The Connection Between CO2 Levels and Successful Cannabis Plant Growth
Smoking marijuana is becoming quite popular, which is part of why there’s been a huge increase in the number of people growing cannabis at home. It’s easier than ever to find guidance on how to create the perfect atmosphere for doing so. There are a lot of factors involved, but one stands out quite a bit and many don’t realize how important it is.
The factor in question is CO2 levels, and they’re are essential for an optimal cannabis flower yield. You’ll find they impact rate of photosynthesis and plant growth. A simple way to explain this is that, without enough CO2, cannabis will use up its sugar stores and slow their metabolism over time.
Preventing a plant’s deterioration due to a lack of CO2 isn’t too complicated, luckily. Proper light levels, temperature, and carbon dioxide make all the difference. If you’re curious on how to accomplish this, and exactly how CO2 works with cannabis, read ahead!
Light and CO2 Levels: The Foundation for Cannabis Growth
Whenever one refers to CO2 concentration they use the ppm measurement, whereas lumens are used to measure light intensity. When light hits the plant, it opens what are called stomata, pores on the bottom of each leaf that allow the intake of CO2. In the dark, the stomata stay closed, preventing any form of photosynthesis.
There’s also a minimum amount of photosynthesis required for the plant to grow. To achieve this, light has to open the stomata, and CO2 intake has to increase. For effective photosynthesis, you want to hit about 15 lumens and a CO2 concentration of around 900 ppm.
CO2 levels at or below 200 ppm will prevent growth. And, if you’re not providing enough lumens, no amount of CO2 saturation can make up for it. This is because, at or less than 0 lumens limits the cannabis CO2 intake to around 200 ppm.
Where Temperature Fits In
Many don’t know that, even when the optimal number of lumens is achieved, temperature also impacts CO2 uptake. In otherwise perfect conditions, the right temperature can almost double CO2 uptake.
You’re aiming for between 70° F (20° C) and 85° F (30° C). The minimum averages a 800 ppm uptake while the latter offers an increase with the potential to reach 1300 ppm—1300 ppm is usually where the uptake levels off. You’ll also want a functional CO2 meter to test the atmosphere, or these numbers might be skewed and result in nearly no plant growth.
CONCLUSION
CO2 levels make all the difference when it comes to growing cannabis. It impacts the rate of photosynthesis and, if proper conditions are met, can increase cannabis flower yield by quite a bit. Other factors are essential, of course, but seem to revolve around improving CO2 uptake, rather than provide improvements in separate variables. Experts in the hemp industry have known this for quite some time, but as the popularity of home-grown alternatives increases, these details are becoming more well-known.
Feel like this article might help your yield? Hopefully it does! If you’re looking for more useful information, make sure to take a peek at the rest of the site.
