Growing weed as a beginner works if you take seven steps in the right order: choose your seeds, set up your space, germinate, raise the seedling, the vegetative stage, flowering, then harvest and drying. An autoflower is ready to harvest about 9–11 weeks after germination, a photoperiod plant after 3–5 months. Indoors you need a grow tent with a light and an extractor; outdoors a sunny spot from the last frost in spring until autumn is enough.
This guide takes you from choosing seeds to the finished harvest — indoors and outdoors, with a timeline, climate values, an equipment list and the most common beginner mistakes. For every step we link a detailed guide in case you want to go deeper.
Is it legal to grow cannabis where you live?
Before you start, check the law. The rules on growing cannabis at home differ widely from country to country and, in some countries, from state to state or province to province: they range from a complete ban on cultivation to home-grow allowances for adults with a strict limit on the number of plants, rules on where the plants may be kept and a duty to keep them out of reach of children.
Please note: Pyramid Seeds sells cannabis seeds as collectible items, and the growing information on our site is for educational purposes only. Whether you may germinate seeds and grow plants depends on the law in your country, and the rules differ widely — please check the regulations that apply where you live before growing.
How to grow cannabis in 7 steps: the overview
Before we go into detail, here is the whole process at a glance. The times apply to a photoperiod, feminized strain grown indoors. Autoflowers go through the same steps, only faster and without a change in the light schedule.
| Step | What happens | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Choose your seeds | feminized, autoflowering or regular — to suit your space and experience | – |
| 2. Set up your space | a grow tent with a light and an extractor, or a sunny spot outdoors | 1–2 days |
| 3. Germinate | the seed cracks open and the taproot appears | 1–5 days |
| 4. Seedling | first true leaves, the most delicate stage | 1–2 weeks |
| 5. Vegetative stage | the plant builds leaves, branches and roots | 3–6 weeks |
| 6. Flowering | the buds form and ripen | 7–10 weeks |
| 7. Harvest and drying | cut, dry and cure in jars | 3–6 weeks |
Indoors or outdoors: what suits your first grow?
The first decision is where to grow. Both routes lead to a good harvest, but they differ in effort, cost and control.
| Indoors (grow tent) | Outdoors (garden, balcony) | |
|---|---|---|
| When | all year round | one season: spring to September/October |
| Start-up cost | higher: tent, light, extractor, electricity | low: a pot or bed, soil |
| Control | light, temperature and humidity can be controlled | depends on weather and sun |
| Smell | well under control with a carbon filter | clearly noticeable in flowering |
| Risks | heat, mistakes with light and watering | rain, mold in autumn, pests, early cold |
| Suitable seeds | feminized or autoflowering | autoflowers and fast-flowering strains |
Our tip: if you only want to grow in summer and have a sunny spot, start outdoors with an autoflower. If you want to grow all year round and control the conditions, plan an indoor grow with a tent.
Step 1: Choose the right seeds
Genetics decide size, flowering time, yield and how forgiving a plant is of mistakes. Three seed types are worth considering for beginners:
- Feminized seeds: practically every plant turns out female and produces buds. They only flower when you switch the light to 12 hours — so you decide how big they get. More on this: What are feminized cannabis seeds?
- Autoflowering seeds: start flowering on their own after 3–4 weeks, whatever the light, and are ready to harvest about 9–11 weeks after germination. They stay compact and suit balconies, small tents and a first grow. More on this: Autoflowering seeds explained.
- Regular seeds: produce male and female plants. They are meant for breeding and pheno-hunting — less so for a first grow.
How the types differ in practice is shown in our comparison Feminized vs auto vs regular vs fast. Also check the flowering time: for outdoor growing in a short season, the strain should be finished by the end of September. We have collected robust, easy-going strains for beginners in the category Cannabis seeds for beginners, and our top picks among the autos are in Best autoflowering seeds for beginners.
