When can I start my seeds

[Tiresmoke19]

I'm very new to this. I am very experienced with growing fruit trees and food plots for wildlife. Grafting various apple trees together is a hobby of mine so I'm good at listening to what the trees need. Never planted a marijuana seed before.

I'm looking to experiment this year growing on my own properties and some public grounds. I'm a very dedicated hunter so I know areas that people don't go. Yes I've found some pot grows in the past but that's the only time I've seen it in plant form and I hustled out of the areas quickly. Wish I would have observed more.

Latitude of my plants will be scattered from 43to46 if it matters.

Bought feminized seeds. Northern lights, purple haze, super skunk and white widow

When can I start the seeds indoors? My outdoor planting target is mid may depending on how the spring is starting.

Should I plant all the seeds I have or just a few and clone additional plants?

I plan to start them in a basement using a led grow light that is rated for a 3'x3'area. Timer for 18 hours of light per day with a fan also?

I've spent hours reading up on this but never see how long people grow indoors before moving outdoors.

I happen to have a drone phantom 4 that I have been using to help pin point good areas that shouldn't be seen to easily from above, this worth it or am I over complicating things?

Any other tips, I'm all ears

 

[Koondense]

Start them anytime you want, it only matters that you transplant at approx same day/night hours as in indoor, to avoid early preflowering. I start my indoor plants for outdoor transplant in mid april usually and keep them under 16/8 schedule, transplant them in mid-end may. Keep in mind to provide them spots with good sun exposition which might be more visible from above. And use a good soil mix.

Good luck

Cheers

 

[MJPassion]

Sounds like a pretty well thought out plan for a first grow.

If you want larger plants start sooner rather than later.
If stealth is necessary start your plants in a couple weeks to a month.

 

[Tiresmoke19]

So is there some type of guideline as to how tall they grow per week? I understand the veg stage can be as long as I make it by starting early, however I don't want to carry 2' tall plants to some areas.

For openings above I've scouted out a few spots that have had large trees come down creating openings. My thought is I can see the opening with drone but planes won't see as they can't see strait down. Is this logical train of thought?

One particular woods I spend a great deal of time hunting in had been logged a few years ago, logging is great for wildlife as its full of new life. And very thick 10 foot tall poplar trees, would be ideal to grow amongst them but I'm concerned about different shades of green standing out from above?

May do some planting amongst corn, I have the benefit of knowing the spray and harvest schedule since I talk to the farmers often.

 

[brookie]

First off you are asking for trouble in a variety of ways.

If you are growing around hunting areas in the 21st century, you are at risk of getting popped with a trail cam. I find several each year even in non hunting months in the forests and fields. They actually have a program here that encourages the public to put out these cameras for wildlife surveys. They are trying to get coverage of the whole state to extrapolate wildlife populations using the public's help.

Moving around with live plants is risky but doable. You bought female seeds so dig some holes and plant your seeds mid may. Jump starting them indoors just increases your risk.

Wherever you grow at that lat, your giant cannabis plants will likely be the last green thing out there and will stick out like a sore thumb.

The only safe way to grow outside in non legal states nowadays is to travel at night and always wear a face cover.

That being said I would personally look for small spaces that are very unlikely to see any foot traffic

 

[Tiresmoke19]

First off you are asking for trouble in a variety of ways.

If you are growing around hunting areas in the 21st century, you are at risk of getting popped with a trail cam. I find several each year even in non hunting months in the forests and fields. They actually have a program here that encourages the public to put out these cameras for wildlife surveys. They are trying to get coverage of the whole state to extrapolate wildlife populations using the public's help.

Moving around with live plants is risky but doable. You bought female seeds so dig some holes and plant your seeds mid may. Jump starting them indoors just increases your risk.

Wherever you grow at that lat, your giant cannabis plants will likely be the last green thing out there and will stick out like a sore thumb.

The only safe way to grow outside in non legal states nowadays is to travel at night and always wear a face cover.

That being said I would personally look for small spaces that are very unlikely to see any foot traffic

Yes I'm well aware of trail cams. I run between 20 and 30 of them at a time not only to keep tabs on the animals I consume but also competing hunters and other woods users. All protein consumed in my house (by humans and dogs) I personally harvest. This knowledge of the woods makes me confident I know where to plant without being found except for in the air.

