It's a "gateway" plant to gardening Master grower and host of the In My Grow Show podcast Alex Robles joins Justin Benton to share his favorite growing secrets. In addition to talking about growing he tackles many other cannabis related topics including decriminalization, rescheduling and celebrating. Produced by podCONX www.themiracleplant.org https://themiracleplant.org/the-miracle-plant-free-ebook-offer/
It's a "gateway" plant to gardening
Master grower and host of the In My Grow Show podcast Alex Robles joins Justin Benton to share his favorite growing secrets. In addition to talking about growing he tackles many other cannabis related topics including decriminalization, rescheduling and celebrating.
https://themiracleplant.org/the-miracle-plant-free-ebook-offer/
Miracle Plant Alex Robles
[00:00:00] Welcome to the miracle plant podcast, where we discuss this misunderstood plant with so many names. Today, we have an incredible guest, a guy that actually taught me everything I needed to know about the podcasting experience today on our show, we have the creator, the master grower himself.
Of the podcast in my gross show. Alex roadless. How are you? My brother. I'm so happy to have you on my podcast. Thank you very much, man. I appreciate the invite, man. And good for you for getting your show together, man. That's awesome, dude. That is a, yeah. That's so incredible. The good on you, man. Thank you again for just having me on here, man.
Yeah I mean it's funny. I think I was on your show like seven times. And we had a lot of great conversations and, you, you really showed me the ropes on podcasts and you were very generous to have us on as much did. And the reason why we started the miracle plant podcast was because we weren't [00:01:00] able, we were hearing all of these incredible stories of people who are using our products and people who were using cannabis that changed their lives in extraordinary ways.
But the stories weren't getting out there. There was obviously some FDA things and health claims and Facebook taking down ads and all these kinds of stuff. And finally, one day it just dawned on me, why don't we have a podcast where we just invite people on to tell their story. And so that's what we did.
And it's been amazing. We've we've been doing it now for about four months and. Just very happy to be a supporter of your show in my gross show, but as well as having you on the miracle plant podcast, to tell your story of how cannabis has helped your life has helped your family. And it has helped loved ones and friends with whatever health challenges or just mental health, the toot, or any of that good stuff.
So do you have a good story of how you [00:02:00] got maybe just what's your story of how you got introduced to cannabis and how it's been. A positive for your life? I've been using cannabis since my early twenties. The reason I started the website in my grow.com is because about eight years ago, my father-in-law got diagnosed with cancer.
And. He had always used cannabis also to celebrate as that's just how he wasn't really a big drinker, but, he smoked cannabis. And when he got diagnosed, he decided to try and grow his own cannabis and he bought this, real fast and see, grow cabinet and, just hydroponic all the bells and whistles.
But it was a little too much for him really take in and understand and really get the best use out of it. So he asked me if I, if I want it, if I use it to grow and I made him a deal I told him that I would completely take it and learn how to grow. And then as soon as I know how to do it well in that cabinet, that I'd show him how to [00:03:00] do it.
Take the mystery out of it. That way he can grow his own medicine.Sadly, he ended up passing away from the cancer before I could really help him and teach him how to grow his own cannabis. And so you know, a little while afterwards, a couple of months after he had passed, I was sitting wondering how do I.
How do I keep this promise to him about, teaching? So I decided the easiest way was to put a website out of everything that I learned in the simplest way that I know how to explain it to anyone. And that was how I started just wanting to help people understand that it's not there's not a big mystery in growing cannabis.
It's very easy. If you can grow a tomato plant, you can grow cannabis. And, but everywhere you would look on the internet or anywhere else, it was, it just seemed like it was very over complicated. And yeah, that's how I started the website as far as wanting to educate people on cannabis.
And then from there it just took me to understanding because. Yeah, it just took me to understanding [00:04:00] how cannabis helps us in different ways. We're all different. And there are many different varieties of cannabis and they affect us all in a lot of different ways, just because of the different kinds or a different amounts of cannabinoids in them.
Yeah, just put me on this whole learning experience about cannabis. I just wanted to share that. What an incredible story, I'd never had heard it that before, so I think that's very powerful and it's incredible to me. How many of us are drawn to this plant from some severe health issue?
Whether it's our own health issue or a loved one or a family or friend. And it's, it really is, like we said, it's, it is the miracle plan and what a beautiful tribute to, learn and grow with teach, like you always say and it's you're the best cannabis grower that I've come across, in the outdoor realm.
And I know you dedicate so many of your episodes to really digging deep and teaching people how to grow. [00:05:00] Outdoor cannabis. And I know we've collaborated on a few projects and one of our passions at the miracle plant is to teach people how to grow and give them seeds and shoot some videos.
