Thinking of giving up

[Shiva's Mistress]

Hi, everyone. First post here as a new member. Last year I was an avid reader of this forum, though not so much this year.

I'll try to be brief. I've only attempted growing autos. I do not have the budget to buy more than about a half dozen seeds at a time. Out of 18 to 20 seeds attempted in last 18 months I have successfully grown 1 plant only to completion. And the end result was amazing.

I only grow outdoors in my hot coastal climate. And I try to be stealthy to the point wife and kids do not know. And here is my conclusion. I am a 2nd rate gardener at best but my god these plants are the most difficult I have encountered! A few have not germed, or germed and got leggy and broke from keeping in the shade, so next attempt I moved to the sun which fried the seedling. Those that made it further have been plucked out by birds, landed on and broken by birds. Its not that I do not try to adjust, but it is always something else. Last years 1 successful plant, looking back, was a bona fide miracle.

That plant came from seed from a vendor in Canada; was happy with them until US customs started pilfering my order. In fairness the company shipped a replacement but outcome repeated itself. So I switched to a domestic company, no complaints as I think the problems are with me. 1 seed left that I am holding for late summer/fall but not hopeful.

I dont want recommendations on the advantages of indoor growing, for me not an option. I grow plenty of plants outside but the cannabis seems to be marked for death.

Thanks if youve read this far. Looking more for advice on guerilla growing in my own back yard.

Stay safe.

Mercy1959

@Shiva's Mistress has done a lot of "gorilla" grows and maybe she has a pointer or two?

Hey there @Mercy1959 , since @Mañ'O'Green tagged me, maybe share some thoughts.
I used to grow indoors many years ago. Then long long time no growing.
Have been back, outdoors this time, for a couple of years now.
When I did indoors, also tried a few outside, but none got past a few weeks old.

I'm also in a hot (sub-tropical) climate, and recently was in a tropical climate.
And my stealth level attempts at ninja-level-99, nobody knows, except me and AFN.

First re-start plants 3 years ago, lost 12 seedlings straight. Wasted $$ on seeds.
Managed to get a few going, but destroyed by typhoons (our local hurricanes).
Finally got one plant to maturation, out of ... 20, I think. So 1 to 20 success, 5%...

Learned a lot, though, especially about time of the year / seasons, for outdoor growing.
Spend a lot of time looking at local climate info.
If mid summer is too hot, don't grow then!
Maybe try spring or fall, but also check temps and rainfall, so you're not harvesting in the rain (bud rot!)

Getting seedlings started is the trick.
If you can maybe do them at a bright window, until they are maybe 10-14 days old, they'll be much better once outside.
Grow a bunch of different herbs together with your canna on the window, to disguise them.

Outside, use some kind of cage, big enough to stop your pests (birds, maybe not so fine cage).
Once most plants get to about 3 weeks old, for me, bug damage is less than their growth, so it doesn't matter at that point.
Try to get them in the sunshine (but not the super high temps, anything below ... low 30s C is fine, I have 37+C right now...)
They need the sunshine, but just 6+ hrs direct sunshine a day is enough.

For seeds, don't necessarily go with the fancy brand name breeders and latest craze.
Look for proper information about the seeds -- are they suitable for your climate??
Some fairly ordinary sounding herb that survives to proper harvest for $5 / seed
is better than a dead or diseased 4 week old Super Gorilla Cookies Mega THC strain for $10 per seed.

I now plan for maybe 5+ seeds dropped for one plant to harvest.
Maybe more, TBH.
Some places have very cheap "mix" packs, or non-specific crosses.
E.g. Mandala Safari, Mr Nice Walkabout or Dreamtime, Ace Mix and Tropical Mix, etc.
And some "bulk" seed banks have very cheap, but surprisingly good seeds.
We have a thread on stuff like this over <here>.
Linda Seeds, Seedsman, Bulk, even Seedstockers have super cheap but quality beans.

If you're into it, get some "regular" seeds, not feminized,
find a sweet girl and a cute boy, and make 100s of your own seeds!
(Just pollinate a single lower branch, 50+ seeds, easily!)
If you have a female and a male that survive in your climate / location,
then their offspring will be more likely to survive there too!

In your case, make sure they are "Outdoor" seeds, can stand high temps, and ... whatever other conditions you have.
Some breeders have "Good for beginners" seeds.
My second season outdoors was entirely selected for "Easy growing, suitable for beginners".
No shame in that, if it brings you to harvest!

