What healthy outdoor cannabis plants should look like in June

June is a key month for northern-hemisphere outdoor weed growers. Your plants should be verdant, thriving and growing with vigour in some of the best conditions the summer has to offer. But what does thriving look like, how tall/wide should your plants be?

This guide shows you what your plants should look like, whether you’re growing from feminised seeds or autoflower seeds. If you are new to outdoor growing this guide will be an especially useful practical reference point.

Key factors that lead to different growth rates

Note that growers in different countries have varying starts to their grow season. Outdoor growers in warm/sunny locations will have more-developed outdoor plants in June than a grower 1000-2000 miles further away from the equator.

Therefore, this article should be considered as a visual guide rather than a rulebook. Here are some of the variables that will affect your plant appearance/size.

Germination date for your marijuana seeds. The earlier you sprout your seeds, the more time they have to develop. Cannabis plants grown in Florida could be 2-3 months old (or more) by June. Outdoor weed grown in Alaska may only be a few weeks old in June. Outdoor climate at your grow location is a key factor.

Initial grow environment. Many outdoor growers start their weed seeds indoors (or in a heated greenhouse with supplemental LED) for a month or two before they are planted outdoors, once the weather has warmed up sufficiently. These plants enjoy a significant developmental advantage, with larger structures and heavier yields, compared to plants that were not given an indoor/greenhouse head-start.

Cannabis seed genetics. Plants grown from compact indica genetics will be naturally smaller than those grown from stretchier sativa genetics.

Early season weather patterns. These greatly affect what your cannabis plant will look like in June, and may vary from one year to the next. A warm sunny Spring allows an early, vigorous start for your outdoor weed plants. Conversely a cool, damp and cloudy Spring will generally limit growth and test the resilience of the genetics.

Soil quality & conditions. Experienced outdoor growers know that time spent preparing & improving the soil-health will result in superior growth, better root structure and larger plants with optimised harvest quality/potency.

Understanding growth expectations in June

June is a great month for outdoor growers, with long days. With sunny June weather your cannabis plants can thrive until bloom begins. For many bloom starts around July/August.

During June you can expect your feminised seed varieties to continue in the vegetative growth phase. They will grow in size, with side branching and plenty of foliage/root growth too. Autoflowers may be near bloom, or even in bloom if you germinated early.

What healthy cannabis plants should look like

Structure & Height

How tall should your outdoor cannabis plant be in mid-June? Several factors will affect plant height and stature:

Plants started outdoors in in April/May in warm sunny locations e.g. Spain/Southern US enjoy significantly more time to develop thanks to their early start. They should be larger than e.g. UK outdoor cannabis plants which may have only been outdoors since mid-May due to the cold climate.

Plants given a head-start in an indoor grow room (or greenhouse) again have had more development time and should be larger than plants with no indoor/greenhouse head-start.

Plants that have stretched due to insufficient light may also be quite tall & lanky (though not necessarily with a healthy/strong structure).

Sativa cannabis seed varieties may be stretchier than indica seed varieties and taller as a result.

Plants that have been topped or scrogged will obviously be shorter than those grown the natural way.

If you started your feminised seeds indoors in early April and then planted them outdoors in early May then they may be 50-100cm / 1.5-3ft tall by mid-June.

If you started your autoflower seeds indoors in early April and planted them outdoors in early May, they may be around 1 metre /3ft tall and almost ready to harvest by mid-June!

Pro-Tip: If you like regular harvests throughout the season autoflower seeds are a perfect option. They take around 3 months outdoors and respond well to indoor germination/veg growth.

Leaf Color & Vigour

It can be tricky estimating how tall a cannabis plant should be around June, due to so many different influencing factors. But when it comes to appearance you should expect a healthy green colour (an excessively dark green could indicate excess Nitrogen). 

The main stem may have several side branches, each with leaves. The leaves collect solar energy to power photosynthesis, and northern hemisphere days reach their maximum length in June allowing vigorous growth. 

During June: 

• Expect some of the longest days of your outdoor season with (hopefully) lashings of warm sunny weather.

  
  
  
  

• Plants normally grow abundant beautiful green foliage.

  
  
  
  

• If growing outdoors it may help to use slow-release organic nutrients. BioTabs are fully proven and for many they allow the grower to avoid the hassles/risks of over/under feeding with mineral nutrients.

Root health

If growing outdoors in containers, June is a good time to consider whether to pot-up to a larger final grow container. In general, larger containers allow a larger root mass which can support a bigger plant and heavier final harvest. If you do increase container size, some mycorrhizal bacteria will help optimise root health and ensure abundant healthy, white roots.

