Nice thread Tobor! I like this idea of an all inclusive thread, since I never seem to be able to really post as much as I think I should in my own.
I am a seasoned OD guy, been at it since '94. I have the same groundhog problem (being SE PA), and I've had them eat many a plant. The funny thing is, they always leave the buds laying on the ground, perfectly trimmed. But, they have no sense of timing, so they always harvest early.
My method is thus: I dig a two foot across by two or three foot deep hole. I only take out the top half, and mix half of my amendments into the hole, then replace the top half and mix in the rest of the stuff. Then I lay in the plant, and set the cage. I buy three foot wire so that I can twist the cage down into the loose soil six inches or so, then use the shovel handle to firm it up inside and outside right next to the cage. After the first watering, the soil hardens, and it's hard to pull them out. I then fold over the top of the cage, since I've had deer stick their neck in there and eat the plant. But, you have to know your strains so you don't miss the out on opening the cage. Or, you can use well topped clones, so that they grow out the sides anyway.
My amendments are: bone meal, urea nitrogen (use wisely, it's easy to burn with this stuff), lime, azomite, and soil moist. This year I got the 7-7-7 soil moist, since last year I had some potassium deficiency, but it may be from too many years in the same holes. The soil moist makes it so that, unless we go a month without water early in the year (before july 4th), you never have to water. I've gone years without it, but the size of the plants is way different for me. I grow kali mist almost every year. without the soil moist I get five to seven footers, with it I get some to go twelve feet.
I went with a lot of femmed seeds this year because my clone supplier lost his indoor location. I'm not totally excited about this, but I went with companies that I, or someone I know personally has grown without hermi's. I also have a few regular seeds that I'll start late, in cups outdoor, and transplant after sexing, or about july 4th. This is also my cutoff date for outdoor planting. I find that if I get 'em in before then, I'll get four footers out of the deal. Also, if you don't top them, as I do, they'll grow like a flowered clone, and SOG is easily achieved.
Looking forward to this year, I just hope I do better than last year. I put out thirty, but harvested less than half. This year I want to put out about five hundred between me and two other guys. I've grown multiple years with both, so I'm not worried about any shadiness. The one had cancer last year, and we didn't pull a good harvest, so he was assed out, and actually had to take the meds they give you.
Here's my amendments, and seeds, since I have no clones this year. Hence, no pics of any leafy greens yet. You guys are killing me with your pics, I'm chomping at the bit to get started.