Don’t Let The Cold Weather Settle In Your Grow Tent
With winter on its way, now is the time to start thinking about keeping your indoor plants warm and cosy. Here’s our winter health check top tips for your grow tent…
As temperatures drop and the nights get colder, you will notice your plants growth start to slow, this is the plants’ natural reaction to the changing weather conditions. As the temperature hits below 18 ̊ C there is a huge amount of reduced plant growth which can lead to losses in both time and effort.
So, what can you do to ensure that your hard work isn’t lost to winter? Well, there are a few modifications you can make to your grow tent or room to maximise the yield of your plants before winter hits.
Seal in the warmth
Start by checking that your grow tent or room is snug. Seal off any gaps, fill in holes and make sure the door and windows are free from drafts.
Placing your grow tent on a carpet rather than a cold floor will act as a form of insulation. If that’s not possible, placing empty trays upside down and sitting the plants on top will provide some space between the plants and a cold floor.
Tame the temperatures
Make sure that you monitor day and night temperatures. You’re looking for an ideal daytime/lights-on temperature of 24-28 ̊ C and during the night/lights-off period the temperature should be dropped a few degrees to simulate natural conditions, although ideally not below 18 ̊ C, and never below 15 ̊ C.
Go with the flow
To ensure that your grow room has ideal temperatures from floor to ceiling, you need to check the air circulation. Move the intake fan so it draws indoor air into your grow tent instead of outside air which is too cold. Indoor air is also rich in CO2 which is an added bonus! There are plenty of options available for improving air circulation including intake and extractor fans, and circulation fans.
Read how to set up a grow tent extraction system here.
Expand your brightness
One of the quickest and easiest modifications you can make is to add another light into your existing set-up. Grow lights produce heat, so run them at night when the temperature drops outside as the heat produced will counteract the cooler nights.
Read our handy guide on the different types of grow lights here.
Turn up the heat
The heat from the lights isn’t usually enough to ensure your grow room is at the optimum temperature therefore secondary heating is usually required. Tube heaters provide a consistent spread of heat in the air to keep your grow room at an optimum temperature. They are designed to fit small spaces so they’re ideal for a grow tent and are available in a range of wattages to suit the size of grow tent.
If you prefer more control over the heat, an oil filled radiator might be a better option. Fan heaters are another option for warming up cold areas of your indoor growing space.
Don’t forget the nutrients
If you have a reservoir in your hydroponics system, keep an eye on the temperature ensuring it’s kept around 18 ̊ C. Too cold and the plants roots will go into shock however too warm and the oxygen content will dissolve leaving your plants more susceptible to diseases. A tank heater can help maintain the optimum temperature.
Read our little guide to using nutrients here.
Growing indoors has its advantages however that doesn’t mean your plants are safe from winter temperatures but by following these tips you should be well on the way to achieving optimum growing results throughout the winter.
We have a range of grow tents and all the kit you need to get growing in stock, browse here
