Suggestions on most efficient way to deal with torrential rain

[militia420]

I live in a jungle. Really. Most farmers in the area have to stick to certain plants or things rot out or could snap during one of the insane rains that we get. These rains occur frequently enough that I'm guaranteed to have to deal with them and I MUST grow outdoors and take advantage of the sun.

I thought about putting up a pvc frame with the black netting or plastic. The problem with plastic is I could see a need for fans to cool the inside during the day (tropical weather too). I'd really prefer something that's a bit stealthy and low tech (I'm broke). The only other option I can think of is to plant close to some trees, south facing, so that there is some protection from one direction from the rain. But I'm not kidding about the ferocity of some of these downpours. You wouldn't want to get caught in them either. The sound is deafening and it would be very disorienting. I know for a fact that it could snap plants and make life depressing.

So...suggestions for some one who is semi-handicap?

Thanks

 

[HillMizer]

Maybe breathable row cover fabric will keep some water off? It could be a challenge to make a structure that holds up, at least the water won't pool in the fabric.
Really nice cages would help, lash them together out of bamboo even.
Above ground planters with a good amount of aeration amendment would help the roots.
Good luck!

 

[jbarsk8]

In rains that intense your best bet IMO would be a cheap pvc frame with some plastic over it to cover the plants, roll up the sides to allow air to blow through and clip the plastic to the frame so it does not blow off. However, this is not so stealthy....

 

[plantingplants]

What about a PVC frame with just plastic just on top like a flat umbrella to keep most of the rain off? No heat issues. I was thinking of doing that for my outdoor in October because I feel like if I could just keep the rain off them for a couple weeks, the quality will be better by harvest.

 

[Stone House]

Only thing I can think of would be to build a wood framed structure with a fiberglass or lexan roof with no walls much like a pole barn used to store hay.
I've seen pictures of manufacturing plants in the jungle built like this only with metal roofs.
I would also elevate the soil or mound the soil under the structure to prevent your plants from sitting in flood water.
Not the cheapest way but it should work as long as wind is not excessive.

 

[GainGreene]

Plant more than you plan to harvest as you will have casualties. Keep them in grow bags that can properly drain and easy to move if needed. Support as necessary for strong wind/hail gusts. Best to use a wall or one side of building if possible for relief. For a quick setup you can use garden stakes and tie up a tarp on a slant just note that if flowers are touching tarp they will burn in high sun.

 

[Swamp Thang]

Plant more than you plan to harvest as you will have casualties. Keep them in grow bags that can properly drain and easy to move if needed. Support as necessary for strong wind/hail gusts. Best to use a wall or one side of building if possible for relief. For a quick setup you can use garden stakes and tie up a tarp on a slant just note that if flowers are touching tarp they will burn in high sun.

Bingo. This is the way to go. Erecting any structures over a secret jungle grow will make the location stand out like a sore thumb. I plant a MASS of seeds in my swamp tubes, expecting the tropical downpours to wipe out 50% of the seedlings before they become plants.

Next I make multiple visits to the site, to remove as many males as I can find, until I have an all female grow which I then thin out as needed, to leave only the healthiest plants to complete their flower cycle.

My standard method is only changing to a more refined grow just this year, since I will be planting costly imported seeds, rather than my own bag seeds.

 

[militia420]

Maybe breathable row cover fabric will keep some water off? It could be a challenge to make a structure that holds up, at least the water won't pool in the fabric.
Really nice cages would help, lash them together out of bamboo even.
Above ground planters with a good amount of aeration amendment would help the roots.
Good luck!

This is what I was thinking initially. Something like the black fiber I've seen on some of the big greenhouses here. But I don't know if that black fiber would get too hot during sunny periods since I would be making a smaller structure than a full blown green house. I've seen the above ground black fiber planters at the local grow shop. It looks like I will need to invest in a whole bunch of them. I could tell they drain better and planting in the ground might not work well since it's ~.5 feet of mossy/grass layer then loose lava rock (keepah you mouths shut if you have an idea of where I'm at please )

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]In rains that intense your best bet IMO would be a cheap pvc frame with some plastic over it to cover the plants, roll up the sides to allow air to blow through and clip the plastic to the frame so it does not blow off. However, this is not so stealthy....[/FONT]

The green houses here that are made on the cheap seem to either be this black breathable fabric or the plastic. I like the plastic better because I think the thicker stuff will hold up to the rain but like you say it sure as hell ain't stealth. I didn't think about rolling up the sides. That would resolve the heat issues as long as my body could handle physically doing that day in and out. My last grow was winter 2010 because of this wretched body and I can't tell you what kind of hell it was...damaged glut and hamstring tendons...only opiates kill this pain and over doing physical activities just damages me more. I might be able to rig up some ropes and pullies that would minimize bending and stooping if I go the plastic route. Thanks for mentioning the roll up idea because it was something I completely didn't think of.

