How to Grow Cannabis Outdoors in Australia

How to Grow Cannabis Outdoors in Australia

and get massive yields!

It isn’t very hard or expensive to grow cannabis outdoors in Australia in a state it is legal to cultivate. You just need a bit of info on a few little things such as when to plant, what cannabis seeds/strains to grow with, soil and fertilisers to use and how often to water and feed your plants.

Rest assured though, once you have these basics down, your plant will grow big and tall which we will cover here. So without further ado, here are our biggest pointers to help you grow cannabis outdoors in Australia.

Just to mention, you do not need to have a warm location to grow in, colder temperatures will also do. Cannabis can grow in temperatures of -4 C. Plenty of growers have had incredible results growing in these conditions so don’t be disheartened because its colder.

But, for marijuana to thrive, we need to give it what it needs. Sunny or warm areas would be more ideal than colder less sunny areas. In order to properly learn How to Grow Cannabis Outdoors in Australia, you need to take these things into account.

If you have the right conditions, your next best move is to get a complete grow kit for the outdoors such as apotforpot. This grow kit comes complete with everything you need to grow a successful cannabis crop outdoors in Australia.

Grow Weed Outdoors in Australia
Blueberry cannabis strain grown outdoors in NSW, Australia.

So how do we grow cannabis outdoors in Australia?

Having the right cannabis seeds from the start should be your first priority. If you want to have more durable, faster and bigger growing marijuana plants outside, then get a strain that’s adapted to outdoor climates. You can source quality outdoor seeds from a friend who has grown the strain before or purchase online to get a better overall grow. If you are legally permitted and licensed to purchase cannabis seeds by your local government, we recommend to check out Weed Seeds Australia.

If you want our honest opinion, buying cannabis seeds online is the best way to go. Your grow will be more calculated as you will know what strain, potency and yield your getting. You will also know the ideal climate (outdoor or indoor) to grow your cannabis seeds in. The link above is a good place to start, as the seed bank is one of the most reputable, discreet and affordable in the world. You can also opt for stealth shipping for orders to Australia.

What other benefits do outdoor cannabis strains have?

Cannabis strains that are specifically bred to be grown outside grow faster and bigger. They also endure cold, mould, pest and diseases better than non-outdoor strains.

You would need outdoor marijuana seeds for your outside grow in Australia as your plant will be better acclimated for the environment. This will give you faster growth and more yield for your investment.

As mentioned before, outdoor cannabis strains will be more effective in protecting against Australia’s harsh outdoor climate. Cold, mould, pest and diseases are things you got to watch out for when growing outside therefore it’s wise to get an outdoor strain to be on the safer side.

gelato outdoor cannabis strain australia
Gelato (resilient outdoor strain).

View Cannabis Seeds Australia

So when do I plant after I get seeds?

Cannabis, like all plants have a life cycle. During spring to the first part of summer, it will grow to its biggest in terms of height. This is the vegetative phase.

You want to plant in spring as marijuana will grow taller and taller all the way through to summer.

Once summer passes, the plant will then enter the flowering phase (developing buds).

Some strains are ready for harvest in just 8 weeks from the start of the flowering phase while others will take 14 weeks to fully flower. The time it takes to fully mature depends on your specific strain type.

If you buy cannabis seeds online, the website you purchased from should have on the product page for the strain the length of its flowering phase.

Locate an area with lots of light

Well Lit Cannabis Growing Area
(Nice location with water)

To get a decent yield at the end of your grow, you need at least 4 hours light. The more light your plant gets the more bud you will have to harvest. Ideally you want 6 – 8 hours of direct sunlight. If you can’t get this, at least 4 hours of light will still give you an adequate harvest. But to get a large yield, search for an area that gets at least 6 – 10 hours of sunlight.

Make sure you plant in a good, legal location.

If you are growing cannabis in Australia, make sure you have a good location where it’s legal to grow cannabis. In the Australian Capital Territory, you can cultivate cannabis in your property (max 2 plants per person, max 4 plants per household). Please note, you must make sure it’s a safe location to plant in especially if your concerned about thieves in your local area.

Plant in pots

By planting cannabis in pots, not only does it help retain soil content, but it prevents other plants roots from tapping into your plants nutrients. Its also easier to move your plant around in case you suspect anyone knows about your grow.

Again, apotforpot comes in handy as they provide you moveable fabric pots which is easy to relocate.

Also don’t be hesitant to mix your plants with other plants to camouflage. Cannabis is a green plant that will easily blend with other green plants. Just position your plant in a way it receives plenty of light and camo from all angles.

If your up to it, a backyard garden or balcony/terrace would work. You can keep a close watch on your plants and tend to them as needed.

Durban Poison sunny climate outdoor Australia
Durban Poison (great for sunny climates).

