Photo periods outdoors

[crazycatlady]

I will be growing Hash Plant, Purple Kush and Zeus (sativa) in the great outdoors. I plan to clone as much as possible so that I have a few going outside and keeping one of each at home in a small greenhouse. I have many sites picked out, haven't chosen yet as I wish to inspect them carefully before I decide which ones. The seeds are germinated right now and showing first true leaves. (LED and CFL 18/6) I have green houses ready to go for beginning of April with fan and heaters. I was hoping to put the plants in their locations May sometime.

My question is this: plants need 18/6 for vegging and 12/12 to start the flowering process. Here in the mountains of Alberta I don't know how that is going to work as we don't get 12/12 til Sept (equinox). Hunting season starts in Aug (bow hunting) and we have to worry about frost or snow starting September. And the girls will need how long to set their buds?

Should I bother to put all the plants out? If they get shade, direct sun for a few hours and then shade again does that help the bud/flowering process?

 

[Marzbadrock]

I'm just a bit south from ya but same situation, we just don't have long enough season to bloom.....even in a greenhouse. Last year was my first successful outdoor grow, I had to force flower them by covering them up everyday at 7 pm and uncover at 7 am. I started doing this at the beginning of July and harvested mid September. Hope this helps.

And she won plant of the month!

 

[crazycatlady]

Thank you marzbadrock. I was wondering about that and you have confirmed my thoughts. Unfortunately I live in a large town with street lights and one of them right at my backyard. I am going to experiment with a few clones in some selected spots and keep the majority at home indoor and out. With the outdoor I will do as you did and begin the cover up so I can at least harvest some by Sept and the rest by Oct. I will certainly have to LST them to keep a low profile.

Your plant is beautiful!! I hope to get my babies to look like that too. At least I have experience as a gardener, but that did not save my squash or broccoli when the frosts hit late Sept. We are also the hail capital of Canada, blech!

regards!!

 

[Conradino23]

Ok, first thing first normal cannabis variety will start flowering around early to mid August which means it's gonna finish in September/October. The only thing that you can do wrong is to plant an indoor variety which might not be triggered into flowering before September.