Hey, Big! Timely question.
After 4 succesful seasons of legal, outdoor greenhouse grows (photos/AF's, fabric pots, 50/50 coco/perlite, GH Trio nutes + CalMag, pH'd ~ 6.0). I decided to try growing 2 Herbies Apple Betty fem photos in my veggie garden (I'll get to the AF's in a bit).
I wanted to grow BIG plants so first researched what others have done. 10 weeks after putting 10", 1 gal seedlings in ground, both are over 7' tall and dripping buds. I topped the apical meristem at about 3' tall and let 'em go.
IMO, soil prep is the top priority.
Others may differ. Here is what I did. Tested pH at 7.0 - where it should be - important. I traced out a 5' diameter circle in a partially shaded (live in the SW desert US) area and excavated 18" down. Then dug a post hole 12" further down in the center and filled with sand for drainage. I filled the dirt back in, mixing in each 5 gal pot of original dirt with 2 gals each of perlite, sand, wet coco and garden compost. On each 6" layer I added a cup of 15-15-15 Home Depot generic granular fertilizer, 1/2 cup of kelp meal. I heavily watered all in with a Miracle Gro solution. Inoculated root ball with mychorrizae at planting. I contained the raised bed with a circle of concrete fence blocks and covered the soil with landscape fabric and 2" dried grass clippings, sprinkling coffee grounds and diatomaceous earth around the bed to deter insects - no problems so far. Watering is tap water from garden hose. Switched to Miracle Bloom for flowering.
Bottom line is these are the best performing pot plants I ever grew! Ought to get 2 lbs of dried bud per.
Now for your AF's. Great for indoors. Great outdoors for late season or winter grows. I just sprouted 5 home made Santa Marta Haze AF seeds to place around one of the Apple Betty's while it finishes flowering for October. Will harvest the AF's late November.
I believe we get mentally oversold by the grow supply industry, and grow forums 😎, as to what is needed to grow a plant outdoors that normally wants to grow outdoors. You don't need fancy (expensive) soils or ammendments. Good soil prep, proper location for your climate, and occaisonal monitoring should give you a great outdoor AF grow.
