Category Archives: Growing

Everything you need to know to start growing your own cannabis.

9 inspection to prevent problems

Inspection and Maintenance: Prevent Problems in Your Outdoor Cultivation

Outdoor cannabis cultivation carries many benefits. Your plants grow and bloom in the fresh air under a radiant sun, benefiting from everything that nature has to offer. However, it’s crucial to keep an eye on your plants’ health to prevent problems. In this blog, you’ll learn how to handle the maintenance of cannabis during outdoor cultivation.

Inspection and maintenance of marijuana plants

Growing weed outdoors may seem easy: you sow some seeds, occasionally water them, and before you know it, you have a nice harvest in hand. And it’s true: cannabis is a robust, strong plant that can handle a lot. But still, if you’re working towards a splendid harvest, it’s best to regularly check your plants and perform maintenance during outdoor cannabis cultivation.

Doing so can prevent many problems. Even though weed is strong, your plants can fall victim to pests and diseases and grow too fast or too slow.

Occasionally pruning, providing extra nutrition, and protecting your plants against diseases increases your chances of a bountiful harvest. And that is certainly worth the extra effort, we think!

Below, we provide you with some simple tips to quickly assess your plants’ health. You’ll learn what to look out for and how to prevent or solve problems.

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Signs of disease and pests

 

Fungi

It’s important to regularly check whether your marijuana plants are not infected by a disease or pest. Fungal infections can quickly rob you of a good harvest. They can occur in both indoor and outdoor cultivation.

Many types of fungi affect not only the leaves but also the buds. Two common fungi are mildew and bud rot (botrytis).

Mildew lies like a white, powdery substance on the leaves and can spread from there over the plant. The leaves turn yellow and eventually die.

Bud rot usually starts at the bottom of the plant stem and works its way up to the buds. You can see an infection by dry, discoloured leaves and withering buds.

Fungi are not easily controlled. Find the plants that have an infection and separate them. You can try to prune the affected parts, so the plants hopefully survive.

The best way is to try to prevent fungi. You can do this by ensuring your plants stand as much as possible in the full sun. If it rains for a long time, it’s a good idea to place a tarp above your plants. If your plants are in pots, you can, for example, bring them inside during heavy rain.

A lot of moisture is ideal for the formation of fungi. Try to prevent your plants from touching each other as much as possible to hinder the spread of fungi. The better the airflow, the better.

Try also to water your plants at the foot. When you spray or irrigate, fungi can multiply more easily.

Pests

During maintenance while growing cannabis, it’s also important to watch out for pests. Think about fungus gnats, spider mites, and aphids.

Fungus gnats can be in garden soil, but a high humidity level also attracts these annoying creatures. If you see them on your plants, you can combat them with neem oil or diatomaceous earth. Also, deploying their natural enemy (ladybugs) is an option.

Spider mites can also plague your marijuana plants during outdoor cultivation. These are small red or black spiders. They can reproduce quickly and love warm, dry conditions.

Many pesticides do not work against these mites. It’s best to prune the affected leaves and spray your plants with a mixture of neem oil and water. You can also use ladybugs to combat spider mites.

Then you can also get aphids. These can be very destructive. If you’re maintaining your weed plants outdoors, make sure you combat aphids as soon as possible. This can be done by removing the affected leaves. Also use water and neem oil and deploy predatory insects.

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Better Harvest Through Pruning and Maintenance

Pruning and regular maintenance when you grow cannabis are good ways to keep your plants healthy and assure yourself of an optimal harvest.

Pruning isn’t just to give your plants a visually appealing shape. Marijuana plants can grow incredibly fast, and they can therefore become too big and take light away from other plants.

So, it makes sense to remove certain leaves. This ensures more light and air can circulate between your plants, enabling them to grow better. Conscious pruning also ensures your plant doesn’t put energy into the leaves, but into full buds. This is something you, as a grower, benefit from too.

There are different techniques you can use, such as topping, fimming, defoliation, LST, and supercropping. If you want to keep it simple, start by regularly removing unhealthy leaves (with discoloured edges or damage).

Keeping a close eye yields a lot

As you can see, regularly inspecting and maintaining your marijuana plants is certainly worth it. You can prevent many annoying problems and ensure healthy, strong plants. And it’s really not that much work. With a little extra effort, you assure yourself of a bountiful harvest.

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amsterdam genetics blog growing with high temperatures

Growing Outdoor Cannabis in Hot Weather: Heat Demands Extra Attention

Most people enjoy warm weather, but it can pose many challenges when you’re growing outdoor cannabis. Weed is a very resilient plant, and many strains can withstand quite high temperatures. However, there are limits to what the plant can endure. In this blog, we’ll provide tips on how to guide your plants through a hot summer while still achieving a good harvest.

The dangers of warm weather in cannabis cultivation

We always look forward to a wonderfully warm summer. But if you’re growing outdoor weed, you know that your cannabis plants can be affected by the heat. The sunlight itself is not the issue: plenty of light during the long summer days causes your plants to literally bloom and form beautiful buds.

The high temperatures are what can make it difficult for your plants. The heat can cause heat stress, which has various implications for marijuana plants.

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Decreased transpiration

As it gets warmer, your weed will transpire, which isn’t different from what humans do. Transpiration provides cooling. If the air humidity is low and the soil is dry, no transpiration can take place, and your plants can quickly become too hot.

Curling leaves

The heat and dry air can cause your plant’s leaves to curl. Sometimes it might not even feel that hot to you, but the low air humidity can cause your precious weed to dry out just like that, which can have disastrous consequences.

