Alas the summer has fled and the cold weather is settling in once again, It's time to kick back in your grow room and start preparing your systems to cope with this change in temperature and humidity and relieve your plants of those stressful problems that cold weather brings, to help you along I have compiled a list of tips and tricks to help you get the best yield in this difficult growing season.

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• The average outside temperature is now cold, this is a great time to get those CO2 burners cranking, it will add some extra heat plus CO2, and you can expect 20-30% heavier harvest when using CO2.

• Humidity climbs Quickly at night if the Temperature drop below 0’ C. It is better to ventilate too much then too little, If the temperature does not drop below 10’C

• Humidity could drop in grow rooms if house is heated with wood or other dry heat.

• Keep Humidity near 50% during the day and don’t let it climb over 60% at night. Some growers leave the vent fan on all night if humidity climbs to high. Watch your Maximum/Minimum hygrometer to determine how much to ventilate. Try to keep nighttime humidity below 50%.

• Fertilizer and water needs will have decreased with the cool weather.

• Monitor moisture daily. Water uptake by roots slows when the room cools.

• By using a water heater your nutrient uptake will increase dramatically, especially in these colder months. Use in conjunction with air stones to volumise your plants root structure. Also it is extremely stressful if room temperature is considerably higher then the water in the reservoir. If leaves are turning brown/black this could be the reason. The simple remedy is to use a water heater; an optimum water temperature is between 22-26ºC (71-79ºF).

• Over watering your plants is easy. Water plants as needed. Cool weather and cold grow room floors slow water uptake considerably. Check for signs of over watering, roots will turn brown and mushy and rot. (see below examples)

• Over watering may result in long-term problems manifesting now. Leaves may turn yellow, stems weaken and plants grow slowly. Over watering causes many problems with nutrient uptake too, making both difficult to diagnose. Take special care with watering, and make sure that at least 20% of irrigation water runs out of the drain holes. Water plants as needed.

• Placing Styrofoam under your pots to insulate from cold concrete floors. Cold pots and nutrient solution [below 18’C] cause nutrient absorption by the roots to slow down substantially. Elevating pots in winter can increase and speed up your harvest.

• Flush plants with water or a mild nutrient solution once a month. Fertilize after flushing with full strength nutrient solution.

• Spay for spider mites. Winter is an excellent time to do away with these little pests. They cannot live outdoors if it is freezing. Carefully inspect the undersides of your leaves for mite eggs and adults. Spray with pyrethrum or neem as needed.

• Disease can be a big problem in the winter months, Pyrosol is one of our excellent products for protecting plants from disease and mould also for putting in reservoirs to get rid of those unwanted pests plus also helping to increase your plant structures  and harvest.

• Smell, cool mornings with little wind predominate in winter and leaves nasty odors stagnant and smell control is essential. Solutions to this could be an Activated Carbon Filters and/or a bit citronella oil placed in a saucer and tucked inside or close to your exhaust fan[s].