Do I Need Fertilizer? Outdoors

[north central grower]

I use regular fine screened loam from a garden center mixed with some organic bagged soil that had perlite and moisture pellets in it and have never had a problem it is nice and lite to promote root growth and aeration as well as drainage . I grow in 10 to 15 gallon pots I get for free from garden center when they install small trees they always have a ton of unused old pots

 

[420vacation]

Here is what I was able to find regarding soil. There might be other resources that can add more details. "The best soil for cannabis growing is the kind that holds moisture, drains very well, and warms easily. A number of people agree that silt is the best type of soil for any outdoor marijuana growing."

 

[elephantbudz]

I prefer the cheap dry amendment from the store for outdoor. Then top dress!!!!

 

[MrSauga]

OK so this is my first post, and my first time growing. I have two plants which started late but I'm OK with that since this year is more about learning and any good yield will be a bonus. Germination was a few days ago and the tap roots got to be about 1/2" before planting. One has popped out but the other girl seems to be shy. I hope this is normal for some to sprout late.
So I mixed up a batch of 15L Promix, 5L cow manure, and 1L vermiculite in a 20L pail. The manure was in place of compost which I didn't have, but is in the works now for next season. My PH is around 6-7 and I added worm castings, dew worms from around the house, some calcium carbonate and a bit of dolomite.
It looks good and if I was a plant I think I'd be more than happy in there. I have some Bloom, Grow, and Micro nutrients from AN coming soon but I'm not sure if I even need if from what I have read here.
Any recommendations based on my set up?
I planted White Widow and currently am using Distilled Water until the rain barrel fills.

Thanks.

 

[Conradino23]

Your mix is gonna be more than fine till at least mid flowering. I'd just keep an eye on any weird behaviour. You're gonna have a lot of nitrogen there, so growth rate should be fast, but she might get leggy, so be aware of that. In terms of water rain one is better than distilled water or RO. Plants react very well to it and it also limits fertiliser use. The answer to fertilisation questio is I wouldn't use any of these nutes for now and wait for the plant to tell you if she needs anything.

 

[MrSauga]

I'd just keep an eye on any weird behaviour. You're gonna have a lot of nitrogen there, so growth rate should be fast, but she might get leggy, so be aware of that.

I'm guessing that has to do with the manure?

In terms of water rain one is better than distilled water or RO. Plants react very well to it and it also limits fertiliser use.

Rain shouldn't be a problem here in SW Ontario. We tend to have a good balance for the most part.

The answer to fertilisation questio is I wouldn't use any of these nutes for now and wait for the plant to tell you if she needs anything.

I'll definately hold off for now and get some pics posted over the next few days and weeks.
Thanks for the advice.

 

[2percentmilk]

It really depends on if you are planning on growing small plants indoors or monster outdoors, last year I grew a couple plants outdoors using a mix of coco loco happy frog and ocean forest in 15 gallon and 30 gallon containers the plants in the 15 gallons absolutely needed nutrients, I had to push it off because of lack of money and by the end of the year the plants completely sucked out every last little bit of nutrient left in the soil and had to be fed later on in the cycle while the 30 gallon pots were able to sustain themselves and produce of 2 pounds each with none at all. Indoor though you should probably be fine but they will definitely benefit from a good structured routine to keep up nutrient intake.

 

[MrSauga]

Well I don't want monsters outdoors, just some nice sized plants with a good yield. I'd like quality over quantity. It's almost legal to grow here in Ontario and I don't want my neighbours to get too nosey. I have a privacy screen on order from Amazon and it should help conceal them on my deck yet still allowing plenty of sunshine.
Since I'm in 5gal pots I'm assuming the nutes will fade out eventually, but if I top them regularly to keep the height to 4 or 5' I'm thinking I can keep nutes to a minimum.
I'm going to start a journal tonight and post some pics and try and find some more info on training the plants to stay low.
Thanks for the tips.

 

[2percentmilk]

Well I don't want monsters outdoors, just some nice sized plants with a good yield. I'd like quality over quantity. It's almost legal to grow here in Ontario and I don't want my neighbours to get too nosey. I have a privacy screen on order from Amazon and it should help conceal them on my deck yet still allowing plenty of sunshine.
Since I'm in 5gal pots I'm assuming the nutes will fade out eventually, but if I top them regularly to keep the height to 4 or 5' I'm thinking I can keep nutes to a minimum.
I'm going to start a journal tonight and post some pics and try and find some more info on training the plants to stay low.
Thanks for the tips.

