Failing to prepare is preparing to fail, and this remains true with growing cannabis outdoors. Before you plant your seeds into the ground and turn the hose on, there are several factors you should consider before starting your outdoor project. Whether you plan to grow a few autos on your balcony or have been inspired to go full guerilla mode, this article is for you. Get ready to fine-tune your outdoor growing preparation to ensure every stone has been turned and every tree has been shaken, paving the way to success.
TL/DR
- Many growers swear that outdoor organic sun-grown cannabis is the best around.
- All you need is sunlight, so electricity bills are non-existent over the seasons.
- Outdoors, cannabis plants can produce enormous yields and large-sized buds.
- Autoflowering cannabis plants can be perpetually harvested in some climates.
- Learn how a cannabis plant naturally grows without timers.
- Polytunnels and greenhouses provide a safe space for growing weed.
- Marijuana plants cultivated outdoors are exposed to UV sunlight, which kills pathogens.
First Things First: Why Grow Cannabis Outdoors?
Growing outdoors lets you experience the entire life cycle of a cannabis plant, growing naturally as Mother Nature intended. Producing a good quality harvest takes time. It also teaches you about patience and develops your willingness to learn from plenty of trial and error. Plus, there are no financial pressures, such as high electric bills, and you’ll have more space to work compared to an indoor location.
Planting cannabis outdoors helps you better appreciate and understand pest management, crop security, and how strains respond to different environments and climates.
Considerations Before You Grow Marijuana Outdoors
If you were going camping, you would not just turn up with a sleeping bag and a box of matches and expect life to be smooth sailing. The same applies to cannabis cultivation. Carefully work through a checklist of considerations before planting your outdoor cannabis plants. Below are a few different factors to think about in advance.
Your Cannabis Plants Need Water
Do you have available water and the capacity to water your plants in the morning and evening? Do you have a garden hose or tap available? Or will you have to carry water or use an irrigation system? Considering this issue early is crucial; your weed babies need water to grow!
External Light Sources
This one applies to anyone who lives where building flood lights, street lamps, or passing car headlights exist. You could also unintentionally light up your greenhouse or plants in the back garden whenever you park on your driveway. Remember, your plants require total darkness once the sun sets.
Garden Beds or Pots?
Unless you are growing autoflowers, I suggest starting with pots and transplanting them to garden beds. You can also plant directly into your fertile soil garden beds. The bigger the pots and the more space the roots have to grow, the larger and more productive your plants will be. I love using felt pots. They keep the roots and pots cool and fresh.
Safety Precautions
Just remember that growing cannabis is not legal everywhere, so you must be extra careful regarding the laws. Problems with neighbors can lead to potential problems (legal or not), and of course, be aware of opportunist thieves operating in your area! If this is a concern, you might want to consider a stealthier spot in your garden or add something that blocks the line of sight (but not the sunlight) from outside your garden.
Where in the World does Cannabis Grow Outdoors?
When you think of outdoor cannabis fields, Morocco, India, Pakistan, the Himalayan mountain range, Jamaica, and, of course, California and the West Coast come to mind. Since its domestication 12000 years ago, Cannabis weed has traveled with humans around the world. It has also adapted to grow in temperate and subtropical latitudes.
What Strain to Choose for Your Outdoor Grow
Cannabis plants thrive under any circumstances and will adapt to different climates and seasons depending on their genetics. The genetics you choose to work with should be based on the weather and climate.
Where You Are Determines What Weed You Grow
Not all cannabis is the same. They range from fast-flowering indica plants that can handle colder temperatures and shorter summers to long-flowering sativa plants that require a full 12-14 weeks before harvesting. When growing cannabis, knowing what genetics are part of your chosen strains is essential to plan your grow to perfection. The new Phylos seeds offer different genetics that are perfectly chosen for different climates!
Autoflowers Cannabis Plants for Beginners
Autoflowering plants can be grown outdoors from spring until early winter. They are the perfect choice for first-time growers because they are reliable. Autoflowers are also an excellent choice for growers with a balcony, terrace, or small outdoor grow space!
