outdoor is a whole new ball game.
first off all you have to consider what size you are willing to let these plants get. a 5 gal bucket will grow a 6ft plant no problem...(including container) the more foot room you give them the bigger they will get.
if your going to grow in ground...you need to decide what size hole to dig..you dont want to plant them directly into just any ground..you will want a soft ground (tilled) otherwise top soil can be difficult for them to build a root system in..
you will want to use fertilized soil, they make some great organic fertilizers and most hardware and lawn and garden stors sell compost..you will want to mix 50/50 good dirt and compost... if you do this and ammend and prepare your soil ahead of time no fertilizer should be necessary.
post above says its almost impossible to over water outdoor plants....sorry i dissagree 100% carefull planing of where your going to put these in the ground or the first big rainstorm they will be sitting in a pond...verry bad since you cant just poke a few more holes in the bottom to let it drain. good planning here and overwatering is not a issue.
you will want to start them indoors regardless of size...make sure you research "hardening off plants" if you can have larger plants yoiu will want to start inside 4-6 weeks early, then harden them off and right into your freshly prepared holes or transplanted into final containers...the big thing about containers is the plant will more than likely get "root boud" once a plant is root bound it wont grow any larger. make sure you choose a adequately sized container for the size plants you will want. 5 gal is great for a low key grow but you will be lucky to see them get bigger than 6 ft. a 25g container will grow a much larger plant. and in the ground with properly prepared soil they will get pretty large.
bugs and mother nature become a factor outside as well...if yo ulive in a high hurricane and tropical storm area maybe containers you can move in case of bad weather....nothing worse than loosing a whole crop or having to chop early because of a bad storm in september.
and last but not least.....JACKERS......yep...fuck bags who find out you have em and come chop em all down week 6 of flower...be safe and loose lips sink ships m8 tell no one.
Outdoor growing is a whole different story then indoor. Good job on covering the basics. Its dam near impossible to write it all down as outdoor grows vary so much from year to year...Mother nature calls the shots outdoors!!
Key factors to consider before you even start.
1) Your climate...last frost in spring and first frost in fall ETC........
2) Cover...camo...can you hide them
3) Water...is it close by or will you have to haul it in
4) In ground or containers....pros and cons. Containers...you might be able to move them if you have to..key word...MIGHT. Have you ever tried moving a 6 or 7 ft bush through the woods ....its not fun!!! In the ground...its there to stay. Containers dry out quite quickly and need water often...depending on the size. A 5 gallon pot may need water every other day if its hot and dry. In the ground...You can go longer between waterings.
5) Strains....Mostly dependent on your climate. Will you be able to get them finished before weather becomes a factor...freezing temps
The list goes on and on!! Maybe others will add to the list because I'm just touching the begining. I do love growing Cannabis outdoors...its a beautiful thing!!
Bear
