Want to learn how to grow marijuana from seeds? Before you go ahead and start planting cannabis there are some things you need to consider first. One of the factors of growing healthy cannabis seeds is the humidity. If you want to know why humidity matter to your cannabis plants then keeps on reading.
According to the Cannabis Business Times, humidity control is one of the dilemmas cultivators are facing since it’s tricky to maintain the right humidity level. When the temperature drops at night, humidity could go up and daytime heat may cause humidity to drop putting plants under stress due to lack of water absorption.
One of the important requirements of growing marijuana plants that are usually disregarded is humidity. You’ll be surprised just how big the effects of humidity towards cannabis plants are. The cannabis resistance to molds or fungus depends on the humidity in your growing space. Providing the right humidity to your plants may certainly help you produce healthy cannabis and increase the yield of the plants.
Don’t be overwhelmed just yet. It’s not impossible to grow top-quality and high potency buds even if you’re a first-time cannabis grower. Although maintaining the correct humidity can be a little tricky, it can still be uncomplicated if you follow the right guidelines about humidity levels.
Temperature vs. Humidity
If you’re a beginner in the cannabis growing industry, you’re probably wondering the difference between temperature and humidity levels that is good for marijuana. These two factors that are needed to grow cannabis provide different benefits to the plant, so they are not the same. The Sill defines humidity as the “measurement of water vapor dissolved in the air”. One of the methods you can use to measure the humidity level is using the relative humidity (RH). This technique lets you know how much water is in the air.
The temperature, on the other hand, determines the amount of water that can be held in the air. Cannabis plants like a warm environment, so warm air is better and this condition holds more water vapor rather than cold air. This condition is the ideal environment for growing marijuana. It is important to get the warmest air from the surrounding of the plants while also allowing cool air to enter.
To be a successful cannabis grower you have to understand the lifecycle of the marijuana strain you chose to plant. Every cycle stage of the plant requires for you to constantly water the cannabis and this process also affects the humidity in the environment. When there is high humidity, marijuana plants tend to use their leaves to absorb moisture from the air which causes the roots to get less water. When there is low humidity, marijuana plants will take more water through their roots. Constantly checking the humidity and making sure that you maintain the right one will reward you with strong, healthy cannabis plants with optimal growth.
Humidity Affects Cannabis Plants
Every indoor cannabis grower must need to control the humidity in the marijuana environment. The constant need for water intake of cannabis plants affects the humidity. Everyone knows plants need water in all stages of its life cycle. When the provided amount of water to the plant changes it also cause effects on the overall humidity. Because humidity changes how much water your cannabis plants drink, and the water you give your plants have nutrients in them, being in control of humidity gives you increased control over your plant’s nutrient intake.
Keeping the right level of humidity prevents the plants from these:
1. Rotten buds due to molds.
2. Fungal disease like the white powdery mildew.
3. Too many nutrients may also cause an issue with the plant.
4. Slowed maturity growth.
Cannabis plants need different levels of humidity during different stages. Getting the right humidity control is one of the most important factors to raise a healthy cannabis plant as quickly as possible. As per the experts, high humidity is better for younger cannabis plants and lower humidity level for mature cannabis plants.
Humidity Level Needed In All Stages of Marijuana Growth
As you probably already know there are four stages of cannabis growing. Each of these stages requires different humidity and temperature levels. As per stated on the Cannabis Industry Journal, according to Rutherford, each strain requires different levels of humidity. Other factors like personal preferences and regions, etc. should also be considered when determining the ideal humidity for a cannabis plant.
Professional growers recommend the use of a digital hygrometer and digital thermometer to monitor humidity and temperature levels. These are the four stages and what they humidity and temperature each level requires:
1. Seedling Stage −The plants in this stage require high humidity levels between 65 to 75 percent. High humidity allows more water intake through the roots and this help the development of the root system of cannabis plants.
2. Vegetation Period −This is the stage when the leaves start to grow from the plants. The humidity level during this stage of cannabis life cycle must be lowered down to at least five percent weekly throughout the vegetation period.
3. Flowering Plants – At this stage, the cannabis plants will require the humidity level be lowered down to 40 to 50 percent. In the flowering stage of the cannabis plant, this is when the formation of the root system is established so the roots will require more water intake. A lower humidity level also prevents mold from forming.
4. Late Flowering Period −This stage usually lasts anywhere between 6 and 12 weeks and when plants reach the maturity stage. Based on what the experts say, the humidity levels in this stage must be lowered down between 30 and 40 percent to improve the yield, flavor, and appearance of the marijuana plant. It is also important to take note that this period needs a careful temperature and humidity monitoring.
Benefits of Maintaining Proper Humidity in Your Cannabis Grow Room
Cannabis plants suffer when humidity levels are not maintained correctly. Below are the benefits of keeping the right and different humidity levels for your cannabis growing environment.
Maximize Germination – Buying cannabis seeds can be pretty expensive especially if you want to get only the top quality seeds for your cannabis garden. To make sure that the money spent buying cannabis seeds are worth it, the sprouting period of the seeds need to be carefully guarded and enforced. By keeping proper humidity control, more planted seeds will sprout and become healthy.
Minimize the Risk of Diseases – Cannabis plants are always exposed to various diseases throughout the different life cycle stages. Humidity plays a huge role in preventing this to happen. Relative humidity (RH) control is a method used to decrease the number of time bacteria and other infectious particles spend airborne that may eventually cause them to spread more quickly. This is why setting up the correct level of a humidifier in your growing room is so important.
Improves the Overall Plant Quality – By knowing the right humidity level needs of your plants will prevent you from experiencing issues such as slowed photosynthesis, burned edges as well as stunted growth, and mineral deficiencies. Maintaining proper humidity control helps to reduce the growth of plant pathogens such as fungi and bacteria, which tend to live in still air conditions.
Conclusion
Maintaining the right humidity levels in cultivating cannabis is crucial to produce healthy plants. If there’s something a first-time cannabis grower can take away from this article, it is the knowledge that marijuana plants prefer a growing room that is a little warmer but not too dry and not too humid.
