Sow the wild seed

Sow the wild seed
by DMT,  Growing outdoors can be as simple as preparing a site and planting some seeds.
Planting outdoors needn't be as complicated as many make it. Far too much emphasis these days is placed on cloning, when growing from seed is infinitely more interesting. Direct seeding outdoors may not be for everyone, but it is certainly a simple and time honoured method of growing our favourite plant.
Why direct seeding?
In nature, female cannabis plants grow together with their male counterparts, becoming impregnated by the golden pollen come fall. As the calyx shrinks back and starts to rot away at the end of the season, the mature seed falls to the ground, where it remains until conditions are right for its germination.
One of the main effects of cloning is that each plant is exactly the same as its sibling. While this may be an advantage indoors, it can work against you outdoors. A strain's gene pool provides the ability to adapt to different climates and conditions. For example, we might have a very wet autumn one year, causing a large outbreak of Botrytis (mold) in your bud. Out of one hundred plants grown from seed, twenty of them may be relatively free of mold, while the others are destroyed. These twenty plants have some inherited trait making them resistant to Botrytis, and this adaptability is what allows plants to reproduce and survive from year to year under varying conditions. Should you have chosen only two mothers and cloned from them, the odds are that you would have suffered a full crop loss.
This genetic diversity is much more pronounced in true breeding lines rather than F1 hybrids, but luckily this works with us as many of the available outdoor seed strains are in fact true breeding.
One reason to choose direct seeding over simply starting plants from seed under lights and then transplanting them outside is that a plant's roots adjust to the conditions it grows in. For example, the roots of plants grown in a hydroponics set-up will not perform well if suddenly placed in soil. Plants started inside are spoiled, they are given water whenever they want it, never being forced to do anything for themselves. Then they are thrown outside one day, and left at the mercy of Mother Nature.
Plants seeded outside develop roots suited to their exact soil and moisture conditions, never producing more plant mass than the roots can support. In most areas, directly seeded cannabis need never be watered throughout the season, though irrigation will of course increase yield, especially during flowering.
Direct seeding also eliminates the carrying of suspicious and cumbersome boxes of plants into hard to reach areas, a major hassle of guerrilla growing.
Choosing a Location
Once you have a general idea of where you want to grow, a good place to visit is your local university, library or map supplier. Here you can find detailed topographical maps of the area, as well as soil maps indicating whether it is suitable for growing (many soil maps will indicate whether an area is farmable). Look for areas with some access to water in case of drought.
River valleys are ideal locations as good soil usually accumulates there, and there is also easy access to water. If planting in valleys, make sure not to choose a location at the very bottom, as this is where frost will settle.
Preparing the Site
Ideally, the site should be prepared the previous summer or fall, giving organic fertilizers time to break down into useable nutrients and eliminating hectic spring preparations. This is especially important when direct seeding, as turning the soil right before planting dries out the top layer, losing precious moisture needed for germination. Stay clear of blood and bone meal, as they attract bears, raccoons and a host of other creatures to the site, where they will dig up plants and destroy seedlings while searching for the source of the smell.
Other things to avoid are perlite, vermiculite and rockwool, as they stand out like a sore thumb in the off-season, attracting the attention of potential thieves of next year's crop. Dig holes or trenches two to three feet deep, and at least two feet wide. A good mix of several organic fertilizers is the best bet, as different ingredients release fertilizers at different rates.
Worm castings and sheep manure are good sources for nitrogen, as well as having excellent water-holding capacities. However, be careful not to overdo it with manure, as a large amount of the nitrogen is in the ammonium form, which will cause stretched, disease-susceptible plants in too large a dose.
Phosphorous is best supplied with rock phosphate or bat guano, or a mixture of both. Follow recommended label rates, and again, be careful not to overdo. Although phosphorous is necessary for proper growth of cannabis, too much emphasis is placed on it in marijuana cultivation. Excess amounts lead to long internodes and acidified soil.
Potassium can be added with the addition of muriate of potash, kelp meal or wood ash. Care is needed here as overdoing an application can raise your soil EC too high, burning your plants, especially delicate seedlings. This applies to kelp meal in particular, as it also contains large amounts of sodium.
A final addition beneficial to most soils is dolomite or horticultural lime, which keeps your ph in check as well as supp calcium and magnesium. If in doubt of your soil ph, simply mix some soil with a similar amount of distilled water, let it sit for thirty minutes, and then check with a ph meter or test strip. Anything between 5.5 and 7 will work fine for our purposes.
In a commercial garden it might make sense to send a soil sample to be tested, especially if using the same spot for several years. This can be done at any agricultural university or a variety of businesses advertised in gardening magazines. Simply tell them it is for your vegetable garden and ask for organic recommendations.
Sowing your seed
This technique is best used by those who have access to a large amount of seeds. If you only have a pack of ten seeds do not even bother. A minimum sowing should be about 40 to 50 seeds for a small crop, as many will not germinate and about half will be male. For best results, soak seeds the night before in a covered glass of water, and then plant outside, pointed end up, at a spacing of about one seed for every four inches of area. Seeds can be planted anywhere from 1/2 to 1 1/4 inches deep depending on soil type – too shallow a planting will cause poor germination due to lack of moisture.
Soil temperature is the major determining factor in deciding when to sow – it is best to wait until it has reached 10-12°C (50-54°F). A soil thermometer can be obtained from many garden supply stores for about thirty dollars, or just use your judgement. Generally you want to plant about two weeks before you would normally transplant clones or seedlings. Small seedlings are actually much more cold-hardy than their adult counterparts, Indicas more so than Sativas due to the cold springs where they originate.
Fungicides should not be needed provided the soil is properly warmed. If damping off does become a problem, drench with chamomile tea or no-damp.
Thinning
It is usually necessary to thin crowded or weak plants about a month after planting, but be careful not to pull too many before males indicate. Once all males are removed you want to be left with only vigorous plants, spaced wide enough to reach their maximum potential, yet close enough to make efficient use of your area.
Outdoor threats
Animals - Deer, rabbits and mice are the main menaces to a cannabis crop. Fences work, but can draw unwelcome attention to your garden. Luckily, the best defense is invisible – simply add scent to your garden that animals relate to predators. Fox or coyote urine can be bought from hunting supply stores (usually fall only), spray it around your plants on a regular basis and mice and rabbits will quickly vacate the area. Small pieces of soap placed or hung around the perimeter works well for repelling deer. It is important to scent the area well before you plant and a good idea to change brands of soap every three weeks so animals do not become accustomed to the scent.
Flower Police - Police helicopters in most areas go up towards the end of August and are usually winding down by the third week of September. For the most part they simply act as common thieves, grabbing and running. Arrests are rare, but they have been known to stake out large crops. Always completely check out the surrounding area before entering a garden.
Other Thieves - Not much you can do about these low-lifes other than tell no one about the garden, camouflage it well and leave no trails.
Choosing a Strain
Two things make direct seeding much easier: producing your own seed and growing a pure breeding strain. Luckily these go hand in hand, and many of today's outdoor strains are true breeding (although this is rarely advertised by seed companies). True breeding strains such as Durban, Early Girl or Holland's Hope are an advantage as the plants will all sex out and mature at the same time, minimizing trips to the garden. Once you have found a strain you like, stick with it and keep records, this way you will know from one year to the next when it is time to pull males or harvest.
Other issues to look at are mold susceptibility, maturity dates, where it was bred and personal preference. Generally Sativas or strains with Ruderalis in them are less susceptible to molds because of their airier bud structure, while dense Indica-type floral clusters take a long time to dry after a rain, giving mold spores plenty of time to germinate. Maturity dates will vary depending on your latitude, most strains sold for outdoors generally finish from about September 5 to October 15. Keep in mind that even if you can have plants out into mid-October, the light level diminishes quickly after the second or third week of September, and heavy rains are much more likely, both of which will adversely affect yields.
Saving Your Seed
Especially now, with the fate of Dutch seed companies up in the air, it is time to take control of your own seed supply. Once your males begin to show, transplant them to a location well away from any sinsemilla crops where they can be grown on until pollen release. Paper bags are good for collection of pollen, these can then simply be tied tightly over female colas and left for three days to kill any unused pollen. Pollen may also be very carefully painted onto pistils with a small brush. Never underestimate the damage potential of a bag of pollen in an unseeded garden. Try to select at least a few male plants and pollinate limbs on as many females as is convenient. Providing they are vigorous and to your liking, this will keep the gene pool somewhat diverse.
If you grow in the same region year after year your strain will gradually become acclimatized to your particular climate. If making an F1 hybrid, simply choose your nicest male plant from one strain and cross it with a choice female of another. For outdoor strains it is best to pollinate about three weeks before harvest. This allows colas some time to fill out before pollination as well as providing seeds with plenty of time to ripen properly.
When removing seed from ripened colas, dry bud until very dry then rub between your palms over a stretched silk screen. This works well for separating the seed as well as collecting a tasty sample of trichomes as reward for your hard work.
Seed should be allowed to dry for at least a month then stored in a cool dry place with some dessicant until later use.
**************************************************
Cannabis Culture Magazine

