How to Create Co2 for Indoor Gardens

The plants in a greenhouse or conservatory thrive under several important conditions -- water, nutrients, temperature, and light, to name a few. One of the most important elements for an indoor gardens, though, is the addition of carbon dioxide, or CO2. To develop a strong, successful garden, the indoor gardener needs to facilitate the creation of CO2 in concentrated amounts. The CO2 will contribute to everything from the vibrant color of plant leaves to larger fruit and blooms. With a few materials, you will be able to generate CO2 for your indoor garden and thus make your garden even more beautiful and productive.

Lamp(s) for indoor plants

CO2 generator

Determine the balance of light and CO2. Light works hand-in-hand with CO2. Some plants require a lower wattage of light but more CO2, so be sure to consider each plant in your indoor garden with respect to its needs for both light and carbon dioxide. Generally, the average CO2 output for improved garden performance is around 1,000 parts per million (ppm), with the potential to have as much as 1,500 ppm in the greenhouse. The range is considerable, and the choice up to the gardener. All plants have unique requirements, so the gardener will have to experiment with the placement of the generator and the levels to find the one that is best for the plants.

Research the different methods of CO2 creation. One option is to use a propane or natural gas heater or purchase a commercial CO2 generator, which uses propane or natural gas. The latter will do essentially the same thing as a space heater, but can sometimes be less expensive because it uses less fuel. Another option is to use compressed CO2, which avoids overheating your indoor garden.

Add the CO2 generator to your indoor garden. On average, CO2 generators produce between 3 and 24 cubic feet or more of CO2 per hour. Measure your indoor garden are in terms of cubic feet and plan accordingly.

Measure the CO2 carefully to ensure that you provide the accurate amount for your indoor garden. Below 1,000 ppm, the plants will likely not see the benefits of the added CO2, and over 1,500 ppm, the plants will be saturated with it.

Provide circulation for your plants. CO2 is most effective when it has the opportunity to circulate around plants, so make certain that the plants have adequate circulation, as well as ventilation. The roof vents of a greenhouse can supply ventilation and circulation during all seasons, although you can consider purchasing a commercial ventilator, which will mechanically circulate and replace the air in the garden.

If you purchase a commercial CO2 generator, be sure to include some kind of atmospheric control systems to make sure your plants receive exactly the amount of CO2 that they need. Additionally, a commercial generator has the potential to create chemicals such as carbon monoxide that will be far more dangerous in the indoor space. Consider adding a system that monitors various pollutants in the greenhouse.