Need advice for outdoor beginner

Outdoor The Harvest
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#1

I tried the seed selector and was still unsure.
This is my situation. I just moved to Northern Maine and wanted to start growing both indoor and outdoor.
I prefer something that will be good to consume during the day assuming Sativa but A well balanced Hybrid will work for me as well. As long as it doesn’t transform me into a couch vegetable.
For Indoor I have 2 of 2x4x5 foot tents and will be Scrogging 2 plants at a time in each tent. So something that grows well in Scrog with a low ceiling height of 5 feet.
Outdoors I am in Northern Maine according to the farmers almanac our last frost is June 3rd and first is September 10th. Only Giving me 98 days of growing season. I was trying to stay away from Autoflower because I noticed Yields are typically less (unless there is a strain with a great yeild). I can start Veg indoors as soon as needed in my Root Spa then transplant them outdoors however I need a strain that will allow me to harvest in September.
It would be nice to have something that would work for my indoor as well as my outdoor situation but I have no problem trying 2 or 3 different strains. What really makes me nervous is choosing the outdoor seed. I don’t want the short season to affect my grow or lose my crop.
If anyone here can help with any suggestions please let me know. I combed through all the seeds they have but after reading it all I am still unsure of what to grow.

Thank you in advance for any help you can give.

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#2

@Willd do you have any advice for OP?

#3

You are going to have to come up with a plan to extend the outdoor growing season. Easy to extend the beginning by starting indoors, but fall will be an issue.

A photoperiod plant won’t start flowering until early august and there are non that can fully flower in just 5 short weeks. So how do you extend the season? Cover or bring the plant indoors on nights where frost or freezing might be an issue. If possible, consider utilizing a greenhouse that far north. You can heat it on cold nights until the buds are ready and easier then bringing it in nights.

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#4

That seems like a fail in the making I’d hunker down inside …inside outside is stressful to u and the plants…huge climate swings from cold to heater warm…not good…u want temps steady I’d say ur in a harsh a climate as @nicky @oldguy @Cannabian @Hoppiefrog they will tell ya if it’s a good or bad idea

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#5

You will need to grow autos outdoors, your seasons to short. Infact you should start them inside if possible for like 2-3 weeks but if that’s not possible so be it.

As for strains that are sativa or sativa hybrid, I can’t tell you exactly because it’s something I’m working on figuring out.
Bud rot is something you need to consider.

I’m going to be running a TXL auto this year, as well as a Northern lights auto, a island sweet skunk auto and a wedding cake auto.

If I was you I would run a skunk auto, a white widow auto and maybe something else. I’ve heard this wedding cake auto from fast buds is good for cold but we will see, I’ve also heard Moby dick autos are okay for cold.
You’ll have to experiment.
Try to find some locals and see what they are growing.

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#6

@CMichGrower Thank you for your advice. I am planting in 40”x40” raised garden beds outdoors so i will not be able to bring the plants indoors in the fall. Money is a little tight otherwise I would buy a greenhouse tunnel to cover the plants. You say cover the plants. What would I be covering with? Also how long do you think I will need to extend my growing season in the fall? I’ve heard of fast flowering plants but not sure which they are.

#7

@Nicky. Thank you for the suggestion. Starting inside is not a problem. I wouldn’t mind trying auto flower if I can find one that will give me at least a decent yield I would give it a try. I am only able to have 6 flowering plants at a time and my indoor set up is only 2 tents of 2x4x5 so I was hoping to go bigger outdoors during the little season i have. It doesn’t have to be sativa for outdoors i just don’t like being stuck on the couch. Are there any Autos that give a decent yield?

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#8

If I were in your shoes, I would drop two seeds right now and ditch scrog idea for this one. Grow them out until they are about 4 weeks old and flip them to flower. This should give you two plants that you can harvest around mid April. Assuming you will likely dry in your tent, after that you could drop two more plus whatever you intend to grow outside. That would give you a few weeks jump start on your outdoor plants, and you can transfer them outside after your frost free date.

