How To Grow Weed Outdoors
Growing Cannabis Outdoors in South Africa:
An In Depth Beginner's Guide
Since its decriminalisation in 2018, many people are now beginning to grow their own plants at home. Growing up to 8 cannabis plants for private consumption is now legal in South Africa and has never been easier than with Seed and Soil , and if you have any sunny space in the garden you should certainly give it a try. At Seed and Soil our goal is to share our knowledge to help you get started on your growing journey. You don’t need to have a green thumb or hydroponic lab to grow decent weed, just get growing!
Why Grow Your Own Weed?
Safety: Smoking or consuming cannabis is relatively harmless and should not be a crime, we all know that. It is not safe however to buy something illegally that was grown and smuggled in unknown ways just to get to you. It is far more rewarding and safer consuming your own cannabis than anyone else’s – period.
Low Costs: By relying on the power of the sun, an outdoor setup eliminates the need for expensive grow lights, ventilation, and climate control equipment required like for indoor cultivation. Your primary investments will be seeds, soil, time and effort.
Novelty: Growing anything in your garden that you can brag about to your friends is cool, but nothing beats showing off your own massive homegrown harvested buds. Even non smokers will appreciate and admire your street cred.
Huge Yields: Cannabis plants can grow to massive sizes when given enough space and time, with some sativas stretching over 3 metres tall. A single plant can produce over 500 grams of dried buds in optimal conditions.
Environmentally Friendly: Although Indoor grow rooms consume substantial amounts of electricity to power all the necessary equipment, outdoor gardens have a minimal carbon footprint if any, and work in harmony with the natural ecosystem.
Step 1: Choosing When And Where To Grow
Lets Get Started With The Basics You’ll Need:
- A Pot
- Good soil
- Sunlight
- Water
- Good female seeds
Factors To Consider:
South Africa as a whole is renowned for its diverse geography and variable climates. To grow cannabis successfully outdoors, you must have a good understanding of the specific environmental factors and seasons of your region:
Temperature and Seasons – Cannabis plants only thrive in moderate temperatures between 20-30°C. Consistently cold weather below 15°C or heat above 30°C can stunt growth and cause stress lowering yields. The life cycle of any cannabis plant is at least 3 months so you will have to plan ahead, anticipating the seasons to come. In some parts of SA planting outdoors any later than the month of March means your plant will be mature in June / July, the coldest months of the year, and will likely not make it or yield very little.
Timing the Sunlight – Firstly there is a difference between photoperiodic cannabis and autoflowering cannabis and the amount of light hours they require. We will get to that later. Photoperiodic (Normal) cannabis is the most common type of weed grown outdoors and needs 12 hours of light or more in order to stay in the vegetative state. The vegetative state means it does not produce any flowers or buds. It just grows like any normal plant as time goes on. This early growth phase is used to grow the plant bigger and stronger in preparation for the flowering phase later on. For photoperiodic cannabis plants the vegetative state can be extended indefinitely as long as the plant receives more than 12 hours of light consistently, every day, whether it is natural or artificial light.
Once the plant receives less than 12 hours of light per day it triggers the flowering phase to begin whereby the plant undergoes a growth spurt and produces flowers that turn into the buds that will eventually be harvested. If you are growing completely with natural sunlight you will need to time your crop just right!
When to plant? – Although everybody tends to celebrate spring as the 1st of September the actual spring equinox only occurs on around the 23rd of September. This is when the sunlight hours per day have extended to be exactly the same as the night or darkness hours. As we move toward the summer solstice on the 21st of December all the days will only get longer no matter where in South Africa you are. Planting your outdoor plants anywhere between the spring equinox and the summer solstice (23 September – 21 December) will guarantee you the most time in the vegetative state and bigger plants before the days get shorter again and the flowering phase is triggered. For some regions September is still too cold and December is too hot, so the end of October or early November seems to be the most popular time to start growing.
