Growing Outdoors. Need help!

Hey everyone!
I've been doing a lot of reading and research in order to get ready for my first serious grow. We are going to grow outdoors and I'm very excited!
But i have many questions, but many of them are region specific I believe,

1. When would be the best time to start a small sized crop in the pacific northwest, namely southern oregon/northern california. would planting soon be advisable or should I wait until april/may?

2. How often should the plants be watered? Our grow is going to be somewhat guerilla grown. We have 5 acres out in the boons and driving out there every few hours would be ridiculous. So how often should plants be watered and how much? From seed to harvest?

3. What is the easiest way to test soil pH and what would be the easiest way to change the pH? I've heard using pH up and down for water, but does that work for soil too?

4. What should we add to the soil before planting? We are going to use the soil already there but should we add some store bought stuff on top?

5. Also how can the buds be dried without a heat box or often? Can they just be hung up and air dried like wet laundry?

Thank you for all your guys' help!!
Fizz

Hey everyone!
I've been doing a lot of reading and research in order to get ready for my first serious grow. We are going to grow outdoors and I'm very excited!
But i have many questions, but many of them are region specific I believe,

1. When would be the best time to start a small sized crop in the pacific northwest, namely southern oregon/northern california. would planting soon be advisable or should I wait until april/may?

Wait until april/may, if you really want, you can start in february indoors then transplant them inside, that way they're off to a good start.

2. How often should the plants be watered? Our grow is going to be somewhat guerilla grown. We have 5 acres out in the boons and driving out there every few hours would be ridiculous. So how often should plants be watered and how much? From seed to harvest?

Once a week is more than enough. If you get rain once a week then it'll be fine - look for healthy plants near where you intend to grow, if there are none, you're only going to have problems.

3. What is the easiest way to test soil pH and what would be the easiest way to change the pH? I've heard using pH up and down for water, but does that work for soil too?

Lime never raises the pH about 7, when you dig the holes spread a liberal amount of lime to stabilise the pH. pH testing can be done with a pH probe, which cost about £5 in the UK, so I'm guessing the price will be thereabouts in the US.

4. What should we add to the soil before planting? We are going to use the soil already there but should we add some store bought stuff on top?

Perlite, manure, fish, blood and bone meal and seaweed extract will be a good starting point. In my opinion organic is the way to go.

5. Also how can the buds be dried without a heat box or often? Can they just be hung up and air dried like wet laundry?

Air dried is best, as a general rule of thumb, the quicker you dry, the more harsh and tasteless the smoke, even if you still cure. Generally you should cut branches off the plants, trim off all the leaves then hang upside down in a dark, well ventilated room.

Thank you for all your guys' help!!
Fizz

Thanks anononymous!

When you say spread lime do you mean lime juice, lime peels, etc? Sorry if that sounds like a dumb question but I'm new to this.

And one more question to all,
If i collect the pollen sacs from the male before I kill it. Then take the sacs and burst them in a jar and use a paintbrush to dust the pollen on one female plant will that be the only plant to produce seeds? Or will it fertilize all of my females and screw my crop?

Oh and do outdoor crops need to be misted? I've seen people mist their indoor crops and I don't know if outside crops need it too.

....bump....

rjfizzle said:

Thanks anononymous!

When you say spread lime do you mean lime juice, lime peels, etc? Sorry if that sounds like a dumb question but I'm new to this.

And one more question to all,
If i collect the pollen sacs from the male before I kill it. Then take the sacs and burst them in a jar and use a paintbrush to dust the pollen on one female plant will that be the only plant to produce seeds? Or will it fertilize all of my females and screw my crop?

Click to expand...

Lime as in horticultural lime, it's a whitish powder. Ask in garden centres for horticultural/dolomitic lime, they should know what you want.

Pollinating crops outdoors can be risky. The wind can still carry pollen even after it is applied. If you want to produce seeds outdoors, do it on the lower branches of the plants that are facing the direction of the wind's path, so if any pollen does get carried it gets carried away from your plants.

Misting can be done, apart from foliar feeding I can't see the point. I don't understand why people foliar feed unless the soil they're using is very poor (very sandy so it doesn't hold nutrients) or they have pH problems. I've never misted, I just mix whatever fertilizers I'm using into a 3L bottle and water them with that.

Anonononymous said:

Lime as in horticultural lime, it's a whitish powder. Ask in garden centres for horticultural/dolomitic lime, they should know what you want.

Pollinating crops outdoors can be risky. The wind can still carry pollen even after it is applied. If you want to produce seeds outdoors, do it on the lower branches of the plants that are facing the direction of the wind's path, so if any pollen does get carried it gets carried away from your plants.

Misting can be done, apart from foliar feeding I can't see the point. I don't understand why people foliar feed unless the soil they're using is very poor (very sandy so it doesn't hold nutrients) or they have pH problems. I've never misted, I just mix whatever fertilizers I'm using into a 3L bottle and water them with that.

Click to expand...

What fertilizers do you use? Also how much should I water them? Like 3 litres? 3 cups?

If your in UK Bio Bizz grow + bloom, thats wat I hav, depending on the brand you choose it will say on the label how2 use!