Do you want to increase your yields but don’t know how?
A good method to achieve a successful harvest is CO2 fertilization. Cannabis plants need CO2 to live. A high CO2 level in the air can accelerate the growth of your plant and lead to a high-yielding harvest. You can find out why CO2 is important and how you can increase the CO2 content in your grow room in our article on CO2 cannabis growing.
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What is CO2 and how is it measured?
CO2 is an odorless and colorless gas consisting of one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms and is also known as a greenhouse gas. However, it is vital for plants. CO2 is measured in ppm (parts per million). The value indicates how many molecules of CO2 per million molecules can be found in the air. Outdoors, the CO2 value in the air is around 350-400 ppm.
Why do cannabis plants need CO2?
CO2 is important for the process of photosynthesis and therefore also for the growth of your hemp plant. When a plant photosynthesizes, it converts the CO2 from the air into sugar and oxygen. The plant uses the sugar as an energy source for its growth. It therefore stands to reason that your plant needs CO2 for healthy growth. If the CO2 level in the air is too low, this can have negative consequences for plant growth.
Especially if you want to grow cannabis in a grow box or grow tent, you must ensure that your plant is supplied with sufficient CO2. If you use the CO2 fertilization method, there are several advantages. You can find out what these are in the next section.
What are the advantages of CO2 fertilization in the growroom?
If you are growing indoors, it is advisable to specifically increase the CO2 concentration in your grow room.
As mentioned above, the CO2 content in the grow environment should be relatively high so that your plant can grow healthily. In general, a high CO2 concentration promotes rapid plant growth. By adding CO2, you can shorten the vegetation phase and flowering time of your cannabis plant.
A high concentration of CO2 in the air not only leads to rapid growth, but can also increase your yield and harvest.
The CO2 cannabis grow also has the advantage that your plant is able to use the light from the grow light more efficiently when the CO2 content in the air is high. This can save you electricity costs!
CO2 can also promote the size and quality of your plant’s flowers. If your cannabis plant grows in a CO2-rich environment, the flowers are more likely to have a higher THC content.
Increasing the CO2 levels in your grow room can also have the benefit of reducing stress on your cannabis plant. This is because your plant has enough CO2 available for photosynthesis and therefore needs to evaporate less water to absorb CO2. It is also able to withstand high temperatures thanks to a good CO2 supply.
How much CO2 to use for a CO2 cannabis grow?
A CO2 concentration of 350-1500 ppm is optimal for healthy plant growth. If you are growing in a grow box or grow tent, we recommend a value of 1000-1500 ppm. However, the ideal CO2 level ultimately depends on several factors such as the size of your grow room, the number of plants and the type of grow lighting.
When growing CO2 cannabis, you should bear in mind that too high a CO2 level in the grow room can also have negative consequences for your plants. You should therefore check the CO2 concentration regularly to achieve good results and ensure healthy plant growth. If your plant appears weak or takes on a yellowish color, this may be an indication of too much CO2. In this case, you should stop the CO2 fertilization.
To measure the CO2 concentration in the grow room, you can use a CO2 monitor or a CO2 sensor. This way, you can prevent your cannabis from being supplied with too much or too little CO2.
When should you use CO2?
Cannabis plants need a lot of energy for their growth during the vegetation phase. During this phase, a high CO2 concentration in the air can support and accelerate growth. You should also increase the CO2 content during the flowering phase of your cannabis plant. Producing flowers requires a lot of energy from the plants. A high CO2 content in the air can promote the formation of large flowers.
As your cannabis is photosynthesizing during the light phase, we recommend increasing the CO2 concentration during this time. In the dark phase, you can dispense with CO2 fertilization, as cannabis cannot absorb CO2 during this time anyway.
CO2 Cannabis Grow - CO2 systems for the grow box
If you want to increase the CO2 concentration in your grow box or grow tent, you can do this in various ways.
Firstly, there are CO2 bags that you can hang in your grow room. You can find these in our Bonsanto Shop, for example. These are quick and easy to use and last for around 2 weeks.
CO2 generators can also be a good way to increase the CO2 content in your grow box. They are usually easy to operate and can be combined with a timer so that the release of CO2 is regulated automatically. From summer 2023 you will find a CO2 generator powered by tablets in our Bonsanto Shop! Although it is slightly more expensive to purchase than the CO2 bags, it is more cost-effective in the long term as you can fill it with inexpensive CO2 tablets.
What should I bear in mind when fertilizing with CO2 in the grow box?
If you want to use CO2 fertilization in your grow box, there are a few things you should pay attention to.
To ensure that the CO2 really gets into your grow room and your plant can benefit from the CO2, you should seal your grow box or grow tent well. If you use a Bonsanto grow tent or one of our grow boxes in combination with the Bonsanto CO2 bags or the Grow CO2 generator, you have the advantage that you can attach both the bags and the generator inside and then close the tent or box with the zipper. This way, your grow room is automatically well sealed and the CO2 can be absorbed by your cannabis plant.
In order for your plant to absorb CO2, it must be well lit. Therefore, when growing CO2 cannabis, make sure that your cannabis plant is sufficiently illuminated in the grow room.
As CO2 has a higher density than air, it falls downwards. We therefore recommend attaching your CO2 system to the top of your grow box or grow tent so that your cannabis plant gets some of the CO2. If you prefer to mount it at the bottom, you should use a fan to circulate the air so that the CO2 is distributed in the grow room.
CO2 cannabis grow at a glance
- A high CO2 content in the air promotes the growth and harvest of your cannabis plant
- When growing in a tent or grow box, we recommend a CO2 level of 1000-1500 ppm in the air
- Use CO2 fertilization during the vegetation and flowering period of your cannabis plant and during the light phase
- You can use CO2 bags or a CO2 generator for CO2 fertilization
- The Bonsanto CO2 generator will be available in our store from summer 2023
- Make sure you have a sealed grow room if you want to increase the CO2 content in the grow box
- Install your CO2 system at the top of the grow room or provide recirculated air
- If you want to use the light from your lamp efficiently, you can equip your grow box with a Bonsanto reflective foil
