I couldn't find a sticky or anything showing how to grow outside in sun
So please, What do I need and what do I do, Im completely oblivious
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I couldn't find a sticky or anything showing how to grow outside in sun
So please, What do I need and what do I do, Im completely oblivious
either plant some seeds or clones outside, and remember wait til around spring time. pretty much let nature take its course, dont have to do anything to it, and make sure its in a safe place where theres no traffic at all. i wouldnt recommend doin it on anyones private property cause if they get caught they could be in big trouble and thats not right to do.
Outdoor Cultivation
For many cultivators,outdoor growing is by far the best. It will produce the most potency and unlike indoors,you can grow 12 foot monsters if conditions are correct.
Being a naturally robust and fast growing plant marijuana thrives in full sun-but will produce satisfactorily with only 5 hours of direct sunlight.
Growing outdoors has many benifits especially in comparison to indoor cultivation. No elecricity bills, no huge monetary layout, and also no dark times to keep you away from your plants. Sunlight tends to reach more of the plant and often the bottom of the plant is as developed as the top, especially when grown in full sunlight. From seed to harvest outdoors can be a long, and though very enjoyable time, one can be faced with a number of problems. In the 6 months or so it takes to grow out your plants, rain and wind can rip little buds apart, deer may eat your crop, rodents, snails and a number of insects/bugs can and will destroy an entire crop. These things need to be considered, vigilance and care can keep problems to a minimum.
The most important factors to be considered before planting, however, are Security, the need for maximum light, quality of the soil in the area and water availability. A compromise of these basic factors will assist you in choosing the most appropriate site for your crop. Light exposure is all important when first locating a site. Try to find an innocuos spot where the sun shines for the longest period of time. If you must choose between the morning sun and afternoon sun, it has been shown that the morning sun is more penetrative. Optimum exposure would be 8-5, however, 10-4 will suffice. Large open areas have the best exposure although if electing to grow on a slope usually the south side of a hill receives the most sunlight (in the northern hemisphere, north side of the hill for you in the southern hemisphere). Keeping in mind that sunlight at higher altitudes is more intense due to the thinner atmosphere. East/West exposures can be very benificial when getting the morning and midday sun.
There are many precautions one can take to protect their bounty from poachers and the law, which include pruning to obscure that distinctive cone-shape of a cannabis plant. Another is intercropping/companion planting-plant amongst soybeans, tomatoe plants, bamboo, sugar cane, etc.
When growing away from the house-in the wild-access to water can be a huge challenge. Once you have chosen a site, well away from prying eyes and in direct sunlight, water must be your next consideration. It must be available nearby or close to the soil surface otherwise you will have to carry it in. Water is heavy and watering is very hard work let alone the risks taken walking back and forth to your crop every 4 or 5 days in mid-summer. Try to find an area as close to a source of water as possible, a novel idea in this regard is to find water in the mountains-at altitude-and route it down to a lower spot close by. It is possible to create water pressure in a hose this way, and route it to a drip system that feeds the plants at continuous intervals. You can take a 5 gallon (20 litre) drum and punch holes in it, run a hose from the main oriface and secure it somehow. Bury the drum in a river or stream under rocks,so it is hidden and submerged. Bury the hose coming out of it and run it down hill to your garden area. A little engineering can save a lot of hard work-and this rig can be used year after year.
You will also need to decide whether you are going to plant in the ground, which is by far the best option, or into large pots. Planting directly into the ground gives you freedom from rootbound worries and the need for transplanting. Some growers prefer growing in large pots, however, so the plants can be easily transported should the need arise. Entire crops have been saved due to being transportable in pots. Also, by digging a big hole and placing the pot inside it, you can reduce the height of your plants if fence level is an issue.
Once deciding upon your plot, begin by digging a big hole with at least 2.5 feet dimensions. The bigger the better and if tree roots are present,be sure to dig as wide as possible. The soil quality will now be more easily analysed, however there is no one perfect soil to grow cannabis in. Different varieties grow within a wide range of soil conditions. Your objective is a soil comprising of good drainage and aeration, high in available nutrients and with an average pH. Though thesedays,outdoor growers aim for a pH. reading of 6.3 to 6.8. Cannabis grows very poorly in extremely compacted soils with poor drainage and extreme pH. When the soil in the plot is not adequate, options are open to you in the way of improving the soil medium. Soil conditioners are available or you can carry topsoil in.
Plants grown in the ground should grow much bigger and will need more space than smaller, indoor plants. How far apart you space them will greatly depend on variety, plus whether or not the plant has been topped. Pruned plants have a much wider base than unpruned plants. Plants which are topped more than once can grow twice the size as they normally would. The more space afforded to each plant the more sunlight they will receive, therefore growing bigger thus increasing yeild.
When choosing to grow in a greenhouse it is a good idea to disguise it as a tool shed, or some similar structure which can partially be achieved by using only one wall and the roof of white opaqued plastic, PVC, Filon or glass, and using a similar colour material for the rest of the shed-or painting it white or silver to look like metal. Try to make it appear as if it has always been there, with plants and trees that grow around to mask it while still allowing in sunlight. Clear plastic sheets of Filon (corrugated fibreglass) are available and you can opaque them with white wash (made from lime) or Epoxy resin tinted with white or gray painted on in a thin layer-this will pass more sun than white PVC or Filon. The coats of Epoxy resin will also protect the Filon for many, many seasons. Be sure not to tint the resin too much. You need to also keep the sun blockage to a minimum.
Filon can also be used as a roof/cover for any plants in the garden requiring camaflage and protection.
