Converting Old Chicken House?

[philbio]

Hi Guys,

 

I'm new to the forum and wasn't sure where to post this in the indoor or outdoor forum?

 

I have an old chicken house (2m x 3m, North Facing Aspect) and was thinking of replacing the iron sheets with translucent (so no one can see through) polycarbonate sheeting on walls and roof and growing a couple of girls (cannatonic strain) in it. I was hoping to get some advice on growing outside under polycarbonate.

 

I thought of growing straight in the ground and preparing the soil accordingly but am unsure if the polycarbonate will be effective.

 

Many Thanks for any advice. Philbio

Edited May 28, 2011 by philbio

[Pleb Scrubber]

Id be worried about bugs and the soil being over rich with chook shit and burning roots.

 

If you sheet all the walls and roof, its gunna get real hot in there too, maybe use mesh or something down low or something

will it look suspicious having your chook pen sheeted up ?

 

[philbio]

I am planning on removing the layer of Soil from the inside area and replacing with some decent stuff or I could go in pots?, the house is in an overgrown area so the sheeting shouldn't look too out of place. The heat issue is something I will have to consider, venting as suggested may be the way to go. Thanks for the input Edited May 28, 2011 by philbio

[Auntynorm]

G'day Phil.

 

I would enclose the sides and leave the top open, maybe chook wire to keep unwanteds out. But I'd use large pots. As Pleb said, the ground in the shed is more than likely way to charged with nutes from the chook shit. You could mix some into potting mix to spark that up, but I wouldn't plant straight into it, too hot. When I change the flooring, wood shavings, and bedding, straw, in my chook shed, some goes around the lemon tree as mulch and the rest into the compost because the manure in it is way to hot to use straight up, same with most fresh manures. I'm going to put some around my rhubarb as it can deal with lots of tucker. When I am nearly ready to start my outdoor grow I will spread some of it around thinly to boost what is already, very good soil. I've got my outdoor plot well under way, and about September I will get my outdoor seedlings started, so come near Melbourne Cup time I am raring to go. So up until then I will plant a crop of green manure, oats, wheat, suflowers, whatever. Use up any old vegie seed for this as well, then dig it in when it's about knee high. You can buy the seed mix at any rural supplies store, same place to get straw for mulch. The worms will love you for this and in turn, so will your plants. Any organic material will benefit your soil, manure, blood and bone, straw, lime, sulphate of potash and dig big time. I tell people this, Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance. So get stuck in now and it will all fall into place, if it was easy, everybody would be doing it. I'm not familiar with using the poly sheeting for this purpose, so I can't advise you there, but I do grow and have grown outdoor for around 30 years, and I don't get any complaints about the finished product. If you use the poly sheeting see if you can get some second hand, new will look way out of place. Most building salvage yards have it. Anything I can help with don't hesitate to ask, there are some excellent growers on this site, who are free and open with their help and advice, so use it up. Have a good grow, mate. You might like to have a look at my grow from last summer, it's called Near the Shed, it's in this outdoor section. :guitar:

Edited May 28, 2011 by Auntynorm

[philbio]

Thanks for the info, I really like the idea of no roof, now I am thinking of maybe chicken wire and some shade cloth (low shade rating). If I use pots can someone point me in the direction of a good soil blend?

[The Claw]

G'day philibo, the biggest plant that I ever saw was grown in an old chook pen. The main stem was the same size as a stubbie, so be careful or it will be straight through the roof. They love chook shit.

Vrod

[brick]

Nice reply aunty. Follow those instructions and you can't go wrong.

[Auntynorm]

G'day Phil.

