Plants like cannabis need to have a certain level of temperature to function properly. Temperature plays a huge role in a plant’s life in which dictates the rate of photosynthesis. While it is an important aspect of a plant’s life, it cannot produce its heat, unlike animals and humans. This is why growers should know and understand the importance of cannabis temperature during cultivation and how it can affect the overall quality of your plants.
Importance of Cannabis Temperature As A Grower
During the process of photosynthesis, the plants will need to reach a certain level of temperature so the distribution of sugar would continue to flow. Low temperatures will often have these sugars stuck within a certain area of the plant and your crops will begin to suffer. Cannabis temperature is an important factor as it allows the plant to function properly. The low temperature will stunt the overall growth of the plant and you end up having low-quality results in the end.
Another reason why maintaining the right temperature is key to the success of your cop is to avoid issues such as spider mites, mildew formation, wilting, and nutrient burn. These incidents are more prevalent if the area is also humid.
How Cannabis Temperature Affects Overall Growth
Speaking of cannabis temperature, growing them at a certain temperature level can have a different effect on the plant’s overall growth. Temperatures below 15C or 60F tend to slow down the growth of the plant. The cold temperature would immediately kill the plant. However, certain cannabis strains thrive well in colder temperature but they often provide less yield than the ones that are grown at suitable temperatures.
Colder temperature also induces mold formation especially when the area is damp. When frost starts to melt in colder areas, unnecessary water begins to form around the plant. This is the perfect condition where molds begin to grow. One visible sign that your cannabis plant is reacting negatively to the cold temperature is when it starts to droop down.
Another reason why cold temperatures can harm your plant is that it can lead to over-purpling of the leaves. The shades of purple in your cannabis leaves do bring a certain level of aesthetics to the plant. However, beauty can only last long since too much purpling can lead to reduced photosynthesis. This can lead to stunted growth.
A plant that is left in colder areas will have lesser chances of growing to its full size than those that are grown under controlled cannabis temperature. Cannabis plants that are grown indoors are far more vulnerable to cold than those that are grown outside.
High temperatures also affect cannabis plants. When the temperature is too hot, it causes the plant to grow even more slowly than before. Temperatures beyond 80F or 26C will begin to slow down the growth of the plant and will cause the buds to loosen up. High temperatures can also reduce the potency and aroma of the buds as well as issues like root rot, wilting, and oxygen deprivation.
While other cannabis strains thrive in higher temperatures, it is best to monitor the development of the buds. Regular checkups of the quality of the buds will help determine whether your entire crop has been affected by such a change in temperature.
Temperature and Humidity
Temperature and humidity all play a major role in the development of cannabis plants. These factors are closely related to each other and can even resolve issues by fixing one with the other. Humidity refers to how much water or moisture is in the air. The relative humidity is measured by the moisture in the air at a certain temperature.
The relative humidity is vital to understanding growth and its connection to the temperature of the air surrounding your plants. This is highly noticeable especially when the area becomes dry or humid. When the air is hot and dry, the plants will tend to stretch out so it can release heat and reach out to a cooler area. If the air is too cold and humid, the plants will grow slowly and are more prone to molds and other issues.
Cannabis Temperature at Different Stages
Cannabis tends to respond differently to temperatures depending on the different stages of their life. Growers will need to ensure that the plants get the best temperature within their specific growing stage to promote proper development and high-quality results. These are some of the ideal temperatures for every stage of a plant’s life:
1. Vegetative Stage
Seedlings tend to grow fast at this stage. This is why a slightly warmer temperature ranging from 70 to 80F or 20 to 30C with very low humidity is applicable at this stage. Giving the plants a cooler temperature during the dark period should help the proper development of branches and leaves at this stage.
2. Flowering Stage
This is the most crucial part of a cannabis’ life. Growers should be hitting the 80F or 26C mark throughout the flowering stage of the plant. Keeping the temperature lower will help the plant develop high-quality buds that produce the best terpenes and cannabinoids. Exposing the plants at a slightly colder temperature at night near the end of the flowering stage will also provide an even better result. Do note that a cooler temperature does not equate to exposing your plants to cold temperatures at night.
Higher temperatures at this stage of the plant’s lifespan could mean disaster for growers. The issue here is that high temperatures will slowly evaporate the natural substances found in the buds at this stage thus lowering the quality of your overall yield.
How Grow Lights Affect Cannabis Temperature
Grow lights are an important tool for proper cultivation especially within an indoor setup. However, this will also affect the overall temperature of the grow room and can even pose a concern for the plants as they tend to emit high amounts of heat when they are turned on. This is the reason why choosing the right grow light is key to the overall success of your production.
CFL grow lights are very common and are often purchased in your local general merchandise store. They emit low heat and are great for smaller grow rooms. If you plan on having bigger yields or a bigger grow room, you can purchase more CFL grow lights but it will begin to increase the temperature within the room.
HID grow lights are composed of High-Pressure Sodium, Metal Halide, and many other types. These grow lights tend to use a lot of electricity thus generate a lot of heat as well. While HID grows lights are more likely to consume the same amount of heat that is equal to the number of CFL grow lights. However, with HID, you get more coverage and most HID grow lights have a built-in cooling system.
In the end, getting the right grow light depends on the area of your grow room. Those who have a smaller grow room should be looking to get CFL grow lights while those with larger areas should get HID grow lights. This way, you limit the amount of heat produced by these grow lights which could ultimately dictate the growth of your cannabis plants.
Things To Do To Control Cannabis Temperature
Managing the temperature within a certain area is a tough balancing act. It is a very tricky process that requires certain finesse and understanding of what is happening within the grow room. Those who struggle with controlling the temperature will need to do the following:
1. If the area begins to feel hot, make sure that you have a good exhaust fan to pull the hot air from the area and into the area outside. This should normally fix any issues regarding warmer temperatures within your grow room.
2. Improve air circulation by installing fans in key areas of the grow room. Poor air circulation would lead to hot spots that damage the plants in that area. Fans should be pointed away from the plant and avoid facing it directly to the plants especially to the stems where the plants could start swaying. This may lead to breakage. It is much better to point the fan directly to a wall and allow the air to bounce from the wall and into the plants.
3. Grow heat-resistant strains. Choose cannabis strains that are known to withstand sudden changes in temperature to ensure that they can still grow and mature properly even with the unstable conditions within your grow room or your outdoor farm.
4. Switch your lighting schedules to turning the grow lights at night and turn them off during the day. This way, you provide a warmer temperature at night when it is normally colder and provide less heat during the day when it is the warmest.
Conclusion
Finding the right cannabis temperature is imperative as a grower if you want to produce high-quality buds in the long run. Remember that certain strains can withstand a perfect condition while others can thrive in cooler settings. Knowing how to control the temperature within a certain setup is key to the proper growth of your cannabis plants.
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