Cannabis Grow Guide by Royal Queen Seeds

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Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

support@royalqueenseeds.com


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

  • First and last name
  • Home and billing address
  • Telephone number
  • Gender
  • IP address
  • Email address
  • Date of birth

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

  • First & last name
  • Gender

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

  • Email address

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: support@royalqueenseeds.com.

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

SECTION 4 – HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR DATA?

At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to support@royalqueenseeds.com.

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

SECTION 5 – COOKIES

Cookies are small information files that notify your computer of previous interactions with our website. These cookies are stored on your hard drive, not on our website. Essentially, when you use our website, your computer displays its cookies to us, informing our site that you have visited before. This allows our website to function more quickly and remember aspects related to your previous visits (such as your username), making your experience more convenient. At Royal Queen Seeds, we use two types of cookies: functional and analytical.

5.1 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to enhance your online experience. Among other things, these cookies track what is added to your shopping cart. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

5.2 Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used for research and market analysis. The data collected with these analytical cookies is anonymous, making it unusable for third parties. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

SECTION 5 – THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

SECTION 6 – SECURITY

To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO:

  • Revoke the consent you have granted;
  • Access personal data;
  • Rectify personal data;
  • Delete personal data;
  • File a complaint or a writ for the protection of your rights before the Spanish Data Protection Agency;
  • Be notified of any security incident that may affect your rights;
  • Limitation of processing;
  • Portability.

How to start growing cannabis

Getting Started With Cannabis Cultivation

Getting started with cannabis cultivation: a guide for new growers.

Contents:

So you want to grow at home, but don't know where to begin. Never fear! Our guide to cannabis cultivation will inform you on all the essentials. Learn to grow like the pros!

KNOW WHERE TO FIND GROW GUIDES AND RESOURCES

If you yearn to grow your own cannabis, you’ve already taken the first major step by reading through this grow guide. Even if there are technical terms you don’t yet understand, becoming more familiar with the overall process of growing weed at home will help you when it comes time to plan and build out your grow.

Like any exploit, this is an artform that takes practice. In addition to this guide, the Royal Queen Seeds cannabis blog is chock full of helpful information, offering tips and tricks addressing all manner of grow-related questions and concerns. You can also check out the following articles below to discover some other resources to read and watch to help you on your way:

If you want to interact and learn from other growers, be sure to visit popular grow forums for personal accounts. Here, you can talk to novice and experienced growers alike, giving and taking advice to help each other learn. Of course, it’s important to take these accounts with a grain of salt as the information is seldom verified.

At the end of the day, though, putting theory into practice always comes with some unexpected hurdles. Get ahead of the game by familiarising yourself with these crucial factors below!

PICK THE RIGHT CANNABIS SEEDS

Obviously, cannabis plants don’t just grow from nothing, which means we need to get a hold of some seeds first. Fortunately, you can source quality cannabis seeds from the RQS catalogue, which are tested for quality and feature some of the best germination rates on the market.

Now for the more difficult portion: choosing your strains. The key is to not let the array of genetics on offer overwhelm or confuse you. To successfully navigate the different options, let’s go over the basic differences between indica and sativa.

INDICA

Indica plants are stocky, and feature broad stems and wide leaves. Their flowering period is relatively short, and they are known to produce larger, denser buds. Indicas are what some stoners call “nighttime” strains because they often provide a relaxing stoned effect.

Other effects commonly associated with indicas include:

- Couch-lock
- Sedation
- Munchies
- Body high
- Deep relaxation

Some of our most famous indica strains include: ICE, Northern Light, Blue Mystic, O.G. Kush.

 

  • Indica leaf INDICA / caratteristiche
  • Couch-lock
  • Chilling
  • Appetite
  • Body High
  • Deep relaxation
  • Sleep Aid
  • Pain + Nausea Relief
  • Stress + Anxiety Relief
  • Sativa leaf SATIVA
  • Energy
  • Stimulating
  • Head High
  • Uplifting
  • Creativity
  • Fight Depression

SATIVA

In contrast to indicas, sativas tend to grow quite tall, have thinner leaves and longer stems, and take much longer to flower than indicas. Moreover, their effects tend to err on the side of energetic over sedative.

Other effects commonly associated with sativas include:

- Cerebral stimulation
- Physical energy
- Creativity
- Euphoria

Some of our most famous sativa strains include: Power FlowerAmnesia HazeHaze BerryRoyal Moby.

Today, very few cannabis strains are pure indica or sativa. Most varieties you’ll find are hybrids, a genetic mix of both sativa and indica. Hybrids can be indica-dominant or sativa-dominant, or can be split 50/50. As such, the morphology and effects of hybrids will vary greatly depending on genetic and environmental factors. That said, you can use the common traits of indica and sativa to help guide you in the right direction.

Although there is no “best” option when it comes to strain selection, beginners often choose indica or indica-dominant specimens as they are easier to control and take less time to finish.


