Hello outdoor clone grow farmers! I wanted to take this time to provide some easy to follow guidelines for a successful harvest. In this short blog, we will discuss a number of factors that are important for maximizing your clone grow harvest. Let’s get started!

Summertime Outdoor Clone Grow

Summer is the best time to grow cannabis. Most mainland US growers should plan on starting their outdoor clone grow in June. Some sativa clone varieties can start in late May. The reason you have to wait till May or June is because of the amount of sunlight we receive and because clones are cut from mature mothers that are ready to flower on notice. This is why you need to wait till June, when there is enough sunlight for vegetative growth; unless you plan on adding supplemental lighting which we will discuss later.

If you place clones outdoors in April for example, they will almost certainly begin to flower immediately. This will result in a situation where your plant will begin to flower, then most likely stop flowering and resume vegetative growth around summer solstice (June) and then resume flowering again as daylight is reduced. Furthermore, planting early will dramatically shorten your harvest. It is a common mistake that usually results in a June, July or August harvest depending on when you started your grow.

If you add supplemental lighting, you can start your outdoor clone grow as early as you’d like. This is known as the gas lantern routine and it prevents your plants from flowering prematurely. Most if not all big time cannabis farmers incorporate some type of supplemental lighting routine so that they can grow large tree’s that yield incredible amounts. Learn more about the gas lantern routine here.

Best Soil for Outdoor Clone Grow

If you want a bountiful harvest, you will definitely need a premium potting soil. Purchasing anything less will drastically reduce your yield. If you have read some of my other blogs, then you will know that I am a huge fan of Fox Farm Ocean Forest. This potting soil is expensive, but totally worth the price. When you compare a regular bag of soil that costs $10, the $5 to $10 extra for Ocean Forest is totally worth it. If you want nice buds then don’t go cheap on your soil, its that simple. Simply said, cheap soil is not worth your time or money.

Fertilizers for Outdoor Clone Grow

The fertilizers required for this type of grow really depend on the grower. Some growers go all out and use a complete line like Fox Farms Dirty Dozen. Other growers use only essential fertilizers like a trio. Bottom line, there are a ton of options. If you would like to learn more about organic fertilizers, check out this blog I wrote here.

Pot Size for Cannabis

A question I get all the time is “What size pot should I use?” The answer to this questions depends greatly on how long you plan on growing. The goal should always be to maintain vigorous growth throughout. Since we know harvest is around October 1st, we can count backwards to determine the right pot size.

Using the example above and starting your clone grow in June means you will be growing for 4 months or so. For this grow length, I recommend using a 65 gallon pot. The 65 gallon pot will maximize your growth potential for the largest yield possible. If you decide to use a smaller pot, you run the risk of your plant out growing it. This will create a circumstance that will be difficult to manage. If your plant out grows it’s pot, it will require constant monitoring to ensure that it maintains vigorous growth. A bigger pot offers a nice buffer too. It gives you a little extra flexibility. On hot summer days for instance, a large plant in a small pot might require twice a day watering. The bottom line is that a large plant in a small pot creates an environment that is tough to manage. Learn more about pot size here.

Cannabis Pests

Bugs are everywhere. There is no way to prevent them from showing up. You just need to be ready when they get there so that you can control and prevent them from getting out of hand. My preferred treatment is neem oil with a small sprayer. I like neem oil because it breaks down fast! Organic insecticidal soaps work great as well. Bugs are part of the game. Always try and avoid spraying when possible, even if it is an organic spray. Definitely avoid spraying during flower. When possible, try and remove by hand.

Caterpillars

Did you say caterpillars? They are a different story! Caterpillars love to eat buds and they can destroy harvests. When caterpillars bring havoc, it is commonly misdiagnosed as bud rot or mold to the untrained eye. Caterpillars often climb up your plants main stem and eat at your inner buds. Some of the parts that they eat become detached from your plant. On top of this, caterpillars poop like crazy. Their feces, along with decaying plant material causes mold and bud rot.

The best way to treat caterpillars is with BT. BT works great and usually lasts between 3 and 7 days depending on the weather conditions. You should apply BT as soon as your plants begin to flower. For summer grows, I usually start applying at the end of July. This is important because you need to spray before the caterpillars arrive. As soon as they hatch, they start eating your plant. If you start to notice bud rot, it is probably too late.

Winter Outdoor Clone Grow

Winter clone grows are fun and somewhat easy to manage. If you harvest your summer grow on October 1st, you can turn around and start your winter grow on October 2nd. Your clone will start to flower almost immediately as there is not enough sun light to maintain vegetative growth. Therefore, your plant size and harvest will be very small.

Planting in early October will most likely result in a harvest around New Years or 6 to 10 weeks later depending on the strain. For this grow, I recommend a pot size between 5 and 10 gallons with fresh soil. In my opinion, the key to a successful winter clone grow comes down to sun light, soil and nutrients. Sun light is the biggest factor. Since our days are short and sometimes cold, you really need to plant in a spot that offers the most sun light possible. Sun up to sun down is ideal.

If you are trying to maximize your winter clone grow, fresh soil is recommended. Fresh soil will ensure your plants start off on the right foot. This is super important because you have no time for mistakes. Any premium soil will do, but I recommend using a soil that has a bloom focus since your grow won’t have much vegetative growth.

Fertilizers are important, but not critical for winter grows. This is because your fresh premium soil will provide most of the nutrients they needs. And since your grow window is short, there just won’t be as many opportunities to fertilizer before harvest. As a result, your plant needs will not require anything close to the nutrient levels it needed during your summer grow. This is primarily due to your plant being a lot smaller in size. Remember, winter grows are nothing like summer grows. Winter grows are much smaller, less profound and growth is slow. However, they are a lot of fun and totally worth it if the weather is good.

Final Thoughts

I hope this quick summary of helped a little. Remember to just do your best and learn from your mistakes. Good luck!!

If you have any questions, please post them in the comment section. If you are interested in learning even more about growing cannabis, please check out my blog. Here are a few of my most recent: 

• The Cannabis Growing Season – Southern California
• Is a Grow Tent Necessary
• Trichomes When to Harvest
• Cannabis Water Filter
• Organic Fertilizers for Cannabis
• Cannabis Pot Size Guide