Outdoor growing - UK

high.guy

Member
hi peeps
im new to all this but basically im going to have my first attempt at growing some bud this year. its going to have to be outdoors (in sh*tty uk weather), ive found my location where there's plenty of sunlight and in a well hidden place. theres just afew things i could do with advice on.. (Sorry if i ask 'noob' questions, theres endless info on here so its just abit easier to get the answers i need all in one space lol.)


first of all, which strain to go for thats suitable for uk climates..? ive been thinking lowryder/hollands hope or some other strain thats beginner friendly and preferably autoflowering.

also, i read something about preparing your plants for outdoor life after germination. how long, for how often will i put my plants outside before transplanting them to the final outdoor growing location?

i plan on visiting the site ive found before planting and preparing the holes for my plants and also putting down some proper soil (any recommendations for decent soil in uk?).
this is my first time round so this is basically for learning purposes.. but i still wanna give it my best shot :weed:
any answers or advice greatly appreciated, cheers.:bigjoint:
 

jondamon

Well-Known Member
personally i wouldn't bother with an outdoor grow in the uk. We dont have the climate for it (even when its summer) there are so many factors to take into account ph control EC pests temps RH all of which you will have very little control over.

Just my opinion
 

high.guy

Member
personally i wouldn't bother with an outdoor grow in the uk. We dont have the climate for it (even when its summer) there are so many factors to take into account ph control EC pests temps RH all of which you will have very little control over.

Just my opinion
theres no way i could have an indoor crop for many reasons(equiptment costs,space etc) so my only hope is outdoor.

i know i have a low chance of harvesting a decent crop due to our climate and it being my first attempt.
But ive pretty much become addicted to learning about the whole process of growing in the last few days and im going to give it a shot regardless of my chances :bigjoint:

somebody correct me if im wrong, but ive read certain strains of weed thrive under wetter conditions, which is suited to the UK climate? and also ive read about pest ressistant strains.
im just wondering which strain is proven to grow in the UK and is beginner friendly. the lowryder strains for example have caught my eye, but id rather good advice from someone who knows more.

jondamon - thanks for your opinion, but its gonna take more than the weather to put me off :weed: :lol:
(also i intend on making my own soil mix and measuring the ph levels of the location, im a noob and im gonna mess up somewhere, but im doing my best to make i have a decent knowledge and give it my best shot)
 
I doubt you'll get any yield worth your trouble. In a soggy climate your plants will be susceptible to rot, flooding, outdoor creatures, et al. It's just too much trouble. Never mind how conspicuous you'll be carrying sacks of soil into the wild/ stressing over your dying plants by visiting them every day. Best bet for a new grower, like myself, take an old locker or cabinet, put it in your closet and grow one or two plants. Not everyone has a green thumb. Prove the concept first, then move on to outdoor growing.
 
My indoor grow has cost me about $200, and since then I've found ways to do it even cheaper. Don't let price be a concern. As far as detection is concerned, the smell of one small plant is easy to mask. Keep it out of everyone's way and keep your gullet sealed and you should never have a problem. Case in point, my next door neighbor is a police precinct.
 

high.guy

Member
Seriously there is no hope of having an indoor crop of any size, ive had previous convictions of weed. and also theres been many busted weed growers in my neighbourhood lately so it isnt worth the risk.
I can understand my chances are slim, but ive come across quite afew people who say theyve had a 'decent' crop outdoors here and im intrigued to try myself.
To b e honest im not too concerned about the yield, if i get a doob or two of my own grown ill be more than happy.
Thanks for your advice tho mate
 
But... if there have been pot busts in your area why would you think growing weed outdoors is a better solution? Sounds like you'd be bringing yourself right out to the cops. You want to mix your own soil, you'll need a large crop to get anything out of it and being a first time grower you're going to have the impulse to check on your plants daily, multiples of times even. This is all a formula for disaster. And trust me, once you realize the amount of care and devotion your pot demands you are not going to be happy with a small crappy yield. Unfortunately mac, if you have a record and your area is hot, the best thing you can do is fantasize about growing. It's not worth jail time. Especially a weak crop. Of course, knowing myself, when you want to grow pot there's very little anyone can say to dissuade you. So... have fun, hope you don't end up in jail.
 

The2TimEr

Well-Known Member
Go for it mate,
im starting my 1st outdoor this year.
gonna germ my seed end of march time even april, then a good couple months veg then nature will take flower to ur girls.
Saying that im only doing the 1 in the back garden and i can bring her in at night.
 

