Jorge Cervantes' Ultimate Grow DVD

Presented by High Times, the monthly marijuana culture magazine, this how-to program features internationally recognized cannabis cultivation expert Jorge Cervantes, who provides instruction on the “art” of growing. Although Cervantes' fake dread wig is distracting and “comic” segments featuring Canada's mockumentary-style Trailer Park Boys are off base, the step-by-step detail here is otherwise very meticulous, covering topics such as grow room construction (stoners plus power tools? yikes!), air circulation, hydroponics, transplanting, pest control, flowering, odor maintenance, making hash, and security tips. Cervantes adopts an almost scholarly tone for much of this program (although some of his instruction is less precise: i.e., “Water the hell out of it!”). Shot in British Columbia, there's no doubt the techniques presented here would produce what the host calls “good dope”; however, the penalties for pot busts in the U.S. (ranging from thousands of dollars in fines to prison time) take a little of the bloom off this particular rose (and Ultimate Grow DVD doesn't really address the fact that this “line of work” is not for everyone, as they say). A solid how-to that unfortunately downplays the very serious risky side of cultivating marijuana, this an optional purchase for more open-minded collections. [Note: also newly available is the companion volume Jorge Cervantes' Ultimate Grow DVD 2.] Aud: P. (J. Williams-Wood)