Light buds

The cannabis plant responds to the damage to the leaves by forming qualitatively poorer buds. The buds become misshapen and have less potential. They may also have white pistils, looking as though they’re not ready for harvest. The buds are fuller at the top than at the bottom. This is a clear sign of overheating.

If the weather is warm, keep an extra close eye on your cannabis during its growth. Watch out for signs of heat stress, such as curled leaves, airy buds with strange shapes, and stunted growth in seedlings.

Which cannabis strains can handle heat well?

If you know a hot summer is coming, it’s wise to take this into account when buying seeds. Not all cannabis strains can cope equally well with scorching summers. Below are examples of cannabis strains that can withstand heat well. But keep in mind that they bloom longer and are not suitable for cooler conditions.

It’s mainly strains from the Haze family that are suitable for warm weather. And that’s not so strange. These strains were developed in California, where summers can also be dry and hot. The foundation lies with Mexican, Thai, and South American genes, which love sultry, hot summers.

Super Silver Haze

If you want to grow outdoor cannabis and your plants need to withstand warm weather, you’ll quickly arrive at Super Silver Haze. This strain is specifically suitable for warmer weather. The advantage is that the flowering time isn’t even that long (9 to 11 weeks).

Amnesia Haze

Amnesia Haze is also a real sun worshipper. With the right care, she can withstand high temperatures of 30 degrees and yield delicious buds with an earthy, spicy scent and taste.

Tips for caring for cannabis in heat

Your plants need some extra TLC during radiant summer days. Here are some handy tips to ensure your cannabis can continue to grow and bloom, even in warm weather.

1. Watering: moisture and cooling

Your weed plants need regular water, but in the case of high temperatures, they could use some extra. You want to prevent them from drying out. In the heat, your plants drink more than usual, but it’s also true that more water evaporates from the soil.

Especially if your plants are in pots, the soil in a pot can dry out completely in a day. So it’s important to keep a close eye on this.

Therefore, give your plants a bit more water (it may be necessary to do this daily) and do this early in the morning. During the day, part of the water evaporates, providing necessary cooling for both the roots and the environment.

You can also spray the leaves with a fine mist to cool your plants. Don’t be afraid of the myth that the droplets would act like a lens that could burn the leaves. That’s not true.

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2. Protect the roots

If your plants are outside in pots, protect these against heat. The temperature can, especially in black pots, rise quite high. This can cause the roots to burn. Protect your plants by painting the pots white or place the pot in a second outer pot. Ideally, this one should be white. This provides an extra insulation layer, keeping the inner pot cooler.

3. Provide shade

Sunlight is of course essential for a good yield, but there can be too much of a good thing. In bright sun and high temperatures, it’s better to provide some shade. If your cannabis plants are in pots, you can move them to a shady spot. If they’re in the ground, put up a banner or set up a parasol.

4. Extra nutrients and supplements

When growing outdoor cannabis in warm weather, you can further support your plants by giving silicon. This mineral helps make them more resilient against heat. An additional benefit is that the branches become stronger, so they won’t easily succumb under the weight of full buds.

It’s also a good idea to provide seaweed and kelp as extra nutrients. This gives your plants more minerals that can help them better cope with heat stress.

Warm weather can cause quite a few problems for cannabis during growth. Fortunately, you can relatively easily protect your plants and help them through the heat.

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Find The Best Spot to Grow Weed Outdoors

If you’re planning to grow weed outdoors, you’ll need to make a few important decisions first. A cannabis plant in your backyard will only thrive if you plant the seeds in the best spot. Once you’ve found the ideal location for outdoor weed cultivation in your unique garden, you’re all set for a grow with a spectacularly bountiful yield!

Your Own Outdoor Weed In The Garden

If you have a little space in your garden, you can easily grow your own cannabis and secure your own supply of top-quality outdoor weed. All you really need to do is order weed seeds from a supplier with a good reputation. You’ll always find a suitable strain for outdoors that matches your taste. A cannabis plant is meant to thrive in the open air, and cannabis is tough enough to fully earn its nickname ‘weed’.

Once your weed seeds are in, it’s time to determine two crucial factors of a successful outdoor grow: perfect timing and an ideal location for your plants.

Depending on where you live, it’s often a good idea to germinate your seeds in April or May. If you plan your outdoor weed season well, you can harvest between August and October, depending on the variety you choose.

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The Best Spot For A Cannabis Plant In The Garden

Once you have your chosen cannabis seeds at home, you need to decide what the best spot for a cannabis plant in your garden is. Every garden is different, with its own advantages and disadvantages, so we can’t just point out that ideal spot for you. What we can do is list the most important factors, so you can find the best spot for a cannabis plant in your garden yourself.

Three Important Factors

If you want to find the best spot to grow weed outdoors, you need to keep an eye on three factors: the number of hours of sunlight, protection against bad weather, and optimal soil conditions. If you balance them, your plants will benefit optimally from what your garden has to offer.

 

1. Sun Hours and Position

Your plants need a lot of sunlight for photosynthesis. This biochemical process provides the energy to become a strong mature plant full of tasty buds. So, you want to give your outdoor weed as many hours of sun as possible each day.

If possible, choose a spot that faces south or southwest, as you’ll get the most sun per day. If that’s not possible in your garden, pay close attention for a day to how the sunlight moves through your garden. Choose a spot that catches at least seven hours of optimal light: more is usually even better.

However, beware of overheating. Stone surfaces reflect heat and absorb it to radiate again later. (Ambien) If this becomes too intense, it can damage the leaves and cause heat stress. If you plant your weed seeds too close to a wall or fence, you can also block the airflow, so give your cannabis garden a bit of air and space.

