Gary Cripps 
Widespread legalization means there’s never been a better time to learn how to grow weed outdoors. Strains for all climates and low-maintenance options like autoflowering weed seeds have made cannabis cultivation easier than ever.
Why Grow Cannabis Outdoors?
One of the driving factors behind indoor cannabis cultivation was the plant’s illegal status. As cultivation becomes legal in more states and countries, people are rediscovering the pleasures of growing weed under the sun.
Why grow outdoors instead of indoors? Read on for all the answers.
You Save Money
Providing adequate light and maintaining an optimal environment inside requires vast amounts of electricity. With outdoor cultivation, nature provides free sunlight, heat, and air.
Get Improved Yields
Those cultivating indoors for personal use are often forced to use a grow tent or utility room for their crops. These setups leave little vertical space for the plant to develop once you consider light clearance and pot height.
The sky’s the limit when it comes to growing outdoors.
It’s Environmentally Friendly
Using electricity to raise plants has a negative carbon footprint. Grow weed outdoors and be part of the solution, not the problem.
It’s Therapeutic
As well as being environmentally friendly, growing weed outside is also excellent for your health and well-being. Taking care of your crops gets you out in the fresh air and moving. Studies also show that the act of gardening improves mood and relieves stress.
Planning
You’ll learn how to grow weeds outdoors step by step, but before planting, it’s time to plan. You need to decide whether to choose seeds or strains and then the ideal environment. Informed choices at the outset make cultivating a productive crop of cannabis a breeze.
Seeds and Strains
The wide different varieties of cannabis are divided into three groups; Sativa, indica, and hybrid.
- Sativa: Originating in East Asia, sativas love hot, sun-drenched climates. Their delicate, slender profile is less susceptible to mold and mildew. Grow sativas outside if your environment is hot and humid.
- Indica: The rugged environment of the Middle East produced indica cannabis. Indicas are generally shorter, bushier, and tougher than sativa strains. They are usually highly resilient and tolerant of cooler temperatures and minor mistakes.
- Hybrid: Hybrids possess a mix of genetics. The endless combinations possible mean it isn’t easy to characterize them one way or another.
Once you’ve chosen your strain, there’s the type of seed to consider. Cannabis seeds come in three forms; regular, feminized, and autoflower.
- Regular: These are unaltered seeds with the potential to develop into either sex. Male plants don’t produce buds but are essential for cannabis procreation.
- Feminized: Seeds altered to produce only female plants. Arguably the best choice if productivity and yield are your main concerns.
- Autoflower: Auto strains contain genes from cannabis ruderalis. Plants are grown from auto seeds flower regardless of day length. They tend to be smaller and faster to flower than other varieties.
Medium and Containers
Providing a suitable medium is something often overlooked by beginners. Cannabis does best in loamy soil, which is easy to find in the most reliable garden centers.
While it’s possible to sow your seeds directly in the soil in your garden, it might not be the best choice. Even if the earth in your area is suitable for cannabis, it may contain harmful pathogens.
Some of the most dangerous pathogens infect plants from below. Avoid these problems by using sterilized soil for your crops and potting them individually.
When it comes to pots, use fabric or aerated ones. Unlike heavy plastic or clay varieties, these stay cool and won’t retain too much liquid. Their breathable structure also keeps the root systems well aerated and healthy.
Step 1: Germination
The first step toward cannabis cultivation is germination. This is probably the easiest part of the whole process, so let’s get into it.
Get some paper towels, two plates, your seeds, and some purified water, and follow these three simple steps.
- Moisten two paper towels with purified water. Lay one across a plate, and then place your seeds on top. Leave an inch between each one, then cover with the other wet towel.
- Turn the second plate upside-down and use it to cover the first. Put the plates somewhere dark and warm; a drawer or cupboard is fine. Check the seeds once or twice a day, and make sure the towels stay damp the entire time.
- Most high-quality seeds germinate in 1–5 days. As soon as you see any opened seeds, plant them as quickly as possible.
Step 2: Cannabis Care
Newly sprouted plants spend around three weeks establishing themselves in the seedling phase. After this, the vegetative stage begins. This is where your plants do most of their growing. Finally, the flowering stage is where your crops produce buds before harvest.
Cannabis requires differing amounts of nutrients as it grows. For the best results, use a set of nutes aimed at marijuana cultivation. Maintain a regular feeding schedule, and don’t overcompensate if you miss one.
Use foliar pesticides and root protectants for pest control. Young plants are most at risk, leading many to keep their seedlings indoors until they’re stronger.
Pruning is the best method of improving airflow and preventing moisture retention for outdoor growers. Keep your plants well-trimmed throughout the vegetative and flowering stages for healthy, efficient growth.
Step 3: Reaping the Rewards
Now you know how to grow a weed plant outdoors, but when is the best time to harvest? Regular strains spend anywhere from 8–12 weeks maturing, with autoflower strains taking much less time.
Buds produce pistils as they develop. These wispy filaments are initially a clear or white color. As they mature, they get milkier before turning brown or orange.
Harvest when half the pistils on your buds display orange or brown coloring. Hang your plants upside-down, whole or in sections, in a dark, dry room until the branches snap easily.
Trim the buds from the branches, remove any unwanted leaves and seal them in a jar to cure.
Good Bud and Fun in the Sun
You’ve learned how to grow weed outdoors, so now it’s time to put the theory into practice. Get yourself a pack of top-quality cannabis seeds, start growing, and have fun.
