I just thought I would take a minute to acknowledge everybody’s favorite part of the cannabis plant, the medicinal parts, and the part that gets you high.

There are several cannabanoids found in the cannabis plant. Most of them are created on the surface, within the plants resin, in glandular structures called trichomes.

Since there are almost a dozen identified cannabinoids, lets start with the top three most common found in bud, Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), Cannabidiol (CBD), and Cannabinol (CBN).

THC – This is the first cannabinoid you feel. It is the psychoactive agent within cannabis, and begins to take effect within seconds of inhalation. THC creates a sense of euphoria associated with marijuana.

CBD – This is the second most prevalent cannabinoid. It counteracts the psychoactive properties of THC. CBD is found in higher concentration in indica strains, and creates a more mellow sedate high. CBD is a strong anti-inflamatory, and has antibiotic, and analgesic properties.

CBN – As THC breaks down due to oxidation, light, etc., it becomes CBN. CBN is similiar in effect to THC, except about 1/10th as potent. Fresh picked bud will have very CBN content, as the bud ages, CBN content will rise, and THC content will fall proportionately.

Those are the three cannabanoids that are important to describing the effects of marijuana. Here are a couple more that are less prominant, and less well known:

THCV – Found in strains from South Africa and South East Asia, THCV is very similar to THC, however slightly more potent, and more psychoactive.

Cannabigerol (CBG) – A non psychoactive cannabanoid, CBG has been associated with triggering the adrenal system, which triggers the ‘fight or flight’ response. This releases dopamine and adrenaline in the brain, which cause the user’s heart rate to increase, and pupils to dilate.

Foliar feeding is feeding your plants through their leaves. I think the best way to explain it is by first explaining the leaf itself. Warning, for those interested in growing weed, and not so much the science of it, here is the article on foliar feeding. Here’s a diagram:

• The Cuticle is the waxy protective layer on the top side of the leaf, it helps the plant retain water.
• Next comes the Upper Epidermis (botany: Adaxial Epidermis) this is made up of clear epidermal cells only a single cell layer thick. These cells are jammed side by side to offer protection from the outside world. Epidermal cells contain one of the precursors (cutin) for the cuticle. The Epidermal cells are also responsible for my personal part of the plant, the epidermal hairs aka trichomes.
• Under the Epidermis lie the Palisade Mesophyll cells. These are large cylindrical green cells. These contain the chloroplasts, they absorb sunlight, and turn it into sugar.
• The Spongy Mesophyll is a bunch of funny shaped loosely packed cells used for gas exchange.
• The Veins are contained within the mesophyll layer. The Bundle Sheath cells create passageways throughout the plant. Xylem is water containing nutrients brought up from the roots to the leaves. Phloem is the sap containing all the sugars made by photosynthesis which the leaf sends back to
• The Lower Epidermis (botany: Abaxial Epidermis) contains 2 different types of cells, stomata and guard cells:
• Stoma (plural: stomata) is a pore between a pair of guard cells that allow plants to breathe. Leaves need CO2 (carbon dioxide) for photosynthesis, and create O2 (oxygen) as a byproduct. Since the inside of a plant is mostly composed of water, in order to ‘inhale’ CO2, it has to displace (‘exhale’) water vapor from within the leaf, this is called transpiration.
• Guard Cells are bean shaped cells that control the stomata. They contain chloroplasts, so they manufacture sugars, their job is to sense how much water is being released by the plant, and close the stomata to stop transpiration. This is a really complicated process, for more information here’s Wikipedia, scroll down to ‘opening and closure’.
• On the bottom is a another, thinner, cuticle layer.

So, now that we THOROUGHLY understand the leaf, lets explore methods of feeding our plant through the leaves.

Foliar feeding is a a great way to supplement your feeding. Whether to correct a nutrient imbalance, get the plants eating through nutrient lockout at the roots, or just to get a little more food into a healthy plant, feeding through the leaves is fast and effective.

BE CAREFUL: Start with lower than recommended dosages, it is really easy to burn your plants.