Outdoor growing in Tidewater VA

R

Retired engineer

Well-Known Member
I July is just around the corner, and Im gonna start my allowed 4 plants outdoors, in a secluded portion of my patio. I’ll grow in pots so I can move them around to follow the sun. I’ll apply some LST to keep them low and manageable, and use Fox Farms soils and nutrients.

I live in the Tidewater area of VA, and on 1 Jul there will be 14 hrs 40 min of sunlight. I think I’ll be able to keep the plants in direct sun for 12 hrs, and they will be well lit indirectly for the other couple hours. Summary of daylight hours follows:

1 Aug. 14 hr 01 min
15 Aug 13 hr 34 min
1 Sep 12 hr 57 min
15 Sep 12 hr 24 min
1 Oct 11 hr 47 min

temps here in Oct will be a high of 68 and low of 58 at the beginning of the month, and temps and daylight hours fall pretty dramatically as the month goes on; so I’m planning on harvest at the beginning/middle Oct. I’ll have 14 weeks between 1 Jul and 1 Oct for a growing season.

I plan on growing an auto to just ensure I can get to harvest before the cold temps and reduced sunlight hours start, but I’d really like to try a photo period strain and might do that and pray for a warm autumn.

I’d appreciate any recommendations on an auto strain that does well outdoors, is easy to manage thrust LST, enjoys cooler temps at the end of flowering, and can go from seed to harvest in around 10 weeks. Low odor would be a bonus too; don’t wanna be in my neighbor’s faces/noses about this...

Or, any recommendations on a photo period strain that would work under these circumstances would be appreciated, along with other tips for growing outdoors.

thanks
 
xtsho

xtsho

Well-Known Member
Just grow any indica dominant hybrid. Stay away from anything long flowering sativa.

Get good soil.
Plant seed.
Grow plant.
Harvest plant.
Dry and smoke.

Good luck.
 
R

Retired engineer

Well-Known Member
Vtnative—awesome greenhouse...I’ve been looking at prepackaged ones but will wait until after I go thru this cycle to decide if I want/need one. Are you from VT? I was born in Burlington and grew up in Northfield.
 
FirstCavApache64

FirstCavApache64

Well-Known Member
T
Retired engineer said:
I July is just around the corner, and Im gonna start my allowed 4 plants outdoors, in a secluded portion of my patio. I’ll grow in pots so I can move them around to follow the sun. I’ll apply some LST to keep them low and manageable, and use Fox Farms soils and nutrients.

I live in the Tidewater area of VA, and on 1 Jul there will be 14 hrs 40 min of sunlight. I think I’ll be able to keep the plants in direct sun for 12 hrs, and they will be well lit indirectly for the other couple hours. Summary of daylight hours follows:

1 Aug. 14 hr 01 min
15 Aug 13 hr 34 min
1 Sep 12 hr 57 min
15 Sep 12 hr 24 min
1 Oct 11 hr 47 min

temps here in Oct will be a high of 68 and low of 58 at the beginning of the month, and temps and daylight hours fall pretty dramatically as the month goes on; so I’m planning on harvest at the beginning/middle Oct. I’ll have 14 weeks between 1 Jul and 1 Oct for a growing season.

I plan on growing an auto to just ensure I can get to harvest before the cold temps and reduced sunlight hours start, but I’d really like to try a photo period strain and might do that and pray for a warm autumn.

I’d appreciate any recommendations on an auto strain that does well outdoors, is easy to manage thrust LST, enjoys cooler temps at the end of flowering, and can go from seed to harvest in around 10 weeks. Low odor would be a bonus too; don’t wanna be in my neighbor’s faces/noses about this...

Or, any recommendations on a photo period strain that would work under these circumstances would be appreciated, along with other tips for growing outdoors.

thanks
Click to expand...
There's an auto called Bum Wine by a breeder named Ronin Garden. It's (Hubbabubbasmelloscope x tyronascope). Gets pretty tall in a big container, really nice and viney so you could train it outside and would finish in 73-77 days. It does have a bit of an odor during flower though. For a really fast turn around there is a strain called 60 day auto, I think it's by Fast Buds Auto but I'm not sure. Photo period wise you should be good with any indica and just about any indica dominant hybrid. Your avg first frost isn't until late Oct/first of Nov in that area according to plantmaps data. You can get the Bum Wine seeds at DC Seed Exchange. They are a great place to get seeds if you haven't tried them. Ships same day he gets payment and at the door in two days almost every time I have ordered. Good luck enjoying your new freedom in the Old Dominion
 
R

Retired engineer

Well-Known Member
I have some auto seeds on the way; Glue Gelato, Gorilla Cookies, Jack Herer and Blue Mystic. Still in research mode to find the best for outdoors...
 
dubekoms

dubekoms

Well-Known Member
Retired engineer said:
I have some auto seeds on the way; Glue Gelato, Gorilla Cookies, Jack Herer and Blue Mystic. Still in research mode to find the best for outdoors...
Click to expand...
It's hard finding a good mold resistant strain. With autos I would just try and time the harvest right. Usually mid August to mid September is the driest time of year so I would aim for them to finish in that period.
 
