Apothecary Genetics

Light Right

One of the common mistakes indoor growers make is not maximizing their light. Indoor gardens require a minimum 33 watts per square foot. For example, a standard 4’ x 8’ tray (32 sq feet) with two, 1000 watt HPS, you would achieve 62.5 watts per square foot, doubling the recommended amount of watts per square foot.

If you do not contain your light to the plants in the growing area, you waste your light by illuminating your walkways, walls, etc. You are not growing concrete or sheetrock, you are growing plants. It is extremely important that the light penetrate only the plants. The light should not escape the plant area.

The easiest and most cost effective way to contain your light is to use white plastic divider walls, leaving a 2” gap from the wall to the plants. By doing this, you should see a dramatic increase in your yields.

- Bret Bogue,  Apothecary Genetics ,

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Bret Bogue is a renowned medical marijuana seed breeder and marijuana grow expert who has won the Cannabis Cup, been featured in High Times and several movies, created a medical cannabis university and helped bring the legendary Kush medical marijuana strain to its high prominence.  He’s the type of marijuana breeder, pioneer and activist who stands up to drug warriors and relentlessly pushes to improve marijiuana genetics, potency and legalization.

Bogue  loves to teach marijuana cultivation techniques such as "super-cropping," and he revels in developing or improving strains such as Grape Ape, Tangerine Kush ,   ChemDawg , Kaia Kush , Sour Grapes, Goo, Levity, and Very Berry Haze.

It’s no surprise they call Bret the “King of Kush.” Big Buds caught up with Bret Bogue as he multi-tasked his way through another OG Kush day in California…

Big Buds: Bret, when I heard them call you the King of Kush , I knew I had to start by asking you about the origins of Kush .

Bret Bogue :  OG Kush is originally from Pakistan and Afghanistan. Seeds were gathered in that region and brought to Florida in the early 1970’s and grown there in the Latin American community until the late 1980’s.  By 1992, it had been brought to California.  A young breeder named Josh started making a buzz with...Read More

Kaia Kush and the HIGH TIMES Cannabis Cup

Many Kush varieties have won prizes for their breeders at our annual pot-tasting festival in Amsterdam each November. From the original Skunks of the 1980s to the Kushage, Vanilla and Kaia Kush of the current era, the strain’s potency and flavor are undeniable. While Haze varieties dominate the  sativa  category in the seed-bank contest, Kushes traditionally prevail among the  indicas . Kush strains have also provided the genetic basis for many perennial winners that don’t have the word “Kush” in their names, such as White Widow, Sensi Star and AK-47.

Breeders know that one of the best ways to wow discerning judges is to use genetics laden with Afghani heritage. Long prized for its medicinal properties, this is the bud known for its “couch-lock” – a perfect strain for an evening nightcap, but also one capable of changing all your plans when puffed at mid-day. The intense citrus flavor, skunky odor and extremely long-lasting stone aren’t soon forgotten.

The Kush and the HIGH TIMES Cannabis Cup have a long and storied history – one that’s guaranteed to continue for many years to come. Future Cups are sure to be won by plants bearing these illustrious genetics, and much of the best hashish in Holland continues to be made from these strains as well. Plus the centuries-long Afghan tradition of separating the trichomes from Kush plants to press into bricks of tasty hash has...Read More

GRAPE APE chosen as one of the top ten medical marijuana varieties worth further study.