Interview with Guru Tropicannibis_Todd

Hello everyone! 

We are back with another interview with a grower. But, he’s not just any grower. Meet OG @Tropicannibis_Todd who’s been with us for a long, long time. So long that he used a camcorder to record his dairy and post it! His diary was a sticky at the top of the board for a long time on our forum, back when GD was a very small site. 

We are extremely happy to talk to growers like this who have stuck around. All for the love of learning and growing the plant they adore! 

It was a fantastic experience to chat with this gentleman who was kind enough to answer everything we asked in detail. We hope you’re going to get to know Todd better and learn from his experiences. Thank you once again, Todd!

1. Question: Hello Tropicannibis_Todd! 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: Well heloooo, I’m super excited too!

A big hello to Growdiaries and all the growmies. Thanks for taking the time to reach out to me. I’m amazed that I’m now added to the list of growers already interviewed throughout the years here on GD. And to be on the same list as the growers I admire? That’s awesome!

Alrighty then… my name is Todd. I’m a semi-retired, happily-married 50-something cannabis connoisseur from Ontario Canada.

And although it seems surreal now, it felt like it took forever for cannabis to become legal here in Canada. I had been waiting for a long time to be able to grow my favorite plant out in the open, just like it should be. And, now that this dream for many growers has finally come true, I couldn't be more thrilled to be able to grow and consume cannabis legally.

But, let me tell you — it wasn’t always like this. The process of legalization took a long time. It's been a long time coming, and I’m sure many people were waiting for it to happen, just like me. Strangely, I still tend to look back and remember the chances I took. I was always worried about the consequences. I needed to consume cannabis to help with my medical issues, and it was so hard. 

Imagine worrying about the consequences you might face especially when you need something to make your life better. Well, I take that back — you don’t need to imagine because many growers who are reading this are in the exact same position I was in a few years ago. 

I can imagine how it feels to want medicine and not be able to do anything about it just because of the policies of the government. You need to take undue risk to do it, almost feel like a criminal, and that’s the horrible part. So, I can relate to and feel the pain that some growers have to deal with daily. 

Anyway, coming to my name, I tried to use and find my original name from GD back when I began using it, but I couldn't find it anywhere. So, there I was, sipping some Tropicana Orange juice, and trying hard to get registered on GD. 

At some point, I got frustrated that my name wasn’t coming up and I wasn’t able to log in. I needed another name immediately and couldn’t think of anything. I also have to add that I was comfortably stoned, so I didn’t want to spend any more time trying to register. 

And, then, I took another sip of that frosty orange juice…and more…and suddenly, it was a Eureka moment! I put two and three together and just went with Tropicannabis, but I also wanted to add my name and that’s how Tropicannibis Todd was born! Genius, huh?

2. Question: Why did you start cultivating cannabis?

Answer: Cannabis consumption has always been a part of my life. Only, it happened in two separate ways. Some people use the herb only for recreational purposes, whereas it’s purely medicinal for others. 

My needs were a mix of both, and as I said, it happened in two stages. 

I started smoking cannabis in my mid-teens in 1985 or so. But, as time passed by, I reduced my consumption. Slowly, I stopped using it altogether. 

Later, by 2002, things had changed. I had a run-in with some health issues including some nerve damage in my left leg. Oh, and I had hurt my back as well, so I was really in pain. After procrastinating a bit, I finally realized that I needed some help. Pain management seemed like the best option. 

However, although I was in pain, I didn’t want to visit a doctor and take the pharma route because I realized that managing the pain for the rest of my life was a better choice. Even today, I feel like it was a smart thing to do as I didn’t want to take the regular path many take. 

So, I gave it some thought and decided to get back to using cannabis. I had used it before and I was aware of its properties and effects. I wouldn’t be doing something entirely new, which meant that it was in my best interest to use it again. And, that’s how I began using cannabis for pain management. 

Although we’d all like to think that you get the greatest type of weed in legalized countries, it’s not always true. Plus, it’s not cheap, especially if you want premium stuff. And for someone who needs to use weed for medicinal purposes regularly, it can be a big hindrance. Therefore, I began cultivating it in 2003 and haven’t looked back ever. 

3. Question: How has cannabis helped you?

Answer: When I decided to use cannabis again for managing my pain, I also had a friend suffering from cancer mention how much it had helped him. Again, it reinstated my belief that I had made the right decision. 

Also, I had heard and even witnessed the negative effects of using opioids. It seemed like a black hole I didn’t want to fall into. I definitely didn’t want to use opioids and nobody could convince me otherwise. 