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]What about a PVC frame with just plastic just on top like a flat umbrella to keep most of the rain off? No heat issues. I was thinking of doing that for my outdoor in October because I feel like if I could just keep the rain off them for a couple weeks, the quality will be better by harvest. [/FONT]

You and the previous poster have a good idea there. I was thinking some of that military jungle camo netting could reduce the visibility and shine of the plastic from the air too. I just don't know if it would kill the quantity of light coming in to the point of making growing under the tropical sun pointless. I've done outdoor grows at 38 degrees Latitude and was always blown away by how much bigger and seemingly more potent the bud was, I'm dying to do this jungle grow. I can only imagine what tropical sun kissed bud is like, and it'll be my first grow in 5.5 years due to health (it's so cruel to have this peaceful hobby taken from you).

Plant more than you plan to harvest as you will have casualties. Keep them in grow bags that can properly drain and easy to move if needed. Support as necessary for strong wind/hail gusts. Best to use a wall or one side of building if possible for relief. For a quick setup you can use garden stakes and tie up a tarp on a slant just note that if flowers are touching tarp they will burn in high sun.

Thank you so much for posting!! Normally I calculate in losses and grow extra like you say, but it's been so long since my last grow, and I've picked up Lyme disease and severe heavy metal poisoning since then (the latter wrecked my memory over the last year until I got the lead levels down significantly with chelating. It's scary shit to be in your 30s and to have pre-dementia symptoms come on.) My game plan should hopefully cover this even though I hadn't thought about it. Total sprouted plants + 2 clones each should do it. Gonna put all but 1 set of clones outside. Use the indoor clones to sex the plants early. Kill all but the best males indoor & outdoor for seeding. Try to revert to veg the keeper males, then move them outdoors. Collect what pollen I can after reading up on techniques so I can maybe keep some long term. Plus I read on another thread about water destroying or washing away pollen to the point of eliminating seeding possibilities, so I can't have that. I was going to segregate an all female cluster of plants for sensimillia, then make separate groups of male and female strains for new seed. Hopefully this will cover my ass and then if I lose any females outside to the elements/animals I will have my back up mothers inside. I just hope I can handle this grow. I've got CAT supersonic, CAT venomdog, 1 single Mosca C99, 1 single of my own C99 f3 (I'm trying to get more of these old seeds to grow to keep my line going-I still can't believe I managed to get one to grow so far out of the 1000+ I've tried to germinate from a 2009 grow), SSSDH (this one might be incredible outside!!), and I have some PEAK C99 ordered along with NorthernBerry,

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Bingo. This is the way to go. Erecting any structures over a secret jungle grow will make the location stand out like a sore thumb. I plant a MASS of seeds in my swamp tubes, expecting the tropical downpours to wipe out 50% of the seedlings before they become plants.

Next I make multiple visits to the site, to remove as many males as I can find, until I have an all female grow which I then thin out as needed, to leave only the healthiest plants to complete their flower cycle.

My standard method is only changing to a more refined grow just this year, since I will be planting costly imported seeds, rather than my own bag seeds.

My thoughts too. I want as little attention paid to me as possible. Just wanna grow my weed and be left alone...is it too much to ask for?

So what are these swamp tubes? I've never heard of such a thing? I presume it's some sort of PVC grow container to elevate and allow your plants to grow where they otherwise would struggle or not grow at all? Got any pics? I'm not in a swampy environment but this sounds interesting. Your outdoor technique sounds like what I've done in the past, except you sound like you're doing way more quantity than I've ever dealt with. If you're putting that effort in, then you're going to love yourself for switching over to top notch genetics. Just be sure to do what you need to do to insure their survival. I'm sure you already know what to do (save jugs of piss to sprinkle all around to keep the deer away, soap shavings, mold and pest prevention- I prefer neem oil for pests, after reading many posts about mold I think I may try low dose Eagle 20 as a mold preventative. We have invasive moss and all sorts of jungle fungi to deal with here. I'm a purist but I'm not stupid and not healthy enough to risk my health growing only to have mold destroy my efforts.)

