The First Time Grower. Growing weed outside…. easily

With so many people growing weed for the first time we thought it would be worthwhile publishing some general guidelines that will allow you to make a good start and grow some absolutely great quality weed with the minimum effort. Over the next few weeks we will review indoor, outdoor and greenhouse grows.

Today we look at outdoor growing. For lots of people growing outdoors is the preferred method. Outdoor enthusiasts say that sun-grown weed tastes better too. Certainly the potential for growth is enormous especially in warm sunny climates.

Anyone looking to grow outdoors should read some of the tips and advice on the grow forums such as the UK420 Forum where you can read about everything from soil characterisation, soil improvement, pest control and lots more.

Selection of grow spot. In a domestic back garden on your own property you just need a sunny position. Most growers prefer a private spot that can’t be seen by others.

Which seeds to grow? For a first time grower you are looking for a strain with a proven reputation for being hardy enough to grow outdoors even in northern climates such as the UK, The Netherlands, Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, the northern part of Russia etc. The highly recommended Frisian Dew and Passion#1 have stood the test of time and are solid, robust varieties which will yield well even in the hands of first time growers when
only a few basic preparations are made. Even in northerly latitudes tough strains such as Passion #1 and Frisian Dew are capable of yielding well. AutoFem’s need just 10 weeks from seed to finish, even a Siberian summer can support them!

Holland’s Hope. Another proven Dutch Passion outdoor variety with generous yields

Preparing the grow spot. Your spot maybe in your garden/greenhouse, woodland, by a field, in a forest clearing, near a river bank or on a mountain. But wherever you are you growing you should really accept that preparing the soil you plan to grow in is a minimum requirement. Many growers will prepare the plot as few months before and dig in manure, compost, or fertilisers such as worm castings, bat guano etc. First-time growers may simply prefer to get the ground dug over and put in as much good quality bagged compost as they can carry. That approach alone will be a good start. More experienced growers will test soil pH, adding lime if it is too acidic and digging in well rotted manure a few months before the grow starts.

Preparing the plants. Often the grower will have sprouted the seeds and grown them into small healthy plants before taking them to the final outdoor grow spot. As a general rule you will get better results in the long run if the plants are established and healthy before planting out. Often they are started indoors under lights or in a greenhouse. When to plant your young plants or
seedlings will depend on where you live. In Spain you might be able to plant out in March or April whereas a UK grower may want to wait until May.

Protecting the spot.
Rabbits and deer are constant threats to cannabis plants, so are other large mammals. Many growers will surround the plant with a ring of chicken wire (or similar) 50cm high. They may put a few slug pellets down on visits to the plants. Often growers will take the chance to get a few litres of water put into the ground near the plant on visits. Google Earth is useful to many outdoor growers for selecting good grow spots. Nearby rivers are useful for water especially if it is hot and dry.

Outdoor growers in warm climates with longer seasons will be able to grow more exotic strains than more northerly growers.

And without too much trouble you will find that even a first time grower can get an ample harvest of absolutely top quality marijuana. Just as good as anything you will have bought, if not better. And with even our best outdoor strains available for well under €10 per seed you can see that a seed is a great value investment, so get some good ones. The cannabis seeds you buy for your grow is the one area of your life where you really should not compromise!

Look at these photo’s to see what can be achieved. If the plant really gets well established then yields of several hundred grams from single plants are quite common.

To harvest the weed it is simply chopped off and dried by hanging on a wire in a dry and dark place. Once it has been dried it is cured (or matured), often for a couple of months or more in glass jars or sealable plastic containers. Most growers will tell you that a well cured weed smokes smoother and strange though it sounds it may seem stronger when it is well cured. Good weed will often still be a
great smoke many months after harvest if well cured. Longer term weed storage is possible by putting marijuana in a sealed container in the fridge. Although it is not widely known, you can also put your stash in a freezer where it will remain highly potent and just as tasty for years.

So if you are planning on growing outdoors now is the time to decide where and perhaps start preparing. The internet has lots of grow forums in your own language, and you may want to get a good book. Authors such as Jorge Cervantes and Ed Rosenthal have been popular, but there are lots of great resources online these days. Thanks to modern outdoor varieties and fast growing AutoFem’s everyone can grow great quality marijuana outdoors and become self sufficient very easily. What are you waiting for ?

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