After using cannabis to reduce my pain, I can happily say that it was the best thing I could have ever done regarding my health. Even today, I maintain that policy of not blindly following big pharma to fix problems. There are many other alternatives, but we just have to look for them. Sure, the medicines we buy can reduce the problem to a certain extent and they do it quickly, but we need to look at solutions that are sustainable in the long run. 

I self-medicate whenever I feel it's necessary. This is why I said earlier that I can relate to other growers in pain. Other than a few exceptions of popping a few vitamins and supplements occasionally, I have to say I’ve been fortunate that I’m not using anything I don’t like. In addition, the fact that I can cultivate my own medicine makes me luckier. I can see that many of my friends who need cannabis as a medicine cannot grow it without taking risks. I hope the situation will become better for them soon. 

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

Answer: Well here's the kicker — I’ve been a member twice, as I mentioned. And I can’t remember which year it exactly was, but it was probably somewhere between 2003 and 2006. 

I joined GD back when it was a bulletin-board, forum-style website. Back then, it was tough to grow stealthily. Plus, it was lonely as a grower because you didn’t have anyone to share ideas with or talk to. You had no diaries to see and not much to learn from. 

I wanted to learn and perfect the craft of growing cannabis so I began searching for some type of forum or anything that could help me, and that’s when I found Growdiaries. I also remember completing a diary, recording it with a camcorder, and posting it! It was a sticky at the top of the board for a long time!

At that point, an individual — who I would refer to as my mentor later — reached out to me and gave me some amazing tips that I use even today. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2017 doing the very thing he loved — sharing his passion and knowledge of cannabis. 

May he rest in peace. If you’ve followed Strain Hunters, you’ll probably identify him. It was none other than Franco Loja from Greenhouse seeds. Look him up if you don’t know him. 

Later, by 2012, I had stepped away from growing and left Growdiaries too. However, I decided to grow again a year later. It was a no-brainer to google Growdiaries and reconnect with the community. And it has been a blast ever since.

5. Question: What do you love about Growdiaries?

Answer: Right from its inception, one of the coolest things about Growdiaries is that it shows you a variety of ways to grow cannabis. Most importantly, you learn how to correct your mistakes because we all make mistakes no matter how much we learn. 

You can call GD a treasure trove of knowledge, tips, and ideas, so what’s not to love? All you need to do is start a diary — many simply sit on the sidelines and watch others, but you should start a diary! Once you do, you will watch the community come out to support you.

Whether you’re growing legally or stealthily, I’m so glad we all have a place where we can all share our ideas and exchange so much information, and become members of the cannabis community. 

About a year ago, I started a Growdiaries discord channel for growmies to hang out and help and talk shop and I've been able to interact with so many passionate growers. That's pretty cool if you ask me!

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

Answer: Personally speaking, I like to experiment. For me, it's always been about being as efficient as possible and grow from seed to harvest in the shortest amount of time, while maintaining a balance of quality over quantity. I always try to find the sweet spot or a balance to get the most out of the grow, regardless of whether I’m growing a photoperiod cultivar or some of the newest lines of autoflowering cultivars.

So for the most part, I train pretty much all of my plants if it's possible. Typically, I use Low-stress Training or LST and create what I call the “claw”. 

As the plant grows, I also defoliate the leaves strategically as I don’t want to stunt the plants when they’re still young. I focus on having a unified bowl of branches around the pot, somewhere between 8 to 10 to 12 or more, and then I divert all my attention to growing buds on them. 

To be honest, I hit the mark sometimes, but it’s not the same always. I fail too. That’s why I think it's important to try and expand your experience because at the end of the day, what you put in is what you get. 

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

Answer: Yes, back in the day, I had to DIY everything, from building my very first magnetic ballast that I use even today to building a room within a room with all the bells and whistles. I also had to figure out how to make my own carbon filter using duct pipes, computer fans, and pantie hoses filled with active charcoal.

Today, it's a little different, fortunately. I’ve been lucky enough to make some great friends within the community due to which I've picked up a few sponsors that have helped supply nutrients, lights, and seeds. Also, it’s not necessary to DIY anything today as you get everything at the click of a button. 

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

Answer: Well, as I said earlier, I only create and build stuff when I need it. However, I’m pretty set these days and don’t find the need to purchase anything extra. If you’re a beginner, you can save a bit of money by repurposing water jugs into 3.5-gallon pots.

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

Answer: Oh hell yeah! There are some amazing growers here on GD that are inspirational just on their own, including like @Roberts, @Cyrusdavirus, @budxs, @northernmike, @mrjones, @visions, @mrhightimes, @fruitgrower, @thebudwhisperer, @canadainfillmore, @peakyplanters and a good friend of mine @sour_d.

