Couple outdoor grow questions

[teahaircut]

Hi err'body, I have a couple of questions if you kind be so kind to enlighten me. I read that indoor growers switch the lighting to 12/12 to make the plant flower, how do we achieve this outdoors? When is a good time to make this happen? Surely I'd want my plant to get the most daylight possible, no?

 

My garden bed is up against a wall that shields the sun for a few hours in the morning, would you recommend I grow there or in smart grow pots in the middle of the lawn?

 

In Perth when is the best time/ month to plant or sew seeds? What is a typical harvest period.

 

Lastly, can anyone recommend a good seed bank that is relatively good value for money and has success shipping to AUS? All I see is like Dutch / Holland online shops that are very expensive $130 for 5 seeds

 

After something like a Durban Poison I hear that does well in Australia.

 

As always appreciate the advice.

Happy growing

[MrCompletion]

Morning sun is generally best. Afternoon sun is hotter. All day sun still works too. Anything in mid to high 30s and onwards will be too hot for long periods of time do if you can find some shade. Feeding Seasol in morning or night will help with heat stress. They'll grow either way. But more sun equals a healthier plant and bigger yields. They won't stretch as much either.

 

As for switching 12/12 outdoors you can't. Well technically you can bring them inside but Mother Nature will do its course unless you grow autos. I've heard of people putting large tubs over them overnight to block out the light. But only read and never seen.

 

Grow time is generally from fathers day to Mother's Day. But strains and your location can impact this rule. I wouldn't be starting seedlings outdoors now as it will go straight to flower. Do it for fun but don't expect much. Most of us outdoor growers are entering or into flower now. Harvest is around April may. Once again this is the window not gospel.

 

Buying seeds check out our sponsors. Most people in oz use southern star seeds, bonza or herbies. But there are others. I use bonza and have a 100% success rate on germination and delivery (there's a million threads on how to order securely)

 

Seeds may seem expensive but consider that vs buying the weed from a dealer and what you pay for 5-10 seeds and their yield vs a qtr of bud is no comparison really. Plus you get to enjoy this great past time of growing. So it's really a no brainer.

 

Alternative have a veg room with a mother to clone off or make your own seeds and you'll have years of bud for almost no cost but Nutes and power.

 

So read read read and you'll be knowledges and ready for the next outdoor season. [emoji106]

[MrCompletion]

Just noticed bonza have a 25% off sale. That's a big saving. So you could stock up now for next season. They have specials all the time (as do most seed companies). I'm in no relationship with bonza but only speak of them through experience.

[max_headroom]

Hi teahaircut

 

You need to be getting a minimum of 6hrs daily of direct sunlight to even get your plants to grow, the more sun the better yields. I completed a grow last year where one of my girls was only just getting 5.5 to 6 hrs direct sun and the buds turned out light and airy. Still a reasonable smoke but have had better. If you can move them to a more sun friendly position to ensure enough sunlight then do it, No point it going all the way to harvest to find you have poor quality airy buds. Even if if it is a little riskier from a stealth perspective then I would still move it a sunnier spot.

 

I have used Bonza and have received my seeds on each occasion with no problems. Good luck with the grow

[teahaircut]

Awesome, cheers for all the info lads!  I guess I'll keep going with my little baby outdoors for now and get prepared for next season like you suggested.  Bonza sound great I'll go with them.

 

Okay cool, yeah it gets about 12 hours of sunlight direct each day at the moment.  Sun rise is currently 5:30am and sun set at 7:30pm in Perth, but there's an hour window where shade kicks in each side of the yard.  I've been moving it every arvo to wake up with morning sun then toast in the late arvo sun 

 

Happy growing to you as well

[max_headroom]

12 hrs a day they will be loving it, should be flowering real soon

[crow]

Coming in late here, but I do have experience at forcing early flowering on outdoor photo-period plants.  I've done it 2 ways - one was by growing in a 9L bucket and bringing it inside into the dark every night for 12 hours for the whole flowering period.   This was done successfully with many pots by myself and my sister when we used to live in rented premises.

 

Last year I put a plant in the ground early-ish [planted Sep, in ground 17th October   - late to avoid frost which may not be an issue for you] .

 

I started covering it with a rubbish bin at nights to ensure a dark period of 12 hours and harvested some beautiful Durban Poison 17th December in time for Christmas.

 

This in-ground method is better for my current location because we can get very hot days here so plants in pots get very hot roots.

 

 

By doing this with photo-period plants you can get a greater yield than you would get off most autos.

 

 

And it's perfect for someone just getting into growing because you can get some smoke a good 3 months before your normal photoperiods are harvested which wouldn't be until at least mid- late March or so depending where you are.

 

 

I was in your shoes last year, growing for the first time and wanting smoke yesterday - you can't underestimate the value of an early harvest. 

 

 

It also has the benefit of being ready before thieves are on the hunt [i used to have that problem when I lived in Adelaide].

Edited February 11, 2015 by crowsange

[spider_b]

In my experience if you start outdoor plant really early like  first week of september the will often go straight into flower and you can harvest b4 xmas, also if you left a few bud sites on the plant it will reveg and give you another crop off the same plant ready about easter time.

 

If ur a bit later starting you often get huge plants that will be ready about easter 

 

seed banks. i have had successful orders from herbies, bonza  and attitude but i am not WA

[teahaircut]

Yeah Crowsange I checked out your diary of your current grow, really impressed!  You have a nice plot of land there and seem to be doing well with what you are given.  I think my plant needs the most sun it can get to still keep growing.  Though now you mention it the plastic pot does get very hot, maybe the growth is stunted due to heat in the roots.  I have an option to plant it in a joy garden bed that faces West, but sun is blocked by a wall until 11 am.  Would the cooler root temp and no restrictions in the ground out way a lot less sun? Considering transplanting, what do you think?  It's only one plant and small but trying to get the most out of it and learn.

 

Pretty sure its already flowering if the white hairs start to show a lot more no?  My plant is visible here: https://cannabis.community.forums.ozstoners.com/topic/73142-intro-and-first-grow/

 

I bought some Smart Pots for next season.

 

Nice one spider_b get double bang for your buck! Interesting tactic, cheers.  

 

peace

[crow]

Tea, you need to get that plastic pot out of the sun - shade it with something - straw bales perhaps? 

 

The plant doesn't look like it's outgrown the pot it's in.  What sort of potting mix did you use?

 

It's not too late to transplant - one of the other current threads discusses that and there's several people posted that they've done it in early flower with no problems.  If you're going to transplant - I'd give it some Seasol first and do it at the end of the day so it's got the night to recover.

 

 

Don't know which option is going to give you the best outcome though...