Live in Washington. Starting inside, will move in and out until transfer outside fully in mid May. Plan on germanating from seed First week of March. First grow. Any tips appreciated.
Something light and easy for sure. If your gonna transplant outside id probably go with something more neutral. Fox Farm happy frog or something similar. Nothing with too many nutes as they will only be there a month or so.
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What side of the cascade mountains are you on? West side you really have to pick mold resistant strain over all other consideration. East side no slow Sativas or you will be shoveling snow off them.
I live just n of Seattle. Grew up in Spokane. I have tons of dirt on experience both sides of state. I grow my harvest outdoor. By September the morning dew is worse than the rain. The summers are perfect for growing but the falls make flowering a true test of a growers patience. I have tried almost everything I can find and cannot grow 80% of strains outdoor here. Specifically because of mold and moisture mixed with cooler temps. It’s a recipe for powdery mildew and botrytis. Classic short stout fat cola indicas do terrible outdoor here. They become sticks of mushy moldy goo by September 1st. Right when you get the buds looking nice. Some indicas that have done well here for me: bubba kush, San Fernando valley OG, and most recently dj short blueberry indica pheno gifted to me. The blueberry isn’t a true indica but it sure grew like one.
Anyway, I have had my best luck with the hybrids over all. Bigger buds faster flower when compared to Sativa varieties. I have had good luck with: sour diesel, Jilly bean (all time favorite plant to smoke and grow), Dutch treat, blue dream, power plant, black cherry soda, gorilla glue#4, train wreck ( be carful it will intersex if you feed it heavy), and aloha grape stomper.
I have had the worst luck outdoor (hybrids) from mold with: grand daddy purple, hogs breath and it’s crosses, afgoo and it’s crosses, and Agent orange. Moldy oranges yikes. Agent orange gave me the added bonus of caterpillar infestation. Like 50 per plant. Only on AO and none of my other plants. That is the only plant in 25 years of growing that I have ever seen more than 1 or 2 caterpillars all season.
Sativas overall do not seem to mind the rain and dew. But they like to take their sweet time. That said I usually put them under a temp greenhouse because they want to go until thanksgiving. Getting rain and dew every day seems to lower the yield. The best sativa for me is Durban poison. It is a landrace with shorter flower time. I lovingingly call it good old dependable. It will not make fist size buds but it really branches well with topping and every branch will be covered with frosty buds. Rain or shine. Durban poison is also one of the best wake and bake energizing strains out there. Weed coffee double shot. I can’t recommend that one enough. I tried Grinspoon last season and it probably wanted to go until Christmas. I gave up at thanksgiving.
To sum it up. Sativas hold up to the rain ok, but definitely need a longer season. And smaller buds.
Last thoughts on Wa outdoor. It’s far enough north that the long summer days delay flower onset by 2-3 weeks. If a breeder says finishes October 1st. Just add 3 weeks to it. With seeds I like to start them indoor Jan-feb and transplant May 1st so they don’t get confused and flower in the spring. Clones this is even more important. They will get confused and flower in the spring if you put them out before May. Also slowly match the lights to natural sun cycle times before putting outside. If you run your starts at 20hrs on and 4 off they will also get confused and flower in the spring.
With clones sometimes I will flip train of thought and use it for me. Like for a stretch monster that’s slow to switch. Usually sativas but not always (blue dream is a big ole stretch monster for example) To trick it into flower quicker. What I mean is I keep the clones in small pots and do run them inside 20h on and 4 hrs off. Then once the solstice passes a week or 2 I plant them in the ground. They go wow, what happened to the light? Then they stretch up and flower at the same time. If you put the stretch monsters out in May they will usually wait till September to even preflower. This kills the yield and makes you wait till November +. Tall ladder high plants with tiny little buds at the top. Straight into the trim bucket for olive oil and crock pot. Hope that make sense. I tend to ramble on.
I see now you meant soil. I like to start with pro mix or sunshine mix. Depends which I can find instock. They both offer a mycoboost version. They are not enriched with anything so not too hot for seedlings. Once I repot I add compost and biochar. I have 3 kids and 3 compost tumblers. And I am OCD about collect compostables around the yard and kitchen.
Before I made excess compost at home I would a half cup of chicken and steer manures d a tablespoon of coffee grounds to my repot mix per pot. Once they are in the ground u just top dress w compost and water with a lot of home brew compost tea.
Before the tumblers and home compo
I have been catching a word, here and there, that tells me about your living environment. Obvious, you got land, animals, a hand on nature…There are so many of us who live in the “metro” areas and can only dream of living like that. Hats off to you…Have been a city boy all of my life and try to carve a piece of nature out of a 2 by 4, if you know what I mean…
This forum is fantastic. Thank you all for the replies. I am West of the Cascades in Port Orchard near Puget sound.
Going to get started soon. Using autoflower seeds. Just need a source for Durban Poison or another Sativa/Hybrid if anyone has a good source.
Also have access to a greenhouse and a compost pile as well as chicken manure and llama droppings.
Any other recommendations would be helpful.
I’m going to start indoors in a makeshift grow area constructed out of a 2x3x32 small animal cage that will be mylar coated and ventilated. Looking for inexpensive led to use for lighting. I’m pretty handy so will be putting something together myself unless I find a good deal on something.
I will document my experience as I go.
Stay tuned
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Big rootz soil by the soil king. Living organic soil. Its new on the market. Amazing stuff!! Even uses pumus stone instead of perlite. Check it out
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