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Protecting plants with Hedge helps plants not only survive, but thrive in high humidity.
Role of Humidity in Plant Growth
Too much humidity in greenhouses often spells trouble for many reasons. Dripping condensation can spread plant disease, moisture promotes the germination of fungal pathogens, and high humidity levels can stress plants, making them more susceptible to pests and pathogens. Because of these very real and pressing issues, much effort is taken to reduce humidity levels through ventilation, dehumidifiers and sophisticated environmental controls.
Relative humidity (RH) is expressed as the amount of moisture in the air compared to air at full [100%] saturation. Plants adjust their water uptake rate based on the relative humidity of the surrounding air. Target temperatures and RH combinations differ for each crop and climate where grown. When the relative humidity of the air is "high", water [and potentially nutrient] uptake traditionally slows. Maintaining a delicate balance between temperatures and humidity levels is required to maximize production and limit risk. Through the proper controls of temperature and RH, high humidity levels can be properly sustained to promote transpiration and growth at optimal levels.
However, these "optimal" growing conditions for the plant, introduce a host of additional problems, regarding molds, mildews and pests. Because of this, a third variable must be carefully introduced into the equation - pesticides. For environmentally conscience growers and/or regulated industries, pesticide use is always a last resort. To reduce the use of excess pesticides, humidity levels are often kept below what a plant would naturally prefer, effectively lowering the bar for "optimum" production.
Hedge Plants Love Humidity - Lots of It.
The picture above is from the inside of a make-shift growing room built out of a standard shipping container. The container was intended only to be used for a week or so while waiting for the completion of a greenhouse, but the plants ended up staying put for many additional weeks. While the container was outfitted with LED lights, a small heater and a basic $10 box fan, it had no vents and no real way to control the humidity inside. As you can see from the photo, the ceiling and walls were absolutely dripping with moisture the entire time (RH >99%). While not an ideal situation for workers (careful - slippery floor!), the plants absolutely loved the wet conditions, and the weekly application of Hedge Defense Plant Protectant kept all mold and mildew away.
Redefine the Limits with Hedge
Hedge Defense Plant Protectant is a true difference maker on many levels. Hedge truly shines in its ability to protect plants from fungal infections. Whether the threat is rust, powdery mildew, downy mildew or other plant fungus, Hedge keeps plants protected and unaffected. Hedge Defense Plant Protectant keeps fungal infections at bay despite humidity levels and without the risk of pesticidal residue contamination. Through its regular use, Hedge acts as a safety net for new growers learning to balance environmental controls, or as a launchpad for experienced growers looking to redefine truly "optimal" levels and leverage humidity to their advantage.
What controls would you run if molds and mildews were safely removed from the equation?