How to Grow Dagga in South Africa

Sunny South Africa with a varied but almost perfect climate is the ultimate outdoor marijuana grow spot. While many others have to often use indoor grow tents for their steady supply throughout the year. But South Africans have the privilege to grow thriving, dank bud the way nature intended.

Once you subtract the equipment, cost and pure science that indoor growing requires, you’re left with a few basics. Sun, water, soil and seeds.

Fortunately for us South Africans, we have all the essentials and almost none of the cost.

We’ll take you through the simple steps of how to grow dagga and the best places to grow in South Africa. Keeping in mind that while there are perfect spots to grow, the entire country has ideal conditions.

Is it Legal to Grow Dagga in South Africa?

The 18th of September 2018 is one of our favourite days in South Africa. The constitutional court finally decriminalised the private cultivation and use of marijuana. The essential word being ‘private’. We’re not at the coffee shop and joint stage yet – keep it at home.

Two years later and the law is still a bit hazy. Before you turn your house into an episode of Narcos, familiarise yourself with South African weed laws.

A massive grow operation could land you with a criminal offence for dealing drugs. But growing enough for yourself is perfectly okay and who needs more than that, anyway?

How to Grow Weed Outdoors

Let’s ditch the talk of grow lights and ventilation systems for a minute and get back to basics. South Africa is blessed with one of the best climates for growing cannabis.

Simply chuck your bag seeds on the ground while you smoke and you’ll soon see plants sprouting all around you. Growing outdoors is cheap, eco-friendly and pretty straightforward.

The earth provides most of what you need for outdoor growing. By utilizing these natural resources and providing a bit of TLC, your bud will blossom. Plant in spring or early summer for the best weather conditions.

Best Temperatures for Growing Marijuana

Despite the name ‘weed’, marijuana doesn’t thrive everywhere. It might still grow without a perfect climate. But without the right weather conditions, it won’t produce that sweet, sticky bud you’re after.

Just like South Africans, dagga plants love the sun and struggle in cold weather. But too hot and too humid is also not ideal.

If you don’t have a spot in your garden which gets up to 8 hours of sun, use pots. Planting in pots gives you the freedom to move your plants around. Finding the sunny and breezy spots throughout the day.

The more sun the better, but ideally the plants should have at least six hours of sunlight per day.

Watering Your Dagga Plants

It would be great if we could trust the rain gods to sprinkle the exact right amount for our plants. But realistically, you’ll need to help a bit.

If it’s very hot, your plants will need more water. If it rains a lot over a few days, you need to save your plants from drowning. Easy enough to do if you’re using pots. But you might need to erect a makeshift rain shelter for plants in the ground.

The age-old watering trick is to stick your finger in the soil. If it’s cool and moist, it doesn’t need water. If it’s dry…don’t make us state the obvious.

The Right Soil for Growing Cannabis

Repeat after me, “soil is important.” The soil you choose is the womb for your seeds. It’ll provide the first meal for your plants and every meal after that. If your plants are Popeye, the soil is spinach. Nutrient-rich and fertile soil is what you’re after for fat, potent buds.

You might have the perfect soil in your garden already. You can figure this out by using a pH testing kit which is an easy garden centre purchase. If your garden soil doesn’t make the cut you can create the perfect soil with the help of our soil guide.

How to Grow Weed from Seeds

Good cannabis seeds is the key to growing good marijuana. Male plants produce tiny amounts of THC and are essentially useless in your quest to get high. It’s a viable option to use seeds from your smoke stash. But the risk is a crop of male or hermaphrodite plants and weak buds..

Best Places for Cannabis Growing in South Africa

If we’re being honest, you could successfully grow weed anywhere in South Africa. Pretty great, right? But some places are more perfect than others. Count your blessings, germinate your seeds and get growing if you live in one of these areas:

Eastern Cape

When a province creates a cannabis university, you know that there are some epic conditions for tight buds. The coastal areas with rolling hills and a mix of a subtropical and Mediterranean climate are a grower’s dream.

Mpumalanga

Heavy summer rains coupled with an almost ever-present scorching sun equals fat buds. Mother nature does most of the work for you in lowland areas of Mpumalanga. It couldn’t be easier. What are you waiting for?

If You Smoke it, Grow it

You live in South Africa, you’re over 18 and Mary Jane is a love of yours. Sound like you? Maybe you don’t live in one of the best places to grow in South Africa. But you do live in one of the best countries in the world to grow. And now you know how to grow marijuana. No excuses.

There is nothing like smoking your own stash. And it’s legal, affordable and easy too. Take advantage of the natural resources at your disposal and become a pot-growing professional. Plant it, grow it, cure it and smoke it.