Not sure which seeds to choose? Our beginner's guide covers everything you need to know!

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Grow Guide!

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AUTOFLOWERING

Autoflowers do away with some of the major complications of growing weed. These strains come in the form of both indica and sativa hybrids, but they also contain a third type of cannabis known as ruderalis. These genes allow autoflowers to flower based on age rather than light cycle, unlike traditional photoperiod varieties. Autoflowers also normally grow smaller than photoperiod varieties, which can be an advantage if your space is limited. If you want to learn more about growing autoflowers, you can check out our guide How To Grow Autoflowering Cannabis. For this guide, we will proceed with discussing traditional (feminized photoperiod) cannabis.

GROWING MEDIUM

Once you have your seeds, you will need to get suitable containers to hold your soil. Usually, around 7–11-litre pots are a good place to start. Ensure the containers have holes in the bottom to allow water to drain out. Cannabis doesn’t like stagnant moisture.

What type of soil should you get? In principle, you can use most types of universal potting soil, although cheap mixes aren't always optimal for cannabis. Some soil may contain too few nutrients and/or may not be airy enough. Well-aerated soil is important for proper root development. If you have an otherwise good potting soil, you can make it even better by adding perlite, an amorphous volcanic glass that appears as small, light white stones. These help make the soil airier for improved drainage.

These days, you can also find soil mixes especially made for growing cannabis, which should be optimal out of the bag. These mixes contain enough of the right nutrients to sustain the growing (vegetative) phase of your plants, so you shouldn’t need to add any nutrients in the first few weeks. Most of the higher-quality soils will also have perlite already mixed in.

What you definitely should not do: Dig out some dirt from the garden and use it as your potting soil. Not only will this not contain the right nutrients, it will likely also be contaminated with bugs, fungus, and other impurities you definitely don’t want in your grow room.

GROWING MEDIUM

LIGHTING

Cannabis needs light to grow, and it needs even more light for flowering. Your lighting setup will make a big difference in how your crop turns out.

TYPES OF LIGHTING

In grow shops and online, you will come across all sorts of grow lights—some for the vegetative phase, some for flowering, and some for both. To keep things as uncomplicated as possible, choose a light suitable for all growing stages. In recent years, LED grow lights have become quite affordable. These can be an energy-saving alternative to other types of lighting, such as HID grow lights. Make sure you get a “full spectrum” light, or one with a switch that allows you to easily change the spectrum from veg to bloom. If you only require a low amount of light, such as for seedlings or young vegging plants, you can also use fluorescent bulbs.

WATTAGE

The wattage of your grow light is an important factor to consider for your grow room. For reasonable yields of good quality, you should get at least a 400–600W sodium lamp or equivalent LED light. Of course, you can find more powerful lamps like 1000 and 2000W types, or less powerful ones with 150–250W, but a 400–600W grow light provides a good middle-ground so you can expect decent yields without using too much energy.

A 400W sodium bulb can deliver around 200 grams of bud per m², while a 600W light can achieve 300 grams. Obviously, these are only estimates. If you get more, count yourself lucky. Expert growers may get up to 300g/m² from a 400W light, and 400g/m² from a 600W light in optimal circumstances.

When shopping for a grow light, ensure that you read the manufacturer's specs. And know that manufacturers of super-cheap LED lights may grossly overstate the specs of their products. If you’re unsure of what light to get, you can always ask for advice on grower forums.

LIGHT SCHEDULES

Unless you’re growing autoflowers (which you can leave under 18–24 hours of light from seed to harvest), you will need to keep your plants under a specific light cycle depending on their stage.

Vegetative stage: 18-6

The vegetative stage of your plants can, in principle, last as long as you want. Normally, however, growers leave their plants to veg for at least 3–4 weeks, or until the plant has reached the desired height. A typical light schedule for this stage is 18 hours on, 6 hours off.

Flowering stage: 12-12

For flowering, switch your lights to an even 12-12 light cycle. Make sure the “dark cycle” isn’t interrupted as this can prevent your plants from flowering.

When you connect your light to a timer, you can easily maintain these schedules.

AIRFLOW AND VENTILATION

If you’re growing indoors, you will need to ensure adequate airflow so your plants stay healthy.

AIRFLOW AND VENTILATION

EXTRACTORS

Although it may not seem as vital as, say, your grow lights, an exhaust fan and an air extractor (with activated carbon filter) can make a huge difference to your grow. Cannabis plants need carbon dioxide (CO₂) in order to develop, which they absorb from the air around them.

If you’re growing indoors and don’t have an adequate air intake and exhaust in place, your plant will sooner or later use up all the available CO₂. Once that happens, growth will slow down and your plant may even get sick. An extractor sucks the CO₂-depleted air out, automatically replacing it with fresh, CO₂-laden air.

