Growing outdoors is difficult enough in a warm climate, but growing in cold weather can be extremely difficult. Many of us don’t live in climates that lend themselves to growing, but that doesn’t mean we can’t. First of all, there are loads of ways to ensure that plants will survive in colder weather. We just have to alter our set up and the way we look after our plans. There are also a number of strains that are specifically designed to grow well in colder weather. Often the strains will have a shorter flowering time and many of them will turn a beautiful purple-blue colour towards the end of flowering. As long as we understand the local climate there is always a way to make sure plants will thrive.
Choosing the Strain
This is one of the most important aspects of growing in cold weather is picking the correct strain. Even if everything else is perfect a warm weather strain will suffer if it doesn’t get enough heat and sun. These are just a few of the strains that respond best to colder climate growing.
White Widow is a world-famous strain that has been around for a long, long time. She is well known for being powerful, beautiful, and able to grow basically everywhere. The flowering time is short meaning it will work well in cold climates, where the summers are usually shorter. This strain only takes 6 – 7 weeks to flower and has the most amazing effect.
Another classic strain with a powerful effect that is autoflowering, so she doesn’t need as much time or sunlight to flower. It is a straightforward strain to grow, which makes it perfect for anyone new to outdoor growing. This strain takes a little longer than the previous one, around 9 weeks, but she is hardy and will survive inclement weather.
This final and yes still classic strain is great for anyone after a high yield. She flowers in just 7 – 8 weeks so she’s also perfect for short summers. The high is instant and powerful, very cerebral, and the yield of this particular strain is fantastic, usually 600 – 650 g/m2. This is also a very hardy strain that will be great for all types of growers.
Temperature
Obviously regulating the temperature isn’t easy, the main thing is to ensure there aren’t too many fluctuations. At the start, we don’t want temperature changes of more than a few degrees. As the plants grow older they can handle a little more of a temp change, but still, we can’t have dramatic rises and drops. If it’s just too cold, even in the summer, it’s not a bad idea to have the plants in a grow tent or greenhouse where there might be a touch more temperature control.
Humidity
Usually, in growing we have to worry about excess humidity, which can cause issues with moisture and rotting. In this case, we need to watch that the plants don’t get too dry in the cold air. This might mean that we need to give cold environment plants a little extra help. Spraying with a bottle of water and moistening the soil without wetting it too much can be good ways to make sure the plants are getting what they need.
Root Health
Despite the hardiness of most cold-weather plants it is still important to make sure the soil doesn’t get too cold. If the growing area gets constant sunlight during the day this shouldn’t be an issue. This is another reason we need to make sure the temperature doesn’t drop too aggressively at night. If the roots get too cold it could stunt the growth of the plant and even cause disease.
Nutrients
Of course, nutrients are always a big part of growing, whether it’s outdoors or indoors and no matter the climate. In colder, dryer weather it can cause the plants to try and absorb more moisture through the soil. This can result in the plants taking in too many nutrients from the soil, unfortunately, yes there is such a thing. The other possible issue is the exact opposite, the colder roots can struggle to take in nutrients. If this starts to happen it’s important to ensure that the plants get bundles of phosphorus.
Timing
As I’ve mentioned one of the main issues growing in colder climates is the short summers. If the plant has too long a flowering period the changing light cycle could be difficult for the plants. This is why a lot of growers prefer to start growing indoors and transfer the plants to the outdoor growing area further down the line. This means they can start a little earlier and plant them at the start of the summer, giving them a little longer at the end of the summer.
Protection
As always make sure the plants are safe from beasts and pests. These could come in the form of bugs or bunnies. Ensure there is a safe and organic insecticide to hand and we may want to surround the plants with chicken wire, even over the top if we are worried about birds.
Learning the Warning Signs
When taking on something like cold weather growing we need to make sure we keep a beady eye on the plants. There are a few signs that the plants are unhappy in the cold and if we don’t know them we could miss the opportunity to save them. If the plants are in trouble the leaves may start to curl, the leaves could yellow or turn brown in places, the lower leaves drop off, or the plant growth slows.
Even with all of this in mind growing outdoors in a cold climate is always tricky. For beginners who live in cold climates, it is probably a good idea to start out with indoor growing. However, for more experienced growers there are loads of strains that were born to grow in the cold. If we keep an eye on the plants, make sure the set up is just right and monitor nutrients and temperature the plants should flower beautifully.
Remember: It is illegal to germinate cannabis seeds in many countries including the UK. It is our duty to inform you of this fact and to urge you to obey all of your local laws to the letter. The Vault only ever sells or sends out seeds for souvenir, collection or novelty purposes.
Make sure you never miss another Vault promo and sign up for our newsletter at http://goo.gl/Bt2Ba2
My white widow grew beautifully outside this year in spite of all the stormy weather we had in the uk they are hardy plants indeed
I can’t wait for spring🥰🥰