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What Do I Need To Grow Marijuana Indoors?
Whether you’re new to cannabis cultivation, planning that very first grow, or a more experienced grower thinking of upgrading your grow op, this is the go-to checklist.
We’ve compiled the definitive list of essential grow room kit from big ticket items to tiny often overlooked widgets. Of course, the grower must start with a plan and a budget. Assuming you’ve got those two sorted and a pack of cannabis seeds, let’s get right to it.
GROW TENTSA grow tent is the best cannabis habitat for the home grower. Using the whole floor space of your growing area, be it a spare bedroom or cellar, is actually not efficient. In fact, it’s very limiting.
If you have lots of space, multiple grow tents or a couple of large 2m long tents are a better idea. Plants can be housed in separate grow tents in different stages of growth to facilitate crop rotation and frequent harvesting.
Or, if space is tight, a grow tent is still your best bet. All you need is 1m² of room to squeeze one in. These days grow tents come in all shapes and sizes to fit all budgets. Setting up and installing the rest of your equipment is easier with a grow tent, plus they are lined with highly reflective Mylar.
Grow tents are easy to maintain and keep clean. Also, they can be dismantled in a hurry should the need arise, or if you are moving house, just pack it up and take it with you.
GROW TENTSA grow tent is the best cannabis habitat for the home grower. Using the whole floor space of your growing area, be it a spare bedroom or cellar, is actually not efficient. In fact, it’s very limiting.
If you have lots of space, multiple grow tents or a couple of large 2m long tents are a better idea. Plants can be housed in separate grow tents in different stages of growth to facilitate crop rotation and frequent harvesting.
Or, if space is tight, a grow tent is still your best bet. All you need is 1m² of room to squeeze one in. These days grow tents come in all shapes and sizes to fit all budgets. Setting up and installing the rest of your equipment is easier with a grow tent, plus they are lined with highly reflective Mylar.
Grow tents are easy to maintain and keep clean. Also, they can be dismantled in a hurry should the need arise, or if you are moving house, just pack it up and take it with you.
GROW LIGHTS When it comes to lighting, it boils down to a choice between old school HID systems versus next generation full spectrum LED’s. CFL bulbs are really only supplemental lighting during bloom.
Cool white CFLs are a viable alternative to MH lamps for use during vegetative growth. Aside from rooting cuttings or keeping a mother plant in veg, CFLs are not a recommended standalone light source.
HID setups are cheaper to purchase, but more expensive to run over the long term than the latest LED systems.
The mandatory extras with HID lamps are a ballast and a reflector. Bulbs will need to be replaced at least annually and remember its MH for veg and HPS for bloom. These babies tend to heat up, so dimmable ballasts might be required during the summer months.
Full spectrum LED kits are simple plug and play operated lighting. No ballast, no reflector, just one single unit to illuminate plants throughout their lifecycle. They are a big investment, but a high quality LED system has a lifespan of a decade.
Moreover, throughout its lifetime it will run cooler and cheaper than any comparable HID set up. And no replacing lamps either.
GROW LIGHTS When it comes to lighting, it boils down to a choice between old school HID systems versus next generation full spectrum LED’s. CFL bulbs are really only supplemental lighting during bloom.
Cool white CFLs are a viable alternative to MH lamps for use during vegetative growth. Aside from rooting cuttings or keeping a mother plant in veg, CFLs are not a recommended standalone light source.
HID setups are cheaper to purchase, but more expensive to run over the long term than the latest LED systems.
The mandatory extras with HID lamps are a ballast and a reflector. Bulbs will need to be replaced at least annually and remember its MH for veg and HPS for bloom. These babies tend to heat up, so dimmable ballasts might be required during the summer months.
Full spectrum LED kits are simple plug and play operated lighting. No ballast, no reflector, just one single unit to illuminate plants throughout their lifecycle. They are a big investment, but a high quality LED system has a lifespan of a decade.
Moreover, throughout its lifetime it will run cooler and cheaper than any comparable HID set up. And no replacing lamps either.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS In order to accurately measure temperature and relative humidity, you need a digital thermometer in the grow tent. Next, you need to fit an intake fan in one of the bottom openings in your grow tent. Run some ducting to a fresh air source in as straight a line as possible and secure the connection with duct tape.
Using cable ties or strong cordage, secure an extractor fan in one of the openings in the ceiling of the grow tent. With some more cable ties or strong cordage, strap your carbon filter to the roof of the grow tent in line with the fan.
Then connect the two together with ducting in a straight line and secure all joins with duct tape. Run the ducting from the extractor once again in as straight a line as possible to your vent and secure with duct tape.
Play around with the settings until you get the desired microclimate dialled in. Adding some pedestal fans and/or clip-on fans is also recommended to keep good air flow.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS In order to accurately measure temperature and relative humidity, you need a digital thermometer in the grow tent. Next, you need to fit an intake fan in one of the bottom openings in your grow tent. Run some ducting to a fresh air source in as straight a line as possible and secure the connection with duct tape.
Using cable ties or strong cordage, secure an extractor fan in one of the openings in the ceiling of the grow tent. With some more cable ties or strong cordage, strap your carbon filter to the roof of the grow tent in line with the fan.
