For most cannabis enthusiasts, October represents more than cool temperatures and the start of fall. It also starts weed harvest season, known as Croptober! This is the time of the year where outdoor farmers from across North America harvest their sun-grown bud and begin to prepare it for the cannabis market to enjoy.
What is Croptober?
The month of October is a time when most outdoor cannabis in the Northern Hemisphere have reached their peak production and maturity for harvest. While there are certain strains that tend to flower earlier in September or later in November, Weedmaps estimates that about 80% to 85% of cannabis varietals are ready to harvest during the traditional October cycle.
After months of preparation and care over their cannabis fields, outdoor cultivators will be spending most of their time cutting, drying, curing, and trimming their fresh harvest. Soon after, an amount of cannabis from outdoor grows makes its way onto retail and delivery menus, where consumers eventually get to reap the benefits of Croptober, too.
What does Croptober mean for cultivators?
This essential time of year for outdoor cannabis farmers as it is the time of year when all of their hard work pays off and they reap the rewards. For these guys, it is the only harvest they have until the season rolls around the following year. But when it comes to cannabis, it’s not harvested and put on the market immediately. Once harvested, cannabis is ready to be dried, cured, and processed. During these processes the buds are often stored in smell-proof bags or jars to help cure the plant. Outdoor farmers work long hours trimming, testing, manufacturing, and packaging their products to share the goodness of sustainable, outdoor cannabis.
Outdoor cultivars face their fair share of challenges. Because it is outdoor, there is a wide range of potential weather-related issues like mold wreaking their plants. Therefore, most smart cultivators grow a variety of strains to be ready to harvest at different times during Croptober Fortunately, technology is improving year after year, and agricultural crop covering systems can help protect the crop from damage.
What does Croptober mean for consumers?
Although Croptober may seem to have the most impact on cultivators, consumers benefit during this time as they can purchase high-grade cannabis flower at a lower price. After harvesting is completed during October, retailers will soon be stocked to the brim with fresh, sun-grown cannabis come November and December.
Croptober is becoming more known to consumers due to the higher abundance of discounts on cannabis at dispensaries. This can even impact indoor growers, as the relative demand for cannabis falls with the massive flood of outdoor grown flower that saturates the market in the weeks and months after harvesting season. So keep your eyes pealed for Croptober deals! They are just around the corner.
Sources:
https://weedmaps.com/news/2019/10/what-is-croptober/
https://www.mmjdaily.com/article/9364866/what-does-croptober-mean-for-growers/