For finding locations
Try these ....http://terraserver.homeadvisor.msn.com/default.asp
Mapquest and something like Yahoo Maps....
more info to come
Jah Bless
So your goal is this huh.....:wtf::thumbsup::rasta::rastasmoke:
Outdoors weed tree
Outdoors info can be found everywhere
lemme lend a hand from a good site I frequent.
A good calculator
Know your Latitude and Longitude first
begin veg = after last frost has past, although rarely they will accur after
begin flower = when 12/12 begins and plants begin to flower
minimum = latest you can harvest, though you may need to harvest earlier
Site Selection
In my opinion site selection is the most important factor when growing outdoors. This is what determines how successful your grow will be and there are many aspects to consider.
Probably the first thing you'll need to think about, is finding a spot where there is minimal to no chance of someone stumbling across it.
I try and look for an out of the way, inconspicuous area totally overgrown with native trees and shrubs. I choose native flaura, such as wattles and the like. They usually have a yellow/amber coloured flower similar to the similar to the glowing amber crystals of ripening buds. This is also handy in hiding the plants from choppers and planes, because from the air its actually actually the beakon of reasin glands that stand out to the pilots and not the green of the leaves. You may need to snap or cut branches of the native trees to allow sufficient light to get to your plants.
Valley's are great areas to grow weed. Not only are they usually filled with rich organic topsoil from previous floodings, but are also not as easily seen by passing choppers and planes.
When growing in valley's, be aware that there is a chance flooding can occur during the rainy season, turning your little secret valley into a small river or inland sea. Because of this fact, i dont plant in the lower points of the valley. I keep planting to the sides of it.
Clumps of lantana are also good areas to grow a few plants in. It is a dence, thick noxious shrub with with small dark leaves and the small flower clusters come in a range of colours. It has spikey kind of branches that are uninviting to predators including man. You'll probly need to push out a sort of tunnel to gain access to the centre of the lantana. Just make sure ya cover the entrance point up somehow. You can usually find a branches or something nearby to hide the entrance point.
Lantana has a kinda pungeant/sweet odour which i think helps hide the smell of the stinky buds.
Crown land or government land, sometimes have previously cleared areas for fire breaks, access tracks and so forth. Generally when the land is cleared, the trees that are pushed over get shoved into big stacks by the heavey clearing machinery. I have found these to be excellent for concealing a few plants. You may have to move a few logs to get down to the soil level, but IMO the effort is definately worth it. Not only is it a good camourflage but is also a great barrier against predators and acts as a good windbreak. If at all possible use stacks of hardwood rather than soft. Termites don't partucularly like eating hardwood. They'd much prefer to chew through soft wood.
Once you've selected your prospective spot, take a good look around the immediate area. Make sure there are no rabbit burrows. They will dig and tear the shit out of your plants looking for moisture. Steel mesh or rio can be put down on the ground if rabbits are a concern. The steel mesh stops the animals from being able to dig. It's also useful for tieing down the plants branches if you choose to.
Also have a good look at the surrounding trees in the area. If theres a hollow in the tree there is a chance that a possum has made himself a home in there. If there is a tree like this find another location. Possums love the taste of buds.
If you're planning on using a creek, dam or river for your water supply this should also be considered in your site selection.
Always search your land and neighbouring land to your grow location for prints, food packets or evidence of campers. When choosing a spot, consideration should always be made to anyone who possibly throughout the whole summer could aproach your location. Using some locations in your local area were you have personal knowledge of whom gos on that land and whom owns it is a good idea. In general most grow spots will have unwanted human visitors, but this is were all LST and a stealthily placed plants can save your crop. Acceptions need to made soemtimes, risks need to be taken... not everyone will find good locations. In my area they are crap.
Its fairly easy to find a nice grow spot, but to find a grow spot were no-one will even aproach through the whole entire summer... well... thats hard.
Also consider, is this location secure enough for you to sit and work with your plants for half hour or so... because if your going to shit yourself when your in the location that isn't pleasent, try finding somewere you can feel secure working.
If your growing in abandoned houses and abandoned backgardens always check neighbouring electricity posts for any signs indicating the house could be demolished. Also when growing in buildings ect always have an escape route planned.
Keeping pest away
Urine - some animals fear the smell. Try cutting small holes in a bottle and place a cloth or something absorbant in it. Than piss in it, cap it and hang in a tree around the height of your plant. Predator urine such as fox urine is probabily better than your own and can be picked up at hunting shops.
Hair - Same effect as urine. Hair leaves your dna behind as does piss. Try using your neighbors dogs hair lol.
Fence - Place a small barrier around your plot. Use chicken wire or something similar Such as harware cloth, (it has smaller holes therefore keeping out smaller rodents.)
Soap - I've heard some bar soap repels animals such as deer. The soap I believe is Irish Spring. Graded up (cheese grader) Around your plot.
Your soil - In my experience....moles, mice, and other small rodents like to dig up loose soil in hopes to find a freshly buried treasure. Try compacting your soil a bit more. Also having them in pots helps as these little bastards cant climb up the pot to get the soil.
I use moth balls and A cayene peper mix wich includes cayene powder, cayene pepers,onions and dish soap. This works extremely well for deer and rabbits.
Use copper wire or tape to keep slugs away. There's a product called Liquid Fence that works very well also. It comes in a spray bottle and you just spray it around the site. I've also heard of pepper mixes that work well.
If you have a dog bring it out to run around your grow area. To a prey animal it'll be the same as having a coyote or wolf around. Fences are great but may not always be very stealthy. You should be able to get green wire at a Home Depot or Menards.
If you use containers, I'd recommend getting some camo burlap cloth from an outdoor sporting good store.