Purchase Aussie Marijuana Seeds

Germination time

To germinate your cannabis seeds, either do the wet paper towel method or soak seeds in water.

Eventually the seeds will break open to reveal a white-ish green sprout. Once you see that its time to plant them into soil.

For best results, place your seeds into soil mix for cannabis seedlings at the start of spring. Try to germinate 2 or 3 times more seeds than you need as some will die or turn male. We will discuss male plants further down. In Australia spring time starts in September so germinate your seeds around then.

Quick heads up

A lot of growers will plant their seeds directly into soil outdoors only to be disappointed when their plant is not there. This could either be from cold, humidity, wild animals or snails eating the sprouts. Young marijuana plants at this stage are very vulnerable and thus should be kept inside for the first 3 to 4 weeks of its life. You can keep the young plants next to a window during this time, grow them under lights insider or place them somewhere else that gets a bit of light. To grow cannabis outdoors in Australia, your cannabis plants should be a decent size when you put them outside.

Once your plants reach a good enough size

Get them outside

After 3-4 weeks from germination, you may place your plants outdoors. Aim not to grow in places with temperatures lower than 0 C or 32 F otherwise plants will not grow as good.

Pots come in handy as you can move them around to where the warmer sun hits. Just make sure to have nice quality soil where you choose to plant. Whether its in pots or the ground make sure to have soil thats got a darkish colour and contains some fertilisers/manure. For good drainage add coco coir and perlite. You could even use coco coir as the main soil. I did this once mixing it with cow manure and I received a 3 ounce yield from one outdoor plant.

If your confused on what to do for soil, just go purchase quality potting mix for flowers from Bunnings. You can even use the vegetable potting mix they have.

To give your plants the best chance at growing outdoors, make sure to get well aerated, fluffy like soil with plenty of fertiliser in it. We recommend Bergmans Seedling Fertiliser to give your plants the best start.

Don’t compress the soil down as roots need to breath. Fluffy soil allows air to pass easier through to give roots oxygen. Adding perlite is another good trick you could do to improve airflow.

If you’re going to use plastic pots, drill some holes into the sides to improve air flow. Also look into using fabric pots as they allow airflow through the fabric. As a rule of thumb, the bigger your pot the bigger your plant.

Some growers prefer to plant directly into the ground so if you’re that way inclined, make sure to dig a big, deep hole and fill it with plenty of good soil or potting mix.

A hole 25 inch in diameter and depth is a decent size for the plants to grow in. Now just carefully plant your babies and water.

Make sure to get rid of any other plants that could possibly grow over your cannabis plants. You need to ensure your plants get the most light as possible so they can grow big.

When you finish doing this

Watch your plants grow!

You don’t need to do much from here. The plants will do as nature does.

To get your plants to grow faster, make sure to put them in a spot with plenty of light. More light = faster grow time. This is something a lot of growers neglect. But to grow cannabis outdoors in Australia the right way, you need lots of light.

In terms of watering your cannabis plants, do it regularly but don’t overwater. Cannabis likes dry feet (dry roots) so only water when the soil looks completely dry. By lightly pressing on the soil with your fingers you will feel if it is cold. If it is, it still has plenty of water left in it.

A couple of weeks in (about 1 or 2 weeks after being planted outside), you can begin to use fertilisers for the vegetative phase as your soil will run out of nutrients.

Theres a massive selection of fertilisers out there but for outdoor grows in the vegetative phase, I recommend Bergmans Growtime. This fertiliser is perfectly formulated for any cannabis grow outdoors. It contains the right nutrient ratio for plants in the vegetative phase.

However if your a bit strapped on cash, many growers have had success using tomato fertilisers too. Other fertilisers will also work but make sure the fertiliser is for plants that fruit. Ideally, to grow cannabis outdoors in Australia, invest in quality fertiliser specifically for cannabis.

In terms of how much fertiliser to use and how often, read the instructions on the bottle/packet. Don’t overdo the fertiliser though. Too much can kill your pot plants. Watch out for yellowing or pale green leaves. These are signs of nutrient deficiencies so add more fertiliser when you see it.

Crystal (thrives in the Aus outdoors)

Pot Seeds Australia

Culling the males

A sad moment when growing marijuana plants is the culling of males. Cannabis plants that are male don’t produce any buds but instead grow pollen sacks. You can still smoke the male plants but it will not effect you much due to low THC.

If you do not remove male plants, the pollen sacks will eventually open to pollinate your female cannabis plants. When this happens your buds will end up producing seeds. An outcome not many growers desire unless breeding.

How do you know if its male?

Theres no real way of knowing a male from female during the beginning vegetative phase. Some say that male plants grow taller faster but you don’t really know until the plant shows hairs or balls. Whitish hairs that cross are a sign its a female where as balls are a sign its male. Here’s a video on how to tell them apart.

