Maximum Yield USA December 2016 | Page 96

SEASONAL GROW TIPS H ow cold is too cold in a growroom? Well, if it's too cold for human comfort, it's too cold for plants. That is the best rule of thumb, as most plants thrive close to room temperature. For example, humans tend to be quite uncomfortable below 60°F or above 85°F, and so do plants. For us to really sit in comfort, air needs to be somewhere between 67°F and 74°F, and most plants thrive within the same settings. If it gets extremely cold outside where you live, it may be necessary to completely close the airflow off from the outer areas until temperatures come up above freezing. When it is not possible to buffer the air coming in, it is best to close off external air completely. Here are some other tips and tricks for keeping things warm this season while battling heating costs at the same time. Disperse Heat from the Growroom to Other Areas With some planning, indoor growers can easily utilize the heat created from their growroom to heat other areas of the building. Grow lights run on hundreds or thousands of watts and thus create an equal amount of heat. Think of a 1,000W light as a 1,000W heater. Energy in equals heat out and most of that heat 94 Maximum Yield USA  |  December 2016 will end up leaving the growroom. Why not capture it and utilize it? After all, that energy is a fixed cost. Use inline duct or can-style fans flexible ducting equipment to guide the air where it is needed. This can be in the crawl space, in between floors, or simply from one room to another. In the summer, growers typically pump the heat out windows, but in winter, it can easily be used to increase the overall efficiency of the building's heating system. IF IT GETS EXTREMELY COLD OUTSIDE WHERE YOU LIVE, it may be necessary to completely close the airflow off from the outer areas until temperatures come up above freezing."