best time to germinate seeds for outdoor grow in the in the northeast?

[prop]

looking foward to next year and trying to figure out how soon to germinate seeds to plant outdoors here in the northeast. i have some grow lights to help get them growing indoors.

 

[LoveGrowingIt]

Will you be starting them inside?

 

[ArtfulCodger]

I'm in MA, and start seeds indoors in late April, looking to move outside in early June.

 

[Zill]

Prop,

I’m in the same general area as Artful, sort of. I’m in the lower Hudson valley. This year I decided to take advantage of global warming.

I germinated the seeds in March and stuck in the soil first week in April. Holy cow, they got big this year compared with 2022 crop using the same seed lot.

 

[cannafarmer420]

I would put outside after last frost. The longer you veg them indoors and shape them, the easier the outdoor transition will be.

 

[Zill]

Good point Canna. The frost free date around here is typically around Mother’s Day in early may. I got a one month jump on things.

Zill.

 

[ArtfulCodger]

Prop,

I’m in the same general area as Artful, sort of. I’m in the lower Hudson valley. This year I decided to take advantage of global warming.

I germinated the seeds in March and stuck in the soil first week in April. Holy cow, they got big this year compared with 2022 crop using the same seed lot.

Well played! I'm not quite that brave.

 

[ItsMosher]

Prop,

I’m in the same general area as Artful, sort of. I’m in the lower Hudson valley. This year I decided to take advantage of global warming.

I germinated the seeds in March and stuck in the soil first week in April. Holy cow, they got big this year compared with 2022 crop using the same seed lot.

I'm near-ish the Hudson Valley, did the increased humidity cause any issues for you outdoors? I had heard some folks I know saying that they had a little more bud rot than previous years.

 

[cpurola]

If you have regular seeds you may want to sex them before putting them outside. I believe it takes 2 months before being able to do that. I'm currently growing some indoors to see if I can do that. Experimenting with found seeds.

Feminized seeds are easier. I grow them just like my tomatoes and plant them in the garden the same time.

 

[TheShortAnswer]

I start my reg seeds early/mid April; flip to flower after 3/4 weeks. Once they show sex I flip back to veg. If I'm not keeping males a kill them. They go outside in 25/30 gallon pots mid/late May (in MA). I usually have a mix of reg and fem seeds.

 

[cpurola]

I start my reg seeds early/mid April; flip to flower after 3/4 weeks. Once they show sex I flip back to veg. If I'm not keeping males a kill them. They go outside in 25/30 gallon pots mid/late May (in MA). I usually have a mix of reg and fem seeds.

Flipping them back to veg. doesn't stunt them?

 

[TheShortAnswer]

Flipping them back to veg. doesn't stunt them?

Depends on the strain, some are slow to revert back to veg, others no problem. The ones that are slow to re-veg just don't get quite as big. Also, you don't waste time/money growing males that you don't want.

Almost forgot, I flip back 20 on 4 off until they re-veg. I use a T5 high out put light, nothing fancy.

 

[cpurola]

Depends on the strain, some are slow to revert back to veg, others no problem. The ones that are slow to re-veg just don't get quite as big. Also, you don't waste time/money growing males that you don't want.

Almost forgot, I flip back 20 on 4 off until they re-veg. I use a T5 high out put light, nothing fancy.

Thanks, I'm growing regs. for the first time this coming year outside and trying to map out my procedure and put it on the calendar so I don't forget anything.

 

[TheShortAnswer]

Thanks, I'm growing regs. for the first time this coming year outside and trying to map out my procedure and put it on the calendar so I don't forget anything.

What reg strains/breeders are you growing?

 

[cpurola]

What reg strains/breeders are you growing?

I'm in Michigan and can grow 12 plants.

The reg. seeds are from Lucky 13 in Canada.
I bought shorter season mold resistant varieties. (I hope)

Angel '98
Okanagan Grape
Peanut Butter Herijuana
Purple Prozac
Romulan Warp Drive
Skystone

They also sent free seeds but I may not have room for them.
Chocolate Girl Guide Cookies
Dirty Dancing
Mint Trip
Showgirl
Snow Angel

 

[TheShortAnswer]

I hear you on mold/bud rot, I have the same issues growing in Massachusetts. Here's my plan for 2024 outdoor grow:
I just ordered the Yesca x Lime F5 and Cherry Lime DOGZ; might add one or two more from my seed stock but this is it so far.

2024 Outdoor Grow

Freeborn Selection – (R) Berner’s Gelato (41) x (Gelato 33 x Cherry Limeade)

Freeborn Selection – (R) Yesca x Lime F5

Biovotex – (R) Cherry Lime DOGZ

Mandala Seeds – (R) Superlicious Sativa (Santori x Mountain Gold)

Calegacy Collection – (F) Catpiss x Gelato 41

Twenty20 – (F) Cali Couture (Smell of Success x Snow-G)

Bodhi – (R) Purple Goji (Purple Goji - Phenotype of Goji OG x Purple Unicorn F3)

 

[Zill]

TSA,
In 2023 I lost two huge plants due to wind. Snapped at the ground. I mean these plants were huge.

You grow a lot of cannabis. How do you secure your bushes? I was thinking, not unlike a tomato, stake it firmly. I hadn't seen this before but the ‘23 season was odd.

Thanks very much.

Zill.

 

[TheShortAnswer]

Just for support, I try to keep plants to 6 feet... some do get bigger up to 8 feet but that's a pain to manage.

 

[Like2Grow]

TSA,
In 2023 I lost two huge plants due to wind. Snapped at the ground. I mean these plants were huge.

You grow a lot of cannabis. How do you secure your bushes? I was thinking, not unlike a tomato, stake it firmly. I hadn't seen this before but the ‘23 season was odd.

Thanks very much.

Zill.

I put a structure up and ran rope through the branches and had no problem last year. There is screen on the side to cut wind and keep branches in. No breakage.

 

[weed420420420420420]

I am not opposed to deep topping when things get too stretchy. I will go in and chop branches by more than a foot if I dont like how stretchy and floppy things are getting.