For many people, outdoor growing is the best. Bud grown outdoors if often much stronger, as it gets more light and is grown all naturally. There are tons of advantages to outdoor growing. There’s no electricity bill, no dark periods that keep you banned from your grow room, no light leak issues, and no strict schedules to be on. With outdoor growing, the light cycles are naturally and require no work on your end.
Of course there are many drawbacks to outdoor growing too, especially if you don’t have a greenhouse. Deer, small rodents, squirrels, etc. will attempt to eat your crops. Bugs of all kinds will inhabit your plants. And if the weather gets too bad, your bud can be whipped and lashed to shreds by harsh rain and wind. Nothing beats the sun as far as growing for the taste and potency of bud. Some of the best stuff I have ever smoked was grown outdoors, and it tasted devine.
A fence is a vital part of any outdoor grow-op. Put up a sturdy, tall fence and make sure it will stay up. It’s damn near impossible to keep deer out since they can jump so high, but do your best. If you have a greenhouse, that will keep most critters out. It will also allow you to grow hydroponically if you so choose. If you don’t have a greenhouse, hydroponic growing is not recommended, mainly due to the evaporation issues you will face.
If you decide to grow outdoors, you’ll have to find the perfect spot. Of course you’ll be somewhat limited due to the illegality of the plant, but try to find a spot with excellent sun exposure. If you’re growing in your backyard, find a spot that gets constant sun exposure, even during the winter. Obviously privacy will be a factor, but sun exposure should be your main priority. Generally speaking, the southern side of a hill gets the most sun, but it depends where in the world you are located. If you have a choose between a spot that gets morning sun and afternoon sun, choose the morning spot. While I’m not sure of the scientific reason, plants tend to grow better with direct sunlight in the morning.
Growing Weed Outdoors
If you live in a populated area, or even if you don’t, security will be very important if you decide to grow outside. I recommend making your greenhouse look like a shed or garage. You can do this by leaving only 1 side (or roof) with the greenhouse material (plastic), and painting the rest either white or silver, so it looks like metal. You want to make the greenhouse look natural, and not like a recent addition to your yard. Plant some trees or bushes around the greenhouse, and allow them to grow pretty freely. Just make sure enough light can get to the plants that actually matter –the ones inside the greenhouse!
If you grow young plants outside in a garden, you should use PVC plastic, or Filon to cover them. You should buy the clear greenhouse sheets, and opaque them with epoxy resin or white wash. This will allow for plenty of sun to get through (in fact it will allow for more sun to pass than PVC plastic alone), and it will shield the plants from nosy eyes. If you use epoxy resin, it will preserve the plastic, allowing it to last for much longer than normal. It will also allow you to disguise the grow house as a shed or garage. You can use paint, but it won’t allow for as much light to pass through. Whatever material you choose to use, use as little of it as possible, so that as much sun as possible can get through to the plants.
Unless you’re sure the topsoil around your greenhouse is great, you should pre-dig holes for your plants. Dig down pretty deep (I’d say 2-3 feet at a minimum), and loosen up the dirt a bit. Do this for each location you will be planting. If you have a tiller, that will work too, but this can easily be done by hand. Good, loose soil can be the difference between a decent 5’ tall plant, and a humongous 10’ monster. Regardless of the conditions of the soil, growing in the ground will almost always beat out growing in pots, as it’s impossible for the plants to become root bound. Plants grown outdoors will almost always grow much larger than indoor plants. If you’re used to indoor growing, you’re going to have to adjust your expectations accordingly, and make sure the plants have enough room to grow. If you must, put your plants in pots, and still grow them outside. This is a precaution that’s not necessary in most cases, but it can be a life saver if disaster strikes (someone visits unexpectedly, there’s a fire, a repairman must come to your house, etc.)
Speaking from experience, I can tell you that having a roof is a very important thing. Plants will often poke out of the top of greenhouses, causing suspicion. This has gotten many people busted before, so if you want to be safe, always put a roof on your greenhouse, and/or train the plants to stay shorter.
If you’re growing away from home or in the wild, water is the thing you should be thinking about most. Find a spot to grow that is close to a source of water. Unless you want to pack water in almost daily, this is very important. Lakes, rivers, etc. are all perfect sources to grow near. Ideally you should find a spot with water at a higher altitude, so that you can route the water down to you. You can build water pressure easily if the source is above you. You can even setup a hose to take water down the hill, and create a drip system. The best way to do this is to take a 5-gallon gas tank, and cut several small holes in it. Next, attach a hose firmly to the main spout. Bury the tank in a river or stream, making sure it’s out of sight. Be sure to also bury the hose so it doesn’t attract attention. Run the hose down to your growing area. This setup can be used year after year, and can save you hundreds of hours of back-breaking work.