You can still grow in small pots but you'll have to water almost every day and you'll start seeing leaves dying off from lack of nutrients, you could always go for a little bit bigger pots/ smart pots and train to keep them short, my plants were no bigger than 3 feet tall with 2 pounds a plant.

 

[2percentmilk]

Just watch your plants because they'll tell you what they need ^.^ I wish you luck in your grow.

 

[MrSauga]

Thank's milk, but for now I kept the containers (5gal pails) the same size as the wife's for the ghost peppers so she wouldn't...well freak out. When she sees the results I guarantee my pots will be bigger next year!
Thanks again. I'll leave my future posts in the Journal I started since anything else here would be hijacking the OP.

 

[John Wick]

Newbie here, not much moola to work with. Can someone please tell me an inexpensive way to test my soil?
Are there effective and cheap test kits?

 

[MrSauga]

Are there effective and cheap test kits?

Hi John,
welcome to 420! You'll find people here are very helpful. Try doing a search for this item:
Luster Leaf 1601 Rapidtest Soil Test Kit. I picked mine up off Zon. There are others but this will also check your NPK levels as well as PH.

 

[John Wick]

History of my soil.
100 rear old cattle ranch, since I bought it zero cattle have been on property for 10 years. It seems that any kind of vegetables grow nicely without adding anything to it. Dark earth in color but I do add a bit of sand for better air.
Would anyone have any suggestions?
Almost forgot, high water table. I purchased 50 bare root Colorado blue spruce Christmas trees about 6-8" high 10 years agoI dug a 8" X 3' hole with auger and watered for the first two months.
After that did nothing, now thier almost 18'-20' tall x 6'-8' wide.
I told that story just to give you a example of my soil and high water table.
Opinions wanted, again newbie at medical cannabis. White Widow Auto are my recommend seeds from seed distribution.
Please help.
Thank you in advance for your response and God Bless.

 

[John Wick]

Hi John,
welcome to 420! You'll find people here are very helpful. Try doing a search for this item:
Luster Leaf 1601 Rapidtest Soil Test Kit. I picked mine up off Zon. There are others but this will also check your NPK levels as well as PH.

Thank you, MrSauga.

 

[MrSauga]

Opinions wanted, again newbie at medical cannabis. White Widow Auto are my recommend seeds from seed distribution.
Please help.
Thank you in advance for your response and God Bless.

Your best bet for quick and great advice is to read some journals and start one yourself by clicking here. It sounds like you probably have a high nitrogen level in the soil so I would be aware of that. There are simple ways to correct that but again you are best to start a journal and more people with better advice will chime in.

 

[John Wick]

Your best bet for quick and great advice is to read some journals and start one yourself by clicking here. It sounds like you probably have a high nitrogen level in the soil so I would be aware of that. There are simple ways to correct that but again you are best to start a journal and more people with better advice will chime in.

Good advice, I have been reading yours, if you don't mind.
Next on my list is learn how to keep them short but with a high yield.

 

[MrSauga]

Next on my list is learn how to keep them short but with a high yield.

Without hi-jacking this thread too much longer as we are getting a little off topic, check this link out from a member and check out his signature for more great links
Topping techniques

 

[WeedMonkey]

If your soils good and its not a permanent location, you might not even need to fertilize. I think some breeds of cannabis have better tasting buds if they have had to struggle a bit for survival. I can almost taste the buds that have been "spoiled" by an over-protective gardener.
However, if your growing in the same location year after year or if your soil is poor to begin with, you will need to add amendments. If an acre of hemp is burned the ash could contain as much as 25 to 30 kilos of pottasium, so youll have to add some mass. Some organic amendments will improve the texture and drainage as well as supply nutrients, and they have the advantage of not building up into a toxic condition.

This is an old but excellent post

 

[Kip22]

(IMHO) Cannabis has been selectively bred to grow super fast with huge buds. To accomplish this it needs lots of nutes (caveat here some although not most seen to dislike much nutes). Two things need to happen. Correct nutrient mix (keep upping a little at a time till u see slightly burnt tips then back of) and correct PH. Without both being in sync u get slow or no growth.



I live in the pacific north west so our soil is naturally very acidic. If outdoor in ground u have to manage this with dolomite lime.