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Hot Tips For Growing Marijuana In Cold Weather
Growing marijuana in cold weather doesn't have to be a misery. Allow us to demystify and share with you the secrets of cropping cannabis in the cold. Ganja farming in cooler conditions actually has one or two huge advantages.
We all know cannabis is an adaptable and incredibly versatile plant, that’s why it’s cropped all over the world. The optimal conditions for cannabis to thrive in the wild is planted in fertile soil with good sunlight, a mild breeze, and with consistent temperatures of 20-28°C.
Unless you happen to live in Australia, California, Colombia, Jamaica or someplace safe around the Mediterranean, the growing season is short and the weather is less than predictable.
Indoor cannabis cultivation is booming globally and in freezing northern latitudes it really is the only viable option. That being said, tremendous outdoor cannabis crops are also harvested in the cooler climates of Canada and Eastern Europe annually.
Amazing marijuana really can be cropped all year round, the trick is to tailor a grow plan that factors in the likelihood of inclement weather, that is particular to your area and if cropping outdoors thorough knowledge of the local climate, environment and sun cycles is crucial.
A little luck doesn’t hurt any either.
COLD WEATHER CANNABIS STRAINS FOR OUTDOORS
Every cannabis grow is dictated by the genetics the grower chooses to crop, whether you choose to cultivate with a batch of clones or start from scratch with seeds, the genes determine the crop's ultimate potential.
Choose your cannabis strain especially carefully if you intend to grow outdoors in cooler regions. Indoor growers, that have their grow show perfectly dialled in from nutrients to environmental controls, can theoretically grow any strain any time of the year.
But that’s in theory, the reality is heavy snowfall and subzero temps, that can strike in the death of winter, will upset even an indoor grandmaster tuned grow show.
Should temperatures fall below 15°C, cannabis plants are effectively in the danger zone. The risk posed by pathogens and pests increases exponentially. Growth will cease and then leaves will discolour if the cold does not abate.
Outdoors only the hardiest most resistant cannabis strains have a chance of surviving a cold winter. And it’s a slim chance really not worth taking, if sleet and/or snow are likely. It’s better to be a flexible ganja farmer, than stubborn with no stash.
Even hardcore outdoor weed warriors will keep a mother plant or two indoors in vegetative growth to ride out the roughest weather. At the very least covering with plastic sheeting or housing inside a greenhouse is recommended.
Autoflowering strains are hands down the best varieties for the cold weather marijuana cultivator. Outdoor growers need to crop fast if conditions are less than perfect and to avoid the worst winter weather. Autos can be cropped from seed to stash in as little as 8 weeks from germination.
Ruderalis genetics make autoflowering strains extra tough and fast flowering. In fact, they will usually enter the bloom cycle in 30 days or less as they are not photoperiod dependent. This ability facilitates both out of season cropping and those restricted by a short summer.
Mold is the greatest threat to flowering cannabis in cold weather. High RH and low temperatures make a perfect breeding ground for fungus. Stay ahead of the worst weather and stick with fast flowering hybrids and autoflowering strains, that can be harvested before rains ruin the buds.
Use pots, that can be picked up and moved easily rather than getting stuck in the mud by sowing in the miserable patch that was sunny for two weeks in spring.
WHY THE OLD SCHOOL INDOOR GROWER WELCOMES COLD WEATHER
Old school HID systems emit a great deal of heat, as well as light. Keeping cannabis plants in vegetative growth with an MH bulb under an 18+ hour light cycle is actually easier in cold weather and a simple method to preserve mother plants and/or cuttings during the winter months.
Flowering with HPS lighting and vegging with MH bulbs usually requires serious air cooling. The old school grower can turn cold weather to his/her advantage and save some cash on the air conditioning bill at the same time. Some even add extra lights to boost yields when the weather gets cooler.
WHY THE NEXT-GENERATION GROWER NEEDS TO TURN UP THE HEAT IN WINTER
LED lighting systems are rapidly overtaking HID bulbs as the cultivation lamps of choice for Millennial weed growers, but the technology is still to be perfected. LED lights run cooler, because they emit almost 75% of their energy as light. This is fantastic most of the time and usually makes for easy environmental control in the grow tent.
However, LEDs can run too cold during the winter months. The simple solution is to turn up the heat. Unfortunately, this might negate the electric bill savings made by running the low wattage drawing LEDs.
High RH may also be an issue with LED systems in cold weather, a dehumidifier may also need to be added to the grow show and definitely during the bloom phase.
CFLs are more or less redundant during prolonged periods of cold weather, even the highest wattage bulbs available, with 300W, cannot generate sufficient heat to curb a frosty winter.
