Harvest map 2003

The Netherlands

Temperate arid weather dominated the marijuana-growing season in the Netherlands. The warmer drier weather was a stark contrast from the cool cloudy wet growing season last year. The unseasonably warm dry weather excites growers and perplexes others who know global warming is changing the climates for the worse.

The good news is: global warming has extended the growing season in all of the Netherlands. A short 10 years ago, outdoor crops had a shorter season. This year, the season starts two weeks earlier and lasts two weeks longer. At the 52nd parallel that bisects Holland, most plants start blooming in late August to early September and finish before the end of October. Imagine harvesting outdoor plants in Calgary, Canada, which is at the same latitude, in October!

A perfect year for growing, the hottest days seldom crest above 80 degrees F. in the coastal marine climate of Amsterdam north to Groningen and south to Rotterdam. Inland areas experienced slightly warmer temperatures. Nighttime temperatures also remained unseasonably warm.

‘Schimmel’, Dutch for mold, was not as bad this year as years past. Less rainfall and humidity saved countless buds from a fatal fungus finally. Early maturing varieties fared best. Greenhouse crops were predictably small but hefty. Selling cannabis is legal, but growing is not. Insect problems were also minimal outdoors, but greenhouse crops had problems with infestations of spider mites and whiteflies.

Right wing politics have also changed the free-toking climate of the past. A new ban on smoking in all public places had coffeeshop owners worried. But as Henk, owner of Dutch Passion Seeds says, “the soup is served hotter than it is eaten.” Grandstanding politicians passed the smoking ban but police do not have the resources to enforce it!

Spain

More marijuana was planted in Spain in 2003 than in 2002. Walk down any street in any city in Spain, look up and you will see marijuana plants on balconies. Rural gardens are also more plentiful and prolific, especially in the Basque Country. Spaniards are starting to smoke marijuana almost as often as Moroccan hash. The quality of growing and buds has also taken a leap forward this year.

In Spain the home is sacred, a safe refuge for extended families. In this safe atmosphere, parents and grandparents often take care of marijuana planted by children and grandchildren. Fall remained warm and sunny which made for a bumper crop. Sativa/indica crosses and pure sativas led the pack. Good marijuana is still hard to find for anyone that does not know a grower.

A heat wave gripped Southern Europe from late spring through summer. The Iberian Peninsula where Spain and Portugal are located is surrounded by water on three sides and the northern Pyrenees Mountains forms the border with France and Andorra. Marine influences held coastal temperatures a little lower than inland. Spain was hit especially hard with temperatures in excess of 90 degrees F. in much of the country for four consecutive months. Southern and central regions saw months of 100+ degree-days.

A grower had 12 large plants on his rooftop patio that is in the landing flight path of the local police heliport. Once the police circled about 100 feet above. He harvested the garden without incident. But, do not let this fool you. Large scale growing in Spain is illegal. Growing and consumption of cannabis has caught the eye of the right wing politicos. They are using it as an election issue and want to outlaw seeds and follow a similar path as the US. Possible fireworks in the future!

Switzerland

Political climate change that triggered a heat wave of law and order were the weather fronts that dominated this year’s Swiss crop. After the dust settled from the Gestapo-like tornado, more than 100 growers had been arrested and jailed, and gardens destroyed. This year’s harvest was a fraction of years past, but with little exported, a hefty supply remains in Switzerland. A wave of conservatism brought on by torment from outside countries: mainly France, Italy and the USA curtailed the harvest in no uncertain terms.

Landlocked, autonomous and rich, the Swiss, with the biggest army per capita in the world, have remained neutral in wars for two centuries, until now. They now participate in the War on Drugs. Compliance with the war started last year when six big clone producers were shut down and big growers including Roger Botlang, publisher of Hanf (Hemp) Magazine, had their business records, growing equipment and plants confiscated and remain in prison.

Geographic isolation led Switzerland to have four official languages: German, French, Italian and Romesh. Political autonomy developed among the self-sufficient Swiss and they divided their country into 25 cantons (like states) with independent governments. Laws on cannabis often differ substantially among cantons, which benefited growers. The politicians now have four national plans for marijuana cultivation and consumption. The outcome is hotly debated in this election year and could legalize it or not. Meantime growers are smaller both indoors and out, and have moved underground. Marijuana outlets are no longer public and have moved to a friend-to-friend movement. Prices have gone from $2,700 per key (2.2 pounds) to beyond $5,000. Grow stores report

Warmer than normal weather helped small-scale backyard and indoor growers harvest heavy this year. Bud mold was still somewhat of a problem, but growers made any affected buds into hashish.

Canada

A heat wave hammered western Canada this growing season. Temperatures were warmer in the entire Lower Mainland where Vansterdam is located and areas with no marine influence really cooked. Temperatures rose beyond 100 F for extended periods. Spring was wet as usual, but the summer brought less rain and fewer cloudy days. The sum of the weather and progressive political climate sent this year’s crop soaring toward the sunshine.

Eastern Canada from Windsor (north of Detroit) to Quebec had warm relatively dry weather perfect for harvesting huge. Relaxed and confused laws stripped the fear factor from growers.

Growing is commonplace indoors and outdoors too. Under funded, under staffed and with little political support, police raids on growers in British Columbia’s were minimal. ‘Official’ estimates state more than 25,000 grow rooms in the Lower Mainland, one for every 150 residents. In contrast the US has one inmate in prison for every 143 residents!

Simple, easy-to-construct hoop greenhouse tunnels are cropping up in rural locales everywhere. The hoop house is ‘blacked out’ after 12 hours of light to trigger flowering. The first crop of clones is planted directly in the ground the first week in March and harvested in mid May. The second clone crop is planted in May and harvested the first week of August. The third crop is planted the first of August and harvested before the end of October.

US border security slows shipments south and has caused a glut of BC bud. Prices fell from $2200 USD per pound of ‘Kind’ to $1500. Indica varieties like the local clone ‘Jamaican Bud’ and ‘LUI’ are very popular this year. Other old standards like ‘Mighty Mite’ and ‘Northern Lights’ crosses are still popular.

Many outdoor growers harvest on the full moon, September 10, October 10, or November 9.