Are you a newbie? Are you an experienced marijuana grower simply looking for fresh genetics to grow? Do you live in hot climates where Marijuana especially sativa strains can thrive? Worry not my fellow stoner, this is a definitive guide to choosing the right cannabis seeds for every season whether you are already experienced or you are just starting out in the venture of growing your own Marijuana strains. If you are a beginner, I would recommend fetching a download of our lovely Marijuana Grow Bible so kindly provided by Robert Bergman from ilovegrowingmarijuana.com. Be sure to check out his site from the link below, this is one of the best seed stores in the US.
http://ilovegrowingmarijuana.com
In this article, we are going to dive deep into each season, discussing what would deter ideal marijuana growth or what about that season may even enhance your lovely plant’s production.
Here are some of the most prominent strains from the ilovegrowingmarijuana.com menu. Please Keep in Mind that this is only for US Customers.
- 50% indica 50% sativa
- Extreme THC levels up to 26%
- Easy to grow in- and outdoors
- Great relaxing, late-night high
- Feminized seeds for guaranteed results
- 50% indica 50% sativa
- High THC level towards 29%
- Big yields for both indoor and outdoor growers
- You feel both relaxed and euphoric
- Feminized seeds for guaranteed results
- 60% indica 40% sativa
- High THC levels up to 21%
- Consistently grows high yields
- Robert Bergman’s own strain!
- Feminized seeds for guaranteed results
Indoor Vs Outdoor
Whether you are growing indoors or outdoors it is always feasible to check the ideal weather conditions in which your particular strain tends to thrive. It is much easier if you are growing indoors as your plants are not vulnerable to elements such as heat and wind.
Having said that, it is in your best interest as a grower to try to mimic the recommended climate conditions to get better yields and better quality on your lovely bud.
Outdoor growers are more vulnerable to weather conditions and the elements which may at times deter growth, THC production or may even kill the plant in severe conditions. Having said that, there is no better bud than bud grown outdoors in my opinion.
Autoflowers vs Feminized
I’m gonna touch down briefly on this as it has already been discussed in our Indoor vs Outdoor High-Quality Weed article. However, because of the limited growing time, if you are planning to grow outdoors, it is not recommended to grow auto-flowering seeds. This is because they have less time to recover from damages and limited daylight exposure. Feminized seeds tend to thrive better outdoors, being able to determine when they go into flowering and also providing better yields when grown outdoors.
Autoflowers(EU)
Autoflowers (US)
So, which is the best Season For Growing Marijuana?
Well, my fellow stoner this is very subjective. It all depends on the country you live in and the weather conditions in that country, however, you should always aim for maximum light exposure, remember, marijuana plants need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day.
Having said that, the normal weed season tends to touch Spring, Summer and Fall and there are optimal seasons for each growth stage.
Beginner Vs Experienced
Regardless of what season it is, if you are a beginner in growing marijuana, my best advice would be to start out growing indoors. This is simply because you have more control over the climate in the grow room or grow tent. You have to deal with much fewer issues such as damage done by heat or wind, you will also have much less exposure to unwanted pests.
Germination Stage: Early Spring
In the Northern Hemisphere, growers and farmers tend to start germinating their seeds as early as April, at this stage, seedlings are germinated and started indoors for them to set some proper roots to become robust and more resistant to weather conditions and pests.
In the meantime, while the seedling is growing indoors, the climate is getting a little warmer outdoors.
Spring To Early Summer: Seedling Stage
Seedlings are baby plants and just like a baby, they are extremely sensitive and delicate.
If you live in cooler climates it is recommended to wait on putting plants in the ground to avoid the danger of overnight frost or sunburn. The general rule of thumb I tend to go by is to move plants outside after Mother’s Day and plant them into the ground by the 21st of June.
There is always the very convenient option of growing your plants in pots or containers. This is extremely popular amongst outdoor growers as it offers the ability to bring the plants in during the night when it’s cold.
Summer To Early Fall: Vegetative Stage
This is when the magic happens, the vegetative stage is when the plant’s growth will really take off.
Growers here start topping and training their plants to encourage outward growth. This will provide optimal distribution of light to the leaves while also managing overall plant height.
If you find out any male plants in your crop, this is the best time to isolate them from your female plants. It is important to inspect your plants daily as there is a chance of stressed plants forming hermaphrodite branches. If unattended, this will cause the plant to become pollinated and focus more on producing seeds rather than buds.
Photoperiod and Feminized plants will stay in the vegetative stage until they start to get 12 hours of darkness while Autoflowering seeds will flower simply when their biological clock is programmed to flower. Next will come the most exciting part, the Flowering Stage.
