DIY: Dirt Diva
Getting your organic outdoor grow from seed to soil
Cicero once wrote, “If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.” I’m thinking that laughter, a bowl, matches, and music are also nice to have around.
With the world teetering on disbelief and anxiety with the “hoo-ha” state of affairs in our neighborhoods — from sea to shining sea — it only makes tactical common sense to head outdoors, where gardens of cannabis, herbs, fruits, flowers, and vegetables will engage us with sunny delights of scent, sight, touch, sound, and general good vibes.
Yeah, I don’t know how to figure out the digital narrative of what’s going on in current world events, attempting to persuade us that this, that, and the other makes sense. I’m skipping out on that chatter to find inspiration and fun in one another’s laughter, under the influence of good weed during these freaky contemporary issues in the world around us. Sheesh — even without the influence of weed, one’s existentialist thoughts must be popping when one feels the apprehension of the here and now. Going offline every day and heading outdoors with like-minded peeps gives a wonderful and broader perspective, metaphorically speaking, to plant a seed and grow a new part of the brain that is fruitful (kinda like how plants are heliotropic, turning towards the sun).
Let’s just say that between now and harvest season the riddles that may be presented to us could test our approach and stamina in everyday concerns. The feeling I get in my stomach, concerning our autonomy, seems to be calling for fundamental elements of creative attention. It just might start with two big puffs of stashed flower, outdoor clean-grown weed, to put some finesse in juggling ideas for a productive and happy direction.
Those of us who wish to enjoy the amazement of organic growing are likely conjuring ways to create more time for a healthier lifestyle and to replenish the weed stash. Think you don’t have time? There’s always time to make room for a garden of clean grown weed, with the benefits of cash saved, along with an incredible amount of organic recreational and medicinal resources created from your very own labor of love. And spending time outdoors should increase your impulse to figure out your time schedule to plant a seed that will deliver a crop of joyful wellness.
Here at Beer & Weed Magazine, our monthly publication has now become a seasonal publication, and this first 2025 issue appears at the true solar new year, when the sun enters into the Spring Equinox, aka Aries season (the ruler of get up and go, Mars), between March 21 and 23 each year.
At the beginning of March we note how nature seems to be playing with us at a stop-and-go pace, leaving us to wonder in which direction these forces are moving. Each 24 hours, as the Earth revolves once upon its own axis, it vibrates with life, propelling us into the continuous pattern of the potential, where life is a conscious awakening. Listen … maybe you can hear the Ohm.
Getting Started: Seeds and Clones
Keep the faith, warmth is on the way. March leads us closer into the next growing season. If you really want to grow some cannabis, you can do this, all it takes is a few seeds and your attention; just ask anyone who grew a formidable weed plant for the first time last year!
The first signs of mud season here in the Northeast give us plenty of time to research and sketch out visions for our garden nous. Take the time to visit libraries, bookstores, and dispensaries with your handy backyard growing notebook, jotting down ideas and energizing your intention to grow some weed while life in the cold exits.
Most everyone has the capacity to generate relaxing or energy-inducing cannabis for the price of an organic seed. Here in Maine, there are ample retail and online opportunities, or just google to order photoperiod cannabis seeds anywhere in the world. Any photoperiod strain that harvests as late as mid November has been demonstrated to produce fantastic flowers in the Northeast; heavy frosts do happen in November, so get your plants in the ground sooner than later.
Cannabis thrives outdoors. Photoperiod strains are intended for outdoor cultivation because the strain relies on the natural daylight rhythms to mature flowers for autumn weather’s grand finale. Most feminized seeds are photoperiod and are highly favored if you are looking for buds without seed, as they are convenient and productive.
Autoflower seeds do not have photoperiod genes. They are bred to complete their growing cycle in around 12 weeks. Autoflower cannot be cloned or pruned, and they are very sensitive to damage, due to the short vegetation period, but they are ready to harvest in two months and can be a discreet dwarf weed plant, which is great if you want to hide them on your patio (or use them as a kitchen plant if you’ve got a window with a lot of light).
You can also buy clones, so you don’t have to focus on the magic of seed germination, especially from many medical dispensaries. However, clones do not have a tap root like seedlings do, which makes it difficult to handle the weight of the flowers, and the roots can be compromised due to possible insect infestation or fungus — not knowing their source — which may threaten the health of your garden. You really need to trust your provider.
Growing seedlings from seeds allows you to have a complete understanding of its roots, is less expensive, and will harvest a larger yield. So whatever the bean you seek, it can be found with easy effort. The hard part is deciding which strain to choose from a myriad of Indica, Sativa, and hybrid genetics, but budtenders can help you with that.
