1) INDOOR STRAIN FAILS TO FLOWER BEFORE WINTER

An old mentor of mine made this mistake with 1,000 plants when he was a beginner. He was counting his money all the way until the fall when he began sweating bullets because winter was on the doorstep and there were no flowers on his massive plants. Be sure you plant outdoor genetics that flower according to where you are in the hemisphere.

2) PLANTING IN SOMEONE’S BACKYARD

I traveled over four hours into the woods to get to a spot I thought was foolproof, only to lose it all to residents of a nearby reserve that was down a road I had never traveled before. Get out current satellite maps of the area or Google relevant topics such as population base or hiking activities. Distance does not necessarily mean remoteness.

3) WHERE’D THE WATER GO?

I have seen great water sources disappear in a week and leave me high and dry. You have to determine if your water source is permanent groundwater or runoff that will dry out when the snow melts off the mountains. In a lot of cases this means waiting a year to check for standing or flowing water in the fall.

4) WORRY ABOUT WEATHER

Never leave your fully matured plants with heavy flowers out in bad weather and assume that they will be fine for “just one more day.” I have seen entire patches destroyed by pathogens in a matter of days. Your plants are governed by their biology and react to conditions regardless of your schedule. Build your life around your garden. It may cause a divorce, but it will save your pocketbook and separate you from the amateurs.

© Copyright RosebudMag.com, 2013