Cannabis growing calendar for Southern Europe

Cannabis growing calendar for Southern Europe

Southern Europe offers some of the best outdoor cannabis cultivation conditions. The growing season extends from early spring to winter and ample amounts of unbroken sunshine are guaranteed. Temperatures rarely get too cold, if anything it’s the mid-summer maximum temperatures and lack of rainfall which are likely to be the main causes of concern.

The basics of growing cannabis in Southern Europe

Southern Europe climatic and cannabis grow conditions do vary somewhat from country to country. Parts of Southern Spain have a dry, arid and desert-like climate which is not dis-similar to that of North Africa. Summer temperatures of 40ºC+ and no rain from one week to the next are the norm.

In Portugal you can find the Laurel Forests which enjoy a sub-tropical rain forest weather pattern with moist, damp conditions. It’s important to note the surprisingly wide spectrum of outdoor grow conditions which are present in Southern Europe and similar latitudes around the world.

If you grow cannabis outdoors in Southern Europe it’s essential to know the fine detail of your particular geography and micro climate. This may influence your choice of cannabis seeds, and when you germinate them as well as the type of strains you will prefer to grow. But the good news is that the mild climate and plentiful sunshine make life relatively easy in general for the outdoor Southern European cannabis grower.

You will be able to grow a far wider selection of photoperiod feminised cannabis seeds than more northerly growers. You may also be able to harvest 3 successive autoflower crops each year thanks to the long grow season and mild spring/autumn. Growing cannabis in Southern Europe has it’s challenges but also plenty of rewards, especially for the well prepared outdoor grower.

Most suitable cannabis genetics for Southern Europe

Orange Hill Special, 1st place outdoor category at Copa Cannabica Expo Industria, Chaco 2021

You can take your pick! All the autoflower seed options will grow well and 2-3 successive harvests each year should be quite possible. This allows you a regular supply of fresh, sun-ripened buds throughout the year. All the Dutch Outdoor cannabis seed collection will also grow well in Southern Europe. In addition, many of the photoperiod feminised strains (often regarded as indoor strains) will also grow well in Southern Europe where warm, sunny weather can often continue throughout November.

It’s worth saying that local micro climates do vary significantly across Southern Europe. So an outdoor cannabis grower in the desert-like climate of Almeria (Spain) might feel comfortable growing a range of indica varieties with dense, hard buds. Whereas someone growing in a damp forest, perhaps at altitude, may prefer to avoid indicas and may favour sativa strains with a more open bud structure and less potential for bud rot.

Knowing the restrictions and limits of your specific climate is one of the attributes of a successful outdoor grower. The outdoor growing season can be markedly different between Northern and Southern Spain

Outdoor cannabis grow calendar for Southern Europe

The length of the growing season along with start/finish dates does of course vary but the following information should help the outdoor grower plan their season well. Note that the temperatures at your grow location will depend on factors such as altitude, proximity to the coast etc.

February

  • Day length: 9:50–11:02 hours
  • Average temperature: 3–13°C

It’s early in the grow season, often with cool evening temperatures. But that won’t stop the determined outdoor grower from perhaps germinating some cannabis seeds and getting them going for a month or so in the greenhouse. With some protection from cool evening temperatures (and maybe a small light and heater) you can give your seedlings a head start.

February is also a good time to prepare your outdoor grow location, digging it over, removing weeds etc. You may wish to improve soil fertility with additives such as well rotted manure, compost, fish/blood/bone additives, dolomite lime etc. Slow release organic nutrients such as those from BioTabs are also highly recommended, especially for those growing in poor quality, sandy soil.

March

  • Day length: 11:05–12:34 hours
  • Average temperature: 5–16°C

March signals longer daylight hours and milder temperatures. Those areas that saw wintry showers in February will enjoy more spring-like conditions in March. Some outdoor growers will plant their seedlings out in March. Those that grow in cooler regions (or higher altitudes) may prefer to wait until April when the evenings are warmer. A greenhouse can be a good ally while the weather warms up.

If growing outdoors in the countryside, hills, forests and riverbanks this is a good moment to finalise your plot preparation. Cut back any surrounding vegetation, overhanging tree branches etc and take this opportunity to enrich your soil with any grow additives.

April

  • Day length: 12:37–13:59 hours
  • Average temperature: 8–19°C

The days are getting longer and warmer, outdoor growers tend to make the most of April. The first crop of autoflower seeds will be in the ground – perhaps after a week or two of indoor growth under artificial lights.

Likewise the photoperiod feminised seeds will be germinated and enjoying their first few weeks in the spring warmth. Your plants are at their most vulnerable while they are young, that’s why many growers will germinate their cannabis seeds at home and plant their seedlings out only when they are a few weeks old.