This list of vital intel is our local industry of weed professionals where you can walk or drive to buy seeds:
- OMG Cannabis, on India St., in Portland
- Hi-Lo Dispensary, on Route 26, in Poland
- River Driver Cannabis, at either their Brunswick or Lisbon location
- Coastal Cannabis, on Route 1, in Damariscotta
- Origins Cannabis Company, in Manchester
- Brothers Cannabis, at any of their three locations in Bangor
- Meristem, in Southwest Harbor
- Seed and Soil Farm, in Monroe (these folks are organic growers who sell their own seed brand and seedlings)
- Theory Wellness in Bangor, South Portland, and Waterville
- Sweet Relief Shop, in Northport
- Caniba Naturals, in Portland and Farmington
- BlueSky, in Farmington
- Matterhorn Apothecary, in Turner
- Cannabis Farmers Union, in Oxford
- 207 Genetics, in East Sebago
- Cannabis Seed Bank of Maine, in Farmington
- North Atlantic Seed Co., in Waterville
The latter part of March can be fun for wake-and-bake adventure: Searching out working sugar shacks for pancake breakfasts and then checking out local cannabis bean suppliers makes a great day trip. For a great resource to locate some local sugar shacks where you can feast and then hit up some recreational spots, check out our past March issues from 2021 and 2022.
Getting Started: Planning Your Grow and Planting
Stepping into Earth Day, the month of April here in 2025 is where you can make your dream a reality. Coming to terms on what you truly can manage is key, though. Will it be a patio garden, raised beds, or a space of land in your backyard? Remember, planting your seedlings in full sun is a must! They definitely need at least 6-8 hours of direct sunshine to keep them productively strong and healthy.
Anyhow, it’s time to begin to prepare our garden soil, scouting out the area for possible insect or other troubles, adding organic matter (perhaps you already did, this past fall); hoeing and ridding weeds before amending soil with 6” of quality compost will suppress weeds from popping up.
Mid-April is prime time to germinate cannabis beans. No need for any fertilizer when you are germinating your seed, nor when your seedling is small; compost naturally releases nutrients and gradually adjusts as soil temperatures warm up. Use a pot with holes for drainage in loosely packed soil. One bean per pot. Make an indentation in the center of the soil and place your seed upon it, take a pinch of soil and firmly cover the bean. If you suspect bean thieving mice, cover the seed with a glass then remove when it sprouts.
Oh, and clean out any old pots before you plant, to make sure there aren’t any leftover micro-organisms.
Place the pot in a warm area indoors (cannabis seed prefers mid-70s soil temperatures to germinate), keep the soil moist to germinate, and throughout the grow. It usually takes 3-5 days until the bean pops; when it does, give it a warm place inside where it receives sunshine all day. When your little seedling has 2-3 sets of healthy leaves, it will flourish being outdoors during warm days; set an alarm to bring it back indoors at dusk.
Seedlings need a lot of sunshine, circulating warm air, and enough water to keep the soil moist, but not soaking wet.
Note: No need to feed the seedlings (fertilizer at this tender age will burn the root system and kill it) until May, when it’s best to feed the sweet little weed plant some composted sun tea. I favor North Country Organics Pro-Gro 5-3-4; it is a very good organic choice of fertilizer, with a perfect balance of high-quality organic sources of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. I am in awe of North Country Organics Pro-Gro 5-3-4 & Pro-hemp 5-3-9 to apply later in the growing season, as the colas are developing, benefiting them with more potassium. The 50-pound bags are about $30. Might as well grab one if you’re going to be at the greenhouse.
April is preparation time for your backyard garden, even if it doesn’t yet exist. Rent a small tiller if you want to carve out a plot of your land, or you can use a spade and hoe to break the ground, turning the soil to remove all grass and weeds. Smoke some flower and get your Mars on because you gotta do some work, and it’s bliss because time flies and you won’t get fired for being high on the job.
If you’ve already got a plot, consider the no-dig, no-till route to eliminate weeds before they get started: Mow the area if needed, cutting back existing plants to soil level and removing large debris. Next, smother the ground with flattened brown cardboard boxes or, black and white newspapers and grass clippings overlapping to block out sunlight completely. Then thoroughly soak it with water.
Follow that up with a 6” application of quality compost. The compost will further decompose and function both as nutrients and mulch. By the time it is time to plant your seedling, you have the advantage of your garden area being weed- and grass-free throughout the growing season, with considerably less weeding needed.
If you don’t have a crazy problem with an overgrowth of weeds and have already been working your composted garden soil, you probably know weed seeds most likely will begin to pop in your cannabis/veggie garden area before the end of May. You may still want to use the black and white newspaper method, utilizing lawn clippings as a heavy mat, to suppress weed seeds from turning into weed seedlings (the uninvited kind). Be sure to overlap and wet down both paper and or just wait a few days after some rain to use your hoe and clean out the weeds before topping with quality compost to serve as a nutritious mulch.
Getting Started: Moving Outdoors
By May it will be time to move those sweet little seedlings you’ve been cultivating into the outdoors. Having been enriching and refining the soil’s texture by recycling organic matter into your backyard garden, you’re all set.
