Maximum Yield Cannabis USA March/April 2019 | Page 38

“Proper airflow is essential
to a successful grow.”
There are a few ways that a rookie grower can ensure they are
properly watering their cannabis plants. The most traditional and
low-tech way is to simply pick up a pot and feel its weight. Over
time, one gains an understanding of what the pot feels like when
the plants require water. Also, many cannabis growers use mois-
ture meters, which can be purchased at most garden centers. These
devices give accurate readings of water retention levels within
the root zone. Finally, for the tech-savvy grower, there are several
options on the market for high-tech, individualized soil sensors that
give real-time digital readings of water levels at the root zone.
3
Airflow, Temperature, and Humidity
Money
Can GROW
ON TREES
This never-done-before book titled Design
and Build a Room to Grow, by a veteran
grower with decades of construction, electrical
and automation experience, provides step-by-
step instructions for designing, building, and
effectively operating a growroom.
Included are project photographs, cost
summaries, worksheets, diagrams, and
narratives to ensure that nothing is overlooked.
Learn more at roomtogrowav.com
38
Maximum Yield
Proper airflow is essential to a successful grow. When developed
correctly, it can help alleviate most issues relating to temperature
and humidity. Indoor and greenhouse cultivators have much larger
concerns with airflow than their counterparts in outdoor horticul-
ture. As full-sun gardens are at the mercy of Mother Nature, the best
advice an outdoor cultivator can get regarding airflow is to not plant
a garden in a cold, shady, and damp area.
It’s important to remember cannabis plants thrive in dry climates.
A common mistake with newbie indoor and greenhouse growing
is to not consider airflow at all. Without proper air exchange,
gardens are plagued with countless problems that all stem from
excesses of heat and
humidity. For starters,
the essential growth
functions of cannabis
plants are retarded
when temperatures
reach 90°F indoors.
Also, excessively humid
ambient conditions in a
greenhouse or growroom
cause plants to absorb
water from the air and
not utilize the nutrient-
rich water at their root
zone. Finally, heat and
humidity open the door
to the proliferation of a
plethora of pathogens
and bugs including
botrytis, powdery mildew,
and spider mites. To
avoid these problems,
controlled environment
growers should strive
to keep humidity levels
below 50 per cent.
Available at Barnes & Noble and Amazon