While high-quality marijuana can be purchased from a pharmacy, growing marijuana outdoors by yourself is an exciting process in itself, and it not only saves your money but is a money-making opportunity as well!
A Step By Step Guide To Growing Marijuana Outdoors
One good thing about growing marijuana by yourself is that you can select the perfect weed variety, the ideal spot, and the best available soil. The other thing is to have the patience to see a project progress to completion.
This article is for you if you reside in a state where outdoor growing is legal. This step-by-step tutorial will teach you how to cultivate marijuana outdoors and will cover anything you need to know.
Outdoor Marijuana Growing: A Beginner’s Guide
Step 1: Determine the Climate in Which Marijuana Can Be Grown.
When it comes to cultivating weed, the climate is everything, with the amount of usable sunshine being the most significant factor. Although this isn’t an issue in sunny California, it isn’t the case in every American state or every country. However, don’t make the mistake of assuming the beautiful sunshine weather is ideal for cultivating flowers.
Temperatures of over 86 degrees Fahrenheit, for example, will inhibit growth. Temperatures below 55 degrees, on the other side, could destroy your valued plants.
Step 2: Choose the Most Appropriate Location
Cannabis plants that are grown outdoors like soaking up the rays. As a result, look for an area that receives at least five hours of sunlight per day. Residents in those towns and villages would, once again, get things better than the majority. Those in San Diego, for example, would get 14 hours of sunshine over the Summer Solstice.
As previously said, make sure your location’s temperature does not reach 86 degrees °F / 30 °C. If your environment consistently exceeds this temperature, you’ll need to be cautious about where you grow your plants.
Choose a plot that receives direct sunshine in the morning and filtered sunshine in the afternoon. If you can choose a location with a steady wind, that is much better. Keep in mind, though, that this raises water use.
Wind-prone areas will include a windbreak in the form of a wall or hedge. There’s still the issue of privacy and protection to consider.
Even if it is legal to cultivate marijuana outdoors in your region, there will still be skeptics and potential thieves. Plant your weed behind tall fencing or shrubs to keep it hidden.
Investing in wire cages to hold animals at bay may even be a good idea. As previously said, some plants may grow to be over six feet tall. When growing outdoors, though, certain plants may grow to be as large as mini-skyscrapers. Make sure you account for the fact that these plants can grow to be over twelve feet tall.
Outdoor Growers: Several Potential Growing Sites
Finding the right spot is difficult. It must not only have optimal growth conditions, but it must also be undetectable, except if planted lawfully.
If you’re following the rules, private property is the safest option so you have the complete power of access and protection. Otherwise, you’ll have to take risks on public land, which would raise the chances of being discovered.
Choosing a Grow Site: Few Pointers
Look for the following characteristics when selecting a suitable position for your outdoor growth:
- More sunshine equates to larger plants and higher yields.
- Marijuana plants can grow in almost any environment as long as they have enough water.
- A slight breeze is ideal since it aids in the development of strong root systems. A crop may be damaged or destroyed by strong winds.
Outdoor plants do not need as much attention as their indoor equivalents. You must, however, check on your crop every couple of weeks. This will help you figure out whether they’re deficient in nutrition, require more water, or are pest-infested.
Don’t be shocked if anyone walks along and helps themselves if your crop is easily accessible. In addition, we strongly advise you not to violate the rules. If you’re arrested, you’ll face a hefty fine and potential prison time.
Step 3: Buy the Best Plant Soil
We’re going to assume you’re going to start your marijuana plants from seed. In this scenario, early spring is the best time to start germinating. Seeds will sprout as early as early April in a warmer environment. If you live in a cold climate, this phase would most likely take until May.
When selecting the proper soil, keep in mind that it is mainly composed of clay, sand, and silt. Your plants need mildly acidic soil with plenty of organic matter and good drainage. If you want to grow your weed directly in the ground, you must first examine the soil.