Then connect the two together with ducting in a straight line and secure all joins with duct tape. Run the ducting from the extractor once again in as straight a line as possible to your vent and secure with duct tape.
Play around with the settings until you get the desired microclimate dialled in. Adding some pedestal fans and/or clip-on fans is also recommended to keep good air flow.
ODOUR CONTROL As we touched on above, carbon filters are an essential piece of kit and the best way to eliminate pungent weed aromas. Additional odour absorbing gels and blocks are handy to place about the rest of the property too.
ODOUR CONTROL As we touched on above, carbon filters are an essential piece of kit and the best way to eliminate pungent weed aromas. Additional odour absorbing gels and blocks are handy to place about the rest of the property too.
GROWING MEDIUMDepending on your choice of cultivation style, you will need to stock up on soil, coco, hydro clay pebbles or rock wool. It’s easy to calculate how much you need, just add up the total amount of litres for the number of containers you intend to use.
GROWING MEDIUMDepending on your choice of cultivation style, you will need to stock up on soil, coco, hydro clay pebbles or rock wool. It’s easy to calculate how much you need, just add up the total amount of litres for the number of containers you intend to use.
POTS AND CONTAINERSAgain, this depends on the grow method. Organic soil growers can adopt a minimalist approach and stick with simple plastic pots. Hydroponics systems typically have room for multiple plants and can be installed in a grow tent in a whole unit. If hydro cropping, make sure the reservoir is large enough and placed outside the grow tent, away from electronics.
Alternatively, air-pots can be used by all kinds of growers and are a safe bet, if you have yet to settle on a method or wish to experiment further later. Plus, they air prune the roots of plants and are proven to perform well in cannabis grow shows.
POTS AND CONTAINERSAgain, this depends on the grow method. Organic soil growers can adopt a minimalist approach and stick with simple plastic pots. Hydroponics systems typically have room for multiple plants and can be installed in a grow tent in a whole unit. If hydro cropping, make sure the reservoir is large enough and placed outside the grow tent, away from electronics.
Alternatively, air-pots can be used by all kinds of growers and are a safe bet, if you have yet to settle on a method or wish to experiment further later. Plus, they air prune the roots of plants and are proven to perform well in cannabis grow shows.
NUTRIENTSAlways buy cannabis-specific nutrients. Don’t bother with anything from the garden centre, stick with name brand nutes. Get the nutrients specifically designed for your chosen cultivation method. If you grow in soil, stick with organics, if you crop in coco, get the coco version and for hydro it’s best to select the specialised hydro nutrients.
You can spend as little or a lot, it’s up to you. Some of the more expensive fertilisers can also automatically adjust the water to the optimal pH range. Otherwise, you will need a pH & EC meter to keep tabs on feeding.
NUTRIENTSAlways buy cannabis-specific nutrients. Don’t bother with anything from the garden centre, stick with name brand nutes. Get the nutrients specifically designed for your chosen cultivation method. If you grow in soil, stick with organics, if you crop in coco, get the coco version and for hydro it’s best to select the specialised hydro nutrients.
You can spend as little or a lot, it’s up to you. Some of the more expensive fertilisers can also automatically adjust the water to the optimal pH range. Otherwise, you will need a pH & EC meter to keep tabs on feeding.
BOOKS & BLOGSAbsolutely nobody knows everything about cannabis cultivation. Embrace lifelong learning and study under many different teachers to gather as much knowledge as possible. Invest in some cannabis cultivation books and read a variety of cannabis blogs regularly.
BOOKS & BLOGSAbsolutely nobody knows everything about cannabis cultivation. Embrace lifelong learning and study under many different teachers to gather as much knowledge as possible. Invest in some cannabis cultivation books and read a variety of cannabis blogs regularly.
WEED WIDGETS The following widgets are the things you think off when you're half way through setting up the grow op, before you realise you forgot to buy them. Fortunately, we’ve remembered for you.
Take a trip to the hardware store and get a couple of rolls of duct tape and a variety of cable ties or some tough cordage. And if your kit is heavy, get some chains. Also, grab a few hooks and those gym cable weight hooks if they have them.
These little bits and pieces have their grow store equivalents and a set of rope ratchets and easy roll hangers are perfect widgets for hanging lights and reflectors. For mixing nutrients you will need some plastic pipettes to dose accurately. Last of all, don’t forget to buy a decent pair of trimming scissors for pruning.
WEED WIDGETS The following widgets are the things you think off when you're half way through setting up the grow op, before you realise you forgot to buy them. Fortunately, we’ve remembered for you.
Take a trip to the hardware store and get a couple of rolls of duct tape and a variety of cable ties or some tough cordage. And if your kit is heavy, get some chains. Also, grab a few hooks and those gym cable weight hooks if they have them.
These little bits and pieces have their grow store equivalents and a set of rope ratchets and easy roll hangers are perfect widgets for hanging lights and reflectors. For mixing nutrients you will need some plastic pipettes to dose accurately. Last of all, don’t forget to buy a decent pair of trimming scissors for pruning.
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