FEATURESTORY
by Eric Hopper
The Importance of Consistency in
Greenhouses and Indoor Gardens
C
onsistency is the key to unlocking the
maximum potential of an indoor garden or
greenhouse. Plants thrive on consistency.
Plants respond best to light energy, at-
mospheric conditions, and nutrients when they are
kept as consistent as possible. Like people, plants
burn sugars to provide energy for growth. In con-
trast to people, plants have the unique ability to
create those sugars from sunlight. The creation and
consumption of these sugars are actually part of a
chemical equation. In other words, there are count-
less chemical reactions occurring at all times within
and around the plant that contribute to healthy de-
velopment.
When atmospheric conditions, lighting and nu-
trient levels are at optimal levels, the plant has ev-
erything it needs to make those chemical reactions
happen without interruption. When the chemical
reactions can occur without interruption, the plant’s
growth rate is maximized. Maximizing the potential
of a particular crop is the goal of just about every
6
indoor horticulturist or greenhouse hobbyist. In
order to maximize the potential of an indoor garden
or hobby greenhouse, a horticulturist should closely
monitor the consistency of the garden’s temperature,
humidity, lighting and nutrient solution. Each of
these factors has a significant effect on the chemical
reactions that contribute to plant growth.
Maintaining Uniform and Consistent
Temperatures
It is very important that a horticulturist strives
to maintain uniform and consistent temperatures.
Uniformity of temperature in an indoor garden can
be considered part of the temperature’s consistency.
Uniformity refers to the garden’s temperature being
the same in all areas. Put another way, a uniform
garden will have the same (or very similar) tempera-
ture from one side of the room to the other. In most
indoor gardens, horticulturists utilize high intensity
lighting equipment which produces excess heat
from one focal point. This can cause a huge variance
www.GardenandGreenhouse.net
August 2017