Outdoor Growing in WA - flowering...help...

[marcnh]

Seems like the time of year to start planning an outdoor grow. I want to do an outdoor grow in wa state this summer. My question is about the 12/12 flowering stage. Does it have to be at least 12 hours a day of "total darkness " for the plant to revert to flowering, or will the plants revert to the flowering stage when 12/12 is the sun going behind the horizon but the sky is still illuminated? Using the chart below - when do you think the plants would start the flowering stage, and when do you think harvest time will be? I really appreciate all your answers!

I'm new here and have really been enjoying the threads.:ccc:

 

[KADE]

Outside is a lil different.... MJ will sense the days getting shorter and flower at the right time... hick will probably chime in here with the facts of the actual times... he is good at knowing the outdoorsy facts.

 

[longtimegrower]

Hey Marchn It just depends. Some plants will start flowering early as August and others don`t flower untill september when the days are 12 and 12. And yes it must be dark. The moon is almost enough light to make plants revert to Veg stage so it has to be night. Sativas usually flower late and take a long time to finish 3 months or longer where as Indica`s usually flower earlyer and a lot shorter time around 8 weeks. Look at the seed sites for strains that finish early and have fast flowering time. Slim

 

[marcnh]

Thanks! I want to time this as best I can. I have a post on another site, and things are making a lot more sense. The question now for me is - how many plants? The more plants - the better chance of getting caught. I will be growing in the woods somewhere.

 

[Hick]

marcnh...looks like you're getting good answers already. I would just add, 12/12 is a reference that applies to indoor grows, specifically. It has no application outdoors. "MOST" strains, other than pure sativas/equatorial sativas, will be within a few weeks of finishing budding by the time 12/12 is reached outdoors in nature, in the northern hemi.
There is a 'sticky' in the indoor section, that stoneybud posted. It might help you in understanding the flowering process.
If you plan to put the OD in late April or May, you need to try to adjust your light hours now, to coincide(at least close) with the hours they will recieve, once outdoors.
ie....according to your chart, on May 1, you will be recieving approx. 14.5 hours between sunrise and sunset. Rearing them under16 hrs on and 8 off will keep the plants "on schedule" once placed OD.

 

[marcnh]

awesome. i got the exact answer i wanted. well said hick! now what about rain? towards the end of the flowering stage, there will be about a 25% chance of rain EVERY DAY in my area, and sometimes it can rain for a couple of days straight. will this create the buds to rot? i'm afraid the bids will soak up the water like a sponge.

 

[Hick]

ahhh..yes, the PNW is infamous for mold.
My problem is usually not enough rain/water. I'm forced to pack their drinks.
Hopefully someone more faniliar with that area, will jump in with some good info.

 

[marcnh]

I'm coming closer to a plan. I think lowryder 2, or a lowryder blend will be good for my situation. From seedling to harvest its only 8-9 weeks for this autoflowering strain. Genius. I can start inside to sex them under 18-24 hour light, which is only about 7-12 days. (I'm guessing flowering light like hps or a 2700k cfl is best???) Next I will go out in the field with some worm castings and prepare the holes they will grow in. I'll germinate about early june and by early august I will be ready to harvest. This will take care of two things I'm worried about - the rain almost every day in sept, and I wont have to worry about all the hunters running around during hunting season. Seems good for my situation, what does everyone think? May seem odvious this is my first grow. I dont have the luxury of doing a total grow indoors since I will live in federal land this summer and the penalties for cultivation are more severe. Thanks all.

 

[Hick]

lowryders "could"...theoretically ruin anyone elses crop growing within miles. Not only ruin 'this' crop, but potentially many future generations.
IMHO..LR is "NOT" for outdoor grows. It is specialized for small stealth indoor cultivation. Introduceing auto flowering genetics into 'mainstream' outdoor strains could be devestating.
Please, if you insist on LR, put "only" females, presexed, outdoors to mature.

 

[marcnh]

Of course only female hick lol. I don't want any males within miles of my plants either. Anyways, the creator of lowryder - joint doctor, says he created this plant for stealth grows indoors and out. “This one variety I’ve created will probably have the most significant impact of anything I’ve done. The seed’s out there now, people are growing it and crossing it with their own plants in England, Taiwan, in Finland, in Italy, maybe even the North Pole, or Mars someday! I can just sit back and watch this amazing plant – my “baby” – spread out and take a life of its own, in so many ways.” I don't think there will be an autoflowering dna outbreak, but nice imagination.