Common warning signs to watch out for

Bloom is just around the corner, making it an important time to ensure your plants are in good health ready for the all-important cannabis flowering phase.

Important points to check:

• Pests. Check the leaves on both sides looking for infestations of pests. It’s normal to find random flies and bugs on & around your outdoor plants. But unhealthy infestations that haven’t been cleared by natural predators will need your attention. Neem oil spray is useful against whitefly, aphids and numerous other pests.

  
  
  
  

• Over/under feeding. Those growing in great quality soil that has been steadily improved over the years may not need to add much, if anything, in the way of extra nutrition. But if growing in poor quality soil you may need to add e.g. occasional bloom feed.

  
  
  
  

• Protection from storms/heatwave. The experienced outdoor grower monitors the weather forecast and knows the likely challenges for the week ahead. That could be storms, rain heatwave or cold. You may want to buy the necessary tarpaulins etc just in case.

  
  
  
  

• Diseases. The Dutch Passion guide to cannabis pests and diseases shows you the common problems and how to fix them before they get out of hand.

Pro-tip: Beneficial predator insects are a great help if pests need controlling. Buy them fresh online or in garden centres. Beneficial predator insects can be particularly effective in greenhouses/polytunnels where the lack of natural predators can allow pests to multiply rapidly.

Pre-flowering outdoor plant care by regional climate

Dutch Passion have decades of experience supplying cannabis growers around the globe. Here is some tailored advice.

Northern Europe (NL/DE/UK/Nordic):

Perhaps the toughest European region to grow in! Heatwave, cold, grey or stormy - all are possible. Even in the same weekend. Specialist outdoor marijuana seed recommendations from your seedbank are advisable, favour the most resilient varieties like Auto Euforia. Don’t be afraid to contact your seed banks helpdesk, they should know precisely which seeds would suit your location.

Occasional stormy conditions (hail/torrential rain) can occur. If they do, a tarpaulin shelter will be of great benefit to your plants. If growing cannabis outdoors in containers, your plants can be easily moved to more sheltered conditions in the event of extreme weather.

Regular re-application of slug/snail pellets is required in wetter climates. Growers in containers sometimes use copper-based tape around their grow containers to deter snails/slugs.

Growers in northern UK/Scandinavia may feel the weather risks are too high with feminised seed varieties and the relatively short grow season. If so, autoflower seeds are a great alternative. Their 3-month grow cycle works even in northern Scandinavia, especially if a week or two of indoor germination/growth are included.

Southern Europe (ES/IT/PT/FR):

Some of the best European weather for outdoor growers! But with certain risks. Southern Europe now see’s regular heatwave conditions. Sheltering outdoor plants from the fiercest midday summer sun using tarpaulins alongside water-misting machines etc is good advice if temperatures start approaching 40ºC/104F.

If growing outdoors in Southern Europe, or a hot US region, ensure your soil is kept moist. Irrigation drippers are popular. Others use a watering can/hose pipe often early in the day. Some outdoor weed growers find that specialist shade netting - used extensively in traditional agriculture - to be helpful. This is available in a range of optical densities and is a better option than watching your plants wilt under the punishing sun on the hottest days.

Central Europe (FR/CH/AT/CZ/PL):

With neither the sometimes-brutal Mediterranean heat nor the Northern European gloom to deal with, growers in Central European regions enjoy some of the most stable and gentle conditions to grow in. This allows a couple of successive autoflower crops outdoors, or the chance to grow some outdoor photoperiod feminised weed seeds to XXL proportions. With many Central Europeans enjoying a reasonably mild September & October, quite a selection of outdoor cannabis seeds will deliver excellent results.

Note: The land mass of France, Germany, and Poland is so extensive there are clear differences for northern growers (northern-European climate) vs southern regions (central/southern-European climate).

Pro-Tip: A greenhouse or polytunnel allows the luxury of starting your plants early, which will mean heavier eventual harvests.

Final thoughts and bonus tips for successful flowering stage preps

If your outdoor plants are looking vibrant & healthy in June, then you are well prepared for bloom. Bloom usually begins when the amount of daylight falls below around 14-14.5 hours per day. This varies according to latitude. A few cities are shown below for reference:

Location Date when less than 14 hours of daylight are recorded

London Aug 25th

Madrid Aug 9th

Dallas July 21

New York August 10

The key for the outdoor grower is to maintain your plants in good health through the transition to bloom. If necessary, protect your outdoor plants during weather extremes and you will be rewarded with steady growth throughout the rest of the summer.

If the plants can be nurtured safely through to harvest, then an epic outdoor harvest awaits! Especially if you prepared your ground & grow location well and decided to buy outdoor weed seeds with a proven pedigree from a trusted supplier.

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