Tips for best possible outdoor crop

_EQ

Well-Known Member
Exactly! Create healthy soil and it will grow healthy plants!
There’s no questioning the benefits of keeping healthy soil. Currently my grow space comsists of a compost that’s been built over the last 10 or so years. Unfortunately lots of plastic peices have made their way into it. For next year I’m going to aim to rid it of as much as I can but it will be an uphill battle for sure. Any ideas or suggestions for me regarding that?
 

_EQ

Well-Known Member
It gets humid and rainy where I'm at as well.

1. Out of the dozen strains I've grown outdoors Eleven Roses holds up the best against botrytis, it has a loose bud structure that doesn't trap moisture like dense nugs do.

2. Like others have said keep the morning dew off the plants.

3. Shake the plants after it rains or if you got a leaf blower blast the plants with that.

4. If doable put the plants in an area where they get the morning sunlight as soon as possible to get rid of that morning dew.

5. Air flow is important, don't let em get too bushy, lollipopping and gut the interior of the plant to increase air flow.

6. Look after the plants as best you can and keep the plants as healthy as you can so they can have a better chance of fighting off botrytis.
Sound advice thanks brother, for the previous grows I will admit I did not put nearly as much time and care into them as did my indoor grows. Of course that’s all up to me. This year is going to be different though which is why I’m asking for some tips!
 

_EQ

Well-Known Member
Wether organic or conventional using homemade compost extract will make everything easier better and more optimal.
I have 5 yds compost to make extract with that I use for my deps and full sun. This was the most profound change for me, I didn't need to brew AACT any more.
Water. Lots of even watering.
Forgive my lack of knowledge on organics but what is AACT? And also the garden I grow in is probably a 20x10 foot space of composted grass clippings and other greens and veggies. Unfortunately bc of the grass clippings there is quite a bit of plastics in the compost. Just from being picked up by the lawnmower. Does this make the compost unfit for brewing? Even more so for growing cannabis?
 

_EQ

Well-Known Member
I've grown outdoors in Vermont but am now blessed with more conducive conditions here in Montana. Always have been an organic grower and watered with aerated compost teas. The biggest difference between average and really good quality crops for me was when I started to use light dep beginning July 1. Gives the girls a chance to flower while it its still warm and sunny rather than combating the variable October temps and less intense sunlight.
Thanks for commenting! Can you explain how you deprive them of light? Especially in the ground? And also what would be a good starting point to convert all of my growing to organic? This time around I have half my plants in 10G pots sitting in Coast of Maine Stonington Blend. Ideally I would like to make a super soil and grow with that. But for now I think brewing Teas would be a good start. Should I be amending the COM? Or just brew with teas and water/feed like I do indoors with coco and nutes?
 

Red Hard Head

Well-Known Member
AACT, aerobic activated compost tea. You can go down a rabbit hole trying to build the perfect system. Unless you have a microscope to quantify the beneficial bacteria then use it immediately its just a 24 hr steep of dry ferts, which is good dont get me wrong. But many times the soil microbes either havent multiplied enough, in a less than beneficial ratio, or crash. Many times the brew has no compost in the recipe anyways relying on the guano and manure microbes. Which aren't necessarily soil microbes. The goal is microbes, specifically aerobic soil microbes in the correct ratios.
A compost extract is made fresh. Takes 3-5 minutes to 'make' the ratio of microbes is correct. Good fert nute, humates and microbes to keep soils and plants healthy.
 
  • Like
Reactions: _EQ

_EQ

Well-Known Member
AACT, aerobic activated compost tea. You can go down a rabbit hole trying to build the perfect system. Unless you have a microscope to quantify the beneficial bacteria then use it immediately its just a 24 hr steep of dry ferts, which is good dont get me wrong. But many times the soil microbes either havent multiplied enough, in a less than beneficial ratio, or crash. Many times the brew has no compost in the recipe anyways relying on the guano and manure microbes. Which aren't necessarily soil microbes. The goal is microbes, specifically aerobic soil microbes in the correct ratios.
A compost extract is made fresh. Takes 3-5 minutes to 'make' the ratio of microbes is correct. Good fert nute, humates and microbes to keep soils and plants healthy.
Cool thanks bro appreciated will be going down the rabbit hole at some point
 

mandocat

Well-Known Member
Forgive my lack of knowledge on organics but what is AACT? And also the garden I grow in is probably a 20x10 foot space of composted grass clippings and other greens and veggies. Unfortunately bc of the grass clippings there is quite a bit of plastics in the compost. Just from being picked up by the lawnmower. Does this make the compost unfit for brewing? Even more so for growing cannabis?
I would worry more about whatever might have been sprayed on the lawn that produced the clippings, than a few bits of plastic in the compost.
 
  • Like
Reactions: _EQ

_EQ

Well-Known Member
I would worry more about whatever might have been sprayed on the lawn that produced the clippings, than a few bits of plastic in the compost.
Yeah that was/is my primary concern every so often TruGreen comes and sprays whatever the fick on the front lawn. So far only once this year in early April. How long would that exist in the compost? This year we’re going to see how it goes in the containers and in the garden. Then next year we’ll go with whatever worked out best. I would love to make use of the garden and its compost though. All of my grandfathers veggies come out great!
 

mandocat

Well-Known Member
Yeah that was/is my primary concern every so often TruGreen comes and sprays whatever the fick on the front lawn. So far only once this year in early April. How long would that exist in the compost? This year we’re going to see how it goes in the containers and in the garden. Then next year we’ll go with whatever worked out best. I would love to make use of the garden and its compost though. All of my grandfathers veggies come out great!
I used to get the used hay from the Expo center after cattle and horse shows, until an Ag professor from the university told me that some of the chemicals/drugs used in the animals took years to break down in compost. One advantage of being in the ground is that plants don't dry out as fast and it is easy to keep the roots cooler using mulch. I live in Oklahoma where heat is a big concern. It is hard to beat healthy living soil!
 
