Outdoor Grow Journal 2018

Tattoodlineman

Tattoodlineman

Well-Known Member
Hello all and thanks for checking in on my 2018 journal.

This journal will be a great way for me to check records and chart different strains I am trying this year, along with learning new tricks or teaching new growers who want to try growing in the outdoors. Please feel free to critique, comment or ask questions. Be advised, I am buy far no professional, keep your critism to yourself it will not be tolerated in this journal. I am looking forward to any and all advice thrown my way.

This journal will include all the challenges that us outdoor fellas endure durring a typical growing season, please feel free to include any tips you can attest for.
 
The last couple weeks have been balls to the wall with above average temperatures. Every spare second of my time has been spent transplanting started plants to their final destination. It got so warm, so quickly that my plants started to outgrow their 3 gal pots they were started in..


FABRIC POTS
I like to grow in ground and above ground in pots, however I prefer to grow outdoors in fabric pots for many reasons. Fabric pots have their pros and cons like everything else. First off my ground soil is rock and heavy clay— not good! Over the years, after observing side buy side comparisons, plants seem to grow better in the pots as opposed to the ground in my area. I notice healthier root structure and mass in the pots, which I attribute to more oxygen flowing through the fabric (air pruning). They’re almost impossible to overwater as the fabric is permeable, which also helps reduce root rot. Bigger yields, denser and stronger plants. Easier to flush plants before harvest in pots too. Really, it’s undisputed, plants just grow better in the pots. My pots range from 70 - 100 gallons. Grow big or go home! I love growing monsters!

SOIL
If you have the type of soil that you can dig a hole and plant in, I hate you!
On my property, I have the advantage of having unlimited access to making a lot of key ingredients to my own super soil, which saves me $. I have some beef cows and chickens, so I make all my own manure compost. The soil I make for my pots consist of home made cow and chicken manure compost. I then mix in biobizz soil, earthworm castings, dolomite lime, azomite, perlite and my top secret ingredient being dead herring. Lol. Where I live the herring migrate up the river every spring, and i bring the kids out for a day on the boat and load up. I freeze the herring and when the time comes, I put between 2-4 whole, dead herring at the bottom of each pot. Depending on size of pot.
Again, I’m a huge proponent of doing side buy side comparisons. The results are not even comparable, the plants growth with dead fish far exceed plants without. Period.
As a side note, do not to make the mistake I made when growing in home made soil.. You must let the soil “cook” for a few months before you transplant your plants. There is a microbio process that occurs when you mix said ingredients and It will burn the shit out of your plants if you don’t.
I have a system where I’ll start mixing soil in March so soil is ready buy the time weather is nice enough to plant.
 
Some of the strains I am trying this year include, sensi skunk, widow/skunk, big bud, critical and critical fast. Some other freebies as well that I will include later.

Started my plants Indoors, moved them outside for conditioning @ 5 weeks and into their final destination @7 weeks of age.
Unknown sexed plants are going into the ground, the holes are filled with home made soil, mixed with ground soil.
Most of the feminized are going into the pots, as they are a guarantee. Pots take a lot of time and soil to fill. Especially with the remote locations I choose to grow in. I want guarantee bud out of the hard work involved with preparing each pot.
The reason I choose to start with as many plants and strains as I do is because there will always be casualties in my neck of the woods, and because I like to try different strains and I never know which will thrive in my area. Buy casualties I mean each yr I always loose plants. It’s to be expected and I always try to compensate buy starting with more. Between deer, bear, chipmunks, coons, insects, storms and mold there always be some lost.
 
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Oops, forgot to top one!
Notice the lower portion of this plant is branchy from being under lights, then the upper portion is the point where they got put outside and the plant is obviously stretching for that sun. One thing about this plant it loves to compete with its surrounding environment. Even in the middle of a 5-6 ft tall pricker thicket, this girl is quickly catching up and reaching. I’ll keep tying her back and letting her fight to be above canopy.
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Sounds pretty similar to my outdoor set-up. Battling heat & critters, definitely have clay & rock. I definitely feel your pain.
 
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