I have experience with vegetables, etc. first time for Marijuana. I have large outdoor garden with tomatoes, peppers, etc… regular potting soil and peat moss added every year. I already have wild mint that I’ve transplanted I to the garden. have used regular flowers to attract bees, etc. The vegetables always do very well, so I’m hoping this will cross right over into this. I plan to share my journey and would like to really master this, anyone with similar experience have any tips?
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Keep your area clean and have fun with it. You will do great!
Happy growing…
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Welcome to the forum. Hopefully folks have mentioned just how addictive this hobby can be ;-).
Looking forward to reading your journal. Post some pics once you get started. I am not an outdoor grower, but a common theme I see is animal issues (guess we aren’t the only ones around that like weed.
Good luck in this new project.
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Welcome! Congratulations on your rights! I’m so 4th year outdoor gardener from MA. Legal here too!
This forum is priceless, wicked awesome folks!
Happy gardening
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Squirrels like to bury food in loose dirt and, apparently, deer like to eat buds. I’m growing on my deck to protect from deer. I’ve had 3 deer walking around my neighborhood. I’ve made chicken wire cages to cover access to the grow bags so squirrels won’t ruin my plants. We’ve had a little heat wave lately and I had a plant that looked stressed, so I shaded it and it looks better this evening. Good luck!
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Biggest thing I’ve learned so far is know your medium. Weed is gonna grow but if ya look into what it PREFERS, you’re gonna reap the rewards. This is my first time growing outdoors and I started before I actually learned anything about growing weed and I based all of my knowledge off of growing vegetables and pecan trees so needless to say I had my eyes opened. I used bag seeds and documented it all the link is in my profile just click it to come check out what I’ve done so far and have going currently! And welcome to the forum!!
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I too know what it’s like to sow and reap. I was raised by farmers and we were always tending plants somewhere. I grew bag seeds for years before I decided to up my game with some good genetics. I found ILGM and it was a game changer. So many resources on this forum.
You’ve got the basics down. Now it’s time to learn the particulars of your grow. I do both indoor and outdoor. I use coco coir and mix my own super soil. This year all my outdoor plants are in fabric pots (root growth is phenomenal in fabric pots). I use Alaska fish emulsion at half strength (I do everything by half) for my outside grows and Happy Frog dry amendments for indoor.
I’m set to watch. Here’s hoping you have a happy harvest. Make sure you post some pics. We all like to show off our babies.
Super Skunk (set for mainlining) 7 days old.
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I’ve got 4 seeds that have been soaking overnight, ill check them later… can only have 4 plants at a time right now… and I dont have a set up for indoors yet, but I plan to do both indoor and outdoor… im going to put at least 2 in my garden, and one or two in a large pot that I can move around… I also intend on leaving one plant au natural, top 2 and fim the last… see what the differences are, and hone that in… I’ve read lots of good info, and this has been a very positive forum that I’ve seen so far… thanks everybody… once I start making some headway, I’ll be posting pics
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Manipulation is probably your best bet with a 4 plant limit. Topping the plant shortens the plant and causes the lower part of the plant to bush out. On my outdoor plants I don’t do this because the bud sights are getting plenty of light. I do lollipop them and have had some huge harvests.
Lollipopping is the removal of the lower growth and stripping the lower growth on remaining branches.
This is Polly just after she went into flower.
This is her top branches (about 2/3).
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There are not many outdoor enthusiast here but a few of us are around. Contrary to popular belief, not all cannabis is hungry, some strains dont like a lot of food, some eat like a teenager at a pizza parlor. Drainage is a big thing for cannabis, it does not like wet feet in soil.
If you lije to grow, or hope to grow large cannabis plants, give them space and a lot of soil… the more soil the better. Depending on where you live, deer and other creatures can be problematic so fencing or caging in may be required.
Lets talk support. Cannabis, when grown in full sun and depending on the strain can attain some height and width… Ive grown plants over 16 feet tall and almost as wide. Though not typical in modern hybrids. However, if you top your plants they divide and make a Y, the crotch of that Y is susceptible to splitting when the buds get heavy. Branches can break off the trunk too. So many folks either use bamboo poles or ranch wire ( with the large 6 inch squares ) its pricey but can be used for years. You can also employ steel pickets the kind used for snow fences, or chicken wire fencing.
Lastly, because you are in soil, as am I, you want to steer away from using manufactured fertilizers because of the salts. These salts will build up in your soil and cause all sorts of problems… you cant flush organic soil without destroying it and making mud. Teas, compost, and extracts like kelp, seaweed, and humic acid… also comfrey tea is super easy, if you grow some in your garden, it can be harvested up to 4 times a season.
Anyways enjoy the process and if you wish to summon anyone here just put the @ symbol with no spaces and they will be notified such as @oldmarine …
May as well leave with a shot of last years greenhouse
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@Cannabian layed out some good advice. The plants have the potential to grow larger with more root space and area to grow. Also looking at at the light absorption. Is my plant getting light from all sides?
Make sure to keep ‘all’ critters away. We have had to put up this privacy fence for a deterrent, bird tape and also include a fake garden owl. His name is Angus. Thanx to @patchman for naming him. You may not think you have a critter problem tell it’s to late.
It pays to think ahead while growing. Such as the net placed above the garden. I have spent the last month doing some LST to bush them out. From here I will let them make there way to the net and grow through. This will give me some extra support come flower.
Research the strain you are growing! You will learn tons.
Happy growing…
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@anon86641082 Dude! Your setup is beautiful! I would sit out there every day in a lawn chair and relax in that zone…just wow 
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Nice privacy screen bro! Great patch. How many gallon are the bags? 400?
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Thaanx! Not quite that big. Just 50gal. Had a ph prob. in the big holding tank. Time for some more brainstorming.
This week has tossed me nothing but curve balls. If it weren’t for my family, the garden and my running shoes I think I would go crazey.
Happy growing everyone… you are all rockstars!
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They look bigger in the photo! 
how big is your holding tank?
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I soaked the seeds in water for more than 24 hours, when I checked them, I didn’t see any tap roots forming, and I kind of panicked a little, cuz they looked water logged… did some searching and saw a method where they soaked the seeds for 24 hours, then placed them between damp paper towels, and 24 hours later, boom… now I have them in soil, hopefully they all take and sprout in the next couple of days…
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thats one hell of a setup
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My girls had signs of spider mites so I bought some insecticidal soap and it seems to be doing the job. I got some diatomaceous earth, too. There seems to be more bugs than usual this year, so I hope to be able to fend them off.
It’s been really humid. I’ve been trying not to over water my girls but with the heat, how much water should I be using per plant? They’re about 30" tall, 6 weeks since sprouting. They’re in 5 gallon fabric bags with organic garden soil mixed with a bit of miracle grow. I watered this morning with ilgm growth fertilizer. Temperature now is 86, feels like 96, so humidity is pretty high.
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Let your soil be your guide…2-3” dry…? Prolly need to water some….just watch your medium/leafs/plants they/it will tell you regardless of outside conditions they’re weeds and can handle quite a lot once acclimated
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Newbie anxiety. Lol. I’ve got a cheap moisture meter. I can tell that some bags are dryer than others. I may give those a little more in the morning. We’re in for July heat.
Thanks for your help.
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