Step 2: Space and equipment
How to grow weed indoors: setting up a grow tent
A grow tent is a light-proof tent with reflective inner walls. For one to three plants, a floor area of 60 × 60 to 80 × 80 cm (2 × 2 to roughly 2.5 × 2.5 ft) is enough. This is the equipment you need:
| Equipment | What for | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Grow tent | light, climate and smell in one place | 60 × 60 to 80 × 80 cm, at least 140 cm (55 in) tall |
| LED grow light | replaces the sun | about 100–150 W actual power for 60 × 60 cm, 200–250 W for 80 × 80 cm |
| Extractor with carbon filter | fresh air in, heat out, smell filtered | fan sized to the tent volume |
| Circulation fan | air movement, sturdy stems, less mold | a small clip-on fan is enough |
| Timer | a fixed light rhythm | 18/6 in the vegetative stage, 12/12 in flowering |
| Thermo-hygrometer | measures temperature and humidity | ideally with min/max memory |
| Pots and soil | root space and nutrients | fabric pots of 11–20 l (3–5 gallons), lightly pre-fertilized soil with 20–30% perlite |
| pH test | checks the watering water | test strips or a meter |
Put the tent in a room that doesn’t get warmer than 26–28 °C (79–82 °F), and if children live in the household, make sure the tent can be locked.
Outdoors: garden or balcony
- Sun: at least 6 hours of direct sun a day; a south- or south-west-facing spot is ideal (north-facing in the southern hemisphere).
- Shelter: protected from wind and heavy rain, for example against a house wall or under an overhang.
- Pot or bed: in a container of 20–40 l (5–10 gallons), or in a bed with a planting hole of at least 50 × 50 cm (20 × 20 in) filled with compost and perlite.
- Out of reach: outdoors, too, plants should be out of reach of children.
Step 3: Germinate cannabis seeds
The easiest method for beginners is the paper towel: place the seeds between two damp (not wet) layers of kitchen paper on a plate, cover them and leave them in the dark at 20–25 °C (68–77 °F). After 1–5 days the shell opens and a white taproot appears. As soon as it is 0.5–1 cm long, plant the seed root-down about 1 cm (half an inch) deep in moist soil.
Alternatively, sow straight into small seedling pots or — with autoflowers — straight into the final pot. Whatever the method, what matters is warmth, darkness, even moisture and not touching the taproot. All methods with step-by-step instructions are in our guide How to germinate cannabis seeds.
Step 4: The seedling (weeks 1–2)
After breaking through the soil, the seedling first shows two round seed leaves (cotyledons), then the first serrated leaves. Most beginner mistakes happen at this stage — almost always from too much water or too much fertilizer.
- Light: 18 hours on, 6 hours off. Run the LED dimmed at first or hang it higher.
- Climate: 20–25 °C (68–77 °F), humidity 65–70%.
- Watering: only moisten a small circle around the stem. The soil must never stay wet.
- Fertilizer: none — the seedling lives on its own reserves.
If the seedling grows long and thin and falls over, the light is too far away or too weak. Bring the lamp closer or turn up the power.
Step 5: The vegetative stage
In the vegetative stage the plant builds leaves, branches and roots — the foundation of the later harvest. With photoperiod strains indoors, you decide how long it lasts: the longer the vegetative stage, the bigger the plant. For beginners in a small tent, 3–5 weeks is a good value.
| Value | Vegetative | Flowering |
|---|---|---|
| Light cycle | 18/6 (autoflowers also 20/4) | 12/12 (autoflowers: keep 18/6 or 20/4) |
| Temperature, lights on | 22–28 °C (72–82 °F) | 20–26 °C (68–79 °F) |
| Temperature, lights off | not below 18 °C (64 °F) | not below 18 °C (64 °F) |
| Humidity | 50–70% | 40–50% |
| pH of water (soil) | 6.0–6.8 | 6.2–6.8 |
- Repotting: move photoperiod plants from the seedling pot into the final pot (11–20 l) as soon as the roots fill the small pot. Don’t repot autoflowers.
- Watering: only when the top 2–3 cm (about an inch) of soil is dry and the pot feels light. Then water thoroughly until a little runs out at the bottom.
