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Fanning plants, how often do you do it.

ChiliHeadInTheMaking

ChiliHeadInTheMaking

Before someone yells "DO A FUCKING SEARCH" I'll mention I did and found nothing on this, it seems kind of odd seeing as a forum this old with so many members would be full of noob threads like this. To my question. :)

I have a number of plants I haven't been fanning, and am just wondering how often and for how long I will need to fan them in order to give them strong healthy stems? When I put them outside there shouldn't be a lot of wind but nasty storms happen when you least expect them. (Unless you read the forcasts...)

So how long hot pepper? What do you do and what are the results?
 
I don't fan at all... but then I do expose my babies to the big outside world right from word go. Outside for the day, then inside and under the light at night.
 
Sometimes it has to do with the search terms you use. I often couldn't find a good response when using the search feature when I first started, so can see where that might be the issue. Your question is likely answered not under "fanning", but under "germination" or "seedlings" or "hardening off" or "damping off". That said....

I suggest putting a fan on your sprouts fairly quickly, but carefully. Don't have it blow directly on new sprouts yet, but have it circulate the air around the room. If you can possibly have them in a smaller room, that helps. Why fan at all? Two things: a) it helps strengthen the stems, and b) it helps prevent damping off. You are basically simulating the wind with the fan, as far as strengthening the stems is concerned. Part of hardening off new plants as you begin to put the plants outside is both exposing gradually to more sun and also to more wind. The sooner you expose them to "wind", the less that will be a factor when you bring them outside. Gradually, over time, you can begin to turn the fan more directly on them as the winter progresses.

Damping off is a fungus which may occur on the surface of the soil. It's a fairly common culprit in killing new sprouts. It's symptoms are a mushiness of the plant at the soil line, which eventually causes the plant to lean and then completely fall over. Good air circulation will dry out the surface of the soil faster, thus preventing damping off. It's not 100% guaranteed, though. The best prevention of damping off is not to let the surface get wet at all in the first place. You can do this by bottom-watering your seedlings, ensuring you don't let the top part of the soil get wet. Occassionally spraying the soil with a mix of hydrogen peroxide and water will help prevent or kill off the fungus, as well.

So yes, get a fan on your plants as quickly as possible, just be sure it's indirect at first.
 
My fan is on the same timer as my lights, so my plants get an oscillating fan on lowest setting in a small room (grow tent) 12 hours a day, every day. I did not have this set up at first, as I started my plants in a smaller grow tent, so when I put the fan on them for the first time, I was alarmed by how much they bent over when the air hit them, but now they are doing very well and just gently sway when the fan hits them. Smaller containers, be forewarned, will need to be watered more often with a fan, but your survival rate will be higher later on, so it is worth it.
 
I run a fan as hard as the seedlings can stand it 30 minutes three times a day on a timer
 
What are your day temps down there ATM, ChiliHead? 15C? What's the weather like? If it's sunny and around the 15C mark, I seriously reckon forget trying to mimic nature and actually use nature. It does a better job of what it does than we do! ;)

I understand the need to start full-time indoors when conditions are wrong (cold cold temps, snow, etc) but if that's not the case, why go to the trouble of having to harden off when you don't have to? Start putting them babies out during the day as soon as they break the surface.
 
running a fan on the plants while they are inside to exercise the stems to make them stronger...
 
I ran a 12 cm computer fan at reduced voltage for lower flow and noise plugged into my light timer as chsy83 does, so about 16 hours a day pointing to the side in my grow chamber rather than pointed directly at the plants. I do this as soon as all have sprouted, or 4 weeks after seeding if I think some aren't going to sprout. I wait till then so the soil surface doesn't try out as fast so the seeds stay damp without frequent watering.

The airflow was enough that they'd wiggle around a little, no more than that. This also helps keep fungal growth down and allows placing plants closer to lights by removing heat, but you will have to water a little more often.
 
I run a fan about half as hard as the plants can take it as long as my lights are on. Worked great for me.

It made a huge difference come plant out. The plants that had the fan were way stronger and produced faster than those that didn't.
 
Yes this in indoors and they will be growing for a while yet before moved outside. From what I gathered there is no right or wrong answer, I'll give them a little movement when I can until I begin hardning off.

Could get a late frost in August, September still seems too cold (Although it does feel like an early spring). Maybe the plants which like very hot conditions can stay indoors for another month or so.

Thank you for the help everyone.
 
I Found an Area of My Garden that Gets High Winds around 3-8pm and Every Day The Plants are a bit Bent So I turned them and Do Next Side on the Next Day, I rather Use Nature Do Natures Job
 
ChiliHeadInTheMaking said:
From what I gathered there is no right or wrong answer
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That. Different things work for different people is such the case quite often when it comes to gardening.

ChiliHeadInTheMaking said:
Could get a late frost in August, September still seems too cold (Although it does feel like an early spring).
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Frost? What is that? :lol:

This might be a stupid question but... how does frost work? I always thought it was a night/morning thing?

(Should probably learn this stuff before shooting advice on putting plants out in winter! lol)

OROZCONLECHE said:
I Found an Area of My Garden that Gets High Winds around 3-8pm and Every Day The Plants are a bit Bent So I turned them and Do Next Side on the Next Day
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:lol:

Sounds like something I would do..... :D
 
gasificada said:
Frost? What is that? :lol:
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Haha, cyclone, what is that? Tropical diseases what are they? Ticks, what are they? Heat stroke what is that? Year round growing season what... Umm... Nevermind...

Serious answer, frosts are a good excuse for arriving 10 minutes late to work on cold mornings when you would rather be in bed. Being a southerner has it's benefits.

Frost is the solid deposition of water vapor from saturated air. It is formed when solid surfaces are cooled to below the dew point of the adjacent air as well as below the freezing point of water.[sup][1][/sup] Frost crystals' size differ depending on time and water vapour available. Frost is also usually translucent in appearance. There are many types of frost, such as radiation and window frost.
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Bloody ticks... try pulling one of them buggers outta your ass cheek when you can't turn around far enough to even see the bloody thing! :lol:

(You can add to that list year-round increased garden pest activity also. ;) It's the middle of winter and just the other week I had to cut some spider mites down to size who were running around thinking they owned the place!)

But yeah, the frost you get down there would only be a morning thing, wouldn't it? I didn't mean leave your babies out over night or anything. Just meant give 'em some time out there whenever conditions permit.
 
You can put them out during the day but would it really be worth it? With temperatures starting at 5c and remaining cold during the day there wouldn't be much growth at all.

Frosts generally happen from the middle of the night up until early morning before the sun gets up.
 
willard3 said:
What does "fanning" mean?

Do you mean ventilation?
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Here's the tree hugging method I use. ;) :shh:
TRhat's a jalapeno bush the kids are leaning on. :stop:
fanning.jpg
 
Classic, ABG! :rofl:

Yeah, 5C is probably a bit too cold, chi. Looking at the BOM forecast I saw Melb's highs hitting around 15C. Didn't know what it is hitting precisely where you are. I probably wouldn't risk it anything under 15C.

Far out... Darwin 31C? Really???
 
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