Where to plant?: Everybody knows plants need light for energy and growth, and the more the better right? Although choosing a sunny spot in your garden for your plants should be basic knowledge, it’s unfortunately not that simple at all. Consider the following:
- Depending on the season and area of SA you stay in, you might want to be aware of too much sunlight if it gets over 30C regularly.
- Light pollution from street lights or cars can disturb your plants flowering phase and cause hermaphroditic traits.
- Wind and rain can damage your plants severely. Damp and wet conditions encourage mould and other pests.
- Peeking neighbours with cruel intentions can ruin any party
We always recommend planting your cannabis plants in pots so that they can be moved easily depending on their needs and the weather conditions.
Tip: For regions where the temperature and conditions are right but the daylight hours are too short, supplemental lighting will have to be used to keep the plant in a vegetative state and avoid early flowering. In our experience supplemental lighting does not need to be strong. If you can see your hand in front of you then the plant should perceive it as a cloudy day and you will not trigger the flowering phase to begin.
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Step 2: Pick the Perfect Location
Choosing an appropriate site could be one of the most crucial decisions of your outdoor cannabis grow. Some popular outdoor grow locations include sunny balconies, corner gardens, poolside spots, vegetable beds, and rural farm land. Install fencing or natural barriers for increased privacy and security as well as protection from pets or animals looking for a snack. Consider the following factors when scouting potential locations:
Legal Compliance South African law requires keeping cannabis plants concealed from public view. Backyards, balconies, and garden beds are all good options even if your neighbours are peeping toms.
Sunlight Exposure Weed plants will grow best in a spot that receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. Prioritise areas that get sunshine during the midday hours for optimal light quality but make sure your pots and roots do not get too hot from reflective surfaces like walls or paving.
Wind and Weather Protection Your grow site should have some form of natural or artificial wind and rain protection to prevent potential plant damage. Winds over 25 kmph will hurt your plants, especially young ones. You may need to set up shade cloth or other coverings to shield plants from wind, harsh rains or extreme heat. A supportive rod or stake to brace the main stem is always a good idea and is best introduced early to avoid any root damage. Bamboo rods of about 60 – 80cm work well.
Humidity and Pests – Poor airflow, high humidity levels and bad soil aeration are the major causes of most pest and mould problems whether you’re growing outdoors or indoors. Coastal regions experience higher humidity levels that necessitate extra ventilation or precautionary measures against white powdery mildew or other moulds. “Prevention is always better than the cure” especially in the vegetative state of your growth cycle when you have a vast amount more safe options when it comes to pesticides and deterrents. Once the plant enters the flowering phase there are very limited safe options for pest control if your intention is to consume the cannabis flowers in any form.
Click here to read more about pest control
Root Space
Big plants have big roots. Some sativas and larger cannabis varieties can grow to over 3 metres in height with extensive root systems if undisturbed. Ensure your chosen site or pot has enough space for the strains you want to cultivate. Plastic or ceramic pots need to be at least 20 – 30 litres or larger for cannabis grown outdoors to avoid root lock within a normal growing season. Fabric pots are great for ensuring adequate root pruning through its breathable fabric making it possible to get away with smaller pots. If you are using fabric pots we recommend anything larger than a 15 litre pot for a cannabis plant grown outdoors.
Soil Quality
If you plan to plant directly in the ground, it’s probably a bad idea. You will likely need to amend the native soil or opt for raised beds or pots instead. Cannabis plants prefer soil that is light and fluffy with good drainage and loads of nutrients and microbial life. If your garden soil is hard, dry or sandy then you will not be able to grow quality cannabis without some sort of container. Your plants might not die in bad soil, but they will certainly not yield much. We don’t want your plants to survive, we want them to thrive!