Nocturn3

Well-Known Member
Plenty of people grow outside successfully in the UK. Unfortunately, i'm not one of them, so I can't advise you too much, but if you google for UK-specific sites ("UK420" for example), you should find some good help from people who know the score regarding UK outdoor grows.
 

high.guy

Member
Again, thanks for ur input man. I know its a risk, but ive found a perfect location which is out of the way (im fortunate to live -10mins away from huge fields/forests) i plan on moving/preparing the soil in darkness afew weeks before transplantation. Once planted at the location i will only visit once every 7/10days, walking my dog so it isnt so hot if someones around (which i really doubt).
As you said theres nothing that can put off us curious first time growers, i have to experience and learn from the process my self.

anybody here actually had success growing outdoors here in the UK? or any would advice greatly appreciated.
 

high.guy

Member
Plenty of people grow outside successfully in the UK. Unfortunately, i'm not one of them, so I can't advise you too much, but if you google for UK-specific sites ("UK420" for example), you should find some good help from people who know the score regarding UK outdoor grows.
I will deffo search that up. cheers mate.
 

high.guy

Member
Go for it mate,
im starting my 1st outdoor this year.
gonna germ my seed end of march time even april, then a good couple months veg then nature will take flower to ur girls.
Saying that im only doing the 1 in the back garden and i can bring her in at night.
Thanks man, an good luck with that. maybe it would be a good idea for me to also have the one out in my garden, gives my chance to learn from it everyday as ill only be visiting my other site once a week or so.. thanks for the brainwave:weed:
 

Straight up G

New Member
All these people are wrong of course you can grow outside in the UK try an autoflowering strain as someone I know grew them last summer approx half ounce a plant yield stfu you all wrong
 

high.guy

Member
All these people are wrong of course you can grow outside in the UK try an autoflowering strain as someone I know grew them last summer approx half ounce a plant yield stfu you all wrong
yeah i think my best option would be to go with an AF strain, but im really stuck for choice of which strain to go for.
Any recommendations of which AF strain would give the best chance of a beginner having a decent first crop? (Although im happy with anything i get at my first attempt)

thanks for that G
 

The2TimEr

Well-Known Member
AF's want at least 18 hrs of decent light a day, 20 is better. With the summer in the UK were looking at 15 - 16 hrs max when it hits july, i'd be curious to see what size AF could be produced in UK climate lol
 

Straight up G

New Member
yeah i think my best option would be to go with an AF strain, but im really stuck for choice of which strain to go for.
Any recommendations of which AF strain would give the best chance of a beginner having a decent first crop? (Although im happy with anything i get at my first attempt)

thanks for that G
I think he used fem'd Afghan Kush
http://www.allsalvia.co.uk/auto_flowering_seeds.htm

AF's want at least 18 hrs of decent light a day, 20 is better. With the summer in the UK were looking at 15 - 16 hrs max when it hits july, i'd be curious to see what size AF could be produced in UK climate lol
^Incorrect they will flower given any light cycle these are recommended cycles that promote faster growth and didn't I just tell you how much they yield: half ounce per plant.
 

The2TimEr

Well-Known Member
^Incorrect they will flower given any light cycle these are recommended cycles that promote faster growth and didn't I just tell you how much they yield: half ounce per plant.[/QUOTE]
Well given 15-16 hrs of light during summer and thats only up to the peak of summer dont forget, id expect some pretty slow growth.
Yea i know how much they yeild cos iv done 5 under 250watts of HPS.
 

rasclot

Well-Known Member
u can get sum monster plants outdoors in the uk ive grown plants outdoors over 6foot tall with loadsa bud all we need is a good summer im gonna plant sum outdoors aswell il keep u posted:joint:
 

High Time 420

Well-Known Member
Of course you can grow outdoors in the uk, and get good bud!

You are better of choosing a strain that finishes in mid august, that is you main problem, you need a strain that will finish before the shit weather kicks in.

Selecting the right strains for your climate is
just as important as finding the perfect location.
This section on strains is adapted from a thread
started by Leaf, a member of
www.overgrow.com and an expert outdoor
grower with tons of experience. One of the Case
Studies is also adapted from posts by Leaf.
Much more information is also available on the
site.
This is a quick rundown on some popular outdoor
strains. The strains are grouped in five different
categories distinguished by their finishing
times. For more information on strains, hit the
"StrainGuide" on www.overgrow.com,
It is a good idea to grow several different
strains with different finishing times to spread
out the work and drying over the course of time.
If you grow a spring crop, you can harvest much
of the season.

