It’s no big secret that South Africa produces some of the finest smoking herbs in the world. And we sure do grow a lot of it. The decriminalization ruling was made by the Constitutional Court nearly 2 years ago, while more robust laws are also being anticipated. This has created a local licensed green rush by big business yet the majority of locally consumed weed is still grown in homes, rural communities, private collectives and old school black market grow ops. All of these outdoor grows tick to the same calendar. The cool folk over at Green Smoke Room Seeds have created this very useful Cannabis Grow Calendar to take the guess work out of it.
Start with good seeds
It’s easy to go nuts for seeds. But all that you are a few good ones to grow a surprising amount of dank. Here’s our cannabis seed buying guide and grow guide all about where to buy and grow like a pro. For now though let’s keep it simple. A rule of thumb is… Indica’s grow thick and quick, Sativa’s grow tall for long, Auto’s are small but strong.
Indica Hybrids and Autoflowers are favoured by many for their simplicity to grow and potent results. Speak to your seedbank some advice though, they will know what genetics are popular in what regions.
Spring is when to plant
The simplest and most successful time to plant cannabis outdoors is in Spring. Don’t plant to early though. Planting on the very first day of spring may cause tall plants that could struggle with re-vegging. Mid spring is an excellent time to start seeds and ensure that plants get as big as possible for maximum harvest. Don’t be shy, weed seedlings love direct light from the beginning. So make sure that they are in a sunny spot for strong plants and dense buds. Longer warm daytime conditions in the mid twenty degrees Celsius with lots of light will give best results. Clones or seedlings that were prepped indoors may need a few days of gentle acclimatization to outdoor conditions. Many spring plants can easily get over wall height.
Summer is the sweet spot
Planting seeds in summer makes for explosive growth and some size control. The later that you plant the the shorter the final plant will be. This allows for peak bud production in limited size or discreet garden. Don’t wait until too late in summer though. Plants that are already at least a metre tall can be gently pruned, defoliated and topped during Summer. The warm weather is when cannabis thrives, then it flowers throughout late summer and autumn. The shorter days are what trigger this annual cycle and stimulate flowering.
Special attention should be paid to removing any male and hermaphrodite plants. Eliminating pollen and seeds is key to a successful bud grow. You want dense seedless flowers for best effect.
Autumn is harvest Time
Growing fat terpy seedless buds is what it’s all about. The fruits of your labour should now be showing. Outdoor plants will be well into flowering and smelling good. Sativa’s may flower well into winter. Autumn is the perennial time of year that often requires giving plants a little more support and training. Heavy branches may snap under their own weight. While heavy rain and wind can cause grief in the garden.
Autumn also marks harvest season. This is when to think about the clippers, drying space and storage that you will need. Correctly growing, harvesting and curing is what separates a dank bud from a stank nug. So it’s worth doing right. Trichomes are the sugary frosting on buds that pack pack all the punch. Buds are ripe for harvest when these chrystal like trichomes are milky.
Winter Grows can be worth it
Frost and snow are not friends of growing ganja, although greenhouses help a lot. The best winter outdoor grows that I’ve come across were those where seeds or clones were started in late summer and then double tapped just after the regular harvest. Plants don’t get big but can still be frosty and tightly grown. Cold temperatures will cause many plants to express purple flowers. This off peak growing can be tough but rewarding. Many rural growers pull a second harvest in Winter and early Spring.
https://greensmokeroomseeds.com/blog/Cannabis%20Grow%20Calendar