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#9

@dbrn32 I am definitely starting my outdoor plants indoors probably in april. My concern is getting the right strain to be able to harvest by mid September the latest. I was trying to stay away from Autos unless you may know any that have decent yield or a must have.

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#10

Being an auto doesn’t make it yield less. The reason you see a lot of autos yield less is because of the limited “genetically programmed” veg time. The plants can only get so big in 4-5 weeks. And the plant size will have direct effect on how much it is capable of producing. So when they behave as expected, it’s only natural they will produce less.

There are certainly some exceptions. People who grow autos using methods that produce more rapid growth sometimes do extremely well with autos. Sometimes they veg way longer than expected and become quite large plants. Either scenario would be capable of producing larger than typical yield from autos.

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#11

Welcome to the community ! I’m not sure what you consider a decent yield but you should be able to pull 4 to 5 oz’s Each Auto dried and cured. Good luck

#12

@dbrn32 gives you solid advice on getting a plan so your ready to plant your outdoor plants indoor at the rihht time by focusing on the timeline for this grow.
As touched on above autos have a stigma, they are generally misunderstood.

The key with autos is you have a steep learning curve, which will either make you a better grower faster or you will get frustrated and give up or hate them. This is all down to the limited veg time, you have to make the most of your time and play God well.

Autos are great outdoors if you give them a good environment to grow in, that would be coco & nutrients, my favourite is autopots. I set up my 4 outdoor autopots and changed the water once a week or every 8 days or so and didn’t touch them aside from tma fim early on. Didn’t even defoilate them. Got 4.5-6oz for very little work.
I don’t suggest you grow in soil unless your going to attempt to grow them directly in the ground and amend that soil.

Your gold standard is going to be northern lights auto and you’ll want to see grows better then that. Although it’s a full indica.
Im growing northern lights, with a TXL (sativa), a wedding cake, and either an island sweet skunk or something else. The island sweet skunk grew great but no one really loves its high and it smells cheesey so I may do a skunk or some random seed I have laying around

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#13

Excellent Advice, and after a few Successful Harvest it can manipulate. It is arduous & tedious aforementioned by know Growers. Jumpstart Germination with Cheesy Light before Freeze lifts, but not outside is sound Advice to grasp GROW & Uncontrolled Environment is Back/Mind Breaking l!!! Good Luck, but stick with them and Luck is lesser to knowing

#14

You want a big harvest auto? Grow more autos. If you are wanting to grow 5 photos grow 10 autos. You will have a large harvest. Good luck!!! :+1::+1::+1:

#15

@Axemanjake23. My issue is i can not grow more than 6 flowering plants at a time in my state. Thats why i was trying to find photos that may work. I would love to just plant half my property with autos and call it a day but I can’t :cry:

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#16

@paulp1313 did you let the authorities know your growing because I dont and florida dosent allow ANY GROWING so what they dont know dont hurt :sunglasses:

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#17

Heres the Cannabian answer. Your shituation is very common in Canada as we also need to finish early. Ironically our last frost date is in early May. NEVERTHELESS, yes very definitely start plants and prune if required indoors under lights and get them as good a head start as possible. Do Not grow AUTOS if you plant to control your plants flowering times.
The advantage of a photo plant is that it can be triggered vs an Auto that is indifferent. Therefore, if you absolutely must finish your pot by September and you cant be to picky, the only way is to know how long a plant needs from flip to finish and light dep it. This is also what growers in greenhouses in Northern Cal, Oregon and Washington state do in order to get more than one crop a season.
So in a nutshell… you will need a way to deprive your plants from light most likely starting in mid July… this means you need a structure to support the blackout material for the first few hours of the day. Someone needs to be there every day to remove said cover and replace it when the sun goes down. You only need to do this until August and then they can be on autopilot.
Hope this helps and good luck should you accept this mission… this message will likely not self destruct in any length of time.
Oh forgot one major tidbit… if its hot when you start this you may require a ventilation fan not unlike indoors, run a long intake with at least 2- 90 degree corners or zig zag it to keep light out. If your mornimgs are cool until 10 or so you might get away without it. Forget to take the dep cover off just once in July and you can say goodbye to your little friends.