Now that we’re legal to grow up to 12 plants…there will be a lot of newly sprouted hobbyists. They will face the question “Grow outdoors in summer”? Would be good to start this conversation now when so many of us will be growing- Anybody with experience growing dynamite weed in summer in So. AZ?
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The best cannabis in Southern AZ is grown in greenhouses that can offer some type of shielding from the extreme heat @ridethe420. There are affordable greenhouse kits you can buy these days, along with non transparent covers for light deprivation. That’s how I would go about trying to grow cannabis in AZ.
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@ridethe420, welcome to GN. @Tygrow78 said it perfectly. Too much heat is a cannabis killer. So the best is to reduce the amount of light and heat, and at the same time increase the moisture in the air. Good luck and hop to hear about your developments.
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Whats up Fellow Arizonian. Are you near central phoenix? I’m trying to get a “Central Arizona Cannabis Cultivators Community” group going. So that we can swap cuts,seeds compare each others smoke and begin to build a tight knit community of like minded individuals. Join us on Discord https://discord.gg/ZY36UgDy
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I live in Vegas and grow out doors I grow in fabric pots 5 gals that I can move I keep them out of the direct sun during the Day Ive made a ring that I put ice in twice a day to keep the roots cool. U have to be very careful because one bad day at 115 degrees can wipe u out. I would definitely look into a greenhouse it will pay for itself in no time
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Thanks. You’re right …I am just trying to find someone who is beating the odds by genetics and soil.
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thanks…great info.
I have successfully grown for a couple of years in AZ heat. I will be doing it again this year without being encumbered by trying to hide my ‘projects’. One of my neighbors also grew (with some help). Previous years, it was hidden amongst natural foliage. With the pandemic, one was grown right on the patio.
This year, three of us are doing the “OGGC” the “Old Guys Growing Consortium”. We created a 10x28 grow (hoop) house for my part and the others have similar structures.
I grew in twenty or twenty-five gallon pots the last two years. I am doing the same this year with some soil changes and some changes to the surrounding ground prep.
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@wow_arizona . Welcome to GN and that looks great. I really want to build a hoop house to. What are you going to cover it with? What soil changes did you make?
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This is great info. Will you put a partial shade cloth over the structure? Otherwise I assume the wire is to keep critters out. Also, which strains have you found worked best in 100+ degrees ?
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Could I use your specs on your hoops? Oklahomas summer heat is a reggie maker too. I’d trade some beans for info or something. Lol. Not trying to get somefin for nofin… lol
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I want to do a double layer poly with a fan blowing between the layers to build an atmosphere. Supposed to be the best insulation you can get. Maybe that info helped you wow. Lol
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I’ll be more than happy to share all about how we made it and how I grew.
The structure is made from standard chain link fence tubing (top and end support tubing). We basically followed this plan, but lengthened the structure to 10x28. https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1338/7937/files/DIY_Hoop_House_Instructions-July_2020.pdf?v=1597757530
The hardest/most difficult/body punishing was digging two foot deep holes in AZ ground. It was done laying on the ground and using a gardening trowel and fork to loosen dirt around rocks. Each post is set into the ground at a 24” depth.
We covered the structure with plastic dipped/galvanized 1” hexagrid fencing and ‘stress secured it’ using concrete form wire. Critterfence Black Steel Web Hexagrid
The hip board height was modified so, instead of wiggle wire and greenhouse plastic, shade cloth can be affixed to reduce afternoon sun stress. This year, I am switching to white shade cloth as I feel that the dark not only limits light transmission BUT also changes light spectrum. When temps start to get extreme, I will run a 12’ wide white shade cloth down the top, centered to extend 6’ from center on each side.
Irrigation will be controlled by a four-valve timer. One valve will be affixed to an irrigation line running to the interior top/center with multiple misting lines off of that. The other three will water plants.
We own the special tool used to bend the pipes. We would be happy to lend it to those wanting to construct their own. (We WOULD want a deposit of the value of the bender so there is incentive to return it!)
Last year, Durban Poison was grown and all was great until the extreme hot period. I lost several due to root temp being too high. I am experimenting with a new method of cooling this year, a passive method taking advantage of AZ aridity. The year previous, it was Zkittles. Both did relatively well.
I am trying several cultivars this year.
ME - I have used cannabis for major pain almost my whole life. I have studied and researched the plant since I was a child. I have a whole program that I teach to “old people” about cannabis. the site for that is https://411on420.net
Until Covid, we had a very successful, small exclusive outdoor/nature oriented B&B. We are rethinking our approach and plan on having a VERY CANNABIS FRIENDLY establishment in the fall. The website for that is under development, the current site is https://wowarizona.org
We are more than happy to share whatever information that we have with all. We are here to learn, too!
Zkittles from 2019
First year growing indoors -
Indoor 5tent (5x5)
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You are awesome!
Wow that is a wow experience. Nice to meet you!
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@wow_arizona welcome. Nice hoop house.
Nice man i built my hoop house so i can expand it later. But i use it for vegetables since were not legal. I have lot of resource contacts for hoop house parts, benders, and top of the line shade fabrics, plastics. nice commercial stuff. Not junk.
I use wiggle wire because it doesnt damage my plastic and i can swap plastics on an off if i need to.
Im not legal here so i cant use it for pot.
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You have given me great inspiration! I am moving to AZ, namely Havasu City to start, and probably end northwest AZ around the Kingman/Dolan Springs area. Ideally, I would rather be closer to Williams/Flagstaff for the climate, but i think work will keep us closer to california side.
I cannot wait to attempt some outdoor cultivating and may just have to seek your advice once we are settled!
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Where we are located, north of Tucson, we have nights in the 20’s/freeze for a period from November to March (28° last night). We are still considering wiggle wire and plastic to extend the season.
We would really like to try a mini-light dep by isolating a small area in the hoop house, but I don’t think that will happen this year.
I might be inquiring in the future about your sources.
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Nice it gets cold here and since its not legal here. Im using a 14mil thick woven uv heat trapping plastic. Otherwise id swap it for a clearer film for more UV penatration. But i need it for snow load capacity. This is superduty strong 7yr garunteed. It survived hurricane force winds twice!
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Covered!
Shade cloth has been added. A custom-sized 10’x28’ piece cost $154 (US) and included shipping. I purchased it from this company. (I do not get any discount or sponsorship from them) https://www.becoolsolutions.com/
Krylon Fusion paint is on hand to paint the pots. The plants will get briefly covered with large plastic bags for the process. That will happen next week or so, when we have hot mornings with calm winds. It is far easier to paint them before planting BUT situations dictated that that would not be possible this time.
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