Growing Tips ►
A Plant ’ s Best Friend
by Jason Mispagel , contributing writer
Jason Mispagel is the co-owner and operator of Year-Round Garden , a grower ’ s supply center serving both home and commercial customers since 2016 . His extensive growing experience in hydroponics and soil dates to the early days of legalization in Colorado , where he served as one of the state ’ s early caregivers . Year-Round Garden . 1225 W 103rd St , Kansas City , MO . 816.216.6917 – FB : yrroundgarden ● IG : @ yrroundgarden
Home growers often ask me whether adding carbon dioxide ( CO2 ) to their grow will help boost yields . The short answer is “ yes ,” but there ’ s much more to understand to apply it safely and effectively . So , before you run out to buy a tank of CO2 , let ’ s look at how cannabis uses this chemical compound to help it grow , ideal conditions to get the most bang for your buck , and different methods of supplementing CO2 .
First and most importantly , plants such as cannabis require CO2 to perform photosynthesis . They use a combination of light , water , and carbon dioxide to produce carbohydrates , the energy required to live . When we breathe , we pull fresh , oxygenated air into our lungs and exhale CO2 . For cannabis , it ’ s the opposite ( except for a process called respiration , which is a topic for another article ). The plant absorbs fresh , CO2-rich air , and oxygen-rich air is released , hence the symbiotic relationship between plants and animals that makes deforestation and destruction of rain forests such a big deal .
In nature , there ’ s generally enough CO2 in the surrounding air to meet a plant ’ s needs , but in an enclosed environment , CO2 may eventually deplete and be replaced by exhaled oxygen . The speed at which this occurs highly depends on how tightly sealed the space is . Ideally , the air within an enclosed area should be replaced at least every three minutes to provide enough CO2 for healthy growth . If you ’ re growing in a basement or spare bedroom , CO2 never runs out under “ standard ” growing conditions because air is constantly being replaced through vents ,
I ’ m suffocating in here ! open doors , etc . When you grow in a sealed tent or room with no ventilation , adding in-line exhaust and intake fans will allow air exchange to occur at a pace dictated by the size and speed of the fans .
The obvious question now is , “ What ’ s the point of adding more CO2 if my plant is already getting everything it needs to be healthy from frequent air replacement ?” The answer has two parts , starting with the “ standard ” growing conditions I mentioned previously . By “ standard ,” I ’ m referring to the traditionally accepted light and temperature