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Why does weed not grow naturally in areas with sub zero temps if seeds can be frozen?

The Boys

Member
i recently read that cannabis seeds stay viable the longest if frozen, i previosly thought (and might have read) that seeds cant survive sub zero temps and thats why they dont naturally occur in areas that experience sub zero temps. so what is it that cannabis doesnt naturally grow in areas that have temps that reach below zero ? or does it ?
 

Stoner4Life

Medicinal Advocate
ICMag Donor
Veteran
i previosly thought (and might have read) that seeds cant survive sub zero temps and thats why they dont naturally occur in areas that experience sub zero temps.

whoever told you that or wherever you read that is pure bullshit.


cannabis ruderalis (lowriders) have adjusted and acclimated themselves over time to not only grow in cold climate regions but to also go from seed to flower w/in 60 days to assure a complete grow cycle during the abbreviated grow season.

 
H

h^2 O

yeah you can keep seeds frozen for decades and still use them.

you can grow in that climate but you can't breed anything because the balls freeze and fall off all the males

na just kidding, idk good question, has to do with it's genetics and origin, the cellulose isnit hardy or thick enough to prevent cell damage. Could possibly breed your own cold climate strain, it might be doable. They would have VERY thick leaves and stems
 

Growcephus

Member
Veteran
3 words.

Stoned....Polar....Bears.

polar-bear-tripod.jpg


Is there ANYTHING more terrifying than a polar bear with the munchies?

I think not.
 

igrowone

Well-known member
Veteran
cannabis grows in many places where the ground freezes, midwest has frozen ground and that ditch weed is all over
there's some wild hemp patches in NY, and believe me, we get frozen ground, except for last winter which was a wierd winter
 

skullznroses

that aint nothing but 10 cent lovin
Veteran
Just give her time, we'll be on the moon looking down someday, looking down high.

Its a slow process evolution, and perhaps it used to grow their but the govmnt cancelled it through a strenuous search and destroy process.
 

lost in a sea

Lifer
Veteran
cannabis seeds dont contain very high amounts of water and have a hard well sealed shell,, that puts them in the category of seeds that can be the best and longest stored in very cold conditions if kept well sealed and nice and dry with silica pads or substitute..

the humidity is more important than temperature because fluctuations in that do the greatest damage to cells..

some tropical plants, whose anticedents have never left the equatorial area, seeds have loads of moisture and basically sprout straight away after coming out of the fruit and they generally cant be stored for longer than 6 months by any means, and cold will kill em..
 

GMT

The Tri Guy
Veteran
The way I read the Q, wasn't "can they grow in sub zero conditions" but rather do they grow in areas that reach sub zero temps. Clearly they wont grow where it gets to sub zero during the growing season, but providing they finish a cycle before it happens, then that area can be populated, and its only the popularity of them and the govt. control of their population that prevents them being everywhere naturally.
 

GMT

The Tri Guy
Veteran
on a side note though, it would be interesting to know why the moisture in the cells doesn't expand when it freezes and burst the cell walls. This is the main problem with cryogenics, the cell walls burst when the temp of the cells reaches sub zero.
 

offthehook

Well-known member
Veteran
Here at 65n, Dieselryders manage to survive all by it'self.

That's close to where Santa lives, ^^ 'and with no year passing by without the regular minus 30C
 

igrowone

Well-known member
Veteran
on a side note though, it would be interesting to know why the moisture in the cells doesn't expand when it freezes and burst the cell walls. This is the main problem with cryogenics, the cell walls burst when the temp of the cells reaches sub zero.

interesting thought, applies to a bunch of seeds that survive the freeze cycle
certain arctic animals literally have antifreeze in their veins, though seeds would likely be something different
some exotic sugar molecules come to mind
 

lost in a sea

Lifer
Veteran
its a similar concept since antifreeze chemicals affects how the water crystals form within the cell

its all about the size of the water ice crystals(smaller the less damaging) and/or how the seeds cells chemistry tolerates freezing,, and loads of other factors.. the specifics are different for every kind of seed tbh,,

most plants have at different times been selected for a certain amount of frost hardyness,, many of them store phytochemicals such as tannins or anthocyanins etc etc for example in their seeds that delay the seeds germination which is why cold stratification increases germination rates in alot of plants,, gibberelins wash them out as well but naturally successive harsh winters would be needed before the plant experiences an ideal spring climate and germs,,

ganja seeds definitely need 2-3 months cold stratification imo before sprouting and especially before sale because otherwise people dont know how old they are and get shit germ %..
 

idiit

Active member
Veteran
i grew out some mazar i shariff a few years ago that survived 16 degree f temps and looked sparky.
 

siftedunity

cant re Member
Veteran
im pretty sure most seeds can survive freezing. they have a seed bank at kew gardens where they have a genetic library of seeds from all over the world. I know most if not all are frozen.
you got to remember that hot places can drop below freezing at night, even deserts. so it makes sense for seeds to have evolved this way.
 

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