consume without fear of punishment has become a rallying call for the cannabis community.

This year,2020, was supposed to be the BIG one - just look at the numbers; 4, 20, 2020 - one of those epic calendar events like a full eclipse that won’t happen again... Instead we find ourselves looking at one of the most unusual 420 celebrations in its short history. 

This month Paradise Seeds is running some super cool promotions -  420 Golden Ticket and Free Goodies (* Goodies only available for UK and EU customers) with every order - so check those out! Now, let’s take a closer look at the 420 story….

The Beginnings of the 420 Cannabis Celebration

Over the years, there have been a few theories suggesting the origins of the term but as the 420 celebration has mushroomed around the world its roots have now have become well documented. At first it may seem a little disappointing to discover that the 420  name came from a group of High School kids in Northern California who called themselves the Waldos.

But if you get the full background story the reality is actually pretty cool. The way the Waldos™ describe themselves they sound like The Goonies, crossed with the Merry Pranksters with a little bit of The Breakfast Club and a pinch of Grateful Dead thrown into the mix. They claim that in 1971, they arranged to meet at 4.20pm on the campus of San Rafael High to get high and follow a treasure map to find a secret weed garden... 

From that day on they remembered their adventure through an in-joke between themselves, referring to ‘420 Louie™’. Over time this got shortened to just ‘420’. That is just what the Waldos thought this was – an in-joke between friends – and none of them could have predicted what happened next... You can read more about the Waldo’s legendary story in their own words.

420 Goes Global!

We are now used to things going viral on social media – remember the floss, the ice bucket challenge and Gangnam style? – but 420 did it the old school way. Through word of mouth 420 crept beyond San Rafael’s town limits and made its way through the slang speak of Northern California, passed on to friends, around stoner circles and handed down from generation to generation until... boom! 

It was in the early years of the 21st century) that 420 started to go worldwide – coinciding with the development of the internet. It gathered pace as it started to become a focal point for the counterculture – an excuse for cannabis users to come out from the shadows and join hundreds, and later thousands, in one place to protest for their right to partake. As well as a political motive, these events were also a 420 cannabis celebration to have fun and generally exude the kind of good time vibes the cannabis community has a reputation for.

Events have established themselves in the USA, such as the massive Mile High 420 event in Denver and California’s Sacramento Cannabis Cup, Canada (420 Toronto) and the UK, where many thousands now descend on London’s Hyde Park. In Europe and other parts of the world, the 420 spirit runs through already established May events such as Million Marijuana Marches and  Mardigrass in Australia.  

Unfortunately, many of these events have been cancelled in 2020 due to Coronavirus... but we have no doubt that the spirit will live on because it is now ingrained in popular weed culture – used as a term in conversation and of course circulated widely on social media. For that reason, the people may not be coming together in crowds to show their cannabis appreciation, but online they will be there in their thousands and millions, sharing the love... 

Happy 420!

Happy 420 friends! Who wants to win a Golden Ticket?

We are marking this special day with a super promotion which will run from April 1st - April 19th.

Order seeds online from the Paradise Seeds website and you will be entered into our fantastic 420 Golden Ticket prize draw! On April 20th we will choose one lucky winner who will win:

A 420 goodie bag which includes:
- 10 x 3 seed packs (of your choice!)
-  A free vaporizer from our friends at the Amsterdam Seed Center.
-  An assortment of Paradise Seeds accessories. 

Sounds good? Hell yes it does! All you have to do is place your web order in April before 420 and it could be the best order you ever placed! Somebody has to win it. Why not you? 

Good luck and Happy 420!

Team Paradise

Strange times we are going through, but we hope the disruption won’t be for too long. As we all try to deal with this, life still goes on and now, more than ever, we need to have something on the horizon to focus on...

This month our focus is on the start of the growing season and of course 420. We are also doing our best to keep spirits high with a couple of tasty promos this month.

Win a 420 Golden Ticket
This month we have the most holy of holy cannabis days – 420. And yes this one is going to be very different from the last few with a lot more self celebrating going on. However, it’s still important to light a flame and burn thanks to the mighty cannabis plant!

From our side, we are extending our celebrations with a very generous 420 competition with a goodie bag fit for a king or queen. See what you can win HERE!

Read all about the 420 history in our article this month! 

Prepare For the Season North and South
It’s time to get that outdoor garden ready to receive your plants! We have compiled an essential guide with useful tips and advice to help with your preparations from the Paradise grow team. As we have enquiries from growers in temperate and Mediterranean regions, we have created two different articles:

Preparing for the Season (North)
Preparing for the Season (South)

Free Auto Seeds: April Promo
With lockdown affecting many of our lives at the moment, perhaps this is the year to turn to the autoflower. We are giving away free seeds with all autos purchased this month (online and retail).
It is the perfect companion for a small space – balcony, corner of the garden, even a sunny windowsill. With the right preparation and some TLC you will be amazed at its yield potential.

See details of our Auto Promo HERE

And one last promo: Free Goodies All Month!

To finish this newsletter on a high, we have free Paradise goodies for every customer who buys from us this month. Lighters, caps, stickers + more essential items of 420 kit will be heading your way!
* UK and EU customers only.

That’s it from us for this month. Stay safe out there, and spend your time wisely – during these crazy lockdown times we expect a lot of love for plants this year!

Team Paradise

In this article we are going to look at some top tips for getting the best out of your outdoor cannabis grow if you live in climates with warmer temperatures such as Mediterranean. This area traditionally includes regions of Southern Europe and North Africa, parts of California and South America, South Africa's Cape and southern Australia.Growing the right plants and using the best genetics is the surest way to produce the best results in yield and quality.

Growing Cannabis Strains in Southern Regions

When we talk about the 'southern regions', we are typically talking about those areas that lie between the latitudes of 45° - 35° north of the equator. They are characterized by climates that feature strong sunshine and high temperatures (temperatures can exceed 40° C in parts of Spain at the height of summer).

The biggest enemy of the outdoor cannabis grow in southern regions is the heat, the dryness and the associated pests and diseases that nature will send the way of the plants. But there are steps you can take to help insulate yourself from these threats.

Establish Your Base!

At Paradise Seeds we can never stress too much the importance of giving your cannabis seed / plant the best start in life. We recommend planting your germinated cannabis seed in a pot, preferably the one it will spend its life in. 

Pots allow for more control of your environment and provide some more versatility. A good growing base includes high quality soil, plus mediums such as perlite and coco to provide good aeration for your soil. Avoid using terracotta pots - sure they look nice but they will bake your soil hard under a hot sun and avoid black pots for the same reason, as this colour will absorb the sun's heat. Using a square pot is better for root growth and remember, the bigger the pot, the bigger the plant! A good tip with plastic pots is to use one stacked inside another to provide an air cushion that will keep your plants cool. 

However, if you want really big plants, such as those that we showcased in our test field videos, then plant in the ground, although make sure it is properly prepared and your plants aren't fighting with the vegetation around them for light and root space. If you take this route then a warning - be prepared for a monster in your garden!

Think About Heat NOW!

Shade is the best friend of the outdoor cannabis grower in southern regions. In fact shade is essential to the health of your plant. Excessive heat will stress your plant and stunt its growth and could even kill it off completely. This is particularly true for indicas which originate from mountainous regions and whose juicy fat buds are not naturally built for exposure to extended periods of intense heat and sunshine. 

The most dangerous time of day for plants under a Mediterranean sun is between 13.00 and 17.00. In some parts of Spain, this is siesta time and this should be the same for plants which should have sufficient shade during this time of day. This is a reason why pots are useful as they can be moved around, but if this is not an option pick your spot well when planting in the ground in spring and ensure plants have some shadows for protection when the summer sun is at its highest.

Pests and Mold

Hot and dry conditions provide the perfect natural environment for a whole host of pests that can do serious damage to cannabis plants in southern regions. These include White fly, Red Spider mite and caterpillars. 

One solution to escaping the attentions of these destructive cannabis plant pests is to plant later in the season. Germinated cannabis seeds that are planted as seedlings in June will often escape the attention of these pests because they have already selected their targets elsewhere in the garden!

If you do get a pest infestation in your cannabis plants, it needs to be dealt with quickly. At Paradise Seeds we always recommend doing this organically if you care about your health as well as the health of the plant. Garlic, pepper and nettles are a good friend of the organic outdoor gardener, and we have covered this topic in our news section.

Even in warmer southern climates, mold can be an issue on exposed coasts where there is more rain or in mountainous pockets where there is restricted sunshine or a localized microclimate. If cannabis mold is a problem in your part of the world, we suggest you consider a more radical approach to growing your outdoor plants through the use of training. Top tips on training are available in our step by step Skunkworks video series. 

Choose Your Outdoor Cannabis Grow Strain Wisely!

Sativas love the sunshine! They will seek it out and thrive. We have reports of our classic Dutch Dragon reaching heights of 3m in parts of Spain. If you are an indica fan, we suggest you grow hybrid varieties that are indica dominant rather than full indicas.

Hybrid 50/50 plants tend to be better performers at higher temperatures than pure indicas and do not have flowering periods as long as sativas. Popular indica based varieties in southern regions for this reason are Wappa, Mendocino Skunk and Belladonna.

Autoflowering varieties are also a great choice for cultivators in southern regions as it is possible to get two and sometimes even as many as three harvests in a year.

Southern Regions: Best Time To Plant?

If you want to see large plants in your outdoor cannabis grow, then it is advisable to germinate in the spring (April / May). Until the temperature is stable, protect your plant on a terrace or behind glass to prevent any damage from the cold. 

If you prefer shorter plants then germinate in June so the plants will have a shorter vegetative period. This option is good for growers that have a desire to be more discreet with their outdoor cannabis grow (to avopid unnecessary attention of the neighbours perhaps). If this is the case, then it is necessary to take care with the first phase of growth and to keep plants cool and avoid exposure to heavy sunshine.

Taste of the Outdoor Cannabis Grow Difference!

With an indoor grow you are more guaranteed high yield and consistent results, but there is nothing quite like the richness of taste and effect that comes from an outdoor plant that has been tended to by the sunshine and Mother Nature! 

The most important thing to remember is that every garden is different. The outdoor cannabis grower must find their own way and work out their land and how it affects the growing process. Nevertheless, we hope these tips will help you towards a healthy harvest this year. 

Please do share pictures of your results. We love to see gardeners' work and it always inspires others to start growing the outdoor way too!

In this article, we take a closer look behind the scenes of these new varieties – with special commentary from Paradise Seeds founder and master breeder, Luc Krol. The new strains feature two indicas (Sunset Paradise and El Dorado OG) and one sativa (Rainbow Road). So what was the inspiration for these new cannabis strains?

Says Luc: “We wanted to expand the aromas and flavors of our collection by exploring interesting strains we have received from the USA,” explains Luc Krol who oversees the breeding program. He’s the founder of Paradise Seeds, which is one of the few cannabis seed companies to still be breeder owned. “The selection of the crosses has taken us almost two years and, in the case of the Rainbow Road, perhaps a little longer.” 

Paradise New Strain - Sunset Paradise

Sunset Paradise is Paradise’s version of the popular US exotic cannabis strain and is a great illustration of how the Paradise Seeds breeding process works. When Gelato first became popular two years ago, many cannabis seed versions appeared to materialize on the market practically overnight. However experienced growers will tell you to be wary of the quick copycat, and with good reason. If you want to bring a new dimension to an existing good cannabis strain, it takes time and a focused breeding program to do so.

So what’s the background? Luc explains: “Sunset Paradise is a variety in which we have focused primarily on the production of resin without neglecting the overall production. Taste and smell is something that we wanted to highlight, looking for something original. It is a variety covered with trichomes and the desire for ‘snowy buds’ was a key factor in the breeding process. The effect is relaxing yet clear, creative and quite long lasting. It is a variety with a distinctive flavor, one that is intense and lasts in your mouth for a long time.” 

Paradise Seeds New Strain – Rainbow Road

Perhaps the most interesting of the new Paradise Seeds March 2020 strain release is this new sativa offering. Rainbow Road comes with phenomenal test results with grow reports indicating huge harvest potential. This plant is a combination of old glory genetics in the form of classic Hindu Kush and a Strawberry sativa. 

From the Kush comes stable growth and a high resin content and from the Strawberry comes the full bodied berry flavour and uplifting effect. The lineage of this plant has created a real sativa monster which comes with the dial turned up on taste, effect (long last invigoration followed by smooth relaxation) and yield – all key ingredients for a good cannabis strain.

So what’s ‘under the hood’? According to Luc, “With Rainbow Road we wanted to create a fresh and fast flowering sativa with a different feel to the others - not haze or sweet but rather fruity and fresh. We crossed one of our favorite sativas with an indica variety to give an extra resin infusion. To change the nuances of the aromas we have used two unique varieties that have been in our library for many years.”

Paradise Seeds New Strain – El Dorado OG

The eye catching news about this new Paradise Seeds cannabis strain is its suitability as a daytime and night time companion – literally a 24 hour indica! The smooth relaxation essence of this plant is the product of a gene pool that has Kush at its heart with its combination of OG Kush and Thin Mint GSC.

El Dorado OG has a strong Californian element to it with both strains sharing a lineage that has roots on the West Coast of the USA (with a little bit of the Indian sub continent and the European continent thrown in for good measure!). In the Paradise Seeds breeding program the resinous nature of the Kush has been taken to new levels and the effect is a plant that has already earned the nickname ‘the trichome bomb’!

What is the background breeding story to this new cannabis strain? “With El Dorado OG we set our sights on improving our best Kush by adding to the terpene profile and enhancing the range of aromas. We were looking to engineer a powerful resin producer, and this we have achieved through crossing it with genetics from the Paradise strain library.”

The three new seed strains can be sampled as part of a 420 limited edition collection box (available in 3 strain x 3seeds and 3 strain x 5 seed versions), available from March. El Dorado OG and Rainbow Road cannabis seeds can be purchased separately with Sunset Paradise getting a general release later this year.

Check out the grow reports for:
Rainbow Road, Eldorado OG and Sunset Paradise.

Of course the question is a ridiculous one. With a new virus on the block and no cure on the horizon, it would be an incredible twist in the cannabis tale if it was discovered that weed was the miracle cure for Coronavirus (COVID-19). However, it is quite natural to have such irrational thoughts faced with a sense of helplessness and the stirrings of panic behaviour around us – a little bit like stockpiling toilet paper for instance.

Cannabis and Coronavirus - The Echo Chamber

Gossip and rumour is a dangerous thing and in the era of the social media echo chamber fake news can travel fast which is why some people still haven’t got the message that a news item from February saying Weed Kills Coronavirus was totally false. 

With the public in a state of panic around the world, governments and social media platforms are cracking down on false claims being made. In the USA the Food and Drug Administration has also been warning CBD companies about making unrealistic health claims.

Cannabis has a long history of association with the underground culture and it is here, away from the mainstream that false claims continue to spread in Whatsapp and Snapchat communications. One Whatsapp post being circulated claims; ‘Marijuana provides Endocannabinoid (sic). When heated by burning, the fat molecules will be distributed to the alveoli in the lung causing the Covid-19 virus to be immobilized.”   

Paradise Seeds has been working with medical cannabis providers and licensed producers for many years. It is also closely connected with the Medical Cannabis Bike Tour which funds independent research into medical cannabis (to study the effects of cannabis on cancer). We have seen, at first hand, the extensive research and development process required – which can take years - before any potential treatment is deemed safe for public use.  

Cannabis, Colds and Flu

There is increasing research into the endocannabinoid system and its importance for maintaining the health of the human body. The cannabinoid CBD has been linked with restoring homeostatic balance and this is certainly acknowledged to have wide ranging health benefits.

It is also true that cannabis has been identified as having anti-inflammatory properties. With cold and flu infections, airways become inflamed and the aches and pains in muscles and joints are the consequence of inflammation. It is also known that cannabis suppresses the immune system and, as a result, it is suggested that it may reduce fever. However, this aspect  could also contribute to a viral infection lasting longer as a result. 

Unfortunately, there is little actual scientific evidence to support these claims, and if there was, the common cold and flu strains are ‘known quantities’. Coronavirus is a completely unknown quantity and as such to make any claims is not only foolish, but also dangerous.

At this stage it’s hard to predict where the Coronavirus will go. We all hope it won’t be another influenza pandemic, like the devastating 1918 Spanish Flu which killed more people than the First World War. Until this virus is better understood, however there are simple steps to take to limit the personal threat, which have been well documented. If you want to protect yourself against Coronavirus the best soap bar option is the one that sits on your bathroom sink.   

Will Coronavirus Change Weed Etiquette?

Cannabis has always enjoyed a reputation for being a very sociable activity. Since the 1960s, the ritual of passing a joint has been associated with sharing the experience, sharing the love and sharing the trust. Unfortunately, in 2020 passing the joint could lead to the sharing of something far more unpleasant. 

One of the fascinating things about the Coronavirus scare is how it is changing social behaviour. It is well known that Coronavirus is most effectively spread by droplets in the air from sneezing and coughing, so here’s something else to consider - according to VJ Sleight, author of "How to Win at Quitting Smoking, exhaled smoke will travel up to 20ft. Is it only a matter of time before the Seth Rogen method of consumption becomes the only way to smoke cannabis socially?

In this month’s blog, she takes a look at the use of cannabis in the treatment of dermatological problems.  

Dermatitis: Medical Cannabis Treatment 

The data available so far on the use of cannabinoids for the treatment of dermatological problems indicates a wide spectrum of potentially useful applications. Unfortunately, most of the data is currently lab-based and there is a lack of randomised controlled trials on this topic. Let's take a look at the applications of medical cannabis for dermatitis. 

What is Dermatitis?
Dermatitis - or more properly eczema - is an inflammatory, non-infectious dermal reaction that causes a rash characterised by itching, erythema, the presence of vesicles and / or crusting. The most common types of eczema are: - contact dermatitis - asteatotic eczema - atopic eczema.  Together, they affect around 3.5% of the world's population and are mainly due to genetic or environmental factors. 

Endocannabinoid System: Modulation for Dermatitis 

Even in dermatitis, various studies show that modulating the action of the Endocannabinoid System could give good results. In a study conducted on laboratory animals, it was shown that CB2 receptors are involved in contact dermatitis, so called because they are caused by contact with irritants or allergens: by using both activators and blockers of CB2, there was an increase in inflammation but, by using inverse agonists (which bind and inactivate the receptor), both systemically and topically, a decrease in inflammation was obtained. (1) 

Asteatotic eczema, which is common in the elderly, is characterised by itching, dry, rough and flaky skin, and is often aggravated during the dry winter season due to the interaction between various environmental agents - such as soap and other detergents - and the skin. In a randomised, double-blind clinical study of 60 patients with asteatotic eczema, an emollient cream containing cannabinoid-like palmitoylethanolamine (PEA) and acetylethanolamine (AEA) was found to be effective in improving hydration , dryness of the skin and itching. (2) 

Atopic dermatitis occurs as a sudden inflammation of the skin, characterised by dryness, itching and the formation of erythema and vesicles. Since its cause is unknown - it is thought to be due to a combination of hereditary factors, stress and seasonal changes - remedies in use treat the symptoms but not the cause. 

Numerous studies have shown that PEA (a chemical made from fat which is a natural analgesic) can be a very effective treatment in atopic dermatitis. PEA inhibits the action of the FAAH enzyme, which metabolizes endocannabinoids; by doing so, it increases the availability of anandamide, which, through the TRPV1 receptors present on skin cells, exerts an anti-itch effect. (3) PEA also has a direct anti-itch action, through the action on CB2: Mymix, a lamellar matrix cream containing PEA, reduces itching and skin inflammation and increases the remission of atopic dermatitis. (4) 

A prospective observational study was carried out on 2456 patients from 2 to 70 years of age, where a PEA-based cream, in addition to relieving the symptoms of atopic dermatitis, reduced the use of cortisone-based topical preparations. (5) 

Moreover, CB1 may also be involved in atopic dermatitis. In this respect, preparations containing Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or similar, have also proved effective in treating this type of dermatitis, suggesting the effectiveness of medical cannabis treatment for dermatitis. (6) 

Acne Vulgaris

Mistakenly, acne is considered to be a natural characteristic of the adolescent-juvenile age; actually, it is a real inflammatory disease, sometimes chronic, usually due to an inflammation of the sebaceous glands of the skin with hyper production of sebum causing so-called pimples and itching. (7)

Acne and the Endocannabinoid System

In humans, endocannabinoids have been found in the sebaceous glands, which also express the classic cannabinoid CB2 receptors, whose activation increases the production of sebum. (8) In addition to CBD, other phytocannabinoids have proven effective in reducing sebum production and local inflammation, such as Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), Cannabidivarin (CBDV) and Cannabicromene (CBC) (9).  In a 2015 clinical study, a cream based on cannabis seed extract, applied twice a day, was effective in reducing sebum production and consequent erythema (redness of the skin), without showing side effects. (10) 

Conclusion

Among the research fields where the Endocannabinoid System could have applications, that of skin pathologies is one of the most promising, albeit relatively new, sectors. Currently there is not much research in this field, perhaps because the economic return of these drugs (especially topical skin products) is relatively modest compared to the pharmaceutical market for other conditions, such as systemic diseases. Despite this, pre-clinical data indicates the effectiveness of preparations based on cannabis extracts, PEA, CBD and THC analogues, in numerous dermatological conditions. 

References: 

1) Basu S, Dittel BN. Unraveling the complexities of cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) immune regulation in health and disease. Immunol Res. 2011;51(1): 26-38 
2) Yuan C, Wang XM, Guichard A, et al. N- palmitoylethanolamine and N- acetylethanolamine are effective in asteatotic eczema: results of a randomized, double-blind, controlled study in 60 patients. Clin Interv Aging. 2014 Jul 17;9:1163-9
3) Tey HL, Yosipovitch G. Targeted treatment of pruritus – a look into the future. Br J Dermatol. 2011 Jul; 165(1): 5–17.
4) Kircik L. A nonsteroidal lamellar matrix cream containing palmyitoylethanolamide for the treatment of atopic dermatitis. J Drugs Dermatol. 2010;9(4):334-338.
5) Eberlein B, Eicke C, Reinhardt HW, et al. Adjuvant treatment of atopic eczema: assessment of an emollient containing N- palmitoylethanolamine (ATOPA study) J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2008 Jan;22(1):73-82.
6) Wollenberg A, Seba A, Antal AS. Immunological and molecular targets of atopic dermatitis treatment. Br J Dermatol. 2014 Jul;170 Suppl 1:7-11.
7) Moradi Tuchayi S, Makrantonaki E, Ganceviciene R, et al. Acne vulgaris. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2015 Sep 17;1:15029
8) Dobrosi N, Tóth BI, Nagy G, et al. Endocannabinoids enhance lipid synthesis and apoptosis of human sebocytes via cannabinoid receptor-2-mediated signaling. FASEB J. 2008;22(10):3685-3695

We are full of the joys of Spring at Paradise Seeds HQ this month! That’s because this month we are celebrating our biggest seed launch for a couple of years with not one, not two, but three super new strains!

This month say hello to Sunset Paradise (our delicious twist on the popular indica Gelato strain), El Dorado OG (a wonderful tasting indica ‘Trichome Bomb’) and Rainbow Road (a monster sativa with huge harvest potential).

Limited Edition Collector’s Box

 We are launching this new collection with a very special limited edition collector’s box which includes all three new strains (in 3 x 3 seed and 3 x 5 seed) versions. There are only 420 boxes (individually numbered), so if you love quality cannabis strains act quick! 

This offer is special too because the box collection includes an exclusive - Sunset Paradise, which is not on general release until later this year. Be one of the first to grow these new strains. Test results have been awesome so we are excited to see what you think!

New Strains Grow Reports

So how good are these new strains? We have grow reports for all three varieties on our website, so check them out to see what our test growers are saying about them!

Spannabis

Our Spring tour of European expos continues with our next stop in the wonderful city of Barcelona where we have a date with the wonderful expo, Spannabis. It’s the 17th edition of probably the most famous cannabis expo in the world and we can’t wait!

If you haven’t been before, we recommend you take the trip. Everyone should have the Spannabis bucket list experience! If you are going, come and say hello, see our new strains and chat with our staff to find the best cannabis varieties for your growing circumstances. We are on STAND 25 in the main hall.

March Promotion

We don’t normally extend a promo for so long but this one has been such a hit that we are going to roll it over for yet another month! So, time to take advantage of our big winter promotion which is valid for ANY* of our (non-autoflowering) feminized strains to use with this promotion.

* Buy 3 seeds get 1 FREE seed.
* Buy 5 seeds get 2 FREE seeds.
* Buy 10 seeds get 3 FREE seeds

* 1,2,3 promotion does not include Rainbow Road, Sunset Paradise, El Dorado OG

That’s it for March, have a great month!

Team Paradise

The best gift for any occasion is the Rubik's Cube. The famous 3D puzzle can easily be solved with the online cube solver.

El Dorado OG was released in the spring of 2020. Key features of this indica dominant strain include its intense bouquet and extreme resin production which quickly earned this plant the nickname of ‘The Trichome Bomb.’ The genetics are a blend of classic Kush and Thin Mint GSC. 

Germination and Vegetative Stage

Two seeds were germinated and planted in a soil mix, breaking the surface within 3 days. The early veg stage was characterized by rapid growth and great uniformity. The Kush genetics produced stocky and bushy plants and the solid branch structure was covered in medium wide dark green leaves. At the end of the veg stage (4 weeks), the heights of the two plants were 32cm and 34cm.

Flowering Stage

Within 4 weeks of switching to flowering, the El Dorado OG plants stretched significantly, basically doubling in height; the main stem shooting up through the middle, surrounded by a plateau of numerous lateral branches below.

This trend continued and, after four weeks in flowering, the evenly distributed lateral branches were showing a multitude of tight packed calyxes upon which dense flower clusters. There was already an indication of the over productive nature of this plant, in relation to its oozing resin production. As the plants approached harvest the development of the tops was most impressive, those excessive resin glands pumping so frosty they looked like a snow scene with intensely orange pistils.

These changes were accompanied by a smell so strong that it could be described as penetrating. The highly odorous scent was a terpene swirl of wood, heavy earth and pine needles with a hint of sweet lemon - the plants definitely showing their Kush lineage. 

Harvested after nine weeks of flowering, the plants were 74cm and 85cm in height.

Harvest Yield

The combined yield of these two plants was an impressive 193 grams.

Smell and Smoke Report

Dried and cured, the smell had retained its incredibly potent scent, with the earth-pine-lemon character now infused with a note of fuel. To test El Dorado OG, half a gram was mixed with a pinch of tobacco and rolled into a joint. The initial hit confirmed that combination of flavors with a spicy taste of concentrated pine and lemon. A faint bitterness, not unpleasant, added an extra dimension to the complex taste.

Verdict

El Dorado OG has its own character - intensely aromatic and intensely resinous An excellent addition to the Paradise Seeds stable, this is an indica that sits well in this trio of new strains. 

Cultivation data:

Sunset Paradise is Paradise Seeds’s version of the super popular Gelato. The result is a luxury scoop of Gelato with Thin Mint GSC and Sunset Sherbet in the genetic mix. It’s a refined blend of terpenes and meditative flow that will hit a note with medical users and those indica fans.

Germination and Vegetative State

Two Sunset Paradise feminized seeds were germinated in soil, with the seedlings breaking the surface in just 2.5 days. They exhibited robust growth in the veg stage displaying, unusually for an indica, quite a distinctive open growth pattern. Reaching the end of the veg stage (4 weeks), both plants stood at just 37 and 40 cm in height, with stalks and leaves showing shades of reds and blues.

Flowering Stage

Both plants continued to show great uniformity and significant stem elongation (again unusual for an indica) and after four weeks in flowering both plants had doubled in size – each to 80cm.

The color show, first noted in the veg stage, continued with dark shade leaves flushing green to purple-blue to violet. Adding to this color spectrum was an early build up of resin manifesting in a generous glistening of silvery white trichomes.

Flower formation was impressive with plenty of calyxes developing (with a high calyx to leaf ratio) in thick round clusters. Rock hard, fat buds displayed a massive injection of resin in the second half of the flowering period and spread out to the surrounding shade leaves.

Accompanying this spectacular resin festival was a bewitching sweetish floral scent that filled the grow room; its complexity boasted notes of citrus fruits, berrylicious sweetness, skunky spiciness and a dash of lavender. 

Final heights for the two Sunset Paradiseplants at harvest (after exactly 8 weeks) were 84 and 89 cm.,/p>

Harvest Yield

The final yield of these plants (dried harvest) was a combined 225 gms. 

Smell and Smoke Report

Once dried, the buds exuded an exquisite distinctive aroma that came with the lavender element pushed to the foreground, deliciously blended with fruity notes of orange and raspberry, plus a bit of skunky piquancy.

To test the effect, half a gram of Sunset Paradise was rolled with a little tobacco. An initial slight lavender taste melted into a fruity sweetness (with a spicy hint of skunk) that tantalized the palate and lingered on the tongue. 

Just one toke delivered a tingling sensation on the temples, the second started something brewing in the forehead and the third brought a rushing wave of euphoria. This was followed b a very physical body effect that relaxed tired limbs and a long lasting effect (over 2 hours).

Verdict

Sunset Paradise is an indica dominant plant that brings calm and relaxation without taking you out of the game. Its unique color show and insane resin count is impressive, as is the dizzying combination of elements that makes up its scent. A stimulator for the taste buds and the appetite, the soothing happiness delivered by Sunset Paradise will win fans amongst medical and recreational users alike.

Cultivation data:

Rainbow Road is a sativa dominant hybrid from Paradise Seeds that announces itself with a sweet and fruity nature (a combination of classic Hindu Kush and Strawberry Sativa) and claims of being one of the biggest yielding sativas Paradise have produced in their 26 year history.

Germination and Vegetative Stage

Two seeds were germinated in a soil mix and the heads of the seedlings were showing above the surface after 2.5 days. The sativa heritage of Rainbow Road ensured an impressive initial growth surge - the plants topping 28cm and 32cm after three weeks. Both plants displayed fairly narrow shade leaves and four lateral branch pairs. After four weeks they had reached heights of 40cm and 48cm.

The Flowering Stage

The two plants continued to stretch and after four weeks of flowering the plants had increased their heights dramatically, almost tripling in size – displaying classic tropical sativa traits. The stretch was accompanied by aggressive flower production with 'hairy' compact flower clusters developing above and along the lateral branches and main stem. 

After six weeks of flowering, both plants were showing monstrous capacity for growth and showed similar characteristics - the main shoot sticking out from the middle like a steep tower topped with an elongated top cola and a high calyx to leaf ratio. 

Also noted at this stage was the copious resin production of both plants and a very intense scent of fruity sweetness, with definite shades of mango and strawberry. Such was fullness of the bud laden lateral branches that some support was required as they raced towards their harvests.

Both plants took the full 10 weeks to mature, but the wait was worth it. Both plants delivered a payload of unusually dense and rock hard buds, literally pulsating with trichomes and covered in incredibly lavish resin coats.

Final heights of the two Rainbow Roadplants were 155 cm and 135cm.

Harvest Yield

The combined yield from these two monsters was a huge 340 grams (yes that is correct!).

Smell and Smoke Report

The dried buds were impressive too, resin soaked and presenting themselves with a distinctive strawberry swirl to their scent. To test the taste and effect, a half gram of bud was rolled with a little tobacco into a long, thin joint. The first toke delivered a sensational sweetness that lingered on the lips even after the exhale. The flavor was the next pleasant surprise with that initial strawberry note becoming overtaken by a "delicious potpourri of red fruits" taste.

The effect was one of euphoria and clarity, accompanied by a permanent grin. This full throttle ascent into the stratosphere lasted for approximately 1.5 hours before the buzz levelled off into cozy relaxation and deep inner balance.

The Verdict

Strength runs through this plant - from its huge yield potential to the superb quality of its smell, taste and effect. Taking into consideration all these factors, Rainbow Road has all the makings of a plant that has the potential to become a new flagship in the Paradise Seeds fleet.

Cultivation data:

European cannabis expo season is now in full swing and so we are happy to announce that the next stop on our tour will be the most excellent Spannabis in Barcelona, March 13, 14, 15. If there was a Disneyland of cannabis then it would probably resemble Spannabis, which is the most famous expo in Europe and maybe even the world!

This expo is almost as old as the scene itself – this is the 17th edition of the expo and it continues to be the epicentre of all the latest innovations and trends in the cannabis industry. As well as hosting hundreds of exhibitors, the event is also hosting an ICBC B2B conference and World Cannabis Conference. In addition there is entertainment, food, drink and of course... cannabis!

Paradise Seeds was there at the beginning and we will sure as hell be here for this one too! Come and visit us on STAND 25in the main hall. We have 38 strains in our catalogue and the best advice to give our customers all the tools for a successful grow.

“Don’t get high on your own supply?” This is a quote that gets recycled a lot but do you know where it came from? The answer is the 1983 Brian De Palma movie, Scarface, starring Al Pacino. It’s a line that gets used a lot. In the early days of Paradise Seeds we liked to use the line but with a twist. “Do get high on your own supply,” we told customers – grow your own weed!

Back then the logic behind this advice was simple, and in many ways it still is. If you grow your own weed at home then that puts you in control of every aspect, from cannabis seed to flower. It means no more stress about scoring from the street or waiting around for a dealer. You have the power to choose what you are consuming and best of all you know where it comes from (and we always recommend you go organic).

For many people, making the jump from thinking about growing their own to actually going ahead and doing it can be a long (not to mention stressful) process. However, those that do make the jump rarely regret it. If you have been thinking about home growing cannabis seeds but still have your doubts, here’s some food for thought:

1) Home Grow Cannabis for Your Own Supply

I don’t want to get busted! Nobody wants to get busted and we always advise Paradise Seeds customers to be aware of the law of their country and the risks involved. Most cannabis busts happen for the following reasons:
i) Someone is selling cannabis and this has placed them on the radar.
ii) Someone is growing cannabis indiscreetly and aroused the attention of neighbors.
iii) Bad luck. 

The easy answer to this is, if you are growing cannabis seeds to use plants for your own personal use and not selling it, then you are not going to be on anyone’s radar. And if you take the necessary precautions with your set up then keeping it secret shouldn’t be a problem. Bad luck we can’t give you any advice for – yes shit happens - but more often than not factors of points 2 + 3 are involved!

2) Discretion is Your Best Friend

What we don’t recommend: Telling all your friends your starting to grow and posting photos of every stage all over your social media accounts with the hashtags #iloveweed and #timetoharvest. What we do recommend: Tell only the people it may affect ie other people in your apartment or house and make sure they are cool with you doing it. Close and trusted friends? OK, you can tell them (but not the ones with the big mouth – you know who we mean ;)

 3) Choose the Best Grow Space 

A simple grow tent is the best solution for most new growers. They come in all shapes and sizes to fit whatever space you have and if you want to get super James Bond with your set up then consider a stealth grow tent or box. If you grow your own weed indoors it’s important to think about access. Attics and basements are ideal spaces because they are out of the way places.

If you’re growing outdoors, use your common sense. If your garden is small and overlooked by neighbours then the sight and smell of a monster cannabis plant approaching harvest time in October is going to get you noticed. Choose a secluded spot or grow your cannabis plants in pots so they can be moved around if your grandmother decides to visit and consider autoflowering cannabis seeds which are God’s gift to the cause of stealthy grows!

4) Minimize Sight, Sound, Smell and Suspicious Behaviour

You want your indoor cannabis grow set up to be an addition to your home, not to dominate it. In order to sleep safe at night we recommend that you invest in a good extractor fan and install it correctly to minimize noise. Ensure the only person seeing your grow lights is you (and not the whole neighbourhood through an open window) and make sure your carbon filters are well fitted and regularly replaced. Once it comes to harvesting plan the disposal of trimmed matter as if it is a bank heist in reverse - ie don’t just dump a bag of stinky leaf and stalk in your home trash can!

5) Decide What You’re Going to Grow 

One of the biggest pleasures of home growing cannabis is choosing which cannabis seeds to cultivate. With your own space you can really indulge your passion – from a mellow or potent indica to an uplifting and energetic sativa or medical quality cannabis CBD rich strains, there is a Paradise Seeds feminized seed to fit all occasions. Our last bit of advice to any new home grower is do your homework – all our strain descriptions give key information on ease of growth and suitability for space and climate. For best results always follow the instructions.

Cannabis and food have always shared a symbiotic relationship. Many users’ first experience of smoking weed has been accompanied by a sudden inner body command to eat, eat, eat and beware the contents of any fridge or grocery cupboard that gets in the way! Back in the day, the combination of cannabis and food was often a recipe for disaster as many a cannabis user fell victim to the strength of THC infused Brownies (especially when they tasted so good that one wasn’t enough).

However, cooking with weed has become more popular in recent times especially since that nation of the world with a legendary love for food – the USA – has followed the path to legalization. The rising popularity of CBD has also led to more restaurants and eateries integrating this noon-psychoactive cannabinoid into their dishes, although this is usually in the form of extract rather than cooking with weed itself. 

Cooking with Weed: from Buds to Butter

There are many guides out there showing the steps needed to take to turn your weed into an ingredient you can cook with. One of the biggest mistakes new cannabis chefs make is to just break up the bud and sprinkle into the dish they are cooking.

In order to activate the psychoactive qualities of your weed you need to decarboxylate it (essentially heat it up in a process also known as decarbing). This requires placing your bud on a baking tray in the oven and heating it. Once this has been done your weed is ready as an ingredient to make cannabutter, which you can then use as an ingredient for cooking your culinary masterpiece. 

There are many cannabutter recipes out there to suit your needs depending on whether you have 3 or 4 grams to play with or half an ounce of prime bud to play with. Do note that the freshness and potency of your weed will have an effect on the decarbing process and your cannabutter recipe.

Cooking with Weed – The Risks

The risk associated with getting culinary with cannabis is basically the same as it ever has been. In one word: Dosage. The advantage of smoking cannabis is that the hit is instantaneous and if you’re stoned after a few puffs you can just put that joint down and wait for it to pass. Ingesting cannabis is a whole different ball game and if you’re not careful can become like a nightmare fair ride that you want to get off of but can’t. 