I've tried using my urine before but it didn't work very well. I kept it in the fridge for a few day but I don't think that should have affected it. Humans aren't really a "natural" predator of anything in the wild you see. I use the word natural very strictly though, because god knows humans are unnatural predators on everything on earth.
Oh yeah, Keep in mind what you're amending your dirt with. Most anything that is animal based, bone and blood meal, will attract animals at first. It's a good idea to get your holes dug early so animals are acclimated to the news odors. Also the smells fade over time. I've found it best just not to use any bone or blood meal, you can get just as good of fert by using fossilized guano.
I'm sure I've got more so I'll be back later.
A solution called renardine in which you can soak small offcuts of soft pine or conkers(horse chesnut)for a few days then scatter around your plants , this will deter ground burrowing bastards if placed in their holes or pathes.
...think you have gophers? also rabbit & deer for several months . Terrier men have used it to drive out foxes from thier land so the bastard blood brigade can hunt fox .
Also cresote or timber preservatives can work.
Beer for slugs too. They will bypass all plants to get to it , usually placed in a pot saucer sunk in the ground, I find coffee jars, etc, etc... work better and i suppose a drowning inebriated slug dies happy....:D
Dry chlorine helps keep Groundhogs
away from your plants. Find any Groundhog holes near your grow area
and apply the dry chlorine around the hole
Make a circle of table salt about 4 feet away from base of your
plant. Then make another circle a foot in from that. Salt is deadly to
snails and slugs and will keep them out....BUT both can poison your plants.
Use a homemade spray made from TABASCO® brand
Habanero Sauce. Animals and bugs really, really hate the stuff.
Don't Forget garlic! Garlic is potent and strong smelling! Lots of pest and rodents don't like them.
For mosquitoes u can use anise oil to help eucalyptus leaves and oil works, also for your leaves try spraying some diluted peppermint oil.
Bear urin (no joke)to keep the deer and hogs away...You can get it at most sportting goods store's with a hunting section for 5-$10..but becareful of the many preditor urines; you may also attract them.
More and more info coming on outdoor growing.....
Well i figure the same questions get posted over and over again about when to plant, when there last frost date, and just about everything else so i thought why not post all the need to know basic information in one thread
So heres a few links that should help you out on your first grows :)
http://www.marijuanagirls.com/Marij...aGrowGuide.html
This link is to the Marijuana Growers Book by Mel Frank and Ed Rosenthal, lots of good information from indoors to outdoors, pests, nutes, soil, finding places to plant, how to plant and all that wonderful information :D
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/RS_OneYear.html
This next link is a Sun Rise and Sun Set table, just type in your area code/city and it will tell you when the sun rises and sets each day of the year :)
http://pictures.marijuana.com/galle...1257_p17846.swf
This is a neat little program i found over on Overgrow it tells you the best times to plant usually ( its off a little bit ) and it tells you when theres the most light outside, its like a sun table basically
Frost Date Selector Page - Victory Seed Company
Frost dates- US
Garden Guide: Frost Chart United States - The Old Farmer's Almanac
Frost Date Selector Page - Victory Seed Company
Frost dates- canada
Garden Guide: Frost Chart Canada - The Old Farmer's Almanac
This is all the frost dates in North America ill try to find one for the rest of the world very soon :)
Growing Marijuana Outdoors
Wild marijuana plants are vigorous, aggressive, competitive weeds. Some varieties have a large root system which helps them survive moisture stress and poor soil. Plants spaced at least 10 feet apart will grow to a height of 3 - 5 feet in dry climates. Cannabis is a survivor. Given control of a growing area of 4 to 12 square feet, in poor soil, mature plants will grow to about 5 feet tall with a strong terminal main bud or cola. The yield is relatively heavy considering the amount of cultivation work. Add a little more effort during soil preparation and planting to grow several times more dope. Loosen the soil, amend it a little and throw in a handful of polymers*.
Cover the soil around the plant with a thick layer of natural mulch to attract condensed water and to keep soil moisture from evaporating. Just these simple measures may double the yield. *polymer crystals are small crystals that expand to about 15 times their size when moistened by water. They are added to soil to prolong time between watering.
Reasonable soil will grow a plant that is 7 ?? 8 feet tall with roots that spread 5 feet across and 6 feet deep. This plant will yield 2 ?? 10 times more marijuana than if planted in poor soil.
Polymer crystals hold water and gradually release it as the soil dries out. Polymer crystals cut watering frequency dramatically. To prepare an outdoor garden, remove the weeds in the fall, dig planting holes and prepare the soil. The soil will absorb rainfall and be well mixed the next spring. Cover each planting hole with a layer of mulch to protect it from winter rains and temperatures. This layer of mulch is very important. Do not leave soil bare all winter.
Transplant seedlings or clones in spring and grow marijuana plants as you would tomatoes. If growing in poor soil, give each plant a hole that is 4 feet deep and 4 feet in diameter and refill with your best compost/potting soil/planting mix. Break up the soil in a wide 6-foot radius, only 6 - 8 inches deep, because roots branch out. To water cheaply and effectively, cut a 3/16th hole in the bottom of a 5-gallon bucket. Mix an inexpensive all purpose water-soluble fertilizer with 5-gallons of water in the bucket and put the hole by the stem of the plant. Growing like this, only with 4 - 6 buckets of water will last all summer. Water with one bucket every 10 days during hot weather. Watering with this regimen, the plants will grow as well as if they had lots of water.
If plants receive no water, a small bud grows on top of plant. A 5 foot tall plant may produce from 1 - 6 ounces of smokable bud. This same plant, given just a little water, will grow much better and produce more high quality smoke.
Grow a plant that takes 20 ?? 40 gallons of supplemental water per growing season, or grow a plant that gets an infinite amount of water and achieve very near the same weight at harvest. Why?
