Planting Your Sprouted Cannabis Seeds Outdoors

Now that your seeds have sprouted, it’s time to plant your germinated seeds. To do so, start by making a depression or hole in the soil surface about a 1/4″ to a 1/2″ deep. Place your seed in the hole with the sprout pointed down and gently pinch the soil together around and over the seed, being careful not to disrupt the seed’s placement or position.

Add just enough water to settle the soil and eliminate any pockets around the seed. Your seedling soil is already evenly moist, so it doesn’t take much. I do this by squeezing the wet paper towel used for germination over the planted seed.

Label your cup with the strain name and germination date.

Take note of the weight of the watered cup—you can use this as a comparative reference to know when to water again. This is a simple and effective way to avoid overwatering your seedlings.

So far, this is pretty standard stuff…
…it’s about to get controversial…

“It sprouts from the earth not meekly, not cautiously in suspense of where it is and what it may find, but defiantly, arrogantly, confident that whatever the conditions it has the stamina to survive.”

~ Ernest L Abel

 

Seedling Stage

Spring has sprung and four days after placing our cannabis seeds in the paper towels, we have seedlings.

I place my cannabis seedlings in the same full sun that will grow and flower them to finish. They are hardened off from birth to handle the environment. The bright sunlight prevents the seedlings from stretching and ensures tightly stacked growth. More importantly, seedlings born into sunlight develop well-structured palisade cells that protect the plant from the shock or sunburn many experience when moving plants outdoors into direct light.

Because these cannabis seeds were started in March, I bring them inside in the evening before the sun goes down, as the daylight hours have yet to increase enough to prevent photoperiod plants from flowering.

Important Note on Lighting

Rather than starting plants under the traditional 18 hours on / 6 hours off light cycle, it’s important to start under the length of daylight hours your plants will be subjected to when transitioned outdoors full time. I put my plants out in late May–early June, where they will experience around 16 hours of daylight. Therefore, I maintain a 15.5 hours on / 8.5 hours off cycle from the start in order to prevent the sudden decrease of the photoperiod from triggering early flowering.

Delicate Cannabis Seedlings Outside in March?

Most cultivation guides encourage growers to keep their seedlings in a warm, humid environment. While this is generally sound advice, if you’re cultivating cannabis outdoors, pampering your cannabis seedlings is more often than not, counterproductive.

Today’s temperatures were 51°F 

Most Quality Photoperiod Cannabis Seedlings can handle these temperatures.

 

I do not recommend using any kind of humidity dome over your seedlings.

It’s important to monitor the soil moisture and water accordingly. When you water, avoid watering directly on the stem or overly saturating the soil. Your goal is to have evenly moist soil without any excess or runoff.

You should allow the soil to dry out somewhat between waterings, as doing so encourages the roots to span out in search of moisture. Remember the weight of your fully watered cups and allow them to get considerably lighter in between waterings. This is a simple way to prevent overwatering seedlings.

If your soil dries out more than it should, it will become hydrophobic soil and will not readily absorb water. The solution to this situation is watering slowly, in small increments, until the soil regains its wicking abilities. Adding too much water too quickly to hydrophobic soil results in immediate runoff, leaving your soil dry. These are key watering techniques for seedlings that help prevent issues before they start.

In addition to good light and watering techniques, seedlings need a breeze on them—enough to keep them moving—as this strengthens the stem enough to support the weight of the new growth the sun is stacking on. This simple airflow helps strengthen seedling stems naturally.

These methods help ensure your cannabis seedlings aren’t elongated, lanky, fragile, or falling over needing support. But if the conditions aren’t cooperating and for some reason elongation occurs, burying the stem up to a couple of inches below the tops is, in my opinion, superior to staking or tying the plants. I want my plants strong enough to support themselves without assistance—especially when growing cannabis from seed.

The Living Soil mix in the cups will carry your plants through the first couple of weeks known as the seedling stage. It’s one of the best options when you’re wondering about the best soil for seedlings.

Important Note:
It’s advised to keep seedlings in temperatures above 50°, especially those grown from autoflowering seeds and feminized seeds.

The seedlings we’re growing are classic photoperiod varietals from the High Hopes Helios Line (suggested product link – High Hopes Cannabis Seeds – any variety). They are equipped with their full set of chromosomes and an epigenetic memory of and resistance to the stressors encountered in an outdoor environment, making them an excellent choice for those seeking hardy outdoor cannabis strains.

Volunteer Helios seedlings thriving in 26° F temperatures. And yes they survived.

A Note on Planting Time

Cannabis seeds can be started early (in this case March), giving your plants a jump start on the season and a notable increase in yield.

Seeds started in March 

Seeds can also be started well into June, depending on your desired plant size and harvest goals. I stagger my starts to align with my needs.

Seeds started in May

In some cases—especially when grow space is limited—it’s beneficial to start plants later in the season. They can be finished in a smaller pot, making them easier to manage and move if needed, while still producing a considerable yield.

Seeds started in June 

Stay Tuned for the next installment