Interview with Guru Mrs_Larimar

Hi growers! Today, we present an interview with none other than Guru @Mrs_Larimar — the lady who has managed to awe everyone. She was too kind to take her time and explain everything. We had an awesome time chatting with her and sincerely hope she enjoyed it too. 

This interview contains loads of recipes, so check them all out!

1. Question: We are very excited to conduct this interview today. Your profile tells us a lot about your skills. Can you tell us a bit about yourself? What does your name stand for?

Answer: Hi, I am glad to “meet” you too, haha! 

I live in Northern Europe, where growing cannabis is illegal, just like it is in many other parts of the world, unfortunately. 

However, I hope that things will improve a few years down the lane, especially since we can expect legalization. In fact, our government is on the brink of legalizing cannabis. Finally! It has come after a long wait, and I'm pretty excited. 

I believe prohibition helps nobody. If anything, it adds to existing problems. 

Coming to my username on Growdiaries…well, I'm into gaming and stuff, and I borrowed the name from my earlier avatar in one of the games I thoroughly enjoyed!

2. Question: Why did you start cultivating cannabis?

Answer: Well, good question. I have always loved cannabis for its incredible medicinal and recreational properties. I first began by growing outdoors way back in the 80s. 

Although it was a lot of fun and I learned a lot along my growing journey, guerilla grows were pretty frustrating. There always was a risk of getting caught, or my plants being stolen. 

After giving it a lot of thought, I finally decided to continue my journey indoors about 5 years ago, and I've never looked back. At around the same time, I also met James from Royal Queen Seeds in a Facebook forum and it propelled me to get better at growing. I simply wanted to grow amazing plants.  

I love growing cannabis as I like plants in general. It's a happy zone for me where I learn something new every time, and that's the real fun part. I feel like a scientist doing things in the amazing world of plants, and that gives me immense joy. It's a personal journey where I grow every day. 

I also like to push myself out of my comfort zone and do things I haven't attempted before. I believe every grower should do it and learn things every day, no matter how old you are. I think that the world is becoming smaller and we should all strive to change things for the better. Even if you're growing cannabis for personal reasons, you're contributing something to making the world a better place. 

3. Question: Do you remember how and why you started using Growdiaries?

Answer: As I said, I met James and he mentioned how awesome it would be if I could showcase my work on Growdiaries. Remember, I started growing in the 80s and knew a thing or two about growing cannabis. 

I had grown a lot outdoors, so I also felt that it would be great to join this community. And, that was my real start. I saw people helping each other without expecting anything in return, so I thought that was amazing and that I could do it too. 

After that, I learned more than I could ever imagine about growing cannabis, thanks to Growdiaries. 

I read way too many questions other growers asked. And, the answers were right (mostly) too. What impressed me was how other growers tried to help newcomers or anyone having trouble with their plants. It's like everyone in the community had one common goal — growing stunning cannabis plants, and they worked towards it. 

4. Question: What do you love about Growdiaries?

Answer: One important thing you need to do no matter what you learn is to track things. Tracking not only keeps you focused but allows you to go back and reflect on your mistakes, thereby helping you prevent them in the future. 

So, I love that I can track my progress on Growdiaries. Documenting things has allowed me to learn and try to master the craft of cultivating beautiful cannabis plants that give me great joy. 

There are several tools on Growdairies that can help you become a better grower if you use them well. Whether you want to consult someone or simply talk to them as a friend, you can do so without a second thought here. 

There are many contests and fun things you can do here. Imagine winning stuff while growing your favorite plant! It's a win-win as you learn and grow along the way. Many growers have done pretty well for themselves here. 

In addition, as I mentioned earlier, Growdiaries has a fantastic community that can help you grow good, healthy plants. So, the fact that one site has everything makes me love it. 