And I know you shot some great videos too, which I'm sure we'll get some links for the show notes. So people can watch you teach them how to grow. You are a master grower, with years of experience and you do things that. That I've not really seen anywhere else. Especially with growing with little predator bugs, like ladybugs.
So I'd love for you toto share with our audience, what what are some of the tips and the tricks to grow in hemp, cannabis, whatever you want to call it in your backyard? Wow man, that's where to start. The best thing is. Why do you start with the good soil? You start with a nice a nice seed stock, wow. Yeah. Like I said, where to begin the floor is yours brother. Yeah. We can take as much time as you need. I know there's a lot of people out there [00:06:00] that are very interested in growing hemp slash cannabis in their backyard. Yeah, the first you got to really think about is where you want to put your cannabis card in your bag, the heartwhether it there's cannabis or hemp it's really going to be hard for anyone just passing by to tell the difference of what you're growing.
There, there really, unless you're using either plant, you're really not going to know what it is by looking at it. Yeah, the best place I would say, when you start looking for where you want to grow, your hemp is you want to place it. The hemp plant is going to need a lot of sunlight. You're going to want a nice sunny spot in your yard.
Also, you're going to want a spot where you get some crosswind that that breeze, that constant breeze blowing through your cannabis plants are really gonna help strengthen it. Because of that slight back and walk back and forth motion. And that breeze is also going to help keep, just to make sure that you don't get any excess moisture, say from the morning dual settling on the plants and, maybe creating some kind of fungal infection, maybe some, [00:07:00] gray mold or something.
So you're going to want to keep those things in mind when you're growing your hemp plant outside in your yard. You're also, I'd suggest. Expanding your garden, not just for him, but for a lot of different herbs, because some of those herbs let's say good Bazell plant, like a good Bazell plant, gonna really attract some predators it's going to attract some green lacewings are really going to help with any kind of past pressures that you may get.
Cause it's a very broad predator. And plus come on, who can't use Bazell and their food. It's great. I love basil, so yeah, and and when you start growing hamper cannabis in your yard, please realize that in the last couple of weeks, when you're ready to harvest your plant, it is going to give off a nice, beautiful odor.
In my opinion, I'm not sure if everybody around you is going to appreciate the odor of the same way. But just be aware that yes, it is going to smell. And I really do think cannabis is a gateway plant to gardening. If that makes any sense, [00:08:00] because like I said, you're going to want to plant other, herbs and spices around with that cannabis, just to keep a healthy just a healthy habitat for everything.
Absolutely. And I know that.The first thing you gotta do is you got to get some good seats and anybody who wants seats over here the miracle plan or one-on-one hemp.org just put it in your note section when you're filling out an order and we'll get you some seats to get started.
And look I just got off of a room on clubhouse and it was, there was some master growers in there too. More on the cannabis side. And it was funny that, they've been grown for 25 years and they, it was just from their mouth that they were saying that, if you want to become a great cannabis grower, you got to kill a lot of cannabis plants.
You've got to, you got to mess up a lot. And it's true. Every grow that I've been a part of, and I'm sure you can agree has its own unique set of challenges. Someone's some grows are easier than others. Some growers are tougher than others. And it's a [00:09:00] process just like anything in life. And so after about your, 10th grow, I feel that usually you've gotten a pretty good handle on what's going on, but there can always be a curve ball.
And any advice that you've learned over the years, that kind of things to watch out for, or common mistakes that, that you've seen others make? Yeah. After you grow a couple of seasons of cannabis, you figure out what and I'd like to encourage everyone to grow. If they have the room or the time to grow cannabis differently, you can grow it in soil.
You can grow it hydroponically. You can grow it in other kinds of soil, this media like cocoa Corp. And the reason for that is because you've figure out what type of grower you are. And what works best for you? Me, I don't grow hydroponically. It's it takes way too much attention for me.
I don't have that kind of time to dedicate to all the things going on, hydro that a hydroponic system needs. Do you know what I mean? It's a very active system. [00:10:00] Hydroponics. It's a lot of mechanical stuff going on. I don't have that kind of time.And yeah, it's just it's just not the way I enjoy growing.
The same thing, the same thing also goes with wine. They don't grow in a lot of let's say soil this, or let's say like a cocoa core or any other kind of media like that.Again, it's really involved. I. I'm just not that type of grower. I enjoy growing in soil. I enjoy this very what's called a biological system.
I don't use a lot of bottled nutrient. I amend my soil, as my plant moves through phases of its life, I amend the soil with different nutrients that are going to give it what it needs for those phases. Cannabis plant and vegetative growth needs more nitrogen.
