Site preparation for your outdoor plot, will not only entail rich fertile soil, proper sun (the buds must have at least 5-6 hours of direct mid-day sun to produce a decent harvest) and water, it also must be a secure location. Select a remote location, away from the prying eyes of “cops and robbers”. Also be aware of pests and critters, such as wood rats, wild pigs, deer, etc. A good deterrent is a 9 foot heavy gauge vineyard fencing, buried about 1 foot underground.
Spring is at hand, keep your indoor/outdoor/greenhouse areas as tidy as possible. Spring cleaning involves sweeping and “bleaching” down grow room/greenhouse walls in between flower cycles. Instead of using typical bleach, we use 1 ounce of hydrogen peroxide per gallon of water. (Be sure to wear gloves when using HP)
Remove brush piles and weeds. This leaves fewer places for pests to hide.
In the first few weeks of April, prep the greenhouse. This involves cleaning the site and building the greenhouse. When building the greenhouse, we hang supplemental oscillating fans and place necessary dehumidifiers. Our farm is on the coast, an we are dealing with fog in the early spring weeks, so we hang four 600 watt High Pressure Sodium (HPS) lights in a 10 by 20 space (200 sq feet). This ensures the the proper light cycle for forcing the flower, the balance between light and dark, 12 hours day, 12 hours night.
Continue normal watering. Occasionally, we will add a little molasses, 1/2 tsp per gallon to our resevoir to give the medicine an extra carbo boost. PH level should still be at 5.0-5.5. At Roots & Harmony, we have a tactic of withholding water for the last 24-48 hours prior to harvest to help trigger the natural defense of the resin to stop the plant from transpiration. We find this helps the resin glands swell a bit more. As and added benefit, your buckets are a lot lighter to move.
p.s. This is a good time in most climates to germinate seed and start clones for your outdoor season. It’s important to pick your strain by your growing preference and climate of your area.
At 3rd quarter mark of your flowering time is the appropriate time to give the last and final feeding, high in phosphorus and potassium, withholding all nitrogen. (e.g., For an 8-week strain, final feeding is about 14 days before harvest.) This ensures proper flush of nutrients, so that the plant can bring out it’s beautiful bouquet, aroma and the medicine’s vigor.
The weather is warming up and the nutrient uptake is increasing. This is a good time to introduce more phosphorus and potassium into your plant’s diet. Read the plant for nutrient deficiencies. Interveinal clorosis (green veins in the leaf, yellow in between veins) means nitrogen deficieny or iron-lock. Refer to Jorge Cervantes “Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower’s Bible”, www.marijuanagrowing.com.