Fall: Flowering Stage
This is the final stage of the cannabis plant’s life. This is where most of the plant’s energy will be put into producing flowering. The flowering stage will happen in three phases.
Initiating Flowers. In this stage, you will start to see white, hairy pistils developing, hinting the buds are about to come. Growth will start to slow down.
Mid-Flowering– Here the plant will stop growing and the buds will start to form
Late-flowering/ripening- This is where you will see the flowers fatten up, become and full of trichomes. When all the white hairs have turned brown, you can start thinking about harvesting.
CAUTION: As Flowers fatten up, they might become too heavy for the branches to handle. There are various types of support available to provide your plant in order for the branches to be able to hold the flowers.
Mid-To-Late-Fall- Harvest
As a general rule of thumb, harvest should be done on or around the 23rd of September. This is when it’s time to cut your plant and proceed towards drying or curing. When the plant is ready to harvest, the leaves will also likely start to turn yellow, curl and dry out.
Best Seeds For Outdoor(EU)
Best Seeds For Outdoor (US)
Tips For Your Outdoor Growth
1) Check out our outdoor growing article.- There are various useful tips such as the type of soil to use, how to deal with common cannabis pests, the elements etc.
2)Keep A Growth Journal-This is not exclusive to outdoor growers, whether you are growing indoors or outdoors, make sure to track the growth of each and every plant you grow and write it down. This will give you future further insight into the particular strain, what works for you and what does not.
3)Choose A Strain Appropriate for your region
Some strains do better in some climates than others, as you can probably imagine strain genetics will have a big impact on the growing season.
Where the season is cooler and shorter, you might want to grow Indica-dominant strains, whereas sativas will definitely do well in the hot and humid growing seasons. Other variables to consider would be the type of soil, the volume of rain and the abundance of sun vs shade
4)Plant companions.
You might want to consider planting beneficial companion plants like basil and lavender, not only do they invite pollinator insects into your garden but they will also invite insects such as ladybugs which will be the protector of your plants preying on cannabis pests like spider mites.
5)Keep Learning. There is undoubtedly a lot to learn from growing cannabis. We have a whole blog full of useful info for your perusal
What Can Heat, Cold, Or Rain Do To Weed Plants?
The consequences of weather effects vary depending on which growth stage a plant is in. During the summer heat, photosynthesis tends to slow down while THC production decreases. Warmth will also speed up the evaporation or degradation of terpenes, causing buds to lose some of their flavours.
In addition, extremely hot temperatures can harm the actual bud texture quality by making them less full and compact. Then, warm weather does not necessarily make for the best cannabis-growing conditions.
Rain, on the other hand, can also harm cannabis plants. Too much rain causes auto flowers to remain in their vegetative stage longer, for instance, refusing to auto-switch to flowering.
Your cannabis plant will also become vulnerable to fungi and pests which thrive in wet climates.
Cold weather, is undoubtedly the most harmful climate no-go for growers. Daytime temperatures lower than 15 degrees will slow down or halt all metabolism and growth processes. If the temperature falls below 13 degrees, certain strains may even enter into shock. Once the sun returns, plants will need some time to recover before they continue towards growing their flower buds.
How can you protect your plants from these elements?
Heat:
The temperatures do tend to rise suddenly, especially here in Malta, however, you can easily make amends for this by providing shade for the plant not to get burned, this will avoid photosynthesis and THC production from slowing down.
An old trick is to put a layer of straw covering the base of the plant. This way, the plant will be provided with a healthy amount of shade while leaving it space to breathe.
Cold:
Should you live in a country where spring does to be quite cold, It is a very good idea to start your plants inside, either by the window or by providing a light source on top. You can do this until spring starts to settle in and if the temperatures drop suddenly again after you take them out, do not worry, the layer of straw will ensure the plant is not exposed to too much cold.
Air Humidity
Humidity is also a major factor to keep an eye out for. If it does tend to get misty in the nights or the early mornings where you live, it might be a good idea to give them a good gentle shake in order to allow them to drop any trapped condensation on the plant. Tactical pruning may prove fruitful, however, do not overdo it, remember, plants need leaves to catch sunlight and energy.
Wind
The wind is definitely a grower’s best friend. The best cannabis weather comes with a gentle breeze; especially during the flowering stage to prevent stale air in between the buds hence preventing fungus from settling in.
Be mindful of extreme winds, though. Keep your grow out of harm’s way by shielding it from the full force of any summer winds, and remember that strong winds usually come from the South-West.
If you know a storm is coming, bring your pots to safety before the weather turns.
It’s usually a good idea to support your young plants with sticks of bamboo stuck in alongside the stems (careful with those roots!), possibly using gardening wire for extra gust protection.
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