Where as in, once it moves into a flowering stage, you dial back the nitrogen and push up the the potassium and the phosphorous and your, just to help all those oils just finish off, just those types of things, that's why I say I encourage everyone [00:11:00] if they can to just grow as differently as you can, and you figure out which way works best for you.
And also the way it tastes also, it's all going to be different. You've definitely had all types of varieties of cannabis from high CBD to ITHC. What are some of the things that cannabis has done for you? Whether it be for health or whether it be for mental health or physical health or relaxation or sleep or whatever.
What are some of the things that the cannabis plant is brought into your life or even you and your family's life? I've seen cannabis and help. I've seen cannabis and hemp help my family in a lot of different ways. For me, the cannabis plant really, that's how I celebrate personally.
I don't I'm not a heavy drinker. I'm not a big drinker. And that's how I celebrate. I enjoy it that way.On the other side though, like my parents, I send them hemp oil and, one Oh one CBD oil [00:12:00] constantly because it's, so it helps them also. They have, they're already in their seventies, they've got inflammation issues with arthritis.
Also with this whole thing about COVID, I've read about how Just the ACE receptors and COVID works. And then the, how CBD just covers those ACE receptors better. So it crowds out the COVID that just makes me feel better that my parents were taking it. Give CBD to my dog just because he's got all well, not all kinds of issues, but he's got a few issues that CBD helps with.
But, and yeah, there's just so many different ways. And let's see.
I was, I know that you, I think you used to use it as I recall for it helped you to get a better night's sleep as well. The CBD definitely, the CBD, not only and it's not so much that it makes, it gives me a more restful night's sleep. It doesn't knock me out tore. I'm totally an aware of what's going on.
I don't wake up with any kind of brain fog in the morning. It is just a more relaxing sleep, as I said, [00:13:00] a more real restful sleep, because it's not like I'm sleeping longer during the night, I'm still I'm, I still get about seven hours, excuse me, which is, I'm pretty good.
But it's just, again, when I don't take it, I can definitely tell the next morning. There's just that little noticeability of I'm just a little more tired than I should B and my forties, I feel that you feel that kind of next morning thing, it it definitely helps with that and it really does help with.
Inflammation. I can't tell you how much it helps with that inflammation. Because especially do construction. I work construction and yeah, right after that end of the day, man, it really does help. Just relax the body release the day. That's the best way I can put it. It's a little bit brother.
I know you're obviously you have your own podcast and you do a ton of research on what's going on and. The cannabis and hemp and CBD space got a little update for us as to what's going on out there. What's what's moving the needle for you. Obviously. I know we have a new administration in office and we're [00:14:00] all wondered about the Moore act and you, you regularization yeah.
Any insights you care to share? Look, I'm glad. I'm glad Biden's in office. That means with every administration, that means we can have a, hopefully a new conversation about, hemp about CBD, about cannabis. I know Biden's talking about and the ruling parties talking about decriminalization, it's a great step in the right direction.
I love the idea of taking cannabis out of this realm of being a crime of having something put on your permanent record. That's going to keep you from either higher education or a better job, taking it out of that realm. And while I don't agree that, That decriminalization is going to be the complete answer because in my mind, you're still putting people in a system and it's still a penalty.
And another thing we don't get with decriminalization that I don't think that we, that I think we should talk about is we don't get any regulated [00:15:00] products. There's no regulated market. And that's an issue, we should all have clean products, clean, whether it's medicine or just how you relax, that's what we're all looking at and we'll see what happens, I don't know. Now is the country at large ready for legalization? I don't know, man. And that there's a lot of middle America, we got to sell the idea to, and a lot of that comes from education.
You're preaching to the choir. Yeah. There's a huge gap in education and misinformation. And so much of it was intentional and dating back to the 1937 marijuana tax act and some billionaires and industrialists decided that they were going to. They were going to pull the old wool over America's eyes, including the doctors who in 1936 wrote 2.3 million prescriptions for cannabis oil, for headaches and othercommon things.
And they didn't even consult with the American medical association. But it is back. It's interesting to me. I'm [00:16:00] obviously more on the hemp side and the CBD side, but it is all one plant. I definitely keep my ear to the ground on what's going on with the cannabis sidebecause that'll affect the hemp side as well.
If it does go to decriminalization, which I believe it will happen this year it's going to be on the States to regulate how they want to roll procedures out. And so every state is going to have its own take on things. It does. I don't think that means that all 50 States are immediately going to be opening dispensary's.
