Author Biography
As a staff writer for Skunk Magazine and a vocal advocate of his own True Living Organics grow style, The Rev has earned himself quite the following in the North American cannabis community. Though he was once a successful and prolific hydro grower, he saw the light several years ago, and once he sampled his first home-grown True Living Organics bud, he never looked back. Now, he works from his home in Oregon to spread the word about the benefits of the grow style he has cultivated and refined to other growers looking for the next adventure.
Published Works
Upcoming Works
True Living Organics (2nd edition)
Author Interview
How important would you say organic growing is to the larger marijuana-growing industry?
Well, ‘organic’ growing is fine, but that really is a “big tent” term when it comes to growing styles. True Living Organics is truly an all-natural style of growing, whereas many organic growing styles are not. So, I believe all-natural style is really the way, and all you would need to do to agree with me is actually smoke a bit of all naturally grown cannabis compared to any other growing style. You can never look back after that. It’s more than obvious to anyone at that point just how sublime this style is.
I have had hundreds of emails from TLO growers who suddenly understand what I mean when I say it will kind of turn you into a weed-snob. It’s quite simply, that much better. Not a little better, a huge jump in quality. Plus, TLO teaches you how the universe works, heh heh, nothing goes to waste.
What drew you to, as you call it, True Living Organics rather than more common growing methods?
In a word, the quality of the final product. I first ran (almost 2 decades ago) just a couple of growing containers under my lights using organics, bottled organic nutrients with zero synthetic additions. Now, I kind of sucked at organic growing at that point so my results weren’t stellar, but even so, I instantly noticed the enormous difference in the quality of the smoke. I was hooked right then and there.
Common growing methods create common cannabis products—ugh—if you want something truly elegant and a top-shelf connoisseur product, you need to go TLO baybee. Let the life work.
The subtitle of your book is “The Ultimate Guide to Growing All-Natural Marijuana Indoors.” If the goal is to grow as naturally and organically as possible, why grow inside rather than outside?
I often reflect on my olden days growing outdoors, with big happiness. Growing outdoors is superior in several ways to indoors, however, it has problems of its own. Problems growing outdoors are much different for the most part than when growing indoors. I believe more peeps have the options better suited to growing indoors than outdoors, and that certainly applies to me these days. Even if you live in Alaska, you can bring the primo environment to your plants.
Outdoors, you have thieves, clay, parasites—especially powdery mildew and bud-rot, water source problems, weather events, soil anomalies, light poisoning, etc. Not only that, plants grown under full-pull all day sunshine create an inferior final product compared to plants grown under a lesser amount of sunlight. Like when using either translucent coverings that reduce the UV by about 50%, or under lathing, or dappled sunlight for at least half a day. The intense UV of the sunshine makes strong hearty plants full of vegetable fiber. Good for plants, not that great for smoke.
Indoors, you have problems too, but thieves are less likely, as long as you keep your grow on the down-low. In fact, all your problems are easier to handle indoors because you create the environment. When growing outdoors it’s bigtime about location-location-location. Indoors you bring the best environment to the plants. When it comes down to it, these days, I think well grown all-natural cannabis indoors takes the winning edge over outdoors when it comes to final quality; 90% of the time. That being said, there are some phenomenal outdoor locations, especially some jungles, that would test that opinion.
How do see the organic marijuana growing movement changing and developing in the future?
Eventually, I mean as I see it, it will be the only real way to grow anything, not just cannabis. Mother Nature knows best, trying to emulate her as best as possible is always the best move, per my half century of growing experience. Common growing styles that use bottles to feed with use a different strategy completely—they fight Mother Nature’s ways—wink—You savvy? TLO is the way.
What changes have you been happy to see in organic growing in the last ten years?
Awakening. So very many more people are becoming educated and understanding WHY it works so well to grow organically using an all-natural style like TLO. Part of growing all naturally after all is to understand more about nature. It’s a good thing. Soil recycling has become more common now too, and I mean, it’s a no-brainer as far as I’m concerned. Of course, you recycle your soil.
Many more growing items for indoors are being designed with using the living soil in mind. Like the Plant Warrior grow pots, and full spectrum lights. Back in the early 80’s I had to make up a story as to WHY I needed specific spectrum lighting that was also high wattage. I always said that I was an octopus breeder. I figured there was nobody that actually was one of those I would run into, and therefore less chance I would have my covers pulled. Nowadays it’s super easy to source what you need.
Synthetic and hydro growers I think are on their way out the door. There are less and less of them every year. Growing organically using bottles is normally the first step towards all-natural growing like TLO style. Numerous more peeps are on their way to the ultimate all-natural style prize than a decade ago. Yay!