Your moment has come, aspiring pot gardeners. Each day grows longer, but your chances of growing a decent pound of outdoor weed by Halloween diminish by the hour.
Many of the real farmers got started around Valentine’s Day, popping seeds indoors to hunt for the strong and vigorous—before taking them outside by Mother’s Day.
Planting dates are easy to forget—so enter an ancient solution: the Farmer’s Almanac. A device to track the right time to plant crops goes back at least to 2500 BC and the Greek parapegma.
Lucky for you, just bookmark this post, or save it, or print it out, or whatever to ensure you do every weed thing in its right season.
Let’s flow with the rhythms of the sun, moon, and Earth toward excellent weed, a good harvest, fall hash-making, and joy for our friends.
Overview
Cannabis grows in one-year cycles, starting with germination in the spring after the last freeze. It flowers before the cold November rain. Flowering is triggered by a hormone that builds up in the plant when it experiences more than 12 hours of darkness each night.
With the right care and feeding, a single seed can become a 15-foot tall tree yielding multiple dried, cured pounds of A-grade bud.
This almanac is for the Northern Hemisphere for a full-sun outdoor run. (Southern Hemisphere growers, work ahead 6 months).
Pot gardening is also region and strain-dependent. Day lengths differ in Seattle and New York, versus San Diego or Miami.
Spring outlook
In California, it’ll be cooler, and wetter than average this year. We’re under El Nino—the periodic warming of the Pacific that affects global weather patterns. Colorado should be colder and snowier than average. Oregon and Washington are predicted to be colder and drier than average.
March
Daylight savings begins March 10. Blizzards are still active—North Central states. First day of Spring—Equinox, March 19. Pop seeds ASAP.
Nurture, vegetate, select strains indoors; monitor for budding. Keep high sanitation. Do not cross-contaminate. Make first selections.
Protect baby plants from pets, and children. Full moon March 25—Worm Moon.
April
New England April Fool’s snow predicted. Total Solar Eclipse April 8 (Northeast Texas to Maine). Vegetate indoors. Trap and deter pests. Sex test, and select for vigor.
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Monitor for disease. Harden off plants. Transplant winners to bigger pots when leaves reach beyond the edge of the pot. Test water source for ph and minerals. Full moon: April 23—Pink Moon.
May
Mother’s Day is May 12—Planting Day. Plant in the final soil container, inoculated with beneficial bacteria and fungus. Lay irrigation. Apply compost tea to stimulate soil life. Manage pests with diatomaceous earth. Companion plant to attract beneficial insects. Top plants. Full Moon: May 23—Flower Moon.
Summer outlook
California and Oregon are predicted to be hotter and rainier than average. Colorado should be hotter and drier than average. New York should be hotter (but also colder) and drier than average.
Fun fact: the Sun is in the middle of Solar Cycle 25, matching the strength of Solar Cycle 24, the weakest in 200 years.
June
Top if you haven’t. Maybe top again if that’s reasonable. Mulch. Water. Scout for disease/nutrient deficiencies. Manage pests. Top dress. June 20 is the summer solstice—the longest day at 14 hours and 6 minutes. Full moon: June 21—Strawberry Moon.
July
Trellis. Manage pests with beneficial bacteria. Shape the plant.
Top as needed. Feed vegetative cycle. Water. Shade from heat stress. Scout for males, and herms that got through testing. Begin collecting pollen (if breeding). Day length: ~14 hours. Full moon: July 21—Buck Moon.
August
Manage caterpillars with bacillus thuringiensis. Water. Shape / defoliate / lollipop—if desired. Protect from weather. Top as needed. Feed for vegetative and feed for flower. Apply compost tea to stimulate soil life. Watch for herms and dudes. Avoid light pollution. Pollinate (if breeding). Full moon Aug. 19—Sturgeon Moon. Day length: ~13 hours.
September
Feed for flower. Pre-harvest preparations: check gear, review plan, harvest calendar, purchase jars, bags, gloves, etc. Fall begins Sept. 22 with an equinox and 12-hour night. Defoliate. Clean dry room. Monitor trichome development. Flush. Harvest early indicas. Protect from early frost. Keep dry from rain and shake off morning dew. Counter-act powdery mildew, and scout for botrytis as needed. Register to vote. Pollinate (if breeding) Full moon: Sept. 17—Corn Moon. Days are getting shorter. Sept. 1 Day length: 13:01. Sept. 30 Day length: 11:50 mins.
October
Harvest flower! Dry for 10 to 20 days. Cure for 2 to 4 weeks or longer. Trim—plan for 1 pound per 8 hours. Clean and compost garden. Review season. Harvest seeds. Ten percent chance of first frost on Oct. 28 in Petaluma, CA. Full moon: Oct. 17—Hunter’s Moon Oct. 15 Day length: 11:43 mins.
November
Late harvest last sativas. Vote. General Election Nov. 5. Cure. Finish trimming. Or go untrimmed. Store buds when around 8% moisture. Make hash and other extracts. Clean, maintain, replace and store equipment. Research and plan for 2025. Optional: Pop seeds for a 2025 pheno hunt. Nov. 15 day length: 10:07 mins. Full moon: Nov. 15—Beaver Moon.
December
Monitor curing and storage temperature. Enjoy your harvest with a party. Share and gift perfectly ripe cannabis. Shop sales for ‘25 seeds and gear. Reflect. Cover crop. Amend. Beautify. Take a surf trip to Costa Rica. If pheno-hunting—vegetate, take cuts, flip to 12/12 indoors and scout for winners. Full moon: Dec. 15—Cold Moon. Dec. 21—Winter Solstice. Shortest day of the year, at 09:32 mins.
Jan. 2025
Strain research: check laws; shop for seeds online and in person. Think about crop environment and goals, i.e., early finishers that yield well outside and are mold-resistant for flower. (vs growing for hash, a specific effect or smell or taste, or hype). Buy seeds and clones online, events, seed swaps, ‘Free Seed Day’. Plan garden: think about light, space, and security.
Gather supplies: pots, soil, nutrients, sanitation. Gardening is cleaning. Compost. Turn compost. Inoculate. Full moon is Jan. 13—Wolf Moon.
Feb. 2025
Valentine’s Day—Germination. Indoors. Outdoor soil testing/amending. Fence. Secure. Irrigation plan. Create a harvest calendar. Groundhog Day is Feb. 2.
And that’s your Leafly Weed Gardener’s Almanac for the 2024 growing season. Got any questions? Drop a comment or hit us up on social and we’ll get your growing!