As the global demand for medical and recreational cannabis grows, new cannabis cultivation methods have evolved. At Pueblo West dispensary, a greenhouse with controlled climatic conditions allows optimum cannabis growth all year round. Scientists and dispensary officials have observed how cannabis plants change during summer. In the Northern hemisphere, summers tend to be longer and drier than in the past.
That’s why it is important to know how the cannabis plant changes with the seasons and especially during summer. These structural and functional changes are a part of the natural plant homeostasis. This is the ability of the plant to naturally adjust to temperature levels, sunlight, and water availability changes. You can spot these changes when growing cannabis plants in the fields where the protective conditions of a greenhouse are absent. Therefore, every responsible cannabis producer should be aware of these and take the necessary actions to protect the cannabis plants during summer.
Roots Become Swallower
Most plants increase the length of their rooting system when summer comes. Dry and hot summers make cannabis plants search for water to the superficial ground layers. A swallower rooting network growing around the cannabis plant is one of the most frequent changes observed during summer. Many cannabis farmers recommend that you avoid digging around the plant but increase the fertilizer levels to make the plant healthier.
The rooting system of younger cannabis plants are extremely fragile. As we have mentioned, this root system becomes a lot more vulnerable during the summer months, so your mission is to protect it by handling it with care and giving it the chance to grow properly.
Their Leaves Are Dryer And Need Less Light
It may sound funny, but cannabis plants need darkness as much as they need light. Summer often has more sunshine hours that affect the cannabis plant growth pattern quite significantly. Even though cannabis plants usually adjust to the longer daylight, that doesn’t happen without any consequences to their structure.
The cannabis plants’ leaves become dryer and may deteriorate in their appearance and affect the growth of new flowers. Most cannabis plant producers prefer to install modern shades to create artificial darkness through the long summer days. If you want to have the optimum harvest, it’s vital to protect the cannabis plant leaves throughout the summer. You can find some dryer spots on the leaves’ surface. When you spot this, it is advisable to install a water-spraying system to keep them moist during the hottest hours of the day.
Cannabis Plants Need Extra Watering
Everything comes down to the moisture levels in the soil and inevitably in the plant. Dry weather drains the humidity from the cannabis plant. That’s why you may realize that your plants could appear dull after a visual inspection in the summer. Furthermore, their main branches and leaves could start reducing their size as an adaptive feature in anticipation of the dry conditions of the summer days.
If need be, an irrigation system to water the cannabis plants could be necessary. With enough water, you may see your cannabis plants regain their natural appearance, and their leaves become green again. You can determine the water present in the cannabis leaves just by touching them. Any color alteration from the deep green could be a major issue for your cannabis plant and threaten the harvesting quality.
Pests Infestation May Degrade Their Flowers
Summer is often associated with pests. The heat and increase in temperature give the pests a conducive environment to thrive and reproduce. Even though many cannabis plants that are certified to produce medical cannabis products shouldn’t receive any pesticides, you still need to find a solution.
During summer, the first flowers that will grow through the harvesting period may seem discolored or fragile due to some form of pest attack. It would be better to eliminate the presence of pests on your cannabis plants. No matter the purpose of the cannabis you grow, it’s essential to know the consequences of the summer heat on your plants.
It is no surprise that many cannabis producers are keen on knowing what will happen to their plants during summer. Especially when they have been growing them in open fields and do not have greenhouses or hydroponic cultivations, cannabis plants are generally hardy plants able to adapt quickly, but they need all the protection they can get against extremely hot or cold weather. That’s the best way to safeguard the quality of their cannabis extract.