Growing fruit can be tricky, especially when you’re brand new to gardening.
I know a lot about fans and gardening, so I wanted to share my best tips.
Are fans bad for fruits?
Fans are not bad for fruits. A duct fan, heater fan, circulation fan, and frost fan are good for fruit because they help circulate the air and manage the temperature around your fruit. A fan is only bad for fruit if the fan is high-powered and blowing directly on your fruit.
Fans for Fruit | Price |
---|---|
Vivosun Inline Greenhouse Duct Fan | Check the price |
Versa Cool Greenhouse Circulation Fan | Check the price |
BioGreen Electric Fan Heater | Check the price |
6 Reasons Fans Are Good for Fruits
Different kinds of fans are good for growing fruit. In fact, if you get the right kinds of fans and use them correctly, fans can really help you grow fruit at home, in a grow tent, or in a larger greenhouse.
There are six good reasons to use fans on fruit:
1) Fans reduce humidity
Humidity can cause fruit to rot inside their skins, so keep humidity in check with fans blowing air throughout your grow room.
Controlling humidity is also crucial for the control of pests that grow in moist soil.
2) Fans help fruit absorb nutrients
Plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen as a byproduct.
If your grow room is sealed, this process is stunted. Fans help circulate the air and, along with vents, promote the proper absorption of essential nutrients.
3) Fans help circulate warm air around fruits
Fruit grows best in the right balance of temperature and humidity.
You probably want to keep the air around 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Otherwise, you’ll encounter problems with growth, rot, and pests.
4) Fans keep fruit clean
Fruit that touches other fruit during growing makes them more susceptible to rotting and pests.
Use fans on fruit trees and grapevines to prevent mildew and rot, and to keep the fruit free of unwanted pests.
5) Fans help control temperature swings
Temperature swings cause growth irregularities in many plants, so keep your grow tent’s temperature as stable as possible with fans that bring in fresh air.
6) Fans help prevent mold
Fruit grow rooms need good, dry airflow, and fans help provide that airflow.
Molds are attracted to damp conditions.
If you keep humidity in the correct range and air moving with fans, molds won’t be able to grow as fast.
This also helps prevent other fungi like yeast or powdery mildew.
Mold and mildews can ruin fruit on vines and trees very quickly, so keep the air clean and circulating with a fan blowing around your plants night and day.
Here is a good (and short) video about a few different kinds of oscillating fans for your grow room:
Are Electric Fans Bad for Fruits?
No, electric fans are not bad for fruits.
Most standard electric fans have little to no effect on the fruit. They can even help regulate the temperature for better growth.
Electric fans are bad for fruit when they:
- Blow air too powerfully on the fruit
- Negatively change the temperature or humidity or the grow room
Are Duct Fans Bad for Fruits?
Duct fans are not bad for fruits. Quite the opposite.
A duct fan is an important element in your grow room ventilation system.
Duct fans work by circulating the air trapped in the ductwork into any desired room (such as your grow room).
They can positively impact how your fruit will grow by making sure there is plenty of fresh air.
Are Frost Fans Bad for Fruits?
Frost fans are not bad for fruits.
Frost fans help make the air around fruits warmer and drier, which helps prevent frost.
Making the air warmer also regulates humidity levels—and frost fans do this much better than normal fans.
It may be important to note that frost fans are very good for fruit trees that naturally grow in cooler climates, but they are not as helpful for fruit that grows in much hotter climates with naturally high humidity levels.
Are Heater Fans Bad for Fruits?
Heater fans are actually very good for fruit.
They work by making the air warmer and dryer, which helps fruits grow healthy with less chance of getting too cold.
Heater fans are best for helping fruits that naturally grow in cooler climates. For warmer climates, a heater fan may not be necessary because the air is already humid and warm.
Are Fans Bad for Fruits at Night?
Fans are not bad for fruits at night.
Even though temperatures usually dip after the sun goes down, fans still serve an important purpose for growing fruit.
Yes, you want to regulate the temperature in your grow room, but turning off the fan all night is not always the answer. You may want to alternate between keeping your fans on and off, depending on your specific circumstance.
Usually, it’s just fine to leave your fans on almost all night.
Are Fans Bad for Fruits When It’s Cold?
Fans are not bad for fruits even in colder temperatures or seasons.
No matter the climate, you still want ventilation, circulation, and protection for your fruit plants or trees.
Frost fans, in particular, can push warm air down to your growing fruit (combating the cold). In this way, fans serve as essential safeguards to ensure healthy fruit.
Are Fans Bad for Fruits When It Is Hot?
No, fans are not bad for fruit when it is hot inside or outside. Fans help control the temperature of your grow area so that your fruit has the best chance to grow.
Fans also keep your grow room from getting too hot or humid.
Do Fans Keep Fruit Fresh Longer?
Fans can help keep fruit fresh longer.
Fans protect fruit from browning, rotting, and pests that can contaminate your fruit.
You can use small or big fans, even high volume low speed (HVLS) fans to maintain an optimum coolness for your fruit.
By doing so, you can extend the freshness of your fruit and prevent it from going bad.
Do Fans Make Fruit Grow Faster?
Fans do not make fruit grow faster in most cases.
However, fans do ensure that your fruit lives in a safe and healthy environment conducive to the best possible growth.
What’s the Best Fan for Fruits?
The best fan for fruit depends on the particular type of fan, your location, and the fruit you are growing.
To grow fruit, you’ll need several types of fans: circulating fan, inline duct fan, heater fan, and—possibly—frost fan.
The best circulating fan for growing fruit is called the Versa Cool Greenhouse Circulation Fan.
I kid you not, this fan pushes a lot of air for what I thought would be too small a machine. And, it’s quieter than you might expect.
The best inline duct fan is going to be the Vortex S-Line Inline Fan. It is easy to install, durable, super quiet, and comes with an impressive ten-year warranty.
These fans are very good at moving air around and they have a great track record of helping growers grow fruit successfully.
The best heater fan is the BioGreen Electric Fan Heater.
Keep in mind that this heater is best for smaller greenhouses, approximately 12X12 in size. It’ll take a few minutes to heat up, but it’s a quality device.
The best frost fan is an AGI frost fan.
It offers a wide range of protection for fairly low operating costs. You can also power it with a generator or electricity.
Here is a table of my personal picks:
Type of Fan | Best fan |
---|---|
Circulating Fan | Versa Cool Greenhouse Circulation Fan |
Inline Duct Fan | Vortex S-Line Inline Fan |
Frost Fan | AGI frost fan |
Heater Fan | BioGreen Electric Fan Heater |
Final Thoughts: Are Fans Bad for Fruits?
When setting up your grow room or fruit orchard, you don’t want to skimp on good fan equipment. The right ventilation, temperature, and humidity can save you tons of money.
It can also protect you from losing fruit and the revenue from selling that fruit.
Do yourself a favor and get the best equipment that you can afford at the moment. You can always upgrade later.
What to read next:
- Are fans bad for vegtable gardens? (Answered)
- Do fans deter pests? (Answers for 14 pests)
- How do remote control fans work? (Explained for Beginners)
Sources
Better Homes and Gardens
Research Gate—Science of Growing Fruit
Seeds and Spades