Key Takeaways:
- The ideal temperature for growing weed is between 75 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit
- The best soil for growing weed is one that is rich in organic matter and drains well
- Sandy loam soils are perfect for cannabis cultivation as long as they contain organic material
You’ve decided you want to grow weed. Maybe you live in a state where it’s legal, or maybe you just want to grow your own personal stash. Either way, you need to know the best climate for growing marijuana plants.
The ideal climate for growing weed is one with a lot of sunshine and some rain (but not too much). The ideal temperature is between 75 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. The perfect soil for growing weed is one that contains plenty of organic matter and drains well.
If you live in an area with a climate that is not ideal for growing weed, there are still ways to grow weed successfully. You can grow weed indoors with artificial lighting and climate control, or you can choose strains of weed that are more tolerant to different climates.
This guide takes you through everything you need to know about the ideal climate for growing marijuana, the temperatures you need, and how you can do it yourself.
Best Climate for Growing Weed
The OPTIMAL day temperature range for cannabis is 24 to 30 °C (75 to 86 °F), with temperatures above 31 °C (88 °F) and below 15.5 °C (60 °F) seeming to decrease THC potency and slow growth.
Nighttime temperatures can safely drop to 10 °C (50 °F) or even LOWER as long as a daytime temperature increase is provided.
The best climate for growing weed is typically a location that gets a lot of SUN with little rain. The best soil for growing weed is one that is RICH in organic matter and drains well.
Pro Tip: Sandy loam soils are perfect for cannabis cultivation as long as they are amended with organic material.
The Temperature Needed for Different Life Stages of Cannabis Plants
Cannabis plants have DIFFERENT ideal temperatures at different stages of their life. Let’s take a closer look:
- Seed germination: 22 to 26 °C (72 to 80 °F)
- Vegetative growth: 18 to 30 °C (64 to 86 °F)
- Flowering: 20 to 28 °C (68 to 82 °F)
- Harvest: as cool as possible; the ideal range is 15 to 21 °C (59 to 70 °F)
- Drying weed: 60% humidity, 18 to 21 °C (64 to 70 °F)
- Curing weed: 55% humidity, 21 to 23 °C (70 to 74 °F)
To ENCOURAGE optimal growth, you might need to create a microclimate. A microclimate is a local atmospheric zone where the climate differs from the surrounding area.
For example, you might use a fan to CREATE airflow and circulate warm air around your plants. You might also use a heat lamp to raise the temperature in a specific area, or you could use a humidity dome to create a humid environment for your plants.
What Happens When it Gets too Hot?
If the temperature gets TOO HOT, your plants will start to shut down. The first signs of heat stress are usually wilting leaves and flowers. If the temperature gets hot enough, your plants will stop growing altogether.
Additionally, the heat can attract PESTS and DISEASES. For example, heat can cause powdery mildew to form on your plants. It can also cause the water in the soil to evaporate faster.
It’s good to keep your grow room at an optimal temperature with relative humidity and good air circulation so that your plants produce excellent buds.
Pro Tip: To prevent heat stress from high temperatures, ensure you have a way to cool your plants down. You can use a fan, air conditioner, or evaporative cooling system.
What Happens When it Gets too Cold?
If the temperature gets TOO COLD, your plants will start to experience drought stress. The first signs of drought stress are usually curled leaves. If the temperature gets cold enough, your plants will stop growing altogether.
Cold temperatures can REDUCE the rate of photosynthesis, which is the process plants use to create food. Additionally, cold temperatures can damage the cell membranes of your plants.
If you want to grow marijuana, it is important to remember that hot air and colder temperatures can impact plant growth.
Pro Tip: To prevent drought stress from cold weather, ensure you have a way to keep your plants warm. You can use a heater, grow light, or insulation.
What is the Best Temperature for the Flowering Stage?
The ideal temperature for the flowering stage is 20 to 28 °C (68 to 82 °F). However, some strains of cannabis plant can TOLERATE higher or lower temperatures.
For example, Indica strains typically tolerate HIGHER temperatures than Sativa strains. If you’re growing cannabis in a hot climate, you might need to choose a heat-tolerant Indica strain.
On the other hand, if you’re growing cannabis in a cold climate, you might need to choose a Sativa strain that can tolerate LOWER temperatures.
Pro Tip: When choosing a cannabis strain, make sure to research the ideal temperature range for that specific strain.
What is the Best Temperature for the Vegetative Stage?
