Help with upcoming outdoor grow.

Hi, I'm about to start my outdoor grow soon. Its going to be on a very small scale. 1 cheese, 1 trainwreck, +2 auto-flowering plants (pakistan ryder and afghan kush). I just want some weed to smoke. Can't afford to buy any. I won't sell any of my harvest, even if I get 6+ ounces total (which is doubtful).

I have already found the perfect spot to grow, however I am on a budget. I've got Fox Farms Ocean Forest, Composted Cow Manure, a generic seed starting mix, worm castings and perlite.

I had gotten a dome to germinate the seeds using peat plugs. However, I just read this is not the ideal way to do it. I'm going to germinate in paper towels first, but then what should I put them in after that?? Maybe 4 small containers of just the seed starting mix?? Also, when do I move them from the dark into the light?? Right after the codalean (sp) pops?

I have no CFL's or anything so they are going to go straight into my backyard once they need light. I want to let them grow for a coulple of weeks, then transplant them into their holes (not on my property) with my stronger soil mix. Does this sound about right?? Any suggestions? I do have some superthrive, when is that usually introduced. I also have veg nutes and bloom nutes. I already know not to start those kind of nutes until at least the 3rd week or so. I've heard the superthrive may be different though.

Any suggestions would be greatly welcomed, especiall as far as germinating the seeds and getting them to the seedling stage and beyond with what I have on hand. I really don't have the money to buy much more, unless its absolutely necessary. Thanks.

Anyone got any suggestions?? My biggest worry right now is whether to use the peat plugs or not. If I use the peat plugs I can place them in the humidity dome and give them the environtment they are supposed to get. I just read somewhere that peat wasn't good to start seeds in. Said it stunted growth. Anyone have an opinion?

I'm not sure what the hard-on is people have with starting seeds in paper towels, they germinate just fine in 'dirt'. I've never tried it, so I can't tell you anything about that. Peat-based seed mixes are excellent for germinating. If you have no lights for the seedlings, you can stick them in a sunny window when the cotyledons emerge. If not, you'll need to shell out some cash on a CFL (Nothing fancy.).

Before transplanting outdoors, you'll need to 'harden off' the plants. I don't know where you are, and I'm not sure if this applies in warmer climates, but here's the idea: Once you have a couple of sets of true leaves, start moving the plants outside during the day when it's warm enough (+10C) and then bring them in at night. This strengthens the plant so that it can handle the elements. Once the nights are warm enough, staying above 10C, after the last frost, you're good to go.

Just remember to keep it simple.

Exactly wat he said lol

I would waIt a while till u harden off!! u need to get the new weak seedlings ready for the outdoors... If u really want to have complete control over yur feedings u can bury a 32 gal trash can in the ground, a little work but worth it..
START SOON watever u do so u can harvest by oct. Wen light hours r shorter!!! Happy growen brother!

Thanks for the responses. Another reason why I am hesitant to use peat plugs is my friend just had some TERRIBLE lucky using them. He had 6 plants germinated and put into the peat plugs then he put it into a humidity dome. 5 of the 6 came up looking brown and just didn't grow. The only one that kept growing is an Afghan Kush Auto seed I gave him.

When I see a codalean, I'm just going to put them on my back porch all day long, then bring them back in at night (and make sure to put them back out again before the sun comes up). I live in the country and its not really a security risk. That method should work just as good as using CFL's shouldn't it? Most nights here in NC are around 60+ degrees now. So, I could probably just leave them outside most nights.

I WISH I could bury a garbage can, but I don't have that much Ocean Forest. I still have enough to dig some pretty big holes though and fill them up. I'll transplant them to their final "holes" after about 3 weeks probably.

Does everything sound alright?? I really can't mess this grow up. I've got to get some weed to smoke or I'm going to be extremely depressed.

If you can beg, borrow, or steal twenty dollars, get some cheap 26w CFLs from Walmart and go to town with a tiny grow indoors as well. You won't grow monsters but you can grow something good that's worth smoking... and more importantly, you can do it a lot faster (2-3 months) than waiting through a whole growing season outdoors (around 6 months from now).

Just think indoors would be a better option if you are desperate and want more of a guarantee you'll end up with something to smoke in the end. The great outdoors/nature can (and will) be a bitch if you don't have them on your property or somewhere really close where you can tend to them a lot. And even then nature will be a bitch at some point.

I've used peat plugs - they worked alright but not as well as just planting them directly into proper soil in a pot or the ground. I don't use them anymore. Like sk'mo, I also don't really understand the popularity of the paper-towel method, other than just to watch a seed start to put out a tap root.

Oh and invest in some neem oil (insect deterrent), deer repellent, and some low profile fencing (like chicken wire) for when they are small enough for rabbits to destroy.

Sounds good. You may want to put them in an area that is lightly shaded, or gets full shade from the midday sun. Other than that, just make sure to keep the humidity up while the seeds grow in the dome and Bob's your uncle.

Best of luck