Outdoor Cannabis - Growing for All Sizes

Outdoor growing is not limited to large secluded fields, or backyards with tall fences. You can grow on balconies, rooftops, or patios by using correct sized pots to control your plants size.

Has outdoor growing been an interest to you, but you are unsure if your space will work, or you are unsure how to approach it? Growing cannabis outdoors is a great, cost effective way to increase your plants yield, while of course being super environmentally friendly.

Within Canada, growing up to 4 plants at a time is legal in all provinces, making the decision to try it out, a bit more tempting. Outdoor growing is also not limited to large secluded fields, or backyards with tall fences. You can grow on balconies, rooftops, or patios by using correct sized pots to control your plant's overall size.

Where to Begin

The first step, and one of my favourite parts… Choosing which kind of seeds you would like to grow. You will find that most cannabis seed strains will come with 2 options, Auto-flower and Photoperiod. In a nutshell, Photoperiod cannabis seeds are light sensitive, meaning once our days reduce sunlight to 12 hours, they will begin to flower. Auto-flowers are not sensitive to daylight hours, and will begin their flowering stage one they hit maturity, usually within 3-4 weeks. Photoperiods are great for creating monstrous trees but require a sharper attention to your province’s season of growth, and the privacy of your grow space. Although Autos will not become as large as photos, they are great for balconies or short fenced areas, require less attention to the season of growth, and if well timed, you can harvest multiple crops in one season.

Once you decide, begin to germinate and grow your seeds indoors under a grow light, or window sill, but pay attention to cool drafts. Since Canada experiences longer winters and cooler springs, you will need to start growing your seeds inside to really achieve the plant's maximum size and success. Germinating can be done multiple ways, but my go to method is to place the seeds in a shot glass of water, soaking and storing them in a dark place until you see them crack open and show their taproot. Once they crack, plant them in a smaller pot full of soil medium that has been mixed, and dampened.

Deciding Grow Locations

The next step is to decide on your outdoor growing location. When picking the location, there are 4 things you will need to consider. Level of privacy, grow method, light exposure, and water access.

Privacy is a measure to consider when growing cannabis outdoors. A fenced or secluded area is preferred to ensure your plants are secure from peering eyes, animals, and out of the reach of children or underage. But the limit doesn’t stop there, you can also grow on balconies, rooftops or in DIY greenhouses. You can use methods such as Low Stress Training and topping, as this will create a short but thick plant that will have many branches.

When growing cannabis outdoors, many people think of the plant being in the earth. However, growing in containers is a great option that will assist you in managing your plants size, and give you more control on your soil and nutrients. See my other blog posts on how to build organic soil, and feeding with nutrients! For smaller outdoor spaces like balconies, a 3 or 5 Gallon pot will create a smaller and manageable plant, keeping in mind methods like LST. For larger spaces, a 10 Gallon or larger pot will work great. I have seen plants in 10 Gallons reach sizes of 7 feet by late summer. If you do have a healthy plot of land, you can grow straight into the ground, allowing these plants to grow to heights of 12 feet with proper light conditions and care.

Considering light conditions will be an important measure. Cannabis will thrive in as much direct sun as you can give them, with a minimum of 6 hours per day. The light that the sun provides will always be better than any manufactured light on the market, and since plants need light to grow, it’s only natural that the more light you give, the bigger and more happy your plant will be. Once the season turns to fall, our days will become shorter, triggering photoperiod cannabis to flower. A major thing to consider is street lights, or backyard lights. Photoperiod plants are sensitive enough that if any unintended light is shed onto the plant, it could stunt flowering and even return your plant into a vegetative stage, which is NOT what we want when nearing seasons end and first frost!

Easy water access will help you, and your back in your plant’s care routine. Cannabis plants like their soil to be dried between waterings, but never bone dry for long periods of time. Flowering cannabis plants will also consume almost twice as much water, which means access to a hose, river, water barrel or tap is preferable. If you are container growing, lift and feel the weight of the container when it is dry, and just after you have watered. You can use this to gauge when you should water, or when you should leave your plant be.

Preparing Your Final Transplant

Once the evenings stay at about 12C or above, you can transfer your cannabis plants outside. This is typically mid May along with tomatoes and other vegetables. Prep your final pot by mixing your preferred soil medium mixture, considering you will want a good amount of drainage since rainfalls will occur and your plants do not want soggy feet! Mix in your organic nutrients or amendments of choice, then water, dampening the soil evenly. Once your soil is prepped, transfer to the pot and water.

From there, you can let the sunshine and waterings do the rest! You will want to check in on your plants every few days, inspecting to see any deficiencies, pests, or other issues. Your plant will always communicate if something is wrong!

Managing issues

Just like growing any plant, issues can occur. Here are a few that are most common.

High winds and storms are a factor to monitor regularly. Rooftop or field grows can be more susceptible to be damaged by high winds, so building fences, windbreaks, trellis or supports will reduce the risk of damage. For balcony or patio grows, dependent on size, you can bring your plant into your home or garage on a stormy night, or use similar wind breaking methods.

PH imbalances are a common issue when watering plants. Since PH balance is our mainline to roots absorbing nutrients from the soil, we need to ensure our levels are appropriate. My advice is to check out your local growing supply store, or nursery, for test kits and some organic balancers, testing and correcting before each watering. This small investment and routine step will be a massive lifesaver for your plant.

Pests are a nasty issue that both indoor and outdoor growers can experience. The best pest prevention is to simply keep your plants healthy. Strong, and healthy cannabis plants actually have a natural resistance to pests that make minor infestations easy to deal with. It’s also best to keep your cannabis plants separate from other plants like vegetables, flowers and ornamental, as pests can easily spread between them. Check your plants every few days for any issues or bugs, and act immediately if noticed. There are plenty of organic pest control and preventative methods out there, such as planting herbs, like Marigold or Rosemary. Preventative and management sprays can also be used by misting the plant, usually in the evening.

Tips & Tricks

Tying silk flowers to your growing cannabis plant is a creative way to keep spying eyes at bay. Especially on balconies or patios!

Planting some herbs such as marigolds, basil, mint and/or lavender near and under your cannabis plant can aid in pest control and cannabis smell!