Adults in South Africa may grow cannabis at home for their own use, and a sunny garden in the Cape can produce a surprisingly good crop. Here is a practical season plan, from choosing seeds to curing your harvest.
Is it legal to grow cannabis at home?
Yes, for adults, for personal use, in a private place. The Cannabis for Private Purposes Act of 2024 allows private cultivation. Keep plants out of public view, never sell what you grow, and check the current quantity limits in the regulations, as they are set there rather than in the Act itself. This is general information, not legal advice.
Read our guide to the lawSeeds, pots and soil
Autoflowering seeds
Flower on their own schedule, usually 10 to 12 weeks from seed. Compact and forgiving for a first grow.
Photoperiod seeds
Flower as the days shorten, so they follow the season. Larger plants and harvests, more patience.
Pots of 20 litres or more
Fabric pots let roots breathe and make it easy to move plants into the sun or out of the wind.
Light, airy soil
A good potting mix with added perlite drains well and keeps roots healthy.
A season plan for the Western Cape
Or order indoor flower- 01
September to October
Germinate seeds and plant out once nights stay mild.
- 02
October to January
Vegetative growth. Full sun, regular water, shelter from the south-easter.
- 03
February
Photoperiod plants start to flower as days shorten.
- 04
March to April
Harvest when most of the resin glands turn from clear to cloudy.
- 05
Drying, 7 to 14 days
Hang branches in a dark, airy room until stems snap rather than bend.
- 06
Curing, 2 weeks or more
Store buds in glass jars and open them daily for the first week.
Sun, water and wind
- Give plants at least six hours of direct sun a day.
- Water deeply, then let the top few centimetres dry out.
- Stake plants before summer winds arrive.
- Check leaves weekly for pests and mould, especially after rain.
Getting the timing right
Look at the resin glands with a small magnifier. Clear means not yet, cloudy means ready, and some amber means a heavier, more relaxing finish. Harvest in the morning, trim, and dry slowly: rushing the dry is the most common way to spoil a crop.
Once cured, keep your harvest as described in our terpenes guide.
Five months is a long time
Our indoor flower, grown by our own collective, is ready now.
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Zkittlez Indoor Hybrid Cannabis FlowerFrom R140/g -
Violet Bag Indoor Sativa Cannabis FlowerFrom R140/g -
Super Melonade Indoor Sativa Cannabis FlowerFrom R140/g -
Highway Maxx Indoor Indica Cannabis FlowerFrom R140/g
How our growers do it
Growing indoors gives total control over light, climate and nutrients, which is how we keep every harvest consistent. Read how Dixie Jane grows to see the process from genetics to jar.
Yes. Adults may grow cannabis in a private place for personal use under the Cannabis for Private Purposes Act of 2024. Plants must not be visible to the public, and you may not sell what you grow.
In spring, around September or October, once nights stay mild. Photoperiod plants flower as the days shorten and are harvested around March or April.
Autoflowers are easier for a first grow: they are compact, forgiving and ready in about 10 to 12 weeks from seed.
Dry for about 7 to 14 days in a dark, airy room, then cure in glass jars for at least two weeks, opening them daily for the first week.
When most of the resin glands, seen under a magnifier, have turned from clear to cloudy, with a few turning amber.
Order for delivery in Cape Town
Uber delivery within 90 minutes, usually under 45, across the inner city and Atlantic Seaboard. Breaze same day across Greater Cape Town, and The Courier Guy nationwide in two to three days.
Dixie Jane De Waterkant
- Address
- 40 Chiappini Street, De Waterkant, Cape Town 8001
- Hours
- Mon to Sat 08:00 to 22:00
Sun 08:00 to 16:00 - Happy hour
- Every day, 15:00 to 18:00
- Call
- 021 013 7801
- +27 71 106 8267