'Hash Plant1, 'Afghani', 'Hindu Kush', etc., are
great varieties that finish mid- to late-August.
The yield and potency are quite high, but the
fragrance is high, too! These strains are for
experienced growers. They need lots of
intense sunlight and must be watered from
below, not from above with rain. These varieties
start to bud when the days are long and
the sunlight is intense. The buds fatten up
quickly on plants with a short, squat growth
habit. Rain followed by hot sunny days can
foster mold, which could decimate the crop in
a short time. Leaf has seen dried, cured buds
the size of softballs that were packed with
mold. They were thrown away. To avoid mold
problems, he suggests harvesting when about
10 percent of the pistils have died back. Even
heavy dew can cause a moldy disaster! Leaf
loves 'Hash Plant'.
2. 'Early Pearl', 'Early Queen', 'Early Riser', etc.,
"Manitoba Poison', and similar strains finish
from late-August to early-September at latitude
49° north. They are potent and yield a little
better than the plants listed above. They
grow from six to nine feet (1.8-2.7 m) tall and
are quite bushy. Most of these strains are
mold resistant and easy to grow-excellent
choices for novices or growers with little time
to look after their plants.
3. 'Mighty Mite', 'Durban Poison', 'Jack Herer',
etc., finish mid- to late-September. The yield
and potency are very good, and the odor is
not too intense. All the plants grow a huge,
dominant main cola with several large terminal
buds on main branches. They may need
trellising to avoid broken branches. Topping
appears to increase yield. These strains are
fairly low-maintenance, but the more love you
give, the more they return. These plants grow
well if left alone until mid-September and
have a good harvest as long as they do not dry
out or fall over. 'Mighty Mite1 is another
favorite.
4. 'Blueberry', 'White Widow', "White Rhino',
'Super Silver Haze', 'Pure Power Plant', etc.,
'Jack Hcrcr' finishes from mid- to fate-September. tend to finish mid- to late-October. Yields and
potency are very high! They do not smell a lot
while growing, but that changes when they
are cut! They grow seven- to ten-feet (2-3 m)
tall and yield heavily. They require some attention
to get the best crop. 'Super Silver Haze1
and 'Pure Power Plant' can be a bitch to grow
because they often develop mold near harvest
when the weather is damp. However, a mild
to moderate frost tends to bring out some
nice (purple) colors. They all do well outdoors
but grow even better indoors.
5. 'Skunk # 1 ' , 'Northern Lights #5', 'Big Bud',
and pure or nearly pure sativas finish from
late-October to early-November. Sometimes
sativas do not finish if the weather cools too
much and snow comes. One year, on
November 15th, the first snowfall had to be
shaken off at harvest! About 50 percent of the
pistils had died back. 'Skunk # 1 ' is extremely
smelly; the wind can literally carry the skunk
scent for a mile. All of the plants in this group
have a large to huge yield capable of producing
several pounds each. 'Big Bud' yields an
enormous amount; the bottom branches
must be tied or staked to avoid breaking from
bud weight. Potency is superb in all plants in
this category except for 'Big Bud.1
All plants grow tall. 'Big Bud1 and 'Skunk #Tgrow 10-14 feet (3-4 m) tall. 'Northern Lights'
are often taller! A few sativas can grow to 20
feet (6 m)!
Fungus can become a problem with these
late-flowering plants. They withstand rain and
light frost well; many can take a few light snowfalls.
After all, they grow like weeds!

Climate
Outdoor grow shows are dominated by climate,
soil, and water supply whether you are
planting in a remote mountain patch, a cozy
garden in your backyard, or on your balcony.
Microclimates are mini climates that exist
within larger climates. Maps are available of
these areas. Many maps such as the United
States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Hardiness Zone map, www.tisna.tisda.gov

Hardzone/ushzmap.html, detail limited climatic
boundaries. The map divides North America
into ten zones plus zone 11 to represent areas
that have average annual minimum temperatures
above 40°F (4.4°C) and are frost free. Look
into detailed microclimate maps for your grow
zone. One of the most detailed climate maps
can be found in Sunset's Western Garden Book,
Sunset Publishing. The map details 26 distinct
climate zones in 13 Western States and British
Colombia and Alberta, Canada. This is the best
climatic map available for the area.
Europe and other countries have much climatic
information available via the Internet. Check
out rainfall, temperature, and humidity charts
for virtually all large cities in the world and most
geographic regions. Visit www.weather.com for
specific information on your local weather.
Temperature, rainfall, and sunlight vary widely
across the globe, providing unique growing
environments and countless microclimates.
Look for specific information for your climate at
local nurseries and in regional gardening books
and magazines or through the department of
agriculture (County Extension Agents) in your
area. Here is a brief rundown on the qualities of
different climates.
Coastal climates like those found in the
Northwestern United States, British Columbia,
Canada, Northern Coastal Europe, and the
United Kingdom, etc., are cool and rainy. Annual
rainfall most often exceeds 40 inches (103 liters
per m'1) and can be as high as 100 inches (253
per m*)! Winter blows in early in these areas
bringing a chilling rain and low light levels. The
more northern zones experience shorter days
and wet cold weather earlier than the southern
zones. Growing outdoors here is challenging
because the temperature seldom drops below
freezing, which contributes to larger insect populations.
Some of these cold coastal rainforests
are packed with lush but invasive foliage and
fungal growth brought on by the cold and
damp. __________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by progeater
he said hard water. hard=solid. he is obviously attempting to water plants with solid water. i dont see how this would work and im sure liquid water is the only thing that gets the job done



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