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It’s been a tough spring here in Eastern Missouri. The weather is involved, as always, and then there is grower error and neglect. It’s a learning process, and fortunately we are not dependent on our garden for income or nutrition at this time, though we are trying to get what we can from it. It will be nice to be a little productive, in any case.
We’ll get to our garden, but first, let’s admire the cannabis flower and plant on this 4/20/2024.
Let’s start with sex. Flowering plants have specialized organs for sex called flowers. Gender is complicated, especially when we consider compatibility with oneself and/or others. Still, it’s easy to label as male those plant organs that make and spread pollen (stamens), and female those with ovaries and pollen receptors (pistils). Many plants produce flowers with both types of organs in single flowers.
Cannabis produces separate flowers for stamens and pistils, and individual cannabis plants are typically male (stamenate) or female (pistilate), mostly. Female cannabis flowers develop complex structures presumably to protect and nourish fertilized zygotes. This is where impactful quantities of cannabinoids and other terpenes with a variety of pharmacological and psychoactive effects on humans are predominantly produced. The only compound with time to note here is tetrahydocannibinol (THC), which not only contributes to getting high, but also may be effective for treatment of multiple sclerosis and neurological disorders.
There are numerous sources available for excellent cannabis flower anatomy graphics. This blog is already too long to say more than cannabis flowers are fascinating. Respect for image right holders prevents posting most illustrations here. I did find a nice images posted in open access science journals. Here are a few cannabis flower development images from interesting research articles where the subject is studied in great detail.
Cannabis and hemp are the same plant species. Differences arise among varieties and propagation conditions. People have figured out many uses for this plant species. More remain to be uncovered with some chemistry and engineering. Selling dry flowers for hundreds of dollars per ounce must be generating waste and revenue for research. Ten years ago, I wrote a proposal to explore potential uses of cannabis/hemp for Missouri growers and regulators. I am happy to share a copy with those who request it.
Back in our garden, there is no cannabis. I tried once and found out that I can live at home with my spouse, or I can grow cannabis, but I can’t do both. The wisdom of my choosing the dear spouse can be debated in the comments. At any rate, I get my cannabis from dispensaries where we support state and local municipalities through the ~25% tax rates.
We do try to grow various vegetables and flowers on our tree shaded lot.
The big oak in the yard is flowering very nicely since mid-April, the historic time of last spring freezing around here. It seems to be getting enough water, with some assistance from our watering the garden with municipal water.
Below the oak’s branches, it has been warm and dry.
How warm and dry?
Using precipitation data from weather.gov and record data from NOAA.gov for St. Louis County, MO, I can state the following, with my tables available upon request and time for me to post them.
In the 27 months from January, 2022 through March, 2024, 9 were wetter than the 12 year average in 2011-2022. OTOH, 18 of the 27 months were drier than the 12 year average. Annual precipitation in 2023 was 23% below the 12 year average. Annual precipitation in 2022 was 13% above average, but if you subtract one record 12 inch July rain, then 2022 was 28% drier than the 12 year average.
2024 started brutal, with nearly 84% and 48% precipitation deficits for February and March, respectively, in comparison with the averages from 2011-2022.
During those same two months of February and March of 2024, 19 record high temperatures were recorded on 13 dates across St. Louis County weather stations. Three record low temperatures were recorded on two dates in those two months.
So, it was hot and dry, and when it did rain, it got cold. Two of our record low days were freezes on February 29 and March 28, spaced out just right to disrupt unprotected germination and temperature sensitive growth.
I am happy with my garden set up. The tunnels and drip irrigation are great. If used properly, then they may have helped prevent losses. Alas, I traveled. As reported in the SMGB, we had wonderful trips to Britain and eclipse camping in March and April. Between the trips, preparation, and all of our other responsibilities, irrigation was insufficient, and I removed tunnels for at least one freezing night. Plus, trays I had germinating indoors failed to survive the transition to outdoor planting.
The losses have been great. Spinach, lettuce and kale varieties sprouted in soil, but died in the dryness. Trays of germinating tomato, calendula and bee balm were lost. Our few rosemary plants succumbed to drought in a raised bed.
On the bright side, fall garlic is thriving, while chives, dill and thyme overwintered well too. A variety of kale and arugula survived spring planting. We have been having them in fresh salads. Potatoes survived planting in soil, but growth has been stunted. Spring bulbs sprouted and flowered, but appeared a bit withered as well.
Even better is that it is still early. April has brought some rain. We’re planting more spinach and lettuce, again. This time, they’ll take, I’m sure. We started to plant summer crops, including carrots, radish, basil, and snap peas. In May, we’ll plant later summer crops, such as corn, tomato transplants, squash, pumpkin, bell peppers, spicy peppers, cucumbers, and I’m hoping to grow some edamame soybean. We’re hoping for a chance to plant fall greens and winter veggies later in the year.
My experience in the garden this spring has reinforced my respect for the farmers, gardeners and marketers doing whatever they can to get us food and earn a living wage in the process. With our climate forcing, these last two years look like we are turning Missouri into Texas, and Minnesota into Missouri, but with added extremes from both ends of the latitude range, and then some.
I hope you are getting through Spring well, including recent turbulent weather.
That is where we are in our garden. Thanks for checking it out. Please tell us about how your garden, cannabis, and other stuff in the comments.