How Much Heat Can My Cannabis Plants Withstand?

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Dear Stoner: I've got a few weed plants tucked away in my backyard. They normally survive the summer heat well enough, but this year they look unhappy. Is it getting too hot to grow weed outside?
Bert Nunya

Dear Bert Nunya: Cannabis is pretty resilient when grown outside. The roots are deeper, stalks are bigger and buds get humongous. Many indica-dominant strains actually prefer high altitude and intense ultraviolet light, which can spur trichome production. Does any of this make me prefer outdoor cannabis to indoor? Not even close, but respect to you for putting in the work.

click to enlarge

Most strains can withstand up to 120 degrees for short periods, but they need to be well rooted and adequately watered and misted.

Jake Holschuh

Colorado summers aren't nearly as bad as those of Arizona or New Mexico, but any outdoor growing hobbyist has to account for hotter seasons going forward. Sturdy as cannabis plants are, weeks or months of 100-degree temperatures are dangerous. According to longtime grower Ed Rosenthal, photosynthesis slows past 85 degrees and has stopped by 95 degrees, when cannabis goes into "preservation mode." Most strains can withstand up to 120 degrees for short periods, he adds, but they need to be well rooted and adequately watered and misted. Heat stress is also common when plants don't get enough water or shade in harsh sunlight.

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