Outdoor cannabis growing is one of the most rewarding things you can do as a cultivator. Sure, you will face perils, but these are almost all avoidable or surmountable. One of the challenges you’re sure to meet relates to the climate. In this article, we’ll give a quick overview of what that involves and recommend some hardier cannabis strains that offer a degree of resilience to climate challenges.
Climate – the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Whether you’ve grown cannabis outdoors before or you’re just getting started, you’re likely aware of your specific climate. No matter where on the planet you call home, each zone has its own set of unique challenges regarding the weather. Southern hemisphere countries will experience scorching heat, intense sunlight, and high humidity. Northern hemisphere countries will have their share of hot weather, too, but will be more apt to see some lower temperatures, ground frosts, and high rains.
There are high instances of nuance to these conditions, varying from zone to zone, state to state, north to south, and east to west. Part of your essential preparations as an outdoor grower should be to know your climate and its tendencies while keeping a close eye on forecasts for your area. These steps will help you set up your growth correctly, guard against extremes, and, ultimately, give you the best chance of producing a successful harvest.
How to Prepare for Extreme Weather
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How to Protect your Cannabis from Extreme Heat or Cold
Growing outdoors means you’re at the mercy of Mother Nature, but there are plenty of things you can do to protect your plants from inclement weather. Plants can be covered during long periods of heavy rain or extreme heat. If your plants are in pots, you can even move them to a sheltered area for the duration of any severe weather. Keeping a close eye on upcoming weather patterns is the first step in protecting your plants, followed by planning accordingly, and finally, using any equipment at your disposal to provide shelter as necessary.
Genetics are Key to Survival
Like any living organism, your cannabis plants’ ability to thrive under pressure is greatly determined by their genetic makeup. It’s therefore important to choose genetics suited for your climate. Your buddy in Southern California might have grown some incredible sativa, but if you’re in the North of Scotland, for example, you won’t have the same climatic advantages as a Cali grower when it comes to making the most of sativa strains.
As Seedsman’s Chief Scientific Officer, Dr Gary Yates, explains:
“A plant’s place of origin often shapes its ability to tolerate extremes of weather. This is because, over time, the plants evolve to suit their environment. Even crazier than that is the fact that earth’s, and therefore countries’, climates change over the same kind of time frames as evolution. For example, a place like Iraq - known as a dry, hot, harsh desert land – was a lush, green paradise only 12,000 years ago. Plants that were planted there at that time slowly mutate to have genes more suited to the environment as it changes. Eventually, you end up with desert-tolerant plants.”
With that in mind, consider your native climate as something which can potentially make or break your project, and select strains with the genetics to deal with whatever weather your part of the world is most likely to experience.
The longstanding rule of thumb is that sativas thrive in hot, arid climates, and indicas do well in colder, wetter parts of the world. One need only look at the geographic origins of each to see that where they were found growing in the wild is a solid marker of their genetic capability to survive in those conditions.
10 Weather Resistant Strains Recommended by Seedsman
When growing outdoors in colder climates, a shorter flowering time is an advantage in helping you safely navigate early and late ground frost and a shortened growing season. Hybrid strains bred to withstand the lower temperatures are a good pick, and faster flowering times allow you to complete your grow before those late frosts come knocking.
Northern Lights Auto
A name you’ll see a lot around the outdoor season, Northern Lights Auto's name is the first clue that it’s an ideal strain for colder climes. The second clue is that it’s an indica-dominant hybrid. Thirdly, autoflowering plants feature Ruderalis genetics. Cannabis Ruderalis is native to harsh climates such as Russia and Eastern Europe and has thrived in unforgiving temperatures in the wild for decades.
Another feature of autoflowering strains that makes them great for more northern climates is that the flowering stage is initiated due to maturity rather than being dictated by a change in lighting schedules. These attributes make NL Auto a solid choice for anyone wishing to cultivate in lower-temperature areas where the summer is relatively short.
Northern Lights Auto will see you in and out in 60 days after a short vegetation period. It has the bonus of being resistant to fungus, plant diseases and pests. An earthy, plum jam-tasting variety with 23% THC, NL Auto is short and sweet in all the right ways.
Nepal Jam
Ace Seeds offer Nepal Jam as a strain with superb cold-resistance properties. Thanks to its Asian (Nepalese Highland) and Caribbean (Jamaica ’85) genetics, Nepal Jam can withstand extreme high and low temperatures. It’ll also provide up to 400gm/plant in these conditions.
Flowering takes 9 weeks, and the moderate THC content of 16-18% makes for a clear-headed, long-lasting high lasting for hours. Nepal Jam is full of orange and cinnamon notes, making for a luxuriant taste that keeps you coming back.
Sugar Haze
Haze strains typically combine strong sativa genetics with origins in California, Colombia, Mexico and India. It’s safe to say that if you’re looking to cultivate in a hot climate, Haze cannabis varieties have all the ingredients needed to cope with the soaring temperatures.
Sugar Haze from Seedsman is a highly potent strain that combines an original Colombian Santa Marta with legendary breeder Sam The Skunkman’s original Haze. The result is a fast-flowering, mostly sativa strain with the genetic edge required to flourish in hot, dry climates.
