How Cold Can Cannabis Tolerate?

Lo Budget

Well-Known Member
believe it or not some strains like landrace strains grow better when the temps drop, because it's what they evolved to survive in... changing the environment of the plant to what they were originally growing in 1000's of years ago brings out the natural characteristics of the plant... say for example you have a hybrid, 50% sativa, 50% indica. To bring out the more sativa characteristics of the plant you could change the flowering light cycle from 12-12 to 13 on -11 off and raise the temps a little bit, the high of the hybrid will be more energetic and cerebral... if you want more indica traits to show then lower the temps, raise the wind/airflow and change the light cycle to 11 on 13 off. the more you recreate the plants natural environment, the more it will show it's true genetics. hope you learned something :)
Is there any truth to this 13/11 11/13 thing? I've never heard this before. It's hard for me to believe an hour either way would make much of a difference.
 

Dr.Pecker

Well-Known Member
Its spring time in michigan. I put a few plants in the green house about two weeks ago maybe three. It dipped down to freezing for one night and two out of the three died. The greenhouse is full now and Its dropping down to 38 f tonight. I have a mister heater going right now. A few bucks for a 6 hour tank of fuel isn't a bad way to go.
 

whitebb2727

Well-Known Member
It depends on what strain you grow. Equatorial Sativa's don't like the cold.
Yes they do. That is hearsay. I've seen pure sativas live in the upper 20's. Last year I posted pics of Hawaiian skunk haze, 16 weeks of flower, handled multiple hard frost and even survived a 24 degree night.
Most any cannabis will handle cold. Actually there is something outdoor bud that has been through cold has that indoor or warm outdoor doesn't. Oh and that was uncovered. I always leave out in the cold.
 

Cuttdogg7

Well-Known Member
that's it? anyone else know how cold Cannabis can handle? Or does everyone pull their plants out of the ground? Wondering if it is feasible to just let the palnt grow..instead of pulling it out. I doubt we will ever get to 30 around my area all winter. Most likely around the mid 40's and 50's, and maybe even some 60's and 70's. It's just hard to tell in Southern California. But since I've been here, circa 1978, the temps never ever did get to freezing, although we get occasional hail...hurts like hell !!!
Dude you live in an area where you have absolutely nothing to worry about, but if for some freak reason you think it's going to drop below freezing covering your plants is the way to go. I live and grow in Alaska so growing in the cold is something I do all the time. I start growing in late April early May outdoors I make baskets wrapped in Saran wrap for covering the plants every single night until June 1 (pick posted below and) and then I cover with a greenhouse or high tunnel first week of September to finish off flowering.
 

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sboz

Member
Anyone know about autos and the cold?
I've got a mostly Indica 00 Bubblegum Auto in a pot in soil and temps here will get to about 45-50F (5-10C) this week... Southern hemisphere. My first auto and it looks good so far, but it has been unseasonably warm here (like 17-28C) lately.
Have a light to put it under but would rather not..Hoping for some purple!! Never get frost where I am. 5C is actually VERY cold for ME!!
 

Dr.Pecker

Well-Known Member
Anyone know about autos and the cold?
I've got a mostly Indica 00 Bubblegum Auto in a pot in soil and temps here will get to about 45-50F (5-10C) this week... Southern hemisphere. My first auto and it looks good so far, but it has been unseasonably warm here (like 17-28C) lately.
Have a light to put it under but would rather not..Hoping for some purple!! Never get frost where I am. 5C is actually VERY cold for ME!!
45 f lows should be fine
 

sboz

Member
Sweet cheers for that.
Was guessing (hoping) that indica/ruderalis would be cold- tolerant; was more worried about shorter days but sun is still quite strong -LAT 27deg south- it's getting about 7-8 hours direct sunlight still, out of about 10 total.. That sudden drop of 10 degrees was a concern though..
Fingers crossed. It seems to love LST and compost/coco..
 

Cuttdogg7

Well-Known Member
Anyone know about autos and the cold?
I've got a mostly Indica 00 Bubblegum Auto in a pot in soil and temps here will get to about 45-50F (5-10C) this week... Southern hemisphere. My first auto and it looks good so far, but it has been unseasonably warm here (like 17-28C) lately.
Have a light to put it under but would rather not..Hoping for some purple!! Never get frost where I am. 5C is actually VERY cold for ME!!
Hi spoz. This is my first year growing autos so how well they do in the great outdoors is a mystery. I've been comparing mine with other people's autos on this site and it looks like mine are moving a little slow.
 

sboz

Member
Yeah I reckon mine is a bit slow..just got a couple pistils after 4 weeks..the cold nights definitely affect 'em but I'm glad to hear it shouldn't kill 'em.
Mine is looking pretty good otherwise; actually starting to think I might get more than a few grams..
 

harris hawk

Well-Known Member
Marijuana is a Strong plant and ca take low temps and at harvest cold temps will bring out colors on your "flowers' - just don't leave out when it's 32 degrees
 

fandango

Well-Known Member
I would be concerned with anything below freezing ( 32 F ) uncovered or for any amount of days if you really care about the outcome of your plant . They freeze . Fruit And Vegetable crops are damaged by a freeze. I have had Mj freeze or get frost bite. Yes it might not heal or could grow back but whats the point. I gow all year outside but as someone posted They are vegged indoor and put outside in a hoop house (covered ) to flower. If it is going to hit 32 f or below they get a little electric heater with a thermostat turned on low. Makes me feel better. lol ! And the hoop house with the heater on is a nice place to burn one when it's cold outside. lol Im not buying into they are fine at 2-4 C or F And watering at night seems to me like the worst thing to do. imho

so cal
How do winter/fall buds come out?
 

BlazenChili

Active Member
everyone here is an amateur? i'm not. mid-atlantic. cannabis is fine fine fine down to the upper 20's no problem, no problem whatsoever, it is not going to curl up and die, not a mature plant, with a little frost, i mean it can get totally frosted and still be just fine. but as the temps go down down down, to those upper 20's what happens is the growth stops anyway, and the cold, damp increases chance of frost and it is time to pull them. i will keep one out until the very end!
that is my experience too, in fact, I think the girls need need a frost to tell 'em it's time to finish up... a good warm streak just after a hard frost would give you a nice harvest...
 

Sailormoses

Well-Known Member
In the 80s I grew in an unisulated closet. 3 walls were outer walls of building. Inside closet the temps was 35f, plants just stopped growing but did not die.
 

OldPork

Well-Known Member
For seedlings, I draw the line at 41F before bringing them in and for flowering plants 33F. Even a light frost is harmful to the trichomes. On the other end of the spectrum, don't overheat your seedlings! They will become stunted for life. Don't place small containers on dark surfaces in direct sunlight.
 
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