5. Question: Do you train your cannabis plants? If yes, can you describe one technique that's easy for even beginners?

Answer: I made a lot of diaries with tutorials around growing and MJ. From soil mixing to making fertilizers and making infusions and edibles, I have experimented with many things. If you're inclined, look for diaries with “tutorials” in the title and you'll find many recipes. If you're a beginner, I think the best training technique is to start with LST. 

To give you some information, let me start with germination and a quick process of how I grow my plants. 

First, I let my seeds soak up some lukewarm water for 24 hours. Typically, 18 hours is just fine, and if I see the tap root already, I take them out. If I don't see anything, I add a drop of humic acid to reactivate the seeds. 

Then, I put the seeds in a clean kitchen sponge or paper towel and put the whole thing in a tea filter. I cover the tea filter and let them rest until they are ready with nice tap roots. 

Once I see fresh tap roots, I transfer them to my seedling station where everything is prepared for these little beauties. The seedling station consists of 2x25w lights, a humidifier, and good airflow. I also name the girls — hey, I adore my plants!

I make a small hole in the soil and add Mycotrex so the seedlings develop good roots. Once they are out of their shell, it's confirmed that everything is well and good. They get a little water (about 10 ml) but don't add more as the seedlings may struggle if you overwater them. I also add some Aloe/Azospirillum that fixes nitrogen in the soil. It also promotes healthy plant growth. 

Next, I prepare my soil. Here's a quick recipe for a basic soil mix. You can use this even for sensitive strains. 

Basic Soil Mix

3 Parts Compost

3 Parts Peat moss

2 Parts Perlite

1 Part Vermiculite

If you go completely organic, use coco fiber instead of perlite and dolomite lime instead of vermiculite. You can add up to 20 percent worm castings too.

This is a very "poor" mix for even the most sensitive plants as young seedlings don't need a lot of nutrients. Seedlings grow very slowly if you add too many fertilizers, so use the soil mix for bigger plants and just add little water for seedlings. 

After a week or so, I typically add a 100w big light. If the plants are growing vigorously, I add a little more water. Now, if they have more than 3-4 nodes, I top and transplant them. I also add a heater to stabilize the temperature so it doesn't drop below 20°C or 68°F. 

I also add something called the “Hulk Mix” to keep the plants healthy. Believe me, they will love it. In fact, every living organism can drink it! Here's how I prepare the hulk mix. 

Hulk Mix

2L Water

1Tablespoon Calcium powder

4 Tablets of Magnesium

1 Tablespoon of Silica

4-6 Tablets of Spirulina or Seaweed

1 teaspoon of Macha

1 tablespoon of Molasses

2 teaspoons of Azospirillum 

Some leaves of fresh Aloe

Mix it all well together/blend it in your kitchen machine. Pour it through a sieve. You can also dilute it in a 1:5 ratio, which means 1 liter of the juice should be mixed with 5 liters of water. 

After fertilizing them, I wait a week or two and transplant the plants to bigger pots, preferably 9-10 liter airpots. I top them multiple times at this stage.

I also try to prevent pests at this point. Since prevention is better than cure, I make a nice mix and use it on plants during the vegetative stage. 

My all-rounder against pests is a neem-oil solution. 

Neem Oil Solution to Prevent Pests

1L water in a spray bottle

1 teaspoon of neem oil

Some dishwashing soap for emulsifying it

Mix everything and shake well, and your pest prevention shake is ready!

Next, I transplant them into bigger pots like 20l air pots. At this stage, I super-crop them. If I'm satisfied with their growth, maybe after 6-7 weeks, I also shift them to the flowering stage. Plus, if the girls are very thirsty, they get around 1L water every 3-4 days if the soil is dry. 

After a week or so, I increase the water to 1.5 liters and the plants also get the hulk mix once per week. If I see some preflowers, I continue the same. But if there's nothing, it's okay too. It's all in genetics. I make it a point to clean the grow room regularly to avoid pests. Plus, I defoliate them and tuck leaves so all parts of the plant get light. Most plants require at least 1 liter of water per day at this point, but you can adjust according to your plant's needs. I regularly add calcium and magnesium. 