Every cannabis chef will give the same advice – it’s better to have a lower dose than a higher one. Toronto chef Pat Newton gives a rule of thumb guide in the math – 1 gram = 1.000mg of weight. So So let’s say your source material has a THC content of 15% (which is the lower end of the THC range for a Paradise Seeds strain such as Pandora), there will be 150mg per gram of weed. He uses the example of cookies cooked with cannabis butter. If it is infused with 1 gram of cannabis, then each cookie (of 12 in total) will have approximately 12.5 mg of THC. In other words, it’s a good idea to do some research before you cook! 

Cannabis and Cooking an alternative view...

There are other ways to combine cannabis and weed of course. Brian Applegarth, head of the California Cannabis Association, told an audience at the EuroAmCBC business conference in Prague recently about the increasing popularity of a trend identified as effect pairing. He sees this as a trend which will drive cannabis tourism in parts of the world where legalization makes this a reality, such as California. 

The wide availability of different cannabis strains allows canna-tourists to choose a variety that stimulates appetite and enhances taste buds and therefore is a perfect complement to a meal in a high end restaurant. He sees effect pairing with cannabis and food as a trend that is only going to get bigger as the cannabis tourism industry grows.

So this Valentines Day, why not do something different and combine your love for cannabis with your love for... the love of your life? Cooking with weed, or even just having cannabis feature as a side dish to your main entree in traditional sprinkle, wrap and burn form is certainly a far more healthier way to show your love this February than buying into all that Valentines Day marketing!

Wave goodbye to that long and lonely month of January and say hello to being a step closer to Spring (southern hemisphere friends we hope you’re having a great summer – we’re jealous). This month we bring you some explosive news. Sound the trumpets!

New Strains Sneak Preview!

Here’s a February trailer before their March release! We have not 1, not 2, but 3 exceptional new Paradise Seeds strains hitting the ground next month. It will be our biggest release for a couple of years and what a selection we have for you!

Rainbow Road – We are incredibly excited to announce that we will be releasing probably the biggest yielding Sativa we have ever produced in our long history this Spring. Expect a dizzying terpene aroma, huge oily buds and a roaring monster in your grow room!

Paradise Gelato – Fans of this internationally renowned strain, will be pleased to hear that Paradise will be serving up a luxury scoop of this exotic fruity dessert. We haven’t been the quickest to bring out our own taste of Gelato, but Paradise friends will know we will always take our time to ensure we bring something new to the table!

El Dorado – We love a golden indica which stands out from the crowd. This strain has been engineered to bring 24 hour indica satisfaction! A full bodied terpene trichome bomb, this resinous variety will take you through daytime and nighttime without losing you along the way. A top tip for medical users too!

Is your mouth watering?... Stay tuned for more release date information.

See You in Rome!
Italian friends, Romans and anyone else wanting to catch some winter sun and sunshine vibes, come and visit us at the excellent Canapa Mundi Expo. Read all about it here and make sure to come and see us on Stand number E9! We have treats to share and information to trade! 

1,2,3 Promo... Extended! 

Don’t forget to take advantage of our big winter promotion and do some early planning for your gardening needs! You can choose ANY of our (non-autoflowering) feminized strains to use with this promotion.
* Buy 3 seeds get 1 FREE seed.
* Buy 5 seeds get 2 FREE seeds.
* Buy 10 seeds get 3 FREE seeds

1,2,3... Free Seeds in February! 

Paradise Seeds' Top 5 Indoor Strains!
At Team Paradise we are very lucky to have some exceptionally talented growers in our squad. These are the people who help us to develop new strains and rigorously test all our varieties to pass on the best grow information to our customers. We asked the question:
What are your top 5 performing indoor strains?

Read the answers (along with some great green loving tips for Valentines Day) for in our latest news articles.

That’s it for February! Have a good one.

Team Paradise

Canapa Mundi International Hemp Fair is a super expo and we have been coming here since it began in 2015.   This year it’s going to be in a new location – the Fiera di Roma – which is a sign of how fast this cannabis expo is growing with each year. Organizers are predicting that there will be 40,000 people attending the show 

Paradise Seeds will be on stand number E9 and our friendly team will be extending some of our own warm hospitality to visitors. We will be showcasing our Paradise finest seed collection, with 30+ strains. These include indicas, sativas, autoflowering – including our new Autokong 4 strain - and CBD rich varieties, with strains suitable for indoor and outdoor growing.

Team Paradise will be able to give you the best advice for your growing plans in 2020 – recommending the best strains for your set up to guarantee you the highest yields and best results. 

As well as the Paradise Seeds stand, there will be over 250 exhibitors, a professional conference with experts from the world of cannabis talking on themes such as hemp and medical cannabis and an extensive program of free workshops. Admission prices are cheap with daily tickets as low as € 5,00 (Friday discount) and a weekend pass for € 15,00.

This list is a mix of sativa and indica varieties to satisfy all tastes and combines some real Paradise Seeds classics with some of our newer generation strains. Follow our top indoor strains guide and we can promise you that your indoor grow set up will reward you!

As you can imagine, at Paradise Seeds we frequently have enquiries from cannabis growers who are looking for recommendations for strains to fulfillspecific objectives. We love getting these questions because one thing we always recommend is that growers do their research before they buy their seeds.

It may sound like common sense but you would be surprised how often growers, especially those who are new to cultivation, choose their plants based on a pretty picture and the only information they want to take away from the description (often this involves the words ‘big harvest’ and ‘quick finish’!).

The more experienced grower, on the other hand, has enough growing experience to do their homework before they begin! This may include following the advice of fellow cannabis growers, or, as already mentioned simply asking our sales team to recommend a variety based on their cultivation set up and grow circumstances. This is obviously a smart move! Paradise Seeds has been in the business of selling cannabis seeds for 25 years and has the experience to share…

One of the most frequent questions we are asked is “can you recommend the best cannabis strain for indoor growing?” Well Paradise has over 35 varieties to choose from but here are 5 of the best feminized cannabis seed choices for great indoor grow results as recommended by our breeding team.

Top 5 Indoor Strains: The Paradise Seeds Recommendation

LA Amnesia – Sativa

This is one mean sativa which comes straight out of our Chong’s Choice Collection. It’s the result of our collaboration with the cannabis legend, Tommy Chong, and combines all the awesome power of Amnesia Haze and Kush genetics from the USA. The result is a sativa that is much easier to work with in a grow room, while not compromising on performance thanks to its Kush element. The payload is big buds too!
Check out the strain description here.
Check out the grow report here

White Berry – Indica

Not too big, not too short… Yes it sounds like a line straight from a fairy tale but White Berry has a reputation for being a model cannabis plant. It is certainly a favorite of indica connoisseurs who love its ‘complex’ effect which combines a more heady sativa effect with a classic indica body hit. A rewarding addition to an indoor set up, its medium size makes it popular with growers who are challenged for space.
Check out the strain description here.
Check out the grow report here.

Jacky White – Sativa

This classic sativa makes the list thanks to its hardy nature and low maintenance reputation. It will require bit of training to manage its desire to stretch, but its genetic stability and growth consistency is much prized by indoor cannabis growers who are sativa fans. A citrus taste and uplifting effect makes this a great all day user experience too.
Check out the strain description here.
Check out the grow report here.

Nebula – Hybrid (Sativa)

This is a classic Paradise Seeds strain – a sativa dominant hybrid that is a multi award winner and comes with a sweet and fruity taste and an effect that is heady and fun. It is just a great performer in the grow room and with good lighting will produce big! Thick stemmed with bushy side branches the buds are legendary – rock hard and trichome frosty.
Check out the strain description here.
Check out the grow report here.

Mendocino Skunk – Hybrid (Indica)

Another entry from the popular Chong’s Choice Collection, this indica dominant hybrid represents a combination of great cannabis genetics – California’s Emerald Triangle meets great Dutch genetics. Known for its stability, this is another medium sized plant that is ideal for a smaller space, while prolific bud growth and a quick finish time make it a popular grow choice.
Check out the strain description here.
Check out the grow report here.

Top 5 + a Bonus Strain!

Auto Kong 4 – Hybrid (Indica)

While feminized seeds are the cannabis seed of choice for most growers’ indoor grow setup, autoflowering varieties are an increasingly popular option thanks to the speedy flowering time and increasingly heavy yields. So our bonus recommendation on this Top 5 indoor strains list is Auto Kong 4. Why? It’s our newest auto release and the latest addition to our prized Chong’s Choice Collection (if it has the Tommy Chong sign of approval then you know you’re getting a quality plant!).Its trademark is big yields, high potency and incredibly sticky buds.
Check out the strain description here

Feel the need to hit the refresh button? While there are those January warriors who will stop everything and sign themselves up to extreme pain and punishment in the gym there are plenty of people combining health and weed and using CBD is now widely recommended for pain relief and may even be good for the heart.

We are all used to the couch potato jokes but there is research to suggest that obesity rates are significantly lower in cannabis users and that cannabinoids may have a role in preventing diabetes. Endurance athletes have talked about the effectiveness of cannabis for reducing muscle pain and getting into the zone.

In the USA cannabis gyms and yoga sessions are becoming a thing in states where weed is legal, applying some of this cannabis science to the process of boosting health. Paradise Seeds has experience in this topic of course with our sponsorship of one of the world’s biggest cannabis sporting events, the Medical Cannabis Bike Tour and the 420 Games in the USA has become popular.

So how can you get fit this new year while keeping up a healthy relationship with your faithful partner Mary Jane? Here are some cannabis inspired tips for a healthier you.

1) Health and Weed? Smoke Less!

Yes it's kind of obvious, but the first step to boosting your body is to stop putting so much smoke inside it. The worst kind of smoke you can be ingesting is tobacco which contains 6,000 chemicals with obvious bad consequences for health. In Europe it is common to mix cannabis and tobacco, but if you want to give your respiratory system a New Year gift, take a tip from our North American cousins and ditch the 'baccy.

Smoking your weed pure is good, but health and weed benefits are improved by vaping! A cannabis vape heats the weed to a high temperature which releases all the beneficial compounds without the toxic by-products that exist when your herb goes through the combustion process of smoking it.

Top Tip: If you're a heavy smoker and new to vaping, put something more potent in the vape as the effect is lighter. 

2) Combine cannabis and sport

Why punish yourself like a Spartan when you can take a (green) leaf from the canna-athlete's book and, combining health and weed, bring a little pleasure to the pain. Forget downloading a fitness app like Strava that will only make you stressed when you realise your personal best is worse than the 13 year old kid that lives on your block. Instead take a couple of hits on a vape or a toke of pure and get into the weed and health groove...

So if you don't do a sport or a type of fitness, then start! The biggest obstacle to getting fit is placing obstacles in your way ('I need to start swimming...' 'I'm going to the gym...'). Just start already! Hop on a bike, go for a jog, hit the floor and do some squats, push ups, sit ups. All these things are free, all these things you can do from home, and all these things will start you on a road to better fitness!
Top tip: Combine sport with an energizing Sativa (an Indica will send you diving for the couch!). From the Paradise vault this could be Nebula or Jacky White or Atomical Haze 

3) For Better Weed and Health Effects: Grow Your Own

So what are you going to put in that vape (or at the least, neat weed joint or pipe). If you buy any legal consumer product you have at least some idea that it is safe for you to consume. If you buy from the black market you have no idea where it comes from and therefore no idea how safe it is to consume.

At Paradise Seeds we always recommend to always get high on your own supply and grow your own (organically of course!).Being able to consume this way is better for your health and weed tastes so much better when it comes from your own garden (inside or out!).

Top Tip: If you're new to growing your own, start with a beginner friendly strain such as Wappa or Original White Widow or Durga Mata 

New Year. New You. Same Cannabis. Just do it!

Happy new year to you! May 2020 be filled with green goodness. As we return to work after the festivities with a few sore heads (but warm hearts ;) we are looking forward to this new decade. If the 20100s were about cannabis emerging from the shadows, then let us hope the 2020s are the decade it takes back the spotlight!

So, what do we have for you this new year? How about our biggest free seed promotion of the year!

We are bringing the sunshine vibes to the winter season. Choose any of our feminized strains this month (sativa, indica, auto CBD) and....
* Buy 3 seeds get 1 FREE seed.
* Buy 5 seeds get 2 FREE seeds.
* Buy 10 seeds get 3 FREE seeds

Healthy Start (no you don't have to give up the green!)
It's that time of year when most of us look back at the excesses of Christmas and promise to get healthy. The biggest mistake many people make is to scream 'I'm giving up everything!' Read our article on taking a realistic approach to a healthy start - after all, January is a cruel month to be giving up everything!

Strain of the Month: Dutch Kush
So if getting healthy and active is not for you this month and hibernation on the couch is more your style, then you will really appreciate January's strain of the month. Dutch Kush exploded into our Paradise collection in 2017 and became an instant classic thanks to its quick finish, big bud yield and powerful effect. If you've had this potent indica pleasure before, then maybe it's time to revisit... if not then say hello to the awesome Dutch Kush.

New things for 2020
First on the list we have three new strains coming very soon. Their identity is a closely guarded secret for the moment but we are very excited about this trio which have shown some very unique characteristics in the R+D stages. Watch this space!

Secondly, we are looking forward to our own healthy start this year. We are proud to say that we have signed up for the Medical Cannabis Bike Tour in 2020. It's going to be epic! You should join us! Check out the MCBT website. 

Don't be blue this January. Get green instead! See you on the other side!

Team Paradise

We know Christmas is done and Summer is a long way from home... but we're thinking of you with a New Year promo to take those winter blues away!

Choose any non-autoflowering Paradise Seeds variety and get our 1,2,3 PARADISE FREE SEED gift.

* Buy 3 seeds. Get 1 free seed.
* Buy 5 seeds. Get 2 free seeds.
* Buy 10 seeds. Get 3 new seeds.

Take those free seeds and plan your New Year garden! What will it be for 2020? Perhaps a soaring sativa to activate and energise? Maybe a soulful indica to melt and relax? Or could it be some rich CBD to calm and soothe? There are 28 feminized strains to choose from. Which one has your name on it?!...

We don’t normally extend a promo for so long but this one has been such a hit that we are going to
roll it over for yet another month!

*The 3 newest strains (Sunset Paradise, El Dorado OG, and Rainbow Road) are excluded from this extended promotion*

You've heard of the concept of six degrees of separation right? This is the theory that any two people can be linked in just six steps, proving what a small world we live in. So this month we are going to give this theory a twist and play our own little game of Green Christmas: Six Degrees of Separation!

1st Degree: Where it began - Baby Jesus

So Christmas has a biblical theme at its core, although baby Jesus sometimes gets forgotten about while everyone's busy over consuming food, drink and consumer goods. So where does cannabis fit into this Green Christmas connection? Well according to some people, the grown up Jesus used a herbal cannabis infusion in his anointing oil to heal the suffering of the masses. Referred to in the Aramaic language as kaneh-bosm, kan means hemp and bosm means aromatic...

2nd Degree: Green Christmas Santa Claus

While Jesus may have been the original inspiration for Christmas, the age of consumerism has given us another Christmas icon to worship, in the form of Santa Claus. The interesting thing about Santa is that his role in the Christmas story varies from country to country. For example did you know that in Holland, home of Paradise Seeds, Santa Claus is known as Sinterklaas and arrives on a paddleboat from Spain each November?

In the USA and the UK, he isn't seen until Christmas Eve (24th December) doing all his Christmas activity around the world during the course of one crazy night. Tradition in the UK dictates that children leave a shot of alcohol (against the cold) and a carrot for the reindeer. But think about it... how the hell is Santa supposed to safely drive a sleigh with all that booze swilling around inside his belly)? The rumors are unconfirmed, but surely there's a reason this guy is always laughing with a ho, ho, ho (perhaps because he's riding a Green Christmas hi, hi, hi?!). Let's not forget either that cannabis is well known for improving night vision, as seen in studies of Jamaican fishermen and Moroccan mountain dwellers. No Christmas reports of crashed sleighs suggest Mr Claus has exceptionally good night vision...

Third Degree: Coca Cola Green Christmas

It is well documented that the emergence of Santa Claus as a popular cultural icon coincided with successful marketing campaigns conducted by the drinks company Coca Cola in the 1930s. Coca Cola also began life as a product in the 1880s with its secret recipe that included a generous dose of cocaine in the mix. It was one of a number of 'patent medicines' produced in the nineteenth century (a patent medicine is a commercial product advertised as having health benefits). Another source material for patent medicines was cannabis and over 2000 cannabis infused products were advertised as tonics to improve health and wellness in the period leading up to the 1930s. It is worth noting that, in 2019, Coca Cola is keeping its mind open to producing cannabis infused (CBD) drinks, which could see a completion of this crazy Green Christmas circle!...

Fourth Degree: Queen Victoria's Green Christmas Edibles

A fan of cannabis based medicine was reportedly Queen Victoria who reigned in the UK (United Kingdom) from 1837 - 1901. She was prescribed a cannabis tincture to cure her menstrual cramps by her personal physician, who wrote in The Lancet (which continues to be a highly influential medical journal); "When pure and administered carefully, [cannabis] is one of the most valuable medicines we possess". Queen Victoria is also associated with the first Christmas tree appearing in the UK, thanks to her husband, Prince Albert, who imported this Christmas tradition to the royal court from his native Germany.

Fifth Degree: Green Christmas Tree

The Christmas tree is a German tradition that dates back to the 17th century and the story goes that it was the religious reformer, Martin Luther, who first invented the concept, inspired by a winter's night walk through a pine forest. Looking up he saw the stars shining through the branches of the tree, like shiny jewels, and had the idea to set up a tree at home with candles on its branches (signifying the stars) to remind his children of the heavens that God had created.

Sixth Degree: Authentic Green Christmas

This time of year there are plenty of cannabis inspired Christmas tree stories including 'weed' Christmas trees sold by Walmart in the USA and stories from the UK of the cops busting people decorating their weed plants. 

As beautiful as a Christmas tree may be, it is no substitute for a plant that has the capability to grow like a tree and comes with its own decorations - in the form of beautiful buds, aglow with multicolored pistils that hang from branches like the brightest baubles and a frosted coating of shiny trichomes which sparkle on the plant just like that sky full of stars glimpsed by Martin Luther on that cold winter's night...

There you have it. Green Christmas: Six degrees of separation. Wishing you a very merry Green Christmas from Team Paradise HQ!

The cannabis industry is exploding right now with new varieties and technologies that growers are using for growth. This is attributable to the current increased legalization of this herb which opens doors for people to access everything they need to grow cannabis plants. 

What’s impressive about the plant is that it grows in most parts of the world, leading most people to believe that it is an easy crop to grow. But if it's your first time, then it's easy to find yourself making lots of mistakes. To help you out, here is a rundown of the common mistakes that you should avoid when growing weed.

Overwatering and Underwatering

Cannabis plants don't need water every day to grow. Therefore, it is good to water them only when required to harden the roots. Overwatering cannabis plants will lead to a droopy posture as well as encourage dumpiness. Plants that receive excess water also show yellowing of leaves. 

Underwatering is also a common mistake, and it will reduce photosynthesis in the plant. Poor water supply will also interfere with the absorption of nutrients from the ground, and within no time, your plant will display symptoms of nutrient deficiency. 

Bad Seeds

Due to a lack of sufficient knowledge, some growers don't know how to select the best seeds to plant. As such, they end up with uncertified, unhealthy seeds, or not well-treated seeds. Good genes are a primary factor that affects the growth of the whole plant. Therefore, failing at the seed stage reduces the ability to get a high-quality plant. Learn how to recognize quality marijuana seeds to guarantee good produce. Therefore, Make sure you buy seeds from reputable companies like Paradise Seeds for improved growing success and good harvest. 

Identifying Diseases and Pests Too Late

Most growers recognize any diseases and pests only too late when the plant is almost dying. At this time, diseases such as downy mildew, powdery mildew, and pests like spider mites have already multiplied in the plant to the extent that it is almost impossible to fight them. Therefore, mastering how to prevent mold and other pest control practices is important to avoid any interference with the growth of your plants. 

Growers should have a spraying program for marijuana to avoid such problems when it is still early enough to save the plants. If you are unsure, then you must learn ways to recognize and treat a sick cannabis plant.

Resistance to Seek Advice

The marijuana industry is relatively new and this means that there are few growth professionals. However, this doesn’t mean that there is insufficient advice to upcoming growers. You must follow the advice of marijuana specialists to avoid making avoidable mistakes. 

But you must be able to identify the legitimate advice from the fake one. The good news is that there are several research bodies and reputable cannabis experts online that can offer you the guidance you need when it comes to the type of soil, seeds, LED lights, and nutrients, among others.

Nutrient Burns

Marijuana requires a mix of nutrients to grow, and picking the wrong type of nutrients is one of the mistakes that novice growers make. You need to know the amount of manure or fertilizer to use to avoid nutrient burns. Ensure you consult a specialist every time you are unsure of what to consider when buying fertilizers or manure. 

Failure to Manage pH

You can’t fail to ignore pH. If the pH is wrong, your plants will get sick and produce few yields, or eventually die. It also affects the ability of the plant to consume nutrients and grow healthy. Therefore, you may require a kit to measure and control pH at all times. Paradise Seeds recommends using a water PH level of 5.5 to 6.0. 

Harvesting the Buds Too Early

It is important to wait for the right time to harvest buds even if they appear so delicious as they hang freely from the plants. Buds harvested too early have low potency. There are plenty of online and offline resources where you can find out the criteria of a fully ripe bud. One technique that many growers do is by using a microscope to check the color of the trichomes. When most of the trichomes are milky/cloudy, then you know it’s ready to go.

Using the Wrong Soil

First-time growers tend to get soil from any garden and begin planting. The soil must also be free of pests and diseases. With the advancement in technology, some experienced growers are using soilless media to avoid such issues.

Poor Lighting

Varieties such as auto-flowering cannabis don't follow the same light/dark regime as other plants. So, if you are planting indoors, no matter the variety, you will require artificial lighting. Growers, at times, make the mistake of giving plants too little light, and this affects flowering.

Conclusion

Growing marijuana sounds easy, but the practice requires some skills. Marijuana is a sensitive plant and going wrong in one growth step will affect the quality of the entire production. Therefore, it is crucial to avoid the above common mistakes. A great way to start is to ensure that you buy cannabis seeds that are of high quality.

Welcome to the month of December. Let the party begin!... Paradise Seeds is getting into the Christmas spirit with some festive generosity in the form of a couple of big fat promos and a social media competition. We want to put free beans into your Christmas stocking so check out news of three great promotions this month... 

25% Off All Seeds!

We think Christmas is too short, so we've decided to have two weeks of Christmas with a super special promotion that runs from December 16th until December 29th! During this time you can get 25% discount on ANY strain in the Paradise collection.

Sativa, Indica, Autoflower, CBD rich... whatever is your taste or desire we will be sprinkling the Paradise fairy dust on your order this festive season. Just make your selection and follow the steps through to check out and watch the total magically change before your eyes!

Social Media Christmas giveaway!

Ho! Ho! Ho! Have a free taste of Paradise this month! See our social media networks for news of a big Christmas giveaway - runs from 15/12 - 29/12. 

All you have to do is name your favorite Paradise Seeds strain and tag 2 friends to enter our free prize draw. Winners will be selected at random and will receive a FREE 5 pack of their favorite seeds (unfortunately not valid in the USA).

Follow, comment, tag, WIN!
Facebook - @paradiseseedsofficial
Instagram - @paradiseseedsofficial
Twitter - @paradiseseeds

Strain of the Month - Jacky White

We have chosen Jacky White as our Christmas strain pin up this month! Why? Because this is a fun loving sativa that brings the kind of clear and energetic vibe that lights up any party! Its legendary coating of trichome frost is also a great fit for the season. In keeping with the Christmas tradition of oranges in the Christmas stocking, Miss White brings her own citrusy tang (grapefruit). See how she could fit into your plans for 2020 and check out the grow report for all the essential stats!

End of Year Promo Continues...

Don't forget our end of year promo. FREE Nebula seed with all 5 and 10 pack orders. Growers delight, this classic quick grow Paradise sativa hybrid explodes with moon rock buds and unbelievable flavor. 

That's it from us for 2019! Many thanks for being a wonderful friend of Paradise.
We wish you a most excellent Christmas and a very happy and prosperous New Year.
See you in 2020!

Team Paradise 

What is CBG? It has been called 'the mother of all cannabinoids' and if you aren't familiar with it now, the chances are that you will be before long. CBG (Cannabigerol) is likely to be the next cannabis compound to receive special attention from researchers and medical users because it has some unique qualities that have been linked to health benefits.

But what is CBG and how exactly can it benefit the human body? It is the precursor (or let's call it the parent molecule) from which the cannabinoids THC and CBD are both synthesized during the growing of a cannabis plant. Because it is the first cannabinoid to be formed in the cannabis plant - providing the foundation for other cannabinoids to develop - it has earned its 'mother' nickname.

What is CBG? Good Question!

While the question 'what is CBG?' may be on many people's lips today, you may be surprised to learn that it was first discovered many years ago, in the 1960s, by scientists who had been analyzing hashish. As it is a minor cannabinoid, found in small amounts in most strains, it has been lying under the radar and its only now as research expands our knowledge of the many cannabis compounds (480 and counting...) in the plant that the significance of CBG has become more clear. 

From a health perspective, it is CBG's relationship to the body's endocannabinoid system that is generating significant interest. As our recent article on CBD , the endocannabinoid system keeps the body in balance and therefore in good health. The endocannabinoid system (ECS), which was only discovered in the 1990s, is a fascinating area of study for medical researchers and has been linked to the regulation of critical bodily functions including memory, sleep, appetite and mood.

CBG and the Endocannabinoid System 

The human body produces its own endocannabinoids, when the body needs them, which bind to CB1 and CB2 receptors, which are found in your peripheral and central nervous systems. At the recent EuroAm conference in Prague, Dr. Jokūbas Žiburkus , an associate professor from the University of Houston and Director of Florance World, argued that the endocannabinoid system governs far more of our bodily states than we realize - including the runner's high and the satisfaction effect on babies receiving their mother's breast milk.

Research has shown that THC also binds to these receptors generating the range of effects associated with 'getting high' - from thoughts that spiral off into tangents to feelings of euphoria, anxiety and the desire to devour food with the onset of the munchies. 

So why do the human body and the cannabis plant share a system in which cannabinoids play a role? A study published in the Genome Journal .abstract in 2018, created a chromosone map for cannabis and in the process claimed a discovery which was widely reported. This discovery was that an ancient virus could have led to the genetic mutations that produced THC and CBD in the cannabis plant. It is therefore a possibility that the same virus also infected humans and the genetic mutation that resulted contributed to the formation of the endocannabinoid system, or at least stimulated the receptiveness of the body to cannabis plant compounds.

So enter CBG into this picture. Why? Because one of the medical benefits linked to CBG is its role as booster for the endocannabinoid system that can raise levels, and thus correct the imbalances that lead to detrimental health effects. In this respect it has a similar capability to CBD. Other conditions for which CBG is showing signs of potential include anxiety control, the promotion of sleep and the counter of negative effects of THC (ie psychosis). Of particular interest to scientific researchers is CBG's potential to counteract chemotherapy induced cachexia - the body wasting that occurs as a consequence of this cancer treatment. 

The Future of CBG

What is CBG found in? This 'mother' cannabinoid is found in all cannabis strains but normally in very low levels (as it synthesizes into other cannabinoids during the growing process). However, there are some strains that naturally have higher levels, including the hemp variety Santhica and GSC (Girl Scout Cookies) is known to contain higher levels of CBG than other strains. Paradise Seeds has its own version of this variety, in the form of Space Cookies  whose effect is characterized by a sense of harmonious relaxation.

So what does the future hold for CBG? A few years ago, nobody could have predicted that CBD would become so popular as a cannabinoid promoted for its health and wellness potential and widely adopted by a whole new user group of mainstream consumers. It's likely that CBG will see a similar trajectory, with a surge in CBG based products in the coming years. As part of its own R+D program, Paradise Seeds is currently working on a high percentage CBG strain and talking to scientific and medical partners about applications and potential uses. Is there the possibility of a CBG rich strain being released by the Amsterdam based seed bank in the future? Watch this space!

It’s that time of the year again! Celebrate this Black Friday and Cyber Monday with Paradise Seeds and enjoy a special discount of 20% on all seeds ordered via our website. Visit our “Cannabis Seeds”  section, choose your favourite strains, use the promo code: BLACK-FRIDAY, and voila! The discount will be automatically added to your order. Don’t miss out! This promotion is valid from Friday, 29th November 2019 until Monday, 2nd December 2019!

But do you know where your CBD comes from? As the CBD market has exploded it has done so without any real regulation. As a result there are a lot of companies selling CBD products that are selling little more than snake oil. This is clearly a problem for consumers, especially for medical users.

The problem for consumers is that it is very easy for a company to set up a business selling CBD for health and wellness, but who is checking that the product they are selling is the real deal? Guy Coxall from Trust Canna, a UK organization providing a Cannabis Product Certification process to certify if a product is safe, legal and that products are what they say they are.

Being involved with CBD product compliance Guy has seen numerous examples of misleading products on the market - many containing up to 50% of the CBD content claimed on the label, and some containing no CBD at all. There are also increasing reports of oils containing cheap isolates which have come from places like China and Eastern Europe where cannabis has been grown with chemicals.

The cannabis plant is a phytoremediator, which means it absorbs heavy metals and toxins - this is the reason why it was grown around Chernobyl  after the nuclear disaster in order to aid in the de-toxification of the soil. "Obviously if your source material is contaminated, then the extract it produces is going to contain toxins," explains Guy, "and this is potentially dangerous for medical patients who have an already compromised immune system." 

Where Does CBD Oil Come From?

The process begins with a raw extract from the plant. Most of the industry uses a basic extract from the plant using CO2 extraction. This will produce a product that is quite thick and doesn't have a great taste but it is full spectrum (containing a full range of cannabinoids, terpenoids and flavonoids).

To tackle the ‘taste’ issue, some companies take the raw CBD extract through a further extraction method known as winterization (cold extraction) or distillation which removes plant material such as chlorophyll and lipids, leaving the CBD extract with terpenoids intact.

As hemp often has a poor terpene profile, some companies take the CBD oil to another level again by adding terpene profiles to produce different effects. For example Myrcene and linalool may be added to produce more relaxation (this terpene is associated with the 'couch lock' effect of a heavy indica) or limonene and pinene (found in greater quantities in many sativas) to give you a little more bounce in your step.

Why Use CBD for Health and Wellness?

Many people have been introduced to CBD as a new 'wonder supplement' for enhancing wellness, with the mainstream media joining the party. To understand how you might benefit from taking CBD for health, we must first look at the endocannabinoid system which, amazingly, was only discovered in the 1990s.

All mammals have an endocannabinoid system, which keeps the body in a state of homeostatic balance (ie resisting negative change). Inevitably, everybody's endocannabinoid system is different and affected by the lives that we lead. Therefore our natural balance is impacted by factors, internal and external, which can affect the endocannabinoid system such as stress, injury, bad food and pollution. By putting CBD back into this natural equation can bring positive effects for your body.

What is the Recommended Dosage for CBD Oil?

This is an area of great confusion for many users. Content measurements in products can range between anything from 3 - 20% of CBD and these can also be listed in terms of milligrams. While manufacturers may recommend a daily dosage, it is important to recognize the significance of the personalized endocannabinoid system and find your own level.

Guy Coxall has this bit of advice: "Take it low and slow. Less is more, especially for those who are taking CBD for anxiety disorders. CBD can have a biphasic effect, meaning that if you have too much too quickly it can have the opposite effect. Starting with just one drop per day the user should build up the dose week by week until they find their own level of effectiveness. As for percentages, 'the stronger the better' is not better. In my experience the average consumer will find an optimum level of somewhere between 5 - 20 mg per day." 

'Regulation' is a word increasingly used in the cannabis industry, especially in places where legalization has brought cannabis products to markets of millions of people (such as the USA and Canada). Although regulation may go against cannabis underground culture principles, once it hits the mainstream and attracts commercial interests, inevitably a whole bunch of new players enter the market - many of them with an eye on your money and not your health.

Ultimately regulation will be the only way to fully protect consumers who are taking products, such as CBD, for health and wellness. So if you are buying CBD products, do your research first. In the meantime, make sure you buy from a credible source and bear in mind that there is no 'one size fits all' dose. 

In a new series of 10 videos, which will appear across our social media channels, Paradise Seeds is revealing the astonishing visual results of cultivation research, conducted over the season in a Paradise Seeds Test Field at a secret location in Spain. In the Spring of 2019, a collection of Paradise Seeds strains were planted in the soil as young seedlings including the varieties featured in the videos - Wappa, Sensi Star, Delahaze, Ice Cream, Durga Mata ll CBD, Nebula ll CBD and Lucid Bolt.

Test Field 2019: The Results

Harvest time came in the last two weeks of October and the results, as these videos reveal, were impressive. The proof of the power of Paradise genetics can be seen in the footage of these giants - big in height, big in width and big in yield (and remember there was minimal nurturing along the way). So here are some juicy facts and observations from the test field crew: 

- The giant amongst giants!: Delahaze really cemented its reputation as a super sativa, reaching a height of nearly 3 meters (and nearly as wide) and delivering a payload of 2.1 kg in bud!

- Huge yields: Aside from Delahaze, three of Paradise Seeds' top selling indicas were also enormous in growth, producing stems as thick as a man's arm and weighing in big on the scales  - Ice Cream (1.4 kg harvest yield), Sensi Star (1.9 kg harvest yield) and Lucid Bolt (1.8 kg).   

- Surprise Package: Lucid Bolt is a newer generation Paradise strain (indica) which doesn't get as much attention as  it should. However, in the field it showed its true potential - super tall growth with luscious growth and giant buds like green emeralds (1.8 kg yield). 

- Cola Count: What really impressed in this outdoor grow was the size of the colas which could compete with any indoor grown plants; top colas on all plants of 30 - 35cm (in the case of Sensi Star, 50 - 60 main colas),  fat as giant's fingers and glistening with trichomes.     

- Terpenes galore: Like the smell of vanilla ice cream? Well the smell of over a kilo of Ice Cream bud takes vanilla essence to the next level! The intense smell and taste of mango (Delahaze) and lemon/lime/metal pungency (Sensi Star), reinforced the rich sensory reputation of Paradise strains with an off the chart terpene count from these plants. 

- Old school genetics still got it: Yes there are new genetics out there producing some phenomenal strains but, just like a classic car, there is much to be said for heritage strains which ooze quality. With Paradise that's what you're buying - no-nonsense strains that deliver stunning results in all environments.

Take a trip to the valley of the giants and check out our Paradise Seeds Test Field videos on our social network channels!

YouTube - Facebook - Instagram 

Test Field Outdoor Grow: The Method

As a seed bank Paradise Seeds has always looked to push the boundaries in terms of breeding stable high performance plants and over the years we have been at the forefront of developments in feminization, autoflowering and CBD rich genetics. A key component of our R+D program is the continual testing of our strains in indoor and outdoor environments, to measure plants' capabilities and compare them to other strains on the market.

Paradise Seeds strains are a big fan of the Mediterranean growing environment; and some of the biggest specimens we have recorded have been thanks to the power of the sun that shines through the growing season. It's the perfect environment to show just what our plants can do. So sure enough, when the harvest came, the results of our test field grow were pretty spectacular. As one of the Paradise grow team said, "the plants were literally driving for the sky!"

In an outdoor environment, there is nowhere to hide for plant. It is at the mercy of Mother Nature - from changes in the weather (in the case of the 2019 season this included periods of drought and high winds) and pests (bugs and fungus). For the purpose of the Paradise Seeds Test Field project the plants were grown organically, fertilized with cow manure and pretty much left alone to do their thing. Checked once a week the only supplements they received was a solution made from the plants Aloe Vera and Horsetail (which is rich in silica), given towards the end of their life to maintain good health.

If you get the cannabis dry and cure process wrong you could find yourself with a harvest of buds that smells like hay or damp washing. Get the cannabis dry and cure process right however and you will be rewarded with a harvest of prime bud smelling just how it should - radiating the full spectrum of terpenes associated with the strain.

One of the biggest mistakes a grower can make is to try and rush this process. Like the old saying says, 'good things come to those who wait'! There is nothing more disappointing for the end consumer than rolling up the first joint from a new batch and discovering that the weed is still wet. This is particularly a problem with commercial cannabis and just one of the many negatives of relying on 'street weed' as a source of supply. Unscrupulous dealers will factor wet weed into their marketing plans as obviously this will weigh more than well dried and cured cannabis nuggets.

How long does it take to dry and cure cannabis? This will depend on the trimming method you have used when chopping down your plants - wet trim or dry trim. The wet trim technique will speed up the process because much of the leaf matter (which will hold in moisture) is removed. On the other hand, the dry trim technique sees the branches hung to dry before the buds are trimmed. However as a general rule, the drying process should last at least 5 -6 days (and can be as long as 14 days).

It is vitally important that your buds are dry before they go into the next stage - the curing process. If they enter this stage wet, at best the weed smell will suffer and at worst mold will infect the buds. Optimum drying conditions involve good airflow and a constant temperature of 18 - 20 degrees centigrade (64 - 68 degrees Fahrenheit) for a few days before dropping down a couple of degrees. A good rule of thumb to test if buds are ready for storing and curing is to bend a stalk. If it snaps (rather than bends) then it is ready for the next stage.

Why is it Necessary to Cure Cannabis?

Curing will not only improve the smell, taste and consistency of buds, but it also has a scientific value too. Through the process of biosynthesis, during this stage, the various cannabis compounds will blend and some will mutate, producing more potency in the cannabis. Curing weed correctly will not only boost taste and strength but it will allow for long term storage.

This is especially important for those who grow for self sufficiency. Do this right and an outdoor gardener - who crops once a year for example - can expect their buds to still be consumable right up until the next harvest. Many strains, cured correctly for a few months, will become enhanced, much like a good wine, with a rounded taste and effect (far more mellow and full bodied than 'buzzy' fresh bud that can also bring an element of anxiety to the experience).

What is the Best Way to Dry Cannabis?

As with every aspect of growing cannabis, each grower has their own tried and tested technique. A little like the growing process, the cannabis dry and cure stage depends very much on personal circumstances and the space available for the grower to use. Drying inside a grow tent (with an extractor fan in use and an auxillary form of heat - such as a greenhouse heater or a small domestic heater on a timer - preferably with a thermostat to keep the temperature stable) is the favored choice of many growers, with the cannabis 'hung' or buds spread out in a drying net. Some growers will follow this stage by placing the dried buds into a shoe box or paper bag and place them in a warm cupboard to finish them off before placing them in their curing container. 