If I was growing in my back yard, I would probably also companion plant, maybe some garlic and basil, keep the bugs away.
Maybe some giant marigold, because the leaves are similar and help to disguise.
And keep the rest of the garden nice and over-grown.
My present outdoor plants are literally easily seen, but...
they are surrounded by a big range of 3'+ tall grasses, and you have to be right next to them to see them!

Oh, and before this last successful season,
I had another season, in the tropics (damn, that was hot!!!), where I dropped maybe $80 worth of seed, for nothing.
Everything just got scorched, as I didn't know how to grow in that local tropical heat.
If I did it again, I would near the end of the rainy season, and them flower in the "cold" season.
By "cold", I mean temps of 25C-32C daily.
Hot season was 30C-40C... local strains can handle it, but not modern strains bred for temperate climates.

My journals are in my signature line, below, if you want to check them out.

Don't give up!
You can do it!
AFN is a treasury of knowledge.
Search around for some journals of outdoor grows in places like yours.

 

[bakEQuatorial]

Hey there @Mercy1959 , since @Mañ'O'Green tagged me, maybe share some thoughts.
I used to grow indoors many years ago. Then long long time no growing.
Have been back, outdoors this time, for a couple of years now.
When I did indoors, also tried a few outside, but none got past a few weeks old.

I'm also in a hot (sub-tropical) climate, and recently was in a tropical climate.
And my stealth level attempts at ninja-level-99, nobody knows, except me and AFN.

First re-start plants 3 years ago, lost 12 seedlings straight. Wasted $$ on seeds.
Managed to get a few going, but destroyed by typhoons (our local hurricanes).
Finally got one plant to maturation, out of ... 20, I think. So 1 to 20 success, 5%...

Learned a lot, though, especially about time of the year / seasons, for outdoor growing.
Spend a lot of time looking at local climate info.
If mid summer is too hot, don't grow then!
Maybe try spring or fall, but also check temps and rainfall, so you're not harvesting in the rain (bud rot!)

Getting seedlings started is the trick.
If you can maybe do them at a bright window, until they are maybe 10-14 days old, they'll be much better once outside.
Grow a bunch of different herbs together with your canna on the window, to disguise them.

Outside, use some kind of cage, big enough to stop your pests (birds, maybe not so fine cage).
Once most plants get to about 3 weeks old, for me, bug damage is less than their growth, so it doesn't matter at that point.
Try to get them in the sunshine (but not the super high temps, anything below ... low 30s C is fine, I have 37+C right now...)
They need the sunshine, but just 6+ hrs direct sunshine a day is enough.

For seeds, don't necessarily go with the fancy brand name breeders and latest craze.
Look for proper information about the seeds -- are they suitable for your climate??
Some fairly ordinary sounding herb that survives to proper harvest for $5 / seed
is better than a dead or diseased 4 week old Super Gorilla Cookies Mega THC strain for $10 per seed.

I now plan for maybe 5+ seeds dropped for one plant to harvest.
Maybe more, TBH.
Some places have very cheap "mix" packs, or non-specific crosses.
E.g. Mandala Safari, Mr Nice Walkabout or Dreamtime, Ace Mix and Tropical Mix, etc.
And some "bulk" seed banks have very cheap, but surprisingly good seeds.
We have a thread on stuff like this over <here>.
Linda Seeds, Seedsman, Bulk, even Seedstockers have super cheap but quality beans.

If you're into it, get some "regular" seeds, not feminized,
find a sweet girl and a cute boy, and make 100s of your own seeds!
(Just pollinate a single lower branch, 50+ seeds, easily!)
If you have a female and a male that survive in your climate / location,
then their offspring will be more likely to survive there too!

In your case, make sure they are "Outdoor" seeds, can stand high temps, and ... whatever other conditions you have.
Some breeders have "Good for beginners" seeds.
My second season outdoors was entirely selected for "Easy growing, suitable for beginners".
No shame in that, if it brings you to harvest!

If I was growing in my back yard, I would probably also companion plant, maybe some garlic and basil, keep the bugs away.
Maybe some giant marigold, because the leaves are similar and help to disguise.
And keep the rest of the garden nice and over-grown.
My present outdoor plants are literally easily seen, but...
they are surrounded by a big range of 3'+ tall grasses, and you have to be right next to them to see them!

