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.