Tips For Hot-Cold Climate Outdoor Growing?

[600m]

With the November legalization in California, I'm growing four plants outdoors for medical purposes. I live in a very unusual summer climate that has cold nights (~50°-60°) and hot (~90°-105°) days. The plants (Aurora Indica Feminized) are in the very early vegetative stage and apparently LOVE the warmer days and do not show any signs of wilting or stress, at least if it's below ~95°. I've never grown marijuana before and have numerous questions -- the main one being, what things do I have to do to make this odd and somewhat hostile climate work out for me and my plants? I just read that the "experts" planning the vast legal marijuana plantations that the state is eyeing for taxation purposes have decided that the climate here is unsuitable for commercial growing.

One thing I really need to figure out when I stop this repotting, as the young plants are experiencing such explosive vegetative growth that I can barely keep up. Today, the plant in the picture looks like it's grown about 25% since I took this photo yesterday! The leaves are reaching the edges of the new pots in about a week, which (just like the advice here says) means that the roots have reached the sides of the pot, too. At what point do I stop getting bigger pots? How big?

I need to keep these in pots so I can bring them in at night because it's cold and the bugs are out, too. I also think that when the temperatures get over a hundred and it's windy, I may have to drag them in for a few hours for protection against burning.

If you've worked with this kind of climate, what help can you give me?

Thanks!

[desertdan]

Hi 600. I have my outdoor girls in large 30+ gallon pots. They are transplanted at very small plant stage. Yesterday it was 102 here and last night 65 and the girls are just fine. I only see signs of very little stress when 108 or more for 3 or more days. This can be mitigated by lots of water AND VERY LITTLE OR NO NUTRIENTS WHEN REAL HOT 103+. Your plants should be fine in the cool nights as long as it is above freezing. I think my plants do better with the cool nights. Outdoors the bugs are always out night or day. Don't know about where you are but in my desert there are not very many cannabis eating bugs. Your climate should be great at flower time,flowers love the cool nights.

[9fingerleafs]

Agree with dan. I live in hot climate and it's hard to keep roots cool enough. If they get too hot they kinda stop working and start cooking under the sun. Last year I lost 7 indicas to the heat and only one sativa survived

[desertdan]

What happened? I had two series of 105-108 for a week and only had one indica wilt at the tops and I think that was because I gave nutrients. Sativa seems to love heat. I had to give water twice a day sometimes.

[9fingerleafs]

There were 7 indicas and 1 sativa and the sativa was the only one to survive flowering but I had to chop her early cause it got too humid. The weed was shit. And yeah she was in 3 gallon pot. Was 1.5 meters tall (with the pot) and drank 6 liters a day

[600m]

I live in hot climate and it's hard to keep roots cool enough. If they get too hot they kinda stop working and start cooking under the sun.

Big point with that is not to keep them in black tubs, which will cook anything inside them. White plastic tubs are barely warm to the touch -- black plastic next to it will burn your hand. For some reason, almost all nursery tubs are that awful black stuff, which isn't even ABS, so it starts cracking after one season.

[9fingerleafs]

Yes. I used brown plastic pots but still he air was just too hot and the sun heats the floor also. The moisture in the pot gains temperature from the air and they start to rot. Maybe with white floors and with white pots covering the soil with something white haha

[600m]

Hi 600. I have my outdoor girls in large 30+ gallon pots.

Yow! For a single plant? I can't even imagine what a 30-gallon pot would look like! Isn't that like a standard curbside metal garbage can?

I think that would present a couple of problems for me, as...

1: I have to move the plants once a day to keep them in the sun, and...

2: I want to be able to bring them in when the utility companies have to get into my fenced back yard to climb the pole or go down the sewer manhole. It's legal now to be growing, but I think it's better to be discreet about it.

I'm going to have to come up with something (and soon!) a little more portable, I think, and hopefully economical. Planters and tubs seem to be badly overpriced for what they are.

I only see signs of very little stress when 108 or more for 3 or more days. This can be mitigated by lots of water

Is it beneficial to mist the plants during the heat of the day?

Your plants should be fine in the cool nights as long as it is above freezing. I think my plants do better with the cool nights. Outdoors the bugs are always out night or day. Don't know about where you are but in my desert there are not very many cannabis eating bugs.

I was concerned about snails and slugs, which seem to eat absolutely anything here. Stuff in my garden literally disappears overnight without a trace.

Your climate should be great at flower time,flowers love the cool nights.

I was concerned that the flowers themselves would dry out or burn up in the heat, especially during windy spells.

[desertdan]

My plants do very well in 30-60 gallon pots in the heat I experience, My pots are heavy ceramic from Asia. On a real hot day they may get 40 gallons of water and this is why they do so well. They can be 10 feet tall in July if I let them. Lots of soil around the roots and lots of water is the key to hot dry weather.