Growing cannabis is a fun and exciting hobby — unless your plants produce less flower than you had hoped. Today, we will discuss some of the most common culprits of low flower weight and how to maximize your cannabis yield while you are learning to grow marijuana. 

When Do You Grow Cannabis?

Just like all plants, cannabis has an ideal growing season. Planting seeds or seedlings outside of that season can expose the plants to high or low temperatures, excessive or insufficient rainfall, too much or too little daylight, and too little time to mature fully. Cannabis plants grown outdoors during the off-season will often be of lower quality and produce less flower, if they produce at all. 

Cannabis Growing Season

Most cannabis cultivars are photoperiod plants, which means they take their cue to start flowering from the length of the days and nights. Cannabis plants begin to flower when the nights reach 12 hours in the fall, so most cannabis growers plant their seedlings outdoors in late spring or early summer, depending on their region. It’s also essential to keep the temperature in mind: wait until the nights are warm enough that the plants won’t freeze, but do not wait so long that they won’t fully mature before autumn. 

Autoflower cultivars are the exceptions to this rule. These cannabis plants do not rely on the day and night cycle to tell them when to begin flowering, and they typically reach maturity much more quickly. Many new growers opt for autoflower cultivars, as the lack of photoperiod concerns makes the growing process just a little bit more straightforward. However, growers of autoflower cultivars will still need to be aware of the temperature and overall climate in their growing region. 

Where Can You Grow Cannabis?

Technically, cannabis can be grown anywhere in greenhouses or indoor grow setups where regulations permit. Cannabis cultivators who want to grow their flower outdoors must consider the climate they live in.

Cannabis Growing Zones

Cannabis plants thrive in summer and early fall weather when it’s hot during the day and still warm at night. Especially in the fall, areas without excessive rainfall are well-suited to growing high-quality cannabis plants that will yield a large amount of flower. It’s no surprise that California is known for its cannabis; the west coast of the United States has an excellent climate for growing the plant. 

Most cannabis cultivars thrive in USDA plant hardiness zones 8 through 11. Some types of cannabis plants, however, prefer slightly warmer or cooler weather. To maximize their yield, cannabis growers should choose the cultivars best suited to the weather and climate in their region of the country. 

Will Cannabis Grow in Regular Dirt?

Cannabis is sometimes called “weed,” so it shouldn’t be surprising that it can grow naturally in the wild. However, wild cannabis plants do not produce as much high-quality flower as carefully tended domestic cannabis plants. Attempting to grow cannabis in low-quality soil while learning to grow weed is a common cause of low yield. To get the most flower weight from your cannabis, you must enrich the soil before planting and fertilize often. 

How to Fertilize Cannabis

Each cannabis cultivator has their favorite tips, tricks, and formulas for fertilizing cannabis, but a few general guidelines hold true for all cultivation setups: 

• Cannabis seedlings should begin receiving fertilizer when they develop a root system. 
• After transplanting, growers should fertilize their new seedlings more heartily, as cannabis plants require more nutrients and minerals as they grow. 
• Cannabis plants no longer need fertilization after they have matured and bloomed. 

Fertilizing cannabis can be tricky, but it ensures the highest possible yield. Consider taking a class to learn more about different fertilizer ratios and how to apply them effectively. 

Learn How to Grow Cannabis Online

There is much to keep track of when growing high-quality, fruitful cannabis plants. Factors like planting time, growing zones, soil quality, and much more can significantly impact the amount of flower you can harvest from your cannabis plants. 

To learn everything you need to know to produce large amounts of high-quality flower, either for yourself or your business, consider taking a class with Oaksterdam University. In our Maximizing Yields class, aspiring cannabis cultivators will learn about growing high-quality, high-yield cannabis in a self-paced format. Enroll or contact an advisor to talk about how to kickstart your cannabis education today.