Measuring humidity.

[Ironbeaver]

A month and a half ago, I ordered a couple of cheap hygrometers from amazon, and I pretty much gave up on them as they were taking forever to arrive. Last night I impulse bought a fancy digital thermometer/hygrometer with my Christmas money (it even has min/max temperature!) and set it up. This morning, it read min 19C, max 24C (66F/75F for the Liberian and Burmese forum members) with 45% humidity. From reading online, and using the search function here, this seems to be okay, although some suggest I may want to shoot for 50-60%.

I got to work this morning, and what had arrived (I get stuff shipped to my work because the post office leaves stuff sitting in the hall of my apartment building) but the two cheapo hygrometers! They will need calibration when I get home, as they currently vary by 2 degrees, and 10% humidity. At least I can track multiple shelves now.


p.s. - Just once I'd like to google something indoor gardening related and NOT have something weed related come up.

 

[sorce]

It's like waiting for the bus......

If you need it to come ......

Light a cigarette.

Sorce

 

[GrimLore]

From reading online, and using the search function here, this seems to be okay, although some suggest I may want to shoot for 50-60%.

It really depends on what plants you are raising or wintering indoors. For example I have a Humidifier in a room that keeps the "average humidity" in the room at 65 percent. The air in the room is kept moving by a ceiling fan running in reverse on low 7/24. The plants that appreciate the most humidity are placed on shelves with proper timed lights and that spot is normally around 68 - 70 percent. I use plastic trays filled with crushed garden marble under those and fill them with water to increase it. Those are all Tropicals. The Sub-Tropical plants are in the same room but are kept in dry trays on the floor. They receive less light and the humidity is normally 55 - 60 percent where they are. There are a few Cacti and Succulents in the coolest corner of the room on a shelf again lighted and the humidity is normally 55 percent there.
They are all in the same room at the same temperature of 72F this year but each plant type seems to enjoy different locations for a wide variety of reasons. I must add if you pump up the Humidity make certain you have good air circulation or you will invite mass breeding of things like spider mites. It is very good to have multiple devices so you can monitor different areas of the room. I find it interesting that even in a single room there is subtle differences in different spaces.

Grimmy

 

[aml1014]

It really depends on what plants you are raising or wintering indoors. For example I have a Humidifier in a room that keeps the "average humidity" in the room at 65 percent. The air in the room is kept moving by a ceiling fan running in reverse on low 7/24. The plants that appreciate the most humidity are placed on shelves with proper timed lights and that spot is normally around 68 - 70 percent. I use plastic trays filled with crushed garden marble under those and fill them with water to increase it. Those are all Tropicals. The Sub-Tropical plants are in the same room but are kept in dry trays on the floor. They receive less light and the humidity is normally 55 - 60 percent where they are. There are a few Cacti and Succulents in the coolest corner of the room on a shelf again lighted and the humidity is normally 55 percent there.
They are all in the same room at the same temperature of 72F this year but each plant type seems to enjoy different locations for a wide variety of reasons. I must add if you pump up the Humidity make certain you have good air circulation or you will invite mass breeding of things like spider mites. It is very good to have multiple devices so you can monitor different areas of the room. I find it interesting that even in a single room there is subtle differences in different spaces.

Grimmy

Microclimates are amazing things, I find the same subtle differences in temp and humidity in my greenhouse and coldframe, I learn every year which plants do better in certain spaces.

 

[Ironbeaver]

I plan on seeing "what it takes" to raise the humidity and see if it helps. Two methods I'm going to try are humidity trays and a sponge in a baggie technique. All part of the calibration process.

For some reason, the fact that the cheapo thermometers range from -30C (-22F) to 50C(122F) something tells me those temperatures would be more than the crappy materials they are made from could withstand.

 

[GrimLore]

I have these in a few locations in the room that we use for plants, the tortoise, and dog grooming. I checked each against my digital and they are right on. http://www.homedepot.com/p/AcuRite-Thermometer-with-Humidity-00339HD/100659742

I found as I said with a constant temperature, air circulation, and a humidifier the closed room has many different micro climates. This picture shows one section that I wanted the highest humidity in and to accomplish it there is a plastic tray under everything on the shelves filled with crushed garden marble, very inexpensive. I fill each tray with water every few days and the humidity in that section is a full 3 to 5 percent higher then any other area in the room.



Grimmy

 

[sorce]

Damn Grim that's nice!

Hey @fredman ......a new Nube!


Sorce

 

[Ironbeaver]

So last night/this morning I calibrated the analog devices to the digital. Then I put one on each shelf/grow area. Temps vary from 24-28C (75-82 F for the Burmese) and the humidity is pretty consistent at 55%. Stopping by Dollarama tonight on the way home to get some trays and beads and sponges, to see if I can get it up to 60% (is that a D+ or a C- for the students out there?)

 

[sorce]

D+ or a C-

It doesn't matter, if Canada's school system is as shitty as ours!

People are afraid of the Zombie apacolpyse.....but it's just a metaphor...
They've been creating zombies since the late 1800's!
Why else would people......ah Hell.....
No need for further explanation....cuz I know you know what I mean!

Sorce

 

[GrimLore]

Stopping by Dollarama tonight on the way home to get some trays

I found all of those trays, lots of different sizes at Dollar General. They stock them as disposable party trays for 1 dollar each - they are heavy clear plastic, made to look like nice glass, and recyclable. There is one plastic "bonsai" humidity tray on the shelf that cost 16.00USD

I got the crushed marble in the Garden center at Home Depot 40 pounds for less then 4.00USD. Aquarium gravel would have been 45.00USD.

Grimmy

 

[GrimLore]

Damn Grim that's nice!

Thanks That room was a train wreck when we got this house and we just used it to house the tortoise and store remodeling supplies for the first year. Now it is solid white mold resistant white and houses 50 + plants, the tortoise table, and dog grooming cabinet. The floor is still crap but in 1 piece and will be replaced as well "down the road".

As I get back into Bonsai it will also be the room I will winter some by adding more shelves and lights and the reason I am leaving the walls picture free.





It used to be light blue and flat white and sported an eight inch Winnie The Pooh border at 4 foot covering holes. That closet had a wire rack system in it and was never painted since the house was built. It is large though and has a tall ceiling as well.

Grimmy

 

[Ironbeaver]

+++UPDATE+++
So the weather is messing around and keeping things changing. Overnight temps seem to stay around 19C/66F but can get up to 27C/80F during the day (I think I may need to leave the window open for some more ventilation. Humidity is usually around 50% on average, I've seen it down at 25% and up to 70%. I've got humidity trays installed as of yesterday, I just need to monitor the averages for a while. I'll have to track down some small, cheap, quiet fans to get some air flow going.

 

[sorce]

Pretty sure heat dormancy don't kick in til 90f.
I'd leave the window closed.

Unless your growing aerial roots....that humidity change shouldn't have much negative effect.

At first...I thought you were talking outside! I almost dunkied myself!

Sorce