What is the Best Way to Cure Cannabis?

The best form of container to use, in the Paradise experience, is a glass preserve jar (also known as a kilner or mason jar), which comes with an airtight seal. The space should be filled with buds although it is important that it is a comfortable fit and they are not packed in. The jar should be placed in a dark cool space to let the buds sit and start the curing process.

For the first few days, it is important to allow the bud inside the container to breathe, for a few minutes. When sealed, the buds will push out excess moisture and this procedure will help to take this moisture away. For the first week, aim to do two or three times a day, in week 2 once a day and in week 3 do it occasionally (check the consistency of the buds to judge if it is still necessary). One word of caution - if you open the jar and get a whiff of ammonia, the buds went in too damp).

For long term storage, keep in a cool dark place - your very own 'bud cellar'! It's a good idea to remove a chunk and store in a separate jar for daily/weekly use, rather than keep dipping into the big jar (to avoid disturbing buds too much or letting in unnecessary moisture).

Follow these steps, appreciate the art (and importance) of curing, and you will be richly rewarded and don't forget the mantra - Good things come to those who wait!

November is one of those difficult months. Somewhere between summer and Christmas, winter is on its way (unless, of course, you are in the southern hemisphere where spring is doing its thing!).
So what's new in the world of Paradise this month?

End of Year Promo!

Due to popular demand we are continuing to offer FREE Nebula seed with all 5 and 10 pack orders. It's our ever popular Sativa dominant hybrid. Growers delight, this fast grow plant explodes with a universe of big moon rock buds. 

Expo Season Continues...

Later in the month we will be heading to South America to return to the excellent Expo Medeweed (November 22/23/24)in the beautiful Colombian city of Medellin. We love this expo which brings together developments in cannabis science, medical, business and industry in one place, which happens to be the beautiful Botanical Gardens. Enjoying its 4th edition, we are very much looking forward to returning to this expo. Come and see us on Stand 50 and 51

Some Fine Specimens!

Cultiva 2019. We had a fantastic time in Vienna in October and saw some excellent specimens of Paradise Seeds strains. As always, we were impressed with the very high standards of cultivation in Austria and you can see some examples of some of our newer strains -Space Cookies and Californian Goldon our YouTube channel and in the video gallery of our website.

Strain of the Month - Atomical Haze

This month we are going to focus on a very special plant in the Paradise Seeds catalogue - Atomical Haze. Why's it so special? Well AH sees some of the world's best landraces (from Colombia, Mexico and Thailand) combined in one big yield, explosive sativa. Definitely one for the connoisseur and not a plant for the beginner. A confident grower's touch is needed to make the most of this plant, but believe us when we tell you the extra effort invested produces superb dividends! Check out the grow report. 

That's it for now! Have a great November!

Team Paradise

Free Nebula with every 5 or 10 pack

Due to popular demand we are continuing to offer FREE Nebula seed with all 5 and 10 pack orders. It's our ever popular Sativa dominant hybrid. Growers delight, this fast grow plant explodes with a universe of big moon rock buds.

Nebula is made for indoor gardening (60 - 65 days flower time), and works particularly well when it is used under lights in a constellation of Sea Of Green. Because of the sativa genes this is one star traveler that likes to shoot for the sun, artificial or not, so may need some holding back on the throttle. Well trained however, it will shower your corner of the planet with buds that are as big as moon rocks.

Outside it will also shoot for the sun, absorbing all the light it can (remember that Mediterranean heart?). It will thrive in southern regions, but this plant is bred to be versatile and will prosper quite happily in northern regions too, especially in south facing plots. If the conditions are right, gardeners can expect an intergalactic bud shower of epic proportions come harvest.

Later in the month we will be heading to South America to return to the excellent Expo Medeweed (November 22/23/24) in the beautiful Colombian city of
Medellin. We love this expo which brings together developments in cannabis science, medical, business and industry in one place, which happens to be the beautiful Botanical Gardens. Enjoying its 4th edition, we are very much looking forward to returning to this expo. Come and see us on
Stand 50 and 51

As with everything in cannabis cultivation, each grower has their own 'best way' which works for them and this is just the same with cannabis trimming. Essentially there are two ways to trim cannabis - wet trim and dry trim - and each has its own advantages. 

Cannabis Trimming: The Dry Trim Technique
The grower will cut off the plant's branches and hang them up in a drying space. After these branches have dried out, the buds will then be given a close manicure. One of the biggest arguments for cannabis trimming this way is that this method produces a better quality product, more matured with enhanced smell, taste and effect. The disadvantage is that it takes longer and if the drying conditions aren't right, all that foliage can attract mold.

Cannabis Trimming: The Wet Trim Technique
The grower will harvest and manicure the buds down to size immediately. It means the trimming process is a one shot deal and this method will also speed up the drying process as there is less surface matter and the drying buds will also take up less space.

Regardless of trimming method, both require the same set of tools and preparation stages.
While this essential guide to trimming cannabis is useful for the beginner, it is also a handy checklist for the experienced!

Cannabis Trimming Essential Tools

- One set of sterilized scissors (or two if you are inviting a friend over for a trim party!). A bottle of surgical spirit (rubbing alcohol) on hand is a good idea for sterilization and also for helping to clean accumulated gunk off the scissors as they tend to get clogged up pretty quickly.

- Latex gloves (or alternative). Handling all that bud will lead to THC being absorbed through the skin according to a study which backs up a lot of anecdotal evidence. 'Great!' some trimmers might say, but trimming is a time consuming job already and much longer still if you're absorbing high levels of THC... Anyone new to trimming is always astonished by how quickly and how sticky their fingers become. One of these days someone will make a killing from bud residue glue

- Newspaper. Newspaper is a multi -purpose friend - one sheet for tossing trimmed buds, another for tossing trimmed leaf, another for wiping down your scissors, another for reading if you get bored or want a break...

- Change of clothes. This is optional, but if you are working in a confined space with a newly culled cannabis plant oozing terpenes, you will stink and everything you wear will stink. If you have to go to meet your granny for dinner, or drive somewhere after the job, you will want to ditch those cutting clothes! A hat is especially recommended. Nothing clings to the hair like the smell of fresh cut bud!

- Plan for disposal. A wet trim of cannabis produces a lot of leaf! Once the job is done, that leaf needs to go somewhere. For the country mouse this is not such a problem, but for the town mouse it can be a real headache. Leaving the house with a bag full of trim will set the paranoia flowing, even for those who haven't been cutting away all night with no gloves. Common places to avoid dumping the waste - your own trash, a neighbor's trash, a pond, lake or small river (it will just float), a park (you never know who is coming around the corner).

- Plan for drying. Once the bud is cut - wet or dry trim - it needs to hang in a space with good airflow and a constant temperature of approximately 18 - 20 degrees centigrade (64 - 68 degrees Fahrenheit) for the first three days before dropping down a couple of degrees until the drying process is completed. This is easier for the indoor grower because they can use their grow space, but the outdoor grower has to plan for this crucial stage of the crop. Compromising on this will affect the final product quite significantly so using a fan and a small heater (on a thermostat timing switch) to achieve ideal temperature and airflow is highly recommended. There are many cannabis drying rack and net products on the market, but equally effective is a hammock made from garden mesh or horizontal strings of cotton (using the drawing pins to fix between two points!) from which buds can hang on a bit of stalk acting like a hook. 

- Plan for the big stink! It's going to be a smelly few days so factor this into your plans. Having a drying space in the attic is good and so is a room with a window and lots of fresh air flowing in and out. However if that window backs onto the neighbor's house, not so good... Consider external factors too - for example a weekend will bring less chance of delivery people and telephone engineers coming to your door. If you can see a couple of days of bad weather coming on the horizon, that's a good time too (as your neighbors will be staying inside and you can open the window wider!

As with all cannabis cultivation, trimming post-harvest requires a bit of thinking and some planning to minimize the risk of being discovered. While it is inevitably a tense few days, the best way to get through it is to make sure you have sufficiently prepared! God luck and happy harvesting! 

October is the month when Autumn really begins. This means the garden will be full of color, especially if you’ve been cultivating some exotic flowers over the summer! So this month we have some useful tips for you, plus a competition and a super Autumn promo offer. Read on!

Bud Mold Prevention

Cannabis bud mold (or botrytis) will announce itself quietly; perhaps the first sign it is present will be discoloration of a small leaf on a cola or a section of cannabis bud looking slightly off color...

When the Autumn weather becomes wetter and colder, it can be a nervous time of year in the garden. The race to harvest is also a race against mold on your plants. However, it's not too late to take some security measures. Check out our Bud Mold Prevention article for some useful tips.

Expo Discounts + Goodie Bags!

We will be on the road in October and November, visiting two great central European capitals!
First stop is Vienna, Austria, for the amazing Cultiva Expo and Congress. This takes place from October 11 - 13th inside the famous glass pyramid! We will be on STAND 13 in the main hall.

Second stop is Prague, Czech Republic, for the equally amazing Cannafest (we love both expos for different reasons ;). This takes place November 1st - 3rd. We will be in Hall 2, Stand 2C-04.

Come and find us in Vienna and Prague and we will make it worth your visit. We are giving a special Expo discount - 25% off all seed purchases plus we will be giving away special expo goodie bags!

Social Media Competition

This month we will pick one lucky winner from Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for a great prize - 10 seed pack of our wonderful Space Cookies strain + some merchandise goodies!
It's easy. Just follow us.

Facebook - @paradiseseedsofficial
Instagram - @paradiseseedsofficial
Twitter - @paradiseseeds

In the next few days there will be a simple question. Just post your answer to be entered into our free prize draw and you could be a lucky winner!

Autumn Promo

Don't forget! We have FREE SEEDS from two awesome Paradise strains to give away with all orders.

You can choose from Nebula - our super charged sativa dominant hybrid feminized seed - or Vertigo - an Indica autoflower with supreme relaxation powers.

Spend €40 and get 1 free seed! 
Spend€80 and get 3 free seeds!
Spend €140 and get 5 free seeds!

The difference in smell is the result of the different combination of cannabis terpenes that make up the profile of each plant. In this article we will take a closer look at a handful of cannabis terpenes, by focusing on test results of these two Paradise Seeds varieties.

When people hear the word terpene, the first association is with smell (or taste). However, scientific research has shown that terpenes can fill more than this aesthetic sensory perception. Individual terpenes also produce specific effects for the rest of the body - from anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial qualities to the relief of stress and anxiety. 

So, let's investigate in more detail, by looking at the dominant cannabis terpenes in the Wappa and Spoetnik #1 cannabis strains:

Cannabis Terpene Profile: Wappa

Smell: Sweet/Skunky/Strawberry

Wappa ticks many boxes for growers and consumers. It is easy to grow, produces a big yield, is quick to finish and the buds it produces are, in the words of one Paradise grower, "fresh and fruity, it's wonderful strawberry/cherry bouquet is a pleasure to savor every day."

 As well as its juicy fruity aroma, the Wappa effect is often noted as being characterized by a happy sense of relaxation - an all day indica as opposed to a night time lights out occasion! The terpene profile of Wappa may well explain this effect.

The dominant terpene in Wappa is Myrcene. In terms of smell and taste, it comes from the spicy and earthy end of the spectrum. However, it is also known for carrying inherent stress relief qualities.

This is a characteristic that continues through the secondary and tertiary terpenes present in the Wappa plant; Carophyllene (another spicy element also found in hops, rosemary and cloves), and Linalool (the distinctive sweet and floral factor in the cannabis smell) are both associated with anti-stress and anxiety properties. 

Interestingly, Carophyllene is notable because it is has been shown to bind to endocannabinoid receptors in the body just like classic cannabinoids such as CBD and THC. 

Terpene Percentages: Wappa
MYRCENE 0.54
CARYOPHYLLENE 0.17
LINALOOL 0.09
ALPHA PINENE 0.09
BETA PINENE 0.05
LIMONENE 0.04
TERPINEOL 0.02
TERPINOLENE 0.01

Cannabis Terpene Profile: Spoetnik #1

Smell: Grape/Metallic/Earthy

Spoetnik #1 is an extremely resinous old school Paradise Seeds strain that has been described by the Paradise grow team as, " A red grape taste version of Sensi Star! The taste fills the mouth with grape and aged red wine but with a cool metallic hint, and the more the flower dries and cures, the more this metal hint emerges."

Once called the 'philosopher's stone', due to the contemplative nature of its effect, it provides a pleasant combination of uplift and relaxation which also makes it a favorite with medical users.

The primary terpene present in Spoetnik #1, according to test results, is Terpinolene (labeled 'The Least-Common Common Terpene' by Leafly). Its smell is more multi-dimensional than other terpenes and it is known to be a strong relaxant. 

As the secondary terpene profile, a high percentage of spicy Caryophellene (see Wappa analysis) brings anti-stress qualities into the mix, and this particular terpene is also associated with pain relief.
The tertiary terpene present in Spoetnik #1 is Beta Pienene which is renowned for its anti-inflammatory effects, but is also noted for increasing focus and a sense of alertness in the mind.

The combination of these three terpenes, thus provides some scientific evidence to back up the anecdotal description of the Spoetnik #1 strain's results when consumed.

Terpene percentages: Spoetnik #1

TERPINOLENE 0.18
CARYOPHYLLENE 0.11
BETA PINENE 0.06
LIMONENE 0.06
ALPHA PINENE 0.04
MYRCENE 0.3
TERPINEOL 0.02
LINALOOL 0.01

Terpenes for Dummies (and not so dummies!)

The terpene is definitely one of the cannabis buzzwords of the moment! The thing about buzz words is that they often arrive and everybody assumes that they are a new invention. But they are present in a range of plants and some insects and research suggests that they may actually be a form of language between organisms too.

The simple answer: Terpenes are organic compounds that are found in plants and influence taste and smell. They can make something attractive - for example terpenes present in a flower will attract a bee (just as the smell of a joint attracts a cannabis lover!). They can also make something repellent - research shows that ground beetles produce limonene (citrusy scent) as a defense mechanism against predators. They also have a role in temperature control - as this rises, plants produce more terpenes and their evaporation produces cool airflow.

The scientific answer: It is a biological molecule made up of multiples of the isoprene unit. They are secondary metabolites, meaning they are molecules produced by plant cells that do not play a direct role in cell growth processes, but have an ancillary role such as attracting pollinators or protecting from predators. They are formed via biosynthetic pathways; Monoterpenes, diterpenes and tetraterpenes are biosynthesized in plastids starting from glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate and from pyruvate, while other types of terpenes appear to be synthesized in the cytoplasm and have mevalonic acid as a common precursor.

These organic compounds of the cannabis plant have a synergistic effect when combined with cannabinoids (in the form of the entourage effect). We are still very much at the dawn of our understanding as to how these factors fully impact on our bodies and minds, but the possibilities of harnessing these unique powers are very exciting and with more research, science is sure to unlock more secrets regarding these organic compounds. 

In the meantime, every cannabis aficionado will continue to appreciate the aesthetic qualities of enhanced smell and taste, and benefit from side effects that are beneficial for the human body in the process. By looking at the terpene profiles of particular plants, now more than ever it is possible to choose the right strain to consume (for taste, effect and needs) by using these specific terpene profile markers.

We have two super expo’s coming up this October and November; Cultiva in Vienna and Cannafest in Prague. Paradise Seeds are going to be there and if 

you are too then come and see us because we have something very cool for you to take away such as free goodie bags and special Expo discount – 25% off ALL seeds purchases!

Cultiva(11 – 13 October) rocks Vienna’s iconic glass pyramid, Eventhotel Pyramide, every year with informative congress talks and workshops, parties and a huge selection of exhibitor stands. You can find us on STAND 13!

Opening hours:
Fri 11.10.201910.30 am – 7 pm

Sat 12.10.201910.30 am – 8 pm

Sun 13.10.201910.30 am – 6 pm

Cannafest (1 – 3 November), the one that we have been attending since the very beginning, is held at the impressive PVA expo centre, and features conference speakers, vape lounge, parties and many exhibitors. You can find us at Hall 2 STAND 2C – 04!

Opening hours:

Fri 01.11.201911 am – 8 pm

Sat 02.11.201911 am – 8pm

Sun 03.11.201911 am – 6 pm

Come and say hi to Team Paradise there!

1. Know Your Enemy

Cannabis bud mold (or botrytis) will announce itself quietly; perhaps the first sign it is present will be discoloration of a small leaf on a cola or a section of cannabis bud looking slightly off colour (often grey, blueish or off white). On closer inspection you will discover rot in your bud, spreading from the inside (which is why it's so elusive).

By this time, bud mold has arrived and the only course of action available to you is to treat the issue, and treat it immediately by removing infected sections. If your buds are fairly advanced then wisdom says, cut your losses and cut down your plants to save your crop. In the greenhouse, once you have spotted mold it is already too late and you should crop the rest of your plant as possible.

Make sure you sterilize your scissors (using surgical spirit) before and after removing and destroy all infected buds. Do not be fooled and think you can 'cut out the bad bits'. These buds probably contain mold spores that you can't see and you do not want these ending up in your lungs... 

2. Bud Mold Prevention: The Basics

Act now and you stand a great chance of keeping this old enemy away from your plants! The key to beating mold is to have healthy plants and give them the best protection so they can finish the job of producing you a fine harvest!

In the greenhouse or in the garden, high humidity, surface moisture and poor air circulation are primary causes of cannabis bud mold. Therefore, make sure your plants have enough space around them to give good air flow and good sunshine exposure and make sure to address humidity issues.

In the greenhouse this means opening vents in the greenhouse, or adding fans if necessary. For outdoor plants the real challenge is preventing them from getting soaked in the rain so keep an eye on the weather reports! Possible solutions are moving your potted plants inside (some growers even set up a tent in the garden for this purpose) or cover your plant (use garden canes and plastic sheeting to set up a protective teepee). 

3. Prune and Train Your Cannabis Plants

Getting that air flow to your cannabis plant may require you to do some pruning once the flowering stage begins. Giving your plants a lollipop trim will reduce the amount of foliage on your plant. You can also apply some gentle LST to the side branches to give your buds better exposure to light and air flow. With well spaced, smaller buds, even if you lose a handful to mold, you will still have many more left unscathed! 

4. Adjust Your Watering Schedule

As the flowering stage develops, aim to water in the morning so that water doesn't sit overnight. Also avoid getting leaves and buds wet (water only the base).

In many regions of northern Europe and America, Autumn can bring extended periods of rain (lasting for days), meaning high air humidity is omni-present. Therefore, it pays to plan ahead and dramatically reduce your watering as harvest time approaches. One Paradise outdoor grower (52˚ N latitude) in a particularly wet region recommends stopping watering altogether, one to two weeks before a late October/early November harvest, to compensate for the high air humidity. Such action obviously requires advance planning to time your last nutrient feed and flush routine right.

5. Add Bud Mold Prevention to the Mix 

Healthy plants will have the strength to resist unwelcome invaders, so a good Paradise Seeds tip is to add biological extracts of propolis or echinacea, tormentilla and aloe to reinforce your cannabis plant's endogenous system. 

While you can't control the weather, you can control the pH of your soil. A higher pH will help to prevent mold from spreading and a frequent suggestion on grow forums is to use a milk spray on cannabis plants at risk from mold. Aside from changing the pH, research https://link.springer.com/article/10.1071/AP06052#page-1 suggests milk particles exposed to natural light produce oxygen free radicals which are a great mold and mildew defence. 

However, many growers are reluctant to spray their plants with milk and yes, the thought of 'sour milk' infused buds is a real turn off for any connoisseur! Alternative advice from the Paradise team is to add 2 tablespoons of natural yoghurt to 3 liters of water - once in early September and once in early October - and apply direct to the soil.

Here are two more proven mold prevention recipe suggestions from the Paradise Seeds grow team:

- Add 3 tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda to 3 liters of water, along with potassium soap.
This treatment is used for mold, although it is more commonly used to prevent mildew. Gardeners should spray the solution on the plant preferably 1 -2 weeks before the arrival of wet weather conditions - so if you know the Autumn rains are coming apply as a preventative measure in good time).

- Add 4 tablespoons of vinegar to 3 liters of water. (you can use any type - apple cider is a popular - but not Balsamic due to the high sugar content) This is another homemade remedy for plants affected by mildew. The solution should be sprayed on infected leaves and buds. 

6. For next year...

If you are new to growing outdoors and live in a region where mold is a problem, then next year plan your grow from day one. Some things to consider:

Choose the right strain! Some strains are developed for mold prevention. For example, Paradise Seeds' Sweet Purple https://www.paradise-seeds.com/en/sweet-purple/ comes with in-built mold resistance.

Get training! using techniques such as LST and mainlining will allow you to develop a plant structure with best cannabis bud mold prevention qualities. You can sculpt your plant to take advantage of good branch spacing, good airflow, an even covering of consistent sized buds (ie not dominated by a few big, fat, mold inviting buds at the top of a plant). Check out our Paradise Seeds Skunkworks series on mainlining to get a step by step guide (see Episode 1 HERE)

Pots vs ground? You can grow bigger plants by planting direct in the ground but pots give you versatility. You can move them around to chase the sun and hide them from the rain! If planting in the ground avoid shaded areas.

Got any tips of your own? Share them with us and help us spread the knowledge circle! In the meantime, good luck, and may the mold avoid you this Autumn...

One thing we have realized is how important history is in the cannabis industry. It's something you can't buy (or simulate with shiny marketing) and after 25 years of still being here, it tells you that there is a product to be trusted! So let's take a little walk back in time and revisit some Paradise Seeds history!

Our founder, Luc, first planted a cannabis seed in the back garden of his parents' house in the early 1980s and fell in love with the cannabis plant he grew! That first plant (which was grown from a seed that had originally come from the island of Aruba in the Caribbean) started him on a journey which would officially become Paradise Seeds, the company, in 1994.

The Squat Years: An Experimental Era!

Amsterdam in the late 1980s and early 1990s was a very different city to the one we know now. Its beauty lay in the traditional face of its buildings and canals, but there was also much urban decay. Many of those grand old buildings were abandoned and crumbling. This abundance of deserted city buildings fuelled a thriving 'squat' scene with the spaces being colonized by a youthful and progressive crowd.

As well as becoming living spaces, these sites became a focus for arts, music, politics and the language of liberation. Luc arrived in Amsterdam in the late 1980s and began living in squats, enthused by the vibrancy of the scene with its creativity, mad parties (that often lasted for days!) and sense of do-it-yourself innovation. 

"It was a very tolerant time," remembers Luc. "The vibe at that time was still influenced by the hippy era and there was a real culture of 'anything goes'. This was also true with the authorities attitudes towards cannabis. The police weren't too concerned about weed and hash as their priority was heroin, which was a big problem in Amsterdam at the time. As a result, you could walk around with a kilo in your bag and not have to worry. You could also grow a lot of weed plants without having to worry about getting busted!"

This tolerant attitude made the city a magnet for cannabis travelers (from the UK, Europe and the USA) - many of them using it as a stopover between travels to and from India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and other countries in Asia, which was known back then as the 'Hippy Trail'. They would bring hash back with them and sell it in Amsterdam, but also would return with cannabis landrace seeds. Also at that time, there was an ex-pat community of American cannabis heads who had fled the War on Drugs in their own country. They also brought seeds as well as their cultivation knowledge.

This is the scene that existed in the 1980s and the roots of Paradise Seeds history can be traced back to here. Living in a squat, Luc began to experiment with growing cannabis. He began collecting seeds and growing them on the roof of the building; "There were a lot of buckets filled with soil and a lot of different plants at all stages of the growing process," he says of this time. When winter came, he moved inside, setting up a very rudimentary indoor grow. In the days before an established cannabis grow equipment industry, necessity was the mother of invention and the indoor rooms were filled with fluorescent light tubes (on the ceiling, floors and walls!). It was during this time that he began to really experiment with cross pollination, phenotype selection and back crossing.

New Strains: Enter The Dutch Dragon!

From this basic breeding process emerged three original strains. The first was christened 'Amsterdam Flame', which was a Kerali (Southern Indian) seed, crossed with an outdoor Skunk which had been adapted to the Dutch climate (its home was the roof of the building that housed the legendary Grasshopper coffee shop). The second was 'Dutch Dragon' - a strain that lives on in the Paradise Seeds collection (although it has changed quite a bit from those early days). These were the first strains available from Paradise Seeds when the company was formed in 1994. 

Sensi Star Becomes Champion of the Cannabis World!

The third strain was 'Sensi Star' (short for Sensimillia, which was the gold standard weed at the time - the origin of the name coming from Spanish 'sin semilla' meaning 'without seed'). This strain played a pivotal role in the Paradise Seeds history. At the time, Luc says that he knew Sensi Star was a special plant. It was the combination of Afghani and Indian genetics and Skunk genetics which were then back crossed with an Afghani and the selection process was made over hundreds of plants. The result was an incredibly resinous indica plant with so many trichomes and a very unique taste.

In 1999 the Paradise Seeds crew arrived at the High Times Cup in Amsterdam as a small player on the seed scene, but that changed overnight. The crew brought along some Sensi Star plants and people could not believe what they saw. The previous year had been all about White Widow and its amazing trichome count, but here was a new champion! Sensi Star had an insane trichome frost, ridiculous resin count, knock out strength and an out of this world taste. It took the High Times Cup that year and went on to achieve the double with a victory in the Highlife Cup.

Paradise Seeds had arrived on the biggest stage and walked away with the biggest prize in the cannabis world at the time. Sensi Star continues to be one of our best selling strains and a real piece of Paradise Seeds history.

You know how it is when you're looking to germinate your next batch of cannabis seeds.... so much choice, so little space, it's always so hard to choose which beans to buy! 

We can't help you with your big choice BUT, for our Autumn Promo we have selected two plants from the Paradise Seeds vault as our free seed giveaway, so that's one less choice to make! 

"How much do I have to spend to get free seeds?"
Good question! 

Spend €40+ and get a free 1 seed pack
Spend €80 + and get a free 3 seed pack
Spend €140+ and get a free 5 seed pack

Just make your order and choose your free cannabis seeds at the checkout.

"What are the free seed options?"
Another good question!

This month the Paradise breeding team has selected two pedigree strains for you to choose from as your free finest cannabis seed selection: Nebula (feminized) and Vertigo (autoflower).

Nebula

An original Paradise Seeds sativa dominant hybrid strain (you can trace its heritage back to the first wave of Paradise strains in the 1990s). It's still hugely popular thanks to its tremendous grow qualities, superior flavor and uplifting aura (with a mellow indica trail to follow). 

Key characteristics are an overly generous frosting of trichomes and rock hard nuggets. The taste is distinctively sweet too - somewhere between honey and fruit. A fine grow room companion and works well in a Sea of Green set up too. Check out the grow report for more detail

Vertigo:

If you are looking for an Indica dominant autoflower plant that is easy to grow, quick to finish and delivers a decent yield then this is the one for you. Auto Vertigo is the popular choice of indica aficionados and also medical users who are attracted by the extreme relaxation it brings.

Key characteristics are speedy growth (with a bit of stretch) and frosty buds and a taste that fizzles with citrus tones. A great plant to have in the grow room and also a good one for beginners thanks to its robust nature.

Read more specific information about Nebula  and Vertigo and don't forget that all our strains have detailed descriptions to help you choose the best plant for your tastes and circumstances.

Why Does Cannabis Smell Like Fruit... or Cheese! 

At a basic level terpenes are fuel for our sense of smell and taste, delivering scents that we recognize as being specific to certain cannabis varieties. Common smells/tastes we recognize are fruit (from berries to citrus), forest (pine to wood), sweetness or mint and scents/flavors such as sour, metallic or acid which are rewarding to savor (even if the descriptions can seem counter intuitive at times!).

If there was a blind smell test, then one only has to open the jar and take a sniff to be able to easily identify the difference between of Haze, Kush or Cheese. The distinctive scents - their individual calling cards - are the result of the terpenes they produce. Let's take Cheese for example; Pungent to the point of pushing the gag reflex at times, this strain's terpene profile is a blend of caryophyllene (spicy), pinene (sharp and sweet), and linalool.

Terpenes, essential oils producing a specific aroma, are not just limited to cannabis plants. They are in fact present across the spectrum of fruits and vegetables, and are even released by insects!  As well as the immediate impact on fragrance, scientific research indicates that terpenes have effects on health - from anti-bacterial to stress relieving benefits.

Through the process of terpene testing, let's take a look at what is 'under the hood' of two popular strains from the Paradise Seeds collection: Sensi Star and Nebula ll CBD. 

Sensi Star Terpene Testing Profile

Smell: Spicy/Lemon/Metallic

This is our original premium strain, an indica variety with a high level of THC. The dominant terpenes in the Sensi Star profile are Myrcene, Limonene and Caryophyllene.

Sensi Star is distinctive thanks to a scent that is unique amongst other strains. As one of the Paradise Seeds breeding team reveals; "With a hint of cold metallic steel on the tip of the tongue the nose receptors experience a scent like squeezed lemon on a branch of fresh pine, with a finish that combines black pepper and woman's perfume."

The primary terpene is Myrcene which is also found in mango, hops and lemongrass. It has an earthy/spicy quality to its fragrance with physical effects that are dominated by sleepiness and stress reduction - Sensi Star is of course renowned for its powers of relaxation.

The secondary terpene is Limonene, a citrusy element whose refreshing fragrance makes it a common feature in perfumes. Limonene is recognised for having analgesic (pain relief) qualities and is also recognised for its anti-oxidant and anti-cancer properties.

The tertiary terpene present in Sensi Star is Caryophyllene, which is characterized by a spicy, peppery fragrance. This is very common in many different edible plants and has anti-inflammatory properties. Interestingly it can also reduce the craving for alcohol.

Terpene percentages: Sensi Star   

Alpha Pinen        0.02
Beta Pinen          0.05
Myrcene              0.99
Limonene            0.35
Caryophyllene    0.13
Terpinolene         0.01
Linalool               0.01
Terpineol             0.02

Nebula ll CBD Terpene Testing Profile 

Smell: Sweet/Fruity

The fruity taste of Paradise Seeds' Nebula ll CBD  has been appreciated by users since we first released this sativa dominant strain in the early 2000s. When we created our first medical strains this variety became one our first CBD rich strains in the form of Nebula ll CBD. Its scent stands out with a very sugary characteristic, which some have compared to honey.

What does the breeding team say on the matter?! "Nebula is a heavy cloud of sugar - really similar to the Chong's Choice L.A. Amnesia. Pungent fresh fruits characterize the scent alongside the sweetness of honey, although such is its intensity that the smell will reveal itself as strongly as a freshly opened pack of white sugar!"

The tertiary terpenes present in the Nebula profile are Caryophyllene and Beta Pinen which contribute to those recognisable spicy and piney tones.

However, perhaps the most interesting element in the Nebula mix is the secondary terpene, Terpinolene which is one of the less common of the terpenes that appear in the big 10 list.

Terpinolene has a sophisticated bouquet that is not easily characterized by a specific fragrance. It includes a hint of pine, a pinch of flower, a touch of herb and even a tickle of citrus! It has relaxing effects and reported medical benefits that include anti-fungal and ant-bacterial qualities, with some evidence that it may have a role in heart disease risk reduction.

Terpene Percentages: Nebula ll CBD

Alpha Pinen        0.03
Beta Pinen          0.06
Myrcene              0.2
Limonene            0.05
Terpinolene         0.32
Linalool               0.03
Terpineol             0.04
Caryophyllene    0.06

How many Terpenes are Present in Cannabis? 

It is estimated that a cannabis plant can produce over 200 terpenes, although of these there are a small number which  are present in most cannabis varieties. These include common terpenes such as the citrusy Limonene, pine infused Pinene, clove-like Myrcene and  the spicy pepperiness of Caryophyllene. 

Each cannabis plant variety has its own unique terpene profile, with different percentages of terpenes present in the mix. There are usually two or three terpenes that predominate and this will give a certain cannabis strain its dominating characteristics - perhaps a piney fragrance with a spicy  undertone.

Aside from the fragrance aspect these terpenes also have physical effects on the body - from energy giving to stress relief and relaxation. It is important to remember that an individual cannabis strain will encompass a range of terpenes which is why a fragrance will have levels - perhaps a dominant citrus with underlying spicy tones.

As you can see from the results of these terpene tests, there's a lot to offer the nose in every cannabis strain than the first sniff reveals! While picking out individual terpenes is a challenge, due to the subtleties of tone, exploring this power of fragrance (and the science behind the individual effects) can open up a wonderful new window onto the world of cannabis.

Hello Friend
How's your summer so far? Hot, hot, hot?!
Well here's some cool news from Paradise, brought to you on a summer breeze...

NEW! @paradiseseedsofficial

Skunk Works Project - New Grow Videos!

We are always asked for grow advice, so we have teamed up with an expert to give you some quick, easy and very useful tips to make the most of your Paradise Seeds beans! Check out the new series from the Top Shelf Grower, exclusively done for Paradise Seeds. 

 

You can watch it here: 

https://www.paradise-seeds.com/en/info/Skunkworks_Videoguide/

 

 

 

Traditionally, weed has been a young person's pursuit with the highest number of cannabis consumers appearing in the 18 - 29 bracket. However, that statistic may well change in the coming years as elderly medical cannabis use increases across the globe.

In the USA, the over 55s is becoming the fastest growing cannabis demographic in the country according to CBS News and the biggest motivator is personal health. Getting old ain't a pretty picture, but until the secret of eternal youth is discovered it is one of life's unfortunate certainties...

Up until very recently, seniors have dutifully followed the advice of their doctors and introduced a handful of pills into their daily diet. Studies in the USA and the UK suggest that 45 - 50% of the over 65s take at least five prescription drugs a day for age related conditions such as high blood pressure, heart problems, and relief from pain and chronic long term illness.

However, this dependency on multiple prescription drugs, known as polypharmacy, is starting to be questioned by doctors as well as patients. "You have people taking pills and then taking more pills to counter the side effects of the initial pills. It's crazy," confides a Canadian doctor. As the opioid crisis has shone a light on the abuse of prescription drugs, many seniors are now looking to medical cannabis as an alternative.

New Study into Elderly Medical Cannabis Use

As elderly medical cannabis use is a new phenomenon it has become the focus of a new study launched by Tilray Canada which aims to assess the impact of medical cannabis on chronic pain, sleep patterns, and the quality of life in patients over 50 years of age distributed throughout Canada. It will also study patterns of use, adverse effects and dosage.

Philippe Lucas, vice-president of global patient research and access at Tilray, told an audience at the International Policy Conference in Vienna in December that very little is known about elderly medical cannabis consumption patterns although there are certain characteristics that are unique to this age group. For example, many over 60s don't like smoking. This method of marijuana consumption makes the effect too strong prompting dizziness and disorientation. Falling over when you're in your 20s is no big deal. In your 60s it can mean a broken hip.

Over recent years, Paradise Seeds has seen a huge rise in the number of elderly medical cannabis customers buying seeds at expos. Conversations we have reflect this observation - with tinctures and cannabis in edible forms being more favored than the traditional smoking method. With recipes for turning cannabis matter into medical treatments and the rising costs of pharmaceutical drug, we are seeing more seniors turning to home growing to treat themselves and this trend is likely to continue as countries continue to develop an ageing population demographic.

CBD and Pain Relief

Two of the most common ailments affecting the older population are inflammation, arthritis and the aches and pains which come with old age and tired bodies. The cannabis compound CBD (the non-psychoactive element of the cannabis plant) is a natural remedy for these afflictions, with pharmacological properties with recognized anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Paradise Seeds has two existing CBD rich strains Nebula ll CBD  and Durga Mata ll CBD and is introducing another four varieties in spring 2019. 

The Peter Pan Elixir?!

Of course, there are other reasons to embrace weed in old age besides its medical benefits. We'll give the last word on the subject to octogenarian cannabis legend Tommy Chong, our collaborator on the Paradise Seeds Chong's Collection range. When we spoke to him just before his 80th birthday, he confessed: "I’ll be honest with you I still have the mentality of a teenager a lot of the time and I put this down to weed. It makes you open to new experiences and it keeps you young. It gives you a zest for life, it really does!"

Since the early days good cannabis growing advice has always been part of the Paradise Seeds package. So in this tradition welcome to Paradise Seeds Skunk Works Project, a series of short videos providing essential grow tips for the beginner, hosted by Top Shelf Grower.

This set of cannabis growing videos, exclusive to the Paradise Seeds Youtube channel, delivers some expert tips for making the cannabis seed grow process a smooth one and boosting the health and performance of your plants. 

Follow the progress of five premium cannabis seed varieties from Paradise Seeds through all the grow stages - from germinating your seed and nurturing your seedling to the process of pruning, training and mainlining your cannabis plants which will enhance their growth potential.

In his pots, Top Shelf Grower has picked 5 premium cannabis seed strains for his Skunk Works collection: Legendary old school Paradise Sativa and Indica strains, Atomical Haze and Sensi Star and awesome new school genetics from the Chong's Choice range - Blue Kush Berry, L.A. Amnesia and Mendocino Skunk (Indica, Sativa and Hybrid).

Through the Skunk Works Project, you can see each of these strains performing in a grow environment and judge for yourself the genetic quality of Paradise Seeds strains - from uniformity and vitality to rigorous growth, beefy buds and pumping resin gland production!

Top Shelf Grower will be your guide each step of the way on the journey from cannabis seed to magnificent bud! The Skunk Works Project is essential viewing for all outdoor growers but also contains useful advice that will be of help to growers using an indoor setup.

Check out the Skunk Works Project videos online now:

Episode 1:

Episode 2:

Episode 3:

Episode 4:

Episode 5:

Episode 6:

Episode 7:

Episode 8:

Episode 9:

Episode 10:

Lock the doors, close the windows and hide under your couch. An explosive collaboration between Paradise Seeds and Tommy Chong  has arrived, in the form of a fast growing, high yield autoflower plant, the latest Californian line to be added to the Paradise finest seed collection. 

Auto Kong 4, released this summer by Paradise Seeds, is our own spin on the tremendously potent GG4 (formerly known as Gorilla Glue). Its growth is fast and rigorous and, in the right hands, it has the potential to equal the performance of a feminized rival, producing huge gorilla fist buds that drip white with resinous glue and resonate with citrusy fragrance. 

