Climate and environmental change have become synonymous with the deteriorating conditions of the earth. Are there any positive effects of these changes on plants?

Regular Cannabis Seeds and Climate Change: How to Adapt and Thrive in a Changing Environment

Like humans, plants have their preferences on how they like their temperature and humidity levels. Some plants can thrive in hot and dry climates, while others prefer wet and humid areas. Regardless of plant preferences, climate change is affecting all types of plants.

Cannabis mostly thrives in warm and humid areas, but with changing environmental climates, it is understandable to worry about outdoor growth’s fate. Are the changing environment and climate change affecting the growth of marijuana in any way?

How Climate Change Affects the Growth of Regular Cannabis Seeds

A look at marijuana seeds reveals three main types: feminized, auto-flowering, and regular. All these seeds are available on sites like https://askgrowers.com/seeds/regular, where you can pick the standard variety over feminized or autoflowering. The decision on which weed ovules to plant entirely depends on a person’s preference.

For the past two decades, people have been realizing the forecasted climate change is finally upon us. People are complaining about fluctuating weather conditions and their crops failing due to these conditions. How much is climate change affecting crops and marijuana plants specifically?

Before we look at how environmental changes affect cannabis growth, it is better to start with the characteristics of these changes. Specific climatic changes result from natural processes such as volcanic eruptions, solar activity, and gulf streams. The current climate change results from increased human activity and environmental pollution.

These features translate into the build-up of CO2 gases in the air, affecting atmospheric conditions. Continued CO2 build-up increases the intensity of solar rays, fluctuates weather conditions, raises temperatures, and makes it more possible to experience extreme weather.

The effects of hiking temperature levels affect plants in different ways. While some will become more adaptable to extreme weather conditions, others will fail greatly. Regular cannabis seeds give rise to sturdy crops that are pretty hardy. Marijuana plants thrive in areas where there is sufficient exposure to the sun.

They can even thrive in dry areas. They oppose cold regions, so they rarely grow in such conditions. Increased humidity and cold levels may lead to mold and mildew, undermining the harvest.

With the earth’s temperature spiking, it is understandable that cannabis plants will continue to do well. Agronomists claim they will grow taller and possibly produce more flowers and buds. Despite regular marijuana seeds and plants being adaptable to hot and dry conditions, they require water to grow and become healthy. Harsh environmental conditions may result in losses for some farmers if water is not readily available.

CO2 Levels and Regular Cannabis Growth

One of the significant characteristics of climate change and ongoing environmental changes is the increased CO2 percentage in the air. The use of vehicles, deforestation, overpopulation, and other factors have increased carbon emissions.

For people, these conditions are harmful because they lead to increased temperatures and extreme weather. Climate change for humans is an impending doom that continues to grow with the changing times. Despite this, it is essential to note that plants are not that badly off.

Plants rely on C02 for some of their functions to go unhindered. The current rise in CO2 holds some positive aspects for marijuana growers. As mentioned, the extreme conditions significantly increased temperatures benefit marijuana growth. Plants exposed to increased CO2 levels and high temperatures are more likely to grow taller and produce more potent THC and CBD. Other than that, they also increase their yields.

Another helpful aspect of increased CO2 levels for plants is their water intake. Usually, cannabis does not use as much water as people think. Small amounts go a long way in sustaining their growth over a prolonged period. With high amounts of CO2 in the air, the water intake reduces.

High CO2 levels result in the closure of weed leaves stomata which control the evaporation of their water into the air. With reduced evaporation, plants can keep most of their water, reducing the need to frequently water.

Though most of CO2’s effects on regular cannabis plants are beneficial, there are also some setbacks. The main setback is that according to a study by the American USDA-ARS, high CO2 levels can prolong the maturity of plants. Their study involved spraying CO2 on a meadow in controlled environments. Compared to plants with normal environmental conditions, the CO2-exposed ones were late to mature by 14 days.