First the plant must use all water in the soil. The plant must get all the nutrients it needs that naturally occur in the subsoil. If you slightly increase the water and nutrient supply, you get a much stronger and robust plant. How much water is there in the soil already?
Reasonable soil has one inch of water per foot of area. There are about 30 gallons of water already in the soil in 4 x 4 x 4-feet area of reasonable soil. Look for big green stands of vegetation. Kill green vegetation in the fall and grow the garden the following spring. One of the main things to look for is an adequate water supply. Many parts of the US and different parts of the world get rainfall in the summer growing season to support a dry land crop. The rainfall you need is from ¼ to 1 inch per week. It is very important that it rains regularly during the spring and summer months. Dry fall weather is the best for harvests. Heavy rains and high humidity will cause bud mold.
Site Preparation and Soil
Preparing three sites required three different strategies. The small greenhouse needs a little bit of heat to speed growth. Easy ways to warm a greenhouse include natural heat generated by the sun and artificial heat from electricity or burning fossil fuel. To conserve the natural heat from the sun, Vansterdan lined the bottom of the greenhouse with two inches of Styrofoam. He also placed a one- inch-thick lining six inches high around the bottom perimeter of the greenhouse. He constructed the greenhouse from Filon, a corrugated, translucent fiberglass. The low-slung greenhouse looks like a small storage area because you can??t see inside. Filon transmits enough light for vegetative growth even when low levels of natural sunlight are available. To add more heat, Vansterdan used duct tape to fasten heating cable to the Styrofoam floor and covered it with a thin piece of sheet metal to transmit the heat evenly.
Marijuana blends and is camouflaged by many different back yard plants. Look for plants with similar leaf shapes that grow fast.
Vansterdan is an avid vegetable gardener and has been adding manure and compost to the raised beds in his backyard garden for more than 10 years. His neighbors are used to his fanatic gardening and do not suspect him of growing marijuana. Every spring he spreads three cubic yards of finished compost and manure over the garden. He adds dolomite lime to raise and stabilize the acidic pH and rototills it into the soil. Once vegetables are planted and growing well,
Vansterdan transplants hardened-off clones into the garden plot. ??The soil is so rich and fertile, I don??t even need a shovel to dig a planting hole. I just open the soil with my hand, put the clone in and press soil around the root ball before watering it in? said Vansterdan with the pride of a confirmed organic gardener.
Raised Beds
The soil in cool coastal regions is heavy clay that warms slowly and drains poorly. Raised beds turn both of these detriments into compliments. Beds need to be raised 6 ?? 8 inches to provide the benefits of warmth and improved drainage. Using raised beds, Vansterdan plants from two weeks to a month earlier than other gardeners. If poor drainage is the only obstacle and making raised beds too difficult because of a remote garden location, smart growers loosen clay soils with a pick and shovel before cultivating in granulated gypsum to break up clay soil.
Compost
The basics of composting are simple: collect organic matter: grass clippings, chopped up branches and vegetative matter, pile it up and let it rot. The pile must be at least one yard square to hold more heat than is dissipated. ??It??s easy to make compost,? said Vansterdan. ??In the summer, professional gardeners cut grass and other yard debris and haul it away. I asked one of them to dump the debris at the end of my driveway. He gives me about three cubic yards a week. By the end of the summer, I have more than 40 yards of grass clippings and garden debris. I mix it with wood chips to provide carbon and air. The following year, I have 3 to 6 cubic yards of the best compost in the world!?
??I know one hard core grower that plants spring crops on top of compost piles. He piles the compost up two or three feet high, making a raised bed. Next he throws 3 or 4 inches of good dirt on top and plants foot-tall clones, aye. By the time the roots penetrate down into the compost, it has cooled down and doesn??t burn. The compost keeps the clones warm and he puts a greenhouse on top to protect the foliage. If he??s lucky and the weather cooperates, he harvests a spring crop.? said Vansterdan with a bewildered grin.
Mountain and Bog Soil.
??Most of the soil around here is full of Douglas fir needles and is very acidic. The pH is around 5, which makes plants grow slowly, aye. I look for patches where pasture grass grows. The soil is normally a little poor, lacking nutrients, so I have two strategies. The first one, I use for low lying areas. To plant in marshy, grassy areas, I cut a square yard of moist sod from the ground with a shovel, turn it over, and plant in it. This way I can transplant about 50 clones in a day. The marshy ground supplies enough water and I just add a bit of time-release fertilizer when I transplant, aye. I add another handful of flowering time-release fertilizer when I go back and check them the first week in August. Sure, the plants don??t grow as big as the ones in my back yard, but I don??t work too hard, aye.?
To plant in marshy, grassy areas, this grower cuts a square yard of moist sod from the ground with a shovel, turns the entire piece over (180 degrees) and plants in it.
Vansterdan has been planting in the mountains for 12 years in secret gardens only accessible by foot or mountain bike. He harvests about half of the clones he plants. The rest are lost to humans and other animals, insects, fungus and weather. ??Growing in BC is different than growing around Toronto, aye. The weather here on the Lower Mainland is mild in the summer, with occasional rain showers. The heavy rains start in September. If your crop isn??t out of the ground by the middle of September, the buds get wet and moldy, usually gray mold (botrytis), sometimes powdery mildew starts earlier on leaves. Toronto is in the middle of the continent and a lot hotter and more humid. Plants grow faster, but still need to be out of the ground before the frost,? said Vansterdan, with a strong Canadian accent.
If the weather coperates and Vansterdan plants early in the year, clones establish a dense root system and don??t need much water during the growing season. A heavy layer of mulch helps conserve water and combat weeds.