Step 3: Get Quality Seeds
With the current cannabis laws in South Africa, growers are not able to sell cuttings or clones of living plants, and home growers will have to source their starting crop from seed banks like Seed and Soil SA
Types of Seeds:
Sex:
Cannabis plants or seeds can be either male or female – male cannabis plants do not produce flowers that turn into buds so they have no value to home growers. Female cannabis plants however produce the flowers you are trying to cultivate. If the female flowers remain unpollinated from a male plant they will not produce seeds.
Unpollinated female plants have proven to produce higher levels of THC and CBD. Choosing high-quality seeds is essential for a successful crop and there are various options when it comes to seeds you can purchase from breeders.
Regular Seeds
In theory regular seeds are 50% male and 50% female. Regular seeds tend to be stronger and naturally more resilient than other seeds, but there is always the risk of investing 2 months or more into a plant only to find out it is a male and that it has no use to you. If you want to try pheno hunting () your own cannabis varieties then regular seeds are the way to go. Just make sure you destroy the male plants before they produce any pollen. Pollen from a single male plant can travel insanely far outdoors and pollinate hundreds of plants ruining it for any of your neighbour’s crops.
Feminised Seeds
Whether photoperiodic or autoflowering, all feminised seeds are produced by forcing a known female plant to produce chemically induced pollen like a male plant, and then to either pollinate itself or another known female plant and eventually produce seeds that are only female in sex when grown to maturity.
These seeds streamline the growing process for growers by ensuring all the plants are bud-producing females. This takes nature’s guesswork and your potential loss of time and effort out of the equation.
Autoflowering Seeds
Autoflowering cannabis seeds have been crossed with an arctic strain of cannabis known as cannabis ruderalis. This feminised variety of cannabis seed exhibits automatic flowering capabilities. These strains of cannabis begin flowering based on their age rather than their light cycle, allowing for faster flowering times and more discreet grows with multiple harvests per year. Autoflowering cannabis plants begin to flower after 4 – 5 weeks of growth regardless of their light cycle. You can give these plants 20 hours or more light a day and they will not only enter the flowering phase automatically but flourish as well.
Here at Seed and Soil SA we pride ourselves in providing world class autoflowering strains to South African home growers. They are not only load shedding proof and easier to grow in urban areas, they have numerous advantages over regular or feminised photoperiodic plants when it comes to growing for personal use at home. What they lack in size they make up for in speed and ease of growing.
Climate-Appropriate Strains:
There is an enormous amount of cannabis strains out there , each of which performs best under certain environmental conditions. No two strains grow the same way. Do some research on which cannabis strains are well-suited to your regional climate. Sativa dominant strains tend to tolerate heat and humidity well, while indicas are generally more resistant to drier cold air and even pests. Hybrid strains are a mixture of both and are generally great all rounders. At Seed and Soil we have tried to make the process easier by hand picking a selection of tried and tested strains to not only guarantee success but to also provide the most bang for your buck. Checkout our strains here
Step 4: Choosing Your Soil
Giving your outdoor cannabis plants the best possible soil is key to unlocking their full genetic potential and maximising your yields.
The ideal soil composition for growing will vary depending on your growth phase, location, budget and water schedule. We recommend starting your plants in smaller pots first and only later transplanting them into their final growing location once they are strong enough.
Spots to grow:
The Ground:
If you’re growing in your native soil, dig an appropriate size hole (50cm x 50cm min) and line it with newspaper or cardboard as a lining. Mix, and work in generous amounts of aged compost, worm castings, and coco coir to improve the texture and drainage of the existing soil. You may also want to add perlite or leca to increase aeration.
Raised Beds:
Raised garden beds give you more control over your soil mix and improve drainage in areas with high water tables or heavy rainfalls. Line the bottom and fill them with one of our premium cannabis craft soil blends, add some earthworms or companion plants, and off you go.
Pots:
Plastic or fabric pots are a great way to keep control of the soil you are planting in and they are easy to move around. The biggest downfall with pots is their drainage problems and limited space for root development. Note: Be sure to add plenty of perlite and beware of overwatering. Transplanting your plants to bigger pots too early can be problematic. The root system roughly mimics the actual plant. If you experience yellowing leaves in its late veg stages transplanting to a bigger pot is a good idea amend soil and to avoid root lock.