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2. Shelter

The sun is your best friend, but if you’re not careful, the weather can also become a problem. A severe summer storm or early autumn rain and fog can greatly spoil your growth and harvest chances.

That’s why sufficient shelter is important at the best spot for growing outdoor weed in your garden. Try to make use of the bushes, trees, and fences that are already there, as long as they don’t block all the sunlight. If you know the usual wind direction, you can usually balance the sun and the wind well.

 

3. In The Ground Or In Pots?

Does the best spot to grow weed in your garden offer full soil? Then by all means, plant your weed seeds in the ground. Full soil with good drainage (essential for healthy roots and water/nutrient uptake) usually offers enough natural soil life and valuable nutrients for cannabis plants, although additional nutrition sometimes remains necessary. In addition, the roots get all the space, allowing your plants to grow into meter-high weed trees if you go for that.

If you plant your weed seeds or seedlings in pots, this also has advantages and disadvantages. Pots can be moved for even more sun hours, or a quick evacuation if a storm is coming. However, they do not have the buffer effect of full soil: water evaporates much faster in a pot. Always make holes in the bottom of your pots for drainage and give your plants enough space for a strong, healthy root system.

Now that you know the most important factors, it’s time to spot the best place to grow outdoor weed in your garden!

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Easily Grow Cannabis Outdoors Yourself

There are quite a few people who, despite their green thumbs, hesitate to grow their own cannabis at home in the garden. That’s a real shame, because growing cannabis outdoors yourself is easy. Therefore, at least read through this short blog: before you know it, you’ll be very satisfied harvesting your first yield of home-grown outdoor cannabis!

Growing A Cannabis Plant In The Garden, Is That Difficult?

We can be brief about this: no, growing a cannabis plant in your garden yourself is a piece of cake. The nickname for cannabis is not without reason ‘weed’. Cannabis grows like weed – once they take hold, it’s often more difficult to keep them out of your garden than in…

Everything you need to easily grow cannabis outdoors is contained in a cannabis seed. And because ordering cannabis seeds online is so simple, you only need some space in your garden. The rest comes from nature, including sunlight, water, and nutrients from the soil.

Of course, you can help your cannabis plants by watering them well, fertilizing extra, using growing techniques, and giving lots of love, but all of this is extra. If you’re growing cannabis for the first time, you really just need to plant some seeds in the ground and wait for them to grow and bloom.

As you can see, growing cannabis outdoors is easy, so just order your first-class cannabis seeds and check if you are allowed to have plants in the garden where you live.

Growing Cannabis Outdoors Yourself, Is That Allowed?

The answer to this question largely depends on where you live. In the Netherlands, the home base of Amsterdam Genetics, small-scale home cultivation is tolerated by the police, as long as it doesn’t look like you’re growing for commercial purposes. So, with a few cannabis plants in the house, you should not have any trouble in principle – although things still regularly go wrong, even here.

In the U.S., what you can and cannot grow varies by state. So always check local regulations before getting started there, because every season new states are added where people discover how easy it is to grow cannabis outdoors.

Worldwide, cannabis legislation is constantly changing. Many European countries are flirting with the idea of legalization, with Malta at the forefront when it comes to tolerant rules. Thailand is also a strong example of how quickly regulations can change. But if you are not allowed to grow cannabis outdoors in your country (yet), do not look for problems. Remember, you can simply order cannabis seeds that you can store for years before you germinate them – you can nicely wait until your country legalizes home cultivation!

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You Too Can Grow Cannabis Outdoors

Cannabis grows like a weed, but there are more reasons why growing cannabis at home is easy. Nowadays, you can easily order absolute top-quality cannabis seeds online. Online seed banks with a top reputation like Amsterdam Genetics have been perfecting their seeds for decades, so everyone can get started at home. Your first package of high-quality cannabis seeds is just a few clicks away – especially with our fast, discreet and safe shipping method!

In our webshop, you will find seeds that make growing cannabis at home easy for everyone, so also for you, wherever you live and whatever climate you have. Be sure to check out our growing collection of fast and super easy autoflower cannabis seeds, for the best results with minimal risks and effort.

 

Easily Grow Cannabis Outdoors In Your Garden Or On Your Balcony

We notice that beginner growers often doubt whether they can easily grow cannabis outdoors in their garden or on their balcony. So, you don’t have to be insecure about that, because with a few small adjustments, you can turn any spot into a perfect outdoor grow location. We have a whole bunch of special blogs to help you get started. We show you how to find the best spot for cannabis plants in your garden, how to get the best soil for easily growing cannabis outdoors, and how to protect your plants from mold, diseases and harmful bugs. Not sure whether to work in a pot or in the open ground? Don’t worry, we have all the info you need to set up your own cannabis garden perfectly!

 

Easily Water And Feed When You Grow Cannbis Plants Outdoors

In addition to free sunshine and your own garden soil, you mainly need water and nutrition for easy outdoor cannabis growing. Even though you don’t necessarily have to give your plants extra manure or feed, if you want to do so, you can often get very far with your own compost and food from the garden center. Also, check out our blogs about watering cannabis plants and choosing the right nutrients for a good start. You will notice how easy it is to grow cannabis outdoors once you give it a try.

Smart Tips For Beginners: Keeping A Grow Diary

If you are just starting with your cannabis garden, it is handy to keep a diary to see how your plants are doing. This way, you can quickly identify the cause of any problems and learn from your mistakes in your next round. Moreover, with such a grow diary, you can ask the right questions to experts from the grower community, like the many experienced hobbyists on Growdiaries.com.