This superb variety of flowers in 9 weeks, and with a THC content of around 23%, is a real sugar bomb. As the name implies, Sugar Haze is a sweet-tasting treat, but its high potency makes it one for the experienced cannasseur.
Quetta City
Quetta City is just one of the many fantastic cannabis strains produced by Landrace Warden. Specialising in heirloom landrace Asian genetics, Landrace Warden has a distinct edge in producing resilient strains for outdoor cultivation.
Quetta City is a highly robust indica with impressive resistance to pests and plant diseases. Better still, it thrives in cold, dry climates and highly tolerates arid conditions. Flowering times are between 49 and 63 days, and Quetta City produces excellent outdoor yields of up to 500gm/plant.
With nutty, smooth flavours, this indica offers supreme relaxation, a balanced, calming effect, and physical couch-lock.
Gelat.OG
A West Coast favourite, Gelat.OG has caused a stir as one of the most popular new mostly-indica hybrids around. With roots in California’s Bay Area, this super strain combines Gelato and OG Kush, making it a solid starter for hot-weather cultivation.
Flowering in just 55-60 days, this stunning plant with the sugary appearance offers excellent yields of up to 600gm/plant when grown outdoors. Harvest time will be around late September, when you can look forward to Gelat.OG’s famed sweet citrus flavour with earthy, floral notes.
THC content is right around 25%, meaning potency is assured. Gelat.OG’s effects are uplifting, feel-good happy qualities coupled with blissful relaxation.
White Widow/White Widow Auto
Easily one of the most well-known and beloved strains of the past thirty years, White Widow is one of the most trouble-free cannabis strains to grow. Equally comfortable – and resilient – in hot climates and cold, this award-winning coffee shop legend should be on every outdoor cultivator’s shopping list.
As a hybrid containing Indian and Brazilian genetics, it’s a safe bet that White Widow will stand firm in the face of high temperatures.
If you’re in a colder, northern climate, consider White Widow Auto for its faster flowering time and Ruderalis genetics to steer you safely through the shortened summer season. Whether you choose photoperiod or autoflowering, you’re guaranteed quality high-THC cannabis from a strain that’s stood the test of time.
Strawberry Banana Grape
If you’re growing outdoors in a climate with high humidity, look no further than Seedsman’s Strawberry Banana Grape for a solution. This immensely fruity mostly-sativa hybrid has a black belt in fighting off water vapour.
Suitable for all levels of expertise? Check. Ideal for all environments? Check. Strawberry Banana Grape does it all, and this well-behaved variety will reward growers with staggering outdoor yields. How does 600-800gm/plant sound?
As a mostly-sativa, expect tall plants as high as 300cm. Strawberry Banana Grape produces abundant and thick buds, so be prepared to support the branches during cultivation. Flowering time is usually just over 60 days. Then you can look forward to harvesting huge yields of the tastiest fruit cocktail you’ve ever had. Strawberry Banana Grape’s soothing euphoric effects will leave you blissed out without being knocked out.
Pakistani Chitral Kush
One problem with growing in certain parts of the Northern hemisphere is rain. Experienced outdoor cultivators in these areas know that heavy rain leads to mold, and mold spells trouble for cannabis. Enter Pakistani Chitral Kush from Ace Seeds. Pure Pakistani Landrace genetics mean this indica can flourish and ripen under cold, wet conditions such as those common in parts of Northern Europe in the early Autumn – without succumbing to mold.
Flowering time for this dominator of dampness is around 56-63 days, making it an ideal Northern Hemisphere strain for outdoor cultivation. A highly resinous indica, PKC will surprise and delight with its sweet flavours of strawberry and caramel.
Honduras x Panama
The answer to this sativa’s ability to withstand hot climates lies in its parentage; Honduras and Panama Goddess. Central American origins guarantee this plant can take the heat! Honduras x Panama performs best in tropical and subtropical climates.
This variety is best suited to areas where the summer stretches on forever; flowering time is between 84 and 91 days, making it a long grow but one that’s certainly worth the wait. Honduras X Panama can produce enormous yields, so back up a truck for harvest time!
When it comes time to enjoy the fruits of your labour, you’ll taste the joy of sweet incense, vanilla, and lemon, making it one of the more sumptuous-flavoured strains around. Effects are initially clear, euphoric and energetic, but these give way to unreal dreamy, psychedelic sensations.
C99 X Blueberry FAST
One surefire way to finish your plants before the rainy season is to employ FAST genetics. These strains flower in 6-7 weeks, so you’ll be done and dusted while it’s still sunny. C99 X Blueberry FAST’s insanely speedy lifecycle makes it a real weather-beater.
C99 X Blueberry FAST was selectively bred to achieve the shortest lifecycle possible, but don’t think for a minute that you’ll have to skimp on yields – come harvest time, you’ll be picking off as much as 450gm/plant! To make the whole process even faster, this strain is very bud heavy with a lower leaf count, making manicuring as quick and painless as cultivation.
It’s a highly resinous strain with great THC content, so potency is assured. We’re confident you’ll enjoy the taste of Blueberry with the hint of Thai flavours, and the powerful cerebral hit delivers a feel-good buzz in spades.
