Short Summers equal problems.

[wilsonjames]

Ello there mates. New user here. I've done well with some indoor grows but now I want to venture outdoors. But I don't know if I have the location to make it work. I am at about 42N latitude. According to farmers almanac I'm looking at about May 1st for last frost and October 5 for first fall frost. Not a lot of time to work with! Right now I have some Hawaiian Skunk Haze inside, about 2 weeks old. I've hear that can take 120 days to flower! I also have some stain hunters moneymaker and some GHS big bang. I have not started those and am wondering if it is worth getting them a head start. Or if I need to buy some different faster stains. Im at a loss folks indoor was a lot easier but I want more!

 

[johnny depp]

im at around 62n parallel and 42n sounds quite tropical to me... but hawaiian skunk haze sounds like something that belongs near the equator.

 

[BOMBAYCAT]

I am at 40 degrees north and near the mountains so I have almost the same season as you except the elevation is more high probably. I have been growing outdoors for many years and I have better luck with Indica or Indica Dominent hybrids. Ace seeds have some nice Sativa that have been worked for cold climates and short growing seasons. I love Sativa and use the Ace seeds and some other clone varieties. If the plants don't finish the smoke is a bit weaker, but it is smoke. If you start the seeds early indoors you will have some nice bushes to plant outdoors in the Spring. I don't think it makes a difference in finishing time but they are larger plants.

 

[wilsonjames]

So basically a week old inch seedling planted outside the same day as a two month footer will have the same finishing time???

 

[wilsonjames]

One other quick question............. we have pretty fertile soil around here and right now I have the skunk in miracle gro organic potting soil.... when it moves outside can it be in the natural soil or do I need to fill holes with the same soil? (costly)

 

[BOMBAYCAT]

I'm guessing the same finishing time, as I have never noticed any differance between seedlings and nice bushes. Us MMJ types here like to grow the big weed trees because we are limited to 6 plants.

Some people over in Cali like to dig a big planting hole and fill it up with the expensive potting soil. I have been ammending my garden for years with grass clipings and leaves in the fall so it is getting pretty black and decent. Sometimes to save some money I mix it with the native soil (clay) but it sounds like you have decent soil. I think I would just dig a planting hole and throw in a handful of ORGANIC ferts (not weed and feed etc.) and you should be good to go. Oh check for bugs pretty often because sometimes there are bugs of a different type outdoors. Good luck with the grow. I started mine too early and I have some really big (14 inches) plants to go outdoors in a month or so.

 

[BOMBAYCAT]

Oh I have a Raccoon problem so I never use fish emulsion outdoors because the Raccoons love it and tear down the plants looking for fish. I am pretty much an organic gardner I guess just because.

 

[BOMBAYCAT]

Just for fun check out the sun hours of light tool at astro.unl.edu/classaction/animations/.../daylighthoursexplorer.html‎CachedSimilar
It should give you the same answer as the Farmers Almanac. I have used the tool before. Of course I am at an elevation of 5800 feet so that shortens up the season by about 3 weeks. Also that Skunk Haze probably won't finish. I am wondering how tall that Skunk Haze will grow? I had some mostly Sativa one year that grew at least 8 feet tall and kind of freaked me out.

 

[wilsonjames]

YIKES. Looks like it can take 12 weeks to flower. Which I really wont have time for. ISnt there a way to start the flower process early outside???

 

[BOMBAYCAT]

Yes but it is too much trouble. Greenhouses and some growers cover the plants after 12 hours of daylight and that will throw the plant immediately into flower. That is when you start counting the weeks. Greenhouses have tarps with motors and sometimes timers to make the job easier. You can also bring the plants (in flower pots) inside when the days get shorter and colder so your HPS lights can give them 12 hours exactly of light. You can get other issues from bringing plants inside like pests and bugs. It is easier to match the plant to the growing season you have. If you have access to clones or seeds look for an Indica or Indica Dominent hybrid. Your Skunk Haze is nice indoors if you have the patience to wait. Good luck with what you decide. The short growing season here makes me crazy.

 

[BOMBAYCAT]

Some people like to grow Autoflowering varieties if the growing season is too short and cold. Autos just start flowering when they think they are old enough. They don't depend on hours of sunlight outdoors. I actually have never messed with them, but they would be something green growing in your garden.

 

[Photosynthesis]

Autoflowers could solve your problem. It has been a few years since I have grown them, but I know they have come a long way. Definitely worth a look for your situation.