Bud rot is a real threat for growers cropping in cold weather with next generation lighting like LEDs and CFLs. Hydroponics and LEDs can be a recipe for disaster in cold weather, as both root rot and bud mold can be real threats if feed water is below room temp and RH exceeds 60% during flowering.
Maintaining environmental control year round is the only long-term solution; keep an eye on those thermometers and make adjustments when necessary. It’s a whole lot easier to heat a grow room in winter, than it is to cool a sweltering HID grow show in high summer.
Old school HID growers may be able to avoid turning on the heating during the dark cycle if they run their lights during the cold winter nights. Daytime temperatures are usually a little higher, so it might be possible.
LED aficionados face the prospect of running the heating virtually nonstop. Perhaps a combo of HID and LED is the smartest compromise in freezing conditions for the modern indoor cannabis grower.
We almost forgot to mention cropping cannabis in cold weather has the huge advantage of increasing the chances of certain strains displaying beautiful lilac and deep purple shades every weed grower covets most.
FIVE BEST STRAINS TO GROW IN COLD WEATHER
With the best grow system in place for your needs, you will hopefully achieve superior results. Since you are taking such care for your set-up, you may also want to choose the magic ingredient carefully. As curators of the finest seeds, Royal Queen Seeds knows the strength of seed you choose is crucial to the whole process. We also happen to know which strains are likely to thrive best in colder climates. We have put together a list of 5 strains that have the resilience, adaptability, and other qualities needed to deliver healthy yields in colder temperatures. All of these seeds are available to order from us now.
CRITICAL
You will find few cannabis plants as resilient as our Critical strain. It will even grow well in cold climates of the north. The flowering time of around 7 weeks ensures speedy results. The short height is also easily manageable in restricted growing conditions. An indoor Critical plant will only grow to 80–140cm. The buds have a sweet, earthy smell, and will amount to yields of about 550–600g/m².
This hybrid owes its sativa properties to Skunk and its dominant indica side to Afghan landraces. Afghan plants get their lineage from highly potent and resilient plants of the Hindu Kush mountains. Therefore, you are going to enjoy pure tingling sensations that relax both body and mind, thanks in part to a THC content of around 18%. You won't know what your grow is missing until you give our Critical seeds a try.
| Critical | |
 |
Afghani x Skunk |
 |
550 - 600 g/m2 |
 |
80 - 140 cm |
 |
7 - 8 weeks |
 |
THC: 18% (aprox.) / CBD: Low |
 |
40% Sativa, 60% Indica |
 |
600 - 650 g/per plant (dried) |
 |
180 - 220 cm |
 |
Late September |
 |
Stoned, physically and mentally |
Critical
|
Afghani x Skunk |
|
500 - 550 g/m2 |
|
80 - 140 cm |
|
7 - 8 weeks |
|
THC: 18% (aprox.) / CBD: Low |
|
40% Sativa, 60% Indica |
|
500 - 550 g/per plant (dried) |
|
180 - 220 cm |
|
Late September |
|
Stoned, physically and mentally |
WHITE WIDOW
White Widow is famous worldwide, particularly among travellers to Amsterdam. Amsterdam and other Dutch cities that allow tourists to smoke cannabis consistently stock White Widow in their coffeeshops. There's something about this strain that has made it sell well in the Netherlands. Maybe it's that dank smell of pine. Maybe it's the sensuous high, which strikes an artful balance between sativa and indica properties. Maybe it's the powerful psychedelic impact of that THC content over 19%.
It was an introduction to cannabis for many first-time smokers. Consider introducing it to your grow. Although the smell will give you pungent earthy spices to mask, indoor plants will aid in discretion, growing between 60–100cm tall. You will be very happy once you see a yield of up to 450–500g/m².
| White Widow | |
|
White Widow S1 |
|
450 - 500 gr/m2 |
|
60 - 100 cm |
|
8 - 9 weeks |
|
THC: 19% (aprox.) / CBD: Medium |
|
50% Sativa, 50% Indica, 0% Ruderalis |
|
550 - 600 g/per plant (dried) |
|
150 - 190 cm |
|
Late October |
|
Extremely stoned |
White Widow
|
White Widow S1 |
|
450 - 500 gr/m2 |
|
60 - 100 cm |
|
8 - 9 weeks |
|
THC: 19% (aprox.) / CBD: Low |
|
50% Sativa, 50% Indica, 0% Ruderalis |
|
550 - 600 g/per plant (dried) |
|
150 - 190 cm |
|
Late October |
|
Extremely stoned |
SKUNK XL
Skunk has become famous in every stoner hotspot around the globe. It has even been targeted by the media as a particularly potent form of high-THC cannabis. In reality, the THC content of Skunk strains can vary vastly. Skunk tends to be prized more for the euphoric buzz it brings, alongside its rich, spicy flavour. The variety we sell, for example, has a THC content of 17%, balanced nicely with an elevated CBD content. This means our particular variety should encourage soothing, happy sensations. It is also balanced genetically, split evenly between sativa and indica.
