Plants grow best within a particular temperature, humidity and pH range, so we’ve compiled our 6 best hacks to help you keep your indoor plants happy this summer.
Keep the humidity down
At each stage of the grow, your plants will need different humidity levels for the best results. Below are guidelines to adjust the relative humidity (RH), depending on which growth phase your plants are in.
Seedlings
At this stage in the plants' development, the root zone is not well established, so they need to absorb a lot of moisture. Seedlings and clones benefit from higher humidity levels ranging from 65–75% RH.
Vegetation
As the root zones are now established and can absorb water more efficiently, it is advisable to lower the humidity by 5% each week. Between 40–70% RH is acceptable.
Flowering
During flowering, keeping the humidity in your grow room is essential. Decrease to 40–50% RH. Over 60% can mean slowed growth and pathogen risks.
Late Flowering
During late flowering, improvements to the quality of your flowers can be achieved by keeping temps and humidity as low as possible. Humidity under 40% RH is ideal.
- Monitor the temperature of your grow room
You will need to change the temperature in your grow room at each stage of your plants’ development. Below is a table to help you adjust to the right temperature, depending on which phase of growth your plants are in.
Growth Phase |
Lights on |
Lights Off |
|
Seedlings |
20–25°C |
15–20°C |
|
Vegging |
22-28°C |
18-22°C |
|
Flowering |
20–26°C |
16–22°C |
|
Late Flowering |
20-24°C |
18-20°C |
During late flowering, it is wise to invest in a dehumidifier so that you can keep the temperature in your room consistent without affecting the humidity.
- Monitor Water Temperature
One of the most critical factors in helping your plants survive is keeping the water circulating in your system at a consistent temperature. It is advisable to keep the water temperature in your system at 18oC-20oC, which our pro systems can help with. We manufacture our pots, lids and tanks by incorporating light-reflective material, such as Mylar™, to keep your water temperature stable and safe for your plants.
- Change your water regularly
One sure-fire way to acquire nasty pathogens when using hydroponics is by not keeping your system clean. A build-up of Pythium and other pathogens can lead to root rot which is very dangerous for your plants.
Root rot is a disease that attacks the roots of plants via a fungal infection when they’re growing in a wet environment. Species of the Pythium or Fusarium fungi are the usual culprits, and symptoms include discoloured roots and rotting at the lower part of the stem, called "damping off".
To prevent this, we recommend performing a nutrient change, whether it be the system, the tank or both (every 7-10 days is best). The most effective way to clean your hydroponic system is by using a sterilising solution, like our RootRotX™, that you can mix into freshwater, which sterilises plant roots, pots, pipes and biofilm.
- Keep the pH of your system in check
As a rule of thumb, an increase in temperature from 25 degrees Celsius to 35 degrees Celsius results in a 0.2 drop in pH. Ensure to check the pH at which your plants like to grow, using a pH monitor and adding acid or alkali compounds/nutrients as needed. The closer you are to your target pH, the better your yield is more likely to be.
- Check how clean your water is
We highly recommend checking the cleanliness of your system’s water regularly. You can do this with an ORP (or REDOX) meter. This will measure the volume of sterilising solution in your system and let you know when it needs topping up.
As your plants progress through their growth cycle, you will notice the readings on your ORP meter decreasing. This means your water isn’t clean, which can result in root rot and other problems.
A value between 300-400mV works best in hydroponic, aeroponic and gravity-fed systems. Make sure you check regularly and top up with a sterilising solution like RootRotX™ to keep your water clean and your plants healthy.
Check out our online store for more information on RootRotX™ and details of all our systems to keep your plants growing all summer long.