Pointswest
Member
Started growing in late 60's, no internet, only one friend to compare notes with. As with others, Mel and ED's Complete guide for growing Marijuana was the bible. Some people back then had halide lights but most grew with t8 fluros and HO's with one cool white and one daylilght bulb. I built a rack with 5 double bulb shop lights 4 ft long and grew in the space under the landing of the stairs.
At the time commercial bricks consisted of Panama Red, Columbian Red and Gold, Purple Zacateacus, Acapulco Gold, Michoacan, Oaxacan and Jamaican Lamb's Breath.. My first bag of weed cost $5 and within a year or two $15-20 was the normal price for an oz. We early growers had a hard time convincing people that the sensimillia was better than these landrace strains. Early in 70's I would have to discount my seedless buds to $17.50 to compete with the imported brick weed from Panama and Columbia, which sold for $20.. This was also the Vietnam era and many vets would bring Thai sticks home so grower friends could try and reproduce the amazing highs.
Growing these strains was a real learning experience, as some grows might take close to a year. I once bred a Purple Zacateacus and Columbian Red, then the next year crossed the F1 with Hawaiian Kine. The resulting hybrid was stronger than anything I have ever smoked to this day. Young growers who think today's weed is so much better than the sensimillia grown with the 60's and 70's strains are sadly mistaken. Most people will never experience the incredible high of smoking an equatorial sativa that has been flowered for 20-24 weeks because it is not cost effective in these times.
Growers were able to produce better and better yielding hybrids with these strains as growing info was passed by word of mouth and a few books on growing hit the shelf. Most of the early growers opted for soil grows until the 70's when people started growing more hydro setups. Most of today's new hybrids are descendants of these old pure strains.
At the time commercial bricks consisted of Panama Red, Columbian Red and Gold, Purple Zacateacus, Acapulco Gold, Michoacan, Oaxacan and Jamaican Lamb's Breath.. My first bag of weed cost $5 and within a year or two $15-20 was the normal price for an oz. We early growers had a hard time convincing people that the sensimillia was better than these landrace strains. Early in 70's I would have to discount my seedless buds to $17.50 to compete with the imported brick weed from Panama and Columbia, which sold for $20.. This was also the Vietnam era and many vets would bring Thai sticks home so grower friends could try and reproduce the amazing highs.
Growing these strains was a real learning experience, as some grows might take close to a year. I once bred a Purple Zacateacus and Columbian Red, then the next year crossed the F1 with Hawaiian Kine. The resulting hybrid was stronger than anything I have ever smoked to this day. Young growers who think today's weed is so much better than the sensimillia grown with the 60's and 70's strains are sadly mistaken. Most people will never experience the incredible high of smoking an equatorial sativa that has been flowered for 20-24 weeks because it is not cost effective in these times.
Growers were able to produce better and better yielding hybrids with these strains as growing info was passed by word of mouth and a few books on growing hit the shelf. Most of the early growers opted for soil grows until the 70's when people started growing more hydro setups. Most of today's new hybrids are descendants of these old pure strains.
