A customer has a question and I hope we can get some opinions on it, thanks
i’m a new grower I strted last year and have a small indoor area. I read your article on greenhouse growing and it made me want to try this method along with my indoor garden. I’m retired and have to grow on a budget and cannot afford a expensive greenhouse. A local store has small poly greenhouses for sale and I was concern if it would be okay to use for a beginner. I’m attaching photos of two sizes one is 57"x 57" x 78". and the second is 80’ x 80’ x 88" does it matter which one I buy or do you recommend one over the other or you think they won’t work. I could only attach one photo so I picked the one of the greenhouse setup. the description is Transparent reinforced polyethylene cover includes shelves 8 in the smaller one and 12 in the larger one and zippered roll up door and 4 windows. Do you need any more info? If I use these greenhouses anything you would recomment to make it successful? Which directions should the greenhouse face.? Should the door face North or South or it doesnt’ matter? I have neighbors and plan to only grow 4 marijuana plants, so I though to plant in the greenhouse Tomato plants, Lavender, herbs marigolds and onions to cover up any odor, do you recommend an other plants to cover any odor and will they effect the marijuana plants? Last year and this year I had grown feminize plants, I been thinking to switching to autoflower, would the autoflower do well in the greenhouse or should be used only in my indoor garden, I. us in my indoor 400 watt HPS? Thank you for your help and looking forward to your response
First off; Welcome! If you join the forum you will have answers to questions you haven’t even asked yet lol!
Southern exposure, at least 8 hours of direct sunlight (or indirect, depending on the temp) is going to be necessary for a greenhouse grow. A couple of things to consider is outdoors you don’t have easy control of the day night cycle. Auto flowering plants might be the ticket for you. If growing photo period plants I would consider starting them under artificial light to give them a headstart.
Either greenhouse would do okay but I would probably favor the larger one if you have the room.
word of advise forget the “auto” plants which take 3 months so for an extra month growing female, regular plant will take 1 month longer - go for the bigger plant so your harvest will be worth it - don’t buy into the great yields that the breeders say about auto’s
Also; it used to be true that autos were less potent than their photo period cousins. I don’t know if that’s true any more. I prefer photo period plants for my situation.
We see a lot of new growers choose auto flower and it is the right choice for many; but I’ve never understood why they are considered a “beginner’s” plant. You really have to get most things right to produce a good yield.
@Myfriendis410 makes an excellent point. Be aware that the Auto’s are much more sensitive to stress. Controlling the length of day indoors in quite easy. Outdoors, as has been pointed out, not so much.
I grow indoors exclusively and intend to stick with photo-period plants. If I were growing outdoors, I might grow autos to get an early or late crop. Otherwise, like Myfriendis410 says, start them (photo-periods) indoors and move outdoors when the weather is suitable.
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Do this:: do your regular grow but add one auto and just let it grow as others do (18/6 ans 12/12 cycles) no special treatment - this way you will have a little harvest one month or so before your “big” harvest auto’s now can be strong - the trick is to get good genetics - stay away from Fast Buds very poor genetic’s were all shit ( have heard this from other growers also) but then if space is your issue auto’s are the answer — they have their place in the marijuana plant
I’m going to try to grow some autos outdoor in a small greenhouse behind my house. I’m also planning on putting one photo in it to “test” for light contamination which may be a problem in my situation.
On the advice from a local greenhouse grower my door will be facing north and I will make a window/vent for the south end. (My sale greenhouse doesn’t have windows, but the price was right!)
Additionally, I will stake the greenhouse as deep as possible for those “high” wind & rain days.
Keep in mind that growing outdoor will have it’s challenges just like indoor grows have. My best advice is to evaluate your grow area and try to prepare the best you can.
This will be my first real attempt at 1) growing on my own and keeping it somewhat stealth, 2) autos & 3) growing in a greenhouse. I’m sure I will make mistakes but it’s a learning process. And, like you, I’m adding other plants from veggies to flowers.
I guess I better start my Grow Journal soon
