Hello everyone, I'm new here obviously. I've been toking for I'd say maybe four years now. Not the longest time, but I at least know most of my stuff when it comes to buying and what not. But I've finally decided that my recreational use is getting expensive (I would get a job, but right now isn't the best time. I'm planning on getting one once the summer starts for extra cash until I get this growing thing down). So I've finally decided I want to try my hand at growing. I would mainly be growing for myself and my friends, and then sell some to some younger friends of mine. Now, the problem here is that I've never grown anything before. Not just marijuana, but I've never grown any sort of plant. So, I've been reading a lot of guides on growing cannabis and I have the basic idea, but I'm still confused at the same time. It's like I know what I need to do, but I'm still unsure. So I was hoping someone could just give me a quick outline of everything I need and what I need to do. I'm in Pennsylvania, so it's supposed to be 50 degrees this week. When should I start planting? I'm not even sure when the last frost is supposed to be. Probably May, correct? Also, what strain should I go with? I'm sticking to outdoor for my first time. I was thinking Purple Haze. It's an outdoor strain, it's strong, and I hear it would be fine in the climate we have up here. The problem is getting seeds. My friend may be able to get me some, but she's not sure, and I can't order them because of my parents obviously. So, if I can't get ahold of my p.h. , what strain should I try to find? It needs to be fairly common so I can find it from a dealer around here. Another thing is that I'm not sure what to use as far as fertilizers and materials in general. What would be a good fertilizer? Thank you very much in advance for any help. And I know there's a guide on this, I just couldn't find any good outdoor guides.
Purple Haze is, in my opinion, and excellent strain to grow, but are you sure you want to use really awesome genetics like that on your first try? If it were me, i'd get some bagseed to try first, that way if you screw up, you haven't wasted expensive good seeds. As for an outline on what you need, and what you need to do, there's a plethora of guides stickied at the top of this forum. As for fertilizers, i've heard good things about tomato fertilizer actually, apparently weed plants respond well to it. Also, peat moss is supposed to be good for weed plants. Just look in the guides tho, they have TONS of information on growing, even if its not specifically on outdoor growing.
My best advice is to take the long road. You'll get the best results in the long run without a lot of hassle and risk. Do what you can to get a job that can cover your recreational use while you read up on what you need to succeed. If you start now, you should be fully prepared by next season. This will involve finding and prepping your site before hand and will also give you time to get the seeds you're really needing for your location. I know it's not what you want to hear and from experience I can tell you it's the best road. Anything worth doing is worth doing right. It may have taken me 40 years to learn that lesson buuuuut ...... better late than never. Be different, learn it at a young age and begin reaping the rewards Before 40!
Thanks to both of you! Very helpful. Now, here's what I was thinking. I already have a single place that I was thinking of using, and I know a basic idea of what to do. So I was going to use my cheap seeds I have from past bowls and try those. Then next summer I can start my purple haze. Also, I have a mini fridge in my room and I was thinking maybe I could use that for an indoor grow? It may just be wishful (and desperate) thinking, but couldn't I just turn the nob to 0 so that the cooler goes off, replace the bulb with a flourescent one, and go to work? I know I'd need more than that, but yeah. I was just thinking about it.
Most successful outdoor growers recommend at least 3 places each year. One for nature to kill, one for thieves to steal and one for you to harvest. But you'll learn that during your research throughout this year. You can certainly read a bit and try a bagseed but, coming from experience, the results are completely unpredictable. Unless you move out, or start paying the rent, I'd advise against keeping anything in your house. Getting permission is also another way, if your parents are so enlightened. (Most aren't)
Hmm. Interesting. Well, my parents are not big fans of cannabis, considering I got picked up by the cops with a friend 2 years ago in the wee hours of the morning, high as a kite, walking down the highway to go to a closed McDonald's. Bad idea. I'm planning on look more in to good sites, because I currently live in a new housing plan. It's extremely big, and they've torn down almost all of the trees (it's very depressing). However, there still is a patch of woods behind some houses. It's very thick with bushes so no one goes too far in to them ever. As for the indoor- Indoor growing sounds like much more work anyways. I'd rather let nature do most of the work for me. Thanks again.