Basic plant requirements

Plants, like humans, have a number of basic needs that must be met for the plant to survive and develop optimally. These conditions include an adequate supply of water, light, nutrients, carbon dioxide and they also have requirements for temperature and humidity. When growing plants, it is important to ensure that all of these requirements are adequately met.

Light

Light is essential for a plant's development. Light requirements vary greatly among plants, and it is also important to recognize that a plant's light needs differ between the early growth stages and the flowering stage. Generally, it can be said that before reaching the flowering stage a plant requires up to 18 hours of light per day, and for flowering plants the requirement is reduced to 12 hours. Plants are very sensitive to light (intensity, duration), because they use it to perceive the season and gradually begin to prepare for its onset.

Water

Water requirements are determined by the plant species, the length of daylight and the plant's age. If a plant does not have enough water, it can wilt as a result of a drop in hydrostatic pressure, which provides the plant with rigidity. In other words, once a plant lacks sufficient water, individual cells lose volume and the plant wilts and dies.

Carbon dioxide

Plants also use atmospheric gases for growth. A shortage of these can have harmful to critical effects on plant health and development. The most important gas in this group for plants is carbon dioxide (CO₂), which, together with water and light, is essential for photosynthesis, which produces glucose (serving as nourishment for the plant).

Temperature

If you grow plants indoors, it is essential to regularly monitor and adjust the temperature. As already mentioned, water, light and carbon dioxide are indispensable components for photosynthesis. The course of this process is also significantly influenced by temperature. The plant uses light as an energy source to convert water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and glucose, which the plant needs for growth. If the temperature is inadequate, photosynthesis cannot proceed correctly and a range of negative effects can be observed on the plant.

Air humidity

When growing indoors, air humidity is often an overlooked parameter. At optimal humidity a plant achieves higher and better-quality yields and the risk of disease is significantly reduced. In the early stages of growth a plant generally requires higher air humidity. The moisture taken up then supports the plant until the root system develops. During the vegetative and flowering phases it is recommended to reduce humidity as a preventive measure against mold or other harmful fungi.