You can grow marijuana both indoors and outdoors. We will focus on outdoor marijuana growing conditions since you only need the sun’s power instead of spending a lot of money setting up artificial conditions. Marijuana can be grown anywhere; from a rooftop to a balcony, or a private yard. Once the farm produces mature marijuana buds, you can produce pre-rolls, edibles, extracts, capsules, beverages, and more.

Whether you’re growing marijuana for fun, profit, or medical purposes, setting up and growing the product will require some skill set. First, we advise that you look out for marijuana growers’ communities in your area or online to see how others do it.

What to Consider Before Growing Marijuana

Area Climate

You must have an understanding of the climate patterns in the area you plan to grow marijuana. Although it is a highly adaptive plant, marijuana is vulnerable to extreme weather conditions. The temperatures in the area you decide to grow your cannabis should not rise beyond 85 degrees Fahrenheit or go below 55 degrees. Temperatures that exceed these specifications can cause stunted growth in your cannabis plants and sometimes even death. Also, strong winds and heavy rains reduce the yields and cause damage to the plant while the excess moisture can lead to powdery mildew and moulding during flowering.

Choose the Best Site for Growing Cannabis

Before planting weed outdoors, ensure that you have these factors covered:

  • Sunlight: Marijuana plants require at least 6 hours of direct access to the sun every day. Therefore, check if your backyard or balcony has access to the sun. Midday is the perfect time for your cannabis plants to receive as much sunlight as possible because the light quality is optimal at that hour. Fall will see a significantly lower amount of sunlight, triggering the flowering stage.
  • Wind: Pot plants require a good amount of breeze especially when the climate is hot. If you live in a very windy area, you will need a shrub, fence, or wall to act as a windbreaker.
  • Security and privacy: Although growing marijuana is more widespread now than in the past, some people still look begrudgingly at anyone who associates with the plant. As such, you may want to plant your cannabis where neighbours and passers-by cannot see it. Also, exposing your cannabis garden may leave it vulnerable to thieves who want to sell or use your flower.

Planning the Cannabis Garden

Clones vs Seeds

The timing and the way we introduce the plant to the outdoors depend on whether you choose to use clones or seeds. Growing marijuana from seeds is often the best way as the plants grow sturdier and more vigorous than clones. The deep roots from seeds make the marijuana plants more resistant to pests and harsh environmental conditions. However, seeds require more attention than clones in the early stages and you will need to eliminate the males before pollination begins.

Clones also have their advantages since you can get them from your local dispensary and they are from a proven genetic lineage. They do well outdoors, which is perfect for beginners. However, clones develop fibrous roots instead, reducing the plants’ ability to withstand predatory insects and harsh environmental climate.

Nutrients

Cannabis plants need a lot more nutrients than any other plant in your garden. With quality soil, the plant gets enough nutrients for starting the cycle of growth. However, your plants are bound to deplete these nutrients when they start flowering. You will therefore need to add fertilizers rich in potassium, phosphorus, and nitrogen. The vegetative phase of the plants requires more nitrogen for leaves and root development.

The flowering stage will require more phosphorus than the other nutrients. Avoid fertilizers that incorporate all three nutrients in one because nitrogen can damage the soil when used in excess. Organic sources of nutrients are much better as they are a good source of microbes; although they take longer to break down and get ingested by the plant.

Soil

Good quality soil is dark with a fluffy, light texture and rich in nutrients. The soil texture should be good enough to retain water and allow drainage of the excess. You can buy blended organic soil from a local garden centre although experienced growers prefer blending their own soil from scratch. The soil must be a little acidic with a PH level of about 6.

Water is crucial to the growth of all plants and the amount of water a plant need depends on the container size, plant size, soil type, and environmental conditions. Small plants in cool weather use less water than bigger ones in hotter climates as the amount needed constantly changes throughout the plant’s lifecycle. Ensure your plants are thoroughly watered at the vegetative stage to reap maximum produce.