Growing cannabis can be finicky. After all, it requires the perfect environment—warm but not too hot, just the right amount of humidity, and a good amount of sunlight. If any of these factors go awry, your plants can suffer from heat stress, a condition where they get overexposed to heat and may not flower, or may die.
Perhaps one of the best tools to keep in your back pocket as a grower is knowing how to prevent and manage heat stress, so your cannabis can continue growing healthily and flowering. Read on to find out.
What Is Cannabis Heat Stress?
Cannabis heat stress is when cannabis plants cannot grow properly, or at all, because the environment they are in is too warm for them. Cannabis plants need the right conditions not only to live, but to thrive. And although they do need warmer climates, some environments may be too hot for the plant’s biochemistry to handle.
Mitigating heat stress is very important because it not only ensures the plant’s survival but also that it grows to the best of its ability. If you are growing cannabis to consume, you’ll want to make sure the plant has the best environment to grow in so the result is one you’ll be happy with.
Heat stress affects cannabis because it can cause the plant to suffer stunted growth, or even failure to flower. If you notice any strange symptoms in your cannabis plants, like drooping leaves or leaf scald, it could be heat stress.
Causes of Cannabis Heat Stress
Both external and internal factors can contribute to heat stress on your cannabis plants.
External factors that can cause heat stress are:
- High temperatures
- High humidity levels
Internal cannabis heat stress factors are:
- Improper ventilation
- Improper lighting systems
Identifiable Symptoms of Cannabis Heat Stress
Identifying cannabis heat stress is easy when you know what to look for. The tricky part is that some of the following symptoms can be caused by other problems as well. If you notice more than one of these symptoms in your plants, then it is more likely to be heat stress.
- Curling and wilting leaves
- Stunted growth
- Yellowing or browning leaves, or scorch marks
- Reduced yields and inability to flower
- Increased susceptibility to pests and diseases
5 Tips on How to Prevent Cannabis Heat Stress
If you want flowering cannabis with the desired effects, managing and preventing heat stress is important. At the core of preventing cannabis heat stress is ensuring optimal temperatures and humidity levels. Here are five things you can do to make sure your plants are safe, happy, and growing well.
- Proper ventilation and air circulation
- Strategic placement of fans to ensure the best air circulation
- Using shading techniques during peak sunlight hours so the plants don’t get overexposed to the sun
- Regular monitoring of environmental conditions to identify heat stress before it gets worse
How Misting and Humidification Systems Can Help
Perhaps one of the best things you can do for your grow house or cannabis environment is to get a misting and humidification system. These systems help regulate temperature and humidity levels by having adjustable settings. This means you can use misters to create the ideal indoor environment for your cannabis plants to grow.
Using misters and humidification systems helps prevent heat stress and other environmental stresses. In turn, it helps promote healthy growth and higher yields.
Control Cannabis Cultivation Temperatures With Fogco
Give your plants the best environment to grow in with Fogco. Our humidification misting fans can control climates of up to 3,600 square feet, ensuring all your plants are protected from heat stress. These fans are designed specifically to fit a variety of industrial spaces, making them customizable to your cannabis grow site.
Contact us for more information or a free quote on a misting or humidification system and get started on creating the perfect growth environment for your plants.
