Growing Marijuana Outdoors Site Selection Marijuana plants are literally weeds and in many parts of the world you can see them growing wild on the side of the road in India for example where they grwo with out any care at all. But to really get a good crop it is best to follow some simple steps. We discuss growing marijuana outdoors in areas outside of the home below but much of the information is useful for outdoor home and greenhouse grows. If you do grow outside at home it might be best to grow other similarly fast growing plants next to it to help the marijuana blend in. What ever you do. Do not tell anyone Marijuana seeds choice is fairly crucial, you want hardy varieties that develop long roots and are the right strain for your area, tropical strains that like heat and humidity don’t work too well in Canada for example and vice versa. We would also recommend buying feminized seeds, these are chemical treated so that they have a 95% to 99% strike rate at growing into females. The other option of course are marijuana clones. A good supply of water is crucial. A site situated by the side of a river or stream is ideal, but remember that they may flood in spring or autumn. Look for high water marks, debris in trees or water marks on rocks. Soils that are acidic like areas of pine need to be avoided, instead look for the grassy areas. We would recommend that you think about marijuana pH. Look at what else is already growing at the site. If there are plenty of grasses, weeds and nettles then chances are the location is already blessed with decent soil and water. Woodland sites may also be worth investigating, but bear in mind the levels of light that the plant will receive will be reduced significantly under the canopy. When inspecting the site try to envisage it throughout the entire growing season. In the summer, the sun will be higher in the sky baking your plants. Site selection is crucial to the survival of your plants, you don’t want them detected by humans and even other animals. If there are tracks leading to your site then you might find your plants disappear one day near the end of the grow just before you were about to harvest them! Yes it happens often. If you do plant them near a stream then walking through the water to access it will hide tracks brilliantly. Think about planting off the beaten track in hard to access areas. Watch out for areas near overhead power lines, railroad tracks and anything man made. Grow marijuana outdoors where it is hard or annoying for people to trek through. Some outdoor marijuana growers monitor their plantation using camouflaged outdoor wildlife cameras take photos when triggered by movement. There is also another option of using large buckets to grow your plants in and placing them on inaccessible rocky outcrops however they still need water supply. Consider where the sun will hit the plant in the morning, throughout the day and into the evening. Morning sun is better and the sun will change location as the days turn from spring into fall. An outdoor marijuana plant should receive a minimum of around 5 hours of direct sunlight and of course, more is always better. Marijuana Site Preparation Having selected the site a little preparation will be needed. If you are looking to grow say 12 plants then for best results each plant should be given 10 clear feet between the next, this ends up being quite a large area to organise but it does only give each plant a 5 foot diameter for the bottom leaves to grow into. You can of course start with a far less optomistic number let’s say 6 plants based only 5 feet away from each other it might not be as big a crop but it will be far easier to start and operate. Over the season marijuana plants should grow between 3 and 5 feet tall (depending on conditions) with one main cola of buds at the top. Clear away any weeds in the immediate vicinity and dig some decent size holes, some say 4 foot deep holes by 4 foot wide but we know you haven’t got an earth-mover out there and we have seen nice outdoor grows using holes 2 foot deep by 2 foot in diameter. It is best to replace the original soil with your own ‘clean’ soil from the garden supply shop which should include compost and fertilizer. The original woodland soil will usually harbor a number of pests and diseases and may not be of the best quality anyway. It is a good idea to add a thick layer of mulch to the top surface of the grow area to help keep moisture in the ground below. If you do use the original soil add some fertilizers and polymer crystals. When choosing soil additives at your garden supply shop, and you need to ask questions then pretend that you are growing tomatoes, the requirements are very similar. But don’t think you are ever fooling anyone! We suggest using polymer crystals mixed into any soil you use as they will expand and hold moisture and gradually release it, meaning that you plants have less chance of dying simply by drying out over a spell of hot days. Watering outdoor marijuana plants is crucial. One of the best solutions is to have a stream, river, lake etc near by and hook up a small solar powered pump with a timer on it. Think about watering the plants early morning and then early evening. Another solution is to cut a small half pea size hole into the bottom of a 5 or 10 gallon (or more) bucket or plastic container. Place the bucket near the plant and use a cloth or cotton rope ‘wick’ system to funnel the water (or nutrient solution) from the hole in the bucket to the soil near the plant. Watching and monitoring the water supply is fairly crucial, too much water and you will drown your plants (leaves turn yellowish), too little and they will grow very slowly and produce far less weed. Plants will take 20 to 40 gallons of water each during a season – the vast difference will be dependent on the soil type, marijuana seed strain and quantity of sun. If possible, construct a little fence of chicken wire around your growing area to deter rabbits and deer. The smell of urine will also help keep inquisitive wildlife away so make a point of peeing in the area every time you visit.