In fact, in California, we've had legal recreational cannabis for many years. And by last count we have 753 dispensaries in the entire state of 40 million people, which is ridiculous and shameful. Isn't that the same? That's just, yeah. Yeah. So it, and we actually had a better system before we voted in our initiative prop two 15 was better.
It was a better system and it was better access and there was better social equity. And then that's a big problem. Social equity [00:17:00] is a big problem. All these legacy growers that were growing for 20, 30 years serving time, sometimes 20, 30 years, many people are still locked up for a plant that is, is widely accepted across the country as.
Should be legalized. And I believe over 35, 40 States now have some form of legal cannabis policy. But all of those guys and women that's that, that, that did the hard time or lost money or were separated from their family. There, they need to sit at the table. There needs to be some restitution, and I know that there's a lot of great advocates that I've been hearing from and collaborating with on clubhouse.
So one of those, a great platform, social media platform, social networking platform, really where a lot of us in the cannabis and hemp spacer are talking with each other and having real conversations. But you know what those words, conversations have to turn into real actions. And that's when you work with, I'm with Patrick Goggin, who I know has been on your show, a [00:18:00] bunch with California hemp council, you need to join organizations that.
Have a seat at the table. So write these policies to make sure that if you're having a cannabis policy written that there is social equity and that we're not just brushing it over. So the big corporations can swoop in and make all the money. And because that's just not, that's not what it's about and it's not fair.
And the people that have been locked up for, for selling a plant. That's now legal in almost 40 States and it's about to become legal and the entire country, there needs to be some, some form of, like I said, restitution, but we Mike, the crazy thing I think is that I don't necessarily want federal legalization because I don't want someone like the FDA overseeing.
The policy, I think federal decriminalization and a state by state policy is the best thing we can do for now. What are your thoughts on that? So [00:19:00] what I'd like is the federal government to just de schedule. Yep. And then just let each state, the laws that are right for their citizens.
I just need that's all I need from the government is just to deschedule it that's all, everybody else. We're smart enough to take care of our own people for the most part. Anyways, we're probably going to do it through ballot measure, but, let's because yeah, like you were saying a big federal entity to try and manage this.
It's not going to happen.And this was my issue with the moral act. Is the final draft of the more act. Wasn't the greatest thing, the more act, the final draft, what was voted on? Didn't allow people with cannabis convictions to join a federal market. That was something that was snuck in at the very end right before the vote.
So again, I don't know, like you were saying that the federal government is really the one to be a. In charge of all this, I get it. They're going to want, they're the [00:20:00] taxes.But yeah, it's the, I just need them to deschedule it that's yeah, I agree. And my greatest concern and asme, I'm an optimistic guy is that we would like reschedule cannabis to like a schedule three.
And then the big pharma companies could try and oversee the cannabis industry and everything would have to go through FDA regulation before it hit the market. And that means the billionaire club gets their way because, mom and pop or legacy cannabis farmer up in the Emerald triangle has no shot.
To get through an FDA schedule, you know what the lab test is, it's around a billion. What GW pharma spent to get Epidiolex passed, which was, the only good thing was Dr. Ethan Russo was there doing all the research and got to prove everything like the entourage effect and endocannabinoid deficiency syndrome.
But at the end of the day, it's a $32,000 product. It's [00:21:00] a synthetic CBD with a bunch of fillers that's only 39% effective because it's an isolet versus, a product like one of ours. Or another companies is basically 40 or 50 bucks a month and way more effective in my opinion.
And those that use our products or similar whole plant products. Then how would you want let's say your product to be S to be scheduled, to be handled by the FDA. The model isn't Epidiolex. Because, that's, the model of pharmaceuticals is the one singular isolated molecule, the active ingredient, supposedly.
So then where, how would you like your, something like your products to be seen on the market than a recognized by the FDA? I don't want them, I don't want to yet. Yeah. FDA's has nothing to do with that. The FDA regulates pharmaceutical drugs. It's the food and drug administration, and we're not a drug by any means.
And the FDA is set up for a billion dollar [00:22:00] companies to jump through hoops. So I want us to be regulated agriculturally, just like corn and soybeans, farmer's markets, things of that nature. The USDA just came out with some great regulations for the final hint bill, which allowed the w the marker for.
GHC to be up to 1%. Yeah. I read that. I read that one. I was like, Hey, let's vote on that. All right. When did we get to that? It's in there. It, it gives a little more leeway to the farmer, so he doesn't have to destroy his crop and he can figure out a way to repurpose it. Because the farmers are doing the best they can and it come on, you want to make it hard on the farmers.
