Setting up for outdoor grow - Your tips, advice, suggestions welcomed!

[rich-]

I'll have plenty of space in an outdoor area. This will be my first actual real grow, I've done some small fun projects on the side - nothing major that I was dedicated to and put a lot of time into.


I'm just trying to soak up as much information as possible. I'm pretty knowledgeable already but I wanted to get some more input on my setup.


I'll have anywhere from 12-24 plants. I'll be getting some clones at my local dispensary once I have everything ready.


When ready, I'll transfer each plant into a 1 gallon container (feedback?). The soil I'll be going with will probably be a FoxFarm soil suggested by the guy at my local hydroponics store.


Any tips and advice for the whole pH level system? Anyone want to point me to some good tools I can use to measure levels?


I'm just looking for as much advice as possible on this whole setup. Imagine it as your own and suggest the supplies and equipment I should invest into. My budget is pretty wide, I don't mind spending on quality.

rich- Reviewed by rich- on 11-06-2012. Setting up for outdoor grow - Your tips, advice, suggestions welcomed! I'll have plenty of space in an outdoor area. This will be my first actual real grow, I've done some small fun projects on the side - nothing major that I was dedicated to and put a lot of time into. I'm just trying to soak up as much information as possible. I'm pretty knowledgeable already but I wanted to get some more input on my setup. I'll have anywhere from 12-24 plants. I'll be getting some clones at my local dispensary once I have everything ready. When ready, I'll Rating: 5

[drew225]

That must be nice to grow be able to start growing outdoors in Nov. Thats a lot of plants! My advice would be to go with at least 5gallon containers or larger if you have the space. Those babies can get huge outdoors. If you want a 1/4lb and up per plant go with as large a container as you can if you don't mind spending money on soil. The fox farm ive heard is good and thats what ill be using my next grow. You might want to get some nutrients too boost growth once they're large enough. Maybe some natural fertilizers to add if your growing strictly organic

[painretreat]

That must be nice to grow be able to start growing outdoors in Nov.

Seriously, where? At home or the forest? well, you may not want to say, exactly where. Are you going to leave them in pots and put in the ground?? Above ground? Too many unanswered questions of, "I'm pretty knowledgeable already.."

There are plenty of threads here of outdoor grows. From digging holes and hauling good potting soil mix for 10 miles up a mountain. Plenty of good reading. I guess, the best advice I've seen, in those threads:
http://boards.cannabis.com/outdoor-growing/156823-outdoor-marijuana-grow-2008-a.html My favorite thread here.

In the comments, you'll find many outdoor growers that post. And read, their threads, also.

I recall Shovelhandle, had one thread, from mixing his soils, etc. Most important advice I've seen is, little chicken wire cages, to prevent nibbling. Once the plant gets tall enough, seems the critters, may leave them alone.

The outdoor grows, are pretty fun reads.

Of course, the first sticky in outdoor growing, would be a primary concern! Good luck! pr

[drew225]

Seriously though. Like paintreat said theres lots of variables, but I can't wait to start growing outdoors next year. That is, if the p.o.s. county I live in doesn't outlaw it. Way cheaper than indoor, thats for sure

[negativeempire]

For me the joy of growing outdoors is not using containers. Nothing like having to climb a ladder to trim your cola's.

[low_rdr]

If I ever started an outdoor grow, that wasn't guerrilla then I think my garden would be the 32 gallon totes, or the 50 gallon barrels, probably the barrels because It would help keep the animals at bay, I'd line the bottom 24" with limestone, then cover the rest with soil-less mix, and I would use the plastic barrels, aside from that, I'd use hydro nutes and tapwater in a garden. I would not use soil outside, to me, I'm not going to waste the cash on FF soil for multiple 50 gallon drums, (not saying its a waste) I'm just saying you can get the same nutes with a soiless mix, cocoa fiber and perlite with organic shells would be a good mix, or even organic peanuts (the packing kind), or skip the lime, use newspaper (crumbled up) and add nightcrawlers to each one.

I think that's what I would do, is the nightcrawler route - then light mesh over the top to contain our little friends, providing air and wormcastings to our root system

[Randm999]

On my first grow I used 5 gal. containers. I did ok, but nothing to jump up and down about. I think my biggest plants were around 4 ft. tall ( white widow and Power Plant ).

I then moved up to using 30 gal. smart pots. These did better and resulted in a decent yeild. Maybe between 1/2 and 1 lb. each. Still not great, but better.

I then built a couple of planter boxes that measured about 20 ft. long and 3 ft wide with room for around 16 inches of depth. I built two of these and they did great. I could put three plants each in them and harvested between 1 and 2 lbs. per plant.

I also moved up to 45 gal. smart pots for a better yeild as well.

In the ground is the only real way to fly though.

Also, do a bit of research into what strain grows good in your area. If you are in the south, and have a longer growing season, then this is easy. However if you are like me and live a bit north, then the choices of strain becomes a bit more difficult as I can only grow strains that have a shorter flowering time. I made the mistake of planting several haze varieties just to have the frost bite them befor they ripened. Not good. Not pretty. Also growing height can be an issue. If security is a problem then maybe a short bushy plant as opposed to one that will reach for the stars may be better. ( topping and low stress training can be of help here .

There are so many variables to a succesful grow that really all I can say is read as much as you can on this ( and other) sites and read some more. Maybe even buy a book or two on the subject. A gardeners most valuable tool is education.

Good luck and happy growing