Oh, and before this last successful season,
I had another season, in the tropics (damn, that was hot!!!), where I dropped maybe $80 worth of seed, for nothing.
Everything just got scorched, as I didn't know how to grow in that local tropical heat.
If I did it again, I would near the end of the rainy season, and them flower in the "cold" season.
By "cold", I mean temps of 25C-32C daily.
Hot season was 30C-40C... local strains can handle it, but not modern strains bred for temperate climates.

My journals are in my signature line, below, if you want to check them out.

Don't give up!
You can do it!
AFN is a treasury of knowledge.
Search around for some journals of outdoor grows in places like yours.

Solid advice! Reminds me of the replies you gave me when I just started! Thanks again Sis!

To the OP, don't give up! Start a journal when you're ready. We'll all try to help! I started out on AFN without having planted a living thing in my life. If AFN can help me, AFN can help you bro!

 

[Little Brother]

Super Gorilla Cookies Mega THC strain for $10 per seed.

where can i get these??

 

[Little Brother]

oh forgot to say "hang in there!" to mercy1959.

 

[Shiva's Mistress]

where can i get these??

PM me. Cash only. Minimum order 1000 seeds.......................................

 

[Mercy1959]

Hey there @Mercy1959 , since @Mañ'O'Green tagged me, maybe share some thoughts.
I used to grow indoors many years ago. Then long long time no growing.
Have been back, outdoors this time, for a couple of years now.
When I did indoors, also tried a few outside, but none got past a few weeks old.

I'm also in a hot (sub-tropical) climate, and recently was in a tropical climate.
And my stealth level attempts at ninja-level-99, nobody knows, except me and AFN.

First re-start plants 3 years ago, lost 12 seedlings straight. Wasted $$ on seeds.
Managed to get a few going, but destroyed by typhoons (our local hurricanes).
Finally got one plant to maturation, out of ... 20, I think. So 1 to 20 success, 5%...

Learned a lot, though, especially about time of the year / seasons, for outdoor growing.
Spend a lot of time looking at local climate info.
If mid summer is too hot, don't grow then!
Maybe try spring or fall, but also check temps and rainfall, so you're not harvesting in the rain (bud rot!)

Getting seedlings started is the trick.
If you can maybe do them at a bright window, until they are maybe 10-14 days old, they'll be much better once outside.
Grow a bunch of different herbs together with your canna on the window, to disguise them.

Outside, use some kind of cage, big enough to stop your pests (birds, maybe not so fine cage).
Once most plants get to about 3 weeks old, for me, bug damage is less than their growth, so it doesn't matter at that point.
Try to get them in the sunshine (but not the super high temps, anything below ... low 30s C is fine, I have 37+C right now...)
They need the sunshine, but just 6+ hrs direct sunshine a day is enough.

For seeds, don't necessarily go with the fancy brand name breeders and latest craze.
Look for proper information about the seeds -- are they suitable for your climate??
Some fairly ordinary sounding herb that survives to proper harvest for $5 / seed
is better than a dead or diseased 4 week old Super Gorilla Cookies Mega THC strain for $10 per seed.

I now plan for maybe 5+ seeds dropped for one plant to harvest.
Maybe more, TBH.
Some places have very cheap "mix" packs, or non-specific crosses.
E.g. Mandala Safari, Mr Nice Walkabout or Dreamtime, Ace Mix and Tropical Mix, etc.
And some "bulk" seed banks have very cheap, but surprisingly good seeds.
We have a thread on stuff like this over <here>.
Linda Seeds, Seedsman, Bulk, even Seedstockers have super cheap but quality beans.

If you're into it, get some "regular" seeds, not feminized,
find a sweet girl and a cute boy, and make 100s of your own seeds!
(Just pollinate a single lower branch, 50+ seeds, easily!)
If you have a female and a male that survive in your climate / location,
then their offspring will be more likely to survive there too!

In your case, make sure they are "Outdoor" seeds, can stand high temps, and ... whatever other conditions you have.
Some breeders have "Good for beginners" seeds.
My second season outdoors was entirely selected for "Easy growing, suitable for beginners".
No shame in that, if it brings you to harvest!