After the buds grow well, it's time to harvest. I harvest them, and it's time to dry. I have tried various ways to dry weed, but I have recently started using cardboard boxes. First, I take stakes from an old clothes rack and put them in the cardboard box. Next, I let the buds dry on them. Now, the buds can dry easily and it's stealthy as well. You can open the cardboard box at times for good airflow. It's also a good idea to poke some holes to avoid mold. 

If the branches snap easily after two weeks, they are ready to be cured in glass jars. 

6. Question: Are you a DIY person or do you purchase most equipment, including nutrients?

Answer: I like doing DIY but I feel that if the great wheels are invented already, I don't need to invent them again. So, there are many products that we can use, and many of them aren't really expensive either. 

Growing cannabis is a science. For example, you can set up your grow tent by measuring everything to the last detail. You'll need to make sure that there are no light leaks and also make provisions for ventilation. However, since you can purchase grow tents at a cheap price and not have to worry about light leaks, it's the price you pay for peace of mind. 

Moreover, many grow tents are available for a fraction of the price they were earlier. Everything is ready and you just have to install them and place your plants. There isn't much difference in terms of cost between DIY tents and premade tents either, so it's best to go for good products rather than trying to make everything from scratch in my opinion. 

But, having said that, there are a few things I prefer doing myself. For instance, MJ extracts are extremely expensive, but you can make them at home pretty easily. They provide a great way to enjoy cannabis, whether you're doing it for recreational or medicinal purposes. For medicinal users, it's even more important to make their own extracts and concentrates as they may depend on them more than regular users. 

I also love making edibles. Edibles are great because you tend to enjoy the high for longer periods of time. Also, you can customize them according to your taste. However, they are super expensive. As cannabis growers, we are blessed with good yields that we can use to make whatever we want in the comfort of our homes. 

So, if you're a beginner, experiment with many things until you find what you like. If you like edibles, learn how to get lots of yields and you'll soon be on your way to making some fantastic edibles that taste better than many products. 

7. Question: Can you describe a few things you do (DIY) that perhaps saves money?

Answer: As I said, I try to purchase good products that are available for cheap prices. But, I like making edibles and extracts that open up a whole new world for me. 

But, one more thing that can actually save you money is to make your own soil. Soil is one of the most important components to growing good marijuana and many people neglect that. They purchase expensive nutrients, grow tents, lights, and everything else required to grow cannabis, but forget about the most important factor — soil. 

Potting mixes are available, but they are expensive, in my opinion. So, one great way to save money is to buy everything required and then mix your own soil. However, if you don't have clean sources for your soil mix, it's better to purchase them. Never use cheap ready mixed garden center soil as it does more harm than good. I have also made tutorials on soil mixing so you can check them out. 

8. Question: What type of nutrients do you use to grow cannabis?

Answer: I usually use organic and vegan nutrients to grow cannabis. You can find vegan organic liquid fertilizers from GreenBuzzNutrients.

And a top dressing from Lurpe/Spain called Insectfrass. 

When I started those, it was a huge game changer for my grows. I also test many nutrients in order to educate myself and also provide consultation to others to grow good cannabis. Needless to say, I have tried a lot of nutrients to see which one suits me the best. However, my personal Favourite is GreenBuzzLiquids.

9. Question: Can you name a few growers who have inspired you here? What do you like the most about their growing style?

Answer: There are many growers that have inspired me here but it's going to take a long time to name all of them. So, I'm not going to name anyone at all.

I've met many growers that are lovely here. They know their craft and excel at it. They learn from others, just like me, and we all grow as one community, so it would be unfair to name just a few. In short, I love growers who take care of their plants. It's easy to know if the plants are happy by just looking at their diaries. I'd also like to add that I'm open to consultation or just chatting with people.