I'm really curious how soon to plant that I can still fit plants inside a large backpack. 12 to 16 inches tall would be ideal.

We have an invasive species of small tree here called buckthorn. It stays green until early November. Maybe I should start scouting patches of it to blend in with? It's normally a plant I hate as its very painful to walk through with crazy thorns.

 

[dufous]

I don't find any advantage to starting seeds more than a month before planting out. The plants finish up all the same whether I started them early or not.

 

[914safbmx]

you can always just train them to keep the height down. top them and tie em down sideways and let them grow out short and stocky. you should also consider that strains with longer flowering periods will likely struggle to finish that far north

 

[Tiresmoke19]

So is there a general number of weeks from seed to 12" height?

I didn't know if cropping such small plants would be harmful, if that's fine I could get good roots established and prune to fit in day pack

 

[Tiresmoke19]

Any strains you recommend instead of what I have? Northern lights and skunk I thought where quick flower times. I knew the purple haze would be a push but it's the quickest stavia dominate (personal preference) I could find listed.

 

[pop_rocks]

dont get bogged down with this 12" ideal,brother
you arent packing out the whole plant, just the bud , so its easy to trim to a size that you could carry in your pack
it sounds like you know your area, but you could also pull down some nice smoke in your small 3x3 space with the led you already have
how much are you hoping to grow outdoors and how serious would it be if caught?
have you considered autos?

 

[Tiresmoke19]

dont get bogged down with this 12" ideal,brother
you arent packing out the whole plant, just the bud , so its easy to trim to a size that you could carry in your pack
it sounds like you know your area, but you could also pull down some nice smoke in your small 3x3 space with the led you already have
how much are you hoping to grow outdoors and how serious would it be if caught?
have you considered autos?

I'm not worried about packing out the bud, I'm trying to timeline starting indoors so their a decent size to pack IN to the grow sites.
I really don't want it growing in my buildings long term. Plus I'm a tree dork, I wouldn't want my fruit growing in my barn, so figgure my bud should be outside too.
I honestly don't know how much to grow. I was asked by 2 family members to provide, (odd conversation, very conservative family) honestly don't know how much time they have left. They just figured I'd know where to get it for them. I have been but figure I may as well grow my own rather than be buying for the three of us which could find me plenty of trouble as is. Surplus I'll find a home for.
Grow consequences vary as grow would be in 2 states one of which is medical legal. Don't plan to plant more than 3 plants per area

 

[troutman]

I start mine around the end of the 1st week in May and I'm just as North as you.

This gives me about 3 weeks growth and plants that are 4-8 inches tall in solo cups before I bring them outside.
Then I set them in the shade for a week before planting them in the full sun. This helps them acclimatize to the
reduced humidity and brighter light that accompanies outdoor living. I put them out in early June.

If you place them directly in the sun right away they will stress out.

In good soil with care they'll take off and be huge by Fall.

Hopes this helps.

 

[topheavy420]

I start mine around the end of the 1st week in May and I'm just as North as you.

This gives me about 3 weeks growth and plants that are 4-8 inches tall in solo cups before I bring them outside.
Then I set them in the shade for a week before planting them in the full sun. This helps them acclimatize to the
reduced humidity and brighter light that accompanies outdoor living. I put them out in early June.

If you place them directly in the sun right away they will stress out.

In good soil with care they'll take off and be huge by Fall.

Hopes this helps.

^^^ good advice here. I'd follow troutmans plan for transferring outside. I'd add some chicken wire cages as animals can be a problem when they are small. Otherwise it sounds like you have a well thought out plan and have considered your sites carefully.

Any chance the person in the medi legal state is willing to get a medical card and house the grow so to speak? Reason being obviously legal. Additionally it could be a back up plan to your outdoor in case of failure, which is possible outdoors.

 

[Tiresmoke19]

Thanks that's exactly what I was looking for.

Unfortunately neither of them or i reside in the med legal state. I thought of changing my residency as I have a 2nd home in that state but it creates some issues for work if I technically live to far from work

 

[grayeyes]

A med card growing in forests is going to earn you free room and board for a long time or a short career. Keep it out of the forest.

I hunt too and the rep guerilla growers have from the cartel grows is if they see you they shoot. So hunters are aware of it and don't walk around unloaded.

Get it? Grow on your property.