How to Grow Cannabis Outdoors

Wondering how to grow cannabis outdoors? There are plenty of perks to choosing an outdoor setup over indoor, including reduced expenses and potential for larger yields. Plus, sungrown cannabis is often preferred over indoor because of its great quality and rich flavor profile.

February 20, 2021

We’ll tell you everything you need to know about how to grow cannabis outdoors so you can get the most from your plants. Before we dive into that, though, we need to discuss the legal implications of growing cannabis in Washington and Alaska.

Is it legal to grow marijuana in Washington state?

Despite being legal to possess recreational cannabis in Washington, it is illegal to grow your own for personal use. You can grow recreational cannabis as a licensed grower in the state if you follow strict regulations. However, Washington is not currently accepting applications for producers. If you don’t have a producer license already, you are out of luck for the time being.

There is an exception to this rule, though. If you are a qualified medical marijuana patient or provider in the state, you can grow your own personal-use cannabis.

If you are a Washington State Medical Marijuana Recognition Card holder and are entered in the state’s database, you may grow up to six plants for personal medical use. Additionally, if your healthcare practitioner believes you need more marijuana, they may authorize the cultivation of up to 15 plants for personal medical use.

Medical patients who choose to not enter the database, or their designated providers, may grow up to four plants for personal medical use.

Is it legal to grow marijuana in Alaska?

Alaska’s laws differ vastly from Washington’s marijuana laws. In Alaska, any adult over the age of 21 is allowed to possess, grow, and give away up to six marijuana plants.

However, only three plants may be mature and flowering at a given time. To comply with the law, residents should not grow all six plants at once to keep the stages separate.

Before the state legalized cannabis in 2014, there were some laws protecting citizens who choose to grow marijuana at home. In fact, cultivating 25 or fewer plants in a private residence is protected under the state’s constitution.

However, now that cannabis is legal in the state, cultivation does not have to be limited to private indoor grows. You can grow up to three mature plants at once, and a total of six plants overall, without having to hide them from sight.

Beginner’s tips for how to grow marijuana outdoors

Now that we’ve covered the legal aspects of growing marijuana in Alaska and Washington, we can get to the good stuff: how to grow marijuana outdoors.

Now, we’re not talking about a large production here. We’ll walk you through the steps for making a small, personal-use marijuana garden that works with your state laws.

Choose a plot to grow Cannabis based on your climate

Cannabis plants are good at adapting to weather conditions, but you should still optimize the placement. The best place to grow your plants is in a section of land that gets at least five hours of sunshine per day.

You don’t want the plants to get too hot, though. Sustained temperatures above 86 degrees Fahrenheit can scorch your plants and make them stop growing. Similarly, continuous temperatures below 55 degrees Fahrenheit can damage or kill your plants.

It’s important to select an area that receives enough sunlight, doesn’t get hit by extreme weather, and offers enough space for your intentions.

Keep in mind that when fall rolls around and the seasons change, your plants will receive less sunlight to trigger the flowering stage. Plan accordingly.

Choose a seed type and soil for your Cannabis plants

If you plan to grow your plants from seed, be sure to germinate them inside in the early spring. Keep in mind that plants grown from seed have a lot of benefits, but also leave it up to chance if you’ll get male or female plants.

You can also use feminized seeds to guarantee that your plants will be female. Additionally, autoflowering seeds can be used because they will start to bloom once they reach maturity. These options are good choices for beginner growers, but autoflowering seeds do tend to sacrifice potency for convenience.

Once you have seeds picked out, you need to decide on a type of soil. Cannabis loves soil with lots of organic matter and plenty of drainages.

A lot of growers go with silt-rich soil because it rapidly warms, drains well, and has lots of nutrients. You can also go with sand or clay-rich soil, though they have some downsides. For one, clay-rich soil does not hold oxygen well and drains poorly. Sand-rich soil is better but does not hold nutrients as well as silt-rich soil.

You can also have your soil pH tested to prevent any mishaps and ensure you are starting on the right foot.

Fertilize your Cannabis plants

Your plants will need a lot of nutrients throughout the growing process. The most important are nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. Skip the nutrients made for cannabis, as these are typically for indoor grows and can hurt your plants. Instead, start with a natural, organic fertilizer available at the store.

It’s also recommended to throw your own natural ingredients into the soil before planting and throughout the process. This should reduce the amount of fertilizer you need to add throughout the process.

