How to Grow Cannabis Outdoors with Nikki and Swami - A Complete Guide

[00:07] We've been growing cannabis outdoors for a long, long time. Long enough to understand all the arguments for growing in the sun. It truly is a wonderful, enriching experience — but some of the benefits, especially the benefits to your wallet, might really surprise you. Hi there. Welcome to How to Grow Cannabis Outdoors with Nikki Lastreto and Swami Chaitanya.
 

[04:56] We love winter at Ganjama Farms. The jars are full, the soil gets recharged under a cool moon, and by the time we hit the solstice in winter, we're at the apex of our tilt from the sun. Nature's resting. For us, this means long nights sitting by the fire discussing what we'll grow next year.
 

[10:12] When the moon cycle is waxing in early April in a fertile earth or water sign, it's time to sprout your seeds. Sprouting days can be earlier or later depending on your latitude and the last hard spring frost. We wait until the momentum of spring is evident and start the seeds when everything else is also bursting forth. Once the seeds have sprouted, we sow them and move them outdoors.
 

[14:52] Hi guys, welcome back to How to Grow Cannabis Outdoors with Nikki and Swami.
 

[19:42] Most conscientious growers shy away from bat guano and seabird guano — harvesting the droppings disturbs nesting habitats. Peat moss is also frowned upon; the removal of peat changes the ecosystem left behind and it takes centuries to grow back. By thinking deeply about the earth in your hand, you can be part of restoring the earth we all share. Aim for purity, go organic, and leave a small carbon footprint. Your cannabis will taste, smell, and feel a billion times better for it.
 

[24:51] After a few days outdoors in the soil and sun, it's a thrill to see the first embryonic green leaves called cotyledon leaves. These first two leaves are uniquely rounded, showing bright green against the brown soil. A few days later, the first set of pointed, serrated cannabis leaves show up at 90 degrees from the original set. You feel the joys of parenthood.
 

[29:38] Feeding plants is something people write books and doctoral dissertations on. Over the years, I've tried about every way there is of growing. Rather than assume that you are feeding the plants, consider that you are feeding the soil — adding the organic and microbial ingredients to make the soil come alive. The microbial elements in the living soil process the nutrients to make them available to the plant. One of the best ways to feed the soil is to make aerobic compost teas for drenching the soil around each plant.
 

[34:55] We prefer to put plants in the ground in circular mounds that have been prepared with various amendments. If you have a place in your regular garden, transplant your starts to a bed with clear space around it — a healthy plant can reach a six-foot diameter. You can plant clover, potatoes, or other companion plants all around the base. When you transplant, be careful taking the roots out of their pot so as not to break the root ball.
 

[40:05] Cannabis has brought almost every amazing person in my life to me in one way or another — through sharing that joint, through the fact that I grew really good cannabis and shared it with them. I believe that every human being on this earth can in some way be benefited by the cannabis plant.
 

[43:06] Another reason I'm really happy to align myself with Homegrown is because, like me, Homegrown is dedicated to empowering cannabis consumers and the cannabis community with information and education. And the very best cannabis is the cannabis that you grow yourself.