With the warm days of summer upon us, many people are starting their cannabis plants indoors or in a greenhouse to keep them safe early on from potential cold weather issues. However, there comes a time when all plants must be transplanted outdoors. This presents a new set of challenges as some plants will surely die if exposed to extreme weather conditions such as excessive heat or cold, wind, and rain. Why not try to Grow Weed Outdoors Without a Greenhouse?
How to Grow Weed Outdoors Without a Greenhouse?
Today we’re going to discuss how you can avoid those issues and transplant your cannabis plants outside without them dying on you! Before we start, though, it’s important to note that the following information does not apply to all geographical areas. For example, if you live in a room with cold winters where temperatures go below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius), then growing cannabis is probably not for you (at least without some strict temperature control).
The key to successfully growing your weed outdoors is what’s known as hardening off. Before we get into what that means, let’s discuss why you would want to transplant your plants outdoors at all.
Transplanting your Cannabis Plants
The main reason to grow cannabis outdoors is its high yield and ability to be developed in various climates and conditions. Indoor grows typically have small outcomes compared to outdoor ones, but outdoor grows can sometimes run into mold or bugs, which can ruin the entire crop.
Also, Read Cannabis Growth Cycles here.
The second most popular reason for growing cannabis outdoors is because it’s a lot cheaper than paying to heat and cool a room for 12+ hours per day, seven days per week. Sure, heating and cooling equipment may be dirt cheap nowadays, but you still have the cost of electricity to pay for, which can vary depending on where you live.
Final Stage
Transplanting your cannabis plants outdoors is the final stage in growing your marijuana. It may be enticing to skip this step and go straight from seed or clone into flowering, but that’s only asking for disaster! The first several weeks of life are absolutely crucial for a cannabis plant. They have to go through the vegetative stage, then the flowering stage, and THEN you can harvest your plants.
If you try to transplant them before they are healthy enough to handle it, they’ll die for sure! Follow these steps below to grow cannabis plants outdoors without a greenhouse successfully.
Steps to Transfer Plants
– Weigh out how much soil you’ll need to fill your pots.
– You can either plant the entire pot or use collars/containers within the pot if you’re not too confident in your transplanting abilities. Note that it might be beneficial to start off with smaller pots about 8″ (20 cm) deep and 4-6″ (10-15 cm) in diameter. This way, if your plants don’t look like they’re going to make it, you can always move them back inside and try again in a week or two.
– Make sure there is good drainage in the pots by putting some rocks at the bottom and sides of pots or collars.
– Dig holes as deep as the pot and about twice as wide.
– Fill the hole with water first, then dump out all of the excess water that didn’t drain into the hole. This will ensure your plants have a well-draining yet moist enough medium to grow in.
– Get a bag of premixed soil (can be found at any home improvement store like Home Depot or Lowes). You can also mix your own but it’s not worth the hassle.
– Fill up the pots/collars with soil, leaving enough room for plants to fit into. Water each plant well after transplanting them into their new homes.
– Set your plants into their new homes right before the sun goes down, so they don’t get burned.
– Don’t water them again until they start drooping (which can be several days). While some people like to fertilize newly transplanted cannabis plants, it’s not necessary for this stage of growth.
– Let your plants sit in their new homes for a week before moving them to their final destination.
Important Information for Colorado Growers
If you are a Colorado resident, Colorado is one of the few states that have legalized marijuana for recreational use. Colorado dispensaries exist to sell marijuana legally to Colorado residents and tourists over 21 years old. Colorado’s cannabis industry was worth $700 million in 2015 in just medical marijuana sales alone. The Colorado Department of Revenue says it collected more than $135 million in taxes and fees revenue from Colorado dispensaries and marijuana businesses in the fiscal year 2015-2016.
Colorado is one of the few states that does not prevent Colorado residents from growing their cannabis at home, even if they do not have a Colorado medical card for medical marijuana. Colorado’s Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division says Colorado homes cannot be made into Colorado dispensaries or marijuana businesses. Denver and Colorado residents can grow up to 6 cannabis plants for personal use at home, but Colorado regulations say that Colorado homes cannot be used as Colorado dispensaries.
Colorado regulations do not limit how much cannabis residents can possess. Also, how much cannabis residents can keep in their homes. Their regulations also state that anyone over 21 years of age is allowed to have no more than one ounce of Colorado cannabis at any time. Colorado laws say that residents may not sell or distribute Colorado marijuana to anyone over 21 years old, and Colorado residents cannot purchase Colorado cannabis from anyone but Colorado dispensaries.
In Conclusion
Now that you’ve successfully transplanted your weed outdoors, the only thing left is: to give them lots of love and attention! Good luck and happy growing!
