Harvesting Cannabis After a Hard Freeze: Cannabis Seed Harvest at Stony Oasis

Late-Season Cannabis Harvest: How Hugelkultur Beds Handled a Hard Freeze

I was up at Stony Oasis Farms this last weekend. I was not really planning to harvest any of the cannabis in this years seed grow there yet…but after a hard freeze Sat morning…Some of the hugelkultur bed grown cannabis needed to be harvested.

It is Going to Freeze-Should I Harvest All My Cannabis?

As I have done for so many years I harvested just some of it, leaving the rest to mature their seed more if possible. When you remove some of a cannabis plant…the roots still bring up the nutrients to support the entire plant…of which say 50% is now gone. This puts what is remaining of the plant into hyper-drive! The small buds you have left all now have a chance to take over that top bud status….and they will all strive to do just that.

In other words what you have left will not only get bigger (if they have time) but will mature quicker as well. The plant knows it’s time is short…and it wants to make viable seeds! That is all plants life long goal…procreation….

I have harvested a bit more then 50%, and the plants survived that first frost basically unscathed…

What Cannabis Plants Can Look Like After a Hard Freeze

As you can see they suffered zero damage after exposure to 30 degree temps on a windless morning.

How Much Freeze Can Cannabis Survive?

There is not a number etched in stone to answer this question. So how cold is too cold for a cannabis plant?

There are a few things to consider when one has freezing weather and you want to prolong your harvest.

Thing is it got down to 30 degrees Fahrenheit Sat morning up at Stony. Did it kill my plants? No, did not even hurt them at all. Why?

There are some things one can do to help your cannabis plant hold up to freezing temperatures….somewhat.

• Less Water-if it is beginning to get cold, stop watering your plants. Yep, if the leaves are not as full of water the plant can take freezing temps with less damage. That being said…you do not want bone dry soil either…moist soil holds more heat…so water deeply 2 or 3 days before a hard frost…then refrain.
• Micro Climates-Plant your plants where they will have a warmer micro-climate. One way to do this is plant them near a body of water, especially moving water. Another way is growing them in a hugelkultur bed as I have done this year…the richness of the bed actually creates some heat…kinda like a compost pile does. And one needs to remember by this time of year the plants have a huge root system that can access some of that heat in the ground….and help protect the plant from the cold.
• More Micro-Climates-Anther way to take advantage of a micro-climate is to plant your plants next to a south-facing wall, or rocks. The use of thermal mass to help protect your plants…the wall or rocks will absorb heat from the sun all day, then slowly release it to help protect from frost.
• Hope For a Breeze-If the wind is blowing during freezing temperatures plants can survive much better…just look at orchards that actually have wind machines they run to help protect their fruit trees. Although I have never done it, one can put fans on their outdoor cannabis on cold nights to help them survive.
• Cover the Plants-You can drape some clear plastic, or a tarp over the top of your plants. This can help protect them just like they were in a greenhouse. I have grown for years in greenhouses, and one can laugh at temps even down in the 20’s.
• Mulching the Base Deeply-Again warmer roots means a warmer plant. Mulch is always a great idea for a variety of reasons, and cold support is only one.
• Water the Frozen Plants-Get up before the sun does on that cold frosty morning, and wet all the leaves of your cannabis plants…basically washing the frost off. Do this before the sun does.
• Potassium & Silica Boosts (Cell Wall Fortification)-Feeding these nutrients late fall can help strengthen the plants cell walls, and help they hold up to freezing temps.

Conclusion

A hard freeze is not necessarily a death warrant for your outdoor cannabis plants. With some forethought one can prepare for those first hard freezes and extend your growing season if you need to to assure your cannabis is fully mature.

How do you handle those first frosty nites for your girls? I would love to hear your take on it, and share your expertise if you have a favorite method.