This is a California inspired strain you won't have to leave the European continent for, and is the latest instalment of this Amsterdam crew's collaboration with cannabis legend Tommy Chong. This is the first auto to appear in the very popular Chong's Choice collection, which Paradise first introduced 3 years ago. 

"We are very pleased to have another Californian line in our collection," says Luc."We've worked hard to achieve the same quality as the original in an auto form.  The original GG4 was a favorite of Tommy Chong and we consulted with him on the development of Auto Kong 4. We are glad to report that he is as happy with the results as we are!"

In the Mix: GG4 Meets Pandora 

The original GG4 is famed for its high THC content, nuggets as big and rugged as the rocks that tumble from King Kong's mountain and an insane resin production which literally drips from this plant like sticky globules of glue. "The moment I saw it, I fell in love with it!" smiles Luc as he shows us the Mother plants which were grown from a select original GG4 cutting. Procured from a friend of a very good friend in 2014, this cutting came from the USA to take up residence in the Netherlands - a little like a gorilla moving from one zoo to another to kick start a special breeding program!

With the GG4 in place, Project Kong began. "I really wanted to transfer the fantastic characteristics of this plant to a signature Paradise Seeds autoflower," Luc explains, "because of the high yield potential, high THC count and overall stability of the makeup.  We began a breeding program early in 2015 and started to back cross it to single out the qualities we wanted. I chose Pandora as the autoflower partner in this program. It's one of our original auto varieties, very stable and also very rich in resin. It has significant relaxation qualities which I knew would complement the GG4 and a wonderfully sweet taste to bring to the mix."

Paradise Seeds was one of the first seed companies to explore the potential of autoflowering varieties, way back in the early years of the new century. Pandora was one of its early successes, a plant which has been recognized over the years for its stand out qualities, great performance and that wonderful taste. 

Auto Kong 4 is the result of this genetic collaboration and stands ready to take its place in a long line of award winning Paradise Seeds varieties. It is the first autoflower produced by paradise for a few years, and Luc is pleased to be revisiting this sector, with more auto varieties being lined up for release.

Good Things Come to Those Who Wait

All eyes have been on the strains coming out of California for some time - Gorilla Glue was one of the first to catch the eye and of course now it's all about the likes of Blue Dream and Skittles. So why did it take Paradise so long?!

Auto Kong is not just an impressive plant, but an illuminating illustration of how the breeding process works. Despite what some companies claim - the latest 'hot' strain arriving in their catalogue within months of its original release - you cannot rush the breeding process. It is a long and detailed procedure that requires back crossing over generations to select the best phenotypes, and rigorous testing until it is genetically stable and ready to go to market. 

Fans of Paradise will know that quality is a hallmark of the brand. As a breeder owned company, we will never compromise on the high standards Luc has always set in this respect. When is it ready? It's ready when Luc says it is ready!... The result, in the case of Auto Kong 4, is well worth the wait. 

Auto Kong 4. The beast is out of the cage!

Mary Jane Berlin 2019

Share your grow experience and stay up-to-date!

Super Summer Promo

We wish you all a great summer!
Team Paradise

2+1!

Buy 2 + get 1 for free on Auto Acid, Vertigo and Auto Jack, Dutch Kush and Atomical Haze.
For every two packs you buy you will get an extra pack for free!

Example;

• Buy two 3 packs and get another to make 9 seeds for the price of 6!
• Buy two 5 packs and get another to make 15 seeds for the price of 10!  
• Buy two 10 packs and get another to make 30 seeds for the price of 20!

The Strains: Auto, Indica, Sativa

Choose (at checkout) from these top strains from The Paradise #finestseedcollection:

• Auto Vertigo -  Easy grow, quick finish hybrid. Fruity to taste and relaxing delivery.  
• Auto Acid - Diesel taste and inspirational effect from this compact and versatile plant.
• Auto Jack - Jack Herer/White Widow cross. Sweet and fruity and very uplifting.
• Dutch Kush - Tasty Kush power and relaxation for tranquillity seekers and medical users.
• Atomical Haze - Big yield sativa legend with a hazey taste and a lucid, long lasting effect.

Atomical Boost!

Receive 1 x free Atomical Haze on all other strains with EVERY 3, 5 or 10 pack you purchase! (30+ varieties to choose from!)
Atomical Haze: This sativa dominant strain combines the best landraces from around the world together in one explosive plant.

The year was 1994, the new company was Paradise Seeds and that underground breeder was our founder, Luc! Twenty five years later our owner Luc is still breeding - 36 strains in the selection - and Paradise Seeds plants are growing across the planet!

We're Celebrating... And you're Invited!

So this year Paradise is celebrating and in the coming months the company is sharing its celebrations with the customers who have helped to make it one of the world's most popular seed banks.

Leading up to the big 420 celebrations we have decided to reward every customer with a star. Not a gold star, but a great big powerful star that shimmers silver with its trichome coating! In February, March and April, every customer buying from our online store or your favorite authorized retailer gets a free Sensi Star seed.

You can read about this heavyweight cup winning strain that put Paradise on the map below, but first...

How it All Began

Twenty five years ago, the world was a different place and the world of weed was unrecognisable from the one we live in today! You had to travel to the origins of a landrace in order to get good weed and indoor growing was so new that growers had to use their imaginations (like 'borrowed' street light bulbs!).

At that time the weed in Europe was of a very bad quality, but Luc was driven by a passion (that still burns!) to produce better quality cannabis. He started by collecting seeds from cannabis travelers who passed through Amsterdam on their way back from weed hotspots around the world - the mountain slopes of Morocco, Pakistan and India and the jungles of Colombia, Brazil and Thailand - and started to cross these with new cannabis genetics being pioneered in the USA and Holland.

It wasn't long before he established a reputation for growing amazing weed and it was at this point he decided to turn his passion into a business. The company's first ad was in cult UK comic book, Viz, announcing 'Parrot Seeds' for sale and mail order customers could send cash in return for seeds!

Sensi Star - Paradise Has Landed!

It was in 1999, in a dramatic underdog story - think Rocky Balboa becoming world champ - that Paradise Seeds arrived with a strain that the cannabis world could not stop talking about. Sensi Star swept up the 1999 High Times and High Life Cups and its reputation was assured for eternity when it was labeled 'The strongest indica you will ever encounter'.

When talking about this strain, it is common to hear it preceded by the term 'legendary' and this was recognized by its inclusion in the High Times Hall of Fame in 2007. This plant grows small and fat and develops dense glistening buds that deliver an epic full body effect (scoring 100% on the relaxation scale according to world renowned cannabis information resource, Leafly).

Sensi Star has gone on to win many more awards and, nearly 20 years after its release is still one of Paradise's best selling indica strains. It’s super powerful relaxation effects have made it popular with medical users and new generations of couch lock fans - who will also feel its force through strains such as Death Star and Rock Star with Sensi Star in the mix.

Birthday plans?....

Paradise will be celebrating our quarter century with new strain releases in the spring and we are especially excited about adding varieties to our CBD collection, which we are confident will blaze a trail for the next 25 years! We look forward to sharing our birthday celebrations with you this year!

Team Paradise

You're all invited of course! As part of our celebrations, this Spannabis we are giving away Sensi Star and a free 420 PhoneGrip with every seed sale! While you're at the stand, sample the rosin press, back by popular demand from last year, and a collaboration with our good friend Jarz.

Away from the expo floor, Paradise Seeds will be competing in the Champions Cup with L.A. Amnesia and Californian Gold, two of our newer strains, competing in the flower category. Cali Gold is also being entered for the Solvent category with a BHO shatter extract.

Yes it's going to be crazy! It always is! And that's what we love about this expo. We've been coming here since the start (16 years and counting). As usual, there's going to be music and entertainment, speakers from the World Cannabis Congress, and stands to provide for every cannabis need you can imagine.

Check out the Spannabis website for more information and come find us!

By the UK government's own statistics, cannabis is the most widely used drug in the country with an estimated 2.4 million UK weed consumers in the year 2017 - 2018 (3.6% of the population). The British Isles have a long association with cannabis - from the days of Henry Vlll when it was illegal not to grow hemp if you farmed land, to 19th Century 'wonder drug' claims by Victorian physicians, right through to its association with the counterculture in the 20th Century.

Not a great climate for growing outdoors, UK weed growers have fully embraced the innovations which have made indoor growing so successful since the 1990s, the scene fuelled by opportunities to buy cannabis seeds over the internet. As a result, the country boasts a sophisticated home grow scene that is highly knowledgeable and receptive to new technology and growing methods.

Paradise Seeds has a long (and very happy!) association with the UK cannabis scene that goes right back to the mid Nineties. Many UK growers now buy cannabis seeds online, but pre-internet they bought mail order via Paradise Seeds ads in cult comic Viz - home to such classic (and totally un-PC!) characters as Cockney Wanker and Roger Mellie, the Man on the Telly.

The Secret Sessions Cup

Cannabis Cups R Us! Paradise Seeds is one of the most decorated seed companies in history and we've been winning cups since 1998 - over 40 of them to date! Winning a high profile double (High Times and Highlife cups) in 1999 with Sensi Star catapulted Paradise on its trajectory as an internationally renowned seed bank and we have been grabbing silverware all over the world since.

We continue this rich tradition with a visit to the UK this month as a sponsor of the exclusive Secret Session Cannabis Cup (find out more on Instagram) on February 16th/17th, which takes place in the north of England. It's an event that we are very excited about attending because it will host the cream of the crop - quite literally!

We will show our support with a stand where we will be meeting up with old contacts and making new friends on the scene to talk seeds and green results in the heart of the Northern Powerhouse. And we can't wait!

The Secret Session is an exclusive event that has developed a reputation as the place to be seen for cannabis advocates and those involved in the UK growing scene. Celebrity fans include former heavyweight boxing champion Shannon Briggs and music stars Mist and IAMDDB.

The focus is of course is the judging of the finest green samplings in flower and extract form in four categories - Best Flower, Diamonds, Shatter and Hash. Paradise Seeds will be represented over the weekend and our own special entry is a sensational Californian Gold extract made by Exercise Less from Warwickshire County Highgrade (find them on Insta!).

We will also be helping judges with their very difficult (but much envied!) task, by providing them with Paradise Seeds goodie bags, filled with samples from Amsterdam's finest seed selection and some scrumptious Space Cookies inspired edibles whipped up by our good mates at Spacemonkeyedibles! And, we’ll be joining you at many more Cup events later this year! We are teaming up with good friends and real pro growers for different larger and smaller Cups in 2019.

As the name suggests, it's a secret session so tune into your underground railway connections to book yourself what will be a super hot ticket to this special event! Following the SSCC we will be participating in The Spannabis Champions Cup but, we are also pleased to be appearing at smaller cup events this year such as the Feira e as Mille Flores in May. We will keep you informed of our cannabis cup movements as the year progresses.

UK Weed: Cannabis Social Club Network

Despite the recent advances towards the downscaling of the stigma associated with UK weed, legal recreational cannabis remains off the menu for the significant number of UK consumers. As well as prompting a home growing revolution, issues with criminal association and the risk of buying from the street that are linked to prohibition, has seen the rise of a UK cannabis social club movement.

A network of social clubs exists throughout the UK , many represented by UK Cannabis Social Clubs, a non-profit organization. It campaigns for legalization and represents private membership clubs for adult medical and recreational use - a safe place to consume cannabis with other users.

The UK weed social club scene attracted media attention in the run up to the country's legalization, when Derbyshire's Police Crime Commissioner, Hardyal Dhindsa, experienced the social club environment first hand. "I was sceptical about this before I came," he told the Victoria Derbyshire porgramme.

"What I've heard is they appear to be making a difference in terms of how people don't go on the street and get more targeted and become more vulnerable." A handful of PCCs from other regions (North Wales, Durham, West Midlands, Gloucestershire and Avon and Somerset) also gave an opinion that they didn't believe social clubs should be criminalised.

While legalization for recreational use is off the table for now, UK weed users are definitely seeing more signs of an unspoken tolerance by many police forces who, with slashed budgets and decreased manpower are pressed to apply their resources to busting home growers who are not seeking to exploit their harvests for criminal intent.

At Paradise Seeds we have a lot of respect for the UK scene and we are really encouraged by developments that point towards a more socially normalized status for cannabis in the future. We look forward to The Secret Session Cannabis Cup where we’ll be finding out more about the UK weed scene and bringing you a special report, so stay tuned!

Paradise Seeds has provided seeds for the Daya Foundation to distribute to a network of patients suffering from a range of diseases and conditions including epilepsy and cancer. Through workshops and courses, the Chilean charity informs people how cannabis can be cultivated to help them treat their illness.

Ana María Gazmuri, Executive Director of the Daya Foundation, said, "We greatly appreciate this donation from Paradise Seeds. Our patients will be able to carry out their first crops, alleviate their symptoms and improve their quality of life. Home growing is the main access route for our patients and we hope that many more can continue their own growing."

The Chilean donation is just one example from the Medical Program we launched at the beginning of this year to assist those in most need. This program is ongoing, and is available to any patient who can prove they have a medical condition for which cannabis can provide some relief.

Medical cannabis patients, growing for their own personal treatment, receive a 50% discount on all of our Paradise Seeds varieties (although this offer is only available in countries with no seed import restrictions).

Paradise Seeds Medical Cannabis Program

The program is free to join for any medical user who can provide us with relevant medical documentation (such as prescription, medical card or doctor’s recommendation) along with ID for proof of identity.

Since launching the Medical Program, we have been overwhelmed by the response we have received from medical users who have been sharing their stories with how it has helped them - from individual users to growers groups such as the dedicated members of La Piantiamo Social Club who provide cannabis to over 300 of their handicapped members.

As Paradise Seeds founder, Luc Krol, says, "When we launched Paradise Seeds 24 years ago, we soon became aware that patients suffering from a range of medical conditions were using cannabis to relieve their symptoms.
Cannabis brings relief for many thousands of medical cannabis users and yet many patients still struggle to find a reliable supply of high quality cannabis. They are forced to buy from the street, paying high prices for cannabis that is often poor quality, non-organic and often containing harmful additives.

It is time this changed. Growing medical cannabis for personal use should be a human right. This discount is a token of our belief and we hope this program will be of help to those patients who need it the most. As a medical cannabis user, growing your own, is the only way to ensure quality and consistency."

A Medical Cannabis User's Experience

Juan (aged 43) is a medical cannabis user from Spain who has suffered from muscle spasms since he picked up an injury in his job as a construction worker. He uses Wappa to make his own cannabis tinctures and also vapes to treat his condition.

"I picked up a musculoskeletal disorder the doctors said resulted from repetitive lifting over the years. I suffer from muscle spasms in my lower back which can be really painful and basically incapacitate me. I was on strong painkillers but I didn't like what they were doing to my body.
About five years ago, my girlfriend suggested I look into cannabis. I had never used it before, but I researched it and found out that cannabis reduces inflammation. I got hold of some, borrowed a vape (I don't smoke), and was amazed at the results. All I know is that it relaxes me and as a result my muscle spasms become more controllable.
I have grown a number of strains over the years but Wappa has become my strain of choice. When I heard about the Paradise medical program I signed up. All I can say is thank you Paradise for subsidising what I see as essential medicine!"

Top Paradise Seeds Strains for Medical Treatment

Paradise Seeds has over 30 cannabis strains to choose from and while medical users tend to like different strains based on their preferences, here are some good general medical varieties to try.

Autoflowers are popular with many medical users, thanks to their compact size which makes them an easy fit into a garden or on a balcony and avoids the attention of neighbors. Best medical performers with good pain relief qualities are Pandora and Vertigo. Our dedicated medical varieties have a higher CBD content, bringing relaxation without the heady effects that comes with THC. These include Durga Mata ll CBD and Nebula ll CBD.

First stop is ExpoMedeWeed in Medellin which takes place in the awesome venue of the city's botanical gardens, Friday/Saturday/Sunday, November 23/24/25. Opening hours are 9am - 7pm each day. Come and say hi and find out about Paradise Seeds products including our new hybrid strain based on California genetics - the mighty Space Cookies!

As well as Paradise Seeds you will find 150 exhibitors and 42 conference speakers including Francisco Alvarez , Jose Carlos Bouso and Xavier Nadal talking on topics ranging from cannabis and sports to cannabis politics and human rights and the use of cannabinoids in the pharmacy industry.

Second stop on our Latin America tour is at ExpoWeed in the Chilean capital Santiago. It takes place in the Parque O'Higgins, November 30/ December 1/December 2 , from 12.00 to 20.00 each day. As well as many exhibitors, there are speakers and main stage entertainment from the likes of Guachupe, Quique Neira and Drefquila.

Come and see us on STAND 104. ExpoWeed is another favorite expo of ours, we have been coming here from the early days and have seen it grow to a fantastic 20,000 person event over the years. To all our Chilean friends old and new, come and visit us!

We are super excited to be making our Colombian and Chilean trips and look forward to catching some great vibes!

If the answer to the second question is something incredibly pungent and mouth wateringly sweet then you are not alone. This is the year that California weed strains have gone mainstream!

From GSC (formerly Girl Scout Cookies) to OG Kush to Green Crack, California has been a traditional powerhouse in cannabis strain production and legalization has turned that long running tradition of growing fine cannabis in the Golden State into a million dollar legal business. As an example, in the first quarter of 2018 California collected over $60 million in marijuana related tax revenue.

California weed strains are known for their strength but also for their sense of the exotic, bringing a terpene rich intensity of smell and flavor that tickles the senses in ways other strains don't. Once upon a time, such sensory enriching weed was a high grade secret for connoisseurs, but legalization across the USA has helped to open them up to the world.

There are a number of reasons why California has thrived as a weed producing region. Not only does it have an exceptional climate for growing weed, but its proximity to central America brought seeds and knowledge across the border in the early days. Cultural factors have played a huge part too as California was at the epicentre of the counterculture for which marijuana has traditionally been a driver, attracting pioneers, activists and cannabis visionaries to settle there. It was also the first state to legalize medical cannabis through Proposition 215 (1996), to treat the symptoms of AIDS patients as the disease impacted hard on cities such as San Francisco. This was where the US legalization ball first began to roll...

The Dutch California Weed Strain connection

While California weed strains seem to be the secret that the rest of the world has only just discovered this year, the Dutch have been in on this secret for much longer! For many years the Netherlands was the only place where you could legally consume cannabis and this created an environment of great creativity and experimentation with cultivation methods from the 1970s - 1990s until the internet made this knowledge universally available.

California Weed Strains - The Amsterdam Connection

Back then, Amsterdam was a hotspot destination for many Californian growers looking to get their hands on quality seeds and sharing joints and information in Amsterdam's coffee shops about new growing techniques! As such there have been strong historical ties between the growing communities in California and the Netherlands.

In the early days of Paradise Seeds, many of our seeds were snapped up by Californian growers and taken back to the United States where the genetics found their way into the California weed strain mix. Our recent collaboration with California based cannabis legend, Tommy Chong, on the Chong's Choice line recognises these deep roots.

Paradise Seeds California Weed Strains

This year we revisited the California connection as the inspiration for two new Paradise Seeds strains to celebrate the start of marijuana legalization in California. Space Cookies is a Paradise twist on GSC, bringing relaxed euphoria and the distinctive flavor of the original strain with enhanced taste and potency. Meanwhile the foundations of Californian Gold come from the GSC which we have paired with classic old school genetics (with added Dutch turbo boost!). A delicious blend for all Indica lovers..

Why is it exclusive? 3 reasons to get excited!
1) These seeds are not for sale on our site - only available as part of this promo.
2) Omar Sharif is a pure Afghani landrace strain in regular seed form - a potent high yield original!
3) Follow #growomar to play a part in this strain’s release and win prizes!

We can’t wait to share this jewel from the Paradise Seeds vault with you and hear your thoughts on #growomar !

FREE SEEDS. On all orders over 50€:

* For every 50€ you spend we will give you 2 free Omar Sharif regular seeds.
For example, 50€ spend = 2 free seeds, 100€ spend = 4 free seeds, etc.

FREE GIFTS: On all orders

- With every order you get a free Paradise Seeds pen or pack of rolling papers (choose at cart).
- + Free shipping in Europe with every order over 100€.

More about our new giveaway only strain - Omar Sharif:

Omar Sharif is a smooth and sensual indica strain that will pick you up and float you mountain high with its pure Afghan heritage and big yield reputation. It is the first regular seed to be released from the Paradise Seeds vault for some time and an original landrace variety.

As a ‘regular’ strain, a seed batch may contain female and male seeds. Male plants need to be removed (sexing characteristics show early in growth - males display tiny ‘balls’ where the branches extend from the stalk and females display hairs).

The name Omar Sharif is an homage to the great actor and a reference to the origins of this Afghan landrace which is found on the mountain sides of the city of Mazar-i-Sharif in Afghanistan which is a legendary center for prime hashish production. Unsurprisingly, this plant oozes with resin.

In the mix for many of Paradise Seeds' finest indica varieties, we have decided to release this strain in its original form for the enjoyment of all. Its exotic nature makes it a must for the committed indica connoisseur.

For the indoor setup, this is not a beginner's strain. It's an original, without the enhanced qualities of added genetics and to get the most out of Omar Sharif this plant needs to be worked. It needs nurturing with nutrients from an early stage and to tap into its big yield potential you will need powerful lights to substitute for the sun. However treat it right and it will reward generously!

Outdoors, in a sunny climate, this plant will excel. In its home environment it is not uncommon to reach heights of up to 4 metres and under a hot sun the yield potential is huge. While not an ideal climate in more northern, cooler, regions one big positive is its natural in-built mold resistance.

Omar Sharif is an old school strain in every sense of the word... It grows fast and produces extremely oily, evenly spaced out buds. Its Afghan heritage is plain to see in its unique pointed leaves and color change as it approaches flowering (turning purple/black). The smell is an enchanting combination of earthy tones and a pine freshness and the flavor is reassuringly earthy and spicy.

The effect kicks in with a potency that is both uplifting in the high it delivers but also tremendously relaxing, which reflects the presence of high levels of CBD and this makes it a great choice for medical cannabis users too . A regal indica that delivers a highly enjoyable user experience all round.

Follow #ParadiseSeeds on Facebook and #GrowOmar on Instagram and share your pictures and experience with us. Stay tuned for a fun competition to be announced soon!

We have been attending Cannafest since the beginning and it remains one of our favorite expos to see and be seen at! Come and check out Paradise Seeds at Cannafest and find out more about which of our strains is the best option for your needs.

Check out our new Paradise Seeds varieties, Space Cookies and Californian Gold - fresh for 2018 and a celebration of the Cali weed strains that are so popular at the moment.

As usual the Cannafest program is a nice balance of education and entertainment. There is the Cannafest professional conference which brings in experts from around the world of cannabis, including our old friend Scott Blakey from the CBD Crew, Brandon Allen (cannabis chef & entrepreneur), Matt Shotwell (Weed County), Barbora Bláhová and Zdeněk Majzlík (Legalizace./Activist) and Božidar Radišič from Slovenia.

Cannafest also features on stage action, workshops and performances over the weekend. And let’s not forget its reputation for legendary after parties that bring all styles of beats to the party. In 2018 Cannafest features the likes of DJs Kursiva (ESP), MC Jimmy Danger (UK) and all night techno by the LUXOR Sound System at the X-Massacre Warm Up party.

Cannafest opening hours are:
2pm - 8pm, Friday 2nd
11am - 8pm Saturday 3rd
11am - 6pm Sunday 4th

PVA Expo Prague Letnany
Beranových 667
199 00 Praha 9 – Letňany
See you there!

STRAINS OF THE MONTH: ALL

20% OFF ALL Paradise strains (ONLINE PROMO ONLY) for this month! With 30+ strains to choose from, treat your grow room to something new!

FREE SEEDS. On all orders over 40€:

* Spend 40€ with us and get a free 1 ‘mystery’ pack.
* Spend 80€ with us and get a free 3 pack.
* Spend 140€ and get a free 5 pack.

Indica, Sativa, Hybrid, autos - you take your pick and we'll give you the discount! So take advantage and try something new, like one of our two new strains of 2018, Space Cookies, Californian Gold

FREE GIFTS: On all orders

Every order you make this summer, we will give you a free gift (you can choose at the cart).
* With every order you get a free Paradise Seeds pen or pack of rolling papers.
* With every order over 40€ we will give you free seeds!
* + Free shipping in Europe with every order over 100€.

STRAINS OF THE MONTH: ALL

20% OFF ALL Paradise strains (ONLINE PROMO ONLY) for this month! With 30+ strains to choose from, treat your grow room to something new!

FREE SEEDS. On all orders over 40€:

* Spend 40€ with us and get a free 1 ‘mystery’ pack.
* Spend 80€ with us and get a free 3 pack.
* Spend 140€ and get a free 5 pack.

Indica, Sativa, Hybrid, autos - you take your pick and we'll give you the discount! So take advantage and try something new, like one of our two new strains of 2018, Space Cookies, Californian Gold

FREE GIFTS: On all orders

Every order you make this summer, we will give you a free gift (you can choose at the cart).
* With every order you get a free Paradise Seeds pen or pack of rolling papers.
* With every order over 40€ we will give you free seeds!
* + Free shipping in Europe with every order over 100€.

We are very much looking forward to bringing the Paradise Seeds roadshow to a new stop on the expo tour. North Grow Expo takes place at the Copenhagen Bella Center on September 7, 8, 9 (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) and you can find us on STAND 34.

It promises to be a center point for the latest medical cannabis information and Paradise Seeds is proud to be one of the main sponsors of the event. We will be there to pass on the knowledge that only comes with many years of producing high quality cannabis seeds!

Danish friends, come and check us out! You can find out more information about the expo from the North Grow website or via the Facebook event.

STRAINS OF THE MONTH: Paradise Autos

Get 2 for 1 on every order of any Autoflowering strains in the Paradise Collection!

FREE SEEDS

* Spend 40€ with us and get a free 1 ‘mystery’ pack.
* Spend 80€ with us and get a free 3 pack.
* Spend 140€ and get a free 5 pack.

Choose from these 3 classic strains (select at checkout):
Dutch Dragon - A legendary strain that will shower your grow room with great tasting sativa buds!
Original Cheese (IBL) - A potent hybrid for body and mind from the original UK genetic line!
Auto Wappa - The autoflowering version of our popular Wappa, the perfect big yielding hybrid.

FREE GIFTS: On all orders

Every order you make this summer, we will give you a free gift (you can choose at the cart).
* With every order you get a free Paradise Seeds pen or pack of rolling papers.
* With every order over 40€ we will give you free seeds!
* + Free shipping in Europe with every order over 100€.

You know that saying "cannabis is just a weed so it will grow anywhere"? Well that isn't strictly true if you take the Google definition of a weed as a wild plant growing where it is not wanted. This plant is most definitely wanted - however it does have a habit of growing pretty well by itself too. In parts of the world –India, Africa and South America - marijuana plants grow wild without any help from human hands.

Yes, it is by nature a hardy plant and yet the modern cannabis home grower will often treat it more like a prize flower, a little princess who is lavished with tasty treats in the form of nutrients! Every grower wants to maximise their harvest, but are we guilty of giving these ‘weeds’ too much love?!

Training Plants for Better Harvests

In recent times with more information available and better technology, new techniques have emerged that have changed conventional thinking on how to grow marijuana plants. Paradise Seeds has focused on techniques such as SCROG (Screen Of Green), SOG (Sea Of Green) and LST (Low Stress Training) in articles before. The plants grown through these methods look very different to the traditional 'Christmas tree' cannabis plant shape.

Although these techniques are increasingly being used in indoor grow rooms, they can also offer great advantages for the outdoor grower too. However, it often takes a leap of faith to abandon the old faithful way and try something new.

Extreme Cannabis Training is Easy

Treat your plant like a weed and subject it to a bit of extreme cannabis training! When it reaches four or five nodes start tying it down. Bend the stem and anchor it down! No fancy tools required - tent pegs cable ties, string, a bootlace... Yes you will feel bad! Your poor little plant will look like a trapped animal, all twisted and bent out of shape and you will feel like a cruel monster for what you have done.

Return the next day however and you will be pleasantly surprised. Not only will the plant be fine, it will have revived and adjusted to its new trajectory! This is the trick to extreme cannabis training. repeat the process every few days, keep bending your plant and start sculpting. You will soon realize the amazing power of the cannabis plant to respond to being treated mean!

Pictured is a Paradise Seeds Belladonna plant nearing harvest at the end of October in a northern European garden. This plant was trained into a spiral and the unique shape provides some great advantages for the outdoor cannabis grower.

One the biggest advantages of using this method is the fact that your cannabis plant is much easier to camouflage. If you have a problem with nosy neighbours, or just want to be more discreet, a cannabis plant sculpted by extreme training blends in to the background thanks to its unorthodox shape and low canopy.

Unlike the top heavy bud production on a traditional plant, cannabis training will produce more buds of equal size. This is because the load is being spread so all the buds get light exposure. Having them spread out and smaller in size also increases air circulation allowing for better mold protection. The stunted height also makes them easier to cover to protect buds from Autumn rains.

Dangers of Extreme Cannabis Training

Stressing the plant too much can have a negative effect. One of the issues with the cultivation technique known as manifolding (cutting the stem to spread the growth) is that the recovery time for a stressed plant produces too much vegetation. There is also the danger of snapping stems through over stressing.

Extreme cannabis training may not be for everyone, but for an outdoor gardener who likes to get creative there is a real satisfaction in sculpting a plant... even if you do have to get mean to achieve it!

Say hello to Space Cookies and Californian Gold - our first new varieties for 2018 and two little beauties to join our extensive cannabis strain catalogue! Stay with us and we will explain a little about the process that takes place to arrive at a new strain. However, first of all, let's meet the new arrivals!

Space Cookies

Space Cookies is a powerful but harmonious hybrid (60 sativa/40 indica) and is the Paradise Seeds version of the very popular GSC (formerly known as Girl Scout Cookies). Paradise has never been afraid to add its own twist to a classic, and Space Cookies is no different.

We have taken the great power and taste of the original and enhanced it with some highly satisfying traits. These include a more manageable plant to cultivate with great growth uniformity, and a wonderful accentuation of the terpenes.

The distinctive sweet and pine taste of Space Cookies will make your mouth water and as for the effect - Space Cookies will take you to the final frontier with a long lasting and out of this world pleasantness!

Californian Gold

Californian Gold is a hybrid (80 indica / 20 sativa) that combines classic feel good cannabis genetics with a cranking turbo boost. Here is a new strain from Paradise that celebrates California's role in the cannabis legalization movement, which resulted in legalization for the USA's 'Golden State.'

The foundations of this strain are old school Californian classic genes, spiced up with some Dutch magic! Highlights of this new strain include a robust plant that produces big golden nuggets that are resinous to the point of being ridiculous!

A great taster - fruity mango sweetness - and a joy of an experience, Californian Gold comes with a relaxing, but uplifting and clear headed effect. A very impressive addition to the Paradise Seeds selection of cannabis seeds.

The Paradise Effect

Both these strains are the result of the ongoing Paradise Seeds R+D program to develop stable genetics across all our plant varieties. In order to achieve this, hundreds of plants are grown in our breeding rooms to choose only a handful of specimens to provide the Mother and Father plants that combine to produce a new variety.

To develop a new strain takes time, patience and of course an extensive knowledge of cannabis genetics. It is in this process that having more than 20 years in the business makes a significant difference to quality. It's something that experienced growers recognise in Paradise Seeds and that new growers appreciate (in the form of high performance uniform and stable plants).

So we look forward to releasing our new creations into the wild and sharing them with the world! We are very pleased with what we have achieved and we can't wait to find out what you, the growers, think of our new Space Cookies and Californian Gold varieties!

We love cannabis expos! Why? because it is our chance to get out and meet people - from home  growers to shop owners selling our seeds and those people making waves in the cannabis scenes of their countries.    

Destination Cannabis Expo!

In March, we were at Spannabis in Barcelona. If you have visited before you will know how much energy there is at the Fira de Cornella, which hosts tens of thousands of  visitors over 3 days. After 15 years it is still one of the most important expos on the circuit and certainly one of the biggest.

This was the 15th edition of Spannabis and Paradise Seeds has been going since the beginning - in the days when you didn't have to even smoke to get stoned because the expo floor would be permanently under a massive ganja cloud! We have watched it grow over the years, along with the Spanish cannabis scene which remains one of the most healthy in Europe thanks to the  explosion of cannabis associations in recent years.

Behind the Scenes

Remember the saying about the swan that is so graceful on top of the water while under the water it is paddling furiously! Well that is what it is like preparing for a cannabis expo. There are frantic behind the scenes preparations to make sure everything runs smoothly once the expo begins. This time lapse video gives you an idea of the hard work involved!

In fact, planning starts in our office a month earlier with a long list of things to do! But the hard work is worth it when the doors open and we get to welcome people to our stand, chat about what's happening in the cannabis scene and the latest Paradise Seeds news - from new medical cannabis projects to new varieties.

Cannabis Expo Highlights

This Spannabis was all about Rosin! We had a lot of fun with the Rosin press on our stand, pressing up the bud of Spannabis expo visitors to produce high quality resin and one lucky customer even got to take the press home as a promo prize!

Of course, we were pressing up some expertly grown local buds taken from Paradise Seeds strains - including some highly potent Nebula and some delicious wax and  shatter brought to us, made from our eternally popular Wappa.

If you are new to Rosin then read up, because this is an extraction technique that has been gaining popularity in the past couple of years. And for good reason! This method uses heat, not solvents, in the extraction process. The result is a product that is clean and full of fragrance and flavor because the process retains the terpenes (which can be lost with solvent extraction).  

On the stand, there was a lot of great customer feedback about our new Mendocino Skunk and Blue Kush Berry varieties from the Chong's Choice range. The show edition of Cáñamo featured a full length interview with our collaborator on this strain range, the legendary cannabis activist and comedian, Tommy Chong.

New Face at Paradise Seeds

Internet chat is great, but there is nothing like personal contact. This year we are committed to bringing Paradise Seeds closer to you than ever before! Our team is getting bigger all the time, and this Spannabis we said a big hello to Gerard, our new face on the ground in Spain. As our brand ambassador in Spain he will be making sure Paradise Seeds are available in a store near you and keeping you up to date through our social media.

That's the Spannabis cannabis expo done for the next year. The stand is packed up at Paradise HQ and ready for the next expo mission to. Hope to see you there

420: Cannabis Slang Goes Mainstream

How cool to be an old school Waldo now? Every April you can whisper the immortal words, "I invented that phrase" and watch the world lighting up at 4.20pm! So in this spirit, we are going to take a look at how some other weed and cannabis names have blazed a trail through popular culture.

Time Magazine estimates that there are over 1200 slang names for Mary Jane, ganja, bang, marijuana, cannabis, or whatever the hell you like to call it! Some of these are known worldwide, some of them are unique to a time and place (for instance the Hawaiian term 'da kine').

Here's our round up of some of the better known weed and cannabis slang names:

Popular Cannabis Slang Through History

Reefer

It is believed that this weed slang has its roots in the 1930s and originated from the Mexican Spanish word grifa, although the word 'reefer' was first printed in Time magazine in 1931. As any self respecting cannabist knows, this word became synonymous with Reefer Madness, a moralist public information (ie propaganda) film made in 1936 that was rediscovered in the 1970s as a cult classic. It has been laughed at ever since and justified by many as a good reason to start smoking the demon reefer...
Best line: "Just a young boy. Under the influence of the drug, he killed his entire family with an axe".

Spliff

The word 'spliff' originates from the Caribbean and was first recorded in the 1930s. In the history of weed and cannabis slang there is no other word that is as synonymous with the Reggae scene which helped to spread the cannabis habit around the world. This was mostly thanks to the efforts of Bob Marley, who took a small island sound, heavy with drugs references, and turned it into a globally accepted form of music listened to by spliff heads and straight heads alike!
Best line: "Excuse me while I light my spliff" (Bob Marley).

Chronic

This was the moment that weed met Hip Hop in popular culture and the age of chronic brought a new era of cannabis popular culture. Apparently it was the high profile major hip hop (and now high profile cannabis star) Snoop Dogg who put the phrase 'chronic' on the map when he misheard hydroponic as hydrochronic - or so he claims anyway. The result was a new name for the 90s generation to describe quality weed which was immortalized in the Dr Dre album of the same name.
Best line: "Later on that day, my ehomie Dr. Dre came through with a gang of Tanqueray and a fat ass J of some bubonic chronic".

Pot

The 1930s was a very productive time for weed and cannabis slang words and ‘pot’ is another to add to this list. It is said to come from the Spanish word for a type of wine/brandy, potaguaya, in which weed buds were soaked. The word was used by the hippies in the 1960s and 1970s. Nobody uses it now, except for old hippies, teachers and people who don't smoke pot...
Best line: "I've bought a lot of pot. Now I'm selling some back" (Willie Nelson, owner of Willie's Reserve)

Dank

In recent years it's been all about the 'dank'. The origin is Swedish and your English teacher will tell you this means a smelly, nasty, damp place, like a moldy cellar or a swamp. However in the best tradition of opposites, dank now means potent and pungent in a good way (much the same as ‘bad’ or ‘sick’ means good).
Best line: "Hold you in the holding tank for smoking dank" (Dizzy Wright).

Hemp Plastic Solution?

Right now, plastic is a problem that won’t go away. Literally. That plastic package you tossed this morning will continue to exist for at least 500 years. Here are a couple of other inconvenient facts: According to Eco Watch we have already produced more plastic this century than we did in the whole 20th century, and 50% of the plastics we use as consumers are one-use only.

Depressing news? Yes it is. In some parts of the world, governments and people are trying to do something about the plastic problem, but radical problems need radical solutions… So let’s continue with (yet another) excellent common sense reason to embrace the cannabis plant.

Say the word ‘hemp’ and most non cannabis users will picture a hippy in a baggy shirt and trousers made from cannabis material. Well time to listen up! That image is soooo last century!

Hemp Plastic

There are companies out there making hemp plastics and we predict that there will be many more arriving on the scene in the coming years. It is tough, cheap and has great eco qualities thanks to its biodegradable potential.