May

  • Day length: 14:02–15:06 hours
  • Average temperature: 13–23°C

Summer really feels as if it’s arriving. Your plants should be growing well and thriving. Ensure ample watering so that the cannabis roots can spread and establish a healthy network.

Some growers will consider auto-watering systems if growing on their own land. If not, you may need to consider bringing water to your plants in extreme drought, perhaps from a nearby stream. Ensuring sufficient water for your plant many be one of the bigger challenges for the coming 3 months or so.

Any plants that are stretching a little too tall for your liking can be controlled with super cropping, topping or fimming. Guerrilla growers in the countryside may want to trim back surrounding vegetation to ensure maximum direct sunlight for their cannabis plants as summer approaches.

June

  • Day length: 15:08–15:23 hours
  • Average temperature: 14–28°C

Days are reaching their longest and summer temperatures may be high, occasionally to hot for comfort. When grown on your own land you may be able to use a tarpaulin to create some shade for your plants in the hottest parts of the day. If you grow in containers you may wish to move your plants to a more shaded area during the mid-day heat. Otherwise it’s simply a case of watching your plants grow larger as they approach bloom and doing your best to ensure they have enough water to survive the hottest days.

Many growers will be germinating their second crop of autoflower seeds or even planting them outdoors. Those that planted some autoflower seeds earlier in the season may already be enjoying their first harvest of the summer.

July

  • Day length: 15:22–14:39 hours
  • Average temperature: 17–31°C

Your photoperiod feminised plants may be showing signs of early bloom/pre-flowers and may well have been stretching. When growing the taller, perhaps more sativa-leaning strains, you may wish to top them to prevent your plants getting too tall and attracting unwanted attention. Some growers may be applying light top dressing of nutrients to their plants as bloom starts to arrive.

August

  • Day length: 14:39–13:35 hours
  • Average temperature: 17–31°C

Temperatures may be at their peak and this can create issues for some plants. Other than offering them plants some shade (which may not always be possible) there is little for the grower to do other than ensure ample water and nutrients.

For some growers the second crop of autoflower plants will be approaching harvest and some growers will be considering germinating more autoflower seeds for a late season autumn/fall crop.

September

  • Day length: 13:30–11:54 hours
  • Average temperature: 14–26°C °C

Some of the early finishing photoperiod strains will be ready to harvest. ‘Fast feminised’ strains, such as Dutch Passion Think Fast, contain recessive autoflowering genetics which ensure that the ‘fast’ strains are often the first to finish. The weather is still mild and very warm at Southern European (and similar) latitudes, meaning there is ample time for late-blooming strains to finish, especially at more southerly latitudes.

October

  • Day length: 11:51–10:56 hours
  • Average temperature: 11–21°C

The 3rd crop of autoflowers often finishes in October or November, allowing those with a long growing season to take maximum advantage of the speed and convenience offered by the modern auto. Many, but not necessarily all, photoperiod feminised strains will also be finishing or be very close to doing so.

Many growers also start to think about the following years grow plans. Now is a good time to scout other possible grow locations and possibly start to clear and prepare them for the following year.

November

  • Day length: 10:23–9:17 hours
  • Average temperature: 6–16°C

For most, November marks the realistic end to the outdoor growing season in Southern Europe (and similar latitudes). Many will have been able to enjoy harvesting long blooming strains such as Haze and sativa varieties in general. Evening temperatures are getting cold and the professional outdoor grower will already be thinking about leaving a tidy grow plot once they have harvested and left.

Any waste cannabis stems, branches and leaves are often dug into the earth and left to rot. This prevents anyone accidentally discovering your grow location. Many growers will dig in some manure at their grow site and leave it to rot down over winter. Others will bring fish waste or other organic materials to enrich soil quality. This will ensure nutrient-rich soil the following grow season.

Any tools (spades, trowels) along with any equipment (e.g. rolls of wire mesh fencing, slug pellets etc) should be removed to leave the site in pristine condition for the following year. Ensure any empty bags of nutrients/manure as well as any other waste is removed. Some growers will dig the earth over one last time before winter comes.

Best cannabis seeds to grow outdoors in Southern Europe

Growers at Southern European latitudes can enjoy considering a wide array of cannabis seed options for their outdoor grows. All autoflower seeds should do well and many photoperiod feminised strains will also be able to finish in time with good results. Here are the top 5 Dutch Passion cannabis seed choices.

Other strains that might be of interest for this blog could be, Orange Bud (and Auto Orange Bud), Euforia (and Auto Euforia), our newest Durban Dew and possibly one of our USA strains like Sugar Bomb Punch for example. What do you think?