When you identify a male, get rid of it. Don’t be upset, theres usually half male and half female ratio of cannabis plants in most peoples grow. This is to be expected. However if you grow with feminised marijuana seeds, it will guarantee the outcome is female.

Once you cull out all the males and have only females remaining, continue watering, fertilising etc for another 8 to 16 weeks. Its a good idea to switch to a fertiliser thats specifically for the flowering (budding) phase. Checkout another couple of Bergman’s line called Flower Time and Plant Booster. With these two additives, your plant will grow intensely huge and provide copious amounts of bud for harvest.

At about 2 weeks before harvest, stop fertilising and only water to flush your plants and give them a better taste.

How do you know when to harvest?

You will notice your buds will grow large. The resin becomes brown and darkish. Leaves will turn yellow and die off. If you notice any of this occurring, your marijuana plants are ready for harvest.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_cazez6Txk

These signs will show at about 3 to 5 months in from when you planted outdoors. Note some buds will be larger than others so don’t be disappointed when you see this.

If you have purchased cannabis seeds from online, the product page you bought your seed from will tell you exactly how long your strain takes to fully flower. That’s one of the benefits from buying seeds online.

Towards the end of your grow, when your buds are looking good, check inside your bud for mould. You can do this by ripping the bud in half. Mould is of a dark, greyish colour. You don’t want any mould on your grow so dispose of buds affected as soon as you see it.

How much can you yield outdoors?

If you properly read this article on how to grow cannabis outdoors in Australia, you can expect to get 2 to 4 ounces per outdoor plant. Just make sure you have an outdoor strain and find a spot that provides lots of light. Don’t skip out on good soil, water or fertilisers either. Your plants won’t thrive without it. Water and nutrients deplete over time so keep it up to maximise the return on your growing efforts.

Grow Cannabis Outdoors in Australia

Thats it! Happy 420 grow time everyone. For any questions, please comment below. Thanks for reading!

Loading

24 thoughts on “How to Grow Cannabis Outdoors in Australia

  1. Hanno says:

    Hello to all,
    Could somebody please tell me the reason why it is said to start seedlings in a small pot,then work up to a larger size pot as the plant grows larger. My method has always been to put my seed straight into a recycled 5kg washing machine tub (has holes right around the tub!?.)and is large enough to grow a very large plant. (Out doors)I’ve never had any problems. I will wait for a reply. Mark.

    1. cannagrowhacks says:

      There are a few reasons why seedlings are started in smaller pots.

      A bigger pot can retain more moisture than a seedling can make use of. This simply means that the bigger pot will take longer to dry out which can cause “damp off” or make the seedlings stress due to the surplus of water. Smaller pots dry off quickly and it is said that cannabis can thrive from dry feet.

      If you’re looking to get a more compact, hardier plants, transplanting cannabis seedlings from a smaller pot to a bigger pot can have the advantage of being placed deeper into the soil.

      Another advantage is, when transplanting the seedlings to a larger pot, it can strengthen the root systems.

    2. Aussie Dave says:

      Just a quick question mate. I understand your pot has holes. But its metal isn’t it. Plastic has the ability to put holes anywhere easily and doesn’t heat up like metal… I did it in metal pots when I was young and didn’t want to spend 20 cents on my grow.
      Spend a little more now as plastic pots last a long time mate…just a thought. Cheers mate.. All the best

      1. Aussie dave says:

        I have seen so much evidence outdoor of tracks etc knowing youth of today testing out a photo period grow. Tracks almost taking right to the grow area. Learn stealth methods where possible. Grow only what you can attend too. Less can mean more in quality and yield. Access seeds from someone you know. Living out bush every 2nd house grows. Now order online. Yes. But stop being so excited to get the top seeds that you need to telecast this to the masses. People talk and half the time it’s someone you know when ripped off. People have been growing forever so if you think you have a good area it would have been looked over many times previous. Lastly. Stop showing your cracked strains on you tube. Your ego can be your own worst enemy. Cheers to you newbie growers. Don’t rip people off if you come across other grows. The romance can turn ugly very fast with angry people biting at your ankles.’ Knock yourself out’

  2. Kate says:

    Hi
    Love your article, very thorough.
    Just wondering about ‘pest control’, recently discovered whiteflies eating leaves and unfortunately hit them a bit too hard with pyrethrum.
    The leaves are all gnarly now and I’m not sure if that’s the end of my grow.
    Do you have any thoughts on if they will recover from the burn of pesticide?
    Any tips would be so appreciated.
    Thanks

    1. cannagrowhacks says:

      According to one user on this link below, pyrethrum burn will recover however the mites may return. A safe and effective natural means to combat this is to use garlic.