Tip: To add organic soil amendments, incorporate organic matter like worm castings, kelp meal, bone meal, bat guano and fish emulsions to fortify your soil with slow-release nutrients in a natural way ahead of the growing season. Introduce beneficial bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi to enhance your soil food web and increase root function. You can buy these as powdered inoculants or make compost teas at home.
At Seed and Soil, we stock a wide range of organic potting soils, amendments, and custom-blended nutrients specifically formulated for growing cannabis. Click here to see more
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Step 5: Germinating Your Seeds
There are several methods to sprout your cannabis seeds successfully. The germination process is activated by water, and we recommend placing your seeds in a cup of water or germination pod for at least 12 hours before following any of these methods. Use water with a PH of 6 – 7 or bottled water if you are unsure and want to be safe. Remember to label your strains.
Germination Methods:
Direct to soil:
In warmer regions you can plant seeds directly into their starting pots or your garden beds although this is never really recommended. Make sure the soil is moist and plant your seeds about 1 cm deep. Keep the soil moist until they sprout.
Paper Towel Method:
Place your seeds between two damp paper towels or cotton pads on a plate or in a plastic container. Keep the towels moist but not soaking wet and within 2 – 3 days the seeds should sprout taproots. Carefully transplant the seedlings to your already moist soil with the tap root facing down – try avoiding too much pressure and contact with your hands while planting it.
Rooting Plugs:
Peat moss or coco coir plugs, also known as jiffy pellets are convenient for starting seeds too and can easily be placed under a humidity-controlled dome. Just insert seeds into pre-moistened plugs, cover them with a cup or dome, and provide ventilation once seeds have sprouted. Transplant the pellet to its final or next growing location. The roots will break through the mesh covering of the jiffy pellet so you don’t have to remove it although we always try to anyway.
Seed and Soil Germination pods:
We have specifically developed seed germination pods as part of our grow kit range to help simplify and speed up the germination process – To use the germination pod simply fill up the bottom cup with water to the line or until a couple of drops sit above the cone of the 2nd layer. Place the seed in the water and make sure it has enough room to float. Cover the pod with the lid and place it in your cupboard or somewhere dark. After 24 -36 hours you should see the seed crack open with a small white root starting to grow. Make a small hole about one knuckle deep in your pre moistened soil, dump the seed in the hole, and cover it gently. You don’t need to worry about its orientation, just remoisten the soil again and after 48 hours it will sprout.
Tip: Regardless of method, your seeds will need to be in a warm, humid environment to germinate properly. For best results aim for temperatures around 24°C and relative humidity between 70-90%. Allow your seedlings to grow for 2-4 weeks until they are at least 15 cm tall before transplanting them outdoors. Gradually acclimate them to direct sunlight over a week to minimise transplant shock
Step 6: Understanding The Growing Stages Of Your Plant:
Unless you are growing autoflowering cannabis, growing outdoors with sunlight as your main source of light means your plant’s growing phase is determined by the time of year and the amount of daylight. There are essentially 4 phases of growth to any cannabis plant:
The Germination Stage:
This has already been covered above but this is essentially the first 48 – 72 hours after a seed has been in contact with water.
The Sproutling:
Once germination has been successful and the seeds shell has cracked open, a root begins to appear and grow. The root will grow down and away from light, or crooked if no light is present, which is why it is important to transplant your seed to soil early.
The vegetative stage:
After sprouting, all plants will start their first 2 -3 weeks off in the vegetative stage regardless of light hours. If they receive more than 13+ hours of light per day they will stay in this vegetative state and grow bigger without creating flowers for as long as one can maintain those amounts of light hours.