Regular Cannabis Indica Strains for Humid and Cold Climates

Despite the environmental changes, there exist marijuana plants that can thrive in any condition. Regular seeds suitable for humid and wet areas are present in huge numbers. As the plant moves from one stage to the next, it is crucial to note that excess humidity may eventually harm the crops. Here is a list of the standard regular marijuana seeds you can plant in cold regions.

Bangi Haze

This strain is a Sativa dominant hybrid originating in the Nepal and Congolese regions. It has about 70% Sativa and is very potent. The strain has continuously proven to be resistant to cold climates. They thrive even in cold regions with very high humidity levels. They can withstand mold, mildew, and several other cold-related illnesses.

Early Queen

This variant combines Early Girl, Early Pearl, and Super Skunk. Early Queen is suitable for novice growers with less experience. It is ideal for cold regions as its parent stocks originate in such climatic conditions.

Pakistan Chitral Kush

Commonly known as PCK, this is an Indica strain with roots in Pakistan. It has a THC-to-CBD ratio of 4:1 and takes about 8 to 9 weeks to mature fully. Through advanced genetic research, PCK can adapt to different regions, including colder ones. The indoor yield is lower than the outdoor ones.

Nepal Jam

Though the origins of this strain are in the Nepalese highlands, it has some hints of Jamaican weed. It is about 60% Sativa and 40% Indica. Nepal Jam is resilient regarding weather conditions and can survive in the most humid areas. It has a sufficient serving of THC and CBD, which ends in a set of appealing effects.

Regular Cannabis Indica Strains for Hot and Dry Climates

As opposed to strains that do better in colder regions, other variants are suitable for hot and dry climates. These variants can adapt to prolonged periods without water and little humidity in the air. These are the top regular weed seeds suited for hot and dry climates.

Mango Zamal

Mango Zamal is a pure Sativa variant that takes about 100 days to mature fully. It is well-adaptable to hot and dry regions. Its optimum height is 200 cm, yielding 400-600g per square meter. The THC levels vary from 18-20%. It does better in hot and dry areas and can thus have a 20% or sometimes more THC level.

Congo Haze

Congo Haze is a difficult strain to grow. It is suitable for experienced farmers who can cater to its various needs. In terms of yields, indoor plants do better than outdoor ones. Indoors you can harvest up to 400-500g per square meter. They take 10-12 weeks to flower and do very well in hot regions.

Krystalica

Krystalica is a Sativa dominant hybrid, with about 60% of it being Sativa. It has a relatively high THC level of about 20%. The strain serves best when taken in the evening as it has some sedating effects. Outdoor grows are the most favorable because you can get as much as 1200g per square meter. They can thrive in high temperatures of up to 45 degrees Celsius. They grow sturdy and robust, making them resistant to hot climates.

Sandstorm

Sandstorm is an Indica dominant strain that produces between 15-20 THC at any point. It is high yielding and grows into a medium-sized plant. The flowering time is about 8-10 weeks, with an estimated production of 500 to 600g per meter squared. With its origins in Morocco and Pakistan, this is a hardy regular marijuana plant that can thrive in the warmest climates.

Conclusion

Regular marijuana seeds have for a while now been taking the backseat to the popular autoflowering and feminized ones. Regardless of the type of seed, the fact that climate change and wavering environmental conditions are upon us only necessitates understanding how marijuana grows can get affected. Luckily, climate change involves a build-up of CO2 in the atmosphere, which is helpful for cannabis plants. They get to have higher levels of THC and grow taller than their predecessors. As farmers prepare to counter the effects of climate change, it would be helpful to learn how they can benefit from the changing conditions.

The writer of this article is Lana Braslavska, who has been part of the AskGrowers family for over 3 years. She conducts research, prepares reports, and offers pieces that describe the fate of marijuana in various situations. As an environmentalist, she was keen on how this piece reflects the way marijuana farmers could adapt to the changing environmental conditions.