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Your Outdoor Cannabis Adventure Begins Here

So? Are you ready to get your green fingers a bit muddy? Are you eager to delve into the world of quick and easy outdoor cannabis cultivation? Head straight to our online catalog and select the flavors, effects, and properties that appeal to you. If you truly don’t know where to start, consider ordering our Exotic Purple Autoflower strain. This multicolored beauty combines a sweet candy taste with rapid growth and flowering, resulting in a smooth, easy harvest full of deeply relaxing purple-green buds.

If you have further questions about growing cannabis outdoors easily, read through our blogs or get in touch with our team. If you think you’ve learned enough, order your cannabis seeds promptly and get started – you could already be sitting outdoors in the sun enjoying your new green hobby!

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How Can You Tell If I Can Harvest Weed Outside?

Determining when the best time is to harvest your cannabis is a very important skill. The correct timing has a great influence on the quality of your weed. Harvesting too early or too late could result in poor quality of your buds. So the question is, how can you tell when your weed is ready for harvest?

Introduction to Weed Harvesting

When your cannabis has been growing and then starts to flower, it’s important to determine when it’s time to start harvesting. The better you time it, the higher the quality and potency of your weed will be.

Before we look at when to harvest your cannabis, it’s good to know about the growth phases that a weed plant goes through. Of course, you start with a seed. Germination lasts from 24 hours to 7 days. At some point, a sprout comes out of the ground.

Then comes the seedling stage, which lasts 2 to 3 weeks, followed by the vegetative stage. This starts when the weed plant develops leaves with fingers. This is the stage of the strongest growth and it lasts an average of 2 to 8 weeks.

Finally, there is the flowering phase (6 to 8 weeks), in which the buds are formed. It’s during this phase that you eventually start to harvest, but the timing is extremely important here.

 

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Trichomes As Important Indicator

To know when to harvest your cannabis, you can look at the trichomes. These are the glands in the buds that produce the cannabinoids. Based on what they look like, you can determine which stage of development your cannabis plants are in.

To properly see the trichomes, you need a magnifying glass or a microscope.

Transparent Trichomes

In the first phase of flowering, the resin glands are transparent. It’s not yet time to harvest, as the trichomes will hardly contain any active substances.

Cloudy Trichomes

After some time, you can see that the color of the trichomes turns milky white. This means they now contain much more THC and it’s time to harvest. Not all trichomes will be cloudy, but the majority should be.

Amber Colored Trichomes

If you leave your weed plants standing longer, you’ll see the trichomes turn amber. Unfortunately, this means you’re too late and the THC in the buds is converted to CBN (cannabinol). This substance will not cause a high.

The Color Of The Pistils

You can also pay attention to the color of the pistils. These are the hairs that grow on the buds of the weed plant. Initially, they’re white and gradually change color to red/orange. Here too, you’ll have to estimate and pay attention to the percentage of pistils that have the right color.

If less than half is colored orange-red, it’s too early. If 60 to 70% of the pistils are red-orange in color, then it’s the ideal moment for the harvest.

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Pay Attention To The Growth Phase

Earlier, you could read about how the growth of cannabis plants progresses. Also based on these growth phases, you can get a good idea of the right time to harvest outdoor weed. However, this can vary depending on the type of weed plants you have.

Indica and indica dominant plants bloom for a shorter period. They’re generally ready for harvest 8 to 10 weeks after the start of flowering. If you’re harvesting outdoor weed, you can count on the end of September, beginning of October.

With sativas, it all takes a bit longer. After 10 to 16 weeks, you can usually start harvesting, for outdoor cultivation this is the end of October, beginning of November.

If you have autoflower plants, then everything goes faster. On average, they’re ready for harvest 8 to 11 weeks after germination. In all cases, you should not rely on numbers, but keep an eye on your plants.

Harvesting Too Early Or Too Late

But now you may be wondering what happens if you harvest too early or too late. If you harvest too early, the cannabinoids in the trichomes will not be fully developed. There will not be much THC in it, so your weed will not be as potent as you’d like.

Harvesting too late is also not a good idea. The THC then turns into CBN. This cannabinoid does have certain effects, but it causes a sluggish, slow high. This is very different from the euphoric, powerful high that THC can deliver.

That’s why it’s also good to carefully work out the time of harvest. Try to regularly check your plants, both the trichomes and the pistils.

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Drying and Curing After Harvest

After harvesting your cannabis plants, it’s important that you store your precious buds properly. After harvesting, your buds contain a lot of moisture. You first want to get rid of that, because they’ll have less flavor and because moisture attracts molds. By drying your buds, you can store them longer and they’ll get a much richer, fuller flavor.

You can dry by placing the buds on a drying rack or hanging branches in a drying room. After drying, it’s time to cure them. This will harden the buds and they’ll lose more moisture. This way, you can keep them even longer.

If you want to enjoy potent, flavorful buds, it’s therefore very important to determine the harvest time correctly. You do this by regularly checking the trichomes and pistils. If you harvest at the right time, you have a greater chance of a rich harvest of weed with an excellent quality.

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How To Get A Big Harvest From Outdoor Weed Growing?

Those planning to grow weed outdoors, naturally hope for a large harvest. To achieve this, attention must be paid to several different factors such as the quality of the soil, the type of weed you’re going for, and whether you use certain pruning and training techniques. In this blog, we’ll give you the tips you need to get that much-desired large weed harvest.

Which type of weed is best for outdoor growing?

When you’re ready to grow weed outdoors, the first thing you need to decide on is the type of weed. You can go for Indica, Sativa, or a hybrid strain. Each has its own unique properties that make it more or less suitable for outdoor cultivation.

