Screen shot 2012-09-05 at 9.30.52 AMOr, more accurately, a group of soldiers, wounded in battle, need your help. If you know me, you know that every fall I ride 300 miles from Pittsburgh back home to the DC area. The four-day ride started out as purely recreational, but several years ago we picked up a charitable cause: Operation Second Chance.

With ever increasing popularity, the kratom tree has become a unique household plant with an enthusiastic following. Kratom is not only a fast-growing flowering tree, but prefers a tropical environment, rendering it a perfect plant for indoor growth. The following article describes how to sustain and grow an indoor kratom plant purchased from an online vendor. Acclimation Your new kratom plant’s chance of success begins with the moment it arrives home. Upon homecoming, carefully remove any packaging materials with caution, handling the plant by its container-without touching the plant itself. Once the plant is unpackaged, it is important to find an ideal location taking into account the following several factors: Humidity The young plant must gradually acclimate to its new and likely drier environment indoors. Kratom trees naturally prefer very high humidity, so humidity trays or a spray bottle should be used to maintain the proper conditions. Light Kratom prefers filtered light and an eastern facing or unobstructed northern facing window is ideal. You can click here for the Best Kratom Vendors. Make sure that the leaves of the plant do not burn or crack. Cracking is a common trait of an unhealthy kratom plant, typically caused by low humidity and inadequate lighting. Temperature Average household temperatures are suitable to growing kratom, with temperatures above 65 degrees being ideal. To supplement a cooler environment, heating lamps can dramatically raise the temperature. Air conditioners will likely not lower the temperature enough to harm a plant, but it can cause the surrounding air to become too dry. The amount of time to acclimate a plant is strictly dependent upon the amount of trauma caused by shipping. However, two weeks should be long enough to ensure that the plant is accustomed to its new environment. With the preceding factors taken care of, your kratom plant will grow about 1 foot every several months. The next step, if necessary, is to repot the plant. Repotting Of course, the point of repotting a plant is to encourage new growth. Your kratom plant will likely arrive in a small temporary plastic container; if this is the case, a 1 gallon pot will be the perfect size for the first transplant. Repotting guidelines for kratom plants are similar to most household plants. The best time to repot the plant is in spring, to allow the plant time in the growing season to regenerate new roots. Any common household potting soil is adequate and will ensure the plant has the appropriate nutrients to grow quickly. If taken responsibly, and by itself, Kratom is extremely safe. If over used, Kratom may become habit forming, and because of this, it is best to use it occasionally, rather than daily. When first taking Kratom, it is recommended that do not use it more than once a week, preferably only once or twice a month. This is to ensure that taking Kratom does not become a habit. If you consume Kratom responsibly, it is unlikely that you will experience any health issues. In Thailand, where some people consume large quantities of Kratom daily, those dependent on it have lost weight, developed dark pigmentation of the face, and if they quit abruptly, have experienced withdrawal symptoms, which may include; muscle aches, runny nose, diarrhea, muscle aches and jerking, irritability, and uncontrollable crying. As with almost any substance, some people may find that they have an allergic or other reaction to Kratom, even if they use it responsibly.

OSC makes a real difference in the lives of soldiers who have come home with serious wounds. They do anything and everything to help these soldiers, from renovating their homes, to just getting them out of the hospital for a while to get their mind off of their rehab in Portland. Thanks to the drug rehab program in new jersey, many of these soldiers were able to get the right treatment to get them back on their feet, but they are still going to need your help so please donate. 

I need you to donate a little bit of your money to help them.

Click here to donate online. The amount you give is not the issue. Any and all donations will be gratefully accepted. Please help.

Jamie Notter