Hearty Cannabis Strains That Grow Well In Dry Climates
As the months start to warm up for summer here in Hawaii and other places around the world, you may notice your flowering plants aren’t as happy as usual and their overall health starting to decline. This is due to hot temperatures and a light cycle that is longer than their preferred 11 or 12 hours.
Warmer temps and longer days can have the following negative effects on cannabis plants:
- Leaves curl up or develop areas of necrosis
- Flowers stretch and become less dense
- Flowers may take longer to finish or not finish at all
- Resin production decreases
- Pest pressure increases as this is a favorable time of the year for populations
- Herms are more likely to occur
It’s good to know that dry environments usually have soil that is void of nutrients, so mixing your own soil and growing in containers will ensure a higher quality crop. Some strains don’t get as stressed when exposed to harsh conditions and have the ability to better withstand drought and heat, which makes them good to grow in dry climates or during the months of June through October.
Tip: Dry environments usually have soil that is void of nutrients, so mixing your own soil and growing in containers will ensure a higher quality crop
The following strains (and their crosses) are recommended:
Gorilla Glue #4
GG4 is a beast of a strain. As long as it’s a healthy plant, it does well no matter what time of year it is. It requires a lot of water as it drinks heavily, so keeping it satisfied during the warmer months or drier conditions is crucial for maintaining health and vigor. While flowers will be more stretched due to the longer daylight hours outdoors, it is still nice to smoke as its terpenes maintain their aroma and intensity. This strain, and phenos that come from it and are GG4-dominate, are always recommended for backyard growers, those in more unforgiving conditions, or those that are new to growing as it is an easy to grow plant for all skill levels and is hearty as far as weather conditions and environment are concerned.
GG4 is great for backyard growers, those in more unforgiving conditions, or those that are new to growing as it is an easy to grow plant for all skill levels
GMO
GMO is another great strain for drier climates as it prefers slightly lower humidity levels and performs decently in warmer conditions, able to maintain nice green leaves and frosty flowers. When healthy, it also prefers a good amount of water, so again, keeping an eye on moisture content in the soil is important when it comes to maintaining quality. This strain is recommended for outdoor spaces or rooms with taller ceilings as it likes to stretch at least 2x times in height. It stacks nicely and has dense flower formation as well. It’s another strain we recommend to the outdoor grower or the grower in more challenging environments.
Sunset Sherbet
Sunset Sherbet performs surprisingly well outdoors for a plant with such dense flowers. You can leave it exposed to rain and other intense weather conditions and it just keeps going strong. Too much rainfall in late bloom can cause mold to occur, however, increasing airflow with a few fans fixes that problem quickly. Terpene profiles tend to suffer when exposed to conditions like rain or heat, but Sunset Sherbet is a hearty strain that doesn’t seem to mind such variables. It is also a strain that likes a moderate amount of water and usually requires less hydration than strains like GG4 or GMO.
You can leave Sunset Sherbet exposed to rain and other intense weather conditions and it just keeps going strong
Select The Right Strain For The Summer Season
The strains listed above are hearty varieties, great for beginners, or environments that are unforgiving as they can withstand warmer temperatures than most other strains and drier conditions as well. Strains that tend to mold or quickly acquire PM typically do better in environments with lower humidity and warmer temperatures. While other strains may survive such conditions, the quality achieved will suffer, so planning for this time of the year by planting strains that do well in those conditions will increase the likeliness of achieving top shelf flower during those warm summer months.
