Growing marijuana outdoors is a natural way to cultivate at home. Your plants will get free energy from the sun, while the roots can have enough room to grow underground. According to experts at i49, this means your plants will grow stronger and bigger, with a high yield of tastier and more potent bud.
People have been growing marijuana outdoors since time immemorial, but before putting any seedling underground, it’s wise to know how the entire process works and use the following tips to make the most out of Mother Nature’s gift:
1. Know the Laws
States and countries’ laws differ greatly. For instance, adults over 21 years old are allowed to grow, give away, and possess around six cannabis plants in Alaska.
In order to comply with the laws, you should avoid growing all six plants at once so as to keep the growing phases separate.
However, now that many states and countries have legalized marijuana, growing doesn’t necessarily need to be limited to prevent outdoor grows.
You may now cultivate up to three mature cannabis plants at once without the need to take them out of sight.
2. Look for the Right Location
Outdoor marijuana likes basking under the sun. So it would be best to look for a plot, which allows at least four hours of sunshine every day.
Once again, the residents of some cities and towns can find it simple than many. For instance, those living in San Diego experience around 15 hours of sunlight in the Summer Solstice.
If possible, look for a location that will allow your plants to get direct sunlight in the morning and filter it in the afternoons.
It may also be worthwhile to invest in a wire cage so as to keep animals off. A wire cage will be suitable even for cannabis plants that grow up to more than six feet tall.
3. Consider the Climate
Although marijuana is an adaptable plant, it doesn’t do well in extreme weather. That is why you need to look at the climate of the place you live or want to grow cannabis.
The temperature that stays above 85ºF prevents cannabis from growing. Though if you make the temperatures stay below 54ºF, they will become stunted or damaged. In some extreme situations, your plants will even die.
4. Choose the Right Marijuana Strain
Some marijuana strains do well outdoors under the sun compared to others. Obviously, you will be limited with what’s readily available within your area, but you may get a strain, which is solid to grow and go with it.
Know that clones or seeds of a similar strain name can differ from one breeder to another. Your perfect bet is to look for someone you trust and who has successfully cultivate a certain marijuana genetic within your area. Determine if you may replicate what they have achieved already.
Buying your autoflowering seeds online or from a reliable physical seed bank is the best way to get the right strain. The seller will also provide you with all the details you need to know about the strain.
5. Take Care of Electrical and Lighting Requirements
The electricity cost is among the major expenses facing many producers and usually exceeds or matches the total lease costs every month during the production.
Irrigation control, artificial lighting, ventilation, dehumidification, and air conditioning systems all need a high amount of electricity, making some cultivators research different energy-efficiency options, such as:
- LED grow light
- HPS grow light
6. Provide Water and Nutrients
Cannabis is one of the thirsty plants globally, so ensure to irrigate them when the soil surface goes dry. Adding mulch once your cannabis plants are knee-high can reduce the loss of moisture in the soil through evaporation while preventing other weeds from growing.
If your bed is sufficiently rich, you will not need fertilizers. However, adding fertilizer will result in better results.
Consider applying high-nitrogen fertilizers after every three weeks until it reaches mid-summer so as to stimulate vegetative growth abundantly.
Later you can switch to fertilizers with higher phosphorus amounts in order to stimulate abundant and dense buds.
7. Check the Medium Consistency and pH
Ensuring your soil is well prepared is one of the important aspects of growing cannabis outdoors. You should check the pH of your soil. If it’s too high or low, use derivatives like Sulphur to lower the pH and lime to make the soil more alkaline.
Soil consistency is also vital. If you have too much clay, your soil will drain poorly and become sticky. On the other hand, too much sand will make the drainage too rapid. Usually, marijuana prefers loamy soil or any soil, comprising silt and sand with a low ratio.
8. Set Things Up
Growing marijuana outdoors means you won’t have a lot on your plate, provided you choose the right cannabis seeds and offer your plants enough water.
However, if you wish to have some privacy and even control your cannabis plants, you have to think of the medium your plants can grow in.
For instance, hydroponics may need a lot of keenness and hands-on knowledge for success. If you choose to use soil as a medium, you must think of pH, lighting, and temperatures. In other words, it’s important to set things up before you start your outdoor cultivation.
9. Offer Protection against Pollination
You have to defend your cannabis plants against pollination so as to produce the best flowers possible. Usually, pollinated buds are less potent, smaller, and loaded with seeds.
While other pollinating species may benefit your garden a lot, growers must actively prevent male cannabis plants from growing in the space.
If it happens to be cultivating regular marijuana seeds, you have to be very proactive regarding sexing your cannabis plants as they become mature in order to avoid fertilization.
Final Remarks!
Although marijuana growing practices are changing as years go by, most of the basics of cultivating remain unchanged.
By sticking to the guideposts of fundamentals, like humidity and heat, modern marijuana cultivators may continue fruitful dialogues regarding the best growing practices.
