Things to note and limitations to realize.

[capt carnuba]

Some outdoor basics to think about.

-Tracking the sun and knowing where and when on the horizon it rises and sets.
-this also encompasses the idea of rising and diminishing daylight hours
-Water sources and their transparency in the surrounding environment
-a fancy way of saying how far and how realistic in regards to numbers and time
-also how to blend wells or resevoirs into the scenery
-The effects of organic versus inorganic fertilizers
- essentially the interplay between availability of nutrients(inorganic) and ability to bleed to toxic levels if the inorg. fertilizers are overdone. On the other hand organics in a pre composted mix may be less available, but toxicity through overfeeding is minimized.
- taste is also a big factor in the two fert types.
- but, as always, laziness and economy of labour must be taken into the overall formula.
-Knowing your seed stock and corresponding frost dates in your area in relation to suggested finishing time.
- Site security and lack of direct relation to you the grower. You may only have a couple, but LEO relies on stat's and a bust is a bust.
- Spend time at your site and note humidity and walk through all the various necessities and realize the realities of time and distance, while noting security risks due to distance and openness. I.E how strange it's gonna look if you're carting amendments and tools to a remote site.
- Will you be walking into an area blind or are there friendlies to ask about odd recent comings and goings.
- Will you be setting up a nursery indoors or out. Again take into account frost dates or how to make a site nursery blend in.
- Reliability of seedstock and how many weeks of nursery growth before being transplanted into Outdoor environment. This will greatly alter finishing time.
- Will the plants be in Pot's,Bags or in the native soil. In the case of native soil,note deciduous or coniferous trees and you can note a tree field guide to find approximate ph ratings of the local tree types. However, A ph meter sunk at a couple dozen soil sites in the area should give you a decent approximation.
- In regards to ph you should decide how to neutralize or sweeten soil conditions through dolomitic or calcitic limestone mixes.
-A question relating to pot's or bags would be the nature of the soil. In swampy areas a plant can tie into the local soil and furnish itself with water if conditions are correct and the pot or bag has ample aeration.
- Take into regard the two essential qualities of the plants root structure. The mains are concerned with uptake of water and are not apt to rot. The secondary or capillary like roots, as I like to call them, are concerned with aeration and exchange of nutrients. In wet circumstances they will rot and choke the plant. So,the question is how best to utilize the two structures in the most efficient manner. In my experience a cradle , may it be a reed nest or a wire mesh cage is best to utilize these characteristics, in the appropriate circumstance, meaning water local or artificial is available in significant quantities and any protruding roots are kept shaded to avoid drying and death.

Happy summer harvests and may you never have to buy the weed.

[capt carnuba]

Anything to add now that you have another summers experience?.

[burnie]

Yep ! I`ll never use organics again outdoors ! NEVER !! Every organic hole has been dug up 3-4 times this year . Culprits have included possums , raccoons , dogs , cats , and as hard as it is to believe...a freakin` turkey . My chem holes are basically untouched . Somethin` dug in one hole just lookin` around . Deer headaches : pissin` around the plants didn`t stop the nibbling , neither did barbershop hair , soap or mothballs . Liquid Fence and Deer Away are marginally effective . Next year , it`s gonna` be bear and mountain lion urine liberally applied ! Heard good reports on both ! And luckily I have a nearby source for both....trapping supply company . Other than that....visit as seldom as possible (binoculars help a bunch!) , and enter by a different route every time you do hafta` visit . Oh yeah...a cobbled up map helps out to if your brain`s like mine !! Found a couple I didn`t remember putting out ! Lastly...the further away from your house/home (within reason), the better ! Hope that helps a little . peace...burnie

[capt carnuba]

I hear you burnie. It's a must to stay away from blood meals and any fish based fert's. The smaller critters usually look, potentially tear up, but leave the plants alone. Plastic also attracts them, simply because they have been taught plastic is a housing for food. Toss some roadkill around your site. Most animals hate the scent of death and scavengers will savage the carcasses instead of plants. You can also train the local animals to eat dogfood or other applicably cheap foodstuffs that will steer them away.

[vapor]

critter proof organic mix do you have that one still capt, if so i would reduce by a third strength from experience..

[burnie]

Cap`n , don`t think I`ll be feedin` the critters anywhere near my holes . If worse comes to worse , I`ll dig the traps out again (and catch hell for it again , I`m sure) . The stench of death should work.....the smell of those two dead possums kept me outta` one area for 3 weeks last year ! Sometimes ya` just gotta` do whatcha` gotta` do even if it is against popular opinion . peace...burnie

[capt carnuba]

In the woods there is no 'poopular' opinion. ;) . Vape, Didja find the mix caused burn?

[Dman]

Hi Folks,

FWIW...my whole outdoor crop is fully organic (Blood/Bone meal, worm castings, alfalfa/kelp meal...etc). I haven't had a single critter problem all year. We've got raccoons, rabbits, deer, and coyotes (wild turkeys too...lol) that come right onto the property here...not one plant has been touched. :) I also found that using Neem Oil (Einstein) once a week has made insect damage almost non-existant this year. ;)

[capt carnuba]

A good point is to notice runs and scat. Animals like people leave paths and where there are paths there is scat. No paths and no scat is also a sign of little potential problems.

[vapor]

not burn just didnt flush out as nice as it could have....

[c-ray]

great thread :tup:

[bigsur51]

scouting out a new grow site and wonder if other humans will find it?.....stick a $1 or $5 dollar bill somewhere along the trail , see if it is still there the next time you visit..........

[vapor]

just go farther than most lazy folks will go!!