If I was growing in my back yard, I would probably also companion plant, maybe some garlic and basil, keep the bugs away.
Maybe some giant marigold, because the leaves are similar and help to disguise.
And keep the rest of the garden nice and over-grown.
My present outdoor plants are literally easily seen, but...
they are surrounded by a big range of 3'+ tall grasses, and you have to be right next to them to see them!

Oh, and before this last successful season,
I had another season, in the tropics (damn, that was hot!!!), where I dropped maybe $80 worth of seed, for nothing.
Everything just got scorched, as I didn't know how to grow in that local tropical heat.
If I did it again, I would near the end of the rainy season, and them flower in the "cold" season.
By "cold", I mean temps of 25C-32C daily.
Hot season was 30C-40C... local strains can handle it, but not modern strains bred for temperate climates.

My journals are in my signature line, below, if you want to check them out.

Don't give up!
You can do it!
AFN is a treasury of knowledge.
Search around for some journals of outdoor grows in places like yours.

Thanks, Shiva's Mistress! Your post helps me to manage my expectations, change approach(es), and try again. I will check out the link and see what offers are out there to stock up on outdoor beans. Like the growing advice, too, particularly on the critical first couple of weeks. Thanks for your help and I agree AFN is a great resource.

Quick question on germ technique. Most recently have been floating in shot glass until tail (dont remember the botanical term) forms then planting in soil in small pot. This seems most reliable for me but no guarantee a plant will poke up its head.

Thank you.

 

[Shiva's Mistress]

Thanks, Shiva's Mistress! Your post helps me to manage my expectations, change approach(es), and try again. I will check out the link and see what offers are out there to stock up on outdoor beans. Like the growing advice, too, particularly on the critical first couple of weeks. Thanks for your help and I agree AFN is a great resource.

Quick question on germ technique. Most recently have been floating in shot glass until tail (dont remember the botanical term) forms then planting in soil in small pot. This seems most reliable for me but no guarantee a plant will poke up its head.

Thank you.

Germination... have tried many methods.
Recently, I also use a shot glass with RO water and a few drops of H2O2.
Only leave them there for 24 hrs, maybe max 48 max (change water and H2O2 after 24).
Then into those little rapid root starter things, like Jiffy, but I use a different brand that is coco coir.
About 1 cm deep, deep enough that the seed case is removed when it pops up.
Keep at temps around 25 C, spray / moisten, until germination and sprouts.
After the first roots pop the sides of the rapid rooter, into my pot.

The "tail" is called a radical, I think.

 

[bad dragon bzzz]

me being at the opposite end from you,cold,wet n windy giving any specific advice would just make me look stupider than i am
general unhappyness to beginer weed growing not disimilar to most of us.a lot of our first posts was "im kinda stuck here not getting anywhere".
germ tech..........a few of my mistakes have been,i think from having the tissue to wet.and then not keeping the top surface of the soil damp.
try not to transplant put in final pot(if ya must do the instrapot thing).first 3 weeks they still tender.got a windosill of a garage/shed/outhouse ?
chicken wire/garden netting something better than nothing.heck smokeyau has them in a hand cart.flutterbies and the catapliers can reek havock.
stealth ? was concerned now not so much....hmm maybe Arthurs right ? if you have to hide having a smoke from the missus,,,is growing going to bring you more stress and less overall results than,hmm going bowling or whatever it is mercans do of an evening ?
my peas/carrots are fine but my cabbages has been murdered (i grow weed in a tiny cupboard) and sometimes i have to stop for winter cause its to cold in the cupboard.have a 3 year old chilli plant that grows 1 fruit a year
SM,EQ,smokey,henco,tgb,gtg all outdoors stealth ish hot places growers,so plenty to read and knowledge to call on.
outdoors is a whole other challenge from indoors,some of us get a few practice runs using bag seed.
how about we call upto know practice runs ? start a journal for your next try @ a lot of folk in and see what happens
good luck n keep er lit

 

[Little Brother]

PM me. Cash only. Minimum order 1000 seeds.......................................

i know you said cash, but i sent a check...

 

[Lady Lollipops]

I'm growing an auto.. Gelato. I'm indoors but with lst she's less than 10 inches high. The yield looks great for my first grow even with major nutrient issues. If you grow other plants around that time, it would seem easy enough to get screen and use it for other things as well.
Best wishes. It's got to be a tough spot.