By Jasper Shotts and Donald K. Wilson
Oklahoma legalized cannabis in 2018 for medical use, becoming the 30th state to do so with the passing of state question 788. You must be licensed in the state of Oklahoma and information on that can be found at https://omma.ok.gov/. The passage of state question 788 in Oklahoma allows for the possession of up to 3 ounces on their person, 8 ounces at their residence, one ounce of concentrate and 72 ounces of edible cannabis. It also regulates the cultivation of cannabis, allowing 6 mature (flowering) and 6 seedling (vegetative) plants; providing that they cannot be seen from the street. Growing in Oklahoma is going to provide a unique set of challenges due to the combination of hot weather, turbulent wind storms, humid environment and insects. These challenges are easy enough to overcome, especially with some foresight.
The very first thing is to check with your local laws in addition to the state laws that you must abide by. The hot weather, breaking 100 degrees can be tough on cannabis, so go with a strain that has heat tolerance, look at where the strain originates. Strains from Hawaii, Africa or other tropical regions will likely do well in the hot environment that Oklahoma has to offer. Strains from these regions are likely to be mold resistant, which is important when high humidity abounds. Preventative maintenance with any gardening or growing should be standard practice as a single mold issue can ruin an entire crop well before harvest, and once mold has taken hold it is very hard to clear it out as a single spore can begin the cycle again.
Insects that attack cannabis are abundant in Oklahoma. Spider mites, aphids, fungus gnats and caterpillars can spell disaster. In addition, harsh pesticides that remain in the product cannot be used so organic methods are preferred. These methods include the introduction of predatory insects; ladybugs and praying mantis top the list for insect control for outdoor crops. More can be found Beneficial Bugs for the Cannabis and Hemp Industry, and Growers.
Mother nature devastates crops every year with the season of turbulent wind. Huge gusts of wind can snap a cannabis plant quickly, especially one supporting giant cola nugs. The easiest way to prevent this is with a trellis system that supports the plant. Tomato cages are a good start to a trellis and can support smaller plants. If you have big plants, or plan to, PVC pipe is a good consideration like in the video here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqgMbHDH4G0. PVC is nice because there are no splinters when working with it, it reflects light and breaks down to store easily during the winter season.
With all of this said, many are looking forward to seeing the amazing contribution Oklahoma will make to the cannabis industry. The state has a long history of hard work and agriculture which will likely combine to make some high quality grows in the future.
Article produced by Green Magi Labs