Water
Water stress occurs when the cannabis plant is not provided with the sufficient amount of water supply and undergoes something called “drought”, or when it is given too much water and cannot transpire properly. These actions may result in the stomata closing, and the leaves to collect high amounts of carbon dioxide in the cells. This kind of water stress also causes cannabis plants to create secondary metabolites as a defense mechanism. In this case, some people believe that a very small amount of this kind of stress is actually beneficial to the plant, because cannabinoids are secondary metabolites and therefore it may stimulate better cannabinoid production. The more cannabinoids there are present in the plant, the more benefits and effects one might receive from consumption. It is important in this case to monitor a healthy balance, and make sure you are not causing too much drought stress on the plant.
Light
Light supply is a large environmental factor that must be considered for proper cannabis growth. Indoor grow facilities make it easier because growers can control 100% of the light supply for their plants. Outdoor facilities and greenhouses will serve as a harder task because of the light from the sun, however black out sheets can be purchased to solve this problem.
The stomata of the cannabis plants usually open up their pores for transpiration at night time when the temperature is the coolest. If stomata open during the day, more water will be lost because of the heat that is associated with the light. This is why a proper balance between all conditions of the facility is necessary to achieve harmony in the environment.
Temperature and Humidity
When the temperature increases, the potential for water loss also increases. Just as humans typically sweat more in warmer weather, the same thing happens for plants. The ideal temperature for indoor growing facilities is between 25 to 30 degrees celsius for most of the life cycle. Drier temperatures with low humidity are typically the most harmful for a cannabis plant and will also cause higher transpiration rates. We recommend starting with around 75% humidity rates for beginner plants, and then eventually bringing this humidity to 55-60% during the floral growth or vegetative stages.
Wind
Outdoor facilities will need to take protective precautions against wind as it can be a harmful factor towards your cannabis plant. However, cannabis plants grown in indoor facilities are also susceptible to forms of wind through ventilation equipment such as fans. Wind is responsible for moving water vapor away from the leaves of the plants, causing the plant to actually transpire more than what is needed. We suggest investing in circulating fans so that the wind is in a balanced, consistent movement and does not emit too much wind in just one direction because this can be devastating for the plants.
