Growing a kratom plant is not as easy as growing a household or an outdoor potted plant. Although it grows wild in tropical countries like Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia, growing this botanical plant requires a certain precision in order for it to produce leaves with maximum potency. So, is it possible to grow one even in the harshest of winter? Let’s find out!
Growing Kratom Plants In Cold Weather
Kratom Plant Grows Best From Seeds
According to this grower, kratom plants can only grow from very fresh seeds. They may come in tiny slivers and will require a lot to grow a kratom plant. As such, it is important to get your seeds fresh from a trusted garden shop or from a reputable grower. Make sure that the garden shop or the grower has an excellent or dependable pattern of selling seeds with germination success.
How About Cuttings?
Do keep in mind kratom plants are actually a type of tree species. Cuttings from a tropical Mitragyna speciosa tree might not grow roots and could be prone to infection. Moreover, growing a kratom plant from a cutting would produce a ganglier version and may not take shape like the ones grown from seeds. If you do decide to grow a kratom tree cutting, you may need to use a powdered rooting hormone as the cutting’s soil.
Soil Requirements
For your kratom seeds to grow, you need to plant them in humus soil. This type of soil is fertile, moist, rich, and also drains well. The kratom seeds require a lot of water, so make sure the soil is hydrated but not too much. Do watch out for insects or strange fungus that could grow on top of the soil though. This is why you also need a sturdier plant that can withstand chemicals used to exterminate the fungus or insects.
Climate/Temperature
Kratom seeds surprisingly do not thrive well in full daylight first. At this early stage, kratom seeds cannot germinate or shoot out sprouts well in direct sunlight. But once you do, the real work begins. Upon reaching a seedling stage, you would need to keep the kratom plant in a controlled climate that’s not under 60 degrees Fahrenheit or 15 degrees Celsius. If the temperature drops below 50 degrees Fahrenheit or 10 degrees Celsius, your growing kratom plant could drop its initial leaves.
Once the kratom plant’s leaves are fully formed, you want the plant’s environment to have the right balance between high temperature and high humidity. In order for a young kratom plant to root, the humidity levels should also be at 90% humidity. You can either make a makeshift indoor terrarium or simply monitor the temperature if you planted the seedlings outside of your home. When watering the young kratom plant, use warm instead of cold water.
Nutrition
As mentioned before, the kratom plant will eventually develop into a sturdy tree. As such, it will consume as much water and plant meals it requires to grow into one once it passes the seedling stage. It also requires the right nutrition for the leaves to mature and more potent. In some instances, you need to introduce the following for specific purposes:
- Lime to make the soil more alkaline
- Sulfur to make it more acidic
- Epsom salt to increase nutrient absorption
Increasing Strain Strength
When growing kratom plants indoors, it is best to recreate its natural habitat to increase its strain strength. Some growers suggest introducing wind to your kratom plant to increase the leaves’ incense and Mitragynine production. If you’re growing your kratom plant indoors, you can purchase a small portable fan to emit a gentle breeze. Make sure though that the breeze does not dry up the soil.
You’d also want to look up the plant’s origins and introduce artificial light during the plant’s origins’ sun hours. You don’t need to be specific, but you can test out the sun hours to determine what time your plants respond to best. Moreover, keep the light high but close to the plants and increase the level a little bit to raise the temperature a few degrees higher.
Watch this instructional video by Phil Not Bill on how to grow a kratom plant from seeds:
Growing kratom even in the harshest of conditions is possible. By recreating the herbaceous plant’s original environment and surroundings, it can also grow during the winter season. It does require though an utmost dedication and attention to the kratom plant’s climate/temperature, soil, and nutrient requirements. You also need to watch out for fungus, insects and other elements that could reduce the plant’s potency or even risk killing it.
Know any additional tips to growing kratom plants in winter? Share them in our comments section below.
Up next: 7 Kratom Storage Tips
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