Let the rest of us know about these swamp tubes, they sound interesting.


Thank all of you for posting. I appreciate the advice and hope the tips help me to make it through my first grow in years with the added health issues that I didn't have during the last PITA grow. I just hope it all can be relaxing and enjoyable like grows used to/ought to be.


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[Swamp Thang]

Yes Swamp Tubes are little more than PVC buckets with holes cut out of the floors of each bucket to allow water to "wick" up into the soil, thus making them self-watering from planting until harvest. Where the buckets are placed depends on the level the swamp water rises. They must be in contact with the swamp, but not set too low as to be flooded when the rains arrive.

 

[militia420]

Yes Swamp Tubes are little more than PVC buckets with holes cut out of the floors of each bucket to allow water to "wick" up into the soil, thus making them self-watering from planting until harvest. Where the buckets are placed depends on the level the swamp water rises. They must be in contact with the swamp, but not set too low as to be flooded when the rains arrive.

Very nice technique. Work smarter not harder. How are fertilization requirements given that it's a swamp and that environment has a constant breakdown of things, which seems like it should provide a nutrient rich environment? There were swampy wetlands where I grew up and the odor from decaying leaves and sticks was definitely pungent. Some times the seemingly least comfortable environments are the best for weed to grow (between isolation and a lack of critters or creeps destroying or ripping crop and the nutrient issues that is).

 

[CptnFeatherswrd]

Could you grow a heap of autos and harvest before rainy season? Then do a late grow once the rains have stopped?
Autos could be the answer for your climate

 

[baduy]

Hi.
Why not starting in the beggining of rainy season to get your girls blooming during the less rainy season?
If your goal is to grow Afghani strains and kush whatever you'll do will be a hassle anyway.
If you grow tropical strains you really won't have much to do,they will grow by themselves provided you start them at the right time. And you will probably get much better quality planting a strain adaptated to your climate

 

[ChaosCatalunya]

Tie strong rope between strong trees, over your plants, drape plastic sheet over them during heavy rain, just up and over the rope, remove immediately after rains so buds can dry out in the breeze

Also.. build up mounds with irrigation "canals" between them, so when your plants get flooded, or even just watered, they stay dry, stems stay dry, roots have some air...

Staking... the strongest stem ever, cannot hold up big plants with massive buds, once they get sodden they pull themselves over, branches snap, buds dangle in the floodwaters... However, it is amazing how they can recover

My amphibious Kali MIst...

 

[corky1968]

My amphibious Kali MIst...

Ouch, that doesn't look healthy.

 

[CoastalKind]

You could do the pcv with painters plastic or make a wood frame with painters plastic. Leave 2 feet off the bottom and or make doors on both ends to let the heat out you leave room on the bottom and have doors on both ends it wont get as hot with a breeze but it will still be hotter then just the ambient temperature.

 

[JOJO420]

In Hawaii it is all about the genetics. Get the right seeds or clones and just put your plant in a big ass pot to flower in full sun in your yard.
It's 2016 in Hawaii and as long as you keep your #'s low the copters are not bothering anyone.
Easiest way when you are broke.

 

[SurfdOut]

Thats pretty much the best advice. Jo, how tight are you with your gear? Can you get the brother started?

 

[ChaosCatalunya]

Ouch, that doesn't look healthy.

Dried out and smoked fine !

Buds that got dangled in the river that appeared overnight ended up too mud encrusted to save, so went for extracton, but this Kali Mist had branches harvested before the storms and some left longer, survived this, and the later cropped, monsoon vet, Kali was the clear winner

But, I think they do loose a bit of something in a lot of rain, you can see it leaching them of N when growing, a few days rain gives them a really fresh zingy look, but at times visibly paler green. However, buds in their last weeks of flower seem to get some of the terpenes or whatevers washed off a bit, but at least on Sativa/Dom stuff you dont often get mold

 

[JOJO420]

I'm on cruise control ova here with genetics. Get at me