Hardening-off Cuttings and Seedlings
After clones have rooted in rockwool cubes for three weeks, Vansterdan transplants them into 4-inch pots full of organic soil mix. He handles root cubes carefully and waters transplants heavily so roots grow into the new soil. He leaves the cuttings under a 400- watt HP sodium lamp for two weeks before moving them outdoors to harden-off in the greenhouse. He keeps clones in trays (nursery flats) so they are easy to handle. Since there is not enough room for all of the transplanted clones in the greenhouse, Vansterdan fills the greenhouse three different times. The first crop of clones is transplanted into the soil or 3-gallon pots and set out in the back yard garden after they have hardened-off for two or three weeks. The second crop of clones is moved in to harden-off and later transplanted to the local mountain plots. The third set of clones is moved into the greenhouse and grown until they are about 18 inches tall before he prompts flowering. Vansterdan covers the greenhouse to induce flowering with 12 hours of darkness.
Transplanting to the Mountain Site
The clones he transplants to the mountain site are grown in a tall container to promote a strong deep root system. The containers Vansterdan uses to clone the plants in are 6 inches tall and 3 inches square.
??I learned this trick when I worked for the Forrest Service, aye,? explained Vansterdan, ??They grow tree seedlings in tall containers so they will have a deep strong root system. The deep, dense root system makes a strong plant, aye. I won??t be able to water or give much care to these babies. A strong root system makes up for the lack of care?.
Clones in tall containers with a deep root system have the best chance of survival in remote, low maintenance gardens. A clone buried deep in ground will grow roots along the stem in a few weeks. Planting the root ball a few inches deeper makes plants easier to maintain.
Other growers transplant foot-tall clones with smaller root systems. They remove the first few sets of leaves and bury the root ball deeper in the ground, leaving only six inches of foliage above ground. The clone will grow roots along the underground stem in the next few weeks.
??I try to go back and check on the clones two or three times after I plant them. Every time I go back there I pee around the plants to scare the deer and rabbits away. I also save urine in a bottle and sprinkle it around them, because I run out,? said Vansterdan with a grin.
Seed Germination and Care
Cannabis seeds need only water, heat and air to germinate. Seeds, without light, properly watered, will germinate in 2 ?? 10 days, in temperatures from 70 ?? 90 degrees F. Germination is faster at higher temperatures but declines if temperatures climb above 90 degrees F. When the seed germinates, the outside protective shell splits and a tiny, white sprout (tap root) pops out. The seed leaves emerge from within the shell as they push upward in search of light.
One popular way to germinate seeds is placing seeds in a moist paper towel or cheesecloth, in a warm room, (70 ?? 90 degrees F.) and make sure they are in darkness.
Germinating seeds between moist paper towels virtually ensures success.
At germination, a seed sprouts, sets roots, grows roundish cotoleydon leaves and the first set of true leaves.
Water the cloth daily, keep it moist and let excess water drain away freely. The seed germinates in a few days. The seed contains an adequate food supply for germination and watering with a mild mix of liquid fertilizer will hasten growth. In humid climates, water with a mild bleach or fungicide solution (2 - 5 drops per gallon) to prevent fungus.
Plant seeds once the white sprout is visible. Do not expose the tender rootlet to prolonged, intense light or wind. Plant the germinated seed ¼? to ½ " deep in planting medium with the white sprout tip (the root) pointing down. Lay the seed on its side if confused about which end is up.
The second popular germination method is to sow the seed in a shallow planter (flat), peat pellet or rooting cube and keep the planting medium evenly moist. Transplant 2 ?? 4 weeks after the seedling emerges from the soil. Use a spoon to remove the root ball and keep it intact when transplanting.
A heat pad or heat tape under or in soil will accelerate germination without drying the soil too fast. A common problem for novices when germinating seeds is over-watering. Keep the soil uniformly moist, but not soggy. Plant seeds in a nursery flat and put them in a warm (not hot) place like on top of the refrigerator. Put a wet piece of paper on top of the soil to retain the moisture. Remove the paper as soon as seeds sprout through soil. Leaving the paper on the soil will inhibit growth. Often seeds only need one initial watering when this method is used. A shallow flat or planter with a heat pad underneath may require daily watering, while a deep, one gallon pot needs water every 2 or 3 days. When the surface is dry (¼-inch deep) it is time to water.
Remember, there are few roots to absorb the water early in life and they are very delicate.
Seedling (cotyledon) leaves are the first to appear after the seed sprouts above the soil. Within a few days, the first true leaves will grow. During the seedling stage, a root system grows rapidly and green growth is slow.
The new root system is very small and requires a modest but constant supply of water. Too much water drowns roots, causing root rot or damping-off. Lack of water dries the infant root system. As the seedlings mature, some will grow faster and stronger.
Others will be weak and leggy. Vansterdan thins out weak plants the third to fifth week and transplants seedlings without any damage.
Soil Temperature
Root cubes, made from rockwool, peat or OasisTM, are convenient and encourage a strong root system. Peat pots are small compressed peat moss containers with an outside expandable wall. The flat pellets pop-up into a seedling pot when watered. Place the seed or cutting in the wet root cube and keep it evenly moist. For clones, make sure to crimp the top in around the stem so firm contact is made between the stem and the growing medium. When roots show through the sides of the cube it is time to transplant. Slit the side and remove the expandable nylon shell of peat pots before transplanting. When completed properly seedlings and clones suffer no transplant shock. Check peat pots or root cubes daily. Keep them evenly moist, but not soggy. Root cubes and peat pots contain no nutrients. Feed seedlings after the first week and clones as soon as they are rooted with ¼ to ½ strength fertilizer.