Hemp plastic is produced using cellulose extracted from hemp pulp and although it contains cannabidiol, it contains only the tiniest traces of THC (in America for example the legal limit of THC content is 0.3%!).

According to one of the leading industrial hemp companies in the USA, Hemp Inc, there are “over 25,000 different uses for the hemp plant.” As it is stronger than traditional plastic, hemp plastic materials are already widely used in the car industry and in construction.

However, it is domestic consumerism that is piling up the planet’s plastic mountain on a daily basis. A trip to the local supermarket reveals the shocking amount of single use plastic packaging used by companies in the food, toiletry and household sectors. Could hemp plastic halt the pile up?

A Very Brief History of Hemp

As you are probably aware, hemp has had a long and distinguished role in the history of mankind’s development – providing the basis for everything from rope to clothes and paper to the sails of the boats that discovered the world.

In years from now, students of history may well look back and ask “what happened?” as they learn about the decline of the hemp industry following the 1937 Marihuana Tax Act in the USA and the marihuana prohibition period that followed.

In the words of the immortal Jack Herer, writing in The Emperor Wears No Clothes, “If all fossil fuels and their derivatives, as well as trees for paper and construction were banned in order to save the planet, reverse the Greenhouse Effect and stop deforestation; then there is only one known annually renewable natural resource... and that substance is - the same one that did it all before - Cannabis Hemp... Marijuana!”

It could be that 2014 will be seen as the year when things changed. In that year, the US introduced the Farm Bill which legalized industrial hemp research. Since then, 19 US states have started looking at how growing hemp can provide a viable industrial alternative to petroleum derived material.

Elsewhere in the world, hemp production is up. Based on 2016 figures, China is leading the way (estimated to be producing 20% of the world’s hemp output) and Europe is also increasing production, encouraged by the EU.

Why is Hemp Plastic Not Being Used More?

Unfortunately, industrialized hemp is a new industry. Unlike other materials, such as plastic or paper, there is no established global hemp industry and therefore there is a lack of facilities and investment to research and develop hemp plastics on the industrial scale required.

What this seismic shift requires is a change in attitudes and it is consumers who can lead the way. What the environment needs right now is a new lobby of cannabis activists to campaign for a hemp inspired change!

Sativa, Indica, Autoflower? Whatever your preference, you can choose the seeds you want when you check out at the cart. Choose from L.A. Amnesia, Dutch Kush or Auto Acid. The more you spend, the more free seeds you receive!

Exclusive 420 Promo

All around the world people will celebrating cannabis on Friday April 20th. We are celebrating too! We have 25% off all our strains for one day only. Wishing you all a very happy 420 from Paradise Seeds!

Deal of the month

This month our strain promo offer features: a 20% discount on:
Auto Collection pack #1 & Auto Collection pack #2
Would you like to try? Well let us help with a 20% discount - available for the whole month.

1) Cannabis Stocks Opportunities

If you are an investor, there is money to be made from marijuana without having to set up a cannabis grow room, buy a set of scales or hang around on street corners. However, just because the company is showing new green credentials, big business is big for a reason and you may want to check the moral compass of those companies cashing in on cannabis stocks.

Some financial experts predict that the legal marijuana market in California will be worth an extra $5 billion to the Californian economy. However, as legalization of marijuana arrives it is likely that the new situation will take some time to adjust to, from both sides – policy makers and users.
Likely effects of Californian weed legalization –

For example, there are medical cannabis providers, such as the Canadian firm ABcann, who have a background in the cannabis industry and stress the organic nature of their product… and new players like the multinational lawn and garden corporation, Scotts Miracle-Gro, who are developing cannabis grow products and pesticides.  Hmmmm tough choice….

2) Cannabis Stocks Positives

With legalization creeping further across the USA (California and Massachusetts in 2018) and coming to Canada, money is flowing into the newly legalized industry. For those cannabis users and growers who have spent a lifetime hiding in the shadows, the normalization of cannabis resulting from a market in cannabis stocks is a good thing.

Just with any economic revolution, new investment opens up new opportunities for many smaller businesses to grab a niche by starting up a new company to service the new demand for all things cannabis.  While statistics say that the majority of cannabis start ups will fail, but for those with the right product and experience, a piece of the pie (or at least some generous crumbs) are there to be got!

There is also an argument to say that with cannabis related activity now being traded on the stock exchange, the industry will become more legitimate from a business perspective. As the stigma falls away, we are looking forward to a time when marijuana is just ‘another’ product. This could quickly spread legalization around the world.

3) Cannabis Stocks Negatives

It is an element of cannabis legalization that does not sit well with many old timers in the scene, especially those activists who have sacrificed much and risked all in the fight to legalize medical and recreational cannabis use over the years. For many activists, the stock market rush for marihuana is the ultimate sell out.

They argue, with good reason, that after all these years it has taken the involvement of big business to legitimize cannabis and they are questioning whether big business cares about preserving the cannabis scene or exploiting it solely for profit. 

A Word From Our (Wise) Sponsor!

In a recent Paradise Seeds interview with Tommy Chong, one of the drivers of 1970s cannabis counter culture was dismissive about the sudden interest from big business.

“You get lots of these business types wanting to talk about opportunities in the cannabis industry, but it’s important to work with people who understand what weed is all about. You know what I do? I ask them to smoke a joint with me. Then you see where they are really coming from!” 

Inside a Legal Medical Cannabis Grow

Jolyon Saville Peck is ABcann’s head grower, and over the years has been instrumental in developing the sophisticated legal cannabis grow operation that supplies Canadian patients with high grade medical marijuana. ABcann has built a reputation for providing very high quality medical grade organic marihuana that is standardized – delivering the same compound consistency every time.

Space Age Cannabis Grow!

For ABCann, growing weed is a serious business. A big concern regarding medical cannabis is the inconsistency of product. ABcann are working in partnership with scientists from the University of Guelph to standardize production.

Speaking on Skype, Jolyon gives an insight into the huge advantages of operating a cannabis grow within a legalized framework. A key component of the ABcann program to standardize medical cannabis production is a number of controlled growth environment chambers allowing his team total management over all aspects of a cannabis plant’s growth cycle.

If your experience of a ‘grow environment’ is a tent in the attic or a spare bedroom, then prepare to shout ‘Wow!’,  because these things look like they have come straight out of Star Trek. The hi-tech cannabis grow chambers were developed as part of an aerospace program to find a solution to growing food on the moon or Mars!  (Yes, we want one too, but let’s just say for the same price you could buy yourself a house…).

Inside the growth chambers, everything is computer controlled, from lighting (LEDs provide a spectrum of lighting over 7-9 channels) to nutrients and the airtight chambers even permit the analysis of a plant’s gas and osmosis exchanges as they grow. This specialized environment enables the grow team to manipulate the plant’s development to even control the secondary metabolites – terpenoids, cannabinoids and flavonoids.

“Let me give you an example,” says Jolyon. “If there are certain aspects of a plant strain that we like – for example a short, stocky structure or we would like to turn a 10 - 12 week flowering variety into an 8 week cycle to fit into our cultivation schedule, then we can manipulate the growing environment to make these tweaks.”

Paradise Seeds in the ABcann Cannabis Grow

Jolyon has been working with Paradise Seeds founder and master breeder, Luc Krol, for many years. He explains that one of the key factors in growing good quality medical grade cannabis is to work with an experienced breeder of strains. “With legalization, many people are getting involved in the industry,” he says, “but having that relationship with a master breeder and being able to access their knowledge and experience is invaluable.”

Related to this is the quality of the seed. “Genetics play a crucial role when it comes to researching and developing medical cannabis strains, and again this is what comes with working with the breeder. What we are looking for is a stable, consistent product.”

ABcann works with various Paradise Seeds in its legal medical cannabis grow to produce dried flower cannabis product, which is re-branded for medical use and is currently available on prescription.  “Paradise strains come with their own unique qualities. For example Wappa is a fantastic Indica. She is easy to work with, she’s a great producer (yield wise) and so a great all rounder.

Ice Cream is resin rich and very popular in dispensaries and Nebula II CBD, a specialized medical variety, is a decent producer with a good ‘nose’. Probably my favourite is Sensi Star. Easy to work with, a good yielder and she has a totally unique terpene profile, very pungent and a combination of citrus and spice. Or in simpler terms…. Sensi Star

What type of gardener are you? Perhaps you are a traditionalist who likes to stick to the same strain because you know it works for you. Or are you a gardener that likes the excitement of rotation and trying out new varieties?

Whichever gardener you are, Paradise Seeds is here to help you get the most out of your garden with some hot winter promos. These will change every month so keep checking in to see what we can offer you in 2018!

* Strain of the Month * Get 20% OFF Original White Widow IBL this month!
Let’s welcome Spring with an old classic! Original White Widow (IBL) is an original strain that needs little introduction. This potent 50/50 sativa/indica hybrid is a big yielder and a big hitter!

* GIFTs for all customers! *
- Get a free Paradise Seeds pen or rolling papers with every order (choose at cart).
- Spend over 40 Euro and get a free Paradise Seeds grinder.
- Ordering in Europe? Free shipping on all orders of 100 Euro+.

* FREE Paradise Seeds in March! *. Spend 80 Euro and get a free 3 pack. Spend 140 Euro and get a free 5 pack.

Two legendary Paradise Seeds strains (choose at cart):

Paradise Seeds will be making our annual pilgrimage to this long running expo which takes place in the beautiful city of Barcelona.

We are on Stand 25 (in the main hall) and we will have our full team at the event to bring some Paradise magic – with advice, special promos and of course an extensive range of merchandise and seeds for sale.

This will be the 15th edition of this famous event and as well as stands for all things cannabis there will be live entertainment and the latest innovations in the cannabis industry as well as the World Cannabis Congress featuring influential speakers from the cannabis scene.

See you there!

The scheme is part of Paradise Seeds’ ongoing commitment to furthering the medical cannabis cause and supporting the needs of those who need it most.

Paradise Seeds founder and master breeder, Luc Krol, said: “When we launched Paradise Seeds 24 years ago, we soon became aware that patients suffering from a range of medical conditions were using cannabis to relieve their symptoms.
In recent years anecdotal evidence has increasingly been supported by scientific research. Cannabis brings relief for many thousands of medical users and yet many patients still struggle to find a reliable supply of high quality cannabis.
It is time this changed, especially in the light of the continuing global legalization process. Growing medical cannabis for personal use should be a human right. This discount is a token of our belief and we hope this program will be of help to those patients who need it most.”

Paradise Seeds strains are grown by companies producing medical cannabis under license from the Canadian Government and Government supported grow projects in South America. Paradise is also a main sponsor of the Medical Cannabis Bike Tour which raises money for research into cannabis as a potential cancer treatment.

To qualify for the Paradise Seeds medical program, users will need to supply ID and relevant medical documentation (such as prescription, medical card or doctor’s recommendation). The offer is available to those growing for personal use and is bound by national restrictions regarding the import of seeds. For more details and to send the medical documentation we kindly ask you to contact the dedicated email address medical@paradise-seeds.com

February 16/17/18 we will be on Stand P05. Come and say hi! As well as over 30 varieties on sale from our stand, we will be there to give advice and share some great promotions with you! We look forward to getting some of those fantastic Italian vibes!

CanapaMundi started in 2015 and this will be the biggest year yet. There are over 150 stands showcasing the latest innovations in hemp products, parties, conferences, exhibitions, art and music. We will be there, what about you?!

Cannabis Legalization in California

The state of California has a population of close to 40 million people and, if it was a country, it would be the 6th largest economy in the world. So this big news for the cannabis legalization cause, not just at state or national level, but potentially worldwide!

Some financial experts predict that the legal marijuana market in California will be worth an extra $5 billion to the Californian economy. However, as legalization of marijuana arrives it is likely that the new situation will take some time to adjust to, from both sides – policy makers and users.
Likely effects of Californian weed legalization –

1) Falling medical marijuana sales. As vital as cannabis is for many users with debilitating medical conditions, it is no real secret that a medical card opened the door to the medical dispensary and was therefore route 1 for recreational weed heads looking to score some high grade. The Los Angeles Times forecasts that medical cannabis sales will dip from $2 billion to $600 million as that correction occurs.

2) Higher prices. Legalization means taxation. The State will charge 15% tax on the retail value of cannabis products. However, weed consumers also fear the effects caused by local government crashing the party with added local taxes. A recent Fortune article suggested this could raise the price of a weed deal by up to 70% in some parts of the state.

3) Lots more paperwork. For those involved in the industry at least. Regulation means the need for licenses to operate in all aspects of the weed industry – from selling to consumers to shipping cannabis.

4) Tourist jackpot. California is set to cash in on a whole wave of cannabis tourism. Home to some of the world’s biggest tourist attractions already – from Disneyland to Hollywood, via the Nappa Valley and Golden Gate Bridge – a whole new tourist niche, seeing the state through a cannabis tinted lens, is about to open up!

5) More weed, better quality weed, weed free from paranoia at the point of purchase. All positive outcomes predicted for the coming year in CA!

Cannabis Legalization in Canada

At Paradise Seeds we have been monitoring the cannabis legalization movement in Canada for some time, and reported on the announcement that Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Government was going to legalize.

This year the promise becomes a reality and there is much debate about how the legalization will impact. The population of Canada is actually smaller than that of California (close to 36.5 million), but its legalization process will potentially have more significance for the world because it is a sovereign country.

With seven months to go until the official legal launch date (July) there is still a great deal of debate about what the legal weed scene in Canada will look like. While the Federal government is legislating for legalization (and a Canadian $1 tax per gram), it will be the country’s 10 provinces that have the ultimate say in what that legalization looks like.

An early illustration of this in practice is Ontario’s decision to make the legal age 19 to buy weed (the Federal Government suggests 18), while Quebec has said it will not allow residents to grow cannabis at home (even though the Federal recommendation is that citizens can grow up to four plants for personal consumption).

What is clear is that, between now and July, there will be lots of discussion and debate as the details are hammered out. Meanwhile, cannabis legalization is going to have an impact in all kinds of places and already they are asking the question, what is going to happen to the poor sniffer dogs after July?!

After you have made a choice and have put one or more products in the shopping basket, please check if your order is correct. Then you can click the “proceed to check-out” button to continue and pay your order.
The total sum includes tax, no extra costs will be added, except shipping costs. 

Shipping costs

You can choose between two options:
- regular mail (€ 5)
- registered mail within EU  € 10,- (guaranteed delivery)
- registered mail outside EU € 16,- (no guaranteed delivery)

We advice you to choose registered mail. In this case you will have proof that we have actually send the parcel to you. The registration number of the parcel is used to trace a parcel in case it gets lost, which happens rarely.

Delivery

We will send seeds in the whole of Europe. Some countries outside Europe are excluded. We do not send seeds to the USA. Please contact us by email in case of doubt, to check if we will send seeds to your country. Paradise Seeds reserves the right to refuse shipments abroad without notification of reason.
During the ordering process you can type in the delivery address. If you wish this can be another address then the invoice address.
After payment is received, you will receive an email that your your order will be shipped to you.
In Europe it takes a few days by post to deliver. Outside Europe, it may take a bit longer, depending on the postal service in your country.
Your order will be sent in a discreet envelope. Senders name is Paradise Products B.V. If you prefer to have the seeds send differently, let us know.

Guaranteed delivery

We guarantee delivery only on orders within EU that have been send with registered mail. If a parcel gets lost, Paradise Seeds will replace the parcel.
We cannot guarantee delivery outside EU, even if it is send with registered mail, nor give money charge back. On orders outside of EU you have to accept full responsibility for your order and accept that Paradise Seeds cannot be held responsible for missing items.

Your personal details and privacy

You can make payment as a “guest”, or you can make an account.
If you choose to pay as a guest, fill in the neccesary details. These details will not be saved.
If you choose to make an account, personal details will be saved.  This will make it easy for future orders, you simply login and all the details appear. You can log into your account to change details yourself if neccesary. Your details will not be given to others, and will only be used for your order at Paradise Seeds.

Payment options

With Paradise Seeds you can pay secure online through iDeal, VISA/MasterCard and Bank Transfer. All these payments are handled by our payment providers.

VISA/MasterCard 3DS

Credit Cards are accepted for a selected list of countries, these must be 3DSecure enabled, more info from VISA and MasterCard on 3DS.

Banktransfer

If you choose to make payment by banktransfer, you will be transferred to our payment provider Pay.nl
You can  also pay to us directly. Please use the details below:

Account name: Paradise Products B.V.
Account number: 620461128
Swift/ Bic: ABN ANL 2A
IBAN : NL07ABNA0620461128

BitCoin

You can also make payment with BitCoins for your order.
At Checkout choose BitCoin as the payment method and you'll be given an amount (in BTC) and wallet to make the transfer to. Please make sure to transfer the exact given amount.

Cash

You can also send cash with registered mail, at your own risk to:
Paradise Products B.V.
Postbox 377
1000 AJ Amsterdam
Holland

Complaints

If something is wrong with your order, or there is a problem with the seeds, please contact us with your order details. Always keep the registration number on the back of the packet. 

Contact us

If you have questions that are not answered in the FAQ listing, please contact us by e-mail:  customerservice@paradise-seeds.com. You can also call us (or skype): 0031 20-6795422 Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm  (Dutch time).

Disclaimer

Buying seeds and growing them out is always at your own risk. We can not be held responsible for your actions nor for the actions of third parties. Paradise Seeds does not accept product liability since we are dealing with living material.

You can shop around on our website, click on the “Add to basket” link that is placed under each product. Then you can click “continue shopping” if you want to add more products, or go to the secure checkout and follow the instructions. Payment can be made with one of the following payment methods, depending on your country: iDeal, Sofort, Credit Card, Bank Transfer, BitCoin or Cash.

Alternatively you can send your order by email customerservice@paradise-seeds.com. After payment is received, all orders are send by registered mail. You can make payment by bank transfer or send cash with registered letter (at your own risk):

Account name: Paradise Products B.V.
Account number: 620461128
Swift/BIC: ABNANL2A
IBAN: NL07ABNA0620461128

If you decide to make payment with cash, send it only by registered letter. Although we accept cash order (Euros only), we do not recommend this payment method since letters can get lost, or stolen in the post.  Please note, we are unable to send out any goods when we have not received the payment due to postal theft, so please do not expect us to.

Paradise Products B.V.
Postbox 377
1000 AJ Amsterdam
Holland

What cryptocurrencies can I order my Cannabis Seeds with?

At the moment it is possible to pay for your cannabis seeds order with Bitcoin, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, VERGE, Dash, DigiByte, Dogecoin, Ether, NEO, Namecoin, Potcoin, NEM and Monero. Just select the payment option 'Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies' at checkout and select your preferred currency for payment.

How will you send my order?

Your order will be sent in a crushproof neutral envelope. This will send to you, together with a catalogue, with Paradise Products as the senders name. Let us know, quoting your order ID, if you have special requirements for your parcel.

How long does it take before the order is delivered?

Depending on your location it will take between 2 to 7 days.

How much will shipment cost?

For small parcels the price is 10eur. For volume shipping your order will cost 15eur within Europe.

Where can I buy your products?

You can buy Paradise Seeds directly here on our website, or you could search for a shop close to you on our Shop Locator

I’m a medical user, am I entitled to free seeds or a discount?

Paradise Seeds aim to help patients relieve symptoms of medical conditions through the use of high-quality cannabis. We constantly strive for a better understanding of how cannabis can be used to improve people's quality of life.

In this context, we are announcing a new policy of offering medicinal users a 50% discount on our full catalogue of seeds, including our full range of CBD rich strains.

In order for us to validate you as a medicinal user, please provide a copy of your ID (passport, drivers license) and a copy of your medical card or medical cannabis prescription. Copies of identification will not be kept by Paradise Seeds and are used for validation purposes only.

Once we have received and validated your documents, you will receive a medical discount code for 50%.

If you require any advice or there is anything we can do to assist you throughout the process, please do not hesitate to contact us again. Regarding the use of cannabis-related products for medicinal purposes, we recommend to ALWAYS consult a medical professional.

If you live in a country in which there are no medical licences available but use cannabis to relieve medical symptoms please contact us to discuss further. 

Every year Paradise Seeds travels to expos all around the world with our stand, selling cannabis seeds and giving advice to growers about the best strains for their individual circumstances. Over the past couple of years we have seen a huge spike in the number of first time medical marijuana users.

Medical Cannabis For Beginners

With few exceptions, these first time users have done extensive research before attending an expo. They have studied the science, talked with others who medicate with cannabis products, and discussed the pros and cons with family and friends. At the end of this process they have arrived at the decision to try medical cannabis.

We appreciate that following the medical marijuana route is a big deal. The majority of those first timers have no previous experience with the cannabis plant and naturally it is a daunting experience. They have concerns about the legality of such treatment (in countries with strict anti-cannabis laws), about the social stigma and about the physical effects.

The one thing we hear consistently is “I don’t want to get high.” At the end of the day, we have been breeding sativa and indica strains for over 20 years, developing seeds with strong genetics and distinctive characters for each plant variety. With this in mind, we always have advice to give!

Commonly asked questions by new medical cannabis users are:

“What is the best medical cannabis strain?”

Medical varieties in the Paradise Seeds catalogue include CBD rich varieties, Durga Mata ll CBD and Nebula ll CBD. These seeds are feminized, for easy growing, with excellent germination rates and a reputation for stable, uniform growth (the best guarantee for consistent results). The high CBD content brings more relaxation (compared to THC which is the psychoactive element that produces the ‘high’ effect).

Pandora and Vertigo are also renowned for their medical qualities. These varieties are autoflowering seeds. They grow shorter and have an in-built natural clock to make them flower quickly regardless of light hours.

“What is the best way to obtain medical cannabis?”

A doctor’s prescription is always the best way to obtain medical grade cannabis. Unfortunately, however, this is an option not available to many thousands (or even millions) of medical users around the world.

In the absence of options to buy from registered medical marijuana dispensaries, the home grow room setup has been recognized by medical marijuana users as the best way to ensure a consistent supply of medical quality cannabis. They usually turn to the internet for advice on how to set up and grow, technological innovation and an abundance of shared knowledge means there are options for growing plants in even the smallest spaces.

“What is the best way to consume medical cannabis?”

This very much depends on a user’s medical condition and their familiarity with cannabis. For those who have not used it before, smoking can be unpleasant or disorientating, from the physical aspect of smoking to the cannabis effect. In parts of the world where medical cannabis is legal – including over half the states in the USA - cannabis comes in many different forms, including extracts, edibles and tinctures.

While it is possible to prepare your own medical cannabis oil, for many new medical users, feeling their way, a vaporizer is a good option. It is a cleaner system of delivery (vapour not smoke) and the effect is milder. Our friends at the Amsterdam Seed Center recommend the following models – one for ultimate stealth (allowing you to discreetly vape almost anywhere), and one recommended for its effectiveness.

Tune into Paradise News over the coming months for more medical announcements and advice and if you have any questions about medical cannabis strains, please do get in touch.

So how will you celebrate this year? Do you have a Christmas tradition? Perhaps you have been saving something nice for Christmas Day; a few sparkling nuggets from your homegrown crop or a special delivery of something to savor - in bud, extract or edible form. And of course much as the breakfast Mimosa is a tradition for even the straightest of households, the seasonal wake n’ bake is a time honored tradition in every marijuana friendly house!

Cannabis and Christmas go together like peas and carrots, as Forest Gump might say. Shiny lights, new games and toys to play with, too much screen time, the contents of a refrigerator to eat and that lost week between Christmas and New Year… So here are some tips to make the most of your Cannabis Christmas:

The Tree

We have been using a traditional evergreen fir Christmas tree for centuries (a winter solstice tradition), but that was before the popularity of indoor gardening… and the internet. The Cannabis Christmas Tree will not replace this tradition anytime soon, but it’s a great concept (and unlike a fir tree will not put needles all over your floor, or end up sitting in the garbage until Spring). Use a trichome heavy Paradise Seeds variety such as Nebula or Ice Cream and you will even save on the decorations!

Disclaimer: Don’t get too carried away with the new tradition if you live in a place where the Grinch makes the cannabis laws, as this UK police tweet illustrates!

Food + Drink

Apart from the fact that this is the one time of year when you can indulge your munchies to the max with no guilt involved, it is also, it is a great time to indulge the inner cannabist. Cooking with weed is increasingly popular amongst medical and recreational weed users and there are a whole heap of Christmas cannabis recipes out there, from cookies to cakes. Many of them begin with cannabis infused butter, also known as cannabutter.

Gifts

From Paradise Seeds grinders and rolling papers to exclusive collaborations with clothing brands we have the ideal gift for cannabis friends and family this Christmas. How about a heavy duty Sensi Star Grassroots hemp cap with secret stash pocket? We also have some limited edition organic t-shirts with designs reflecting some of our legendary strains – Opium, Durga Mata and Belladonna. And who doesn’t like seeds (the gift that keeps giving!) for Christmas?

(Avoiding) Over Indulgence

We say enjoy the festive period, do not use it as an excuse to totally obliterate the final week of the year or turn you into an actual couch potato! We are with Tommy Chong on this one. His great advice when we recently caught up with him. “Do something active and creative. Don’t waste your high!” Get some fresh air, take some exercise, give your artistic side a bit of a work out over the festive period and we guarantee it will yield benefits!

May your trichomes sparkle white, your eyes glow red and your stocking smell exceedingly skunky - whatever your cannabis plants (or plants), we wish you a great Christmas!

We have been working with Tommy since the beginning of the year, promoting a new range of strains that we have collaborated on. The Paradise Chong’s Choice selection comprises L.A. Amnesia (sativa), Blue Kush Berry (indica) and Mendocino Skunk (hybrid).

We’re curious to know which of the Paradise Seeds strains that Tommy has selected he prefers. “Well that depends on the occasion,” he chuckles. “Daytime, night time, every time? We have a strain for every occasion. That’s why I love working with you guys. It’s important to work with friends, that way you know the quality is always good….”

Chong’s Choice – Sativa, Indica or Hybrid?

Daytime Recommendation:
“That’s easy! If it’s daytime, then it’s sativa all the way so that would be LA… LA… LA… oh I forgot. Oh yes I remember! L.A. Amnesia (and I’m just playing around with you man because how can I forget a great name like that?!)” A real pro’s choice, this sativa is packed with terpenes with shades of citrus/earthy/hazey taste and packs a THC count of 20-24%.

Evening Recommendation:
“At night time it’s all about the indica, unless of course you’re an insomniac and you’ve been up all night anyway! Blue Kush Berry will put you into paradise! Paradise Seeds is what you need!” A tasty night time treat, the Blue Kush Berry bursts with fruity flavour and delivers couch locking delight – perfect for watching a re-run of Up in Smoke for some old school stoner comedy!

All Day Recommendation:
“Oh yes. Last but not least we have the Mendocino Skunk, a beautiful hybrid. It’s so good man, smells stinky like a skunk. Mmmmmm….” With a fruity taste and clear, uplifting high this is the perfect all day weed for Tommy’s vape, bong or joint.

You heard the man. He only works with friends who produce quality that he trusts. Great advice from a true cannabis legend!

Comedy, Movies and Weed Life

The granddaddy of stoner comedy will be 80 next year but he admits that he still has the mentality of a teenager. He puts this down to the influence of his favourite plant. “Weed makes you open to new experiences and it keeps you young. It gives you a zest for life. It really does.”

He’s about to go on tour with his old partner in comedy, Cheech Marin. “We’ve reached a great time in our lives. We’re at that stage where we don’t have to do much anymore. We just have to show up and show that we’re still alive you know!”

And what does he think of the latest breed of cannabis comedians and actors keeping the flame burning for stoner comedy? “They’re great! There’s always a new crop of cannabis comedians coming through, but it’s a little straighter now than it was back in the day. I mean we were pretty crazy and got away with a lot of stuff you couldn’t get away with now. These days it’s much more politically correct.”

It was in 1978 that Cheech and Chong burst onto the scene with their debut, the outrageously funny road trip movie, Up in Smoke. The two comedians had been doing stand up and releasing comedy albums on vinyl since the late 1960s, but Up in Smoke brought them to the big screen and a wider audience.

These days, Tommy still consumes weed. What’s his preferred method? He shrugs, “A vaporizer, I still like to smoke a joint now and again for old time’s sake, and edibles too… And sometimes a bong. Did you know I like making homemade bongs? It’s a great thing to do when I’m stoned, get involved in doing something creative you know. I tell people this all the time. Do something active or artistic and don’t waste that high!”

Our Chong’s Choice range features a funky sativa (L.A. Amnesia), a heavy indica (Blue Kush Berry) and a fruity hybrid (Mendocino Skunk). Flavorful, pungent, powerful - they have been going up in smoke since we released them! Check out our seeds page for more info.

3x 3packs for 59€. (9 seeds - 3x L.A. Amnesia, 3x Mendocino Skunk, 3x Blue Kush Berry) ** save 19€!

3x 5packs for 89€. (15 seeds - 5x L.A. Amnesia, 5x Mendocino Skunk, 5x Blue Kush Berry) ** save 31€!

3x 10packs for 169€. (30 seeds - 10x L.A. Amnesia, 10x Mendocino Skunk, 10x Blue Kush Berry) ** save 56€!

For all orders: Free gifts for everyone at check out too!
Choose to get a free Paradise Seeds pen, cap and/or rolling papers.
Spend over 40€ - get a free Paradise Seeds grinder.

Check the 'Subscribe to our newsletter' button after your purchase. On January 5th we will pick 3 subscribers to win a Paradise logo hoodie and cap, hand signed by Tommy Chong!

You can skip the crowds and the consumer carnage by visiting the ‘Cannabis Seeds’ section of the Paradise Seeds website this Friday 24th. We have some super one day only deals on selected strains, so pick up a bargain!

Colombian friends of Paradise! We are going to be in the city of Medellin for ExpoMedeWeed, hosted in the beautiful Botanical Gardens. Come and visit us on Stand 66/67 for top tips, great advice and a welcoming Dutch smile! Medical cannabis is close to our hearts at Paradise so it’s great to see an expo devoted to this. As well as 150 exhibitors, there are talks from experts in medicinal and therapeutic cannabis and industrial hemp use.

Chilean friends of Paradise! We are coming to Santiago for another visit to ExpoWeed, an expo that is very special to us – and we will be bringing all things Paradise to Stand 43/46! This event, which takes place in the O’Higgins Park, runs on the first weekend of December (1/2/3). It continues to expand and we love the vibes at ExpoWeed. This year there is the usual mix of exhibitors and entertainment and our good friends, the Daya Fundacíon Daya giving medical consultations. ]]> Wed, 15 Nov 2017 17:10:56 +0100 https://www.paradise-seeds.com/en/info/cannabis-seedlings-austria-2017/ One of the certainties of the international cannabis scene – and indeed one of the most frustrating too – is that the world is a patchwork of different legal situations when it comes to our favourite plant.

This can of course lead to confusion. What is legal in one country may be illegal in another, and for this reason we always recommend that people take the time to check how the cannabis law applies to you in a particular country.

What is interesting from a legal perspective is when the law is ‘quirky’. This is particularly evident when you visit Austria. Paradise Seeds has a long association with the Austrian scene (20 years and counting) and in our experience, the country’s cultivators have always displayed a high level of growing sophistication and taken some of our strains to new frontiers in terms of yield and quality.

Austria’s Cannabis Clone Culture

In October we were back in Austria at the Cultiva expo (which was also the destination of the Medical Cannabis Bike Tour this year), and we had the opportunity to catch up with our good friends at Plant City. These guys have been running a high class facility since 2016, providing seed plants (seedlings) to customers. And now we come to the ‘quirky’ cannabis law part of the article!

In Austria, it is perfectly legal to grow cannabis plants to the point of flower. This means that you can legally buy cannabis seedlings and marijuana cuttings. There are a number of shops selling cuttings, mostly in Vienna, but Plant City is the first store to provide seedlings. Most of the seedlings sold from the shop come from Paradise Seeds and the customer menu features Wappa, Spoetnik #1, Nebula and Ice Cream. How popular are they? Approximately 40,0000 Wappa plants are sold each year!

From Cannabis Seed to Seedling

It takes 14 days to produce a seedling that is ready to hand over to the customer, who can pre-order or buy from the shelf. The seedlings are produced under laboratory conditions and the environment is sterile, just like any other grow room, but on a massive scale (Plant City is located in a warehouse space). Every week, 1800 seedlings are produced at the Plant City facility.

Seeds are planted into easy blocks (a natural grow medium combining coco, latex and soil) and germinated under a neon LED that has little real power (“At this stage the seed just needs to know which way is up!” jokes the Plant City cultivator who is giving our tour).

Once the seeds have germinated, and grown to approximately 2cm in height, the shoots are moved to bigger cubes where they will spend a week under LED lights. During this time all of its needs will be catered for. After this the young cannabis seedlings are placed under halogen lights for 5 days. After two weeks of growing, they are ready for the customer to pick up and take home to continue the plant’s journey!   

The Advantages of Seedlings

The big advantage of this system of selling seedlings – rather than clones – is that the end user benefits from the genetic stability that comes with growing from seed. As experienced growers know, strain stability is crucial for guaranteeing consistent, uniform results and fulfilling yield and quality potential.

We often say that the key to growing great cannabis plants is to give them the best possible start in life and you can’t get any better than growing from seed! This form of cultivation naturally ensures a healthy plant, compared to using clones.

However there is one continent that has been traditionally very quiet on the cannabis news front which is surprising considering its long historical association with the plant in herbal and resin form (the hashish production that predominates in North Africa). Africa has long had a reputation for producing cannabis; from the cheap ‘bush’ weed that was imported into Europe in the days before home cannabis cultivation became popular, to landrace ‘brand’ names, the very mention of which was enough to have connoisseurs salivating!

These famous strains include Durban Poison, Kilimanjaro, Swazi Gold and Malawi, not to mention the legendary potent sativa, Black African Magic (named as such because the buds are actually black) which is almost as rare as the continent’s legend of the animal kingdom, the Black Rhino!

Certainly at Paradise Seeds we have always been big fans of the African gene pool and our award winning strain Dutch Dragon is an example of a Paradise variety that has Africa in its roots.

Legal Cannabis Grow in Lesotho

However, we may be hearing a lot more about Africa and cannabis in the coming years following the recent announcement that Africa has granted its first license to legally grow medical marijuana. Verve Dynamics has been given the go ahead to begin cultivating, processing and selling medical marijuana for medical and scientific use by the Ministry of Health in the country of Lesotho.

If you have not heard of Lesotho before, then you are probably not alone! With 2 million inhabitants, this landlocked state is completely surrounded by South Africa. The climate and geography of Lesotho – high altitude, good water supply and fertile soil - make it a perfect growing environment. As a result, the Lesotho people have a long tradition of cultivating cannabis and using it for medicinal purposes.

Because of domestic poverty (an estimated 40% of the population lives on less than $1.25 a day), cannabis cultivation has always been popular in Lesotho and it has been identified as the number one cash crop for the country’s farmers, with most of the weed produced being sold in South Africa.

Which Way for Cannabis in Africa?

Many in the region will hope that this license is just the first step in a more progressive approach towards cannabis in Africa. A report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimated that 7.7% of the adult population on the continent (over 38 million people) use cannabis every year. The potential economic benefits for a regulated legal cannabis market will have many in the industry keeping a close eye on developments.

From a medical perspective too, the potential is huge and as scientific research into the health benefits of the plant continue, the region’s historical relationship with cannabis use for medicine could yield extra benefits based on knowledge and experience.

We hope that whatever happens in Africa, it is Africa that benefits, and that cannabis does not become the latest commodity from this mighty continent to be colonised by foreign capital seeking profit. A socially responsible model, which views user welfare over wealth generation, is being pursued by the Daya Foundation in Chile and Africa’s next generation of green pioneers would benefit from seeking inspiration from adopting a similar model.

As scientists unlock the mysteries of marijuana, and come to understand how the cannabis plant works, new doors open on how we can use it as a medicine. Key to cannabis’s medical effectiveness is the chemical compounds produced by its flowers, known as cannabinoids, and we are learning more about their unique powers all the time.

What make cannabinoids special is that they appear to mirror the endocannabinoids produced by the human body which help to maintain the health and harmony of our body systems. By harnessing the power of cannabinoids, medicine can theoretically be developed to address faults in our personal endocannabinoid systems, therefore treating medical conditions.

How many cannabinoids are there?

The most well known cannabinoids are THC (Tetrahydrocannabinoid) and CBD (Cannabidiol), but they are just two compounds of many. How many? Let’s just say that science is still discovering new cannabinoids. Dr David Meiri, from Techion, told a Cannatech audience that his lab in Israel had detected 144 cannabinoids in their research!

Through scientific research more is becoming known about these individual compounds and what particular qualities they have that are useful for medicine. In many cases, particular combinations of cannabis compounds have proved to be even more effective as a medical aid. Some other well known cannabinoids include CBC (Cannabichromene), CBN (Cannabinol), CBG (Cannabigerol) and THCv (Tetrahydrocannabivarin):

CBC - Like CBD, this is a non-psychoactive compound (it won’t get you high). It has been researched for its anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and anti-depressant qualities and a 2013 study suggests that it even encourages the growth of new brain cells.

CBN – Italian studies have indicated that CBN has antibiotic qualities (with resistance to MRSA infections), while its stimulation of endorphins makes it effective (like THC) as a pain reliever. Lab tests in California also claim it is as effective a sedative as Valium.

CBG – This compound has been the source of much interest in scientific research circles. It has significant antibiotic and anti-fungal powers and its pain relief properties are said to be stronger than THC and CBN.

THCv – This is one of the compounds being researched for its effectiveness as an anticonvulsant to reduce seizures caused by epilepsy. It has also been shown to counter the psychoactive effects of THC, therefore offering potential as a counter to cannabis induced psychosis.

Early days in Cannabinoid Research

With each scientific study on the role of cannabinoids, we understand a little more. The good news is that as time goes on, science understands more about how cannabinoids can be most effective. The not so good news is there is still a way to go before our understanding is complete.

To give an example, addressing the Cannatech audience, Dr Meiri speaks about his lab’s research and the quest to discover how to successfully target specific illnesses with the most effective cannabinoid combination. He speaks of how 3 types of cancerous cell (breast, colon and prostrate) grown in the lab were treated with cannabis. The result was that in 2 of the cancers the cannabis had a positive effect (eg killing cancer cells) while in the third it didn’t.

