2011 outdoor Grow a lil help please!

Discussion in 'Outdoor Grow Journals' started by etw2010, Feb 14, 2011.

  1. This will be my second grow and its a lil early...but i have a question for anyone to help with! It deals with the water table...i plan on growing beside a creek deep in the woods. The area i will be growing is probably 3 feet above the water. I dug down today and it hasnt rained in about a week and a half. The soil on top seemed to me to be the PERFECT consistency, but when i got about 1 1/2 ft down it seemed a lil too wet...my question is should this be a good spot?

    Last year i just grew in a pot. My big concern is that if i have a few weeks of hard rain then i will get root rot and be screwed.

    I know i prolly wont get too many hits until i attach some pics. But here are the strains i plan on for my 2011 grow!
    1. Afghan Kush x White Widow
    2. Arjan's Haze #1
    3. Super Lemon Haze
    4 & 5. Will be random.. =)

    so give me some suggestions!

    Ill upload my spot pics in a few days!
     
  2. too wet find a new spot
     
  3. That is what i was thinking
     
  4. #4 clodhopper, Feb 14, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 14, 2011
    Not so fast etw! Lets me you and sdn8 think about this for a minute.

    First off, I want to argue that ive found it virtually impossible to estimate growing season soil moisture in February. I can go to any of my best spots right now and the soil is too wet. Once temps top about 70 degres farenhiet, evaporation plays a big part and reduces ground moisture dramatically.

    Secondly, in august, that high moisture table could actuallly be beneficial. If you grew in buried 5gal buckets, with some tiny leach holes in the bottom of the bucket, the moisture would wick through the holes providing moisture even when rainfall is limited. If its too wet in May or you worry about flooding, only bury the buckets a foot or so and if flooding hit, pick them up and move them untill the water goes back down.

    Of course, anytime you get that close to a water way, you are vulnerable to fllooding. So the really big question is what will become of your plants if you get a storm come through and dump 5" of rain?

    God willing and THE CREEK DONT RISE!..... Dont put all of your eggs in that leaky basket! This would be very good spot for a forced flower grow in pots.

    Good luck growbuddies!
     

  5. You are absolutely right! I guess im just so stoked about it im not really thinking striaght! I mean the spot is just perfect ive checked the ph of the creek 6.8! Cant ask for better elements than that.

    But the thing is i really wanted to dig up the soil and bring in my own recipe. I want my babies to have a full potential and in my past grow i felt like the pot kinda held them back =(.

    U think i should just play it safe with the bucket? Im not quite sure of what i want to do yet..

    The thing is that where i live during july and august temp gets on up there normally around 90 degrees. I think i will be good with being that close to the water table. Im just nervous about first two months.

    I plan on germinating at my house, letting them grow to about 6' in solo cup then taking them to my grow site and directly into soil. But i may consider the buckets.

    Suggestions my friend!?
     
  6. I would find a spot up hill from the creek with brables or thick brush with plenty of sun. The risk of your plants gettin root rot is to great and MJ likes a wet/dry cycle not consistantly wet or moist soil. Up hill you also could plant in ground instead of 5gal buckets resulting in more yeild.
     
  7. I would think that once winter is over the water table near the creek would be the same height as the creek level or maybe a little higher.

    If you are worried one thing you could do would be build Raised Beds with logs or rocks then build up the soil with your own mix.
     
  8. A lil update guys. Ive found the spot and have practiced germinating a few bagseed.
    Ill c if i can get some pics up
     
  9. DSCF3268[1].jpg
    These are just some bagseed that ive been practicing with

    DSCF3267[1].jpg

    DSCF3251[1].jpg

    Ahh the beautiful creek that i will run my water up from. ph. 6.5 =)

    DSCF3262[1].jpg
    Just a nice sunset from the top of a hill
     
  10. It looks like a good spot, I would get large totes, and just set them on top the ground and fill in your soil mix. I found large totes at lowes for cheap their about 30 gallons. The average size tote is about 20 gallons. I think the creak might cause a problem with root rot.
     
  11. #11 etw2010, Feb 21, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 21, 2011
    Im not actually going to grow beside the creek. Im going atop a hill with a good open area surround by much foliage. Im bringing in my soil soil mix. Cant wait!

    I want to plant in ground for more yield
     
  12. UPDATE!!!!!!!
    Nothing really new here..except i got the two bag seeds in McDonalds coffee cups...(pro)

    Check out the pics!

    DSCF3273[1].jpg
    just the bagseed
    DSCF3274[1].jpg
    bagseed...
    DSCF3275[1].jpg
    in the soil
    DSCF3279[1].jpg
    This will probably be my favorite pic of my grow season
    the golden Arches...
    clink to enlarge
     
  13. UPDATE!!!!

    the two bag seeds are going great...while im waiting for the pics to upload im going to smoke a bong:wave:!

    DSCF3289.jpg


    DSCF3290.jpg
     
  14. Looking good bro. As for the water table issue, you could plant into bottomless pots and the idea is that if the roots ever get close to the water table, they would just wick up what they need into your pots. Those seedlings look good, but when you start the ones you paid for, you may want to wait until they can break the soil in the sunlight from the beginning if you don't have a decent light. The more intense the light from the beginning the better; as to avoid lanky seedlings. :D Keep it up dude, preparation is a good start!
     
  15. I would suggest waiting until after the spring rains, maybe June before moving them to a swampy area and even then to check out other swamp grows. Some folks make cylinders out of chicken wire and fill them with peat and grow them in there. The spring flooding will kill small plants.
     
  16. Go to your local garden supply place and buy a few bags of good soil. Take those bags to your grow spot and arrange them in the locations you want. lay them down flat and cut a 4inch X in the middle. Plant 1 seedling per bag. Your plants will grow their entire lives in the bag. The bag will keep excess water from the environment getting in during rains and slight flooding of the creek. It will also help retain moisture in the hot months so you don't have to go water every day. I have used this method many times and have found it to work extremely well. Good luck bro.
     
  17. HIGHLY recommend moving those plants out of those clear cups or they will cause problems for you in the near future. Light is damaging to roots so put them in something light cannot penetrate.
     

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