Truth be told, there are tons of them, and if I had to name them all, we’d be here all day. I love their passion to grow, which inspires me the most. If beginners want to learn something, all they have to do is head down to a grower's page or to the DOTM contests where most of them are showcasing their talents and beautiful creations.

Then, there are growers I’ve watched moving up the ranks just like me, and go from newbies to Apprentice to Master to Mastergrower and even Guru. They come in and become amazing growers, like @green_fiend, @slowpokefuegobud, @dogdoctoroffical , @ju_bps,  @anonymous_2022, @Kjellso, @premuimbudseu, @happyweeds, and @gottagrowsometime. And, here I go again with my never-ending list. I could go on forever, and I’m sure I’ve forgotten to name so many I admire. 

But, now, I hope you get the gist. There are just so many fantastic growers on GD. You wouldn’t have even heard of them but their diaries speak for themselves. Inspiration is everywhere, you just gotta look for it. 

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

Answer: From 2003 to 2012 I grew nothing but feminized photoperiod plants. I got the seeds from some old-school seed breeders like Greenhouse seeds, DNA Genetics, and Dutch passion back in the day, but after a devastating return to growing again in the summer of 2020, I've moved from photoperiods to the newest line of cultivars in the autoflowering category.

I think autoflowers fit my growing style as they are quick and efficient. I get to harvest as fast as possible and then enjoy the buds. After all, isn’t that what we’re all looking for?

Most importantly, they have come a long way from where they were. Many growers were hesitant to even touch autoflowers as they produced fewer yields. You couldn’t expect much from plants that grew only up to 1-2 feet. However, thanks to breeders that have worked tirelessly on multiple generations of plants, we now get to grow autoflowers that not only grow big but are also on par with photoperiods if you consider the yields. 

I’ve had some amazing results with autoflowers. And with that comes incredibly mouthwatering terpenes, flavor, aromas, and potency. After seeing so much potential, I’ve come to love seeds produced by breeders like Fastbuds, Canukseeds, Exoticseeds, Ganjafarmer, and Seedsman. They have set a pretty high bar of standard. The quality of their genetics is top-notch in my books. For those who are still hesitant to grow autoflowers, I’d say that the smoke is in the pudding, haha!

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

Answer: I've always enjoyed heavy indicas since I love the couch-lock, body-numbing effects. However, over the last few years, I've found hybrids and even some sativa working well for me. 

I've definitely noticed a change in my palate over the years, and I find myself moving to strains that have sweeter, fruity, berry, tropical, and candy flavors over the more traditional, earthy, spicy, woody, gassy, and piney flavors.

12. Question: Who are your favorite breeders?

Answer: I think I will always look up to the old-school breeders like Greenhouse seeds, DNA Genetics, etc. However, over the past few years, I've become a huge fan of Fastbuds. I'm pretty sure I have most of their line of genetics and then some. I also like CanukSeeds, Exoticseeds, Seedsman, and even Ganjafarmer.

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

Answer: I have been using NutriNPK for well over the last year or so as they pretty much offer everything you need to feed your plants. It’s a fairly new Canadian company, and its nutrients have worked wonders in my eyes. I like to keep it simple. I also typically feed molasses to my plants during the mid-flowering period to encourage the plant to develop large bushy buds. 

14. Question: What was the latest strain you grew?

Answer: There have been a few, including Cherry Cola, Banana Purple Punch, Gorilla Punch, Bubblegum, and OG kush. I’ve also harvested some Strawberry Pie, and some Fastbud Testers.

15. Question: What was the latest strain you smoked?

Answer: Haha, this is a tough question to answer! I think I currently have somewhere between 10 to 15 different strains I'm currently smoking, including Cherry Cola, Bubblegum, OG Kush, Gorilla Punch, Banana Purple Punch, and Strawberry Pie. There are just too many to name!

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

Answer: The best tip I could give to beginners is to follow the rules. Many growers work hard to grow some killer frosty, aromatic buds but they underestimate the curing process. It's also the most difficult process in my book, but when you take the first puff of well-cured buds, you’ll see that it was all worth it. 

But, if you become impatient and start smoking before curing it, that awful taste will be obvious too. There's nothing like properly cured buds. Period. I try hard to keep the temps cool at 65°F to 68°F (18°C to 20°C) and the humidity between 52% to 54%.

Other than that, I make a lot of hash. Adding some hash to a doobie or a bowl brings another level of mouthwatering flavors and effects. 

So in closing, I will say this...

Until next time, growmies, Happy Growing!