 

In pots I use a mix of 1 bag each quality potting mix and rose mix. To that I add a 1 x kg block of coco peat, 2 x shovels good compost, 2 shovels bean bag beans, a good blast of blood and bone, lime, sulphate of potash, chuck in a shovel of the chook manure you have there, for good measure and put your shovel to work and mix really well. If you have access to a concrete mixer, this will make life easier. This will give you plenty for 2 large pots. Get the biggest things you can fit in your shed. This mix gives excellent drainage, but still holds enough moisture for good growth. Once your seedlings have 4 sets of leaves, whack 'em into the big pots. To many transplants are not good for the seedlings, only move 'em once. Once you transplant them give them a 1/4 strength drink of seaweed extract. Then only water, rain water if you have it, for the first week after transplant, let 'em settle down. Then after that week you can start a feeding regime, remember start slowly and wind 'em up gradually. They'll take as much food as you can give 'em but you have to work up to it. Some Sativa strains are very nute sensitive, they burn easy. Use chook wire on your roof as you want full sun on them while it's there, don't waste it. This will also give good ventilation and keep out possums etc. Make it so you can lock it very securely, there are 2 legged rats out there. I can't push this enough, TELL NO ONE, about this, security, security, security. All this should be happening around Melbourne Cup time, the seedlings should be started around September, when you are sure there will be no more frosts. I find Jiffy pots are as good as any to get things started. Buy some Go-Go Juice, Foliage Focus and Rose Focus, all from Bunnings and you will be getting change from $50. The Go-Go once a month and spray on the Foliage Focus once a week during veg stage and Rose Focus once a week as soon as they show sex, as soon as they sex stop the Foliage Focus, they need different compounds for good flowering. As Vrod said about growing in the chook powered soil, I remember in the late '70's seeing a huge plant grown right alongside a chook shed in Griffith, it also had a super thick trunk and, from memory, was about 10 foot tall. It made your eyes red looking at it. Maybe try some in pots and some in the soil, see where it leads. Also have a good think about camouflage, and use it from day 1, use plants, nets, whatever.

 

:guitar:

Edited May 31, 2011 by Auntynorm

[philbio]

Thanx for all the info Aunty, a treasure trove to behold!!

 

What size pots should I go for? I was thinking of partially burying the pots to ensure I get enough height as the shed is only 1.8m?

 

Regards Philbio

[Auntynorm]

G'day Phil.

 

Get the biggest tubs you can find so there is lots of room for root growth. Old washing machine tubs are really good, but if you can't find any of these, just go to Bunnings, Big W etc and you will find some large plastic tubs, 450mm internal diameter are fine, under $20 each, Bunnings had huge tubs the other day when I was there, I think they were around $50 each but you would have to drill drainage holes in them. Don't just look for plant pots, any big metal or plastic type of tub will do, all you need do is allow for the drainage with a few holes in the bottom. You definitely could partially or even completely bury the tubs, but once again check the drainage, they will take all the water you can give them but it must be able to get away. Wet, soggy roots will be detrimental to growth in just about every aspect, including killing the plants. The roots should be whitish in colour. Different strains react differently, so water with care. You will soon work it out by watching the health of your grow. Big, dark green, glossy leaves, a thick solid trunk and good growth rate are a sure sign of robust health. I have a friend who says you can easily get 2-3 inches a day, but he has some of the best conditions I've seen anywhere for an outdoor grow. If they look like they are going to end up like pine trees, as often happens with Sativa dominant strains, some of the other growers can help with things such as low stress training etc. I don't worry too much about it, if they get too big I kink the branches until just before they snap, do this an hour after they have had a big drink, as the branches will be more supple. Any that do crack, you can fix them with electricians tape, cheap as chips. So if you bury them and end up with 2 x 6ft females smothered in gooey resin soaked heads, with trics like mushrooms, you've got the general idea, it's not hard to do. A good bit of weather and common sense and you'll be laughing. Only real problem I can foresee is ventilation, but we can address that during the building stage. As I said, any help I can be, don't hesitate to yell out. I bought some seeds from Amnesia, through this site, these are Indica dominant so I'm going to plant 6 or so this outdoor season coming. They won't grow as tall as the Sativas I grew last time, so might not be so obvious and get ripped off. :guitar:

Edited May 31, 2011 by Auntynorm