Just Jumping In

Due to a miscommunication, I got a later start on germinating my seeds than I wanted or intended.  I really thought there was more that needed to happen in my grow area, but my husband explained that what I am waiting for still has nothing to do with whether or not I can start my first grow.

So, today was the day.  Feeling scared and nervous, I dropped 8 seeds into some sort of soil-like substance, that sits in Styrofoam and floats in water.  It is supposed to help the seeds pop and sprout, so that I can move them to their "homes" for the remainder of the growth cycle.  To be honest, I have no clue if it will work.  I went to a hydroponics store today to get a humidity dome and these little pod things the seeds go in (at least, I think that is what is supposed to happen).  There are so many articles and videos out there that tell me how to germinate, but it was really intimidating to just start.

I came to the conclusion today that you know what, it doesn't matter.  Do it this way, do it that.  NOT doing it at all, staying frozen and crippled by fear or anxiety isn't the right answer.  So, I just had to jump in.  And jump in I did.  You know, at my day job, I joke around about how my department just  makes it up as we go.  Well, why not carry that over into home and just wing it.  Don't get me wrong - there are some areas where I KNOW you can't just wing it when it comes to growing cannabis.  But as far as germinating the seeds go, my thought is that I can wait and see what happens over the next 3 days.  If they don't sprout, then I will start over and germinate using a different method.

When I first started thinking about cannabis as a way to manage my pain and symptoms, I realized very quickly that a lot of research would be needed.  As someone who struggles with anxiety, prior to ever using cannabis for the first time, I had read a LOT of articles.  I knew that some strains can make anxiety worse.  I have spent the better part of a year studying cannabis.  It started out as a hobby of sorts, and quickly morphed into something more.  There is a lot of knowledge in my head.  However, sometimes I can struggle to go from my mind to action.  I could put it off for another year, just reading articles and learning more, and in the meantime, I wouldn't be growing my own medicine, which was the purpose of this to begin with.  So, I realized today that I had to just take leap and start.

There are multiple ways to grow cannabis.  There's hydroponics, but while that sounded like an awesome option, the cost and space needed was just not in the budget right now.  So, I chose to grow using soil, lights and a tent.  For anyone who is considering growing as a way to provide your own medicine, take it from me.  It is not cheap.  I went with the barest essentials and when all is said and done (including equipment, seeds, soil, etc...), it was WAY more than I thought it was going to be.  The "oh you can start a bare set up for under $300" statement I kept hearing isn't quite true.  Was I able to obtain the "big" items needs for under $300.  Yes.  Is that ALL I needed?  No.

For me, I had to sacrifice moving next summer.  Not just to grow my own medicine, but also so that I can come up with the money needed to buy my medicine until the crop is grown and I have what I need.  I was really, really set on moving out of the starter home we have now been in for 16 years.  But I had a meltdown (A.K.A. panic attack) the other night about the cost of the medicine and not having the money and the husband, always the problem-solver, assured me he would find the money and that it wasn't going to be a problem - it just meant we would have to push the moving back, yet again.  It is disappointing for sure.  I want our financial situation to be better, quicker.  But God has provided for us.  Always.  And I have a roof over my head, my family is safe, and we have money that allows us to enjoy things we used to not have money for.  It was a hard decision, but I mean...I've lived here 16 years.  What are 6 more?  In 6 years, none of the kids will be young enough to still be living at home.  Note how I am not naive enough to say none of them will still be living at home.  ;)

So what are we growing exactly?  What KIND of cannabis?  Well, God has had his hand in this whole thing, even including WHERE I got my seeds and what kind of seeds I got.  And I know that for some it seems crazy to say that God is "blessing" my use of cannabis.  But honestly, I do feel like this is from God.  And the man who provided me with my seeds was also a God-send.  I reached out to someone who was referenced on a Facebook page I was following - a page for people who grow medical marijuana to help others who were just starting out.  It turns out we went to college at the same place (not the same time though that would have been wild!).  And this guy really took me under his wing, so to speak.  He helped me so much in dialing in on the type of cannabis that might help and he even was generous enough to give me some samples.

I proceeded to order two strains, 5 seeds each.  I ordered Romulan Heirloom and OG '18 Special Reserve.

This is what Romulan looks like full grown.
https://darkheartnursery.com/strains/romulan/

Romulan is a hybrid strain.  It takes 8-9 weeks once it starts flowering.  While it is a hybrid (a mix of sativa and indica strains if you are new to the cannabis world), the sativa is the dominant strain.  In case you weren't aware, there are all kinds of different flavor profiles and scents from one cannabis plant to another.  That matters far less to me than what the effects are.  For this one, since it is not indica-dominant, I can't expect it to help me with sleep unless I took it in larger doses, though it has helped some with insomnia.  Fortunately, this was just one of the strains I decided to start out with, and it is said to be excellent for pain.  I also find it interesting that some users have found it to be helpful with depression, anxiety and Fibromyalgia, all things that I wrestle with.

OG '18 Special Reserve full grown

OG' 18 Special Reserve is also a hybrid, but it is indica-dominant, so for all intents and purposes it is the opposite of the Romulan, though I am quite certain cannabis strains don't work like that.  It is really good for stress and pain, and can also have good results with depression, insomnia, and inflammation.

Look, I'm telling you, my seed guy really listened to me.  I told him my symptoms and what I wanted to focus on, and these are the two he has that he recommended.  And in talking with others, these are really good strains, with really great genetics.  I don't understand all of that fine detail, but I accept it and can only hope even just one of these two strains will provide the needed relief.

So here is what my grow tent currently looks like:

This is a humidity dome and seed starter kit.

As you can see, I have 8 plants started.  You might think I did 4 Romulan, and 4 OG '18, but in reality, because my seed guy is awesome, I am attempting 4 total strains with this grow.  Because in addition to the two strains I have already mentioned, my seed guy sent me 5 seeds for a Cherry Limeade CBD (NO THC), and another 5 for one called Durban Slurpee.  Did I mention he sent them as a gift????  I imagine it is a hybrid of Durban Poison and some other strain, but honestly I don't know.  I have reached out to my seed guy for an answer, since I can't find information on Durban Slurpee specifically.  I imagine it is his own strain so I am less certain of the effects but I'm attempting to grow it anyway.  I had 5 seeds of each strain - I am germinating two of each.  I'll check back in on Wednesday and we will see how they are doing (unless there is anything fun to report before then).