Easy ways to grow cannabis seeds outdoors

Easy ways to grow cannabis

More people than ever will grow a few outdoor auto’s in the coming season. In this blog we will explain some easy ways to grow Autoflowering cannabis. Here is what you can expect.

• Your auto’s should take about 3 months from start to finish.  
  
  
• The auto’s will probably be around waist-high at finish.  In good conditions the best auto’s can reach 1.5m.
  
  
• A good outdoor auto will yield well in optimum soil/sun conditions.  Outdoor harvests of 150g per auto are possible.  In cloudy and cooler conditions 30-50g per auto are more likely.
  
  
• Assuming you grow good quality autofem seeds the cannabis you harvest from an auto will be the same premium quality cannabis that you are used to.

Growing auto’s outdoor is easy

Growing auto’s outdoor is easy.  If you have a poor growing climate then you need to decide which are the three predictably best months for weather and grow in them.  It can help to germinate the seeds indoors and grow them indoors under e.g. fluorescent light for the first couple of weeks.  This allows the seedlings extra protection during the most vulnerable period of their life.

Varieties such as StarRyder, AutoDurban Poison, AutoFrisian Dew and AutoMazar are all proven outdoor varieties that have been bred with strong outdoor/greenhouse performance. 

Auto’s will be slowed down if the night temperatures regularly dip below 12ºC, this could add an extra couple of weeks to the grow.  But outdoor growers can’t do anything about the weather conditions.  However if you are growing autos in a greenhouse or a polytunnel the you can add a greenhouse heater which will allow the plants to grow faster. 

Its always good to wait until the last frost has gone before you think about putting your cannabis autos outdoors.  Remember, if you live in a cool and cloudy climate, select the three warmest and sunniest summer months to get the best results.

Growing in a hot, sunny climate

If you are growing in a hot, sunny climate such as the Mediterranean then you may be able to get 2 or even three consecutive auto crops per year. 

For some growers this allows them to grow small numbers of autos throughout the year, which allows a steady supply of cannabis from a minimum number of plants.

Auto’s are easier to hide

One advantage of autos is the they are easier to hide than a 3 metre tall photoperiod plant.  A few small auto plants between 50-100cm tall are easy to conceal.  And auto’s only live for 3 months, thats half the time you need to keep a taller photoperiod plant hidden. 

Many urban auto growers are happy to have a few plants on their roof terrace, window, patio or back garden.  A few cannabis autos are easily hidden behind some ornamental garden plants or vegetables and these days lots of urban growers grow a hidden plant or two outdoors at home.  

Possible grow locations

And lots of outdoor cannabis growers are now planting a crop of autos in the countryside for a mid summer harvest.  Autos stay short and bushy, they are ideal for hiding in areas of unused urban land near cities.  A couple of autos can grow easily hidden in a patch of nettles.  Unused building ground, land near canals, railways etc can often allow an auto to grow without anyone knowing. 

Google Earth is a great way to look for possible grow locations, but you will need to visit them yourself before final approval.

And if you can get out to the countryside you will be spoilt for choice, there are countless places to hide a few autos.  Forests, mountains and woodland are full of places, just look for an area which receives maximum sunlight. 

Grow close to streams/water

River banks are ideal, and if you grow close to streams/water it makes it easy to get water to your plants in hot weather.  Unused land between farmers fields is also a good place to hide an auto, the land is rarely checked and is usually good quality for growing.  If the soil quality is poor (e.g. too sandy) then simply buy some supermarket soil and dig it in.  

Successful and experienced auto growers work hard to improve soil quality by adding nutrients, manure etc.  This can really improve the structure and aeration of the soil and allow larger harvests.

Prepare your grow location

Determined outdoor growers will often spend hours preparing a grow location in the middle of a large bramble bush.  A hidden grow location which has been created by clearing surrounding scrub can take a long time to create, but will often provide years of use since accidentally discovery is extremely unlikely.  Such hidden grow plots are often accessed by well concealed entrances, sometimes these are accessible only by crawling.

Over a period of several years the determined outdoor grower can find and use numerous local grow plots and successfully grow and auto, or two, in each one.  Its a easy way to grow yourself a steady supply of top quality cannabis.

Protect your crops

Protecting your outdoor crop from animals is usually necessary.  Slugs and snails can be kept away with slug pellets from the garden centre.  Or you can try broken egg shells as a more organic alternative.  And you will need to stop rabbits, goats and deer from eating your cannabis plants.  You can protect your plants with a circular frame made from standard garden wire (‘chicken wire’) and held in position with tent pegs.  

Your autos only need 3 months outdoors before you can harvest them, and will need little care or attention so long as they have reasonable quality moist soil and sun.  Once you have made your first successful outdoor auto grow you will wonder why you left it so long.  Growing autos outdoor is fast, simple and easy.  You can grow autos in the countryside or hide them in your own garden.  All you need is a few seeds from a good quality seed company.