Protecting Indoor Cannabis Plants During Power Outages: Experts Shares Dos And Don’ts

Frequent power outages can disrupt daily life, especially for indoor cannabis grows that rely on artificial light. Cris Roots, a 420 influencer and cultivation expert, offers essential advice to protect your plants from prolonged blackouts and maintain their photoperiod.

The photoperiod, or the number of light hours plants are exposed to, is critical. “You have to maintain it religiously every day, no matter what,” Roots explains. If a power outage happens while you’re home, he suggests opening the tent to let in natural light or using a flashlight or emergency light so that the plants don’t suffer completely from the interruption. Although the emergency light has a lower intensity, it helps to maintain the photoperiod, which, according to the expert, “doesn’t affect the plant as much as losing the light hours.”

However, if the outage occurs while you’re away, Cris advises making no adjustments. “Nothing happens at all,” he assures, as long as it’s not a daily and continuous interruption. If power outages occur frequently and at different times, this can create issues with the plant’s development.

For those who want to keep track of light timing while they’re away, Cris suggests checking the timer, especially if it’s an analog model, as these stop with the power outage, potentially disrupting the plants’ light exposure schedule. In these cases, it’s recommended to reset the timer when power is restored, but avoid extending the light period to make up for lost hours. “By no means should you extend the light period because, for example, you lost two hours due to a power cut,” emphasizes the grower.

Finally, for those with the option to move plants to an outdoor space, such as a patio or terrace, Cris advises keeping the same light exposure schedule. He notes that this option can be effective as long as the plants receive a similar daily amount of light.

Article via El Planteo

Cover image made with AI