Unprecedented heat this summer across the Northwest United States continues to damage crops and reduce expected yields. According to Green Matters, many farmers across industries expect half of what they tend to produce every year in yield size. This includes wheat crops, safflower seeds, fruits and vegetables, among others. According to a study performed by the University of Colorado Boulder, heat waves will contribute to roughly ten times more crop damage than is currently projected as we progress through this century.
Effects on Plant Survival
High heat also leads to drought, which obviously keeps crops from getting the hydration they need. Yet it also spurs weed growth, bringing more insect and pest activity farmers have to contend with. For cannabis plants in particular, the high heat can make plants droop and wilt, sometimes even stopping trichome production altogether.
Effects on Harvesting
Hot temperatures like those we have seen in the Northwest United States affect many aspects of farming, not just the direct effects on the plants themselves. The unbearable heat makes it difficult to harvest crops. Farmers have started to harvest during the early morning hours and in the evening. But even at night, some areas don’t see temperatures drop past 90 degrees. Farm owners have taken to using canopies to offer shade for their plants and their workers. Farmers have even experienced the belts on their machinery melt in the severe heat.
Beating the Heat
Farmers have taken to shading their plants with large canopies and shade cloths to prevent ultraviolet light damage. According to MJ Biz Daily, hemp and cannabis farmers suggest not planting or transplanting outside when temperatures are over 100 degrees. Some farms have shifted their crops to greenhouses with some using plant genetics as a way to determine which breeds of cannabis can withstand high temperatures.
The Powerful Role of Silica on Hemp and Cannabis Growth
The mineral compound, silica, is composed of oxygen and silicon, and is found in many products used today, including rubber, paint and glass. It is also a trace mineral found in the human body that aids in the growth of skin, hair and nails. In terms of plant growth, silica’s results can be remarkable. When used as a fertilizer, its resistance to environmental stressors like heat and drought, as well as its ability to strengthen and lengthen stems and flower diameter, and speed up plant growth, can provide farmers another way to combat the negative effects of high temperatures.
Hemp Performance Technologies, Inc understands the powerful role silica can plan in the growth of your hemp and cannabis plants. We offer products that feature silica along with crucial nutrients that help your crops thrive in extreme conditions.
Canna Thrive
CANNA THRIVE is a patented Calcium, Magnesium and Iron blend, with soluble bioavailable Silica! For years, Hemp Performance Technologies, Inc has seen first-hand how silica aids heat and drought resilience with dramatic results. The company has focused years of research and development to formulate a silica product with the highest plant uptake, while remaining soluble in solution. From that research, a proprietary mono silicic acid blend was developed and has outperformed everything else currently on the market.
Cal Si Mag
Cal-Si-Mag is the original Canna Thrive blended in solution with a proprietary food grade mixture of humic and fulvic acids. The patented formula increases nutrient uptake, aids in cell division, bolsters cell walls, increases chlorophyll levels, and enhances root mass.The Love Trees liquid line of ready to use compost teas focuses on simplifying cannabis feeding schedules, combining products into less bottles. It is exactly what you get with Cal-Si-Mag with Iron, consolidating four products into one! Cal-Si-Mag minimizes calcium and magnesium deficiencies while allowing maximum heat stress and drought resilience.
Sources:
https://www.greenmatters.com/p/how-does-heat-wave-affect-crops
https://www.opb.org/article/2021/06/24/northwest-farmers-heat-wave-washington-weather/
https://www.greenhousemag.com/article/gmpro-0610-silicon-plant-growth/