Indica plants remain fairly small but can produce large fan leaves. They are robust and can handle cooler and unfavorable weather better. The flowering phase is relatively short. Sativa, on the other hand, is suitable for higher temperatures, they grow tall, and form long, slender leaves. They can’t handle the cold as well.

Then there are the hybrids, the crosses between Indica and Sativa. These were developed to obtain the best qualities from both parents. They grow tall and yield large harvests. A hybrid may, therefore, be a good choice for beginner growers.

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Choose the best growing spot

Once you’ve chosen the best seed, it’s time to decide where to plant your weed. The best spot is sunny, provides your plants with adequate shelter from wind and rain, and there is good air circulation.

Wind

Pay attention to where the wind usually comes from. Place your plants in a sheltered spot. A little wind can’t hurt, in fact, it makes them stronger. But ensure they don’t get the full force of a storm. If necessary, you can put up a fence or hedge.

Sunlight

Place your weed plants in a sunny spot. They should ideally get six hours of sun each day. This gives you the best chance of a large harvest when growing outdoors.

Water

Also, consider watering. If it rains sufficiently, you won’t have much to do. But in dry times, you’ll have to water your weed plants. Make sure you have a water supply nearby or use an irrigation system.

If you plant your plants in the ground, you’ll need to provide permanent solutions for the above points. If you put your plants in pots, you’re more flexible. You can then move them in strong wind or bright sun.

Preparing the soil for outside growing

Essential for getting a large weed harvest is preparing the soil. If your weed plants grow in pots, you can buy ready-made soil. If they are in the ground, you can make adjustments to the soil yourself to ensure it has the right composition.

First, find out what the pH value of the soil is. You can mix lime into the soil if it’s too low (the soil is then acidic). Add sulfur to make the soil more basic.

You can also do something about the density of the soil. If the ground contains too much clay, it can become too moist and sticky. If the proportion of sand is too large, it doesn’t retain enough moisture. Therefore, you can mix other types of soil into the soil to get the ideal composition. Cannabis does well on a mix that contains both clay (20%), sand (40%), and silt (40%).

Large weed harvest by pruning and training

Pruning and training techniques are also ways to ensure a larger weed harvest. By steering how big and in which direction your plants grow, you also determine where light and nutrients can reach. The better you ensure an optimal distribution, the better your plants do, and the more chance of full buds you have.

For example, you can use Low Stress Training (LST), where you can control growth by gently bending the branches. Topping is also an LST. This technique involves cutting the main stem so that the side branches grow harder. This gives you twice as many buds and therefore a bigger harvest.

Supercropping is used to prevent your plants from growing too tall. In this process, you bend stems. Supercropping gives you the opportunity to control the leaf canopy of your plants, allowing them to make optimal use of light. This is also beneficial for outdoor growing, as plants can take light away from their neighbors. By ensuring that the leaf canopy does not become too dense, buds can grow well.

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Preventing Diseases and Pests

Of course, healthy cannabis plants provide the best and most buds. Therefore, it is important to keep your plants healthy and prevent diseases and pests. Pests like bud rot and powdery mildew can ruin your harvest.

There are several natural ways to prevent diseases and pests. For example, you can use predatory insects to combat harmful species. Companion planting is also a good way to support your cannabis plants. Herbs like lavender and basil can repel insects or attract beneficial insects. Other plants, like dandelion, can improve the soil.

The less energy your plants have to spend on surviving and repairing damage, the more they have left for forming rich, delicious buds.

This shows how a bit of preparation and good care for your plants increases the chances of a large harvest. Start at the beginning and first make your choice from our wide range of quality seeds. Want to know more about cannabis cultivation, read our clear step-by-step plan to start quickly and well prepared with outdoor cannabis cultivation.

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Watering Cannabis Plants? The Ideal Amount for Outdoor Growing

Have you ever wondered how much water a cannabis plant actually needs? Watering is one of the most crucial parts of care. While it seems simple, there’s more to it than just occasionally using your watering can.

If you want healthy cannabis plants and full buds, it’s essential to ensure your plants receive exactly as much water as they need. In this blog, you’ll learn everything about watering and what to keep an eye on.

Are you giving your plants enough water?

Do you ever consider watering your cannabis plants in your garden? Maybe it’s something you do thoughtlessly now and then, simply pouring a splash of water at the foot of your plants. However, it’s a good idea to be more conscious of this process.

In outdoor cultivation, how and how much water you give plays a significant role in the growth and development of your precious cannabis plants. If a plant has enough water available, it gets exactly what it needs.

Water is literally vital for your plant and also influences the harvest. Strong and healthy plants naturally yield more buds than sickly, poorly growing ones. Therefore, you surely want to ensure that you give your plants precisely the ideal amount of water.

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What factors influence watering cannabis plants?

Several factors influence the water needs of outdoor cannabis plants. These include the growing medium, the growth stage, and the environmental temperature.

The Growth Stage
Young plants (seedlings) require less water than mature plants. On average, you can water a seedling once every 3 to 7 days. During the growth phase, water your cannabis plant once every 2 to 4 days, and during the flowering phase, you can water every 2 to 3 days. So, it’s fair to say, the larger your cannabis plants are, the more water they need.

The Soil
The type of soil also plays a role in how much water you should give your cannabis plants. Some soil types retain water less effectively than others. Cannabis roots prefer airy soil that drains well. You can usually assess this yourself.

When you water, the top layer should be dried out again within about three to four days. If it takes longer, the soil’s drainage capacity isn’t good. You can improve this by adding perlite, for example, which helps make the soil airier.

Temperature and Humidity
Naturally, when watering your cannabis plant, you consider the weather. In higher temperatures, more water evaporates, and your plants will be thirstier. Logically, you’ll need to water more frequently and in larger amounts.

