How do you recommend growing outside?

What foothills? Also there are a few guides already in this outdoor section at the top of the list. If you have to start them outdoors you should wait till late may unless your deep south.

 

You got a remote/ secure site picked out yet with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight and with a nearby water source? Thats the first step. 

 

Then keep it simple. I'm sure you know the basics of growing. Plants need water and sun. They also need 12 hours of solid darkness for 50-70 days straight to flower. That's all you need to know and you can grow cannabis. I've got my current grow and I'm keeping it simple (flowering seeds until I can test their high and their harvest times) until February where I will be putting out my 6-12 ten pounders. Be smart and I suggest not listening to a single asshole on here who can't back up their words and take time to talk to you. People are wrong more often than not and will cause you to ruin many good grows. Also same applies to you, don't do anything too quick on your plants or you will be flushing your soil a lot. Just keep it simple. You need soil, small containers (don't be a dumbass and start big!), and barely any nutes if any for a 12/12 from seed. I grow plants in 230ml containers with stems thicker than pencils that yield huge colas. Fuck 1 gallon pots. Those are too big. Try solo cups and those 2x3 trays (230ml) that work well. Just keep it simple man, you're only growing flowers.

Note: growing cannabis outdoors during flowering takes dedication and some brains. You cannot have light leaks during your 50-70 days of flowering. Hell I never allow light leaks. 12/12 from seed only takes about 12 weeks from seed to flower. I suggest trying it out. Also your girlfriend is a bitch. Just FYI.


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"Also your girlfriend is a bitch. Just FYI"

Daaaammmmmn

But seriously almost all of what he said is 100% true

Just remember K.I.S.S. - keep it simple, stupid

 

That guys talking indoor light scheduling and containers^..don't try an outdoor plant in a solo cup full season lol. Find a secluded spot with at least 8 direct sunlight hours hitting it, dig 2x2x2 holes, fill with organic mix since it wouldn't need as much maintenance, start plants and plant. Read the guides. They're long but worth it.

 

 
Not true at all. I've lived as deep south as it goes and Im now in the Mid Atlantic. If you're growing strictly outside you want to get an early start March/April before all the surrounding vegetation grows in to compete with your cannabis plants. That and once all the animals, bugs, and pest come out thru spring the later you wait to plant, the more challenges your seedlings will have to overcome. As soon as you have passed the LAST FROST of Winter you should germinate your seeds and as soon as the ground is warm enough to dig.. you should be digging. The early bird gets the worm. Everyone's microclimate is different so it isn't good to make generalizations like that. It's been years where I could have started planting Jan/Feb and Im in the mid atlantic where the weather is more temperate. 

 

 

 
Ok my guy... growing outside really is K.I.S.S (keep it simple) but if you only have 5 seeds it's easier said than done. You have to be strategic and have a well defined/organized plan.. and you have to execute those plans perfect. If you have 1000 seeds that you could afford to make a clearing and just throw half the seeds in the ground and throw some in pots and solo cops to start that'd be great... doesn't get more simple than that. I've had the luxury of having alot of seeds and i got sloppy and lazy and didn't produce great results because I was telling myself I have so many seeds no matter what I'm going to be good, so keep your plans STRAIGHT FORWARD and SIMPLE but your work ethic, execution, and stealth has to be everything BUT simple, be ready to go the extra mile if you're working outdoors.
 
The truth is outdoors is like Russian roulette. Out of 10 plants.. 5 are going to be female, 5 male granted you have REGULAR seeds. Out of those 5 females you have to give one to the animals, one to your fellow pot head, two to nature, weather, and the Gods (LMAO.. no seriously tho) and 1 for your self... we don't give any to those pigs over here!
 
So that's 1 out of every 10 regular seeds you plant that you can expect to reap. If you have feminized seeds you can save yourself ALOTTTT of energy and time. I like crossbreeding so I don't deal with fem's. So if I want a pound at say 3-4 oz's per (you have to give your self plenty room for error, sure you can get a pound off a plant) then I will start off with 50 seeds in hopes that I'll get 5 good yielding plants.
 
It's a numbers game really. So 1st things first you have to know what it is that you want out of the deal as far as quality/quantity and you have to know what resources you have. Do you have tons of compost, tons of seeds, a place where you can get gallons of quality soil for cheap, plenty land, a good place to DRY/CURE your harvest? Identify what you want out of the deal and identify ALL your resources first so you can be realistic about what you're doing. No point in having 100 pounds if you have no way of getting it from point A to B, have no place to dry/cure, and don't have the time/people to do the trim work.
 
Once you identify location, your seed stock, and all your other resources then we can talk about planting/growing/harvest. If you only have 3 seeds and you're in your backyard in 3 - 5 gallon pots.. I wouldn't give you the same approach as someone who has 1000 seeds and is growing in a high elevated, mountainous area. 
 
Keep your plan simple, but strategic, well defined & organized, and EXECUTE it EVERY DAY!