His conclusion? “There is no such thing as ‘cannabis’ is good for cancer.” Every strain of cannabis is in fact a different medicine and therefore the task is to find which strain/compounds work for each specific illness. If what he is proposing is correct, a generic cannabis extract (composed of different strains or batches) may not be effective if it does not contain the relevant balance of cannabinoids to treat a specific condition.

In line with wider developments in medicine, the future of cannabis based medicine would appear to depend on the personalization of treatment – finding the right combination of cannabinoids to treat particular conditions. As we understand more about these cannabis compounds, that could unlock new doors for the application of medical cannabis.

We are talking about the Medical Cannabis Bike Tour of course, and this will be the 6th year that we have participated. In fact we are proud to say that we were one of just two participants in the first ever bike tour! The magical journey of the bike tour is well catalogued around the internet, but for a brief history you can read more here.

This year’s bike tour ends at a special edition of the Cultiva expo in Vienna, which is celebrating its 10 year anniversary. It also promises to be special because the final arrangements are being made to begin clinical trials in Spain that will be totally financed by the bike tour (money raised through sponsorship). Patients who have been diagnosed with brain cancer will be treated with a combination of cannabinoids (THC and CBD) and anti-cancer drugs in a handful of Spanish hospitals.

Medical Cannabis: A change of Attitude

We have become accustomed to hearing about the positive effects of cannabis for patients suffering from a wide range of medical conditions – from arthritis and muscular pain to epilepsy and cancer. Cannabis as a medicine has more or less gone mainstream. You only have to see some of the videos widely circulated on the internet to see the amazing effects cannabis can have:

These are still early days in the scientific research of cannabis however. To put things into perspective, it was only in the 1990s, that scientists discovered that there are cannabinoid receptors (which cannabinoids like THC and CBD react with) in the human body.

Scientists’ Accidental Cannabis Discovery

Since the beginning, the Medical Cannabis Bike Tour has supported the work of scientists at the Complutense University in Madrid, particularly the research of Dr Guillermo Valesco and Dr Manuel Guzman. Increasingly their research has been accepted by the medical industry, but they faced an uphill battle when they first began on this road almost 20 years ago.

Originally they had been studying the effect of cannabinoids on metabolism but by chance they experimented with cannabinoids on Glioma cells and found that when the tumour cells were treated with these, the cells started dying.

It was only when an article on their research was published in the scientific journal, Nature Medicine in 2000 that scientific eyes opened to the potential anti-cancer qualities. This led to media coverage and more laboratory studies to show how cannabinoids affected cancerous cells in conditions such as Glioma (brain cancer), Melanoma (skin), breast, pancreatic and lymphatic cancers.

These studies looked at not only how cannabinoids destroy cancer cells but how they starve them of the nutrients needed to grow. This is significant, because many people die from cancer because it spreads from the original source to other points of the body. Cannabinoids seem to inhibit this process of migration of the cells and this really could be game changing science.

The great thing about the Medical Cannabis Bike Tour is that its goal is to profit science. The results from these clinical trials will be shared with science and hopefully serve as a building block to develop new treatments that give hope to cancer patients in the future. So it’s time to saddle up and get going. Czech Republic and Austria, here we come!...

For 3 days (November 10 – 12th) Cannafest brings the world of cannabis under one roof. Its professional conference and cinema will highlight some of the burning issues from the cannabis scene today while all needs are catered for with chill out and vape zones and even a reading room… We look forward to seeing you there!

This year’s Cannafest will take place on a different location:
PVA Letňany Expo
Beranových 667
Prague, Czech Republic

We are very much looking forward to a very special Cultiva this year. Why? Because this is the 10th anniversary of this very well organised and popular Austrian expo so we are expecting a big party. The city of Vienna is hosting this event which takes place 6 - 8th October. Visit our stand (P13) for tips on the best plants to grow for your circumstances, promos, merchandise and a consumer selection of 30+ Paradise Seeds strains to choose from. There are more than 150 exhibitors, interesting talks in the Congress, music and hemp workshops.

We are also looking forward to it because this year Cultiva is the finish destination for the Medical Cannabis Bike Tour which will include Team Paradise riders! Saddle up, here we go!

We'll be giving away 15 tickets for Cultiva Cannabis Expo in Vienna, sign up with your email and participate in the contest! Winners will be announced on the 29th September.

We know some of you will be harvesting your outdoor crops soon, and we know many growers will be starting a new indoor crop now the distractions of the heat and the vacation season have passed. So this promo is for you!

Go Dutch!

You can choose (at checkout) from two varieties – one sativa, one indica – that combine classic strains fortified with Dutch genetics to provide stable varieties full of power and flavor.

• Spend over 40€, receive a FREE 1 seed mystery pack.
• Spend over 80€, receive a FREE 3 seed pack of Dutch Dragon or Dutch Kush.
• Spend over 140€, receive a FREE 5 seed pack of Dutch Dragon or Dutch Kush.

Dutch Dragon – Award winning sativa magic from a big harvest plant that excels in an indoor grow set up with an effect that is all inspiration and smiles.
Free 3 pack with all orders over 80€. FREE 5 pack with all orders over 140€.

Dutch Kush – The classic Kush with an extra twist! Infused with Dutch genetics to create a strain with enhanced indica super powers.
Free 3 pack with all orders over 80€. FREE 5 pack with all orders over 140€.

Go, Go Champions!

Give your winter garden a VIP upgrade with a double Champions’ pack for only 75€ (a 25% discount off the regular price!). This special promotion includes the very best Indica and Sativa varieties that Paradise Seeds has in its collection. 12 seeds in total – 6 indica, 6 sativa.

Double promo pack features Indica and Sativa Champions:

Indica Champions: Includes the multi award winning and super strong Sensi Star (x 2), the complex high and big harvest Whiteberry (x 2) and the turbo fuelled Ice Cream (x 2).

Sativa Champions: Includes the big harvest Nebula (x2), the Haze aficionado’s preferred choice Delahaze (x 2) and the easy to manage and energizing Jacky White (x 2).

More info here.

This is the 6th year of the expo and each year it gets better and better. This year will feature over 1590 stands, talks at the forum from international speakers and live music from acts including the Mad Professor, Asian Dub Foundation and the Dirty South Crew. Hope to see you there!

In June we were back in Italy to exhibit at the IndicaSativa trade show in Bologna, which was another great event that displays the sophistication of the country’s scene. Italian growers are very knowledgeable and embrace all aspects of cannabis including recreational, medical and even the culinary (of course!).

At the show we spoke to many Italians about how things are developing and the news was very encouraging. It appears as if there is a real appetite for change, even if the politicians have very different views about which direction the country should take. While many still want hard penalties for cannabis users, a new breed of politicians like Marco Cappato advocates weed legalization with direct action stunts such as sowing cannabis seeds in the Duca d'Aosta square in Milan. The Radicali Italiani movement has been working with other pro-legalization parties to push a legalization bill through parliament.

Meanwhile, the Direzione Nazionale Antimafia (Italian Antimafia Bureau) has requested of the parliament to legalize cannabis in a move they believe would undermine the profits of organized crime, an argument that was used in Uruguay ahead of legalization.

The Legal Situation

Since 2013 medical cannabis has been legal in Italy as a prescribed medication. Possession is still a criminal offence, and while interpretation of the law varies from region to region, small amounts are generally treated as a misdemeanour.

Italy has its own particular legal twists on cannabis cultivation. You can grow a cannabis plant, but once it flowers it is illegal, which is similar to the law in Austria. You can also consume cannabis so long as the THC count does not exceed 0.6% – which means that CBD heavy flowers are technically legal. As well as an increase in grow shops and seed sales, Italy’s first ‘clone shop’ opened in Milan this summer with over 150 varieties of cannabis plant in clone form.

Military Medical Grow

Medical cannabis is big in Italy (strains such as our own Pandora and earthy Durga Mata). As more people become educated to the benefits of the marijuana plant for health purposes, the stigma of cannabis as a ‘drug’ is shrinking. Helping to make this adjustment in cultural perception is the well publicized official medical cannabis grow operation being conducted by the military.

The medical marijuana crop is being grown at a chemical and pharmaceutical plant in Florence and supplied for sale in pharmacies (a program overseen by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Policy). However, at 30 Euros per gram it is too expensive for many patients who have little choice but to grow their own illegally or buy from the black market.

As a sign of the times, the vibrant and diverse aspects of the Italian cannabis and hemp industry was captured in a reportage feature in National Geographic magazine earlier this year. It makes the point that Italy has a long history of growing hemp and cannabis for consumption. However, after many years in the shadows, it looks as if the Italian scene is preparing to bloom in a new sunny era!

What are the advantages of growing cannabis plants from seed? We get asked this question a lot of course and when we give the answer, there are always some who respond by saying “You are seed bank so you would always say that!”

Well yes, it’s true, we are a seed bank, and we sell 30+ strains, that have been carefully developed and bred over the years. And it is precisely for this reason that we are in the best position to offer our advice!

However, for a balanced argument, let us consider the advantages of growing from clones - which are cuttings taken from a Mother plant. This method is obviously more convenient, cheaper and means that you are buying in a plant that is more mature and therefore closer to harvest.

However, here are 5 good reasons to grow your cannabis plants from seed:

1) What you buy is what you get. It’s an obvious point but when you buy seeds from a reputable seed bank, you know exactly what you are getting. With clones it is anyone’s guess, unless you have intimate knowledge of their grow history. Each Paradise Seeds marijuana seed has been bred under strict conditions to preserve the genetic integrity of the strain… oh yes and they are guaranteed to be feminized (you cannot say the same about clones!).

2) Seeds make for healthier growth. If you grow from seed you will have a stronger, healthier plant. Fact! If you bring a clone into your grow room, it might travel with some unwelcome passengers. Clones can often bring pests and disease with them whereas growing from seed ensures that your plant grows with the in-built protection of anti-pest genetic qualities.

3) Strong roots, better root development. By growing from seed, you have a healthier root development with more strength, and for this reason roots will actually grow quicker in the long run. If you stop to think about it, this is obvious as a plant grown from a cannabis seed is going through its natural cycle – for example, a clone does not come with a tap root which is the basis for strong root development.

4) Better for management. Planting from seed gives you proper assurances regarding the growth and confidence in the uniformity and flowering pattern of the plant. For example, when you plant a Paradise seed and the information material says it will flower in 50 – 60 days, that’s what it will do! So you can properly plan your grow. The same guarantee does not come from a clone.

5) The best picture starts with a blank canvas. From seed you are starting fresh and that plant is all yours! From the moment it germinates it is you who controls how this plant will grow and for many of our Paradise Seeds growers that is very important.

What is the Global Drug Survey?

The GDS is an independent drug use data exchange, that uses online surveys to research drug use trends around the world with the aim to make drug use safer (regardless of the legal status in each country). GDS encompasses expert advice from those involved in various fields including medicine, public health, harm reduction and addiction.

The latest survey uses the data of 115,000+ respondents from 25 countries. Their data on cannabis includes how many joints people get from a gram (the average is 7), which nation gets high earliest in the day (the USA) and which country seeks the most medical attention following cannabis use (Greece).

Tobacco mix v Pure: The continental divide

One of the themes in the cannabis section of the survey concerns the use of tobacco/cannabis mix vs pure cannabis in the joints of marijuana tokers. On a global comparison, Italians, Greeks and Hungarians are most likely to smoke a tobacco mix, while Argentines, Colombians and Americans are most likely to smoke it pure.

According to the survey, the popularity of the tobacco/weed mix is very much a European cultural phenomenon, but the data doesn’t tell the whole story. To understand the European tradition of mixing tobacco with cannabis, you need to skip back 20 – 30 years to the era before indoor growing and seed breeding revolutionized cannabis cultivation.

Before this time, most of Europe’s cannabis came from North Africa, the Middle East and India in the form of imported hashish. Older tokers will remember the days of blocks hash, often imprinted with a seal, that came from places like Lebanon, Morocco and the Kush heavy valleys of northern India. Although often smoked in pipes or chillums in their countries of origin, for practical reasons, it was also traditional to mix with tobacco; it burned better and lasted longer.

Europeans, introduced to hash on their travels, copied these ways. There was another practical reason too. As joints were made for sharing, mixing with tobacco provided a spliff to go around the circle! In contrast, hash was never so big in the USA and the Americas. There was no domestic production and no hash producing neighbours nearby, while the climate and methodology meant better weed was grown outside (or imported from Mexico and Central/South America).

In the USA, there is no traditional culture of adding tobacco to the mix - which makes for a longer, more leisurely smoke. In the USA, ‘grass’ has traditionally been smoked pure, in small joints, with two or three ‘hits’, before passing it on. It is a tradition that has caught many visiting Europeans by surprise, smoking on a joint like they do back home and often paying the price!

Health Benefits of Going Pure

The Global Drug Survey encourages safer ways to consume, a subject we have featured in Paradise Seeds news in the past.

The tobacco mix is a European tradition that has endured, even though good (home grown) quality weed has replaced imported hash. As well as cultural there is also a perceived economic benefit (making your stash last longer). However, many of those who do cut out tobacco, often discover they don’t actually smoke much more weed as a result because their body no longer craves the evil Nicotine that often made them reach to roll joint after joint!

Plant now while the sun is shining and you will be glad later in the year when summer has gone but you are rewarded with sunshine vibes! Check out our 3 great summer promo offers:

Summer Promo checklist:

#1: Free smoking papers, selectable with every order. The perfect accessory for any beach fun!

#2: Get your hands on FREE super sativa beans in feminized or autoflowering format when you spend over €80!

FREE SEEDS with all orders over 80 Euros (x3 seeds of Jacky White or Auto Jack).
FREE SEEDS with all orders over 140 Euros (x 5 seeds of Jacky White or Auto Jack).

#3: Auto Collection Pack 1+2 Summer Discount (12 autoflowering seeds for €60).

For the summer only, we are giving you the opportunity to pick up our best selling Auto Collection packs with a sensational discount of €20 off the regular retail price. Featuring 6 of our best performing auto plants, these two Auto Collections feature a selection of strains that provide the grower with the benefits of big harvests, big buds, great taste and medical qualities.

There are 3 strains in each pack:
Auto Collection 1 features 2x Auto Wappa, 2x Auto Whiteberry, 2x Vertigo seeds.
Auto Collection 2 features 2x Auto Acid, 2x Pandora, 2x Automaria II seeds.

We wish you all an excellent summer!
Team Paradise

Auto Jack was created as a result of crossbreeding two strains, the legendary Jack Herer and the Dutch classic White Widow. A female Jack Herer was hybridized with a strong fast flowering White Widow male which was further crossbreed with an autoflowering variety creating a balanced hybrid with autoflowering genetics. It’s taken about five generations to cultivate strong, stable and productive plants with rich resin, a fruity sweet aroma and a wondrous creeping high.

Autoflowering seeds are quickly becoming popular, but they’ve existed for many years. These seeds are easy and produce quality cannabis within 65 days from planting without with the need of removing male plants and light systems to stimulate the growing cycle. Breeders have achieved this by adding ruderalis genes from inhospitable climates such as Northern Russia and Northern Canada. Autoflowering seeds are ideal for beginners and growers with limited space, and time.

Many growers have found Paradise Seed’s award winning Auto Jack an easy, and excellent choice! Check out Auto Jack and our other autoflowering seeds here!

Let’s start this blog with an invitation to sing! Why? Because we should celebrate the nation of Canada, which lights the way ahead for all of us who seek the way of hope, truth and freedom for our beloved cannabis plant. So join with us now, open a window, and loudly sing the anthem “O-Canada! Our home and native land…”

Ok, now close the window, ignore the sound of your neighbour shouting, stop the dog from howling and read on!

In April, the Canadian government took the bold step of introducing the legislation that will result (if, as expected, it is approved by parliament) in legal marijuana being available for sale in 2018. This is a landmark decision, because Canada will become the second country in the world to legalize weed (the first was Uruguay) and the first of the G7 countries.

What will legalization mean?

While the details have to be decided, these are the early assumptions about the 2018 legalization:

• Cannabis will be legal to buy for over-18s (although some provinces may set a higher age limit).
• Each household will be able to legally grow 4 plants.
• Licensed retailers will be able to supply cannabis for consumption by the public.
• Possession of 30 grams (just over an ounce) will be legal.
• Marijuana prices will be set by the government, in agreement with the provinces.

However, there is still a great deal of uncertainty involved with this shift to legalization. The Government will want weed and hash supply restricted to licensed suppliers and black market growers will be targeted by law enforcement. Such regulation will not be popular with many in the cannabis community who will see this policy as an excuse for big business to muscle in on the scene.

What can we learn from Canada’s legalization?

However, in the whole scheme of things, legalization looks a lot prettier than criminalization! Governments all over the world will be watching closely, and there are also lessons for cannabis activists out there too.

As well as eliminating the criminal element profiting from black market supply, Canadian president, Justin Trudeau, has talked about the need to ‘protect our kids’. This is an important goal for his legalization policy and was highly influenced by the pressure exerted by the Canadian NORML Women's Alliance, which set up in 2012 and lobbied Trudeau hard while his Liberal party was in opposition.

Alliance members also lobbied women MPs and they kept their message simple; “If you are about the children then you have to regulate," President, Sandra Colasanti, told Weed World magazine last year. "We argued that regulation would get rid of the criminal element and the black market… It was a message that had a lot of common sense behind it and slowly that message started to get through."

The constant hassle, using this very simple message, slowly began to turn opinion, political and public, around, attracting social and traditional media interest in 2014. When the Liberals unexpectedly won the election in 2015 (from third place to power with a jump from 32 to 184 seats), cannabis legalization was on the manifesto and the rest is history.

The lesson to learn here is that people can make a change. Activism is a marathon, not a sprint, and change rarely takes place overnight. If you want to do something about the cannabis laws in your country, the one place that legalization opponents want you to be is on your couch, smoking a bowl and watching shit on the TV or the internet. Get up, get active, get changing!

However, as home growing gets easier and the supply chain has improved in many countries across the globe, a new generation of cannabis lovers has started to appreciate the cannabis plant on new levels. In the past year a major buzzword on the lips of many cannabis users in the know has been ‘terpenes’ with experienced tokers talking about smell in the same way that wine lovers talk about bouquet.

What are Cannabis Terpenes?

So, what are terpenes and why are they so important? Cannabis terpenes are oils that are produced by a plant’s glands which produce an aromatic diversity to distinguish one variety from another – or to put it simply, oils that produce a strain’s distinctive smell profile.

The more we learn about the cannabis plant, the more we learn about the plant’s different attributes. Where once, smell was almost a byproduct of a particular strain, just as we have come to understand more about its production of different cannabinoids (apart from THC) there is a new appreciation of the terpenes they produce such as Limonene, Pinene and Myrcene.

These terpenes, also present in other herbs and plants, can explain why a plant has a distinctive smell –for example of citrus (Limonene) or pine (Pinene). The science of terpenes goes even deeper and research suggests that terpenes also stimulate effects on the cannabinoid receptors in the brain. Therefore Limonene in plants is associated with therapeutic benefits, and in cannabis these effects are said to include mood elevation and stress relief along with anti-fungal/bacterial qualities. Suffer from heartburn? Then a strain rich in Limonene is just what the doctor orders!

At Paradise Seeds, producing strains that stimulate the sense of smell has always been a key consideration for our breeders. Over the years, a number of our varieties have become renowned for their distinctive smell.
Some highlights:

Delahaze: For the sativa aficionado who appreciates the finer smells in life, this plant delivers a fragrant haze which is infused with tones of Limonene and Myrcene.

Sensi Star: This has been described by Paradise Patrick, who heads up our expo team, as having a Pavlov’s Dog effect on the senses! Once you have tasted this mighty indica, you only have to smell it again to start salivating! This multi award winner flows with terpenes and has a very distinctive metallic/lemony smell and flavor profile.

And then we have a collection of fruity numbers, which come with the aroma of berry and sweetness, such as White Berry, Ice Cream and one of our newest additions – Blue Kush Berry from our Chong’s Choice range. In these strains you will find satisfying degrees of Linalool, Limonene and Pinene which give off aromas that are sweet, floral and fruity.

To learn more about the terpene composition of Paradise Seeds, head over to Seedfinder.eu for a detailed breakdown. Just click on a strain and in the information you will see an infographic wheel characterising smell and aroma.

There’s a whole new world of terpenes waiting out there to discover, and once you begin to recognise the distinctive characteristics of each, your enjoyment of cannabis will reach a whole new level…

PROMO 1:

This month we are returning with our popular 1+1 offer (buy one pack and get another free!).
* The 1+1 offer is available for our popular auto varieties Auto Jack, Auto Wappa and Auto Whiteberry.
Go on… Give Autos a try this Summer!

PROMO 2:

June’s free seed offers focus on the delights of Acid, one of our more exotic strains famed for its enhanced powers of sensory perception!

• On every order = FREE smoking papers (you select your choice at checkout).
• 40 Euro order = FREE Mystery seed pack
• 80 Euro order = FREE 3 pack of Acid OR Auto Acid
• 140 Euro order = FREE 5 pack of Acid OR Auto Acid

Acid is a 60/40% Indica dominant hybrid. A cross between NYC Diesel and Dutch genetics, the result is a plant that has a distinctive metal/petrol taste and a powerful effect that soars with an uplifting (and slightly trippy) high. All the fine qualities of the feminized variety also appear in the auto version (without such a high centimetre count!).

To celebrate the full arrival of Spring our May promotion focuses on one of our special varieties – the White Berry (75% indica / 25% sativa). You get the choice of White Berry feminized or Auto Whiteberry, giving you the choice of the best of both worlds. We are giving away free seeds on all orders over 40€ (and psssst, scroll down for a super bonus Auto promo this month!)

• FREE 1-pack when you spend 40€ or more.
• FREE 3-pack if you spend 80€ or more.
• FREE 5-pack if you spend 140€ or more.

The White Berry is a strain which has all the magic and the mystery of a forbidden fruit picked from the enchanted forest! One of our newer generation strains, we love Whiteberry because it is close to being a model plant. Bud growth is concentrated around a single cola and harvest brings a generous frosting of trichomes. It comes with a ‘complexs’ effect that can get you up and going… but also relax you for the evening.

The power of this plant has been successfully reproduced in miniature with the Auto Whiteberry – with the extra advantage (as seen in this month’s article ‘4 reasons to plant Autoflowers’) of having this beauty ready to harvest by early August!

BONUS Promotion: Auto’s (1 + 1) Promo during the whole month of May!

Want to experiment with a couple of Autoflowers in the garden this season? Well we are going to help you with our second May promotion. During the whole of May buy 1 pack of autos and get another FREE pack on three of our best selling autoflowering strains - Vertigo, Pandora and Automaria ll.

Based in the Unipol stadium, Indica Sativa Trade is a spacious expo space with great facilities and an outdoor area. The expo focuses on all the beneficial qualities of our favourite plant – cultivation, medical, food and even power.

We are sponsoring this year’s event and the Paradise Seeds crew will be on Stand B12. We are looking forward to making new friends and contacts and of course greeting old friends too! Come by and say ‘hi!’ and enjoy the expo!

“God’s Gift to the northern hemisphere”. That is what we often call Autoflowering cannabis plants at Paradise HQ! Why? Because these little beauties can provide the outdoor cannabis grower with a whole lot of options that photoperiod cannabis plants can’t.

The 2017 growing season is here and by now most outdoor gardeners should have their seeds either in the garden (if you are in southern regions) or ready to go into the garden if you live in a climate that is similar to our Dutch one. Generally speaking, mid May is a perfect time to plant as there is no more risk of night frost. While the indoor grower has the necessary control over temperature, light and environment to ensure a successful harvest of plants grown from regular or feminized cannabis seeds, regardless of the time of year, the outdoor marijuana grower needs a little more help from the heavens!

Enter the autoflower! This variety has been around since the early 2000s. In the early days there was some suspicion about the quality of autos and probably for good reason. The auto was an experiment in breeding – mixing the genes of regular plants with the cannabis ruderalis, a plant that is native to the arctic circle and the northern steppes of Eurasia. It grows short to protect it from the icy winds that blow across the region and is genetically coded to flower automatically. Inevitably it took a few generations before breeders were able to effectively manage this combination and boost the quality. However, those days are long past and new generation autoflowering varieties come with high performance. Yes, the yield will be less. Just plant a couple more to compensate!

At Paradise Seeds, we have a range of auto strains, some unique such as Pandora and Automaria ll, some miniature versions of our best selling feminized varieties, such as Auto Wappa, Auto Jack and Auto White Berry. So why grow autoflowers? Let’s give you 4 good reasons!

Autoflowers are Smaller!

Yes, size does matter! But in this case we’re talking about reduced size, because the smaller the plant, the greater the growing options. An autoflower will grow to a height of approximately 1 meter tall which makes it very versatile. We have customers who have autos in plant pots on their terraces and balconies and others that can find a space for them in small gardens.

Autoflowers are Quick!

Why wait until October to harvest? With autoflowering plants you can make the most of the heat and sunshine of the best summer months the northern hemisphere has to offer. Your auto will be ready to harvest 65 – 75 days after you crack the seed! This means plant in mid May and harvest late July/early August. To give your autos an extra boost, consider growing them under 24 hour indoor light for the first two weeks of their life. And who says you are restricted to only one harvest? Time it right and you can get 2 (or even 3 or 4 if you are in the Mediterranean).

Autoflowers are Stealth!

Autoflowers have become very popular partly for the reason that they are so easy to hide. This variety of cannabis plant is the perfect accomplice for the stealth grower. Their size and stature means that they will blend in effortlessly with other plants – from vegetables to whatever natural plants are growing where you choose to plant them. Experiment. Find a patch of land that is out of the way, plant a couple of autos and leave them to get on and do their thing (although do give them some protection from the local wildlife if you can!).

Autoflowers are tough!

We have already talked about the Ruderalis and the inhospitable place it naturally grows. This means that auto plants come with some natural defences against pests and conditions such as mildew. Also, because you’re harvesting earlier in the year you don’t need to worry about mold so much.

So if you haven’t already grown autoflowers, why not make this the season to try something new? The key is to not compare them with feminized varieties, but to treat them as something unique and very special in their own way. Keep an open mind, do some research on the best way to grow them and see what the Gods bring!

Greetings my fellow padawans! The rebels from Planet Paradise have asked ‘is it true that cannabis influenced Star Wars?’ Before I start I would like to inform you that the following opinions are all my own! HOWEVER! It has long been my belief that Star Wars reflects cannabis culture in many ways – and I am not just talking about Yoda’s bong-smoking eyes! Let’s have a look:

1) Star Wars, Cannabis and Counter culture:

For those of us who have grown up on Star Wars it is often hard to see beyond our favourite scenes and characters. However, in the context of movie history, the original, released in 1977 widely reflects what counterculture at the time. Talking about his book How Star Wars Conquered the Universe, author Chris Taylor, tells the New Yorker magazine; “Star Wars is a piece with everything that was happening in the seventies, with the search for greater meaning that was happening at a societal level… There was a sense of, ‘let’s pull everything down, let’s find the basis upon which we can all agree, let’s figure out that all religions point to this or that.’ He suggests that the hippie ideals and the hallucinogenic quality of Carlos Castaneda’s Don Juan series contributed to the film’s ‘spiritual’ element and that the film’s release came at a time when marijuana use amongst students was its peak.

2) Star Wars, Cannabis and Smoking culture:

As a cannabis smoker you have no doubt been forced to spend significant periods of your social life hanging out in dodgy places waiting for a dealer, or attended some pretty wild parties filled with colourful characters. So, of course, there will be elements of the famous Tatooine cantina, not to mention Jabba the Hut’s freaky palace, that you will recognize. Smokey, edgy, filled with renegades from the fringe of society – you get the picture! Plus, find me a cannabis smoker who has not attempted a Jedi mind trick when stopped by the cops with their stash in the car…

3) Star Wars, Cannabis and the Rebel Alliance:

Ok, so let’s look at some of the great rebel meeting points in the Star Wars series. Look around the room as the rebels prepare to launch an assault on the Death Star in both New Hope and Rogue One. You will see a rainbow coalition of different colors, sexes and even Goddam species! Cannabis culture is all about inclusion and every cannabis smoker knows what it feels like to be a rebel! Again, going back to the 1970s, when the Vietnam War was still a bad taste in many people’s mouths, some have suggested that the Empire was based on Nixon’s America, just as its imagery was influenced by the Nazi era. Watch this space, in these uncertain times, the Empire may well rise once more…

4) Star Wars, Cannabis and Paradise Seeds:

And just before I leave, let me throw a Paradise Seeds connection into this mix! Apart from master breeder, Paradise Luc (Master Luc!) there is of course the legendary powerful, flavorful Paradise Seeds indica Sensi Star - which is one half of the very popular Death Star strain which originated in the Mid West of the USA in the early 2000s.

May the 4th be with you!

Away from the intensity of the obvious headlines – the rise of popular dissatisfaction with established political systems and the increasing popularity of right wing sentiment – amongst France’s estimated 1.4 million regular tokers (from a population of 66 million), there is also the burning issue of cannabis reform.

The Cannabis Scene in France

The country’s national motto “Liberté, égalité, fraternité” (liberty, equality, fraternity) has long sounded a little hollow for cannabis users in France who have had to conduct their passion in the shadows. At present, if you use cannabis in France, you can be fined 3,750 Euros and potentially go to prison for one year, although this is rare. According to a survey by the French Observatory for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 84% of French people consider that the current legislation is ineffective and would like the policy to be reviewed.

Recent reports indicate that cannabis consumption amongst young people in France is one of the highest in Europe. Hashish continues to remain a popular choice because of its easier concealment and the quality of weed bought on the street is often of a poor quality. However, there is a whole generation of cannabis growers – indoor and outdoor – who have good knowledge and sophisticated growing skills.

“Ignorant politics, a muzzled media, some urban legends, and you get a perfect cocktail that you could refer to as Reefer Madness in France,” said one French grower at the Spannabis expo in Barcelona. “The media produces documentaries that present theories of another age as truth, Government officials have publicly stated that cannabis is injected with ecstasy to make it even stronger and official health education about safe cannabis use is non-existent.”

Against such a background however, grassroots activism is alive and thriving in France. Organisations such as UFCM (French Union for Cannabinoids in Medicine) and Cannabis Sans Frontières are amongst those organisations that have been working hard to educate, inform and push for reform. Last year we also covered the work of ASUD (self-support of drugs users) which is doing what the Government should be and promoting safer ways to consume cannabis.

Will a Change of President Bring Change to Cannabis Policy in France?

Is there any hope of weed decriminalisation in France, or even legalization? It depends on who you are talking to! Key figures in this month’s election, for voters who would like a little marijuana with their democracy are:

- Benoît Hamon (Left wing, Socialist)
He is not a great advocate of cannabis but is happy to criticize the failure of prohibition and is a proponent of controlled decriminalization with a state monopoly and regulated distribution within a therapeutic framework. It is a policy very much inspired by the Uruguayan model.

-Emmanuel Macron (Centrist, En Marche!)
Although initially recognizing the benefits that could come with legalization/decriminalization, in the past month Macron has backtracked to adopt a more anti-legalization stand.

- François Fillon (Centre Right, Republicans Party)
He's against decriminalization, considers cannabis as a scourge, takes as an example the "failure" of the Netherlands. He wants increased legal powers to tackle drugs.

-Marine Le Pen (Right wing, Front National)
In 2012, Le Pen said that France was losing the war on drugs, because it was not actually fighting it. She is opposed to any relaxation of policy and has argued that law enforcement should be strengthened with more police resources and increased judicial repression.

Who will triumph in this month’s election? In the era of Brexit and Trump, predicting the outcome of political contests like this is almost impossible, but many hoping that there will be a tiny shade of green on the famous red white and blue tricolore flag when it rises for the first time on the new President!

We are celebrating this special day with a FREE GIFT for every order this month and FREE SEEDS on all orders over 40€. We have two all-time two classic hybrid strains on promo - Original White Widow and Original Cheese. Let us tell you a bit about their qualities in a moment, but first 4 reasons to smile:

• #1 FREE Paradise Seeds bag or Paradise Seeds Premium Strain Collection smoking papers with EVERY order (select your free gift when you click through to checkout).
• #2 FREE mystery seed (1-pack) if you spend 40€ or more.
• #3 FREE White Widow OR Cheese seeds (3-pack) if you spend 80€ or more.
• #4 FREE White Widow OR Cheese seeds (5-pack) if you spend 140€ or more.

Original White Widow (IBL) is pure old school! The genetic heritage of this plant goes all the way back to 1996 when we were given a female clone. From this seed a potent hybrid plant will grow! It yields big and its effect is strong and even after all these years, this classic strain remains a firm favorite.

Original Cheese (IBL) is the big stinky! The Brits like their weed strong and this is a strain with a UK heritage that is renowned for its power and instantly recognizable smell – pure pungency! It’s an adaptable plant that, like the Widow, remains popular even after all these years.

A question we get asked a lot at Paradise Seeds by new growers is ‘what is the best grow medium to use for cannabis plants?’ Good question! This month we are going to take a closer look at your options.

When you’re starting out you will hear a lot of advice and, yes, sometimes it can get confusing. However, after a couple of grows you will have a better idea of what works for you. Your growing medium is obviously important and you have three options – hydroponics, soil and soilless.

We recommend that beginners avoid growing with hydroponics. Yes they can give you big yields, but unless you know what you’re doing they can also give you a big headache! So in this blog piece we are going to look at soil and soilless grow mediums for marijuana.

Soil Medium for Cannabis Plants

Good soil is the gardener’s best friend and provides the easiest management for a marijuana grow novice. However, that doesn’t mean you should grab a shovel and go and dig out your garden to fill your pots! Your soil needs to have the correct pH balance (according to grow expert Jorge Cervantes, cannabis grows best in soil with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5) and also the right consistency to promote good growth.

You can make your own soil mix by adding worm castings, perlite, compost or manure to your soil to provide it with nutrition and drainage (although again watch the pH so go easy on the manure!). If this sounds too difficult to judge, or just too much hassle, there are plenty of ready mix soils that you can buy from internet suppliers or a garden center.

Top Tip: We recommend growing your cannabis seed in the pot it will spend its life in to minimize the shock of transplanting (although remember to sow the seed in a pocket of specialist seedling soil!).

Soilless Medium for Cannabis Plants

Just because soil has traditionally been the cannabis grow medium of choice, do not dismiss new innovations! In recent years more growers have started to use soilless mediums in their pots, as these methods provide the advantage of more control and speedier growth for marijuana plants.

The advantages of these mediums are that they essentially neutral, providing a foundation for you to better manage your grow. They have enhanced aeration and drainage qualities and are also unattractive homes for pests that thrive in soil. However, you need to treat these mediums differently to soil and give them more careful water/pH/nutrient management.

Coco + Perlite

Coco and Perlite are frequently used in combination in a soilless grow mix:

Coco (Coir): Particularly popular coco (or coco coir) is the brown hairy husk of the coconut chopped up into small pieces. This medium was first used in hydroponic set ups, but it has become increasingly popular as a soil substitute for cannabis plant pots. Particularly effective if using LED lights, it has anti-rot qualities and doesn’t retain water (so therefore controlled nutrient feeds are more efficient).

Perlite and Vermiculite are mineral based soilless grow mediums – Perlite is the product of volcanic cooling and Vermiculite is a hydrous phyllosilicate mineral. What these two substances do is provide air spaces for oxygen and water to move freely, thereby stimulating root growth.

Clay Pellets are pieces of clay heated to high temperature so that they develop micro and macro pores which provide aeration for roots to grow quickly, while efficiently holding moisture to allow water and nutrient retention.

Useful tip: We advise (unless stated otherwise on the packaging) to soak and wash these mediums to remove dust (be careful with Perlite dust especially – do not breathe it in) and salt residue (coco).

Soil or soilless? Each medium has its advantages and disadvantages. Of course you have the world’s knowledge at your fingertips, so take some time to do some research and we also recommend visiting grow forums to view the experience of other growers.
Good luck!

Once upon a time, the only people who had grow rooms were criminals or super geeks with an encyclopedic knowledge of botany, electronics and engineering and an obsession for growing good weed. In the age of the internet however, anyone can be a grower.

We have a phrase at Paradise Seeds – We say DO get high on your own supply! Why not? It is the best way to ensure good quality weed, free of nasty additives and much cheaper than buying from dealers who are only interested in your cash. Friends, if you enjoy your weed, then cannabis self sufficiency must be your priority in 2017.

There are many excuses you can use for why you can’t set up a grow room. We hear them all the time. So let us help you by answering 3 of the most popular questions we are asked:

How much space do you need for a cannabis grow room?

There was a time when space restriction was a big reason for not installing a grow room. Many people used to custom build actual (small) rooms in their loft spaces. However, that is no longer necessary. A simple grow tent will give you a versatile growing environment and can fit into the smallest spaces – from a loft to the corner of a spare bedroom. They are cheap, discreet, easy to manage and can take up as little floor space as 0.4 x 0.4 metres! Research different growing techniques. However, do be aware that the smaller the space, the less space for growing (obviously!).

How much does it cost to set up a cannabis grow room?

Yes, a cannabis grow room set up can be expensive but not if you grow for your needs and buy a set up that reflects this plan. There are plenty of options available. You can buy start up kits that include a grow tent, lights and a filter, although we recommend doing some research and spending a little more money to get a set up that is going to be more efficient onin the long run. Invest in a good light, but do not be afraid to buy second hand to cut costs. Think of it this way, the money you invest in a grow room now, you will save in the months (and years to come).

How do I know if a cannabis crop will work?

This is a fear for many beginners. What if you invest your money in a grow room, buy some cannabis seeds, plant them... and nothing happens. The short answer to this is buy seeds from a reliable source of good genetics – for example Paradise Seeds has been producing seeds for over 20 years and germination rates are 95%+. Buying feminized cannabis seeds also guarantees that from 3 beans planted, 3 ready-to-yield plants will grow (without having the hassle of sexing your plants).

So we have answered 3 commonly asked questions for you. The internet can provide you with many more answers too. Obviously check the legal situation with growing cannabis in your country but it is time to remove those obstacles and become the master of your own destiny as a cannabis consumer!

Over the past 3 years there has a been a boom in CBD product usage in the UK (in the forms of oils and vape pens), because it was not a scheduled substance, unlike THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). These two compounds of the cannabis plant have distinctive qualities – THC produces the psychoactive ‘high’ that recreational consumers enjoy, while CBD has relaxation qualities (without the high) that are beneficial for medical users.