Humidity is also crucial. If the air is humid, plants transpire less than in a dry environment. Water evaporates less quickly, meaning you need to water less often.

What to look for when watering?

How can you tell when it’s time to water your cannabis plant again? There are a few signs you can watch for in outdoor cultivation.

Check the Soil
Want to know if it’s time to water your cannabis plant again? Take a good look at the soil. It should slightly dry out between waterings. As long as it’s still wet, there’s no need to use your watering can (or garden hose).

You can stick your finger about five centimeters into the soil. If this top layer is dry, you can water your plants again. After doing this a few times, you should get a feel for how often you need to water your cannabis plants.

Monitor the Leaves
The leaves are also a good indication of how your plants are doing. Keep in mind, though, that if you see the leaves drooping or yellowing, there’s already a problem with 犀利士
etics.com/watering-cannabis-plants-how-when-and-how-much/”>water. Try to adjust the amount or frequency of watering immediately.

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Too Much or Too Little Water?

In outdoor cultivation, it’s essential to pay close attention to how much water your plants need. There are some signals that indicate whether you’re giving your cannabis plants too much or too little water.

Cannabis Plant Not Getting Enough Water

If your cannabis plants are not getting enough water, it will become apparent in the leaves. They will discolor, first yellowing and browning at the edges. If the dry conditions persist, the leaves will turn completely yellow, dry, and crisp. The plant becomes weak and falls behind in growth. Eventually, your plants can die.

You can also notice a lack of water in the soil. The top layer is so dry that it begins to crack and fissure, and there is no more moisture deeper in the soil.

Cannabis Plant Getting Too Much Water

Giving too much water is also harmful. When water is excessive, the leaves will start drooping. They appear wilted and sickly. They can also yellow.

Cannabis plants receiving too much water will grow less vigorously or even stop growing altogether. This happens because the soil becomes saturated with water, preventing the roots from absorbing oxygen. Finally, you run the risk of the moisture attracting molds.

The Ideal Amount of Water

Naturally, you’d want to prevent any water-related problems. You can make things easier for yourself by buying a moisture meter. You insert this device into the soil next to your plants. The display will then show whether there’s enough moisture in the soil.

If you keep a good eye on your cannabis plants, the leaves, the soil, and the weather using these tips, you shouldn’t run into problems with watering.

Grow Your Own Buds

AG Q2 Blog 5 Plant ik mijn wiet in een pot of in de grond 1

Should I Plant My Weed in a Pot or in the Ground?

When you decide to grow weed outdoors, an important question arises immediately: do you plant your weed in a pot or in the ground? Both options have their advantages and influence the growth of your plants. In this blog, we tell you all about what growing in pots or in the open ground entails and how you can make the best choice.

Growing Weed Outdoors

If you’re keen on getting hands-on with your cannabis plants outdoors, there are many benefits. You’re outside in the fresh air, and your plants also benefit from fresh oxygen and sunlight.

However, before you start growing outdoors, you first need to consider how you will cultivate your weed: directly in the ground or in a pot? It’s good to know that both methods can yield excellent harvests.

Still, the choice is important as it affects many aspects of the growth and cultivation of your plants. Whether in a pot or in the ground, both have their own advantages. You can read more about this below, so you can make the best choice for your situation.

q2 blog pot or ground amsterdam genetics

Benefits of Growing Weed in a Pot

Flexibility

One of the biggest advantages of growing weed outdoors in a pot is the flexibility it provides. The climate in the Netherlands is versatile, to say the least. If your cannabis plants are in a pot, you can easily adapt to this.

Is there a storm, heavy rain, large hailstones, or sudden snow? This kind of turbulent weather can significantly damage or even kill your beautiful plants.

If your plants are in a pot, you can protect them. You can move them to a sheltered spot or even bring them inside. You obviously don’t have such flexibility if your weed is planted directly in the ground.

Control Over Growth Conditions

Another advantage of growing in a pot is the control you have over your plants’ growth. Some strains of weed can easily reach great heights, sometimes up to two meters or higher.

While it might be fun to have a cannabis forest in your garden, it’s not very practical. And you probably don’t want your neighbors to easily spot your beautiful plants.

Therefore, it can be handy to have more control over the size of your weed plants. This is possible when you grow your plants in a pot. At some point, the plant can’t grow bigger because there’s no more room in the pot.

Additionally, growing in a pot also gives you control over the soil your plants grow in. You decide what type of soil to use and can custom mix it, providing your plants with optimal conditions for growth and flowering.

Protection Against Diseases and Pests

Growing weed in a pot can also help protect against diseases and pests. Since you’re not using garden soil, it’s clean and won’t harbor any unwanted guests.

Even though your plants are growing outdoors, it could still happen that a plant gets sick. But because you can easily isolate this plant, you can better manage any pest issues.

Check Out Our Nutrients

Benefits of Growing in the Ground

Room for Root Growth

Growing plants in pots certainly has its advantages. But growing in open ground is also a good option. If you have room in your garden for your weed plants, you can plant the seeds or seedlings directly in the ground.

When your plants are directly in the soil, they have free access to all the valuable nutrients in the soil. Also, the roots have unlimited room to grow and can easily reach deep into the soil to absorb water and nutrients. As a result, your plants can become larger and stronger.

In the open ground, weed plants can freely develop. This means they require less maintenance, which can be an advantage if you’re short on time.

Natural Nutrients

A major benefit of growing in the open ground is that your plants have access to the rich soil life. The soil isn’t just dirt or sand. It’s a rich web of life, consisting of microorganisms like fungi and bacteria, insects, and other small creatures. This makes the soil alive.

