High Times is proud to present selections from Jorge Cervantes’ latest, most comprehensive opus, The Cannabis Encyclopedia. The book will be available worldwide on April 20, 2015. For more, check marijuanagrowing.com.
This is an excerpt from the Cannabis Encyclopedia, Chapter 4, Cannabis Life Cycle. It outlines the basic possibilities for an outdoor cannabis gardener. Outdoor growers in warmer climates can grow a total of two crops every year, and three crops if they grow ruderalis-dominant varieties.
Outdoor Gardens
Typically, outdoor gardens are planted in the spring and harvested in autumn. By applying information from this chapter, outdoor gardens can be harvested two or three times a year within moderate to temperate climates. Transplanting clones and seedlings and harvesting a single crop is all that is possible in cold climates with a growing season of 90 days. Extra care must also be taken to protect seedlings and clones from harsh weather.
First Harvest
Mild Climate Spring Crop – 90 days.
March 1 – Move bushy, well-rooted 1- to 2-foot tall clones and seedlings into a full-sun-heated greenhouse.
March 1 – Long nights will induce cannabis to flower.
March 15 – Remove male plants; male flowers distinguish male plants.
March 15 – Transplant clones and female seedlings into large containers.
March 15 – Move outdoors in mild climates – may need to cover on cool nights.
April 15 – Darken plants after 12 hours of daylight if flowering slows.
May 30 – Harvest smaller buds that received less-intense spring sunlight.
This auto-flowering feminized seedling is an example of how a germinated seed can grow into a mature plant ready for harvest in just 70 days and receive 18 hours of daily light!
Second Harvest
Mid-summer Crop – 70–75 days
May 1 – Start ruderalis-dominant (super-auto-flowering feminized) variety indoors.
May 15 – Transplant auto-flowering feminized variety to 3-gallon (11.3 L) containers.
May 21– Transplant strong, healthy plants to outdoor garden.
June 1 – Female flowers are visible.
July 15 – Harvest 3 to 3.5 ounces (85–100 gm) of dried flower buds per plant.
Third Harvest
Pure Indica/Sativa and Indica/Sativa Crosses
March 1 – Plant clones and seedlings indoors.
May 1 – Move bushy 1- to 2-foot-tall clones and seedlings outdoors in temperate climates.
May 1 – Pre-flowers appear; remove male plants.
June 1 – Move bushy 1- to 2-foot-tall clones and seedlings outdoors in all climates.
August 1 – Flowers start to form; remove any “surprise” male plants.
September – Harvest a large crop from big plants.
Spring-planted autumn crop – 210 days. A complete 7-month-long season will yield very big plants when grown properly. These 10-pound (4.5 kg) plants received full sun all day long and grew in outstanding organic soil.