10. Question: Is there any strain you grow in particular? Would you recommend it to beginners?

Answer: I don't have any particular strain I love. I simply grow anything and everything I set my eyes on. For beginners, I recommend they look at other growers who are beginners and start with those strains.

11. Question: What are your favorite strains, and why?

Answer: As I said, I don't love a strain in particular. I simply love all cannabis plants. Plus, I've grown so many strains for such a long time that it would be difficult to name just a few.

To put it simply, I love well-structured indicas as they grow beautifully. They are aesthetically pleasing and offer a great time as well. I also have a weakness for colorful strains that are rich in terpenes, making them smell wonderful as well. I also like funny mutated plants. You could call me a freak of nature!

12. Question: Who are your favorite breeders?

Answer: I've grown strains from many breeders. In fact, I think I have tried them all but my all-time favorite is Royal Queen Seeds. Not only are the seeds from Royal Queen Seeds excellent but they also have fantastic customer service.

I also have my friend James from Royal Queen Seeds who is a lovely chef and supports everyone in the community. Apart from royal Queen seeds, I also like a few other breeders but if you really want to know which ones I love, take a look at my diaries!

13. Question: Any tips for our readers to enjoy cannabis more? Perhaps, concentrates, gummies, etc?

Answer: As mentioned already, if you want to enjoy cannabis in different ways you can take a look at my diaries and follow the one that has tutorials in the title and you will find lots of recipes that I have experimented with. You will have to learn how to do infusions, chocolate gummies, ice cream, drinks, brownies, coated fruits, and so on. There are various ways you can enjoy your cannabis and smoking is not the only way to do so. Making edibles opens up an entirely new world for you, so don't be intimidated and follow the process!

Here's a basic recipe I use:

THC/CBD-infused Oil

I use organic grapeseed or sesame oil as the base as they are very light and taste amazing too. I use it pure, in Icecream, Sweeties, and to cook and bake. 

500ml Oil ( Grapeseed or Sesame)

15-20 grams of dry Marijuana-Flowers/ Sugarleaves

Put everything into a cooking pot. Next, place it in the oven for 90 minutes at 100°C or 212°F. After 90 minutes, filter and cool it back down. Next, put the oil into bottles. You can store it for about 2-3 years. However, the taste might change although the effects of CBD/THC remain the same. 

Here's one more recipe for Water extraction or infused cannabis water. I call them cannabis candies. 

Cannabis Candy

You need:

20 grams of sugar leaves or/and flower

200 ml water

400g sugar

Juice of a lemon

A sieve/kitchen screen

Cooking pot

Whisker

Laserpistol/thermometer

Candy molds/Lollipop molds

First, you need to make a canna extract. It's a very strong tea. I take sugar leaves and small flowers to do it. 

Dry your sugar leaves and small flowers for 35 minutes at 120°C or 248°F in the oven (decarboxylation). It should be around 20 grams ( or more) of decarboxylated stuff for 200 ml of water. Next, just let it bubble for 20 minutes.

Use a sieve and get an extract. Take the juice of 1 lemon and add spices if you want to. Take your extract in a good cooking pot (best is with copper bottom), and add double the amount of sugar. Let it bubble until the temperature reaches above 145°C or 293°F or until all the water evaporates and the THC is in the sugar. 

Next, pour the sugary liquid into molds, wait for them to cool down, and enjoy!

Magic, isn't it?

Note: Always be near the cooking pot and use the whisker. Don't try to taste the sugar mass. It's fooging hot!

As a final note, I would like to thank my family and all the companies and people who have supported me during these past 5 years. I have learnt and enjoyed all this while and I also try my best to give back to the community. I'd also like to add that I love all the chats and meetings here in the community.

And that's it, folks. I hope you all find this interview useful in some way. 

Finally, I hope that cannabis is legalized across the world. Legalize weed worldwide — prohibition kills.