This living soil not only provides a lot of nutrients, but the microbes even work symbiotically with each other and your weed plants. So your plants can benefit greatly!

Low Maintenance Costs

If you choose to grow in open ground, another advantage is that you have lower startup and maintenance costs. You don’t need to buy pots and have less expense for water, light, and nutrients. So this could also be a good reason to choose this method of cultivation.

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How to Choose Between Growing in a Pot or the Ground

As you have read, both growing in a pot and in the ground each have their advantages. So how can you make a good choice? There are different factors to consider when deciding between the two.

For example, you should consider the available space in your garden. The more space your plants have, the bigger they can grow. If you don’t have much space, choose a few pots. By keeping the pot size small, your plants will also stay smaller, and you’ll need less space.

Also consider the climate. Even before you put your seedlings or seeds in the ground, you should pay attention to where your plants can best be placed in your garden. Once you’ve planted them in the open ground, you can’t move them.

Choose a spot where they get sunlight in the spring and autumn. And see if you can position them so that they’re not too affected by the wind. Do you think your plants in your garden would get too much sun or wind? Then choose pots, which you can move if needed.

Finally, we can say that for beginners, growing weed in a pot is probably the best option. It makes things a bit easier for you, as you have more control over the growing conditions. Have you made your choice yet? Then start right away and purchase the best cannabis seeds in our shop.

tips for growing weed outdoors

Tips For Growing Weed Outdoors: Make It Easier For Yourself

When you are just getting started with growing cannabis outside, it really helps if you keep things simple. Many of the best strains to grow outdoors consist of low-maintenance, easy-going genetics. Just order quality seeds, pick a good garden spot, and enjoy watching how nature takes its course. Read on for some tips for growing weed outdoor, and find the easiest way to get to your first outdoor weed harvest!

Easy Going, Easy Growing

Here’s a green fact for you: growing weed outdoors is easy – but you can make it as complex as you like by applying advanced grow techniques. If you’re new to the cannabis hobby, we recommend keeping things simple. This is actually one of the best tips for growing weed outdoors, especially if you have only limited prior experience. 

Remember that cannabis is called ‘weed’ for a reason: your plants can and will thrive in just about any environment with minimal care and support. Basically, good seeds only need light, water, and good, healthy soil to thrive. 

We have been helping outdoor cannabis gardeners get the hang of the hobby for decades, and we’ve seen plenty of people mess up their plants because they forgot to take – and make – it easy on their first few grows. 

grow outdoor weed

Start Out Small

Here’s some sound advice to get you started. One of the best beginner tips for growing weed outdoors is to keep it small. Even if you have a huge back yard, it’s best to start by growing just a few plants: three to five will help you keep your project manageable. You could try growing just one plant, but if you mess it up, you’ll be left with no backup plan(t)s.

The Best Strains To Grow Outdoors

Don’t be tempted by fancy strain names or spectacular harvest yield prospects when picking your first outdoor cannabis seeds. Some of the best strains to grow outdoors are fast-growing, hardy, low-maintenance autoflower cannabis seeds. 

exotic purple autoflower
Our newest Autoflower Strain: a great option for outdoors!

Especially when growing weed in cooler Northern European climes, we recommend starting with autoflower seeds. These special strains start flowering earlier than non-autoflower photoperiod strains that depend on seasonal changes to flower. The speed of autoflowers allows you to harvest before the risky weather conditions of late August, September, and October set in.

If you’re lucky enough to live in a sunnier southern region, your options for growing weed outdoors are less restricted. Still, if you’re looking for useful beginner tips for growing weed outdoors, stick to easy strains: indica-heavy hybrid seeds are generally faster and easier to manage than sativa dominant strains.      

Watering Outdoor Cannabis

Watering your weed correctly is arguably the most important of all tips for growing weed outdoors. The main mistake to avoid here is giving too much water. If that happens, especially in pots but even in open soil, you risk choking off the roots and hurting growth potential.

So how much water does a cannabis plant need, and how often? Many beginners are surprised to learn that weed doesn’t necessarily need water every day. Just check if your plants need water every day , and you’ll be fine.

Outdoors, precipitation, evaporation, and soil type affect how much water your plants need to stay healthy. As a rule of thumb (literally), you can stick your finger into the soil to check soil humidity. Always wait for the first few centimetres of soil to dry out before watering your plants. If it’s dry, soak the soil around the stem in water and let it sink in. 

Be careful to water your plants early in the morning or after sunset to avoid the harsh summer sun from ‘burning’ the wet leaves. Check our full blog on watering cannabis to learn more about this crucial topic.

watering cannabis planys
Learn more about watering cannabis!

How Much Sunlight Do Weed Plants Need?

The second vital ingredient for outdoor weed growing is sunlight to fuel photosynthesis needed f犀利士
or growth. Don’t worry too much about how much light your plants receive: a few hours of direct sunlight a day is enough for most strains.

We have a dedicated blog to help you pick the best outdoor spots for your plants. For now, remember that planting weed in pots allows you to move your crops around if they need more sunshine or shelter from rain and storms. Remember to drill a few holes in the bottom of your pot pots for proper drainage.

The Best Nutrients For Your Outdoor Grow

If you think you have to add nutrients to help your cannabis plants grow, think again. If you have rich soil and possibly some good compost, you should be fine. If you do want to add nutes, go easy on your plants: adding too much can cause ‘nute burn’ that interferes with natural growth. If you want to know more about the best nutrients for all the stages of your outdoor grow, check our dedicated nutrition blog.

Our 100% organic Biotabs are a convenient way to gradually release additional nutrients into the soil without going too far.   

stikstof kalium fosfor
Learn more about the key nutrients for cannabis!

