Which cannabis seeds are suitable for outdoor growing?

Cannabis seeds for outdoor growing
This blog is meant for those who want to grow a cannabis plant outdoors in a climate similar to that of the Netherlands. The cannabis plant originally comes from countries close to the equator, for example India, Nepal, Afghanistan, Mexico, etc. In these countries, the temperature is higher and the sun shines longer than in climates with colder temperatures. Nevertheless, there are certain cannabis types that can grow and flower outdoors in limates with colder temperatures. Below, we explain what you should pay attention to when growing outdoors in the Netherlands or other colder climates.

Growth / flowering phase
The cycle of the cannabis plant can be split in two phases: the growing and the flowering phase. In the growing phase the cannabis plant needs a lot of light. If it does not have enough light then the plant shifts to the flowering phase. For outdoor growing, this means that when the days get shorter the plant will shift to the flowering phase. In colder climates the days get shorter starting on the 21st of June, and in August there are less than 15 hours of sunlight per day. Consequently, the plant will shift to the flowering phase in August.

The duration of the flowering phase of a cannabis plant differs depending on the variety, ranging anywhere from 6 to 14 weeks. It is advisable to use a cannabis plant with a short flowering period in colder climates around the globe. This is because the lower temperatures in September and October is not always favourable for a cannabis plant. 

There are three ways of dealing with this in colder climates:

1. Choose a plant with a short flowering period, preferably eight weeks or less. Your plant will be ready for harvest somewhere in October. By making this choice, you will be dependent on the weather, but it usually goes well. Examples of cannabis varieties that are grown outdoors in colder climates are: Hollands Hope, The Church, Skunk and Northern Lights.
   
   
2. Choose an auto-flowering variety. An autoflower is a crossbreed of two cannabis varieties. The plant has become an autoflower because of the crossbreeding process. This means that the plant will flower automatically regardless of the quantity of sunlight it receives. Autoflower varieties usually flower within three weeks after the seeds have been planted. This means that the growing phase is very short and the plant remains small. Autoflowers are suitable for novice growers. View our Autoflower range here!
   
   
3. Black-out the plant. With this technique you can grow almost all varieties of cannabis in colder climates. By blacking the plant out, you will ensure that the plant will flower before August. You can accomplish this by covering the plants with dark garbage bags. You can also cut back the hours of sunlight in July to 12 hours per day. The plant will then flower sooner. This way you can grow plants outdoors in colder climates with a flowering period of 10 to 12 weeks.