Outdoor UK Forest with a clay floor.

[brock1]

Planting direct works fine but I would pre germinate them first. Coco coir bales are the most common soil improvement because a bale is fairly light to carry in a back pack. Good luck feel free to pop into my thread I have a few directly sown seeds in their.

 

[epenguin]

I cant claim any kinda geurilla grow, but my UK outdoor experience shows what can be achieved in a UK summer. Please, if you have the time, do look at the thread below and take a wild ride. And it had a conclusion that will break your heart...............eP.

 

[KushNFT]

I cant claim any kinda geurilla grow, but my UK outdoor experience shows what can be achieved in a UK summer. Please, if you have the time, do look at the thread below and take a wild ride. And it had a conclusion that will break your heart...............eP.

Not seeing a link but I think I've seen the thread. Heartbreaking for sure.

 

[epenguin]

It is the blue link below..............at least it is in my browser !!!

 

[Anglo Automatics]

A forest grow at 50N could produce some nice plants as the temperature and sunlight intensity is higher, and the rainfall is lower (helps with mould), plus plants will start flowering 1-2 weeks earlier than say at 55N which would be suicide to grow in a forest. I would only do it in the south of the UK though and even still it can pose problems.

I have grown some monsters inside a forest, with clay soil, but generally speaking I don't recommend it. Sunlight can be a serious issue, and even an open forest with a clearing might only get 4-5 hours of direct sunlight a day... plus it can be very damp, and the trees/forest will act as a barrier against breezes and airflow which is a bad thing as good airflow and breezes can fend off mould. I would just straight up tell you to find an overgrown field or piece of exposed heathland/countryside, in the middle of nowhere, and plant there where it is out in the open, so it gets good airflow and all day sunlight.

So basically stay out of the woods. If you really have to, just stick 1 or 2 plants in the forest, and have the bulk of your crop in an open, exposed site, say on a south facing hill. You'll then be able to see the differences between both sites...

 

[brock1]

A forest grow at 50N could produce some nice plants as the temperature and sunlight intensity is higher, and the rainfall is lower (helps with mould), plus plants will start flowering 1-2 weeks earlier than say at 55N which would be suicide to grow in a forest. I would only do it in the south of the UK though and even still it can pose problems.

I have grown some monsters inside a forest, with clay soil, but generally speaking I don't recommend it. Sunlight can be a serious issue, and even an open forest with a clearing might only get 4-5 hours of direct sunlight a day... plus it can be very damp, and the trees/forest will act as a barrier against breezes and airflow which is a bad thing as good airflow and breezes can fend off mould. I would just straight up tell you to find an overgrown field or piece of exposed heathland/countryside, in the middle of nowhere, and plant there where it is out in the open, so it gets good airflow and all day sunlight.

So basically stay out of the woods. If you really have to, just stick 1 or 2 plants in the forest, and have the bulk of your crop in an open, exposed site, say on a south facing hill. You'll then be able to see the differences between both sites...

I will be growing in a forest this year @55lat archer. Am I mad or just inexperienced? Some say both.

 

[brock1]

It is the blue link below..............at least it is in my browser !!!

I don't see ot ether?

 

[Anglo Automatics]

I will be growing in a forest this year @55lat archer. Am I mad or just inexperienced? Some say both.

Hmmm... I want to say good luck, but I don't think you'll have a very good grow inside a forest at 55N. The problem with forests is the tree canopy causes a lack of direct sunlight and the location, being damp and sheltered from breezes/airflow makes it a mould haven. I suspect your plants will end up stretched and leggy due to the lack of direct sunlight and then probably get hit by mould come August-September due to all the moisture and lack of airflow. By October it would literally be fluffy sticks. And that would be in a good year. It is so important to have good airflow and breezes as this will dry the plants significantly, especially after having morning dew.

Who knows though, maybe you will put off a good one inside a forest, but I think the chances will be stacked up against you, especially that far up north. Again, I highly recommend you go for an open field or piece of heathland over a forest setting. I'm right down south and even here I avoid the forests. You will usually get mould even in a good, dry autumn; and the plants can stretch quite a bit if they're not getting 8+ hours of direct sun a day in the UK. I would aim for 12 hours direct for UK plants if you want top quality buds and decent sized plants.

Another thing, at 55N, I would argue that you should only be using autoflowers and semi-auto/early maturing/FV strains. Stay away from normal photoperiods as they will either go well into November and not finish for you, or be decimated by mould come October, that far up north.

 

[KapScot]

I agree with @English Archer on this one.

Personally the best yields I've had have been from the White Widow (Dinafem) and also a SuperAuto (semi-photo) from ShortStuff called Super Stinky << but she wants full sun and can get BIG so not a stealth variety. There are mold preventative treatments but I'd prefer to be seen in the garden using those than wandering round the woods with a spray pack.

Go with the Auto's for 'I will get something' and stick in a few SuperAutos and prey for a good summer [at 55N here it's just too risky for full photos cause we're almost in winter when they should be finishing ripening buds - although it does seem the season is starting later and ending later << getting early morning sun helps dry out overnight dew quicker and can help reduce rot and overhanging trees and other foliage will just create stagnant air, but Good luck

Better still [and I only advocate this if it's feasible] - try speak to your neighbours - my doctor knows I'm a habitual weed head - so do my neighbours, and, used to do a grow in a communal shared garden - I've only had to stop this due to a new block of apartments that overlooks us. Different street so no chance of introductions

But I was very surprised at the general reaction of neighbours (of which 8/12 knew and were accepting) and the rest didn't use the garden.

PS Tho cold it's been so dry and sunny here that if I were outdoors this year they'd be probably be pre-flowering in the coldframe << alas no grow this year. If you can kick start seedlings indoors either under LED or CFL for a few weeks before hardening off locally (balcony/garden) before final transplant it gives them a much better survival chance in an established woodland ecosystem (I know some people say auto's dont transplant but there are plenty of techniques that make it possible << and it saves a single slug devouring a newly sprouted seedling that cost a good few £.

Re rabbits : you can purchase rolls of dark green plastic mesh from most garden centres - trim off strips about 18" high and wrap a ring about the same size around the plant... you can plop an offcut on top like a lid untill the plant reaches that height - that should keep off the rabbits. Deer alas in woods devour from above - there is no protection without detection issues.

Slugs << I create a 'kill zone' a ring around my grow site using slug bait (check that your supplied version is friendly to 'other' wildlife) << most are these days. Once you have eradicated slugs/ snails from your site a simple perimeter sprinkling will keep you free - as mentioned on individual plants copper tape can work well.

The most IMPORTANT FACTOR is PRAYER to ^^ insert your version of a 'Sun God' for a good year. I've and some stompingly good ones and some meh... why bother.

But all FuN

 

[KapScot]

Oh also consider water supply - water is heavy if you need to carry it to site.... dunno where u are in the UK but here it's the driest spring for 75 years (or so the old farts at the allotment tell me) << they are probably right our garden is bone dry. But say 10 plants and in a hot spell 1 gallon (extra) per plant per week (tho your clay soil should help stop any rapid dryout if it does get dry it will totally brick-up and there's no chance of root penetration in dry clay).

So scoping out a handy nearby stream might be worth while.