getting my garden ready

[dirty]

well, I am off to the garden centre this weekend to get all my needs.

I want to buy a couple of large pots to grow my plants in plus fertiliser, pot mix etc etc.

It has been suggested that I use

peat

blood and bone

water crystals/ sphagnum moss

dolomite

Is there anything else I should add to the list?

what are the best brands to get

how soon should I mix the potting mix up for before I plant

 

if there is someone I can PM to bother the shit out of with these questions and more, I would be much ablidged

 

thanks

[dirty]

..................other questions might include such things as

how much gravel should I put in pot

how deep and wide to plant roots grow

do you believe in starting the seeds in the soil or first in cotton or something

 

bump for wilderbud and syk for their help and advice

[Guest Wilderbud]

BigW, Woolies and a hydro shop is where I prefer to shop.

 

When growing in soil its good to pot-up 2 or 3 times - as the roots grow. I have gotten great results from using 3, 6 and 12 inch pots - by coincidence this is usually the weeks from planting that youll want to pot up. Deep pots are best and for the 3" you can use straight peat in a foam cup to save you from having to find this size of pot. If you cant get the peat from BigW [if there isnt one near] then coco coir from a hydro shop is good too. If you are growing indoors then add 1/2 perlite to let the medium dry out faster [each day].

 

Ive never used dolomite as peat is acidic and I use 50% peat since its so good and if you can water the plants often then you dont need the wetting agent/medium [water pellets or sphagnum]. I put a post about 'Mixing your own' in the Outdoor forum if you want to have a read about different organic mediums.

 

BTW, its late to grow outdoors so you may want to alternate indoors and outdoors for a month or two - if you can remember to do it at sunrise/sunset - to get an extra 8 or so hours of light each day and to control flowering until the plant is 1 or 2 feet high. Also, take it easy on watering if the medium is staying moist [you can tell if its wet by weight if you make up an empty cup/pot of dry medium].

 

What are you growing?

[Buddy]

BTW, its late to grow outdoors so you may want to alternate indoors and outdoors for a month or two

Why do you think it's late to grow outdoors ?

[dirty]

hey man, thanks for the reply

I have read you post on mixing your own, along with most of the posts in the outdoor grow section. some great info, thanks.

I have learned so much in such a few days of being here. The amount of knowledge and info on this board is awesome

 

I am going to grow a Indica/sativa (60/40) blend called early misty from nirvana seeds. I chose it because its recomended soil temp was much higher than others since I am planting late in the year.

Also it shouldn't grow too high.

 

My back yard has 6ft colorbond fences and two of the neighbours have sheds that back onto my fence blocking their view of my yard.

I am only interested in growing two or three plants. Should I only plant two or three seeds or throw the whole lot in, or just like 5 or so?

 

My mrs is always in the garden watering her plants, and we are outdoors people so there should be no probs in trying to care for them. The effort will be there anyway, perhaps we just need a little knowledge( only a little, ;) )

[Guest Wilderbud]

Dont uproot it when youve finished growing - roots break down easilly and provide nice soil.

[dirty]

BTW, its late to grow outdoors so you may want to alternate indoors and outdoors for a month or two - if you can remember to do it at sunrise/sunset - to get an extra 8 or so hours of light each day and to control flowering until the plant is 1 or 2 feet high.

how much light do they need at the beginning

[angebaby1]

Outdoors need AT LEAST five hours of direct sunlight a day.

 

If you plant them out too early in spring you'll end up with big plants and small buds. You'd get the same yeild planting out 'bout now-with bigger chunkier buds.

 

Man i wish i could grow some nice clean outdoors but we've had police probs b4-cant risk it :angry:

[SweetJane]

I'd plant more than 3 seeds. I usually plant double what I want to end up with. It would be a bummer to waste all that time growing and end up with 3 males or have something happen to them (possums, bugs etc) and be left with nothing to show for your efforts.

 

I germinate mine in seed raising mix (not potting mix)l in plastic cups (with drain holes) keep them covered in plastic in a warm dark place and stick them in the sun as soon as they pop up. If they pop up with their shells stuck to their head, take them off. It means you haven't planted them deep enough, they should lose their helmets as they push up through the soil.

 

I plant them into their final big as possible pot when they have their first set of leaves. Some people like to repot several times but I prefer to disturb them as little as possible. If you don't want to germ in soil, I'd go for the paper towel method, not cotton wool. Cotton wool can damage the delicate little roots.

 

I've got no idea about starting at this time of year in Australia, I've been overseas for a long time and don't know about the local conditions. People here seem to think it's cool, but I would have thought that after about Dec 21st when the days start getting shorter, they would start flowering and you wouldn't have enough time before then to give them a good chance to veg. I started mine in Early Nov and ended up moving them indoors under lights to give them a good chance to veg up.

 

Anyhow, good luck and happy growing

[dirty]

thanks sweetjane. i am still endecided as to how I should germinate them.

I spose a lot comes down to trial and error!