Options include compost, kelp meal, fish meal, blood meal, and worm castings. You can add compost regularly to the soil, making sure it has good airflow and turning it over every few weeks. Compost can include vegetable and fruit peelings, grass cuttings, eggshells, coffee grounds, and many other ingredients. Just keep any meats or animal fats out of the blend.

Water your Cannabis plants regularly

Regular rain is helpful but if you are growing weed in the hot summer months, it’s most likely not enough. You’ll still need to water your plants regularly. The amount you use will depend on the size of the plants and your climate. Water thoroughly, but don’t water again until the top of the soil is fully dry. You do not want to overwater the plants.

If you’re in a very hot climate, it’s a good idea to try to slow drainage. You can place clay soil or rocks below the planting holes in the soil to help slow it down. Another option is to plant in shallow areas that can funnel the water to other plants.

It’s best to water your plants early in the day so they can utilize the water supply throughout the day.

On the other hand, if you’re in a rainy climate, you need to do the opposite. You want to prevent the plants from getting waterlogged which can lead to fungal diseases that will wipe out your crops. Try planting in raised beds or digging ditches that can redirect the water away from the garden.

And those are the basics for how to grow marijuana outdoors. First-time growers will probably have to get through a learning curve, so don’t give up if you don’t have success on your first go. The best growers are the ones who can learn to adapt and make the best of their materials.

Tips for growing marijuana outdoors

It’s possible that the surrounding soil you choose to grow in is simply not good enough to keep the plants alive. That’s okay. In that case, you’ll need to buy some containers to grow your plants in. Make sure you choose one large enough to let the roots grow and allow the plant to reach its potential. Be sure it has good drainage holes, as well.

Is the climate not ideal where you live? If the weather is too cold, try a greenhouse or similar enclosure to keep your plants safe.

You also want to protect the plants from wind. Greenhouses can protect against the wind as well, but there are other ways to prevent it from hurting your plants. This can be as simple as putting up a barrier that blocks the wind or purchasing wind protectors you can put up.

Check on your plants regularly to make sure there are no insects or pests damaging them. Healthy plants should be good at protecting themselves, but if you need an extra boost, opt for a natural pesticide. For bigger animals that might make their way in and feast on your plants, building a fence is the best way to go.

We hope our guide helps you get started growing marijuana! Be sure to follow your state’s guidelines and only grow weed within those limits. Don’t qualify to grow your own weed or don’t want to go through the hassle? Stop by Satori for all of your cannabis needs today!

2 Brands Who Specialize in Growing Outdoor Marijauana at Piece of Mind Cannabis

If you love outdoor grown Cannabis and cant wait for your own harvest, don’t stress, we carry several brands who grow outdoor marijuana exclusively. We picked our favorites, check them out below!

Eagle Trees Farm

From Eagle Trees Farm, “If you drive up the edge of the Nooksack River nearly to the Canadian border in late fall, you’ll likely come across a stand of tall evergreen trees covered with hundreds of eagles preying on the spawning salmon below, and you’ll have arrived at Eagle Trees Farm.

This biodynamic cannabis farm has a growing reputation in the weed market thanks to their flavorful top-quality buds. Kenny Ingebrigtson, who owns the farm with his sister Jessica Straight, said their pot is a reflection of their farm’s unique terroir.”

Shop Eagle Trees Farm when you select your location below:

North Spokane
Bellingham
Seattle

Walden Cannabis

From Walden Cannabis, “Walden Cannabis grew from an eccentric group of climbers, backpackers, and yogis, who appreciated how well cannabis paired with nature. When complemented by a walk in the forest, a bonfire with friends, or a wild skinny-dip in the ocean, cannabis can deepen and enrich our connection with our planet, our brethren, and ourselves. A love of the outdoors is at the heart of our company, so when we founded Walden, we knew sungrown was our only option.

We are working hard to motivate the rest of the cannabis industry to prioritize long-term sustainability over short-term profits, and we will continue to invest in ecologically responsible agricultural and processing practices; because for us at Walden, a love of our planet demands that we participate in the fight to save it. We invite our consumers to join us in enjoying the outdoors with quality bud, and a clean conscience.”

Shop Walden Cannabis when you select your location below:

North Spokane
Bellingham

Piece of Mind Cannabis is a medical marijuana and recreational Cannabis dispensary with locations in North Spokane, South Spokane, Seattle,Bellingham, Pullman and Anchorage!