Interview with Biotabs

Oyziphar 1. Tell us a bit about yourself: who are you, where are you from, and what do you do outside of growing? I call myself Oyziphar. The name has absolutely no meaning. I came up with the name when I was asked to write a cultivation column for "Hét Blad" (meaning The Leaf in Dutch). "Hét Blad" was the first cannabis magazine/newspaper in Belgium and was published in 1995 by the BCCB (Belgische Cannabis Consumenten Bond; meaning the Union of Belgian Cannabis Consumers). In 2010, I became grower number 3 of CSC Trekt Uw Plant, an initiative by Encod founder Joep Oomen. The members collectively had a plant grown (one plant per person was tolerated) by growers from the non-profit organization. Each plant had a name tag. Unfortunately, this noble initiative was shut down after 8 years by the mayor of Antwerp, who waged a fierce battle against everything related to drugs (except alcohol). However, the drug problem has exploded since he came to power, and Antwerp has become one of the largest import ports for cocaine. I'm a medical user of cannabis. I have a medical history and am under the care of a doctor who prescribes cannabis. With this prescription, as a Belgian (Bedrocan), I can buy cannabis at a pharmacy in the Netherlands. This cannabis is expensive and of lower quality than what I can grow myself. My doctor therefore advises me to grow it myself. I only take these sealed jars of this legal cannabis with me when I have to travel somewhere by plane. 2. How did you get into growing? Tell us about your very first steps. Because I live in a village close to the Dutch border, I came into contact with cannabis at a young age. Just like with alcohol and tobacco, I experimented with its use, but it didn't make much of an impression on me at the time. It was rather how recreational drugs create a social interaction between people that intrigued me. There was no internet back then. Besides the tall tales of older friends and song lyrics, the local library was the only place where we could find information about cannabis. That is how we found out that you could actually grow cannabis yourself. I grew my first plant in the summer of 1980. I was 15 years old at the time. A friend of mine knew that the local miller sold hemp seeds. We had a pretty big garden, and I decided to sow the seeds in the back of our yard. The plants grew like weeds, but the police found out and confiscated them. They said they had never seen such large plants before, which made me very proud. Because they were hemp seeds, the end product might not have been smokable anyway. But it was mainly the beautiful plant, its growth rate, and the lovely leaves that had piqued my interest. However, it wasn't until the late 1980s that real marijuana seeds became commercially available. I bought my first seeds at a shop selling Asian goods in Eindhoven. They sold seeds from Positronics in Amsterdam: Hollandsch Hoop and Red Hair Skunk. When I was too late to purchase my seeds in the late 1980s—the shop had run out of stock—I called the phone number I found on an old package. It was the Positronics fan club in Amsterdam. They told me I was better off buying clones, because it was already late in the season. That was when I traveled to Amsterdam for the first time. In the old Positronics building on Van Ostade Street, I bought my first cuttings: Viking and Dame Blanche. I suspect it was in 1987 or 1988. The following year, they were located in the large building on Ferdinand Bolstraat. There were experimental setups of plants in their growth and flowering phases. The shop was only accessible to members of the Sinsemilla Fan Club, and you could buy seeds, cuttings, and growing equipment there. Positronics was Valhalla for the cannabis enthusiast. From then until now, I have grown cannabis without interruption. 3. What role does cannabis play in your life – personally and as a grower? Cannabis has always been very important in my life. I have a congenital medical condition that limits my movements and causes me a lot of pain. When I discovered the beneficial effects of the plant during my adolescence, I saw it as my mission to inform people about my findings. I noticed that there was an enormous stigma surrounding cannabis. I didn't understand how people could be so prejudiced, and why the legislation was so unfair. Thanks to cannabis and its countless applications, I have also become interested in all sorts of things. By reading about the history of cannabis, you also learn a lot about the history of humanity. Through cannabis, I have also become interested in other plants myself. I love plants and now grow a large portion of my own vegetables. Cannabis also makes music, art, and other higher realms much more intense and resonates better. Cannabis is so intertwined with us as human beings, both literally through the receptors and figuratively through our cultural ties. Caring for this plant on a micro level provides so much cosmic power. Growing your own medicine is of inestimable importance. 4. What growing method do you prefer and why? (Indoor/outdoor, soil/hydro, etc.) I enjoy growing outdoors, in the greenhouse, as well as under artificial light. The plant thrives best outdoors. Nothing compares to natural sunlight. But for the buds, it is a different story. In the greenhouse, the plants experience much more heat, which is good for trichome production, but mold is a lurking danger here too. Growing cannabis indoors is the most intense method. The challenges are great, but the quality is superior. 5. Which strain is closest to your heart and what fascinates you about it? My favorite strain has varied over the years. Sometimes I stumble upon a new strain and become completely obsessed with it. The impact is so great that I usually grow that strain for a few years. That is how I have had quite a few favorite strains over the years. Roughly chronologically, these were Hollands Hoop, Dame Blanche, Skunk (var.), K2, Amnesia Haze, Cookies (var.), and currently Liberty Haze. 6. What has been your biggest learning moment as a grower – a mistake or a success that helped you grow I learned the most by growing indoors. You can harvest several times a year, allowing you to learn quickly. Indoors, you can really let your plants reach full bloom. My preference is definitely for organic cultivation in soil. I have always enjoyed preparing my own soil. In recent years, I have mainly grown using nutrient tablets. This works better than powder and granules because these are usually used up by the end of flowering. I am not a chemist, and I don't like having to mix ten different liquids. With tablets, you don't waste time on that, allowing you to spend more time on the plant and the ideal climate in which it needs to grow. 7. What does your typical grow routine look like – how much time do you invest and what do you enjoy most? I try to avoid routine. I like trying new things. That is why I grow both indoors and outdoors, using both cuttings and seeds, and various strains. Cannabis is a passionate hobby. Nevertheless, I try to combine it with my work and my other hobbies. It is also very therapeutic to grow your own high-grade cannabis organically and then consume it. I also really enjoy taking photos. After all, the cannabis plant is, as we all know, super photogenic. 8. What advice would you give beginners who are just stepping into the world of growing? To beginners, I would say: find your own way. Growing is about entering into a relationship with your plant. After all, it depends on you for its care. How you handle that responsibility is how you will be rewarded by the plant. Fortunately, plants are very forgiving and can take a beating. But they prefer to be spoiled and pampered. They ultimately deliver the performance, but you are the coach who must ensure they are able to give their best. 9. How did you first hear about Biotabs and what made you want to try it? I am fairly certain that it was in 2011 that I first heard of BioTabs. I was in a grow shop where I saw an advertising flyer. But it wasn't until many years later, when I was looking for an automatic watering system and came across Autopot, that I started using BioTabs. 10. How has Biotabs influenced your grow and what do you appreciate most about the product? I don't know of an easier way to grow cannabis organically. The big advantage is that you don't waste time preparing nutrient water. It is super easy. Moreover, it is organic, which fits perfectly with my philosophy of life. I grow my own vegetables, and what I can't grow, I buy at my organic store. I also use the tablets for plants that I need to harvest constantly, such as basil, parsley, and spring onions. It also works excellently for peppers and bell peppers in pots. BioTabs now has a more extensive range as well; should you still feel the need to pamper the plants a little extra, there is plenty of choice available.