amending soil

[hanayama]

I am going to do an outdoor grow. I'm in the midwest. Any advice on what to amend the soil with? I won't be checking a whole lot. So something that will last would be good.

Thanks for the help

hanayama Reviewed by hanayama on 04-15-2010. amending soil I am going to do an outdoor grow. I'm in the midwest. Any advice on what to amend the soil with? I won't be checking a whole lot. So something that will last would be good. Thanks for the help Rating: 5

[sunbiz1]

I am going to do an outdoor grow. I'm in the midwest. Any advice on what to amend the soil with? I won't be checking a whole lot. So something that will last would be good.

Thanks for the help

Depends on your location, soils in the Midwest within 5-10 miles of a river basin are alkaline due to limestone. I would test the soil PH first. If you're going to wing it in a hurry, try a time release granule nute. Go with one higher in nitrogen than phosphorous until July(one application is fine). In July reverse your nute with one higher in phosphorous over nitrogen to promote pre-flowering, again...one application should do.

Good luck!

[hanayama]

gracias sunbiz!

any thoughts on putting stone or sand in the bottom of the hole before I plant to promote drainage?
What about some sort of spray to protect them from bugs?

Thanks again

[sunbiz1]

gracias sunbiz!

any thoughts on putting stone or sand in the bottom of the hole before I plant to promote drainage?
What about some sort of spray to protect them from bugs?

Thanks again

I only use sand when I grow plants in 5/7 gallon buckets outdoors under semi-controlled conditions, that's a different animal with a much easier success rate.

No pesticides

Find an area far enough away from a natural H2O source to prevent that. If it should occur, ammonia works when diluted for certain insects...it is a natural compound.

[RedwhitEsonavaB]

unless it rains a whole lot you dont want too much drainage. if you cant water that much, i would mix some clay with the soil (mostly toward the bottom) to hold water. mulch wouldnt hurt either. its difficult to rot the roots if you dont water constantly. mix some azomite in the soil if you can for trace elements, its 100% organic and they mine it in utah so you should be able to get it fairly easy. id use organic nutes- fish emulsion and kelp for veg/ bat guano and bone meal for flowering - the azomite will take care of the trace elements. praying mantis and lady bugs are good for natural pest control, a pack of eggs are about $10 at the nursery. put a fishing line fence up for deer and you should be good.

[sunbiz1]

unless it rains a whole lot you dont want too much drainage. if you cant water that much, i would mix some clay with the soil (mostly toward the bottom) to hold water. mulch wouldnt hurt either. its difficult to rot the roots if you dont water constantly. mix some azomite in the soil if you can for trace elements, its 100% organic and they mine it in utah so you should be able to get it fairly easy. id use organic nutes- fish emulsion and kelp for veg/ bat guano and bone meal for flowering - the azomite will take care of the trace elements. praying mantis and lady bugs are good for natural pest control, a pack of eggs are about $10 at the nursery. put a fishing line fence up for deer and you should be good.

Careful with the fishing line, in direct sunlight you can see it from FAR away. I stopped using it in favor of natural barriers of fallen branches.

[hanayama]

Thanks for all the tips. Ill be planting them in a week or so. I think I'm going to get a time released granule of some sort.

I also have a lady that is about 2 1/2 feet tall already. the bottom foot or so only has 1 set of nodes. So I'm going to plant that part underground.
my question is...

I've heard of scarring up the stem of clones to promote stem growth. Should I do the same with this lady?

Thanks

[hanayama]

anyone?

[StickyBuds1987]

sounds good man ummm i dont know about the scaring of the steam