Prepare a compost/Pro-Gro sun tea in a five gallon bucket by using a 3:1 ratio of aged animal/vegetation — such as horse, cow, sheep, goat, fish hydrolysate, or kelp — compost, Pro-gro 5-3-4 fertilizer, and water blending to an amber color. Set it out in the sun, periodically stir within a 24-48 hour period, and stir well before applying. Use this stinky but nutritious fertilizer to nurture your month-old seedlings. It encourages a vibrant vegetation of healthy fan leaves, just what you are aiming for during the vegetative stage.
The rule of thumb is to keep fertilizer from touching the plant or burning the root system. So gently baby spoon feed your 4-5 week old seedling using keen judgment on the amount given, which will increase as you witness her beautiful development during the vegetative stage. Let the sunshine, water, warm air, and happy vibes bring healthy growth to your plants.
The month of May is 31 days long, totally enough time to sow some seeds or purchase an already established organic cannabis farm seedling or clone plant while we continue to prepare our gardens. Healthy soil repays you way more than the effort it involves.
Remember, planting your seedlings in full sun is a must! They definitely need at least 6-8 hours of direct sunshine; choose a 12’ square area for each cannabis plant you’re going to transfer the seedlings to. Give your cannabis plant a healthy amount of space from surrounding plants, the branches will want room.
Technically, by law, your plants shouldn’t be visible to passersby on the road.
Firmly placing stakes before you transplant the seedlings will keep from injuring their young and tender roots. This sturdy support will keep the branches from breaking off from the stalk in strong autumn wind and rain — or from the weight of your resin-loaded flowers! Staking your weed plant encourages the flowers to stand vertically at the end stages of their growth, which allows sunshine and airflow to keep mold from developing.
Be sure to wash your hands, especially if you handle tobacco, whenever touching your weed plant. Cannabis and tomatoes are highly susceptible to Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV), which will seriously cripple your weed plants. I have had good luck placing my cannabis right in the center to absorb full sun, and sorting my herbs, fruits and veggies in quadrants.
Keeping your tomato plants a good distance from your outrageous weed plants is important, as they will compete for sun and space at the peak of their growth.
On the borders of your garden, planting sunflower, corn, tomato plants, or a screen of climbing beans will be beneficial. They grow tall and shield your weed plant from damaging winds. The border plantings will camouflage your cannabis plants from sight as well, possibly from human predators for instance, if that’s a consideration for your location.
When you’re actually doing the planting, dig a hole as wide as your seedling is tall and a tad more, scratch the base and sides of the soil, water the hole with a healthy amount of compost Pro-gro 5-3-4 sun tea, and mix it really well into the composted soil making sure it is wet but not flooded. Take your cannabis seedling and slightly wet it before removing it from the container, to allow a smooth release.
Place your fingers around the plant in an upside-down position, release it from the container, with the weight of the soil and roots held by the palm of your hand and the stem and leaves beneath. This tender removal is giving extreme care to not stress out the root system.
Place the roots and 2-3” or so of the stem into the hole. This can be the tricky part. You may plant the stem partially in the soil because weed plants can tend to get a bit leggy. Use your discretion here to support the plant yet not encourage rot as you position your composted soil around your seedling.
When planting your weed plant, think of a cup and saucer; your seedling being your cup and the saucer is the water steward for the supply of water to the roots. You do not want soil packed up around the stem in a mound, where the water runs off and away from the root system. Press the soil to secure the roots and resemble the saucer theory. Apply another dose of sun tea, let it pool in the “saucer.”
Try not to over-water your weed. It should be plenty wet from your planting. The weed seedling will have a bit of a transition time from the transplant adventure. Give her a couple days and she will perk up.
Keep her roots moist. Be sure to feel three or so inches below the surface of the soil to check moisture levels. Sun and wind have a way of drying soil quickly; however, overwatering will suffocate the oxygen levels in her root system. Too little water will stress her out and stunt her growth. Keep an eye out for the condition of her leaves, they indicate the state of her wellbeing.
Feeding her with the Pro-gro/compost sun tea will give her extra nutrients for the vegetative growth during the next 90 days or so.
Maintaining Your Grow
Caring for your weed seedling into the vegetative stage is the initiative for the next couple of months. Use a scratching tool to aerate the compost at the base of the plant to mix in nutrients and allow water flow and to keep from generating mold. Structure the water steward saucer to feed her adequately.
Check both sides of her leaves and in the crux of her branches for pests. Smoosh and squish them or give them a light spray mix of neem oil, Dr. Bronner’s peppermint Castile soap, and water for a few evenings to get rid of them.
All your organic effort enhances your backyard’s ecosystem biodiversity by creating a healthy environment even for the soil microbes. We need to protect this microbe world from herbicides, fungicides and from the sun.
I love flowers as a cover crop. Not only are they pretty to admire, but giving a collection of varied plant life provides an attraction and need for beneficial pollinators, birds, and insects. Cover crops help inhibit weeds, too, granting you more free time to enjoy watering and tending to your garden while benefiting everything above and below the surface.
Take pictures, journal the date and strains and everything in between to share how you encourage your thriving backyard cannabis to have a happy and bountiful grow!