GrassBurner

GrassBurner

Well-Known Member
Hello from your friendly Volunteer neighbor :bigjoint: I see you've got seeds on the way, hopefully they do the trick :mrgreen: I've got a friend that used to grow back in the 90s, she said Trainwreck was a pretty mold resistant strain. I'm not sure how mold resistant this strain is, but I have grown it, and it was fast. Stacked big fat colas, and did it in a hurry. Great flavor, had a creamy floral smell and taste. High was good, but not a super stoney buzz. Nice clear headed high that still let you function.
Pistil Positive Gloria
Good luck on your grow :blsmoke: I'm jealous yall are legal!!
 
R

Retired engineer

Well-Known Member
dubekoms said:
It's hard finding a good mold resistant strain. With autos I would just try and time the harvest right. Usually mid August to mid September is the driest time of year so I would aim for them to finish in that period.
Click to expand...
I’ll be able to start around the second week of July (some travel planned), so it’ll be a race to the finish before mid Oct. I can bring them inside toward the end if necessary. I’ll grow a photo period outdoors next spring, and will have the whole summer to groom/shape them, that’ll be fun.
 
FirstCavApache64

FirstCavApache64

Well-Known Member
GrassBurner said:
Check these out, I use them indoors and they are incredible!! They've got wheels, would make moving them a breeze.
Sub Irrigated Planter
Click to expand...
What medium are you using with those so the roots don't sit in soggy soil? I thought about those before since moving heavy pots is so hard for me. I was thinking maybe a perlite/vermiculite mix, something with a couple of bubblers at the bottom for extra oxygen but just gave up on it due to lack of time, funds...etc. I'd love to hear what you run in yours and how you water. Don't mean to hijack your thread. Thanks.
 
R

Retired engineer

Well-Known Member
FirstCavApache64 said:
What medium are you using with those so the roots don't sit in soggy soil? I thought about those before since moving heavy pots is so hard for me. I was thinking maybe a perlite/vermiculite mix, something with a couple of bubblers at the bottom for extra oxygen but just gave up on it due to lack of time, funds...etc. I'd love to hear what you run in yours and how you water. Don't mean to hijack your thread. Thanks.
Click to expand...
No worries on hijacking...open to all input and questions...

I use Fox Farms Happy Frog, with a bit of earthwork castings. I don’t pack it down too tight in the container to give the roots easiest grow zone. That does pose an issue though; if the soil is left loose, it compacts over time with watering but that also poses an opportunity - I top dress the pots a couple times a week with FF Ocean Forrest to raise the soil level, and add in some bat guano when I do.

i really like the airpots, and the holes on the sides really come in handy when tying down branches during LST.
 
FirstCavApache64

FirstCavApache64

Well-Known Member
Retired engineer said:
No worries on hijacking...open to all input and questions...

I use Fox Farms Happy Frog, with a bit of earthwork castings. I don’t pack it down too tight in the container to give the roots easiest grow zone. That does pose an issue though; if the soil is left loose, it compacts over time with watering but that also poses an opportunity - I top dress the pots a couple times a week with FF Ocean Forrest to raise the soil level, and add in some bat guano when I do.

i really like the airpots, and the holes on the sides really come in handy when tying down branches during LST.
Click to expand...
Gotcha, I was thinking about the self watering planter on wheels. I like the airports too, they just cost so darn much for the big ones.
 
GrassBurner

GrassBurner

Well-Known Member
I use an organic soil. Started as a coots mix, but I have just been reammending with Dr Earth dry ammendments after each run. Im around 40% aeration between lava rocks and perlite. No need for any air stones, there is a layer of air between the reservoir and soil. The overflows on each side allows fresh air exchange into into reservoir. The soil sits on a shelf with holes, I believe that helps keep the soil from getting soggy too.
They are amazing at growing plants!! These pics are 21 days apart, and topped once.
20210407_133312.jpg

20210428_221407.jpg
 
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