Inexpensive heat cables double root growth and are easy to use.
The seed intensive method:
Planting many seeds in a small area is also an option. In loose fertile soil, plant seeds from ¼ to ½- inch deep. Some growers set up small 3 x 3 square foot sites, planting three rows with a seed every few inches. Growers with 4 or 5 small patches are virtually guaranteed a harvest. They grow 2 to 5 small plants in various sites. Infrared photography is less effective against small patches. To make more space, growers cull out weak plants at 4 ?? 5 weeks and remove males as they appear.
Site Selection
Big Steve is too smart to plant on his own land. He rents a country cabin and always plants on public property or other people??s property. Each year he plants in new locations. He likes to plant in low-traffic spaces among small trees and bushes.
Steve also found two different farm fields that have been out of production for a few years. He has had good crops along rivers and streams, but lost crops to floods twice in the last 10 years. When he planted along rivers, he made sure the plants were not visible from the river. Some years....
......Steve planted in buckets in rocky inaccessible terrain. He doesn??t need to prepare the soil, he just brings in grow bags and fills them with soil on the way. The plants don??t grow as big, but are seldom seen because they are growing where nobody goes or would expect them to be. Plants receive good sunlight on rocky hillsides in untillable soil. A site in dense, short bush, like sticker bushes, is another favorite spot. The sticker bushes grow high enough to prevent people from seeing through them and also serve as a deterrent from people and large animals wandering into the site.
??One of my favorite tricks is to plant where there are lots of mosquitoes,? said Steve with a snicker,
??If I can find a place with wasps, too. That??s a double whammy. I think the best site I ever found was next to a skunk??s den, around a skunk spray. I had to smear the inside of my nose with Vicks Vapor Rub to keep from smelling the skunk spray. Nobody went around there!?
??I plant deep inside patches of poison oak, poison ivy or my favorite: stinging nettles. I save seeds and broadcast them. I just cover any exposed skin with a slick rain suit and gloves to protect me. I wash the suit afterward to get rid of the oils. It??s a great way to keep lightweights away from the patch!? said Steve with a smirk, ??if there??s a thief that wants my plants, it will cost them!?
Ideal ??trails? are ??invisible,? have dense undergrowth and lots of sunlight. Growers walk up river and creek beds to avoid detection. Rapid plant growth will erase any damage to the vegetation between trips. Some growers lightly fertilize their trail if they use it more than a few times, but are careful ?? wild plants are easy to overfertilize. Other growers never take the same path to their gardens and do everything possible to avoid damaging foliage. In late summer and early fall, damaged foliage usually will not regrow. Big Steve always asks himself: Can I see the trail I just made? If not, great, if so hide it! The more difficult it is for you to get to the site, the less likely someone else will try.
Growers who think ahead bring any supplies they need ?? lengths of PVC pipe, gasoline-powered pumps, water tanks, soil, etc. ?? early in the spring before underbrush has matured and hide the supplies until needed. Sheltering also protects lightweight plastic from ultraviolet light damage.
Good soil can be in short supply on remote hillsides and is often the richest where grassland vegetation is found. Grasslands recycle nutrients in the soil and form rich fertile topsoil. (See ??Soil? in Appendix).
??I order bricks of coconut fiber from out in California. Those bricks are great. They are compact and easy to carry. When I break them up and add water they expand to several times their size,? said Steve, showing me how he loads them into his backpack.
A nearby water source makes a grower??s life easier and safer. Growers trample foliage and risk being spotted when hauling water. The more trips, the more noticeable the trail. Look for a summertime water source that does not dry up. Water consumption is determined by the weather. Dry land crops are possible if it rains once every one to four weeks.
Growers flower summer crops by covering small greenhouses to give plants 12 hours of darkness daily. Crops are ripe in 8-12 weeks. Sunlight is less important yet essential. Five hours of direct midday sunlight per day is necessary for acceptable growth, the more the better. Growers who scout sites during winter months visualize how trees will shade the landscape and the higher path the sun will make in the spring and summer.
Flowering females stand out like a neon sign if surrounding foliage dies back before harvest.
If you can have exclusive access to your marijuana patch by boat, you can cut potential traffic substantially.
Security
The police find hundreds of thousands of cannabis plants annually with aerial surveillance and infrared photography. Large plots are easier to spot than small gardens.
Many communities receive federal funds to eradicate marijuana crops. Some police departments sell the property they confiscate and buy new high tech surveillance equipment, firearms, vehicles and other toys to seek out and destroy marijuana and grower??s lives. Marijuana laws in many states are extremely severe. Law enforcement officials lie, cheat and steal to achieve their means. Do not trust them under any circumstances.
??Report a marijuana grower? programs with a cash reward are common in the USA. Six armed and dangerous narcs came to search my home on the word of a snitch. The narcs would not tell me who squealed on me or why, or if the weasel even existed. If anyone knows or even suspects you are growing marijuana, they have tremendous authority over you. A vindictive enemy can also turn you in with no evidence, even if you are not growing! Growers avoid jealous lovers, family members or malicious ??friends?. One of the saddest cases I saw was a daughter that extorted money from her father. The father grew marijuana to ease the pain of his glaucoma. His daughter threatened to have him arrested if he did not sell some of the crop to pay her off. When selecting a site, remember there might be hunters (archers, black powder, rifle and shotgun) as well as mushroom and marijuana hunters or other passers by. Check all the regulations if hunting is popular in your area. The patch will have to be hidden from other wilderness users. There also might be dirt bikers or four wheel vehicles lurking.
