Outdoor growing cannabis tips and advice
Outdoor growing cannabis tips
In this blog we will give you some outdoor growing cannabis tips for success. Growing cannabis outdoors is easier than ever thanks to modern outdoor cannabis seed genetics which have been selectively bred to thrive even in tough conditions.
For many people in warm sunny climates growing outdoor cannabis varieties is quite normal, it is easier than indoor cannabis growing and it doesn’t require electricity and expensive growroom equipment. In the last 20 years several top quality cannabis varieties have been developed to thrive even in tough outdoor conditions.
Above, Dutch Passion Frisian Dew, epic back-garden grow
Outdoor growing is easy
An outdoor cannabis plant can easily reach 3+ metres tall and produce several hundred grams of top quality cannabis. In the northern hemisphere the growing season typically runs from April/May to October. In the southern hemisphere outdoor cannabis growing typically starts around October and ends in March/April.
Growing outdoors is easy, you just need a safe sunny spot where your plants can grow undisturbed. You usually germinate and grow the seedlings indoors for the first couple of weeks until they are strong enough to be planted outside, then all you need to do is plant the seedlings outside and protect them from animals, perhaps with some chicken wire.
A photoperiod cannabis variety (Frisian Dew, Frisian Duck, Hollands Hope, Durban Poison, Passion #1) is usually ready around 5 months later. An Autoflowering variety such as Think Different, AutoMazar, AutoFrisian Dew is usually ready around 3 months later.
Above, getting all your annual cannabis for free, grow it outdoors but make sure you have a good ladder
Getting started
Choosing the right place to grow is the key to success. Many people grow a few plants in a sheltered and sunny location in the countryside, on a riverbank or in the forests. Some people prefer the security of a private corner of their garden.
All outdoor cannabis varieties can be grown in a greenhouse or polytunnel. You will need good quality moist soil to get the best results. Some people add their own compost and organic fertilisers to improve the quality of the natural soil.
Many growers search hard for a secluded area which will not be disturbed by dog walkers, people or wild animals. Some outdoor growers will create their own private growing space by hacking out a grow area inside a patch of brambles or nettles.
A well prepared outdoor grow area will provide years of secret use, it will be hard to discover, sunny and with good quality soil.
Above and below, Frisian Duck. The unique leaf shape makes this cannabis plant difficult to identify and gives your plants extra protection from being stolen.
Choosing your strategy; Two options
- Photoperiod seeds. You can grow a traditional feminized photoperiod variety which will take around 5 months to grow and flower, this will often provide hundreds of grams of top quality cannabis when it is ready to harvest.
The most popular outdoor Dutch Passion cannabis varieties include Frisian Dew, Trance, Forest Dream and Frisian Duck. Frisian Duck is a unique Dutch Passion variety which has strange webbed leaves, this make the plant difficult to identify as cannabis, you could walk straight past the plant and not recognise it as cannabis. - AutoFem seeds. Autoflowering feminized varieties may not give you quite as much final yield as a photoperiod variety, but they have the advantage of being ready around 3 months after germinating the seed. This allows the possibility of several harvests in a season. AutoFem seeds also tend to produce slightly smaller, bushier plants than photoperiod varieties, this can make them easier to hide.
Choose the best seeds you can afford
Whether you decide to grow with photoperiod or AutoFem seeds we recommend you choose top quality proven genetics. There is no point waiting several months to harvest if you are planting low quality seeds. Choose the best seeds you can afford from a proven seed bank.
Even the best seeds are only a few Euros/pounds/dollars per seed. The seed cost is nothing in comparison to the value of the cannabis produced at the end.
Above, this Dutch Passion customer had very understanding neighbours
Protecting your cannabis plants
If you grow on your own property then protecting your plants from wild animals (deer, rabbits etc) should be easy. If you are growing in the forests/countryside then you will need to take some basic precautions. The cannabis seedlings are most vulnerable for the first 2-3 weeks, keep them indoors if you can during this stage, and only plant them out when they are strong enough.
When you plant your cannabis seedlings outdoors surround them with plenty of slug pellets. Most growers also use wire-mesh garden wire (‘chicken wire’) around their plants to stop rabbits etc from eating them.
Outdoor growing cannabis tips for success
When your plants are safely in the ground you just need to wait and ensure that the plants have plenty of sun and water. Occasionally you may need to visit the plants to make sure that they are still getting direct sun; chop down any nearby plants/weeds that are blocking out the sunlight.
In very hot conditions you may need to bring water to the plants to stop them wilting. If you are growing cannabis in the forests then you may prefer to approach your grow spot carefully and avoid creating obvious paths/trails to your plants.
Most important: Location & seeds
Growing cannabis outdoors really is simple. The two main issues are to find a safe, sunny location and choose the right seeds. If you can do those two things then you are already half way to a successful harvest. Many outdoor growers find that a small number of plants will provide enough cannabis for the whole year, and often they feel that outdoor grown cannabis has a greater depth of flavour and better quality than indoor grown cannabis.
Outdoor growing is easy, you don’t need grow lights or any other specialist knowledge. And remember, get proven outdoor cannabis seeds from a seed company that you trust.