  • Like
Reactions: _EQ

_EQ

Well-Known Member
I used to get the used hay from the Expo center after cattle and horse shows, until an Ag professor from the university told me that some of the chemicals/drugs used in the animals took years to break down in compost. One advantage of being in the ground is that plants don't dry out as fast and it is easy to keep the roots cooler using mulch. I live in Oklahoma where heat is a big concern. It is hard to beat healthy living soil!
That makes a lot of sense, the more research I do, and the more ppl I talk to regarding super soils & organics. The more I feel like moving away from the mediums I’ve used outdoors and indoors. So the plan I’ve formulated for outdoor this year is to run the Coast of Maine SB and do a mix of top dressing and Teas. And build a super soil for the future grows. Not really made of money so I planned on purchasing one or two components to the super soil weekly and have it cooking for September. Currently going off of google searches and following the SC recipe. Although instead of bone and blood meal I’ll be using Fishbone meal and something else, still a little confusing. But I’ll definitely be asking questions here, and the guys at the Hydro store near me are super cool and knowledgeable so I know I can get the guidance I need.
 

mandocat

Well-Known Member

VaSmile

Well-Known Member
Thanks for all your answers yall! To answer some of your questions, I’m in MA

so it’s a garden that my grandfather normally grows his vegetables in every year. The usually fixings onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, etc. it’s pretty much all compost from cut grass and the previous years dead cuttings and veggies that didn’t make the cut. We live in southeastern Massachusetts it can get very humid. I usually like to have my plants out for mid/late may but I had some clones that were being difficult in the EZCloner (last time I use it). My main concern with planting in the garden is that every so often a lawn care company comes and sprays our front lawn with whatever the fuck. I’ve been interested in going organic so my goal is to try and aim for as organic as possible.
You lawn guys wont go anywhere your garden beds, their there for your lawn, and deffently dont want to be on the hook to replace your plant valued at 4 figures, and dont give a fuck if you grow. Worse case scenario they ask to swap clones with ua
 
  • Like
Reactions: _EQ

_EQ

Well-Known Member
You lawn guys wont go anywhere your garden beds, their there for your lawn, and deffently dont want to be on the hook to replace your plant valued at 4 figures, and dont give a fuck if you grow. Worse case scenario they ask to swap clones with ua
Ya it’s legal here, not so much worried about the guys themselves. As they mainly spray out front lawn more than what’s in the spray that’s on the clippings that goes into the garden.
 
Yeah so I’m in New England, Massachusetts to be exact. We have shitty weather 90% of the time, weather it’s a ton of rain, or extreme humidity and heat. So far this year we’ve had a ton of rain and wind. I planned on going organic in 10 gallon fabrics. I’m a little late this year but I just transplanted clones into their final pots.
The south shore, especially by Buzzards Bay is an amazing microclimate.

Anyways it's basic but make sure to harden for at least a week next year, partial shade and bring them in at night if it's chilly. I started a new yob the day after memorial day and forgot to harden for the first time ever and now I'm paying for it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: _EQ

_EQ

Well-Known Member
The south shore, especially by Buzzards Bay is an amazing microclimate.

Anyways it's basic but make sure to harden for at least a week next year, partial shade and bring them in at night if it's chilly. I started a new yob the day after memorial day and forgot to harden for the first time ever and now I'm paying for it.
I fish that area FREQUENTLY, great freshwater fishing all over that area. I’m Bristol county, definitely should’ve gotten them more mature before putting them out. What do you mean by hardening? Currently having trouble with capsids. Last nights storm didn’t help either.
 
I fish that area FREQUENTLY, great freshwater fishing all over that area. I’m Bristol county, definitely should’ve gotten them more mature before putting them out. What do you mean by hardening? Currently having trouble with capsids. Last nights storm didn’t help either.
You basically want to titrate their exposure to the sunlight and general outdoor conditions. I have a window awning with a table under it where I put my seedlings, after transplanting from my starter tray to a paper cup or small pot, for a week. The first day or two will get six hours, the next 8 and so on and so forth until they get nearly a full day's sunlight under that awning, which provides partial shade. After that week they can be put out until they fill your small container, usually 1 to 2 weeks, then transplant to their final destination.

I'm in the valley so I have different parameters but the hardening is universally beneficial. The Mass outdoor growers thread is your friend, I learned a bit by perusing it.

By capsids you mean fungus?
 
  • Like
Reactions: _EQ

_EQ

Well-Known Member
You basically want to titrate their exposure to the sunlight and general outdoor conditions. I have a window awning with a table under it where I put my seedlings, after transplanting from my starter tray to a paper cup or small pot, for a week. The first day or two will get six hours, the next 8 and so on and so forth until they get nearly a full day's sunlight under that awning, which provides partial shade. After that week they can be put out until they fill your small container, usually 1 to 2 weeks, then transplant to their final destination.

I'm in the valley so I have different parameters but the hardening is universally beneficial. The Mass outdoor growers thread is your friend, I learned a bit by perusing it.

By capsids you mean fungus?
no it’s some sort of bug, pictured here. IPM is going to be a mountain this year. Idk what’s different from the previous years other than all the rain. But I only really had to deal with caterpillars, and some minor spider mites on one plant. Might be the last year I plant directly into the ground depending on how the container plants do outside this year.
IMG_3091.jpegIMG_3092.jpeg
 
Top