Growing in the mountains

I am currently scouting spots for my first outdoor grow... I hope to get these planted as soon as the snow melts next year and have some basic questions.

my background. avid indoor hydro guy


ok, so I am looking to be moving and am looking at Colorado. I would like to know if anyone has grow in this state "mountains - 8500 to 9000 feet"

I have found some great southwest looking spots, hidden among plenty of small firs, but the soil is crap so i'll have to bring my own...

I guess my question is what unique factors will the mountains bring.

Difficulty of access/irrigation.
Arid mountainous regions are going to have water problems for sure. Most of the time, it will be dry and you will have to carry in water. If there is a torrential downpour, those soils can be quite loose and if you happen to plant in a dry bed, you could lose your plants when the water rises and brings sediment and rocks down the mountain.
Plus if the trees are spaced far apart, you will be very visible carrying supplies up there.
If the woods are closed in and denser, and you live in an area with acceptable/steady precipitation, your life will be a lot easier.
Also remember that the 'good' spots are often already taken by locals, so plant many more plants than you want to harvest, in many locations, because the likelihood of planting in someones spot that they have used for years is certainly there.
Finally, if your plants are the only tender herbaceous thing in a forest of pines and desert plants, expect heavy losses to wildlife.

thanks stinks,

yeah, I've got the wildlife portion nailed down, and am starting to gather my soil... I didn't think about the flood issues, so I'll look around my spots for signs of previous.

water... well that can be hit or miss, but I'm thinking of getting some storage containers dug in at the spots...


also, when you mention previous growers, it made me think of another big issue when planting anywhere in the US outdoors... GEOCACHING... I'm a avid player myself... it should be noted that all outdoor spots be checked against Geocaching - The Official Global GPS Cache Hunt Site so you don't plant a garden beside a cache...

your gonna want pesticide, slug repellant, and deer repellant for sure.

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Originally Posted by geekygrower

thanks stinks,

yeah, I've got the wildlife portion nailed down, and am starting to gather my soil... I didn't think about the flood issues, so I'll look around my spots for signs of previous.

water... well that can be hit or miss, but I'm thinking of getting some storage containers dug in at the spots...


also, when you mention previous growers, it made me think of another big issue when planting anywhere in the US outdoors... GEOCACHING... I'm a avid player myself... it should be noted that all outdoor spots be checked against Geocaching - The Official Global GPS Cache Hunt Site so you don't plant a garden beside a cache...

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I too, am an avid geocacher too with over 1500 finds and your right...they are hidden everywhere..haha

I live in and grow on a mountain- not at the elevation your are suggesting- I am at 2500 feet growing elevation- watch the sun late in season such as now- amazing how different the sun light will change with the equinox- mid summer I get great light now I receive little direct light- and make a terrace to hold rain in and back from erosion - I have found terracing the ground the most beneficial thing I have done in preperation- good luck

SWIM grew in Montana at about 5,000 ft. Not quite as high as you but close. Same situation. I hauled in all of my soil. Because of this you'll want to find a spot that you can use for multiple years in a row or better yet build three sites and rotate which one's you use from year to year, that is what SWIM ended up doing. In picking a location take into consideration where the sun will be during the cooler month of harvest to ensure that your plants will get sun all day long. This will help them deal with cooler temps and help in last minute production. If you can find some running water close by. In SWIM's situation this was not the case and thus had to haul it all in. Though this is hard work it's not that big of a deal as you'll get a method and bang it out. SWIM had to do this about ever other week and weekly during the weeks where the temp was around 90deg+. SWIM's biggest problem was animals. Rabbits and deer. Rabbits will burrow and eat the stems base while deer will eat all of the new shoots. Sprays designed to deal with these animals work well and chicken wire over the soil will stop the rabbits. Good luck.