Some of the most important variables the organic hemp farmer can record and analyze are weather patterns impacting the growing area.
Weather patterns are often predictive of pest outbreaks. Droughts, floods, excess heat or cold, humidity levels, solar radiation, geomagnetism and barometric pressure fluctuations can trigger pest population explosions and also initiate certain pest activities.
Temperature changes, such as prolonged heat waves may cause insects to become much more active. Insects are cold-blooded (poikilotherms) organisms, meaning their body temperatures fluctuate with outside temperature variations and heat is not generated internally through biological processes. Prolonged heat waves can fuel insect activity due to increased body temperatures.
Some have estimated that for each two degrees Fahrenheit rise in temperatures over normal ranges, pest insects may inflict ten to twenty percent more damage as their metabolism and body temperatures increase. These observations suggest climate change could have serious impacts on hemp organic integrated pest management as well as for other agriculture product pest management systems.
Droughts too may trigger prolonged insect feeding activities as bugs search for water sources within plant buds, stems and leaves. During droughts, hemp and cannabis pest insects may be driven to eat plant matter in search of moisture. Regular precipitation measurements may provide the hemp farmer with patterns that help predict pest activity.
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| Organic Hemp Pest Control, Ambient Weather wifi enabled rain gauge |
Climate and weather patterns can also be helpful in determining which beneficial insects, or pest predators are most productive in an organic pest control role under certain climate conditions. Abnormal weather patterns such as drought, extreme temperatures, winds and humidity levels may actually work against beneficial insects and favor hemp pests.
There are many low cost, reliable weather stations available today that monitor, record and summarize growing area weather variables. Ambient Weather, La Crosse Technology and Davis Instruments are a few of more popular retail available weather instruments.
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| Organic Hemp Cultivation, IPM methods, Ambient Weather Station |
I use an Ambient Weather ultrasonic unit that measures temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, barometric pressure, sunrise and sunset hours and other important ecosystem geophysical variables. The Ambient Weather station was inexpensive, easy to set up and summarizes weather trends over time.
Most of the small personal weather stations also provide the capabilities to connect to the internet, allowing for participation in crowd sourced weather data sites.
Weather and climate data are an important but small part of a hemp cultivation site's ecosystem variable population.
Our agrarian ancestors understood the importance of understanding weather patterns. Their food growing efforts depended on weather systems knowledge. They watched and listened to the clouds, birds, animals and other tell-tale signs of impending climatic events.
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| Organic Hemp Pest Control, Ambient Weather data display |
Today, the hemp farmer must also be able to comprehend meteorological impacts on crops. A daily log of cultivation site weather data provides so much important information.
A thorough understanding of geophysical weather variables driving much of the hemp farm's growing parameters will support successful organic cultivation efforts.
The successful hemp cultivator will use all available organic-based integrated pest management tools. Weather recording systems are a critical part of any organic IPM program on hemp farms.
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