Site Preparation
Security is the number one concern in site preparation. Well concealed gardens are harvested, detected plants are not. Prepare growing sites up to 6 months before planting. For best results, let your amended soil sit for at least a month before planting. If the site is on an incline, planting holes must be terraced into the hillside. Make sure the terrace is large enough to catch any runoff water. Make extra gulleys to catch runoff water and channel it to the growing plant. Make a dish around the planting hole to retain water. In heavy brush, clear a few patches so plants get enough sunlight and plant 3-6 plants in each location. When preparing the soil, I cut back all roots from competing plants and till the planting holes 2 - 3 feet square. Soil along a riverbank is almost always fertile sandy loam. Hide the potential garden from river traffic as well as hikers and fishermen. More sunlight is available near the tops of the trees in dense forest. Ingenious growers use deer/elk hunting stands to grow in trees. They set up a pulley system to lift a large container and potting soil up to sit on the plant stand. Install an irrigation hose from the bottom of the tree directly to the plant. The grower passes by weekly with water and manual or battery operated pump to lift water to the plant high in the tree.
A partner is necessary to work on the ground while the other person works in the tree. Smart growers use a safety line and belt and do not spend more than 4 hours off the ground in one day. Accidents happen to tired climbers
GUERRILLA FARMING - Cannabis Growing Guide
Guerrilla farming refers to farming away from your own property, or in a remote location of your property where people seldom roam around. It is possible to find locations that for one reason or another are not easily accessible or are privately owned.
Try to grow off your property, on adjacent property, so that if your plot is found, it will not be traceable back to you. If it is not on your property, nobody has witnessed you there, and there is no physical evidence of your presence (footprints, fingerprints, trails, hair, etc.), then it is virtually impossible to prosecute you for it, even if the cops think they know who it belongs to.
Never admit to growing, to anyone. Your best defence is that your just passing thru the area, and noticed something you decided to take a look at, or carry a fishing pole or binoculars and claim fishing or bird watching.
Never tell anyone but a partner where the plants are located. Do not bring visitors to see them, unless it is harvest time, and the plants will be pulled the same or following day.
Make sure your plants are out of sight. Take a different route to get to them if they are not in a secure part of your property, and cover the trail to make it look as if there is no trail. Make cut backs in the trail, so that people on the main trail will tend to miss the cut-back to the grow area. Don not park on the main road, always find a place to park that will not arouse suspicion by people that pass on the road. Have a safe house in the area if you are not planting close to home. Always have a good reason for being in the area and have the necessary items to make your claim believable.
Briar and poison oak patches are perfect if you can cut through it. Poison Oak must be washed away before an allergic reaction takes place. Teknu is a special soap solution that will deactivate poison oak before it has time to create a reaction. Apply Teknu immediately after contact and take a shower 30 mins. later.
Try to plant under trees, next to bushes and keep only a few plants in any one spot. Train or top the plants to grow sideways, or do something to prevent the classic christmas tree look of most plants left to grow untrained. Tying the top down to the ground will make the plants branches grow up toward the sun, and increase yield, given a long enough growing season. Plants can be grown under trees if the sun comes in at an angle and lights the area for several hours every day. Plants should get at least 5 hours of direct sun every day, and 5 more hours of indirect light. Use shoes that you can dispose of later and cover your foot prints. Use surgical gloves and leave no fingerprints on pots and other items that might ID you to the fuzz...in case your plot is discovered by passers by.
Put up a fence, or the chipmonks, squirles and deer will nibble on your babies until there is nothing left. Green wire mesh and nylon chicken fencing net work great and can be wrapped around trees to create a strong barrier. Always check it and repair every visit you make to the garden. A barrier of fishing line, one at 18" and another at 3 feet will keep most deer away from your crop.
Gopher Granola is available for areas such as the N. CA mountains, where wood rats and gophers will eat your crop if given any opportunity to do so. The best fence in the world will not keep rats away from your plants! Do not use soap to keep dear away, it will attract rats! (The fat in the soap is edible for them.) Put the poison grain in a feeder than only small rodents can enter, so that birds and deer can not eat it. Set out poison early, before actual planting. The rats must eat the grain for several days before it will have any effect on them. Ultimately, you may find it is easier to grow in a greenhouse shed in your own backyard rather than try to keep the rats from eating your outdoor plot.
When growing away from the house, in the wild, water is the biggest determining factor, after security. The amount you can grow is directly proportional to the water available. If you must pack-in water, carry it in a backpack in case your seen in-route to your garden; you will appear to be merely a hiker, not a grower.
Transporting vegatative starts to the growing area is a most tricky aspect of growing outdoors. Usually, you will want to start plant indoors, or outside in your garden, then transport them to the grow site once they are firmly established. It may be desirable to first detect and separate males from females so that no effort of transporting/transplanting/watering males is incurred.
One suggestion is to use 3" rockwool cubes to start seedlings in, then put 20 of them in a litter pan, cover it with another pan, and transport this to the grow site. The cubes can be planted directly into soil. If spotted inroute to the grow area, burying a dead cat may be a good excuse for being in the area. Few people would demand to see the rotting corpse!
One outdoor grower we know has given up on seeds. He has several strains he likes to clone, so he starts 200 clones in his closet, then transports them outdoors in boxes to the grow site. No males, no differentiation, no weeding, no germinating seeds, no genetic uncertainties, no crops grown for seed, no transporting/transplanting/watering plants your just going to pull up later, no pollination nightmares, no wasted effort!
The Simplest Rule For Moon Planting...
The moon planting rule says to plant crops that produce above the ground
during the increasing light of the moon (from new moon to full moon) and to plant
crops that produce below the ground during the decreasing light of the moon
(from full moon to new moon).
A More Detailed Set of Moon Planting Rules...
New Moon To Full Moon:
Sow, Transplant, bud and graft.
