Shorter Growing Seasnon and Colder Environments

[I Used To Grow]

I just germinated a Mexican Sativa seed and will be keeping it indoors until spring arrives. I am going to be growing in a colder environment due to where I live and the growing season is pretty short.

The growing season is from May to about September. So that's like 5 months tops.

I know that growing Satvias require a longer flower period than Indica.

Is it possible to grow out a fully mature Sativa plant in this higher altiutude environment and get a decent harvest?

There are many pests here that will eat on my plant..deer, mice, bugs, etc...

In June of 2003 I planted 3 plants outdoors on western sloped hill and all three plants were ravaged by animals..they were totally eaten up in less than two weeks. They were about a month old when I put them out. I did everything I could to prevent this..I even used my own urine around the plants and that didn't seem to help at all to ward off deer and other animals.

What can I do to have a successful growing season this year? I've heard about chicken wire, wolf urine, and soap shavings to keep animals away.

If it were up to me I would just grow in my back yard, but I have nosey neighbors who would prolly turn me in.

would it be possible to build a small greenhouse out in a field to keep my plants safe?

If anyone can give me any advice I would really appreciate it. I've had luck growing indoors, but outdoors has kicked my ass so far.

 

[Stoner133]

Security is your primary concern. If your site is remote enough to be safe from observation, the odds are pretty good you will share it with the animals.

In the early stages and early in the season, Cannabis seedlings are the highlight of the banquet, soft and tender, salad for the slugs. Copper rings and beer traps will give you a sporting chance, make sure there is not other vegetation touching them.

Once they reach the first month, they are past the worst the insects can do. They will quickly outgrow the minor damage from grass hoppers and other leaf eaters. Fortunately, the really serious bug pests do not thrive in most outdoor climates. Spider mites and white flys are serious pests, but rarely occur outdoors.

When they are month old, they become attractive browse for deer. Deer are selective eaters, they are not fond of the texture of Cannabis leaf, they bite it off cleanly and spit it out. Then they go back for more, until they are satisfied it is inedible.

Elk, on the other hand, use the grab and yank techniques. They wrap their slobbery lips around a branch and haul back. Plants in grow bags go flying. Where the spit touched the leaves, only dead brown remains.

There is no practical defence against powerful animals. Over planting, in anticipation of losses is the best defence.

 

[I Used To Grow]

thanks for the advice stoner.

I'm hoping for a decent harvest this time around and I'll do my best to ensure a successful outdoor crop.

 

[Northern Dude]

Another thing is to wait until the growth outdoor matchs the size of your plants that you are putting out...If your ladies are the only green plants in the area, they will get attacked..sativa's can be finished up north, just grow them in containers and if you have to you can finish them inside...stay safe...

ND

 

[slyfoxberg]

you mentioned a lot of different techniques to fend off the predators, a lot of which i will be using this season as well. you mentioned a grehouse, i have heard that stringing up some fishing line at low and higher spots around yer grow will stop the seer as well. i am going to try diferent sheap colognes and dog hair and piss and a few other things to keep the deer away from my grow. a lot of what i have heard points towards the animals getting used to the smells and whatnot of whatever detterants you put out. the key is too switch it up now and then. soap shavings one week, dog hair the next, so on and so forth.

 

[haxixe]

There are precious few sativas that will finish by September. One is this...


Island Bud. Super sativa. Super early. I did a strain report on OG for this one last fall. Not the strongest smoke med users won't like it, but it has a really nice up buzz, and the buds smell wonderful after a few months in the jar, mint with a little anise. Nice stuff, got the beans from Red at Legends, Canada only.

 

[Skunkenstein]

Several yr.s ago I used a spot that was right smack in the middle of whitetail heaven. But it offered everything else in spades..even water,year-round.I went out in Early march with shovel,saw,100ft.roll of plastic chicken wire.and zip ties. I dug out my holes and proceded to cut some 4-6in. dead pecker poles about 6ft long,and built what would look like a retarted dog kennel. I used the zip ties to hold the plastic wire to the wood poles..cut a small flap for an entrance. Then I found all sorts of dead trees,braches an anything natural,and just built a fortress around the area.When I was done you could walk right by it..it looked natural,yet inpenerable by deer.Not a single leaf was lost. Later that fall I took it down, like nothing was ever there.