Auto Skywalker Haze: 31% total cannabinoids with 27% THC

Auto Skywalker Haze, over 31% total cannabinoids with 27% THC

Auto Skywalker Haze hit the headlines shortly after release when some staggering 25%+ THC results started to come in. Some of these came from licensed cannabis producers such as Pure Healing in Portugal. One particularly impressive laboratory analysis showed a total cannabinoid loading of 31.5%. Of this around 29% was THCA meaning that the THC levels were just under 27%.

Auto Skywalker Haze grows easily from autoflowering cannabis seed to harvest in around 3 months outdoors. She is medium height with chunky blooms, an intense pungent aroma and a truly spectacularly smoke/vape quality. Stress simply melts away. One of Dutch Passion’s finest ever breeding achievements.

Related:
Auto Skywalker Haze with over 31% total cannabinoid content – staggering potency!

Orange Bud: Sweet citrus flavours with blissful feel-good effects

Orange Bud & Auto Orange Bud. Sweet citrus flavours with blissful feel-good effects

Orange Bud is a fast blooming sativa with a famously enjoyable high and a legendary sweet citrus taste. She has been around since the 1980’s and is the original citrus skunk strain as well as the founding member of the Orange Family of cannabis seeds.

This world-renowned cannabis strain has been used in numerous hybrids and crosses. She is easy to grow and yields heavily. Orange Bud seeds are also easy to grow outdoors in warm climates where she is typically ready to harvest in October at Southern European latitudes.

If you want to enjoy zesty tasting citrus buds a little earlier in the growing season then you should try planting some Auto Orange Bud seeds. These deliver the same deliciously enjoyable effects as the photoperiod version but are ready around 3 months after autoflower seed germination. Yields are heavy and outdoor performance is superb, especially in good quality moist soil.

Sugar Bomb Punch: epic USA potency, loud flavours and XL yields

Sugar Bomb Punch by @weedganja420: 10/10 potency rating with Grade-A bag appeal and appearance

If you’re looking for a great anti-anxiety cannabis strain with banging USA genetics and a supremely potent finish then look no further, Sugar Bomb Punch photoperiod feminised seeds are exactly what you need. This indica dominant strain combines serious potency with great seed to seed consistency. In recent tests, every Sugar Bomb punch plant tested showed THC levels in excess of 20%. That demonstrates rare levels of genetic excellence and guarantees you a connoisseur quality result.

Sugar Bomb Punch seeds are part of the USA cannabis seed collection, home to the best USA strains with loud flavours, epic potency and XL yields. Those that prefer to grow the most THC rich cannabis strains will be pleased to hear that Sugar Bomb Punch is a star member of Dutch Passion’s High THC cannabis seed selection. This is home only to the very strongest strains in the Dutch Passion catalogue. Orange Bud, Auto Orange Bud, Euforia and Auto Skywalker Haze (all mentioned above or below) can also boast membership of the exclusive High THC cannabis seed collection.

Durban Dew: cannabis cup winning genetic heritage

Durban Dew, cannabis cup winning genetic heritage, unique performance

Durban Dew is a new and unique photoperiod feminised cannabis strain. Indoors she delivers a fine quality result, with THC levels around 20%, heavy yields and solid indoor ease-of-growth.

What makes this strain so unusual is the stellar outdoor performance. With parent genetics from the legendary and the outdoor champ Frisian Dew you also get prize-winning outdoor performance. That means robust growth and great weather resistance.

Part of the Dutch Outdoor cannabis seed collection, all of which will grow well at Southern European latitudes. If you’re looking for some premium quality photoperiod feminised cannabis seeds which will perform equally well indoors or outdoors then this is a great strain to have in your seed stash.

Any outdoor growers looking for some useful practical tips will find the following guide to outdoor growing in the UK useful. The UK has one of the more challenging grow climates in Northern Europe, but the expert tips may be equally useful to outdoor cannabis growers in Southern Europe.

Euforia & Auto Euforia, outdoor skunks don’t get any better than these

Who doesn’t love a high quality, cannabis cup winning Skunk strain? Euforia caught Dutch Passion’s attention when the smoke test team reported a skunk selection with an astonishing and amazing euphoric start to the high. Euforia can literally bring tears of joy to the user, it’s a powerful Skunk and a repeat best seller. She grows very well in warm outdoor climates, ready to harvest around mid-October in the Northern Hemisphere (mid-April in Southern Hemisphere).

Euforia is part of the Skunk collection of cannabis seeds, these are notoriously potent and exceptionally easy to grow. If you want the speed and convenience of an autoflower then Auto Euforia is the perfect choice. She contains the same proven, potent skunk genetics as her photoperiod sibling but in an autoflowering form. Auto Euforia takes around 3 months to grow form autoflower seed to harvest outdoors with heavy yields and medium-height stocky plants.

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