The Flowering stage:
The flowering stage is triggered when the amount of light the plant receives drops below 12 hours per day. The nodes of the plant (where branches grow from the stem) should develop small white hairs after about 2 weeks indicating the sex of the plant to be female. If round sacks that look like balls or seeds start to form you likely have a male plant on your hands. Always wait a bit longer just to be sure, but make sure you don’t push it too far (3+ weeks) and accidentally pollinate other plants when the sacks burst open with pollen.
After a week or two after the flowering phase was initiated your plant will undergo a growth spurt and dramatically increase in size. A mistake commonly made by rookies is underestimating the scale of this transformation. Plants can grow more than double in size within a relatively short period of time. Training techniques and pruning may become essential especially for indoor growers
After 2 weeks the branch ends of the plant will start growing tighter and tighter forming pistils or flowers.
Over time these bud sites will grow larger and fatten up. All cannabis flowers mature at different rates and Sativa strains are known to take a lot longer to mature than Indicas. If all goes well, after about 9 – 12 weeks your cannabis plants will have fattened up and be fully mature, ready for harvesting and drying.
Tip: The natural shape of a cannabis plant is similar to that of a Christmas tree. The main stem will grow the tallest and receive the most light/sun. Plant training techniques can be implemented to manipulate this natural growth structure allowing lower branches to receive more light and equal energy. Implementing these techniques early before the flowering phase commences can greatly improve your overall yield. Read more on plant training techniques here
Step 7: Feeding Nutrients
While a healthy and living soil can usually provide most of the nutrients for your cannabis plants needs, you might still want to supplement it with additional nutrients – especially during the flowering phase. It’s a good idea to start early and water with half-strength feedings until you understand what your plants’ needs are in that particular environment. Watch for signs of deficiencies like yellowing, curling or spots, and gradually increase the fertiliser strength as you think is needed. Over-feeding is a common mistake among novice growers and can lead to nutrient burn, growth stunt, and other growing troubles. When in doubt, lean on the side of caution and use less than you think necessary.
Here are some popular organic amendments for healthy soils:
- Compost Tea: Brewing water into a distilled nutrient-rich compost tea is an easy way to inoculate your soil and foliage with beneficial microbes while also providing bio digestible nutrients.
- Worm Poop: Earthworm castings are an excellent slow-release natural fertilizer rich in nutrients and beneficial bacteria and available at almost all garden nurseries. Mix it into your soil before planting or use it to top-dress your garden beds throughout the growing cycle.
- Live Earthworms: Live earthworms are greatly beneficial to your soil as they not only improve aeration and drainage but also improve microbial life and nutrient recycling and uptake. For optimum results add 1 earthworm per litre of soil. Purchase worms here
- Bone Meal: This organic soil amendment is an excellent source of phosphorus and calcium to support robust flower development. Mix in small amounts to your soil a couple of weeks prior to the flowering stage.
- Epsom salts
Epsom salts are a great way of adding magnesium to your plants. It is completely natural and cheaply available from most convenient stores.
Consider the unique nutrient needs of each cannabis stage when planning your feeding schedule. For example, increase nitrogen during the veg phase and phosphorus during bloom phase. Use tested and PH buffered sources of nutrients to fill in any gaps from your organic feeding regimen.
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Step 8: Support and Protect Your Plants
Growing cannabis outdoors means your crop is exposed to the whims of nature. Here are some tips to defend your plants against the elements:
- Invest in Structural Support: Large plants may need to be supported with stakes, trellised, or tied to cages to bear the weight of big buds and prevent toppling. Install supports early in the season when plants are young and can grow into the structure.
- Create Wind Barriers: Shield plants from strong winds which can snap branches and reduce yields. If you cannot move your plants on windy days, try erect temporary shields around your grow space to act as windbreakers.