Give me a break. At the end of the day the end user, the retail person like myself. We carry the burden of putting a product that reaches currently 0.3, THC, but in the next farm bill it's pretty likely in 2022, that we will be able to pass a bill that has the GHC marker up to 1%. We might get lucky beforehand, but obviously there's so much going on right now that I don't think it would be likely that we'd [00:23:00] be able to push it through before then.
But yeah, as far as I'm concerned, the FDA and the big pharma companies, they can play all they want. But or where either a nutraceutical like American ginseng or other herbs were a food and beverage. So three different lanes. And that's how, and that's how I feel about cannabis because there are some in the cannabis industry who want, for whatever reason to clean under that want of having cannabis labeled as like a pharmaceutical I'm telling them, I'm like, look, you don't want that.
You don't want that on so many levels. One of them being once it's labeled the pharmaceutical, I can no longer grow it and share it with you freely. It is now put in a whole different category of controlled substance now, and then plus the cannabis plant, just like the hemp plant is an amazing plant that makes so many different compounds that affect us in a lot of different ways.
And there's no way something like that is going to get. Pass through any kind of model that pharmaceuticals are set up for. I [00:24:00] just think it's a wrong way to look at it.I see cannabis as medicine just as I've said, man, just the way garlic is just the way that, St John's wort is, it is something that is helps me along with my day with whatever, with how I'm taking care of myself.
I agree, brother, we're on the same page. It's just a funny thing. When I listen to people when they talk like that, I was all really, that's what you want for it. Do you understand what your, what that mean? It's, yes. I want it to be normalized and recognized and, put on this at the very least on the same level of recognition is as far as let's say alcohol.
Let's regulate it. Similarly. Now there, we can debate the differences all day long. That's not what I'm talking about, but let's talk rationally about it. But anyways, I think I went off on a tangent. I don't think I got lost on my point. Tell you what man, I I really am happy to have you on the show and I'm so happy that we became friends when.
You walked into our retail store in Ohio many years ago because [00:25:00] of a 2020 that year, it felt more like a dog year. So that felt like seven years. So it feels like we've known each other for 10, but your re your friendship and, collaborating with you on projects and grows and has been, has meant a lot to me, man.
So I'm really happy to have you as a friend, as a cohort happy to have you on the show and we're fighting the good fight brother and let's just keep doing our thing and seeing how far we can we can get this plant to be recognized for what it should be. Yeah, for sure, man.
Yeah. I, w we've spoken about this before, man. I enjoy the fact that I know you so much. You're just and just one-on-one CBD the way you guys truly do give back to the wider community, man. Cause people have asked me, Hey, why do I push CBD so much on a cannabis show? And I'm like, look, you need to understand what this company does handed this day.
Just the kind of work you guys do with kids on the spectrum is it's just, it's an amazing story for me, man. And I'm glad you guys are out there. We're happy to keep doing our thing. You [00:26:00] keep doing your thing, we'll keep having. People on our platform to share the stories and, we donate tons of products.
So for all types of reasons in our gift, when I leave this earth is my legacy is that people are going to be growing hemp in their backyard, cannabis in their backyard, just like tomatoes, like you say. And it's going to be normalized again, and people are going to take their. Their kale or their cell reducer their orange juice in the morning, along with their hemp juice or their hemp supplements.
And it's just going to be a part of their body finding homeostasis, just like drinking, plenty of water. And that number is in case you don't remember is whatever your body weight is. Cut that in half in the end ounces, you should be drinking that every day. And you're eating those leafy green vegetables like cannabis and kale.
Your, getting that mindful meditation or prayer, you've been intentional with your thoughts. You're exercising at least 20 minutes a day. Even if it's just a walk around the block [00:27:00] and you end that day with a left, you said seven hours of sleep or whatever your body needs. And our bodies just like when we were seven years old and you got to cut and the next day it healed up and it was all gone.
Our bodies know how to heal. We just need to do our part and incorporating this plant in your health. And diet regimen is definitely, we've seen it work miracles. So thanks again, Alex, for coming on. I really do appreciate it, brother. So happy to have you on here. And don't be surprised if we have you back again, and I look forward to helping others learn how to grow Alex on your, in my grow show podcast.
And thanks again, brother, for having us on and all of you out there listening. If you want to be a guest on the miracle plant podcast, you can reach out to us@infoatthemiracleplant.org. Share your story with us. We'd love to hear from it and be sure to share this podcast out, review it. It means the world to us when you review it, the Apple algorithm recognizes it [00:28:00] and helps these stories get out there.
So people who are looking for an answer to their prayers find it. So thanks everybody for stopping in to the miracle plant podcasts. And we'll see you next week until then take care. Bye bye everybody.