The ideal temperature for the vegetative stage is 18 to 30 °C (64 to 86 °F). However, as we discussed above, SOME strains of cannabis can tolerate higher or lower temperatures.
Best Strains for Hot Humid Climate
Living in a hot and humid climate can leave you feeling discouraged, but the truth is that you still have many opportunities to grow great plants. It’s all about finding the RIGHT strain for the job.
If you live in a hot and humid climate, there are still PLENTY of weed strains you can grow. Here are some of the best:
- Haze
- Maui Wowie
- Thai Stick
- AK-47
- White Widow
Best Strains to Grow Outdoors in Arizona
The climate in Arizona tends to be hot and humid in some places and dry in others. This can make it a little trickier to find the perfect strains (but that doesn’t mean we couldn’t).
If you live in Arizona, these are some of the BEST weed strains to grow outdoors:
- Chocolate Thai
- Early Girl
- G13
- Purple Kush
- Northern Lights
Best Strains for Hot Dry Climate
Once again, your climate doesn’t have to stop you from growing some really nice buds. Climates that are hot and dry have the same POTENTIAL as the hot and humid ones, and there ate still strains that do nicely here.
If you live in a hot and dry climate, some fantastic marijuana strains can THRIVE in the environment with proper care. Here are some of the best:
- Girl Scout Cookies
- Sour Diesel
- OG Kush
- Bubba Kush
- Granddaddy Purple
- Blue Dream
- Skywalker OG
Best Strains for Desert Climates
The only issue with the desert is that your chosen strains need to be able to cope with EXTREME changes in temperature. This is because the desert is hot during the day and cold at night.
For desert growing, we would recommend using a greenhouse or a grow box just to be safe and give your plants as much PROTECTION as possible.
If you live in a desert climate, these are some of the BEST weed strains to grow outdoors:
- G13
- White Widow
- Northern Lights
- Chocolate Thai
- Early Girl
Best Outdoor Winter Strains
Living in places where the winters are cold can be worrying when you want to grow weed. However, the chilly winds and frosty mornings DON’T have to be the end of your cannabis grower dreams. In fact, you can still achieve them.
If you live in a place with COLD winters, there are still quite a few weed strains you can grow outdoors. Here are some of the best:
- AK-47
- Maui Wowie
- Thai Stick
- Haze
- Purple Kush
Best Outdoor Strains for New England
New England tends to have quite HARSH winters, and the climate can be quite cool compared to more southern areas of the US. If you live in New England, these are some of the best weed strains to grow outdoors:
- Granddaddy Purple
- Northern Lights
- G13
- White Widow
- Chocolate Thai
How to Control the Temperature for Your Weed Plants
The key to growing marijuana is to keep the temperature perfect. You will want to monitor it regularly and ensure that it remains optimal at all times.
There are a few different ways you can CONTROL the temperature of your weed plants. Let’s take a look at the easiest and most commonly implemented.
Cooling System
If it gets too hot, you can use a fan to circulate the air and COOL your plants down. You can also use an air conditioner, or you could set up an evaporative cooling system.
Heating System
You can use a heater, grow light, or insulation if it gets too COLD. These are all highly effective methods, and very simple to install in your current grow space.
Humidity Control
When it comes to humidity, you want to make sure your plants are in a HUMID environment. You can use a humidifier to add moisture to the air.
Use a Thermometer
To keep TRACK of the temperature and humidity, it is a good idea to use a thermometer. You can find one at your local hardware store or buy one online.
Pro Tip: Make sure to check the temperature and humidity REGULARLY so you can make adjustments as needed.
Get Grow Lights
Grow lights are a great way to control your plants’ temperature and humidity. They can also help your plants grow faster and produce more buds.
To Conclude
The ideal CLIMATE for growing weed is one with a lot of sunshine and not too much rain, and the optimal temperature is between 75 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. The best SOIL for growing weed is rich, organic, and has a sandy loam that allows your plants to thrive.
If you live in a hot and humid climate, there are still PLENTY of weed strains you can grow. If you live in a hot and dry climate, some fantastic marijuana strains can THRIVE in the environment with proper care.
We hope that this guide has been able to give you better insight into the strains of weed that will thrive in your climate. Remember, we have plenty of growing guides you’re going to want to check out.
Sources:
https://www.growweedeasy.com/temperature#how-to-control-temperature-step-by-step
https://www.cannaconnection.com/blog/2245-ideal-temperature-growing