- Pest Prevention: Prevention is better than cure – there are far more ways to treat pests before your cannabis plants enter the flowering phase than after. Once the flowering phase begins you cannot consume the buds if you sprayed toxic pesticides all over them. We recommend treating your outdoor plants with some sort of pesticide or organic repellent prior to it entering the flowering phase as a precautionary measure. You can read more here
- Companion Planting: Proactively deter pests with companion planting – This is the method of planting other species of beneficial plants in close proximity to your cannabis plant in order to deter pests, promote soil health or increase beneficial insect populations.
- Watch Out for Critters: Depending on your location, animals like cats, mice, snails and even birds may nibble on your crop. Sadly, the biggest risk to outdoor growing is also theft by humans. Make sure your grow is out of sight and protected from those who might want to cut your harvest short.
- Monitor your plants: Catching problems early is key to a successful harvest. Check your plants regularly for signs of nutrient deficiencies, pest damage, or fungal disease, and take steps to remedy issues ASAP.
By staying vigilant and giving your plants the support they need to withstand Mother Nature, you’ll avoid many of the common pitfalls of outdoor growing.
Step 9: Harvest, Dry, and Cure Your Buds
After several months of hard work, the final (and most exciting) phase of cannabis cultivation is here – the harvest. Here’s a quick guide to finishing your outdoor crop:
When to Harvest: Most outdoor cannabis plants will be ready to harvest between mid-March and early May in South Africa after the daylight hours start to shorten. The exact timing will vary by strain and original planting date. We always make a calendar note the moment we see white hairs on the plant and count forward 8-9 weeks to monitor it from there. Outdoor cannabis takes a few extra weeks to mature compared to indoor grown cannabis.
Signs of Ripeness Keep an eye out for these traits that signal your buds are ready for harvesting:
- All growth has stopped
- The buds are swollen and resin-coated
- 70% or more of the pistils darkened to a red/brown colour
- Fan leaves are yellowing and dying
- Trichomes are turning milky or amber under magnification
Basic Harvesting Tips:
- Cut your plants at the base and remove the large fan leaves.
- Hang whole sections of the plant or individual branches to dry upside down like biltong.
- Maintain 18-24°C temperatures and 45-55% humidity while drying.
- Hang the plants in a dark space that is well ventilated using fans for gentle air circulation.
- When the plants are dry enough to trim and cure the stems will snap instead of bend
- The drying process can take anywhere from 7 – 14+ days depending on the drying conditions
Trimming:
The flowers are what we consume and the leaves are bad tasting and what we are trying to get rid of. Trim off the small leaves surrounding the buds either before drying while the plants are still fresh (“wet trimming”) or after hanging and drying for a tighter final product (“dry trimming”).
Use trimming scissors for an easier and more accurate trim and remove as much leaf material as possible. If you have plenty of large buds, cut the buds into smaller more manageable sized nuggets. This will lower the risk of mould and increase the curing rate. After trimming all your buds, place them into a glass jar for curing. Do not overfill the jar. Aim for 60% – 70%.
Curing bud for the Best Flavor:
Place your trimmed dried buds in sealed glass jars and keep them in a cool dark place. Open the jars once daily for the first week or two to release the moisture, then once weekly for 2-4 more weeks. Roll the jar around for a few times each time before opening to separate and rotate the buds. Placing a 2-way humidity pack inside the jars will guarantee freshness
Properly dried and cured outdoor cannabis can have incredible flavours and aromas that rival the best indoor herb. Take your time during this stage to aim for the highest quality finished product.
Conclusion:
With the tips shared in this guide, you should feel confident to start growing your own top-shelf cannabis outdoors. Remember, there’s no substitute for hands-on experience. The more you grow, the more you’ll understand the unique needs of your plants in each environment and with each strain.
As a proudly South African company, Seed and Soil is here to support you at every step of your cannabis growing journey. We offer a large selection of premium seeds, organic soils and nutrients, and helpful educational resources tailored to cultivating marijuana in our beautiful country. Read more on our website or visit one of our retail locations to get started with your first organic cannabis garden today!
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