Full Moon To New Moon:
Plow, Cultivate, weed and reap.
New Moon To First Quarter:
Good for Planting above-ground crops with outside seeds,
flowering annuals.
First Quarter To Full Moon:
Good for planting above ground crops with inside seeds.
Full Moon To Last Quarter:
Good for planting root crops, bulbs, biennials, and perennials.
Last Quarter To New Moon:
Do Not Plant
Moon Planting Examples...
A list of when and what to plant.
First quarter planting, or the time from the new moon to about half-full.
Plant annuals with above-ground yields, particularly leafy plants which produce
their seed outside the fruit.
1st Qtr. Examples:
asparagus cabbage, celery, endive, and spinach.
Second quarter planting, or the time from the half-full to the full moon.
Plant annuals that have above-ground yields which are
vining and produce seed inside the fruit.
2nd Qtr. Examples:
beans, peas, peppers, squash, eggplant, tomatoes, cucumbers.
Third quarter planting, or from the full moon to half-full.
Plant biennials, perennials, bulb and root crops. Crops which are planted
one season the produce yields the following year, trees, and shrubs.
3rd Qtr. Examples:
onions, potatoes, rhubarb, grapes, winter wheat, and berries.
Fourth quarter planting, or from half-full to new moon.
4th Qtr. Examples:
pull weeds, cultivate, destroy pests, and turn sod.
Moon Planting Wise Tales...
Plant potatoes during the "dark of the moon" is an old adage.
Plant your seeds within 48 hours before a full moon.
Do not plant on the day of the New Moon or Full Moon.
Soil Preparation.......
Ok, so you've found your ideal spot to put in a few plants. Now it's time to prepare the soil. I like to prepare the soil at least a month or 2 before planting. This gives the soil and micro-organisms time to break down the ferts to a more useable texture for the feeder roots. If you plant at the same time as adding ferts, there is a good chance you plants may suffer from fertilizer burn.
I think plants should be about 6-12 inches or so in height before planting out. At this size they have a better chance of coping with the outdoor elements such as wind, pounding rain, bugs etc.
Anyway back to the soil......I like to dig a hole about 2ft deep by about 3 foot wide. At this stage its not a bad idea to line the outside walls of the hole with plastic. The plastic acts as a barrier against native trees from tapping into the moist soil.
Leave the bottom third of the hole with soil and add your desired ferts.
Outdoor Fertilizers
Basically anything you add to the soil is gonna improve it. When i first started growin weed i knew very littlel about soil prep or ferts. I used to dig a shitty hole put a seedling in and give it a drink with 'miracle grow' once a week. Never got massive plants outta them, but got bud and thats all that mattered at the time....
Over the past few years however, i've learnt a little more bout ferts and this mix is what i have found to be the best.
I've put measurements for per hole.
Terraphosca Complete - 300 grams
It's a 100% organic all purpose fert extracted from blood n bone and seaweed with trace elements, with an n.p.k of 12,8 and 4. It costs about 25 bux for a 40 kg bag. AFAIK you can only buy it from produce and rural stores.
Dolomite lime- 500 grams- It keeps your soil to a pretty much neutral PH.
Mullies seem to love it.
Sulphate of immonia 40 grams- high in nitrogen
Sulphate of potash-20 grams- high in potassium
Super phosphate or triple super phosphate. 20gram or 6 grams for triple-high in phospherous.
Water crystals-10 grams
10 kg of decomposed hay,lucerne or sorgham stuble- very inexpensive in my area- mainly for water retention and breaks down to ready available food sourse for the feeder roots.
I mix this brew up up in the bottom third of the hole with the soil, then refill the hole with the previously excavated soil.
I then stand on the middle of the loosely packed soil. This not only compacts the soil better but but gives you a hollow in which to plant in. Just make sure the rootball isn't above the soil line. then just gently, but firmly pack soil around the plant making sure not to disturb the root ball too much.
I also like to mulch after planting. I use hay because in my local area it's only 20 bux for a 4ft roll of it. But anything can be used really as long as it's organic. Some people like to use mushroom compost. I've not used it myself but have heard it's very good. A depth of about 4 inches of mulch is good IMO. Be sure to keep the mulch from direct contact with the plants trunk. If not, you may end up with trunk rot.
Apart from the fortnightly nitrogen tea during veg and a potassium tea or bloom booster during flower, no other ferts are really needed. Having said that, i am a big fan of 'miracle grow' for regular foliar ferts.
I dont reccomend fertilizing during the last 2 weeks before harvest. The plant really should be given straight water during this period. This will flush any chems that may have build up in the plants system during the grow.
Well that's how i do it. Feel free to pop in an methods or ideas that you have.
Organic rasta,
You need to provide a source/link for each of those big chunks of info if you did not write them yourself.
This thread would make a good sticky but I'm not going to stick it (and will actually delete it) if we don't have proper citations.
Thank you.
I didn't think hot linking would be appropriate here is why I didn't link the info; but all praises are due to Dr Chronic's HG420.com forum....and no disrespect to you; but I'm also in no way shape or form attempting to take credit for shared Cannabis information freely found or asked for on the web.
Have you looked over very well prepared informtion here and thought "Did this person write this?" I understand what you're saying and agree to it but don't erase valuable shared info.
Try this HomeGrown420 - powered by vBulletin for a source link.
Jah Bless
Cool, thank you for providing the link.
It's important that grow forums also don't step on each others' toes! I'd hope that info from here posted elsewhere would also travel with the link back to this site.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Organic Rasta
that is disgusting. :wtf::mad:Quote:
supplies they need gasoline powered pumps
The rest of the guide is pretty nifty :rastasmoke: