How to you grow marijuana outdoors?

Determine the Climate in Which You’re Going to Grow the Marijuana

Climate is all-important when growing cannabis, with the primary concern being the amount of available sunlight. While this isn’t a problem in sun-kissed California, not every American state has the same luxury. However, don’t assume that glorious sunny weather is perfect for growing flowers.

For example, sustained temperatures of over 86 degrees Fahrenheit can prevent growth, while temperatures below 55 degrees could kill your precious plants.

There’s no doubt that growing marijuana outdoors comes with challenges (which we address later on), but it also has a list of cool benefits:

• Eco-Friendly:Indoor growing eats up a lot of electricity because it requires so much grow light; not to mention ventilation systems and other equipment. In the state of California, it is estimated that growing weed indoors uses the equivalent of 200 pounds of coal to grow just a single pound. Outdoor growing needs sun, air, water, and minimal equipment to survive.
• Better Quality Buds: Marijuana that is grown outdoors carries a distinctive flavor and aroma. As long as you choose the right strain, you’ll enjoy every single smoke.
• Low Cost: Assuming that you have chosen the right location, outdoor growing offers unlimited sun, fresh air, carbon dioxide, and rainwater. Buy the best seeds, take good care of them, and when they sprout, they’ll need minimal maintenance. Once you learn how to handle pests and inclement weather, you’ll be surprised how easy it is to grow weed outdoors.
• Larger Yields: It is common for outdoor marijuana plants to grow nearly 6 ft tall, and such plants offer 500 grams of dried bud. A harvest from just six plants is usually enough to provide you with a year’s supply of premium cannabis.
• Legality: As long as you don’t grow in your back garden, it is harder to trace the ownership of outdoor weed. You have the power of deniability if questioned, but hopefully, you are not breaking the law in the first place!

Pick a space for your garden

Choosing a space for your outdoor garden is one of the most important decision you’ll make, especially if you’re planting directly in the ground or in large immobile containers.

Your cannabis plants should receive as much direct sunlight as possible, ideally during midday, when the quality of light is best. As the season changes and fall approaches, your plants will get less and less sunlight throughout the day, which will trigger the flowering stage.

Having a constant breeze is good for your plants, and especially in hot climates. But if you live in an area with a lot of high winds, consider planting near a windbreak of some sort, like a wall, fence, or large shrubbery.

Finally, you will want to consider privacy and security. A lot of people want to conceal their gardens from judgmental neighbors and potential thieves. Tall fences and large shrubs or trees are your best bet, unless you live in a secluded area.

Some growers plant in containers on balconies or rooftops that are shielded from view, while some build heavy-gauge wire cages to keep thieves and animals at bay. Whatever you decide, think about how big you want your final plant to be—outdoor cannabis plants can grow to 15 feet tall or more, depending on how much you let them go.

Ideal growing medium

Once the seeds have germinated, we must choose a suitable substrate for the place where we want to plant. When the seed has germinated we should plant it in a small pot and wait for the stem to develop. When we see that the stem has grown sufficiently, approximately three or four centimeters. This is important because, if we plant it directly germinated, or with a very small size, we run the risk of spoiling the plant due to the bad weather, insects and the hostile environment in general. It is necessary to use small pots to germinate seeds and others to make them grow. Many growers are progressively changing the size of the pots from smaller to larger to improve growth. But it is not necessary, it depends on the grower preferences.

Germination materials

To germinate seeds, you can use the system of Tup-per, and once they have opened, you must plant them in alveolis or in small pots of small size, for example, 7x7x9cm or 9x9x11cm. The depth at which we plant the germinated seed will be one or two centimeters, depending on the size of the stem. At this time plants will need our full attention as we are facing an extremely delicate period.

We must have moist soil but not soak them as we run the risk of drowning plants. We must have them in a sunny place, but not with directly sun because at this point the plant is very delicate and we can burn it. Finally, we must also bear in mind that the place where we plant them must not have strong air currents, as they could tear it off; but it must be in a ventilated place. If we do all this, stem will begin to grow and lean, it is at this point that we must transplant it again, this time in a pot of approximately 3.5L; burying the stem about two thirds of its size. It is also important to water the plant at the edges of the flowerpot, because if we wet the delicate stem, it runs the risk of rotting.

Buy the Best Soil for Your Plants

We are assuming that you intend to grow your cannabis plants from seed. In this case, you should germinate indoors during the early spring. In a warmer climate, seeds can start to sprout by early April. If you live in cold weather, this process probably won’t happen until May.

Typically, seeds only begin to germinate when exposed to constant temperatures of 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Experts suggest keeping your plants indoors for up to four weeks before bringing them outside when the weather is more suitable.

When choosing the right soil, bear in mind that it is made up primarily of clay, sand, and silt. Your plants require slightly acidic soil with organic matter that has been adequately drained. As a result, you have to research the soil in the ground if you intend on planting your cannabis directly in the earth.

Let’s check out soil types according to their most prevalent component:

• Clay-Rich Soil: This is heavy, doesn’t hold oxygen particularly well, and drains very slowly. Around four weeks before you start planting, dig the holes for the marijuana and add significant amounts of manure, compost, and any other decomposed organic matter that you can think of. This process improves drainage, offers aeration, and ensures your marijuana plants receive adequate nutrients.
• Sand-Rich Soil: This is a good option because it drains well and warms quickly. On the downside, it doesn’t hold nutrients very well, and this can be problematic in wetter climates. Dig holes for the plants and add peat moss and compost to bind the soil together. If you live in a warm environment, mulch the soil to prevent the roots from overheating. This process also helps the soil retain water better.
• Silt-Rich Soil: This is the best soil for growing marijuana plants because it warms rapidly, has excellent drainage, holds moisture and is easy to work. You will find the best silty soil at the bottom of lakes or in prehistoric riverbeds.

Choose your containers

You may need to put all of your plants in containers if you don’t have great soil. Also, if you’re unable to perform the heavy labor needed to dig holes and amend soil, containers may be the only way for you to grow your own cannabis outdoors.

If you don’t have a suitable patch of earth to make a garden, containers can be placed on decks, patios, rooftops, and many other spots. If needed, you can move them around during the day to take advantage of the sun or to shield them from excessive heat or wind. You can also use common cannabis nutrients designed for indoor growing because you will be using premixed soil. This will take much of the guesswork out of fertilizing your plants.

However, plants grown in pots, buckets, or barrels will likely be smaller than those planted in the ground because their root growth is restricted to the size of the container. In a broad sense, the size of the pot will determine the size of the plant, although it’s possible to grow large plants in small containers if proper techniques are used.

In general, 5-gallon pots are a good size for small to medium outdoor plants, and 10-gallon pots or larger are recommended for big plants. Regardless of size, you’ll want to protect the roots of your plants from overheating during warm weather, as pots can quickly get hot in direct sunlight. This will severely limit the growth of your plants, so be sure to shade your containers when the sun is high in the sky.