      – blend 1 garlic head till smooth in texture

      – add two cups of water and blend a few more times

      – sit mixture in a bowl for one day

      – strain the garlic solids so only liquid comes out

      – add garlic mixture into one gallon of water

      – store in a cool dry place e.g. the fridge when not in use

      Place liquid in a spray bottle and spray at the top and bottom of leaves of your plant once each week

      https://cannabis.community.forums.ozstoners.com/topic/2996-can-pyrethrum-poison-plants/

  3. HJ Puff and Stuff says:

    Why is it when you find you have dropped a seed accidently into a large area and see it germinate and grow robustly into a large plant leaving your potted plants stagnated , when you have gone from small containers up.? Self seeded and anchored roots in the one medium not touched. With this I simply question why not seed in the bigger areas. I only say this as I was taught this way. Unsexed at that.! Greatful for this none the less. In Australia here we have enough nutritional mediums not to have to purchase the other side of the world. Sounds a bit fishy to me. All the best little Ozzy growers to be.

    1. cannagrowhacks says:

      Hi HJ, thanks for your comment. I believe you may have had some great luck with your traditional throw and grow as with many other growers in Australia. But some parts of Australia just do not have the right soil composition. That’s why some growers choose to have soil that is more suitable to their grow even if it’s from other parts of the world. With smaller pots up, it strengthens the root system. The stress it goes through when transplanting encourages stronger root growth. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask!

  4. Roland says:

    Hi my plant has just shown it’s a female can you tell me what fertalizer (commercialy available) I can use I have some miracle gro flower and bloom but im told that has too much nitrogen. In it.

    1. cannagrowhacks says:

      There are a few different fertilisers to use during your cannabis plants grow from seed to harvest. The best way to not screw up your grow is to get a marijuana fertiliser set. If you add in Plant Protector, the chances of a successful grow increases as you will be safeguarding your plants from pests and diseases.

  5. Petee says:

    I have looked at various sites for optimal outdoor growing temperatures and conditions in South East Queensland with little results. My 22 day old plants got seriously burnt (32c) or nute burn, growing medium is high quality (i.e. Searles premium). Am I growing in to hot conditions and/or bad growing medium?

    1. cannagrowhacks says:

      Hi there

      There is a lack of information unfortunately but from what you have said, temps around 32c aren’t ideal (that’s hot!). If your thinking about growing outdoors, do so in the colder months. Aim for temperatures from 15c to 25c. Marijuana loves spring so maybe that’s a good time?

      Growers have been able to cultivate in temps of around 20 – 25c with little to no problems in the past but closer to 15c is ideal.

      You should also follow the directions of your nutrients/fertiliser for outdoor cannabis grows. Often halving the recommended dosage of nutrients is better than overdoing it and causing nute burn.

      Your potting mix sounds fine. Maybe mix in perlite for a 60/40 mix, 40 being perlite for better water and nutrient drainage.

      Happy growing!

    2. Joan lord says:

      Not too hot, I’m growing further up north from you, all plants doing well, cover seedling with 30 per shadecloth or even some black flywire as I did.

  6. Dicky says:

    Hey there! I’m in melbourne, anyone reached budding stage yet? i reckon im a couple of weeks away, im growing outside in pots, just wanna see what other people using the same approach are experiencing.
    respect.

  7. Prom says:

    You guys should look way more into Autoflowers 😉
    The ones you plant in November, will be seed free, they handle any type of sun and don’t grow to tall.. yield very very well..

    greetings from South Africa

  8. Dodge says:

    I have been ph testing my soil after initially using a hot mix that was too alkaline. It seems to be sitting around neutral st 6.5-7, however when I’ve ph tested the water runoff in the base of the pot, it’s high at 7.8.
    Should I add a sulphur or vinegar to my water to bring it down a bit?
    Thanks

    1. cannagrowhacks says:

      The most affordable method to reduce the pH of soil is to apply sulfur to the soil. Use this calculator to figure out how much sulfur you need if your growing in sand, loam or clay soils.

  9. Jizzle says:

    Gonna be my first grow outside..I use fabric pots inside and I love tgem..they are made of fabric so there easily to store away..I think I’m gonna go strait into the ground when I plant outside…

  10. C Trumper says:

    I use Woolworths reusable bags as grow bags. They allow plenty of runoff and aeration to the roots and are robust enough to handle one cycle no problems. When I find a new spot now I’ll throw a handful of plants there in these bags (or similar or pots) and then if they go ok I’ll consider digging holes or trenches as time goes on. The paranoia of losing your healthjy budding plants and the odds of losing them have taught me it’s wise to have multiple patches and not expect to pull them all off.

  11. David Haviland says:

    HELLO DANNY,
    I am hoping you can inform me how best to grow this species (outside) north of the Tropic of Capricorn in Australia – given the extreme heat December thru March, and cold nights during the Dry season. When to plant? When to harvest? How much water required to sustain growth? I would appreciate any info you can provide – as background material for a screenplay. I kid you not. Thank you, David.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *