When is the best time to start growing cannabis outdoors?

For zone 5-6:

1. Start seeds indoors: Mid-March to early April
2. Move outside: After last frost (usually mid-May)
3. Flowering begins: Mid-August (triggered by shorter days)
4. Harvest: Late September to mid-October

For autoflowers, you can plant directly outside after last frost and harvest by August — beating the cold/wet fall weather entirely.

I'd recommend starting with autoflowers your first outdoor season. They're much more forgiving of timing mistakes.

If you go with photoperiods outdoors, choose early-finishing strains. A strain that takes 10 weeks to flower will be harvesting in November in zone 5 — too late. Look for 7-8 week flowering genetics.

Northern Lights and Early Skunk are perfect for short seasons. Royal King Seeds has both with solid outdoor genetics.

First time outdoor grower last year in zone 6. Started autos in May, harvested in August. Easy! Going with photoperiods this year now that I know what I'm doing.