In a professional cannabis greenhouse, ventilation plays a vital role. At first consideration, air circulation might seem quite irrelevant, and may reside right at the bottom of the list of priorities for many growers when it comes to their setup. However, that will change once they realize how powerful a mere ventilation system can be for the health of their crop.
The benefits of ventilation
Airflow within the growing environment helps to mimic outdoor and natural conditions, and serves many different purposes, even helping to protect precious plants against external threats. Factors such as rain, sunlight, and nutrient-rich soils all contribute to strength, health, and growth. Another factor that helps outdoor plants reach optimal health is a good breeze. The wind serves as an external stressor that toughens up the stems of a plant.
Flowing air provides many benefits to cannabis. As with most crops; marijuana performs well and produces good yields when adequate airflow is present. It facilitates continuous gas exchange at leaf stomata. Indoor ventilation can provide the carbon dioxide needed by plants and maintain indoor carbon dioxide concentration. Breeze can promote higher yields and improve the quality of cannabis buds.
In an indoor grow room without adequate air circulation, humidity can run high. As a result, moisture accumulates on the leaves and buds, and this can be the cause for mildew and other molds to begin to proliferate. So periodic ventilation helps prevent the occurrence of pests and fungi.
Airflow provided by ventilation within the grow space helps to manage heat and humidity levels, keeping them from getting out of control and becoming detrimental to the growth of your indoor crop. This may help with faster-growing plants that ultimately provide bigger rewards at harvest time.
A lack of sufficient airflow will make your plants weaker, thinner, and they will dwindle. When there is a healthy amount of wind, the plants will sway and bend. This causes your cannabis plant to adapt by increasing growth. This growth usually produces stronger and thicker stems, with increased resistance to future stresses.
Windburn
However, you should also protect your cannabis from wind damage. Most indoor marijuana growers use fans to encourage the flow of air. This creates a cool environment that cannabis plants love. But sometimes it's too much! When there’s too much breeze, the affected marijuana leaves will start getting “wind-burned.” Too much flow or air can lead to excessive rates of transpiration such that your cannabis plant will lose more water than it can absorb. This water loss is undesirable as it can cause your plant’s leaves to shrivel, curl up, and become flaccid. Note that incredibly fast winds can cause tissue damage and give your cannabis plant leaves a shredded appearance that looks similar to a pest infestation where insects have chewed away your plant’s leaves.
There are the most common symptoms for plant windburn:
- Leaf edges appear brown and burnt
- Yellow spots on new leaves
- Leaves curling and clawing
- Plant wilting and drooping
- Twisted plant growth
- Abnormal plant growth
How to protect your cannabis plant from windburn?
- Place your fans at opposing ends of your grow tent, facing the wall so that air does not directly strike the leaves of your plant This will help to circulate air without directing a breeze at your plants.
- Using oscillating fans which provide a gentle breeze and move side to side. These provide adequate airflow without blowing for too long over a particular area.
- Adjust the wind speed to 1m/s, that is, the state of leaf fretting.
- When you're growing outdoors, placing a fence around your cannabis plant can block some wind