 

Not true at all? In 2013 we had frost till late may in a zone 6 "micro-climate". Coldest May I have ever seen. Dumb Shit happens and it often does when your being a dumbass. You can lose your whole crop planting out too early and thats a major loss if you have purchased genetics.  If he has to start seedlings outdoor he should play it safe and wait until the warm weather has stabilized. In a temperate zone, Your starting seeds outdoors in January? I call BULLSHIT. Regardless of temps the length of day would be more ideal for flower than veg. Its smart to start plants INDOORS in late winter Under 18+ hours of light to set out larger stronger plants after ALL danger of frost. But he cannot start indoors at all. He also obviously has no experience so his best bet is to play it safe in all regards. 
 
Even though you tried to disrespect me MD I wont hold it against you life is too short. 
Good vibes your way and Happy Holidays.
 
-VOO

 

 
Yes, not true at all my friend! You said you should wait until May unless you live in the Deep South, which is just misleading. I'm not in the Deep South and I don't have to wait until May which negates what you said. You don't know where he lives so your statement is misleading if he just takes it and runs with it. What works where you're at won't always work where he is at. There are many climate zones outside of the Deep South that you can plant much earlier than May in. We all know this.
 
Yea he should definitely play it safe because he doesn't have many seeds and he is strictly outside but WE DON'T KNOW HIS CLIMATE so to say start in May or any other specific month is misleading, that's all I'm saying. I didn't say I start in January, I always play it safe and I RARELY start indoors. I said there were years where I COULD HAVE started Jan/Feb. But there have been years I remember CRYSTAL CLEAR where it snowed early January and after that steadily started warming up and late January felt like early Spring other seasons. I was telling myself I could start my seeds now with weather like this, and I didn't because I usually play safe. There wasn't any frost, snow or low temps through Feb and into Spring and I could've started early. That's why I don't make generalizations like that because I've seen this from experience. I never told him to start in January and I'd never tell him to start in any month even if I had him GPS'd because weather patterns vary. This year we were still getting frost Late March. I would tell him to be observant of the weather and wait til the weather stabilized just like you said. That doesn't mean wait til May unless your in the Deep South.
 
For years I've done outdoors from seed which 90% of growers know nothing about. You start too early, you risk hitting frost or not getting enough sunlight. You start too late now you're competing with the weeds that have grown, the surrounding vegetation that's grown in and the animals, bugs, pests that are active and moving around now. When you start early you don't have to worry about that. Go ahead and try starting from seed outdoors and see how your seedlings do against all of that. LOL.. I hope you have outstanding genetics.
 
Also, I don't get what you're saying by the length of time would be more ideal for flowering than VEG. These are OUTDOOR plants that normally only get between 12 and 15 hrs of light anyway, between the equinoxes... so starting a little early when it's 10.5 - 11 hrs almost makes no difference. These aren't indoor plants.  
 
I don't see how I tried to disrespect you.. I apologize. No harm no foul.. always good vibes and good plantings

 

Hey friend, I also live in the foothills. I'm personally in the Sierra Nevada foothills about an hour north-east of Sacramento. Below the snow line where frost usually isn't an issue. I have no problem starting my plants from seed anywhere from late March until May for a successful harvest. The higher up you go, the later you need to start. If you are in my neck of the woods, April is perfect.

Raised beds are one of the easiest and most effective ways to grow. They have
great drainage and infinite root space. Just hammer together a few boards to make a frame, loosen the native soil underneath, and fill with organic soil.

Containers in my experience are more likely to come up with nutrient deficiencies, PH problems, or become root bound. If you do run containers, you will want to use at least 20 gallons. Less than that you run the risk of stressing your plants on hot days and running out of root space.

In ground is the easiest and cheapest option. Dig a hole AT LEAST 2x2. The bigger the hole, the bigger your plants will grow to fill it. Root space is probably the number one deciding factor in yield outdoors. Organic soil is a must outdoors because it will work with the beneficial bacteria in the native soil and help feed your plants. Chemical nutrients are asking for trouble.

While the plants are growing you can do more research on making your own nutrients, which will come out cheaper and higher quality than anything you can buy in a bottle. Get starter on a compost pile ASAP as that is the cornerstone or your plants diet. Good luck.

 

Ah ok you're getting closer to the Yosemite area. Just look up the last frost in your zone to be safe. May might be best after all. I've found outdoor plants have a pretty high tolerence to weather as long as you don't go below 40* night temps you will be fine. Especially for indicas and hybrids.

Have you decided what you want to do for nutrients? You still have plenty of time to mix your own super soil. You can add as many or as little ingredients as you want and still have good results. It's very customizable. Or they make
some good organic ferts like Epsoma or Roots Organic. That's something to consider.

For pest management I highly recommend Spinosad. Ive tried neem oil, Azamax, and all kinds of other products but I love the spinosad because it's about impossible to burn the plants with. It's organic and safe for people and pets. Get some and use it early so save yourself a world of trouble. Every dollar you spend on sprays can save you 10x in saved buds. It's devastating to invest in a long grow to have it get eaten by pests.