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seeds Keeping an Electric Fan on Seedlings?

Big Mike

Big Mike

I'd like to know how many of you keep a fan blowing on your seedlings once they come up?  I've been doing this for several years because I feel that it helps strenghten the stems and it helps keep the rot away.  This all may just be my imagination though.  I don't keep it too close, just enough to wiggle the seedlings back and forth a little bit.  Let us know if you have done this.
 
Best,
 
Big Mike
 
Visit us Online: www.knot2worry.us
 
 
In my grow space I have two standing oscillating fans and one small clip-on fan (clamped to the ceiling) to keep on a light breeze on most of my plants and to help keep the air circulating in the space. *nod*
 
Passive convection from the lights seems to work for me as far as air circulation goes... but if you have high humidity fans would be a good idea to prevent fungal outbreaks.  However, you should probably use them indirectly... in other words point the fan at a wall perpendicular to your plants so that there is gentle air movement... too high of winds cause all sorts of problems for a plant's moisture control and gas exchange.
 
I use fans as soon as the seedlings come up.  I find that it helps me overcome errors when I water the plants to much as it helps dry out the surface of the dirt and redcuces damping off.  Does not stop it all if I get carried away, but it seems to help.  Plus when they are real small and the lights are so closeit seems like they do not get much air circulation without some sort of assist.
 
For me:
 
Direct fan on older plants
 
indirect on seedlings/shorties
 
and for the new babies, from no movement to just being in the same room as the big plants which the ambient air moves sufficiently
 
I am using a different fan this year. Managed to kill one of my Fatalii seedlings a few weeks ago, dried to a crisp.
I'm using the fan indirectly now and keep a cup of water in my grow box on the heat mat to create some humidity. Never had damping problems
 
I use 2 big turbo air movers in my basement and it moves all the air around and moves the leaves and stems, but nothing directly as to dry them out in 16 hours. I have to lightly water seedlings every morning before the lights go off and have no dampening off problems with the air moving. The key for me is just to move the air no matter how slightly to strengthen.
 
Noah Yates said:
Passive convection from the lights seems to work for me as far as air circulation goes... but if you have high humidity fans would be a good idea to prevent fungal outbreaks.  However, you should probably use them indirectly... in other words point the fan at a wall perpendicular to your plants so that there is gentle air movement... too high of winds cause all sorts of problems for a plant's moisture control and gas exchange.
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Great information!
 
I'm struggling with creating indirect wind in my growing area but I don't have high humidity; would it be better not using the fan at all than using it directly on the plants, and too close on them, in this case? My plants are about 4-5 inches with 4 sets of leaves.
 
Thanks in advance!
 
If you don't use a fan, when you set your plants out for the first time they will get BEATEN up/down and over by even the slightest breezes.
 
I never use a fan and my seedlings usually grow sturdy stems. The trick is to let the soil dry out enough between waterings to allow the roots to breath. This cuts down on soil fungus and causes the plants to grow a healthy root system. The only air circulation my plants get is when I open the closet door to peek at them.
 
Alan
 
I've always run the fan, it's a bit tough when they are still in jiffy pellets because they dry out faster but I just keep adding a bit of water. Fresh air and a little mimicking of mother nature never hurts.
 
Fan on the aerogardens after sprouting---otherwise cools the plug tops off to much---and constantly after in first pots.
Brutally windy outside here.
 
I use an oscillating fan on medium to high. Like others have said, It will strengthen the stems and it helps with the humidity where I live.
 
Terravexti said:
If you don't use a fan, when you set your plants out for the first time they will get BEATEN up/down and over by even the slightest breezes.
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My experience is that a long hardening off process strengthens the plants enough. But maybe it depends on how early you put them out.
 
Bjornson said:
My experience is that a long hardening off process strengthens the plants enough. But maybe it depends on how early you put them out.
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My harding off period starts in march, because I like getting my plants in the ground in april. March in Virginia is very windy. Of course a greenhouse would be a perfect solution.
 
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