If this experience sounds good to you, it can be yours within a relatively short time. The flowering period for our Skunk XL is typically 7–8 weeks. Grown outdoors, the plant can reach a maximum height of 2 metres. Indoors, things become more manageable at 60–100cm. The strain can yield between 625–675g/plant outdoors, while indoor yields come in at around 600–650g/m².
| Skunk XL | |
|
Skunk |
|
600 - 650 g/m2 |
|
60 - 100 cm |
|
7 - 8 weeks |
|
THC: 17% (aprox.) / CBD: Medium |
|
50% Sativa, 50% Indica |
|
625 - 675 g/per plant (dried) |
|
160 - 200 cm |
|
October |
|
A combination of stoned + high |
Skunk XL
|
Skunk |
|
500 - 550 g/m2 |
|
60 - 100 cm |
|
7 - 8 weeks |
|
THC: 17% (aprox.) / CBD: Medium |
|
50% Sativa, 50% Indica |
|
500 - 550 g/per plant (dried) |
|
160 - 200 cm |
|
October |
|
A combination of stoned + high |
ROYAL DWARF
Our cup-winning specialty provides a lot of value for such a small plant. Royal Dwarf is a compact hybrid that induces a buzzing high throughout the body. This is the result of a THC content surpassing 13% with strong sativa effects. The genetics of this plant also owe much to ruderalis, leading to the sort of strength, stability, and small size that enables the cannabis plant to survive in the wild. Such strong genetics support this crossbreeding of Skunk and Easy Bud, bringing the best of both worlds together, particularly the sweet and sour citrus flavours.
The convenient stature of this plant makes it easy to grow discreetly. Even outdoors, the plant rarely surpasses 90cm, with an indoor height of 40–60cm. The modest yield of this plant is anywhere from 30–80g/plant outdoors, or 150–200g/m² indoors. It takes 8–9 weeks from seed to experience the satisfaction of this easy-to-grow plant for yourself.
| Royal Dwarf | |
|
Skunk x Ruderalis |
|
150 - 200 g/m2 |
|
40 - 70 cm |
|
6 - 7 weeks |
|
THC: 13% (aprox.) / CBD: Low |
|
60% Sativa, 10% Indica, 30% Ruderalis |
|
30 - 80 g/per plant (dried) |
|
50 - 90 cm |
|
8- 9 weeks after germination |
|
Physically stoned |
Royal Dwarf
|
Skunk x Ruderalis |
|
150 - 200 g/m2 |
|
40 - 70 cm |
|
6 - 7 weeks |
|
THC: 13% (aprox.) / CBD: Low |
|
60% Sativa, 10% Indica, 30% Ruderalis |
|
30 - 80 g/per plant (dried) |
|
50 - 90 cm |
|
8- 9 weeks after germination |
|
Physically stoned |
NORTHERN LIGHT AUTO
The classic indica Northern Lights is another popular feature of Dutch coffeeshops. The dispensaries of North America have also seen this strain in high demand. Its indica qualities are delivered with a distinctive taste. The spicy tones of earth and pine remind one of the plant's Afghan heritage. The fruity flavours combine to create a complex and sensual profile. The only thing that could make this strain more pleasing is faster growth. And that's where Royal Queen Seeds stepped in.
With such an appealing plant, it would be a shame if some parts of the world couldn't cultivate it. That's why we have bred it with ruderalis genetics to form our exclusive variety Northern Light Auto. Now, you too can enjoy this iconic strain, but delivered after a flowering time of only 5–7 weeks. The THC content of 14% leads to an uplifting, pleasantly manageable high. And yields are respectable to boot. 170–220g/plant outdoors and 500–550g/m² indoors can be expected once this plant is ready for the chop.
| Northern Light Automatic | |
|
Northern Light x Ruderalis |
|
500 - 550 g/m2 |
|
80 - 120 cm |
|
5 - 7 weeks |
|
THC: 14% (aprox.) / CBD: Low |
|
0% Sativa, 80% Indica, 20% Ruderalis |
|
170 - 220 g/per plant (dried) |
|
130 - 160 cm |
|
9 - 10 weeks after germination |
|
Cerebral and uplifting |
Northern Light Automatic
|
Northern Light x Ruderalis |
|
500 - 550 g/m2 |
|
80 - 120 cm |
|
5 - 7 weeks |
|
THC: 14% (aprox.) / CBD: Low |
|
0% Sativa, 80% Indica, 20% Ruderalis |
|
170 - 220 g/per plant (dried) |
|
130 - 160 cm |
|
9 - 10 weeks after germination |
|
Cerebral and uplifting |
