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If you are a grower, then you know how harsh the elements can be both inside and outside.
While indoor growers can stay away from unpredictable weather, hostile climate and pesky animal issues, there are several considerations to make sure you are handling the elements when growing indoors.
Some of the elements you can control in an indoor grow include light, temperature, humidity and air flow.
Light
One of the main advantages to growing indoors is that you know that you will have light when you want it and where you need it. Not only can you decide the time and duration your plants will be under light, but you can also choose the spectrum of the light which can cause a lot of variations in your harvest.
Keep in mind that different stages of plant growth respond differently to different light sources. This mean you might want to change your light source at the various growth stages, such as for vegetation and for flowering cycles.
Of all the elements you need to control for superior indoor growing, adequate lighting is by far the most important.
Temperature
The ability to regulate the temperature of your indoor growing area is another advantage, yet it’s quite frequently overlooked as an important element to control. The ideal temperature range depends on the plant you are growing. That can be a difficult temperature to maintain when you are using High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps like Metal Halide and High Pressure Sodium (HPS).
Most HID grow lights, which are still the most popular type, put off an incredible amount of heat. Your grow area will have to be well ventilated or even air conditioned to get the best results. It is best to follow the installation instructions that come with each fixture to make sure you provide adequate ventilation to insure proper lamp performance.
Humidity
Plants love water and moisture and use the leaves as well as the roots to absorb it. This means you need to keep your grow room much more humid than the rest of the house normally would be.
Too much humidity is not good for plants either. High humidity can lead to fungus and disease.
Air Flow
An often overlooked part of growing is making sure the air in the grow area is moving. Make sure you have adequate ventilation so that your plants always have enough CO2 to thrive and produce the best crop for you.
By regularly extracting stale air away from the growing area and replacing it with a completely fresh supply, you improve your ability to overcome issues such as high temperatures, high humidity levels and bug infestations. It also cuts down on fungal issues and mold.
Keep it Consistent
Once you set up your growing environment, it’s very important to maintain consistency for your plants. Sudden changes in temperature, humidity, and airflow can cause problems. Tools such as a digital thermometer and hygrometer can help you keep track of your growing environment and alert you if there are any unexpected differences.
The more you keep these elements in control, the more control you will have over the quality of the plants you are growing.