While some cannabis campaigners see this as a sign that the UK government may be shifting its position on cannabis (in the past it has repeatedly refused to acknowledge that the plant has any therapeutic value), medical users are concerned that this could affect their ability to obtain CBD to treat their conditions. This is because, now it has been recognized as having medical value, regulations are being tightened and CBD suppliers will require a license.

UK Weed Scene

Cannabis has always been popular in the UK and the British government estimates that 6.7% of the population aged between 16 to 59 used cannabis last year. However, despite marijuana reforms taking place across the globe, the UK government has stubbornly resisted softening its hard line position. The new Prime Minister, Theresa May, made her reputation as a tough talking Home Secretary with no sympathy for the cause of cannabis legalization.

In 2015, British MPs (Members of Parliament) debated the legalization of cannabis, after an online petition raised 220,000 signatures supporting the cause, but any change to the law was dismissed by the Justice Minister. One MP accused the government of hypocrisy, claiming the current law criminalized thousands of young people when “probably 50% of the government have tried cannabis.”

The plant remains illegal in Britain and users and cannabis growers are still the target of police action across much of the country. The sensationalist British media, led by tabloids such as The Sun and The Daily Mail, continue to fixate on the ‘cannabis causes psychosis’ argument and busted home grows are repeatedly reported in the news as ‘skunk factories’.

However, there are signs that some attitudes are changing – although it is dependent on where you live in the UK. In the county (district) of Durham, the police chief was widely reported for saying his force would not prioritize chasing after people with small numbers of plants, and other senior policemen also admitted similar policies across the UK. In November 2016, influential think tank, the Adam Smith Institute called the Government’s cannabis policy an “embarrassment”.

While in the short term, the new British government pronouncement on CBD may not be good news for medical users who have been able to obtain CBD products freely, it could be positive in the longer term. As the experiences of the USA and other countries have shown, a change in government attitude towards medical cannabis has contributed to wider acceptance in society. It may be a small step in the right direction… but it is a step at least!

If you love weed then you will definitely know Tommy Chong. He is one half of one of the greatest counter cultural comedy duos of all time. Back in the day when the marijuana plant was demonized by most sections of society, Cheech and Chong put cannabis comedy on the map with classic movies such as Up in Smoke and Nice Dreams.

With the legalized cannabis scene in the USA booming, Tommy Chong is the latest member of the cannabis royalty to launch a product range. He is bringing his lifetime’s experience as a weed user to his new company Chong’s Choice, the company he runs with his son, Paris, and the products include a range of weed that carries the famous name.

The veteran cannabis advocate was looking for a seed bank to work with in order to bring his name to a range of cannabis seeds and as, one of the oldest seed companies in the business, we got the call at Paradise Seeds. So it is a huge pleasure and honour for us to work with Tommy and collaborate on a new line of seeds. The Chong’s Choice selection features a new Sativa, Indica and Hybrid strain.

We cannot lie. When a cannabis hero like Tommy Chong asks us to develop seeds that are worthy of the title Choice of Legends, we have serious work to do! It was definitely a challenge for us at Paradise Seeds, but we have been working away in our breeding rooms and we are super pleased with the final results. Our joint collaboration is three new varieties of cannabis plant combine the genetics and flavors of California and Amsterdam.

- Blue Kush Berry (Indica): Tommy wanted an Indica that delivered a powerful hit with a taste to savor. We have responded with our own take on this popular combination, which mixes mighty Kush power with a delicious Shishkaberry fruity flavor. This one has been developed with Indica heads in mind – a sweet tasting plant that produces a long lasting couch lockdown effect.

- L.A. Amnesia (Sativa): Tommy requested something special for the sativa addition to our Chong’s Choice line and we did not want to disappoint him! The result is this strain which combines the genetics of the world famous Dutch plant, Amnesia Haze, with a potent Californian Kush. The result is L.A. Amnesia, a sativa that will take you places others will not! A very powerful plant with a very high THC count (20 – 24%).

- Mendocino Skunk (Hybrid): We wanted to produce a hybrid that celebrated the great traditions of two parts of the world with a long history of growing and strain development. We have taken our inspiration from California’s Emerald Triangle and Holland’s Amsterdam coffeeshop scene. This transatlantic meeting of the genes has produced a fruity skunk in the tradition of our best selling Wappa strain. The result is a high yielding plant that tastes great, feels great and delivers all round great performance in both indoor and outdoor setups.

Which variety will you choose for your set up? Three great strains to choose from… or maybe a combination of all 3! Now that really would be the Choice of Legends!

Our new seeds are from the Chong’s Choice range. This ultra special collection features a high quality Sativa, Indica and a Hybrid – L.A. Amnesia, Blue Kush Berry and Mendocino Skunk.

Regardless of what you order, this month, every order will receive a choice of a FREE Paradise Seeds bag or Paradise Seeds smoking papers (select your free gift when you click through to checkout).

• For customers spending 40€ or more you will receive a FREE Mystery seed (1-pack).
• For customers spending 80€ or more choose a FREE 3-pack of Jacky White OR Nebula.
• For customers spending 140€ or more choose a FREE 5-pack of Jacky White OR Nebula.

So, which seeds to choose? Jacky White and Nebula are both sativa dominant varieties. Jacky White is clear and lucid while Nebula is a little more trippy. Jacky White is a big harvest sativa that is low maintenance in the garden and will even perform well in more northern regions. Nebula will also do well in all gardens – indoor and outdoor – but particularly loves sun and warmth!

30,000 people will arrive to enjoy all things cannabis. Besides 500 exhibitors,music and entertainment, this year’s edition will feature the World Cannabis Conference - with speakers talking about a wide range of topics - from cannabis and sex to cannabis and medicine - and the Spannabis Champions Cup.

The Paradise Seeds stand will be at the heart of this pulsating expo as usual. We look forward to seeing old friends and making lots of new friends! Come on down and say Hi and check out our new Chong’s Choice range of seeds! We are on Stand 25 in the Main Hall.

For more information about Spannabis, view our news article from last year’s event.

This month we’re giving away a gift with every order we process. The more you spend the better the free giveaway is! On all orders, you get to choose, at the checkout, from smoking papers or a free Paradise Seeds bag. And for all orders over 40€ there are FREE SEEDS.

• Spend 40€ and we’ll give you a mystery seed 1-pack.
• Spend 80€ and you can choose from a Delahaze or Ice Cream 3 seed pack.
• Spend 140€ and select a free Delahaze or Ice Cream 5 seed pack.

So what are you planning for your next grow? A couch lock indica or a soaring sativa? Whatever it is, make sure you have the right genetics to supply the best crop. There are many seeds on the market pretending to be something they are not. If you want quality, you need to go straight to a reliable source.

Delahaze is our multi award winning sativa. One for the Haze connoisseur, Delahaze yields big and finishes earlier than many sativas and the end effect is a fruity tasting plant that delivers a pleasurable uplifting (and long lasting) effect.

Ice Cream is one of our award winning indicas. It’s a fast performing, smooth tasting classic that comes with real turbo power and a perfect indoor grow room companion. Short and bushy it explodes with frosty buds that bring a taste of skunk, vanilla and pine.

Yes, it is that time of year when many people go cold turkey, join a gym, stop drinking and eat more healthily. They spend two weeks in January telling everyone how much good shit they’ve been doing and the last two weeks of January getting bored as hell of all the good shit they’re doing. Then it’s February and they are looking for any excuse to party again!

At Paradise Seeds we take a more relaxed approach to the whole fitness and health regime As you might expect, we do not support the ‘all or nothing’ approach, but instead believe that moderation is the secret. There is nothing stopping you from getting fitter and healthier, while keeping up your love for great cannabis. So here are some ideas for you to get healthier and more active this January, while including cannabis in your fitness regime...

5 tips to become a healthier cannabis user!

1) Do some exercise

If all the exercise you do IS sitting on the couch playing video games, then get off your ass and get busy! Exercise doesn’t have to be training for a marathon or working out in the gym until you puke. Do some push ups, go for a hike, go Dutch and get out on the bike. You will feel better for it and if you do it regularly you will soon see and feel the difference. Unlike sport and alcohol, sport and cannabis is actually a combination that can work for many people – to help you to be aware of your body, to focus, and of course to relax those aching muscles!

2) Change your smoking habit

Yes, pulling on a fat joint is one of life’s great pleasures for the recreational cannabist! But if you’re looking to get fitter, maybe it’s time to review your smoking method. Do you have to mix so much tobacco, or use any tobacco at all? There are now all kinds of ways to minimize the harm of smoking – from vaporizers to edibles – and going pure is better for the lungs.

3) Change your diet

A holistic approach to health treats the body as a whole. So, getting fitter and working the muscles is a great start, but to really feel the benefits, you need to put the right fuel inside your body. There are a zillion blogs and articles out there suggesting ways to do this, but the healthy cannabist’s diet includes more fruit and vegetables, plenty of water and less of the crap that gets vacuumed up with every munchies attack!

4) Set a target

Some people like to have a goal. So we’re going to give you one. Paradise Seeds has a team that enters the Medical Cannabis Bike Tour every year. The next tour takes place in Austria in October. Why don’t you sign up and join us? You have 10 months to do some training!

5) Grow your own

We have a saying at paradise Seeds, “Get high on your own supply!” Only by growing your own herb will you know the origins of the weed you smoke. If you smoke cannabis, growing your own high grade organic weed is the healthiest option. The healthier you starts here!

Good luck on your fitness adventure. It will hurt at first, but just do it! (with a little green inspiration...).

Coinciding with the presidential election in November, four states (California, Massachusetts, Maine and Nevada) voted to legalize recreational weed use, while North Dakota, Montana, Arkansas and Florida voted for legal medical cannabis measures. This means that over half the 50 states in the USA have now voted to legalize medical and recreational cannabis (or a combination of both).

Now that Donald Trump is in power, what does it mean for the marijuana legalization movement? As with many of Donald Trump’s campaign messages, what he really thinks is anyone’s guess! However, Paradise seeds is putting on its very best Sherlock Holmes and investigating the evidence!

Four clues to discover if Donald Trump is good or bad for marijuana legalization:

1) What does Trump say about weed?

In 1990, Trump told the Miami Herald; “We’re losing badly the War on Drugs. You have to legalize drugs to win that war. You have to take the profit away from these drug czars.” Fast forward to 2015, and he told The Washington Post, “In terms of marijuana and legalization, I think that should be a state issue, state-by-state. … Marijuana is such a big thing. I think medical should happen — right? Don’t we agree? I think so. And then I really believe we should leave it up to the states.” So far, so good....

2) What does Trump’s new government think about weed?

OK, so this is where things get a little more unpredictable. His new government appointees are mostly hardliners (hell, the Defense Secretary goes by the name of ‘Mad Dog’!) and include Senator Jeff Sessions, the new Attorney General who will run the country’s justice and law enforcement. This man has publicly stated, “Good people don’t smoke marijuana” and is also documented as saying that he thought the Ku Klux Klan were “okay” until he learned they smoked marijuana. At the moment, the cannabis legalization movement is winning because states are voting for it. However, under federal law, cannabis remains illegal. If Senator Sessions wants to pick a fight, the cannabis business could be in for a tough time.

3) What does Trump’s economic policy mean for weed?

“Make America Great Again!” It was the campaign message that cut through all the facts and figures and policy proposals that the Clinton team had prepared. To people with no money, no jobs, no sense of sharing the rewards of a globalized economy, it was this simple message that gave them hope. Now he has been elected, Trump needs to deliver. Will the entrepreneur businessman embrace the fact that cannabis is the fastest growing industry in the USA today (ArcView Group), and economic predictions that the country’s pot industry was worth an estimated $7.1 billion in 2016 (Forbes)? He needs to find a lot of homegrown jobs to make America great again and cannabis just could fuel the kind of labor market growth he’s looking for.

4) What do Trump’s new friends think about weed?

Let’s hope Trump’s phone conversation with Philippine President, Rodrigo Duterte, was another case of Trump saying one thing… but not really meaning it. Duterte told CNN, “He was wishing me success in my campaign against the drug problem. He understood the way we are handling it and he said there is nothing wrong with protecting your country.” This is the same Philippine president who has used the military and police to hunt and kill over 2,000 drug traffickers and users since his election in June.

Time will tell what the Trump presidency means for cannabis. We certainly hope that he will continue the good work that Obama started (by not getting involved in the affairs of the states!), but it is likely there will be a few unexpected twists and turns over the next 4 years…

We’re going Dutch this January. We have free seed giveaways with all orders over 40€, and you get to choose from the Dutch Dragon or Dutch Kush strain. Before we give you a little more detail, let’s have a look at this month’s deal:

• Spend over 40€ and receive 1 FREE seed.
• Spend over 80€ and receive 3 FREE seeds.
• Spend 140€ with us and receive 5 FREE seeds.

Dutch Dragon - One of our old favourites, this sativa dominant (75/25) strain has won many awards over the years. A popular choice for the grow room amongst sativa aficionados, if you have the space to let the dragon roar a little it will reward you with impressive yields.

Dutch Kush - Our newest strain and already an award winner, this indica variety combines Kush with Dutch genetics which has produced a plant with extra potency. This is a great tasting plant that is a perfect choice for couch lockers and medical users.

1) Something to play:

Christmas is a time for families to come together and spend the day hanging out. Because this is an uncomfortable experience for many we like to distract ourselves with silly games. So before grandma reaches for the Monopoly board this Christmas, request Stoner City in your stocking. This tabletop board game plays like Monopoly on weed, complete with random cop car that will send you to Rehab if it lands on the same square as you. If the thought of board games is too analogue for you, or you want to play with your new smartphone instead, get your gaming gloves on, download Weed Shop and spend your festive season running your own medical marijuana dispensary in California.

2) Something to read:

Two great new cannabis books for you this Christmas. The first is How to Smoke Pot (Properly) by David Bienenstock, VICE correspondent and former High Times West Coast Editor. This is a well written guide to all things cannabis – from how to roll the best joint to his experiences writing for the world’s biggest cannabis magazine. Second is Joe Dolce’s Brave New Weed: Adventures into the Uncharted World of Cannabis, a journey around the world which brings new insights into developments in the cannabis scene and considers the cultural impact of our favorite plant.

3) Something to use:

Sometimes the best Christmas present is something practical that you never thought you needed but are very pleased to receive! If you love your buds but can’t leave home without leaving a smelly trail behind you, then an odor-absorbing bag from Abscent is the festive gift that will bring you much happiness! With a concentrated carbon liner and double Velcro seal, travelling with weed will be free from paranoia with one of these beauties.

4) Something to drink:

Christmas would not be Christmas without raising a glass to toast the festive season, so how about some cannabis wine? Mary Jane Wines, based in California, produces red and white Hemp CBD wine. Cannabinioids dissolve effectively in alcohol, making the hemp and grape combination surprisingly effective. If alcohol isn’t your thing, and Subtle Tea from the Venice Cookie Company comes with 40mg of THC in each tea bag and Fairwinds Manufacturing sell cannabis infused Catapult coffee capsules. Unfortunately, these products are only available in California and Washington state, but ask Santa nicely and he may pick you some up on his sleigh ride over to your place…

5) Something to Grow:

OK, so of course we are going to add our own entry to this list, but hey, who doesn’t like to receive a gift that will provide many hours of recreational fulfillment?! So for that person in your life (or in the mirror) who loves their cannabis, make those red eyes light up like Rudolph’s nose with our Sativa Champions Pack or Indica Champions pack.

In November we made our first visit to a Colombian cannabis expo, taking a stand at the Expo Mede Weed in Medellin. It was a fantastic experience and we got some sense of the changes that are happening in this country. It is particularly inspiring to see that cannabis is now being perceived as a force for the good in a country that for so many years suffered from the tragic consequences of the cocaine trade.

We have the impression that Colombia is ready for an exciting new cannabis era – especially as the country is a place where some of the best cannabis in the world grows. The combination of climate and equatorial sunshine means that in Colombia it is possible to have up to 4 outdoor harvests in a year!

Colombian Government says yes to medical cannabis

A year ago, Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos signed a decree to legalize the domestic use of medical marijuana and also allow commercial cultivation, which includes the processing and export of cannabis products (although not in flower form). The president has made no secret of the fact that he smoked cannabis as a student in the 1970s. He announced that the change in policy would place Colombia “at the vanguard and forefront of the fight against illnesses”.

With a population of just over 47 million people, it is estimated that approximately 400,000 Colombians, suffering from conditions such as epilepsy, cancer and MS, will benefit from the new legal situation. Although progress so far has been slower than many would like (mirroring the experience of Uruguay post-legalization), a handful of licenses have already been granted to process medicinal cannabis products.

There is a hope that the new medical cannabis era may bring a positive Colombian social effect too. The drugs trade was a prominent feature in the conflict, with the FARC rebels taxing cocoa and marijuana growers to fund their guerrilla activities during the 52 year long bloody civil war. However, following a peace accord agreement between the government and FARC, some are seeing this as an opportunity to use alternative development programs to build a more stable future for the country.

Edward García, mayor of Corinto, at the center of Colombia’s marijuana cultivation region, recently told The Guardian newspaper that it “would do away with the illegal economies that have been the fuel of the conflict.” He has been at the forefront of efforts to set up a cannabis growers’ cooperative, with the hope of becoming a key link in the medical cannabis supply chain.

As we have been reported previously in Paradise Seeds news, cannabis change has been sweeping across Latin America for the past couple of years with a number of countries have committed to experimenting with legalization and decriminalization of cannabis. What we find particularly encouraging about developments in South America is the progressive atmosphere that accompanies the changes.

Just as in Chile, where the Daya Foundation is working hard to establish a more social (instead of profit based) medical cannabis model, Colombia is focusing on putting the health benefits of the cannabis plant at the heart of its legal changes. After the devastation of Colombia’s cocaine era, in the words of Bob Marley, here’s hoping that cannabis can contribute to a new era characterized by the healing of the nation…

- We are giving away FREE seeds on all orders over 40€ throughout the month of December. The White Family are returning! No matter if you are buying for you or a Christmas gift for friends, we want to give you some FREE seeds:

• Spend 40€ and get a free Secret Santa pack (mystery seed!)
• Spend 80€ and receive a 3 pack of Ice Cream, Jacky White, White Berry or White Widow.
• Spend 140€ and receive a 5 pack of your White family choice.

Time to introduce the White Family in more detail!

Ice Cream - Let’s start with one of our newer strains. Ice Cream, a powerful Indica, known as the Ferrari among plants.

Jacky White - The hyperactive member of our White family. High yield, fast finish, this Sativa dominant plant is guaranteed to make you smile. Grow report here.

Original White Widow (IBL) - The mother of our White family! A world famous super Indica, in her original form. Grow report here.

White Berry - Another of our newer strains. This is an Indica dominant hybrid with a 'complex' high. This deadly beauty is just the kind of girlfriend you want to take home this Christmas! Grow report here.

Hands up if you are a law abiding citizen in every other way but, thanks to your love for cannabis, your heart skips a beat every time you walk down the street and see a cop waiting on the corner or catch sight of a cop car on your tail? Not nice to feel unnecessarily criminalized is it?

However, cops are people too (…seriously, they really are!) and an increasing number of them are having doubts about the anti-cannabis laws that they are obligated to enforce. They have become disillusioned with drugs legislation that criminalizes drug users and creates a perfect environment for organized crime to thrive.

Good Cops

LEAP stands for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition and was founded in the USA in 2002 by 5 police officers who had become disillusioned with the War on Drugs. In the past 15 years it has grown as an organization and now LEAP is represented in many countries around the world.

The organization’s aim is to show policy makers, the media and the public that current drug policies are failing. It does this by using education, of which a major factor is their own experience of pursuing a war against drugs which they believe cannot be won.

In the process, their long term goal is to restore public respect for law enforcement, which suffers every time someone like you is busted for having a few marijuana plants in a grow tent in your attic or being in the wrong place at the wrong time with a few grams of weed or hash in your possession.

For LEAP members, former ‘drug warriors’ who fought on the front line, the real criminals are the organized gangs that profit from dealing misery and fear.

Good Cop, Bad War

A new book, Good Cop, Bad War, is a first-hand account of a British detective sergeant who went undercover to infiltrate drug gangs in the UK. The author, Neil Woods, is the director of LEAP UK.

He describes how he had an epiphany one day; “Every year the police get better at catching drug gangs, and the gangsters’ most effective way of fighting back is the use of fear and intimidation against potential informants.” The result is an ever decreasing circle of intimidation and violence as organized crime.

Neil Woods claims that the drug war propaganda exaggerates the drug problem, and that research shows that only 10% of users will develop a problem with drugs. In an interview with UK newspaper, The Guardian, he claims that the time is approaching for a change in Government attitudes towards drugs due to changing perceptions in society.

He compares it to changes in attitudes to homosexuality in the USA and UK over the past 20 years; “There was no particular revolution. Society just collectively thought: OK then, some people are gay. And then the laws changed. Well, things are changing rapidly with attitudes to drugs now. This has become a mainstream issue.”

Disclaimer: While there are many police men and women who may disagree with LEAP’s philosophy, it is always best to proceed with caution… unless of course you are magician Calen Morelli who takes things to the limit in his viral Youtube hit video:

As well as The Paradise Seeds stand (STAND 23), we are very excited that Cannafest is showing our documentary about the work of the Daya Foundation in South America – Green Medicine: Chile’s Medical Cannabis Revolution. The documentary is part of the expo’s cinema program and will be shown in the Cannafest Cinema at 15.15 on Saturday November 12th.

Cannafest – A Quality Expo

Maybe it has something to do with the majestic venue, but the Czech Expo has a very distinctive vibe to it. Some who have been visiting since Cannafest began 7 years ago refer to a more ‘mature’ element at the show looking to further their knowledge of the cannabis plant and its non-recreational uses. The conference and cinema zones are particularly busy (to the point of standing room only for some speakers).

Of course, this Expo also knows how to have fun too, with Cannafest featuring more than 250 exhibitors, area stages, daily attractions and a selection of after parties bringing the best of reggae, drum n bass, techno and funk to the Cannafest crowd.

Is Prague a Cannabis Friendly City?

Prague has often been referred to as the ‘Amsterdam of the East’, with a reputation for tolerance towards cannabis. However, as with every country and its cannabis laws, any canna-tourist needs to do their research. According to the International Journal of Drug Policy, “Czech drug policy has been considered modern, pragmatic, rational and sometimes too liberal”, but the visiting toker needs to be aware that discretion is required.

If you openly blaze away in the Czech Republic, the cops may take an interest. Under the Czech Criminal Code if you are caught in possession of an amount not “greater than small” for personal use only – you’ve got to love the ambiguity of that definition! – it‘s a misdemeanor that carries a fine of up to 15,000 CZK (approximately 500€). In reality, ‘small’ refers to less than 10 grams, and any more than that is considered a criminal offence.

Nevertheless, the vibes in Prague are cannabis friendly and the best way to find out just how friendly they are at the time is to chat with a local (preferably not one dressed in a costume that looks like it just walked out of the pages of Folklore). If your Czech language needs a bit of work, don’t worry, English is widely spoken. A little tip about the money however… the Czechs use Korunas, which confuse the hell out of visitors coming in from the Dollar, Euro and Sterling zones. Local vendors near the main tourist sights know this too, so check your change!

Bohemian Rhapsody – Original Bohemian Capital Vibes!

Interesting history fact #306: The Czech Republic has a rich history of culture and intellectual tradition and its capital Prague is the historical capital of Bohemia. Before the birth of Czechoslovakia, after the First World War, Czechs were referred to by the rest of the world as Bohemians.

Of course, in more recent times, the term ‘bohemian’ has become associated with those who choose to lead unconventional lives (often in the arts or music scenes), but this is coincidental. This use of the word bohemian comes from nineteenth century France when struggling artists lived in poorer neighborhoods of French cities that were inhabited by Romani (or gypsy) people. The gypsies were referred to as Bohémien, as they were (wrongly) assumed to have originally migrated from Bohemia. You learn something new every day!

Regardless of the true origins, there is much to be said for today’s Bohemian and creative vibes in the city of Prague – from graffiti and contemporary art exhibitions at galleries such as Trafo Gallery and DOX Center for Contemporary Art to jumping clubs such as the Roxy and the iconic Cross Club.

ExpoMedeWeed: We are super excited to be attending Colombia’s first medical cannabis expo, in Medellin – the city of eternal Spring - November 22, 23, 24. Described as a space to educate and inform about cannabis culture, the expo takes place within the city’s Botanical Gardens. The expo conference features some distinguished speakers and will also feature the Paradise Seeds documentary Green Medicine. We will be there at STAND 66/67. Come and say hi!

ExpoWeed Chile: We love this expo and we are very happy to be returning again. This event takes place in Parque O’Higgins in Santiago, December 2, 3, 4. As always, Expoweed will be a mix of education and entertainment, with live music from performers including the legendary Ana Tijoux. We will be there at STAND 89. We look forward to seeing you there! Come and say hi to Team Paradise ;)

However, as we discussed in our March article, there are several speed bumps on the road to legalization as the interests of the Government, police and medical authorities conflict with the expectations of canna entrepreneurs and the weed growing/consuming general population.

So here’s a quick summary of what is happening on the Canadian road trip so far…

How will cannabis legalization in Canada look?

This is a constant topic of debate amongst policy makers and those who will be affected (cannabis users and growers). While the Government doesn’t have the answers for its population yet, it is asking the rights questions. A recent online survey got over 30,000 responses to questions including; “Should consumption of marijuana be allowed in any publicly accessible spaces outside the home?” “To what extent, if any, should home cultivation be allowed in a legalized system?” and “What are your views on the minimum age for purchasing and possessing marijuana?” A summary of the responses will be reported back to the government in November.

What’s happening to Canada’s dispensaries?

Since the new government came to power on the pro-legalization ticket, there has been an explosion in the number of dispensaries operating in Canada’s major cities - in Vancouver, for example, it is estimated that there are more than 120 dispensaries in operation. Under Federal law these remain illegal and high profile busts have been taking place in Toronto with dispensaries, including that of Canada’s very own Prince of Pot, Mark Emery, being targeted for shut down. However, this has become a gray area with other city authorities, such as Vancouver and Victoria in British Columbia (home of the legendary BC weed), allowing dispensaries to operate with a license so long as they follow strict guidelines.

What’s happening to Canada’s medical growers?

Following a federal court judgment in February, medical growers won the right to grow in their homes. However, Canada has approximately 35 government licensed growers who provide medical marijuana (under the previous government’s system) and they are opposed to this situation. How regulated the market will become after legalization could impact on the status of home growers.

What’s happening to canna-business in Canada?

While news that Canada is prepared to legalize got many people in the business very excited, how it will actually work is still a source of debate. There are two schools of thought – either to open up a cannabis free market or introduce a highly regulated system. However, a sign that the larger business world is not rushing to join the country’s green revolution came when two of Canada’s biggest banks announced plans not to hold bank accounts for companies involved in ‘marijuana-related business’.

What is happening to cannabis laws in Canada?

Lawmakers have agreed on some things, like setting a minimum age limit for the purchase of marijuana (more than likely to be 21) and pledged to keep profits out of the hands of criminals, which suggests sales in a legalized Canada could be through Government approved premises. Until there is a Federal law the legal situation throughout the country is uncertain with different applications of the law in different provinces and municipalities.

As Canada continues on the road towards legalization, Paradise Seeds will continue to keep an eye on what is going on and keep you updated. What happens in this country could very soon have profound effects for cannabis users living in countries all over the world as governments monitor the Canadian experiment.

For this month only, we have 10% discount on all our seeds! Yes, that’s good, but it doesn’t even stop there... Spend over 40€, and we will also give you some free seeds. Our Thanksgiving token this month is the mighty Wappa - one of the wonder plants in our strain stable. and one of our most popular seeds. Why? Well this is one fruity plant that delivers a big taste and a big harvest!

• Spend 140€ with us and we’ll send you 5 FREE seeds.
• Spend over 80€ and we’ll send you 3 FREE seeds.
• Spend over 40€ and get 1 FREE seed.

Wappa is a very fruity 60% indica dominant hybrid. It is a dream to grow, the harvest is big and the effect is fantastically uplifting. So come on, paint that Wappa smile on your November!

Cultiva (7 – 10 October) rocks Vienna’s iconic glass pyramid every year with informative congress talks and workshops, parties and a huge selection of exhibitor stands. You can find us on STAND P13.

Cannafest (11 – 13 November) is held at the impressive Holešovice expo centre, and features conference speakers, vape lounge, parties and many exhibitors. You can find us on STAND 23.

Come and say hi to Team Paradise ;)

So this month we have a super promotion for indoor growers and outdoor growers in the southern hemisphere. We are giving away FREE seeds on all orders over 40€ and you can choose from two great Paradise Seeds strains – Acid or Dutch Kush.

• Spend over 140€ on your order and we’ll send you 5 FREE seeds (Acid or Dutch Kush).
• Spend over 80€ and we’ll send you 3 FREE seeds (Acid or Dutch Kush).
• Spend over 40€ and get 1 FREE seed (Acid or Dutch Kush).

Acid - This is our Paradise Seeds take on the classic New York Diesel. It comes with a fruity flavor and a powerful effect, this is a great strain for indoors (just make sure those carbon filters are in place once flowering begins!). An Indica dominant plant with psychedelic qualities.

Dutch Kush - This is our newest strain and proving to be very popular. This is another Paradise seeds twist, bringing enhanced yield and potency to the classic Kush. Its short and bushy nature makes it a great grow room companion. A powerful indica with a big yield.

Paradise Seeds goes to Indica/Sativa Cannabis Expo

Early in the summer of 2016, Paradise Seeds took a road trip to the beautiful northern Italian city of Bologna. This is the destination of one of Europe’s newest cannabis expos, Indica/Sativa Trade. For three days, at the Unipol arena, Bologna got to experience all things hemp - from cooking to cannabis seeds. It was also visited by this year’s edition of the Medical Cannabis Bike Tour, which had Bologna as its final destination. For the Paradise Seeds crew, Indica/Sativa Trade was a great opportunity to meet up with our Italian customers and find out more about what’s going on in the Italian cannabis scene. We were impressed by Bologna and the local hospitality and met many great people. We can’t wait to return to Italy!

Why are your seeds so different?

Over the years, Paradise Seeds has earned a reputation, around the world, for the quality of its seeds. This is reflected in the numerous cannabis cups and prizes we have won – such as the recent Highlife Cup where our Atomical Haze and new Dutch Kush won Haze Hydro and Kush categories!

The modern day cannabis grower can sometimes feel spoilt for choice when it comes to the great variety of cannabis seeds available on the market to buy. When we are exhibiting at shows and expos around the world we are often asked; “Why are your seeds so different?”.

The answer is – good genes! Just as your momma’s high cheek bones give you a face made for selfies... Paradise Seeds cannabis strains have been bred for certain traits and characteristics. Because we’ve been doing it for 21 years (and unofficially for longer than that), we have had a lot of time to tweak our breeding programs in the search for perfection!

Cannabis breeding: 4 frequently asked questions

What is a landrace?

A landrace is a cannabis strain that comes from a specific geographical region and, in the cannabis world, strains such as Afghani, Thai, Kerala and Colombian hold legendary status because they provide the genetic origins for much of what is grown today.

What does IBL mean?

IBL stands for Inbred Line. The title is a little misleading (conjuring up images of happy families deep in farming country ;) but actually means the line is pure – because it has been bred for so many generations that the original plant’s traits are reproduced with each new generation. Paradise Seeds carries two IBL strains – Original Cheese and Original White Widow - which have been bred from original clones given to us WAY back in the day! (The White Widow from 1996 and the Cheese from 2003).

What is a cannabis hybrid?

Ever wondered how you can have so many different strains of weed? This is thanks to hybrids, which are basically a cross between two parents with different genes. By breeding hybrids, you can pick and choose favourable traits and combine to make something new. Take, for example, our Atomical Haze. It combines original Haze with an Indian classic sativa and a sweet Afghan indica producing a sativa plant that produces a big yield.

What does backcrossing mean?

The breeding process involves backcrossing cannabis plants with their parent plant in order to produce a seed line that carries the characteristics of that parent. This is an important process because it is the way to achieve homegenity or uniformity in a seed line.

To know what you’re getting, it’s always best to buy from a reputable brand name with history and experience. They may not always be the cheapest, but when those beans start sprouting, there will be no nasty surprises and you know what you’re going to be smoking at harvest time!

Just as with any product, the seed business is populated by companies that create famous cannabis brand names - building up their seed bank over the years, investing in research and development and running long term breeding programmes – and those that re-brand seeds they have bought from wholesalers.

Weed impairs your reaction time

A new video ad has been passed around the internet in the past couple of months. The commercial was commissioned by the Colorado Department of Transportation to alert people to the dangers of driving under the influence of marijuana.

It claims that 19% of all DUI offences in the state are for marijuana. Why? Because weed impairs your reaction time. To illustrate the point Youtube’s ‘Skip Ad’ message starts jumping all over the screen. Catch it if you can (for the record, in a ‘straight’ sample test in the Paradise Seeds office none of us could catch it!).

As a society, we have been well educated to the dangers of drunk driving and, as a result, there is a social taboo that has grown up around this. However, this is not the same for cannabis and many Mary Jane users will not think twice about getting behind the wheel after smoking.

Because weed use has been ‘under the radar’ for so long it has only been in the past few years that roadside drug testing programs have become more widely adopted by police forces. These take the form of a saliva swab from the inside of the mouth which, if shown positive, will result in a blood test.

What are the Cannabis Driving limits?

Depending on where you are in the world depends on the legal limit set for how many micrograms (µg) of THC are present in a person’s blood. In Colorado, for example, drivers with 5.0 μg/L in blood of active THC in their whole blood can be prosecuted for driving under the influence.

In the UK and Poland the level is 2µg/L of THC (the active compound found in cannabis) in blood. In France it is 1.0 μg/L, Italy it is 0.5 μg/L, in Germany it is 1.0 μg/L while in the Netherlands the figure is 0.3μg/L.

Because the levels are so low this often translates as a ‘zero tolerance’ test for cannabis levels in drivers. Cannabis rights campaigners have also argued that testing ignores the fact that trace elements of cannabis can be found in the blood up to a month after use (so potentially falsely influencing the results).

In a study by Wolff and Johnston in 2014, it was estimated that the quantity of marijuana in an average joint is about 200 mg, which is equivalent to approximately 5 mg to 30 mg active THC. Other cannabis studies indicate that blood concentrations of THC reach a maximum within 3 to 15 minutes of intake.

However, what law enforcement sources are reluctant to divulge, yet is the question most cannabis users ask, is how soon after smoking is it OK to drive? Basically, if you’ve had a joint within the past 2-8 hours it is possible that you will have a THC level in your blood stream that could lead to prosecution.

Best Advice for Cannabis Users – Drive Responsibly

The cannabis user has got so used to defending their rights that sometimes they can develop a deafness to certain arguments; “Smoking cannabis is bad for your health” for example is often thrown back as, “Well it’s better for you than drinking alcohol or smoking cigarettes.” Yes, that may be true, but there are negative health effects to consider...

The same can be said for stoned driving. You may think you’re a better driver stoned, you may think you’re a safer driver stoned, you may think being stoned doesn’t affect your driving at all, but in the eyes of the law it does. As a driver, this is the most important fact you need to accept.

Not so long ago drink drivers resisted changes to the law and the arrival of roadside testing with the same arguments. At the end of the day, if you’re on the road, it’s not all about you. Use cannabis and drive and you raise the risk to life, your own and other road users. The answer is simple. Drive responsibly. No excuses.

Delahaze is our multi award winning strain. Sativa dominant (70%), this plant has the nickname The Producer because it finishes early (63 days indoors) and yields big! One of our most popular strains, the flavourful Delahaze zings with Haze and citrus tones and comes with uplifting powers!

• Spend over 140€ on your order and we’ll send you 5 FREE seeds.
• Spend over 80€ and we’ll send you 3 FREE seeds.
• Spend over 40€ and get 1 FREE seed.

We have to confess that at Paradise Seeds, we love this month! It’s when we start to see the results of all those Paradise seeds you guys have planted in your gardens.

As we have seen, healthy and robust plants are less attractive to pests and diseases, however weak and malnourished plants are attacked more easily. At the same time healthy plants are better equipped to deal with the attack, while the weak will be less able to cope. Early detection of the problem is a major factor for its eradication.

In outdoor cultivation we can count on the help of certain plants. For deterrence of cannabis pests, collaborating plants such as Nasturtium, Chinese Carnation, basil, wormwood and sage can be planted to form a micro balanced and self-regulating ecosystem. Generally flowers and herbs help ward off pests and attract beneficial insects to our garden.

Let’s look at some more methods for the treatment of the 5 most common pests in the Mediterranean climate. We always aim for ecological solutions, as cannabis is a product intended for human consumption.

Options for the treatment of:

Spider mites

We have the options here of help from certain organic products, and predatory insects:

Most effective red spider mite predators are Phytoseiulus persimilis, and Amblyseius californicus which can be bought over the internet. Always follow the retailer’s directions closely. We must remember that if we use live predators we should, under no circumstances should we use pesticides too, even organic ones. It is worth noting that temperatures above 26 degrees and low relative humidity, favor their proliferation.

Well known organic remedies include wettable sulfur, potassium soap, pyrethrins, neem, or natural products that have extracts of cinnamon, camomile or wormwood.

White fly

Both for early detection and for eradication, chromatic traps (sometimes also called ‘cues’) are a good call. These insects are attracted to the color yellow, and become stuck in the traps.

Good organic remedies include neem, pyrethrum and other medicinal plants (such as the ones mentioned for spider mites) are also effective.

As the most effective remedy we have some natural predators - in this case, the very effective Encarsia Formosa wasps, Macrolophus (also good for spider mites) or Amblyseius swirskii, which stands out amongst others for its effectiveness and resistance to high temperatures.

Caterpillars

Caterpillars cause great damage outdoors and in the greenhouse or polytunnel. They are difficult to combat, although we have several very useful tools:

One is pheromone traps. Pheromones are chemicals produced by females in order to attract males. They consist of a trap for adult butterflies and moths; males are attracted to pheromone tablets and poisoned, thus disrupting the reproductive cycle and preventing Caterpillar proliferation.If you are growing in a greenhouse, it is worth using fabrics or nets.

