Taking it Outdoors - Down & Dirty

I have been an advocate for hydroponics and indoor gardening for many years, however I must admit the outdoor, down and dirty soil garden still has a magnetism I can't resist. Taking advantage of natural environmental conditions and plenty of sunshine is hard to turn down. I remain faithful to hydroponic culture as much as possible and incorporate many of the benefits I've learned when I'm growing in dirt. The results have been strong hearty plants that are ready for earlier harvest.

Canada's growing season is relatively short . Crops may be started indoors, in hothouses or under lights. Start seeds early to be ready for outdoors in May or June. Cloning plants is an excellent option for the outdoor gardener. Clones or cuttings are the same age chronologically as the mother plant therefore, they will produce flowers and fruit much earlier than plants grown from seed. A strong, healthy mother plant will pass all its traits and immunities on to its clones. Cuttings are less prone to insect or frost damage.

Resist temptation to move plants outdoors too early. Check the designated planting date for the zone you live in to avoid frost. Farmers, who earn a living from their crops know it is not worth the risk of planting before the designated date. Too much is invested in their crops and the risks far out weight the potential benefits of planting early. An unusually warm spring may deliver an unexpected frost without warning. Some hearty crops may survive a light spring frost however young seedlings are very susceptible and will succumb quickly to a killer frost. Waiting an extra week or two before planting in spring will still provide a full growing season.

Organic crop cultivation in soil has become very popular in recent years. There is no disputing that organically grown produce is better for the environment and tastes better than regular soil grown, chemically fertilized crops. Growers are willing to invest in the extras required by organic farming as crops fetch a higher price in the marketplace. Educated consumers are willing to pay a little more for organically grown produce.


The odour produced by decomposed organic matter is very enticing to a host or creatures including rabbits, slugs, deer and skunk. They will investigate the appetizing aroma by digging, burrowing scratching and disrupting everything in their paths to find its source. Young seedling are a delicacy for these scoundrels and if they aren't trampled and dug up during the rampage they will surly be eaten.

Early preparation of the ground gives creatures a chance to check out odours without hurting the plant material. By the time seedlings are planted the investigation will have proved futile and most of the delicious rotting smells will have dissipated.

Prepare the ground to receive the young seedlings by digging up and turning over the earth to aerate and loosen soil. Dig holes about 2 feet deep where you anticipate planting each seedling, allow enough space for plants to reach maturity. Fill the holes back up with half the removed earth mixed with a sterilized, peat based, soilless growing mix, preferably the same medium that was used to root seedlings in. Mix in organic fertilizers as recommended on the label. This mixture will act as a buffer or transition zone between the natural soil and the seedling, eliminating the stress caused by transplanting . Roots will have time to adjust in the transition zone before branching out into the surrounding soil. The ground should be prepared as soon as the soil is workable, however a week or two prior to planting should be fine.

If regular feeding poses a problem, a trick favoured by some growers is to dig down an extra 6" (about 2.5 feet deep.) Fill the bottom 6" with an organic flowering formula, mixed with soilless growing mix and earth (the same as above.) The balance of the hole is then filled with the vegetative transition mixture. By the time plants begin to bud, the roots will have made their way to the flowering formula.


There are a wide variety of organic fertilization. Some growers use composts, others teas and manure. Beware that using homemade organic fertilizers also encourages weeds. Commercially sterilized blends of guanos, fish emulsions and worm castings are available through hydroponic retailers. These organic nutrients are NPK (N - Nitrogen, P - Phosphorous, K - Potassium) rated and come in vegetative and flowering formulas, giving the grower more control.

Water absorbent crystals such as aqua sorb may be added to the mixture. These crystals hold up to 100 times their weight in liquid providing ongoing moisture to the roots. Caution is required when using these crystals. Too many added to the mixture may expand when moistened, choking the roots.

There are many advantages to using mineral based fertilizers. Hydroponic nutrients contain the exact formulation required by plants. Though they were designed for hydorponic use, they can easily be used in soil to achieve amazing results. If plants will receive regular watering, opt for a water soluble mineral based hydroponic plant food. Check the label as most hydroponic plant foods are administered at half strength for soil use.

When you're not able to provide regular watering and fertilizing a 120 day slow release fertilizer with an NPK of 14*14*14 is an economical and efficient method of feeding plants. Slow release fertilizers are small, porous, resin coated pellets that contain optimum amounts of N.P.K The time release fertilizer is influenced by soil temperature; the higher the soil temperature, the greater release rate. Absorption of nutrients and water by plants is generally increased with rising temperature and plant growth will become more vigorous as a result.

Though mineral based nutrients will not attract pests and rodents it is still recommended that the ground be prepared in advance to allow nutrients to be distributed evenly throughout the soil.

Seedlings should be about 6" tall with a well established root system before transplanting. The ideal situation for most plants is to allow the seedling to grow in a 6" pot filled with the same growing medium you will use for the transition zone when they are planted in the ground, as mentioned above.

Dig out about 8" of the hole that was prepared earlier. Gently turn the seedling and pot upside down, taking care to support the seedling's stem. Place the seedling and all the surrounding growing medium into the hole and gently pack the removed mixture back around the stem. Slowly water the seedling and ground around the hole with a mixture of superthrive and water, making sure the soil is moist.

If an unexpected frost does happen to touch the seedlings it may be possible to revive them with a kelp foliar spray. Completely drench the leaves, tops and underside with the spray. The natural cytokinins in the kelp may help the seedlings recover from the shock.

Insects and pests have natural predators in the outdoors. Adding a few thousand ladybugs as a precaution against whitefly and spider mites is always a good idea. Natural pyrethrine or soap based insecticides are not harmful to the environment or dangerous to domestic or wild life. Neim oil is an excellent natural insecticide. Most insecticides work by making contact with the insects, therefore they do not work as a preventative. The most effective deterrent to pests and diseases is to make sure plants are strong and healthy with a good nutrient regime.

Slugs will leave a trail of slime on plants as they make their way to the most tender foliage at the top. Burying half full cans of beer around plants is a great deterrent for these slimly creatures. There are many products on the market that work as deterrents to animals that won't harm them. The human scent is probably the least attractive odour for most creatures. Human hair sprinkled around the base of a plant will protect it from becoming lunch for hungry animals.

Once seedlings are in the ground there is little to do but watch them grow. Around the middle of July or when buds appear switch to the bloom formula. This is a low nitrogen, high phosphorous formula that will encourage flowering. Initial introduction of the bloom formula at full strength will shock the plants into flowering. Add a bloom fortifier with an NPK of 0*50*30 to enhance flower weight and build bigger buds.

Growing outdoors in our volatile climate can be a challenge. Thankfully most regions in southern Canada provide at least a couple of frost free growing months, enough time to take advantage of.