The incredibly warm temperature is unprecedented and its effect on cannabis production is not ideal. Right now, the West Coast is witnessing the impact that the extreme heat can have on growers and their crops. From the way it affects the growth of trichomes to the way it manipulates the overall production for the worse, growers all across Western America are finding new ways to deal with this weather.
Experts are providing a few ways to work around these issues, though. While Washington is awaiting 100-degree weather, the frontier of cultivation should be considering a few things. For one, shade cloths for fields. This will help prevent the beating sun and heat from completely destroying your growth.
The unfortunate part about the unseen temperatures is that it’s likely here to stay. The impacts of climate change across the world are real which means that cultivators must adapt. The regional climate should be accounted for moving forward when tweaking with the genetics of any strains.
Take Western States Hemp, for example. The Nevada-based company is set to face high temperatures in the coming weeks but CEO Adrienne Snow explained that their plants were created to not only withstand but thrive in that type of heat. “In our earliest days of growing, we started to seek out plants that seem to thrive in those high temperatures,” said Snow.
Another tip for cultivators is to adjust the hours of their laborers to work during better conditions. Okanogan County, WA’s Aloha Botanics has been dealing with temperatures well above average. Scott Berka, CEO of Aloha Botanics, explained that hours for the cultivation team have adjusted work hours to adapt to the recent extreme heat. The crew kicks their shift off at 5 a.m. and wraps up by noon. Berka said that additional workers are called after hours if necessary.
Hopefully, these tricks can help growers across the country adapt to the extreme weather ahead.
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