Another weapon is Bacillus thuringiensis, a bacterium that attacks the digestive system of caterpillars causing them to die of starvation. However, we recommend a selective use of them because many applications may have residual effect on our buds. Steinernema carpocapsae is another predator, a microscopic roundworm that lives in the soil, which is an entomopathogenic nematode.

Powdery mildew

Fungi are very, very difficult to combat, once they appear, both outdoors and indoors. It is possible to take preventive measures such as proper ventilation and humidity control, and good spacing between plants. As for treatments we have with sulfur, horsetail, nettle extracts, cinnamon, and Propolix. There are also specific microorganisms extracts which inhibit the growth of the fungus.

Botrytis

Also very difficult to combat and prevent. Spores of all fungi, float in the air and spread very quickly. Botrytis is perhaps the most difficult fungus to fight.

Trichoderma harzianum is a natural fungicide which colonizes the root, can act as a protective barrier act minimizing the spread of pathogenic fungus. Other options include Bacillus subtilis or Bacillus velezensis, bacterias that slow the spread of Botrytis. Wormwood extract and thyme are also useful for preventing this.

Once Botrytis is detected, manually or with scissors, remove the infected buds, place them quickly into a bag and throw them away. Remove the entire plant if it is too affected in order to minimize its spread.

In conclusion we see that insects in general are a little less difficult to combat, because their life cycle, although very fast, is much slower than that of fungi. However, the best way to prevent significant loss is to closely observe your plants, as early detection is always the best control tool. If you take care of your plants they will take care of you.

For the northern hemisphere outdoor gardener who sowed their autoflowering seeds in May, we hope that you are enjoying the results this month. If you sowed your feminized seeds, then it is not long before that bush that’s been growing in your garden will start to flower!

If you are an indoor or southern hemisphere gardener, then time to get preparing! Check out our August promotion...

Free Opium or Vertigo seeds (you choose) on all orders over 40€:

• Spend over 40€ and get a FREE 1 pack.
• Spend over 80€ and get a FREE 3 pack.
• Spend over 140€ and get a FREE 5 pack.

Opium – This 50/50 (Indica/Sativa) feminized variety is a big bud classic that has the nickname, Queen of Plants. A High Times cannabis cup prize winner, The Daily Smoker called this plant one of their top 10 cannabis strains.

Vertigo – One of our most popular autoflowering varieties, this 60/30/10 (Indica/Sativa/Ruderalis) plant is a quick flowering strain that comes with a great hybrid high without locking you into the couch. Popular with medical patients because it numbs pain without slowing you down.

I have a secret. I smoke cannabis!

Living with a secret. That’s what life is like for millions of cannabis users the world over. That thing you do, that passion for herb or hashish, that recreational pleasure or medicinal need... is something that you spend much of your life trying to hide.

Speaking to cannabis users, mostly in the UK but also other European countries where cannabis is against the law, one theme comes up time and time again. Users are constantly moderating their conversations and adjusting them depending on the company they are with. They can be honest about their cannabis habit with some people - other users in the majority of cases - but have to hide it from most.

This gets harder the older you get! As one very respectable lawyer in his forties told me, “Sometimes you meet someone new, let’s say at a party, and you suspect they may be a smoker. You spend the conversation looking for clues and end up doing this weird little social dance until you can be sure. And then you’re outside and sharing a joint and connected by being part of this kind of secret club!”

That is not something we get with alcohol. In the UK, where binge drinking is a problem, it is perfectly acceptable to talk about getting ‘paralytic’. We can openly talk about getting ‘smashed’ at the weekend around the water cooler in the office and people will nod, smile and think that is perfectly normal.

Talking to your kids about cannabis

For many users, a major hurdle is the family ‘conversation’. For the Millennial generation (those born around the turn of the century), this is a conversation that takes place (or frequently doesn’t) between children and their parents. For Generation X and Y, this is now a conversation that takes place (or not) between parents and children.

“I always thought I would be honest about my cannabis use with my kids,” says a mother who just turned 39. “But it is hard to have the conversation, especially as drugs education in school is so rooted in a policy of zero tolerance.”

A recent article on Leafly features a discussion between employees of the ‘world’s largest cannabis resource’ about coming out of the cannabis closet to their families. Apparently they share the same uncomfortable realities. Says one, “Harder to talk to kids I think. Because you really have to choose your words carefully and make things as clear and factual as possible. Whatever you tell them will get repeated, processed and passed along to other peers.”

Talking to cannabis consuming parents, this seems to be a common fear – how such a conversation might impact on their child. As one parent told me. “I had the talk with my 12 year old son and he actually took it well. No big deal between us. But now I feel guilty that he has to carry this secret with him in life situations, such as school, where there is a conflict of message. However, in the long run, I think that making it an open discussion can only be of benefit when my son reaches the hedonistic late teen years.”

There is no right and wrong. Unfortunately, despite most cannabis users’ liberal perspective, most of us live in a stigmatized world as far as cannabis is concerned. This makes having the cannabis conversation difficult but, in my opinion, it is a conversation that needs to happen.

So, what are you doing for your holidays this summer? It is vacation season and this August the northern hemisphere will be looking for any excuse to get to the beach. However, some people are looking for something different in a vacation – perhaps a bit of culture, some sporting activities, nice countryside views... or some high grade marijuana to enjoy that sunset with!

The risks of being a cannabis tourist

For many years, the Cannabist traveler has gone on vacation knowing that, at some point in their travel, they are going to have to run the gauntlet with customs officials, police and local criminals in order to indulge in their favourite leisure pastime – enjoying the view through marijuana tinted sunglasses.

The problem for cannabis aficionados on vacation was always the same - the amount of effort expended in finding a local source and the frequent disappointment of the quality of the result. As for the legality issue, every dedicated traveling cannabist has had a potential Midnight Express moment (even if it is just living the scenario out in your head!).

However! In this new era of liberalization taking place across the globe, now the traveller has some new cannabis destination options - places to kick back, relax and ride that red eye express! As everybody is looking for something different in a vacation, we have put together some holiday options for you.

Top 5 Cannabis Vacation Suggestions

1) Cannabis City Breaks

In Europe, we have previously mentioned the benefits of Barcelona, its liberal attitude and blooming social club scene and of course Amsterdam is a fantastic city break (ok, we’re biased on that option – don’t forget to visit the Paradise Seeds store...!!).

North America has some great options too – Denver (the Mile High city) and Seattle are marijuana friendly places to visit.

2) Cannabis in the Great Outdoors

For many cannabists, combining their favourite pastime with the great outdoors is their idea of a perfect vacation. We suggest the awesome scenery of Alaska (it legalized last year) and of course the Rockies of Colorado are an awesome experience with a THC induced twist. And of course the traditional cannabis vacation destinations in southern Asia have thrived on stoned adventurers trekking up mountains and into jungles for an enhanced sensory experience!

3) Cannabis on the Beach

Right now there is only one beach destination on our horizon: Jamaica. That is all! This little island paradise was always home to the herb, but since the Government voted to decriminalize this place is home to the herb without the paranoia and some of the best beach action you will find anywhere in the world.

4) Cannabis and Culture Break

Another vote for Amsterdam in this category with its impressive architecture, museums and galleries! We can also recommend the sights of Portugal’s capital city, Lisbon - safe in the knowledge that less than 25 grams of cannabis is allowed for personal use – and Prague which has a tolerant attitude, and a city centre bursting with culture. We also have a soft spot for Marrakech and its tea shops, great hash and an ancient medina which transports the traveler back in time.

5) Traditional Cannabis Holiday

Travel to the places where the cannabis scene began! There are more risks involved (see the ‘traditional’ cannabis tourist experience above!), but the payoff is exotic locations and world famous produce from the source. India is home to Charas and the Bang Lassi, Thailand has the ‘Stick’, Colombia has the ‘Gold’ and Morocco and Nepal are both famed hash destinations.

Thankfully, there is one major development which makes the cannabis tourist’s life a lot easier today than all those years ago when you would set off half way round the world based on someone’s story about a great smoke destination – the internet! We suggest you do your research wherever you go... and once you get there, do send us a postcard!

• Spend 40€ and receive 1 pack of Dutch Kush.
• Spend 80€ and receive 3 pack of Dutch Kush.
• Spend 140€ and receive 5 pack Dutch Kush.

Our newest variety is our twist on another classic strain. Our breeders have combined Kush with Dutch genetics to bring enhanced superpowers – she’s a big hitting 80% indica plant that will be a big hit with couch lockers. It’s also great for medical users seeking relief from stress and insomnia.

Growing cannabis is still illegal in many parts of the world, meaning the market is unregulated and users are unfortunately at the mercy of the marketplace. There are far too many large scale commercial growers that are more interested in your money than your health in this respect and will use whatever they can to boost their yield.

Grow Your Own For Organic Quality Control

If you really want organic, the only solution is to grow your own. That way when you are pulling on that sweet joint you know exactly what went into the growing of the herb! Of course there are numerous excellent ‘organic’ nutrient products on the market, but we are going to take it right back to Mother Earth and suggest three uber-organic natural fertilizers:

1) Compost Tea

Do you compost? It’s amazing how quickly those scraps of food, coffee grinds and old teabags will fill a domestic compost bin, and with periodic turning nature will soon be doing its magic! The food rots down and you are left with a rich earth like substance packed with growing power. Expert grower Jorge Cervantes writes that just ¼ of a teaspoon of well made compost tea contains more than a billion bacteria and 15 feet of fungi strands. This beneficial bacteria is not only rocket fuel for your cannabis plant growth but will boost your plant’s immune system to defend against pests and diseases.

Method: Brew the compost tea in a bucket (1 part compost to 4 parts water), stir it well, let sit for a few days. Return to the tea and stir it a few times a day with a stick to get some oxygen in there and keep it fresh. Apply as much as you like (unless you have nitrogen rich content, such as manure, within your brew).

2) Seaweed

This one goes out to anyone living near the coast. You have a super fertilizer right on your doorstep - you just have to go and collect it! Best time to do this is after Autumn/Winter storms when big surf dumps fresh seaweed onto the beach. Seaweed can be dug into the ground, placed on top of the soil at the base of plants (deterring pests like slugs and snails) or made into a tea. Yes, it does stink, but boy does it pack a punch – it contains trace elements, growth hormones and nutrients, has anti-fungal and disease properties and is known to correct soil imbalances. A diluted solution can also be sprayed on plants to deter garden pests.

Method: To prepare a seaweed tea, stick in a big container (bucket or bin) and let it ferment for a minimum of three weeks (to make it even more effective give it some oxygen with a pond aerator).

3) Rabbit Poop

The benefits of well rotted horse and chicken manure are well known to cannabis growers. However, rabbit poop is often overlooked. It‘s a ‘cold’ manure, so it doesn’t have to be aged before you put it on (or mix it into) the soil, and it can also be made into a tea. The benefits of this super cannabis fertilizer are that rabbit poop is rich in nitrogen and phosphorous and provides a slow releasing fertilizer for your plants.

Method: 1) Buy a rabbit. 2) Make friends with someone who has a rabbit. 3) Find out where the rabbits hang out and scoop up what they leave behind!

Remember, mankind has been growing this plant since the dawn of time and it is only very recently that nutrients appeared in a bottle with a fancy label. Growing organic is about working with what nature has to offer and just because it doesn’t have an Amazon review it doesn’t mean it isn’t less effective!

Cannabis Debate Shifts From the UN to the Street

It has been a busy couple of months for the cannabis legalization debate and it’s interesting to view it from two perspectives – from the political top and the street level bottom.

At the top we had UNGASS (United Nations General Assembly Special Session on the world Drug Problem) in April, featuring politicians - in suits and ties- from around the world, who gathered in New York to debate changes to international drug policy. Meanwhile, at the bottom we had massive popular demonstrations - by people not wearing suits and ties - for 420 gatherings and Million Marijuana Marches in cities all around the world.

UNGASS Drug Reform Highlights

Overall, there was not much to cheer about from UNGASS (for more details check out our April article), where a fledgling reform movement came up against a wall of anti-drug hardliners, which included Russia, Iran and Singapore. However, despite the lack of a ‘breakthrough moment’, a radical shift in the way the world deals with drugs, some commentators have observed that small changes will prove to be significant in the long term.

These include an agreement to meet again in 2019 and a subtle change of language that brought ‘harm reduction’ into a debate that had before now been framed by an emphasis on ‘enforcement’. There was also the acknowledgement of flexibility in approach to how countries proceed when it comes to the UN’s internationally binding treaties. Two illustrations (and highlights of UNGASS 2016 for the pro-cannabis movement) of this flexibility came in the form of announcements from Canada and Mexico which have chosen a path that deviates from the United Nations Convention on Narcotic Drugs.

The Canadian government took the opportunity to confirm all the rumors and announce it will legalize cannabis in 2017. The Mexican president, Enrique Peña Nieto, announced plans for reforms that would legalize medical cannabis research and use and remove penalties for those caught in possession of less than 28 grams. So small steps at UNGASS 2016 but, as the great Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said; The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Time to start planning for the next session in 2019…

Million Marijuana Marchers Out in Force

While the career politicians were discussing the future of drug policy, the annual Million Marijuana March (AKA Global Marijuana March or Global Cannabis March) last month brought a clear indication of how hard line politicians are increasingly out of step with public opinion as protesters came onto the streets in cities around the world.

The MMM movement began in 1999 and marches have been held in over 85 countries over the years. There were big events across the USA and Canada, South America, Europe and also in other parts of the world including a first rally for the Indian city of Bengaluru. One of the biggest protests took place in Argentina, where over 150,000 people marched through Buenos Aires demanding an end to the criminalization of users and those who grow. The march, one of 19 across the country, was led by the families of children with epilepsy for which cannabis is changing lives.

Cannabis Legalization Debate Gathers Momentum…

If there is anything to be learnt from the past two months it is that, at both ends of the spectrum, politicians and people are increasingly calling for change. Right now they may be in the minority, but the voices are growing louder with every year that passes… Surely there will come a time in the future when policy makers will be forced to admit that, for a brief period of history, they got it wrong about the noble cannabis plant...

The author of Cultivar Marihuana, we asked him for some expert advice on common pests and diseases Mediterranean growers face:

Growing cannabis in the Mediterranean

The Mediterranean climate is characterized by warm temperatures and generally high humidity, both of which favor the appearance of pests and diseases. The relationship between pests and diseases and environmental conditions is very important and outdoor cultivation is more difficult to control for this reason. Cannabis is a very attractive plant for pests and diseases. Here we look at some of the most important.

Enemy Number 1 - Red Spider Mite

(Tetranychus urticae and Tetranychus cinnabarinus are the most common representatives of this species). The red spider mite attacks all kinds of crops. Approximately half a millimeter in size, it has a very fast and large egg production and a faster reproductive cycle if weather conditions are favorable. The number one enemy of inexperienced growers as well as experts. Its impact is usually devastating due to late detection of the pest. As it has resistance to many z in the médium stage, it is important to always use biological solutions for treatment.

Detection: Often growers will discover them too late. Get into the habit of checking the undersides of leaves (where they suck sap to the plant). Look for very small white dots on the upper surface of leaves, a sign that it has been sucked from underneath.

Enemy Number 2 - White Fly

From the Aleyrodidae family. These are tiny white winged insects, approximately 2 mm in size. Their proliferation is very fast, and can cause great damage to all crops. They are sucking insects, so leave wounds in the plant which become the focus for new infections. At the same time, like aphids, they secrete honeydew that can attract other diseases. If the plant is in blooming phase, buds can be spoiled by secretions.

Detection: Although its flying characteristic makes them more easily detectable, for early detection, chromatic traps are a very good choice.

Enemy Number 3 - Caterpillars

(Spodotera Exigua and Spodotera Litoralis) This is one of the most rapacious and destructive pests, especially in outdoor crops. The most damaging is the armyworm (which develops into an armyworm moth). It travels up the stem, biting the base of the bud to extract plant sap. It can cause enormous damage to the plant and provoke other diseases such as botrytis.

Detection: Damage is usually observed in the form of observing the damage to the plant, leaves bites, broken buds. Also check for droppings (which can also be a source of contamination).

Enemy Number 4 - Powdery Mildew

Yeast infections are feared by all growers, since the proliferation of these organisms is very fast. Powdery mildew is a fungus that usually appears as a thin layer or cottony ash, on top of leaves and also extends to the buds. This causes serious damage and can sometimes ruin almost the entire crop. It is highly influenced by high humidity and insufficient ventilation.

Detection: Be attentive to the leaves, especially more bushy areas of the plant. Choose your variety well too as some (such as big bud indicas) are more susceptible. The best prevention is always a healthy and strong plant.

Enemy Number 5 - Botrytis (Bud Rot)

This is also a widespread fungus that can cause devastating damage, and is also caused by high humidity. It is very easily detected by observing rotted brown buds. As in the case of powdery mildew, contaminated buds are inappropriate for consumption.

Detection: Once it appears it is very difficult to combat, so be vigilant (especially in flowering stages when humidity is high). The best récipe for preventing Botrytis is to breed a healthy and robust plant.

The key to preventing pests and disease is:

1) Keep our plants as healthy and strong as possible.
2) Keep the grow space clean – remove remains of dry leaves and gathered dirt because they attract pathogens.
3) Observation and close monitoring of our plants is always the best tool to fight pests. Early detection of the problem is the easiest way to eradicate it.

What does harm reduction mean?

Harm Reduction (HR) of drugs started to become a popular term in the 1980s. It began in relation to opioid use and then found a place in the club scene with party drug testing in raves and chill-out spaces.

The concept of HR is pragmatic: Drugs are illegal and can cause serious harm but, if you decide to use them, use consciously, with a good knowledge of the product and by using the right tools to avoid as much risk as possible.

These practices are evidence-based, and have a very positive impact on users but also in wider terms of public health. In the past five years, this approach has slowly become a recognized global policy for all drugs, legal or not, including the three most popular: alcohol, tobacco and cannabis.

Alternatives to smoking offer a safer way to consume

With moderate use of pure cannabis, inhaling the ‘right way’, using vaporizers or low temp dabs, and ingesting edibles, caps, drops or spray, you can sensibly reduce risks linked to traditional cannabis consumption through smoking. It's good to know and practice.

In their first report on this topic, "Harm reduction: evidence, impacts and challenges" (April 2010) the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) includes a list of recommendations in a chapter on "Harm reduction policies for cannabis" (Wayne Hall and Benedikt Fischer). These are :

• Avoid more than weekly use to minimize the risks of developing mental health problems or dependence.

• Avoid smoking as a route of administration or use a vaporizer instead, rather than smoke a bong or joint.

• If you smoke cannabis, avoid deep inhalation or breath-holding practices in order to reduce the risks of respiratory problems.

• Do not drive or use machinery when intoxicated.

For sure, these guidelines are not perfect. More emphasis is needed on not mixing with tobacco or ingesting cannabis. Also, the "only once a week" pattern of use is not realistic for a lot of cannabis users... however, it's a good starting point.

No massive campaign of promotion in any country

The recommendations from several others experts show the same evidence - that we must develop a specific HR for cannabis and promote it widely. But in fact, only few governments and Public Health systems follow a little of this advice. The official strategy nearly everywhere is still the promotion of abstinence with huge propaganda based on over-exaggerated evaluation of potential harms. This is counterproductive and must be changed.

It is up to the cannabis community therefore to look after itself and educate each other on ways to reduce harm. In my next article I will be looking further at harm reduction techniques for cannabis consumption like ‘smoking it pure’!

This month’s special promo:

• Spend 40€ and receive 1 pack of Acid or Pandora.
• Spend 80€ and receive 3 pack Acid or Pandora.
• Spend 140€ and receive 5 pack Acid or Pandora.

Pandora: This is an autoflower variety with a 70% Indica character, which is sweet and spicy and a popular choice of medical users. Zamnesia, called Pandora, “One of the strongest AutoFem strains the world has ever seen.”

Acid: This is a feminized variety that hits the high notes with our own take on New York Diesel. This Indica dominant hybrid has a grapefruit taste and an uplifting character. THCList’s review: “Here we see Diesel's confident swagger brought center stage, but smoothed out with a slathering of sympathetic awareness.”

Have a great month!

Transplanting Cannabis Seedlings – No Stress!

Transplanting is one of the most stressful times for the plant as well as the grower. It has spent its short life developing a root system in the darkness beneath the soil and suddenly those roots are exposed and placed into a new environment. Naturally, a plant will take some time to adjust.

We get many enquiries from Paradise Seeds customers, asking for advice on transplanting their cannabis plants. So we have prepared a little guide for you, with some tips for making this transition process a little less stressful!

Paradise Seeds Guide to Transplanting Seedlings

1) What sized pot should you use to transplant seedlings?

Whatever pot you choose, the plant should stay in there for the rest of its life. We recommend transplanting your seedling into a 10 – 30 liter pot, or even bigger, depending on how large the growroom is. Remember, the bigger the pot, the bigger the plant, also the longer it takes for the roots to fill it in, so account for the appropriate vegging time.

Paradise tip: Use air/smart pots as they promote better root development with maximum oxygen intake.

2) What is the best soil mix for seedlings?

There are plenty of ready mix soils specific for cannabis growing out there and garden centres also sell good quality potting soils. These will come with nutrients included, providing your seedling with the essentials to boost growth (although you will need to add nutrients at a later stage). You can also prepare your own, mixing in worm castings, manure The important thing to check is the pH of your soil. Cannabis grows best in soil with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5 according to grow expert Jorge Cervantes.

Paradise tip: Aerated and well drained soil makes for healthy root growth so mix in coconut fiber or perlite.

3) How to transplant cannabis seedling from small to big pot?

The key is preparation. Make sure your big pot is prepared with soil. Scoop out a hole the size of your small pot contents and water so the soil is moist (acting as a natural adhesive for the incoming seedling root ball). Also make sure your small pot soil is moist (if too dry the soil will crumble during the change over damaging the roots). Squeeze the edges of the small pot to loosen the root ball. Remove the root ball by placing your hand over the top of the pot (stem between your fingers) and turning the pot upside down. Place the root ball into the hole you have prepared in the bigger pot and backfill the soil, then water to bed the seedling in.

Paradise tip: Cut a piece of cardboard with a hole in the middle (bigger than the stem), and a side split so you can slide it over the pot. This will stop the soil from falling out as you turn the pot upside down.

OK, now you’re ready to go! One last tip is to keep your freshly transplanted plants out of direct sunlight for a couple of days while the seedlings adjust to their new home. Pretty soon those roots will start to spread and the plant will begin a new growth spurt through the next couple of months of summer.

Changing Gender Roles in the Cannabis Scene

However, just because the girls aren’t necessarily flaunting their marijuana use (apart from the indomitable Coral Reefer of course – 146K tweets and counting…) it doesn’t mean to say they are not there. In fact, women are positively thriving in the cannabis scene in 2016.

Women Shaking up the Weed Industry

Sales in the legal US cannabis sector are expected to reach $8 billion a year by 2018, according to a report by ABC Eyewitness news.

Women with backgrounds in traditional businesses are bringing their brains and expertise to the cannabis industry and thriving. Organizations such as womengrow are building networks and educating to empower the next generation of female cannabis industry leaders.

In Europe, some of the continent’s best established cannabis companies have women running the show. Meanwhile, at trade fairs and Expos such as Spannabis, Cultiva (Austria) and Cannafest (Czech) there are more females attending than ever before.

We have seen the changes at Paradise Seeds, and our Expo eyes and ears reveal some interesting observations:

5 Things You Didn’t Know About Women and Weed

1) Women Make Better Growers

The guys may want to hear this: research suggests that women make better growers. While the guys charge in, make a mess and are clumsy in the garden, women are more patient, gentle and show more attention to detail.

2) Women Are Fuelling the Medical Cannabis Boom

Never mind cannabis’s proven powers for combating menstrual pain and the effects of menopause, at Paradise Seeds we get many emails each month from women seeking advice on the best medical cannabis varieties to grow to treat family members suffering from a range of conditions, from cancer to arthritis and insomnia. Most of them have no history of cannabis use, but will always be super clued up about the cannabis plant’s qualities.

3) Women are Changing Public Perceptions of Cannabis

From Marijuana Moms (weed influenced parenting) to Stiletto Stoners (businesswomen who get high to relax) and the Gray-Green crew (Grandmas who smoke weed), women are painting a whole different picture of the cannabis scene. When women’s magazines such as Elle are writing stories about women and weed, you know there is a cultural shift taking place!

4) Women Are Better Listeners

We have plenty of Expo experience to back this theory up. We often have couples coming to ask us for advice on the best Paradise Seeds strain to grow in their garden and how to maximize the results. In our experience, it’s often the ladies that have done the research, listen carefully to the advice we give and ask the questions their guys should be asking!

5) Women Have a Higher Tolerance to Cannabis

According to a Washington State University study, women’s estrogen levels make them more sensitive to the pain reduction qualities that come with THC. The same study also suggests that women have a higher tolerance to cannabis than males… so think about that next time pal, when you’re drooling under the table while your wife/girlfriend is still looking as fresh as a daisy!

At Paradise Seeds, we love the fact that more women than ever are getting into weed – we are the home of strong females such as Belladonna and our Queen of Hash, AllKush, after all. It’s a sign of how the times are changing and how far the scene has come from the days when it was dominated by hairy dudes with bongs! An all inclusive scene is a healthy scene indeed...

This month Paradise is all about the Autos! Why? Well, these pygmy cannabis plants are small, perfectly formed and produce great results. Once germinated, the biological clock is ticking, bringing guaranteed buds within 60 – 70 days (yes, 2 months!).

Autoflowering strains are just so damn stealthy too. You can plant them discreetly in a very small patch of garden, or in a pot on your balcony, terrace or even a decent sized windowsill. Check out our Auto strain range... and be smoking your own by August.

This month’s special promo:

• Spend 40€ = FREE 1pack Vertigo (Auto) or Wappa (Feminized)
• Spend 80€ = FREE 3pack Vertigo (Auto) or Wappa (Feminized)
• Spend 140€ = FREE 5pack Vertigo (Auto) or Wappa (Feminized)

Promo strain guide:

Vertigo (Autoflower) - Citrus taste, physical effect and a great plant for relieving pain (popular with medical and those users who prefer things a little more mellow).

Wappa (Feminized) – Easy to grow, big yield and a fruity taste, this is one of our most popular strains (popular with beginners and experienced growers too).

In May 2016, the Medical Cannabis Bike Tour rides again with the target of funding medical trials, using cannabis to treat cancer, later this year...

This year will be the 5th edition of the Medical Cannabis Bike Tour. For 3 days, approximately 100 volunteers and cyclists will be making a 420 km journey through Southern Europe (Italy and Slovenia), raising money for scientific trials which will be conducted later this year.

Why is this bike ride radical? Probably the biggest cannabis sporting event in the world, the bike tour is funding medical cannabis research that will be donated to science – people, not pharmaceutical companies will profit.

The trials will use cannabinoids (THC and CBD) in combination with anti-cancer drugs to treat brain cancer patients. It will be the first time that cannabis has been used as a first line therapy, and the clinical trials will test the research of a team of scientists based in Madrid. Their research in the lab over the past 15 years has shown cannabis can stop the spread of cancer and can even kill cancer cells.

As it is the 5th year of the Medical Cannabis Bike Tour, we thought we would look back on the history of the bike tour.

2012

Route: Barcelona – Valencia
Participants: 2

Paradise Seeds owner, Luc Krol, embarks on an epic coastal cycle ride with good friend, Matej Snail (Snail Rolling Papers). “It started off as a conversation. We both love cycling and we were looking for an excuse to do a long bike ride...” The bike ride attracted a lot of attention and encouragement. The two decided to do it again the year after and this time raise money for medical cannabis research...

2013

Route: Madrid – Valencia
Participants: 25
Money raised: 50,000€

Now there are 20 riders – from Holland, Spain, Slovenia and Austria – a support team of volunteers and a cameraman. A tough ride through the mountainous interior of Spain, via the beautiful Serranía de Cuenca national park with arrival at the GrowMed Expo in Valencia. Money raised from the first bike rides funds a researcher at the Madrid lab.

2014

Route: Valencia – Barcelona
Participants: 55
Money raised: 100,000€

The MCBT’s profile begins to attract an international audience. The army of volunteers grows larger and the international force of riders grows with entrants from 10 European countries, the USA and Canada. An impressive route through Valencia and Catalunya with arrival at Spannabis. Highlights – a police escort on entry to Barcelona and the mighty Garraf Massif mountain climb!

2015

Route: Maastricht – Amsterdam
Participants: 80
Money raised: 100,000€

The MCBT moves to northern Europe. The idea is to start taking the bike tour to a different place each year to help ‘spread the word’ to new regions and people. An excellent ride through Belgium, Holland and Spain. Highlights – Holland’s impressive cycle network and no hills! With GEINO (the Spanish group of Neuro-Oncology) on board to oversee clinical trials, this is a big push to raise enough money to get the trials started... but unfortunately not enough.

2016

Route: Ljubljana – Bologna
Participants: 100 (estimated)
Money raised: 100,000€ (estimated)

Paradise Seeds is again proud to sponsor the event. This year’s sponsorship money is predicted to achieve the 350,000€ needed to begin the clinical trials. Later in the year 40 -50 glioma (brain cancer) patients will be treated with cannabinoids in a handful of Spanish hospitals. We will keep you updated of the progress…

For now however, it’s time for Team Paradise to get pedalling... Medical Cannabis Bike Tour 2016, here we come!

How do I choose the right cannabis seeds?

People often ask, “Why are Paradise Seeds cannabis seeds different”? Well, we have history on our side – over 20 years of development. Organic, our seeds have an exceptional germination rate of over 95%. Our excellent genetics mean a 3 pack of our feminized seeds will sprout 3 identical looking plants.

Growing experts agree that you can’t beat a healthy start in life for your cannabis plant, so we consulted our Paradise growers for the best tips to help you out:

Best method to germinate cannabis seeds

Everyone has their chosen method, but here are two that our Paradise growers recommend:

a) The plate method: Place your seeds on a plate between two wet pieces of kitchen paper soak the tissue paper then drain off excess water so that it is moist, not soaking. Cover with plastic wrap and put it in a dark place at room temperature (like a cupboard).

b) The glass method: Place the seeds in a glass with a few centimeters of lukewarm water and leave in a dark warm place (floating seeds will drop to the bottom).

Tips: If your tap water is chlorine-heavy, use rain, distilled or bottled water. Your seeds can take up to 72 hours to germinate. Be patient!

Best method for planting your seed in the soil

Your seed will crack and display a small white root, which will protrude like a tail. Wait until it is approx. 1.25 – 1.5cm in length. Use a toothpick or pin to make a small hole and bury, root down, so that the seed shell sits on the surface.

NOW, cut off the top off a water bottle (perhaps 15 cm from the top), remove the cap and place over the cannabis seed to create a micro-greenhouse that will provide humidity. A windowsill is the perfect place for your pot to sit.

Tips: Make sure to use specialist seed soil, avoid touching the root when planting. Keep it warm but avoid direct sunlight. Nature will take its course.

Water your cannabis seed with care

You’re desperate for your seed to grow, but don’t make the mistake of overwatering or you might drown your seedling. The soil should be moist, not soaking wet.

Tips: Water around the sprout; use a spray bottle for good water management.

When leaves show, let it grow!

Within a few days, your sprout will shed its shell and you will see two seed leaves (cotyledons). Now your seedling is ready to receive direct light – but still try to avoid intense sunlight. A fluorescent light (such as a CFL), set up in a small cupboard space is preferable.

Continue to water gently. The top layer of soil should be consistently moist but not wet (so the root will chase the water level down). After 1 – 2 weeks your seed should be big and healthy enough to transplant to a larger pot.

When is the best time to plant outdoor?

As a general rule:

Northern hemisphere (latitude 47˚- 52˚) - you can plant outside between April and June (May is best).

Northern hemisphere (latitude 52˚- 56˚) - you can plant in early to mid June.

Southern hemisphere: (latitude 35˚- 47˚) – you can plant March to July.

Tips: Beware putting your plant outside too early - the sunny days of early Spring also mean cold nights. Autoflowering plants give the potential for multiple harvests in both northern and southern hemispheres.

One last tip before we go… We all want our seeds to hurry up and grow, BUT, don’t force it! Don’t prod or poke or fuss around it too much. The thing to remember is that nature will ensure your seed will grow. Give it the best environment to flourish and will be on your way to growing a strong and healthy plant.

Happy gardening!

Everyone hates the trim that comes after the crop! It takes time, it’s messy, it smells, bits of bud get into all sorts of places they shouldn’t... So spare a thought for the gardeners of the Daya Foundation who this month, have the task of harvesting and trimming 6,500 cannabis plants!

Paradise Seeds plants exceed yield expectations

On the Daya plantation, 30 people will spend an entire month on this job... although they are not complaining. The plantation’s crop of Paradise Seeds plants is expected to yield 2000 kilos of prime bud which will be extracted and used to make medicine for hundreds of Chilean medical patients.

It is the second year that Paradise has supplied the seeds for Daya Foundation and the plantation has been growing 16 of our top strains since last October. While the expertise of the 13 full time Daya gardeners and the sunshine of the Chilean summer has ensured a spectacular grow, much has been said about the quality of the Paradise Seeds genetics which has contributed to the success of this crop.

Paradise Seeds Genetic Traits

High germination rate: This is a significant factor for the Daya Foundation which had very strict import license requirements from the Chilean Government. When the shipment arrived, customs officials counted out every single seed so Daya needed a high germination rate to maximize the potential of its seed import. With a germination rate of around 95%, Paradise Seeds provided exactly what they needed.

Strain Stability: Looking at the photos that come from the Daya it is impossible to ignore the uniformity of growth in this forest of cannabis plants. This is a sign of great genetics and a reason why Paradise has a good reputation amongst experienced growers. Stability provides consistency and reliability. No surprises (like getting one healthy plant and two spindly little specimens from the same pack of seeds), is great news for growers!

Resistance Qualities: If you have an outdoor grow you are working with Mother Nature, but there are times when she is working against you! Through the summer the outdoor gardener faces many challenges from pests and diseases. Paradise strains are grown all over the world and, regardless of where you live, there is a strain that is best suited to your garden.

Organic: From the early days, Paradise Seeds saw the importance of going organic and this has been a characteristic of the company’s breeding programs for many years. For Daya Foundation, which is growing medical grade marijuana, this is significant too.

Which cannabis plants are used in the Daya Foundation grow?

Alongside medical varieties, Daya also chose to plant some of our best known and award winning strains to get a range of THC and CBD percentages. This variation will allow lab scientists to research and develop medical quality cannabis products for patients suffering from a range of conditions, including cancer, multiple sclerosis, arthritis and epilepsy.

However, the Daya requirement was also for plants that provided great performance in an outdoor grow. Here’s a sample of the strains they chose:

• Jacky White: An uplifting sativa with a high yield and quick finish.
• Sensi Star: A heavy hitting indica (some say the strongest you’ll ever smoke...)
• Delahaze: A big and powerful multi award winning haze.
• Original White Widow: A 50/50 hybrid that comes direct from the original gene pool.

As the English say, the proof of the pudding is in the tasting! The Daya grow gives a grand scale illustration of the importance of genetics for a healthy crop. For all you outdoor gardeners, there is a Paradise seed that will work its magic for you - check out the strain descriptions for more information.

UNGASS debate coincides with 420

It might sound like a new cannabis extraction technique being pimped around hipster hotspots, but UNGASS is actually another one of those great United Nations acronyms. It stands for United Nations General Assembly Special Session and April is the month when the attention of the member states is on drugs... or ‘the world drug problem’, and how to deal with it.

This is potentially significant because many of the laws that govern cannabis consumption (or the illegality of it) are influenced by the 1961 United Nation Convention on Narcotic Drugs, which classified cannabis, marijuana, marihuana, hashish (whatever you wish to call it!) as a narcotic.

Why is UNGASS 2016 a Big Deal?

The USA has traditionally used the convention as a moral sword in its role as global drugs enforcer since the 1970s. But for the first time since it began the War on Drugs, there is a real appetite for debating marijuana legalization being driven by some big world power names.

But as the USA embraces Mary Jane and Canada talks openly about being the first G7 state to go legal, many countries in the American ‘sphere’ – Colombia, Jamaica, Mexico – are starting to explore their own opportunities to expand their canna potential. Meanwhile, Europe, although still a complicated patchwork of legality, seems to be moving closer to an atmosphere of tolerance.

However, don’t get too excited. Real change requires international agreement and there are two rather large ‘elephants in the room’ (or shall we just call them the Russian Bear and the Chinese Panda?) who aren’t exactly renowned for their canna friendliness.

Will UNGASS mean the end of cannabis prohibition?

Dream scenario: The world’s nations will get together and realize we got it wrong and that rather than criminalize we should reform, regulate, educate and treat genuine drug addiction as a health issue.

Best case scenario: A scale down of the War on Drugs rhetoric with more emphasis on harm reduction, opening the way for individual states to follow decriminalization/legalization programs.

Worst case scenario: Some debate with no real agreement (think climate change, replacing ‘ideological’ disagreement for ‘economic’) and no real change to the status quo.

A Word from Kofi Annan

In a recent essay for a German magazine, Der Spiegel, former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan criticizes the dominance of emotion over evidence in national drug policies.

He argues that we spend at least $100 billion a year enforcing global prohibition and yet up to 300 million people use (all) drugs worldwide, fuelling a black market industry worth $330 billion a year.

Kofi Annan gives four simple arguments for legalization that would help to protect the ‘health and welfare of mankind’ – the original intent of that 1961 UN Convention on Narcotic Drugs:

• Decriminalize personal possession.
• Accept that a drug free world is an impossible achievement.
• Replace repression with regulation and education.
• Recognize that drugs must be regulated precisely because they do pose a risk.

For every cannabis user, and many educated people who don’t use, these are common sense arguments coming from a respected world statesman. It should be a no brainer. However, in a world where the next president of the United States may be a man with a small animal nesting on his head common sense is often missing.

So, this 420, light up and hold a spliff in the air and wish for change to come from the world’s biggest stage! We should be enthusiastic about the direction UNGASS could take us, but at the same time we should unfortunately also prepare to be disappointed…