Does anyone know if you can grow an auto outside in the winter?

[Kelpie-dog]

I'm sure I'm not the first person to ask the community if you can actually grow a winters crop outdoors using autoflowering cannabis - in some kind of micro bush shack/green house? Off property. In the Bush.

Is there a thread that already exists? Anyone tried to do this? Anyone had any success at it?

I'm in British Columbia in an area that experiences a lot of wet cold but not so much snow. The coldest it gets in winter is around minus 2-3 C I'd say.

Thanks for any comments.

Anyone know of any hardy feminized strains that could handle the cold really well?

 

[MediScrogs]

Well, you know, it might be technically possible but I don't think it would work very well. With the cold temps you're going to face in BC, I'm not sure an enclosure is going to make much difference there.

Even photo plants would struggle with your temps. I doubt there's many that would try. Not to say you can't invest the seed and effort, but I'd sooner leave a planter near a kitchen window, or under a desk lamp for a little ambient light at good temps...you have a much better chance to succeed I would say. It doesn't take big lights inside to get something done.

 

[MediScrogs]

As far as photoperiod strains, I'd try the Mandala Purple Paro Valley I think it is, from the altitudes of Bhutan. I'd want them already set out by now though

 

[Ozone69]

Even if an auto might grow and bloom in the short light cycle or mid winter, it's hard to say if you'd be getting enough light each day to make it worth fighting the cold of winter. For example at the height of the winter solstice, here in CO we might get eight to nine hours of sunlight a day. An auto might very well do it's thing with that little light, but that little sunlight time per day isn't going to give it time to do much photosynthesis.

Handy page to calculate the average hours of light/dark based of date and latitude: http://astro.unl.edu/classaction/animations/coordsmotion/daylighthoursexplorer.html

The more I think about it, though, I wonder if there is a minimum number of hours of sunlight needed per day to even grow/bloom.

 

[Kelpie-dog]

Thanks very much for sharing your knowledge. I wasn't sure if this possible or not. I am thinking now of giving it a miss and waiting til next summer. Cheers.

 

[orrganic]

I would give it a shot man! maybe with some cuttings or bag seed though. Unless im mistaken i thought i read that @surffreak is flowering his monster outdoor scrogs under 6 hours of light!

Also ive always heard that plants with Ruderallis (Autoflowering) in the genetics tend to be more frost resistant due to their origins in siberia and such.

A greenhouse just might keep enough warmth to allow them to thrive, they are called weed for a reason haha < i grew up getting told that lol

 

[Kelpie-dog]

well maybe I should then eh?

 

[orrganic]

depends on what seed/plants you have available, of course you wouldn't want to waste paid for seeds, but you gotta do what you gotta do...

Cannabis is an amazing plant and will make the most out of whatever environment it is in.

If you can maximise the four requirements/restrictions you'll probably be satisfied with a successful grow.

Light
Water
Air
Food

We can assume you'll have ample water, air and food leaving light/temp as the restriction.

Luckily autos dont care how many hours of light there as long as there is some they'll do their best with it, and if you have a cosy little greenhouse to keep all the heat around for them we all might be pleasantly surprised.

 

[Kelpie-dog]

Is it worth the effort. Hmmm. I'm willing to try. I'll be needing my battery operated chainsaw to make me a cold frame or something along those lines. I see at rcmc there's a seed company there with female auto's...I might try them because they're relatively cheap. But I haven't decided for sure yet.

 

[orrganic]

You could even start them inside in a window and then transplant them outside or even sunchase for a couple of weeks, is that an option or does I have to be away from home? Maybe try a photoperiod as well just in case it works... Either way a cold frame will be essential. I'll be wishing you luck mate