 

WOW sticky, great subject to bring up, considering summer is almost here...I have a few questions however...


Now i am going to plant about 30 seeds in total this year. Now your saying that i should dig 30 2 feet deep, 2 feet wide holes???? Thats alot of work...cause my plants will grow about 5-6 feet high, will this be nessisary, or can i go lets say 1 cubic foot?? And also, isn't it wise to germinate the seeds before planting, so you know which ones will sprout??


Any advice would be great...thanks alot!!

 

Hey, Good post sticki


Danno, Yes it is A LOT better to germinate before u plan ur plants. I have a current outdoor Grow going right now, and the way i did it was i germinated seeds inside, then put them under a 40w. flourcent. For about 1-2 months, Then i moved them outside in a 2ft deep 3 1/2 ft wide hole. But i put 3 plants all spaced out in the hole, U have to keep in mind ur going to have to move ur plants outside sometime.... So u better hope u bring a flashlight out to ur grow spot when u move them at night. Well I moved them out at night. Also Another problem for u might Be getting the soil out to ur actual grow area. I know i had to walk a little ways with 2 20lb. bags on each sholder.... Just letting u know it's going to Be a lot of work, but if u find the right spot.... It's all worth every minute of it... And remember this 1 Fact.


Growing outside is all about Sacrifices, Your going to find thats u will have to make a few in order to get ur 30 plants the way u would like them.


Also watering 30 plants might Become a problem as they grow they like to drink, espically outside cuz the water can evaporate A LOT faster than inside. I have 2 water every 2-3 days, Goodluck Danno....


-mikey-

 

Thanks alot for that great info Mike...


but i think im oging to start the plants directly outside. This way they are already used to there conditions, and i wont have to transplant...yes i know, it will be alot of work but hey ill hopfully get aobut 15 females outdoor...I am only wondering now how mcuh soil i would need to make 30 holes that size??any estimates?

 

Hi, Ive heard u need 1 gallon per 1ft of height on the plant, so prolly to be safe, id put 10 gallons in each hole, thats 40 qt bags, 1 per hole. And make sure your soil has some perlite, and peatmoss in it, or you can buy a premade soil from your nursery. I hope your grow goes good, Peace.