Outdoor Arizona Grow

Alright guys, Ive been doing my research here and have a couple of questions.

Ive really not put a lot of thought into this yet, but had a couple preliminary questions.

Ive read that pests, especially spidermites are a problem here. One guy reccommended buying praying mantis eggs and allowing a colony of praying mantis patrol and help protect the crops. Anyone have any experience with this?

Also, Ive read that some people reccommend watering 2 times per day, however I thought watering once per night would be sufficient. Again, Your opinions. It does get about 105 consistantly, and sometimes hotter.

Finally, I do plan on actually tilling up the soil a bit before I plant the seeds, but should I even worry about nutrients? This will be my first ever growing attempt. But the soil here seems prettyy fertile.

Any suggestions/ tips for a newbie are greatly appreciated, especially regarding the Praying Mantis idea.

Thanks Guys :)

Well, I went out today and found myself a damn near perfect spot. Its relatively close to my property, atleast within walking distance, and it has this little canyon in the middle. I was planning on planting my babies all along side the edge of the canyon and maybe putting some rock along the base to prevent any erosion.

Im soo excited to get some seeds and starting preping my spot a bit more. Im thinking of planting them come about mid-march, maybe a little sooner depending on what kind of winter we have here this year.

I'm sure the soil your planning on growing on will be pretty void of nutrients. What does the natural vegetation look like around your area? It is probably like the soil around here, where it stays hot and dry. I would work as much potting soil/compost into the ground as you could. Maybe dig a big hole, replace with good soil, and haul the rest off. Though, you could just plant the seeds like they are and hope for the best, but you will get what energy you put into the plant/preparation at harvest time... Can you grab a big hand full of dirt from where you want to grow when it is pretty dry? Or is it pretty hard?

Watering: I would water maybe twice a week if it really hot/dry. They like to dry out a little bit, will make the roots grow bigger in search of water. You'll be able to tell when it needs a drink of water. Also if there are a lot of people around your area, and you have this plant that is really green and lush and everything else is dry and brown, it can really stand out.. fyi

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Originally Posted by guyyug

I'm sure the soil your planning on growing on will be pretty void of nutrients. What does the natural vegetation look like around your area? It is probably like the soil around here, where it stays hot and dry. I would work as much potting soil/compost into the ground as you could. Maybe dig a big hole, replace with good soil, and haul the rest off. Though, you could just plant the seeds like they are and hope for the best, but you will get what energy you put into the plant/preparation at harvest time... Can you grab a big hand full of dirt from where you want to grow when it is pretty dry? Or is it pretty hard?

Watering: I would water maybe twice a week if it really hot/dry. They like to dry out a little bit, will make the roots grow bigger in search of water. You'll be able to tell when it needs a drink of water. Also if there are a lot of people around your area, and you have this plant that is really green and lush and everything else is dry and brown, it can really stand out.. fyi

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Nah, the Arizona soil is very fetilie. and I actually live right along the irrigation canal. There is quite a bit of green vegetation where my spot is. Not trees, but maybe 4-5 foot bushes. I really think this is a good spot. And hopefully the bushes will help hide my plants. Also the spot isnt flat, its kind of hidden away. You couldnt see it unless you were in a helicopter specifically looking at it, or got out of your car and walked to it.

Thanks for the watering tip, I was going to water every night at dark, but I'll cut that back to 2-3 times per week. perhaps every other night/ morning before the sun comes up.

What about flowering, will plants in nature just automatically flower? I was just going to plant some seeds out of my bag, I didnt really want to order any special seeds.

They will flower when the light cycle becomes 12 hours day/ 12 hours dark. If you have some bag seed from some mexican swagg, you will more than likely get a sativa dominant strain, meaning they will take a while to finish. I've planted bagseed from swagg when I was younger and some of the seeds were sativa's and some were indica, so you never really know what you are going to get. Also got some hermies :( I would just pick a few spots, plant some bagseed and see what happens. You will have smoke for sure though. Next grow, get some good genetics, it really is worth the price.

Awh Snap. So maybe I should hold off on planting these babies until like Early May.

Im growing outdoors and on soil... I dug up a giant hole in my back lawn.. Its not really a lawn it just a patch, probably as big as two bath tubs or something.. Yes, so anyways.. I filled that hole up with a good compost/fertile soil that I got from a nursery.. My seeds are currently germinating.. Once they are done, I'll plant them in the soil.. I still don't get how you control the pH/e.c outdoors..This hole is for my first seed, I have 5.. I won't grow them all at the same time, so you know, I have weed throughout the year..

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Originally Posted by AZExplorer

Any suggestions/ tips for a newbie are greatly appreciated, especially regarding the Praying Mantis idea.

Thanks Guys :)

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I live in phoenix and im currently growing right now. The only way for your plants to survive in the heat is to start then growing really early in the year to let them get strong enough roots and a mature stem, or plant them mid summer indoors and move them outside around monsoon season. Growth speeds are greatly reduced in the intense heat, and they dont need to be in direct sunlight except 2-3 hours, the sun will fry any pot plant that has anymore direct light. Absolutely no Indica grows unless indoors through may-august/septemberish months, Sativa grows for best results. Heres a picture of my biggest plant, Shes A hardy ass Mexican Sativa strain, 4 months old.flowering although all pistils get burned(cant wait for cooler weather!) about a meter high, native tilled soil and put alongside a hardy camoflage plant that survives the heat. all partly under a huge sap tree for added shade. only pests that try munch on the plants so far were aphids. I wouldnt recommend pots because they dry out too quick, and missing a watering cycle in pots will almost quarentee your babies death. As for watering, just check the soil everyday and see if its moist down three inches, if not, WATER!

and yes with how much shade she still gets.... burnage