- Training: with low stress training (LST) you gently bend the main stems to the side and tie them down — so more shoots get direct light. Topping (cutting off the tip) only with photoperiod strains.
Step 6: The flowering stage
Indoors, you trigger flowering in photoperiod strains by setting the timer to 12 hours of light and 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness. Outdoors this happens by itself when the days get shorter from late July (in the northern hemisphere). Autoflowers start on their own after 3–4 weeks.
- Stretch: in the first 2–3 weeks of flowering the plant can double in height. Plan enough headroom in the tent.
- Check the sex: with regular seeds you can now spot male plants by small pollen sacs instead of white hairs — remove them straight away. What this looks like is shown in our guide Male vs female cannabis plant.
- Lower the humidity: dense buds are prone to mold. Keep humidity at 40–50% and make sure the air moves. Early signs and countermeasures: Bud rot and cannabis mold.
- Duration: most strains flower for 7–10 weeks.
What happens to the plant in each individual week of flowering is described in our guide Cannabis flowering stage week by week.
Watering and feeding: the basic rules
More plants die from too much care than too little. These rules are enough for a first grow:
- Less is more: in pre-fertilized soil, only start feeding after 2–4 weeks and begin with half the manufacturer’s dose.
- Mind the stage: a nitrogen-rich fertilizer in the vegetative stage, a fertilizer with more phosphorus and potassium in flowering.
- Alternate: feed with every second or third watering, plain water in between.
- Check the pH: 6.0–7.0 in soil. Hard tap water is often above that.
- Stop in time: only plain water in the last 1–2 weeks before harvest.
The full feeding schedule by stage, soil mixes and a nutrient deficiency chart are in our guide Cannabis nutrients: feeding schedule.
Step 7: Harvest, dry and cure
You can tell the right moment to harvest by the trichomes — the tiny resin glands on the buds. Under a loupe with 30–60× magnification they are first clear, then milky and finally partly amber. When most are milky and the first ones amber, the plant is ready. The details are in our guide When to harvest cannabis.
- Cut: remove the big leaves and cut the plant in whole branches.
- Dry: upside down in the dark at 18–21 °C (64–70 °F) and 50–60% humidity, usually for 7–14 days — until small stems snap instead of bending.
- Cure: fill the buds into airtight jars and open them briefly every day in the first weeks. After 2–4 weeks the aroma and flavour are much smoother.
How to dry step by step and avoid mold along the way is shown in How to dry and cure weed.
Growing cannabis outdoors: the timeline
Outdoors, the weather sets the pace. Young plants cope badly with frost and cold nights below 10 °C (50 °F), and rain in autumn encourages mold. That gives this timeline for the northern hemisphere (in the southern hemisphere, shift it by six months):
| Period | Photoperiod strains | Autoflowers |
|---|---|---|
| April | germinate and raise indoors on a windowsill or under a light | – |
| Mid-May (after the last frost) | out into a container or bed | sow outdoors directly into the final pot |
| June | vegetative growth, training | second sowing possible |
| Late July to August | flowering starts, switch to bloom fertilizer | harvest of the first sowing |
| Mid-September to mid-October | harvest — depending on strain and weather | harvest of the second sowing by September |
The last frost comes around mid-May in the UK, Ireland, northern and central Europe, Canada and the northern US; in southern Europe, California and the southern US you can plant out several weeks earlier, and late strains have time to finish in a long, warm autumn.
For outdoor growing in a short season, choose strains that finish by the end of September, or autoflowers. You will find a selection among our autoflowering seeds and fast-flowering seeds. Which strains have proven themselves outdoors is shown in our article Growing fast-flowering strains outdoors.
