With cannabis laws rapidly changing and becoming more forgiving than they once were, quite a few people are testing out their green thumbs these days. While there are several factors to consider when planning a marijuana garden, one of the most crucial is just where and how to grow it. Growing indoors gives people more freedom, particularly when they don’t have a lot of space outside or they live in areas where growing marijuana isn’t quite legal yet. Of course, taking the indoor route also requires a certain amount of extra equipment, time, and attention.
Growing Marijuana Outside
All things considered, growing cannabis outdoors comes with several benefits. Many people point out that outdoor marijuana is more potent and flavorful than indoor plants. That’s due to the fresh air and natural sunlight they receive. It probably has a lot to do with Mother Nature providing all the essentials as well. After all, if plants automatically receive sunlight, ventilation, and moisture, human error doesn’t have as much of an impact on their growth. All that being said, it’s important to take some time to plan for an outdoor grow before actually planting those seeds.
Assess Your Property
One of the most important elements to consider when planning a marijuana garden is the type and amount of space you have. Technically speaking, if you have enough room for a flower bed, you have enough room to grow a few cannabis plants. In the event you want to go big with your crop, you’ll need more square footage. As important as how much space you have is how that space is situated. Cannabis plants require plenty of sunlight for photosynthesis, so be sure to choose an area where they’ll get it. Try to pick a plot that receives at least eight hours of direct sunlight per day.
Consider the Local Climate
Do some research and find out just how long the growing season in your area is before committing to an outdoor grow, too. You’ll need to plant your seeds after the last frost of spring and be sure they’re harvested before first frost of fall. From there, compare the needs of the strains you’d like to grow with the amount of time available for outdoor crops in your area. If the local growing season isn’t long enough, it may be best to choose a different strain or keep your garden indoors. Keep in mind that autoflowering strains need less time to mature than some other options.
Other Factors to ConsiderÂ
Those are a couple of the essential aspects to think about if you’d like to grow cannabis outdoors. Still, a few other points are crucial as well. If your chosen garden spot consists of sandy soil or red clay, you’ll need to create a more suitable growing environment for your cannabis before planting it. You could plow the garden plot or break it up with manual gardening tools and work mulch or manure into the soil to create a more nutrient-rich platform for your cannabis plants.
Think about how much wind your area gets as well. Marijuana plants need ventilation, but high winds could damage them. If that’s likely to be an issue where you live, consider building a fence or planting shrubbery around the plot to protect your plants. Keeping this and the other points we’ve mentioned here in mind will help ensure your outdoor cannabis garden thrives and supplies you with generous yields come harvest time.