Step 4: Strengthen the Plants With Fertilizer
Chemical fertilizers can be avoided by outdoor farmers in favor of organic fertilizers. Before planting and during the growing period, it should be added to the soil. Natural alternatives include:
- Blood Meal
- Compost
- Meal of blood
- Castings of worms
- Fish meal
You won’t need to apply too much fertilizer during the growing period if you add these to the soil before planting. You won’t have to do something else for a few weeks after planting your weed in premium-grade dirt.
It’s convenient to use store-bought fertilizers to create your soil amendments, but keep in mind that they’re full of chemicals. This may have a significant effect on the final product’s taste and smell.
Composting is the way to go since it is inexpensive and straightforward. You may also have a variety of organic matter, such as fruit scraps and animal manure. Meat and livestock fat draw bugs, so don’t use them.
Step 5: The Importance of Watering Cannabis Plants Properly
Obviously, the plants need water, and one of the advantages of cultivating weed outdoors is that it would be open to rainwater. However, in areas like California, where the summers are hot and dry, you’ll have to water your plants personally. Overwatering the weed is the greatest threat. During hot weather, a big plant needs 10 gallons of water every day, according to a good rule of thumb.
Consider this trick if you live in a dry and hot environment. To slow drainage, dig under the plants before inserting rocks or clay-rich soil under the planting holes. Many farmers claim that applying polymer crystals to the soil improves water preservation by absorbing water.
Step 6: Selecting the Type of Container You Need
If this is your first time growing outside, you will not know how unsuitable the nearby soil is until you test it. You’ll have no option but to use container gardens if this is the case.
You must also dig holes and change the soil on a daily basis by utilizing natural soil. This amount of physical labor would be problematic for individuals with severe medical conditions.
Container gardens have the benefit of being able to be placed almost everywhere. As a result, you can cultivate your cannabis on a balcony, a patio, or even a rooftop. Be sure to switch the plants around to maximize the amount of sunshine accessible. You may also use nutrient-rich soil from the store, which makes the fertilization phase easier.
Step 7: Keep the Cannabis Plants Safe From Pets and Bad Weather
Outdoor weed growers have a significant downside to their indoor peers since their plants are more susceptible to bad weather. Plants that are raised outside are often vulnerable to pests and pets. Animals and aphids are frequent threats, whereas rapid variations in the temperature will harm or even destroy cannabis plants. You can read about Marijuana pests problem in another article and what you can do about it to remove the problem before it is created in the first place.
Step 8: Choose the Correct Genetics
It’s critical to put the climate first because it will influence the type of marijuana strain you will cultivate. Check out what crops people have cultivated if you reside in a place where cannabis has been grown previously. There’s even a chance that strains explicitly designed for that environment are available.
Step 9: Carefully Prune or Trim Your Cannabis Plants
To ensure that the plants grow in a particular form, you can use training tools like screens and ties. If you want to keep your plants at a manageable height, you’ll need to prune them; it’s an essential part of low-key gardening! It’s quite important to know how to trim your Cannabis plants to increase yield, since this is one of the most sought after outcomes of growing Marijuana outdoors.
Trim your plants on a regular basis to ensure that they thrive to their full potential. Remove all unwanted cannabis cuttings so pests would be attracted to dead leaves and roots. Pruning allows you to mold the plant as well. Take a pair of trimming scissors and cut away any fresh shoots that aren’t growing correctly. This will aid in the development of larger buds on your plants.
Step 10: Continue to Grow, Enjoy, and Repeat!
Between the end of September and the first week or two of October, most cannabis strains are able to harvest. This, though, is dependent on the strain and weather conditions. To get a clearer understanding of when your plants are able to harvest, keep an eye on pistil and trichome formation.
The maturation period will last anywhere from two to eight months. When roughly 70% of the pistils on your plants change from white to reddish-brown color, it’s time to harvest. Harvest as soon as the pistils begin to turn red!