An added bonus of using an air extractor with an activated carbon filter is that it will also neutralise the smell of your cannabis during flowering. This can help keep your grow-op clandestine. Carbon filters simply contain a tube of activated carbon that you connect to your exhaust system. Know that carbon filters won’t last forever. Most of the time, you will need to replace the filter after about 5 harvests.

AIR CIRCULATION

To ensure the fresh air sucked into your grow space is evenly dispersed, you will also need one or more ventilators. By keeping the air circulating, the ventilator ensures that CO₂, as well as heat and moisture, are evenly spread throughout the space. This can help disperse the heat from your grow lights and reduce the risk of mould.

You can also set up some fans to blow a light breeze toward your plants, causing them to develop thicker and stronger stems that better support heavy yields.

NUTRITION

Cannabis plants can’t just live off of light and love alone; we have to provide them with nutrients so they can grow.

Cannabis has different nutrient requirements depending on its stage. During growth, plants need high nitrogen and potassium levels and a medium intake of phosphorus. For flowering, the nitrogen level is reduced, more phosphorus is added, and potassium levels are kept about the same. Because of that, cannabis nutrients normally come with (at least) two bottles—one for veg, and the other for flowering.

Once again, you don’t need to make things more complicated than necessary. If you’re growing indoors, letting your plants veg for four weeks, and are using soil that contains a spectrum of cannabis nutrients, you won’t need to administer any nutrients during the vegetative phase. You can simply start during flowering, when the plant’s requirements change.

NITROGEN, PHOSPHORUS, AND POTASSIUM (NPK)

Fertilisers and nutrient solutions are based on three macronutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. They also contain micronutrients like iron and calcium. The ratio of how much nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium a nutrient solution contains is often displayed in the form of three numbers, such as 3-1-6 or 0-4-5. This indicates the N-P-K (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) levels. As mentioned, nitrogen and potassium are crucial for vegetative growth, whereas greater amounts of phosphorus are useful during bloom.

Be aware that seedlings and young plants will have different nutrient requirements than large and vigorous plants. Seedlings, for example, will only need very little (if any) nutrients. Overfeeding cannabis plants is among the most common mistakes that new growers make. What’s worse is that the symptoms of a sick, overfed plant may just look like those of a plant that isn’t getting enough nutrients, such as yellowing leaves. If you run into trouble with your plants, it is usually best to give them a “flush” (see below) and start again with the recommended nutrient levels.

NITROGEN, PHOSPHORUS, AND POTASSIUM (NPK)

pH

The pH level of your water/nutrient solution is paramount for proper nutrient uptake. Nutrients modify the water and soil pH to some degree (some more than others). When growing in soil, the pH level should be between 6.0 and 7.0. If the pH is off, this can make it so your plant is unable to take up nutrients even if they are present, leading to so-called nutrient lockout. This can culminate in plants becoming sick or stalling, so you should always keep a close eye on the pH of your grow and adjust your water/nutrient solution accordingly with pH “up” and “down” products.

WATER

Improper watering is another common mistake made by new growers. Many times, growers tend to overwater plants, which will lead to all sorts of problems from fungus growth to pest infestation.

But proper watering is actually pretty simple: It is always better to water less frequently than too often. Allow the soil in the pots to dry out between watering. How will you know when that happens? There are a couple methods. One way is to stick a finger at least 3cm into the soil. If it’s dry, you’re probably good to go. Even better, use the weight of your growing containers to help you differentiate when the soil is saturated versus dry. If your container is noticeably light, you’ll know it’s time to water again. Again, your plants can withstand a little underwatering better than overwatering.

FLUSHING

Flushing is when you administer plain, pH-adjusted water to your cannabis plants. There are two main reasons growers choose to flush:

Flushing because plants are sick

When you feed cannabis mineral nutrients, salts will accumulate over time in the soil. This can throw off the pH and make the soil too acidic. As a result, your plants will get sick as they cannot uptake nutrients. To flush out the salts, drench your soil with about twice the capacity of your pot in plain, pH-adjusted water. Once you have done that, wait until the soil is dry again and give your plant the recommended nutrients. Fingers crossed, your plant will recover!

Flushing before harvest

Many growers prefer to flush their plants before harvest. Flushing removes the remaining mineral salts in the soil, causing plants to draw out nutrients stored in their leaves. The idea here is that this will benefit the taste of your cannabis. To flush before harvest, stop feeding your plants nutrients and just give pH-adjusted water for the last 1.5–2 weeks.

CONCLUSION

All of this may sound like a lot to learn if you’re still new to growing cannabis. But no worries, once you get the hang of things, everything will autumn into place! Don't forget that even pro cannabis growers started out as rookies. Mistakes can always happen, and you shouldn’t let small setbacks discourage you. In fact, every mistake is an opportunity to gain more knowledge. Rest assured, it won’t take long before you’re growing cannabis like a pro!

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