Training Outdoor Weed Plants

As with all other tips for growing weed outdoors, we suggest keeping it simple when it comes to training techniques. All training comes with risks, and autoflower strains can be hard to train because they grow and flower too fast to recover from the stress you cause. Low Stress Training can be useful, but be careful not to snap the branches. Beyond that, steer clear of any advanced techniques until you complete your first few successful grows.

Ask For Advice

We have more great tips for growing weed outdoors in our expanding blog section. If you need quick advice, however, don’t hesitate to ask experienced growers for advice. Our customer service is always happy to help; but beyond that, there’s a large and friendly online grower community full of experts willing to help you finish your first outdoor cannabis grow. 

questions about your outdoor grow

Ask Questions About Your Outdoor Cannabis Grow

When you are starting your first cannabis grow project, you are likely to have a million questions about your outdoor cannabis grow. Any grower just getting into the cannabis gardening hobby will recognise the feeling. Even though a humble cannabis seed contains everything it needs to germinate, grow, and flower into a full harvest of home-grown weed, you’ll still want to avoid making mistakes that could ruin your project. That’s why most new growers search for information online, but that’s where things can get complicated fast.

An Information Jungle

It is easy to be overwhelmed by all the information available on how to grow weed at home. There’s just so much out there; and to further complicate matters, every experienced grower seems to have their own individual tips, tricks, and best practices to share.

So how do you find out which tips, techniques, and hacks will work for you? You could of course use a trial-and-error approach and see where it takes you, but that would risk wasting your precious cannabis seeds. If you’re an outdoor grower, making mistakes could force you to wait for next year’s outdoor season. 

Fortunately, there is no need to take that risk. The best alternative to simply roughing it is asking questions about your cannabis grow and inviting the worldwide community to provide answers. If you know where to direct your questions, you are bound to receive useful answers that help you become a veteran home grower yourself.

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Where To Look For Great Grow Solutions

Online information sharing has become one of the mainstays of the global cannabis grower community. And what a friendly community we’ve become! The (fading) atmosphere of taboo, criminalization, and even outright hostility ganja gardeners still face today has driven us into each other’s arms online. Turn to familiar platforms like Reddit or Instagram and you will soon discover a wealth of information provided willingly by growers from all over the world. Blogs, vlogs, and YouTube instruction videos are all over the web. Many growers will be happy to provide you with answers to the questions about your outdoor cannabis grow.

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Follow us & ask us questions on Instagram @amsterdam.genetics

On top of that, we have our own Amsterdam Genetics customer service waiting to help you solve any grower issues. You can ask us all of your questions about growing weed, and we will do what we can to give you fitting answers. And that’s just for the rare occasions on which our extensive blog section doesn’t answer your queries straight away. Many novice growers struggle with their first germination process, for instance. Rest assured that we have expert info on popping those seeds waiting for you among dozens of useful Grow Blogs. Not sure on how and when to water your precious plants? No worries – we’ve got you covered. No matter what cannabis conundrum is on your mind, please feel free to ask us any questions about growing weed you may have!

Why You Should Ask Questions About Your Outdoor Cannabis Grow

When you start growing weed, you wil l soon realise that you are working with natural materials. That’s actually great news, because there is so much to learn as you watch the result of millions of years of evolution unfold before your eyes. On the other hand, nature can be fickle: there are many things that can go wrong before harvest time if you don’t recognise the first signs of trouble.

The best way to deal with these natural challenges is by asking your fellow gardeners for advice. Don’t be shy: ask the community to help you rule out possible causes of emerging problems. Solving problems through a process of elimination is usually the best way to proceed, and there are always growers who are happy to help you tackle your green issues.

Magic OG Kush
Don’t hesitate to ask question and create buds like this Magic OG Kush

Tips For Asking Helpful Questions About Your Outdoor Cannabis Grow

If you are new to growing cannabis, it can be hard to ask the right kind of questions that will get you adequate solutions fast. To help you get the right answers to your cannabis growing questions, provide the community with the following information to help them identify your problems:

  • What seeds are you using (feminized/ autoflower/ regular), and what is the strain name?
  • What is your grow location (tent/ grow room/ garden /greenhouse/ balcony)?
  • What is your grow medium (soil/ coco/ hydro)?
  • How often do you water your plants, and how much water do you use?
  • Are you using additional nutrients? Which kind (brand) and how much?
  • What kind of grow lights do you use (LED/ HPS/ other) and what is their intensity?
  • What is your current lighting cycle (12-12/ 16-8/ other)?
  • What is your grow environment (temperature/ humidity)?
  • Nutrient water supply: what is your pH, EC, and TDS?

GrowDiaries Is Perfect For Asking Cannabis Growing Questions

One community platform that deserves special mention here is GrowDiaries.com. Here, marijuana growers of all nationalities and experience levels keep and share their online diaries featuring detailed information about their past and current grows. You are welcome to create an account and log your own personal grow projects here, including your photos, strain names, pH values, lighting cycles, grow behaviour, and so on. 

The best part about GrowDiaries.com is its option to ask fellow growers for personal advice. It is probably the most accurate way to get tips that work for your unique situation, because anyone can access all the detailed grow info you choose to share. That enables expert growers to analyse your methods and visually inspect your plants from a distance. In a sense, this makes GrowDiaries the biggest online peer-to-peer weed helpdesk in the world.   

As you can see, there is no reason to wait any longer before you start to grow your own weed at home. You have the power of nature on your side; and if things do seem to south somehow, you can always ask your cannabis growing questions to the vast and awesome online gardening community that is always glad to lend a hand!