Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower's Bible

‘Northern Lights’ are often taller! A few sativas can grow to 20 feet (6 m)!
    Fungus can become a problem with these late-flowering plants. They withstand rain and light frost well; many can take a few light snowfalls. After all, they grow like weeds!
Climate
    Outdoor grow shows are dominated by climate, soil, and water supply whether you are planting in a remote mountain patch, a cozy garden in your backyard, or on your balcony.
    Microclimates are mini climates that exist within larger climates. Maps are available of these areas. Many maps such as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Hardiness Zone map, www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html , detail limited climatic boundaries. The map divides North America into ten zones plus zone 11 to represent areas that have average annual minimum temperatures above 40°F (4.4°C) and are frost free. Look into detailed microclimate maps for your grow zone. One of the most detailed climate maps can be found in Sunset’s Western Garden Book, Sunset Publishing. The map details 26 distinct climate zones in 13 Western States and British Colombia and Alberta, Canada. This is the best climatic map available for the area.

White Russian’ and others from the “White” family are ready to harvest from mid- to late- October.

‘Northern Lights #5 x Haze’ is one of the most potent and tasty strains. This cross is ready to harvest from late-October through early- November.

ABOVE: Rough climate map of Europe. BELOW: Rough climate map of North America. The legend is the same in both illustrations.

Flanked by a fig tree, this flowering female was grown in Ticino, the “Banana Belt,” of Switzerland.
    Europe and other countries have much climatic information available via the Internet. Check out rainfall, temperature, and humidity charts for virtually all large cities in the world and most geographic regions. Visit www.weather.com for specific information on your local weather.
    Temperature, rainfall, and sunlight vary widely across the globe, providing unique growing environments and countless microclimates. Look for specific information for your climate at local nurseries and in regional gardening books and magazines or through the department of agriculture (County Extension Agents) in your area. Here is a brief rundown on the qualities of different climates.
    Coastal climates like those found in the Northwestern United States, British Columbia, Canada, Northern Coastal Europe, and the United Kingdom, etc., are cool and rainy. Annual rainfall most often exceeds 40 inches (103 liters per m 3 ) and can be as high as 100 inches (253 per m 3 )! Winter blows in early in these areas bringing a chilling rain and low light levels. The more northern zones experience shorter days and wet cold weather earlier than the southern zones. Growing outdoors here is challenging because the temperature seldom drops below freezing, which contributes to larger insect populations. Some of these cold coastal rainforests are packed with lush but invasive foliage and fungal growth brought on by the cold and damp.
    Clay soil with a low pH is common in moist coastal zones. See “Soil” on the next page for more information.
Start Clones or Seedlings Indoors
    Get a jump on the season by starting clones and seedlings under lights indoors. Move small containerized plants into heated greenhouses to start hardening-off. Transplant to a backyard or secure guerilla patch once they have become hardened-off and are more resistant to environmental stress.
    Beat the cold; start seedlings and cuttings indoors and move them into a heated greenhouse in March or April. A 400-watt HP sodium lamp on a timer can augment the less-intense natural light of early spring. Seedlings and clones will need at least 14 hours of artificial and natural light per day until plants are transplanted outdoors.
    Alpine mountain climates are cold much of the year. Freezing temperatures, mineral-heavy acidic soil, and wind top the list of grower concerns.
    Summer temperatures in the mountains can dip to 30°F (-1°C) or lower in the summer, at as low as 2000 feet (610 m) elevation. Temperatures below 50°F (10°C) virtually stop growth, and temperatures below 40°F (5°C) can cause foliage tissue damage in many strains. Low temperatures cause stress in plants and a reduction in harvest weight. On the other hand, plants in high alpine climates tend to produce more resin and 10-20 percent more THC than those in lower