Short-Season Photoperiod Cannabis
Thanks to the diversity in modern-day cannabis breeding, we have short-season photoperiod varieties. They let growers who experience less desirable climates produce incredible results. Growers with short seasons should consider hybrids such as Biscotti Bliss.
Photoperiod Cannabis Plants
A photoperiod cannabis plant is a plant that flowers when the days become shorter in late summer. Photoperiod plants will be your best bet for growing massive plants ready to harvest, typically around October (Croptober!). You can also take clones off photoperiod plants and produce mother plants.
Giving Your Seedlings the Best Possible Chance
I will never forget the first time I grew outdoors in Spain, as all my precious seedlings were devoured overnight! To save you the same heartbreak, you should be extra vigilant and overprotective when they are young and vulnerable to a hungry grasshopper, cricket, army of ants, slugs, snails, or birds. Nowadays, I raise my seedling plants indoors for the first 2-3 weeks until they are less likely to be eaten!
In Warm Climates
Seedlings risk becoming too hot or dehydrated, which causes plants to fold over and die. Roots do not like hot environments; they can cause pathogens to develop. A propagator is a simple and highly effective method of keeping the ideal temperature and humidity.
In temperate/Colder Climates
A heater inside a greenhouse always does the trick when I’m battling cold nighttime temperatures. Seedling heat mats and heated propagators provide the perfect amount of warmth required to stimulate germination, root growth, and optimal plant health.
Growing in the Elements Means Protecting Your Plants
Unlike growing inside a grow room or tent, your plants will be exposed to the great outdoors. This means being prepared for anything and everything, from pests to the weather and break-ins.
| Protection Against Pests | |
| Predators | Tiny insects that fight off the pesky bugs that eat and attack your plants. |
| Microbes | EM1 probiotic Microbes can help keep the pests at bay when used as a spray. |
| Companion plants | Basil, camomile, marigold, peppermint, lavender, just to name a few. |
| Protection Against Extreme Weather | |
| Windbreaker | Protect your rooftop or mountainous plants by covering the sides. I recommend also checking out how to protect your cannabis plants from wind. |
| Polytunnels | Easy to build and custom design, cheap to buy, and long-lasting. |
| Shading nets | Use net cloth or wire netting over the tops of the plant canopy. |
| Protection Against Thieves | |
| Companion plants | The plants listed above provide great camouflage. |
| Leave no signs or trails | Don’t keep nutrient bottles or any signs of growing on show. |
| Get friendly with your neighbor | Make time to get friendly and see if they have any issues. |
How to get Big, Dense, Delicious Buds Outdoors?
One of the best advice I can give is to invest in your growing medium, nutrients, and pots. I always replicate my custom organic mix outdoors and provide plenty of probiotic microbes, mycorrhizal fungi, and Trichoderma.
What is the Best Substrate to Grow Cannabis Outdoors?
The quality of a medium doesn’t only depend on nutrition. Good drainage, water retention, and aeration properties are also crucial factors. Using soil mixed with perlite and coco coir is an excellent way to provide good aeration and drainage. I find a blend of ⅓ of each works perfectly for me; however, be open to trying different ratios and focus on a soft, airy, and spongy consistency for the best results.
What Nutrients Should be Used on Outdoor Grows?
If you are a first-timer and only plan to water with a hose, then all of the nutrients and trace elements the plant needs should be present in the growing medium. If you use liquid nutrients, I would choose an organic type or use the same nutrients as your indoor projects.
Conclusion
Over the years, I have found that the better I prepare in advance and work through a similar checklist as covered in this article, the more superior the final results are in terms of bud quality and yields. If I could give one main advice for first-time outdoor growers, it would be to keep your young plants well-protected. Keep them inside at night for the first three weeks.
Losing delicate seedlings due to insects, animals, or just bad luck will not only set you back time-wise, but it can also cost you on the genetics side of things and in the long-term plant count and production. Good luck with your outdoor escapades; check out our outdoor grow calendar and find out what works best for you!