[burnie]

Ya` got that part right vapor ! Or bury `em deeper in the greenbriers/multiflora than the rippers are likely to go . Dman , you`re lucky....karma must like you ! peace...burnie

[outdoordreams]

DPN, How late in flowering can you use the neem oil.......does it work on grasshoppers???fruitflies????
i too am using totally organic soils with no soil dug up to date (knock on wood)........blood/bone....earthworm casting, lama manure, horse, kelp, batguano.........flax meal.....even seafoodbuffet in some pots.........I think the dogs in the valley keep away most bears and dear, leaving me with packrats.....
Still having problems with the packrats again this year..................almost bad enough to put out the traps again.......

Friendly nieghbours always helps when growing herb......I love BC....

Dont put all your eggs in one basket......

Put out way more than you expect to harvest, cause mothernature will take her share...................

[dpn]

http://www.naturalgardening.co.uk/natural_gardening_organic_fertilisers.phtml non animal derived ingredients, should help with pests. I know its a uk based product but you should be able to find something similiar in canada or the US. Outdoordreams i think its the first two weeks of flowering only... Ive heard of growers using penetrator + neem together for outstanding pest resistance, but penetrator isn't organic. I haven't actually had any experience with neem as its £8 for about a cups worth :hide: at my local hydro store...bloody expensive.

[marigyp]

Neem oil works for powdery mildew, thrips, and mites. It does not seem to affect grasshoppers, gypsy moth caterpillars, or leaf cutters.

[capt carnuba]

The Spring is lurking, I can smell her dewy fecundity. Time to start thinking of the great outdoors.

[Parabola]

dewey fecundity mmmmm!!

been thinkin 'bout it meself.

[caddis]

My biggest goal outdoors, besides avoiding the poepoe, is getting the timing right on nutes so that all outdoor plants will be as flushed as GS' indoor girls.

Take care, caddis

[caddis]

Damn Capt., Nice list. :tiphat:

[Green Supreme]

Respect Caddis I look forward to your work. Peace GS

[c-ray]

something to add:

- if starting a nursery outdoors early in the season, in a greenhouse or cold frame, will the hours of light be enough to promote a vigourous veg...or will the early sprouts and/or cuttings be teetering on the brink of their flowering sensitivity...basically if it is before april this might be a concern...also are the temps in the outdoor nursery going to be sufficient enough, will the absolute minimum be above 40F (4C) and will there be a average daily maximum of at least 60F (15C) needed to promote decent growth

[capt carnuba]

Good point C-ray, We can also add the idea of compost as a heat source ,however, not added to pots but about them in a greenhouse or coldframe.

[Dopester]

here, I won't contemplate using seed stock again as the extra visits to pull the boys make tracks/discovery :cry: much more likely. Stick to great clones and avoid the hassle...

[capt carnuba]

Hybrid vigor in seeds can never be underestimated.

[outdoordreams]

The Captian is right, seeds will usually grow more vigorously than clones.

Clones are great, but if your clone is susceptable to disease, than you can loose your whole crop! Seeds provides diversity to enviromental stresses. Every year is different!

[vapor]

word! ^^^

[markscastle]

I had /have rat problems this year.They came and would chew on the stock at the base and just cut it down.They didn`t eat it mind you just chewed it down and left it.I tryed sticky traps and they didn`t help.Then poisen bait.That helped but there must have been a lot of them cause it only slowed them down.Next I put in steaks and made loops of chicken wire.That worked well but I don`t like it much.to easy to see both from the ground and the air. But what else can I do?

[Green Supreme]

Big nasty cats. Good luck. Peace GS

[dpn]

a small barbed wire ball around the stem of the plant? bear mace sprayed around the stem zone?

[brokencage]

I had the same exact problem last year.I used rat traps baited with cooked bacon.just tie the bacon to the trigger.They cant resist.I got two the same night havent had them back since.

[crazy cooter]

Put a 1/4" hardware cloth "tube" or "sheath" around the base of the stem, up to about 12" high. Surround the whole plant when they're younger/shorter.

I grow in buckets, which have many disadvantages, but one advantage is that it's really tough for rodents to climb up the slippery smooth sides to get to the soil/plants, unless I goof and place the pot too close to a tree limb or something.

[outdoordreams]

HINT HINT The Ph of your local water may change over the course of the year. Keep checking your PH..............Another lesson learned, the hard way of course!!!!! My creek is currently at around a ph of 8..........

Partners are overrated!!!! Be carefullllllllllllllllllll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[outdoordreams]

If tarping plants..........anything with sativa in its genetics must be tarped until after the 15th of august.............another lesson learned the hard way!!!!! Oh well at least Im learning!!!!!

[Quetzcoatlwaddle]

Every year about this time I have to wax poetic on the changeover in the suns rays from that disembodying, wraithmaking red to the white blue that hankers for a hunka spring and the light, wafting odours of that distant cannabis patch. And then posit the question: What is there new under the sun that might be fun in the capt's garden?

[Green Supreme]

I think there will be lotsa good to be had. Soon come. Peace GS

ps. I love when you wax poetic

[Quetzcoatlwaddle]

Cheers and thanks for the positivity. I always look forward to trying others magic. Had any luck with the bruised duck GS?

[Quetzcoatlwaddle]

The geese were honking their way back in last night and the birds have started to isolatedly sing with the morning sun. The light is getting shorter and more vibrant and one can almost smell the soil once again. Seed pots and coldframes getting ready for another year.

[islandgrow]

partners are over rated...odd this is great great advice.

DO IT YOUR SELF!!

[Cookie]

Spring seemed to be on its way here but the heavens are dropping 6-8 on us today and tonight... 45 by next Thursday though so it should be gone in no time.

[Quetzcoatlwaddle]

Time to pop out this thread whilst spring is still a vague recollection and glowing hope. Who has some glowing early genes to share with the Q?