How long does it take to grow weed?
| Stage | Autoflower (indoors) | Photoperiod (indoors) |
|---|---|---|
| Germination and seedling | 1–2 weeks | 1–2 weeks |
| Vegetative | 2–3 weeks | 3–6 weeks (you decide) |
| Flowering | 6–8 weeks | 7–10 weeks |
| Germination to harvest | about 9–11 weeks | about 3–5 months |
| Drying and curing | 3–6 weeks | 3–6 weeks |
Outdoors, a photoperiod plant takes about 5–6 months from sowing in April to harvest in September or October, because flowering only starts when the days get shorter. Our own strains show how much the genetics matter: Auto White Widow is finished 65 days from germination, Auto Northern Lights in 70 days, while the photoperiod White Widow flowers for 60 days after the switch to 12/12.
The 8 most common beginner mistakes
- Overwatering: wet soil suffocates the roots. Only water when the pot feels light.
- Feeding too early and too much: seedlings need no fertilizer, and the manufacturer’s full dose is an upper limit.
- Light too close or too far: too close burns the tips, too far makes the plants long and thin. Follow the lamp manufacturer’s distance guidance.
- Light leaks in flowering: light during the dark period stresses photoperiod plants. The tent must be truly dark at night.
- Ignoring pH: deficiencies despite feeding are usually nutrient lockout from the wrong pH.
- Planning too little space: the stretch in flowering doubles the height. Choose a smaller strain or switch to flowering earlier.
- Harvesting too early: the last 1–2 weeks add a lot of weight and resin. The trichomes decide, not the calendar.
- Drying too fast: buds dried warm and airy taste like hay. Dry slowly at 18–21 °C.
FAQ: How to grow cannabis
How do you start growing weed as a beginner?
First choose robust feminized or autoflowering seeds, then the place: a 60 × 60 cm (2 × 2 ft) grow tent with an LED light and an extractor, or a sunny spot outdoors after the last frost. Germinate the seeds on damp kitchen paper, plant them in lightly pre-fertilized soil, and water and feed sparingly.
How long does it take to grow weed?
An autoflower is ready to harvest about 9–11 weeks after germination, a photoperiod plant indoors after 3–5 months. Add 3–6 weeks for drying and curing in jars. Outdoors in the northern hemisphere, it takes from sowing in April to harvest in September or October.
How do you grow weed indoors?
In a grow tent with an LED light, an extractor with a carbon filter, a circulation fan and a timer. Run 18 hours of light in the vegetative stage and switch to 12/12 for flowering (autoflowers stay on 18/6). Keep 22–28 °C (72–82 °F) with the lights on and lower the humidity from 50–70% to 40–50% in flowering.
When should you plant cannabis outdoors?
In the northern hemisphere, start photoperiod strains indoors in April and plant them out after the last frost, around mid-May. Autoflowers are sown directly outdoors from mid-May, and a second sowing is possible in June. Harvest runs from August to mid-October, depending on the strain.
Can you grow cannabis in a flat or apartment?
Yes, in a grow tent. It keeps the light inside, and a carbon filter in the extractor removes the smell. A floor area of 60 × 60 to 80 × 80 cm is enough for one to three plants. Make sure the tent can be locked if children live in the household — and check the law where you live first.
Which seeds are best for beginners?
Feminized seeds, because practically every plant produces buds, and autoflowers, because they stay small, flower without a light change and finish quickly. Robust strains forgive mistakes with watering, light and pH better. Regular seeds are better suited to breeding.
How much light does cannabis need?
In the vegetative stage 18 hours of light and 6 hours of darkness; in flowering, photoperiod strains need 12 hours of light and 12 hours of uninterrupted darkness. Autoflowers stay on 18/6 or 20/4 the whole time. Outdoors the plant needs at least 6 hours of direct sun a day.
How often should you water a cannabis plant?
There is no fixed schedule: water when the top 2–3 cm of soil is dry and the pot feels light, then water thoroughly until a little runs out at the bottom. Seedlings only need a small circle of water around the stem. Overwatering is the most common beginner mistake.
Strains for your first grow
For a first grow, choose robust strains that forgive mistakes with watering, light and feeding. All seeds come direct from the breeder — Pyramid Seeds has bred and produced its own genetics since 2002 — with a germination guarantee and discreet shipping to the UK, Europe, the USA, Canada and worldwide.
Robust, easy-going strains for your first grow — indoors and outdoors.
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