My First Grow Tent: Equipment for Beginning Indoor Growers

Are you thinking about starting indoor growing? To help you avoid the common mistakes beginners make, we have prepared an overview of the basic equipment without which your first growbox cannot do.

How does indoor growing differ from growing in a garden, on a balcony or on a windowsill? The main difference is the quality of the environment in which the plants are kept. Indoor cultivation of plants consists of creating controlled conditions for healthy and rapid plant growth. In practice, this means that the plants are enclosed in a special tent or growing room, where they grow under artificial lighting in a strictly controlled climate. This makes it possible to grow much more efficiently indoors than when you are dependent on the whims of the weather. In an indoor growing room, “sunlight” shines on your plants from morning to evening every day, a pleasant breeze blows, and they receive nutrition and water as needed. The enclosed environment also means a lower risk of pests and mould. In the following lines, we will guide you step by step through the basic equipment you will need to get started.

OUR TIP! If you do not want to choose each component separately, we have prepared advantageous growbox sets for you, which only need to be assembled and you can start right away!

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Grow tent

The basic building block of your indoor growing room is a grow tent – growbox. You can think of it as a fabric wardrobe in which you hide the plants and everything they need. It is possible to grow plants under artificial lighting, for example in a garage or a room adapted for this purpose, but in a smaller space it is much easier to maintain stable and controlled conditions, which are the basis of success. In addition, no light or odours escape from the growbox, and the plants are not disturbed by external influences.

Before buying a growbox, decide where you will place the grow tent. Access to electricity and a supply of fresh air are essential. The room with the growbox should have a stable room temperature and should not retain humidity. A more spacious pantry or living room is a suitable place. We do not recommend growing in a cellar or attic, where it is much harder to maintain suitable conditions for healthy plant growth.

And what size growbox should you choose to start with? If you are just beginning, a smaller to medium-sized tent with a footprint of 60×60 cm to 120×120 cm will be sufficient. You can easily fit 3 plants into such a space, which is the limit set by law from the new year.

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Lighting for growing plants

Light is a basic source of energy for plants, and without it they simply will not grow. When growing indoors, special grow lights replace sunlight. In the early days of indoor growing, growers used various types of high-pressure sodium discharge lamps, but these are now being replaced by LED lights. These are significantly more efficient, safer, have a long service life and a spectrum tailored to plants.

The power and size of the light must correspond to the growing space and the type and age of the plants. Lights with an output of up to 100 W are suitable for growing seedlings, herbs, lettuce, germination and cloning. For growing medicinal varieties, we recommend choosing an LED light with an output of at least 100 W. The output of the light also determines how large an area you can effectively cover with it. The higher above the tops you hang the LED module, the less energy the plants receive from the incoming light. That is why it is advisable to choose the power of the LED light according to the growing area you want to illuminate.

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Ventilation and odour filters

Plants in an enclosed grow tent quickly use up oxygen and humidity increases inside. Without sufficient ventilation, mould would quickly spread in the growbox and the plants would suffer from the heat of the grow lights. Every growbox must be equipped with one extract fan placed in the upper part, which removes the “stale” air from the growing space. Air intake can be passive, or you can use another fan for this purpose. In smaller tents, however, this is usually not necessary.

Most growers of medicinal plants also use carbon filters, which neutralise odours coming from the growbox. The capacity of the carbon filter should be slightly higher than the maximum output of the extract fan. We recommend replacing the filter with a new one every two to three growing cycles.

In addition to the extract fan, you will also need a smaller circulation fan to move the air inside. A gentle breeze strengthens the stems, helps prevent mould and prevents hot-air pockets from forming under the grow lights. Set the circulation fan so that the air flows just above the tops of the plants upwards.

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Growing medium and pots

Indoor growing takes many forms, but if you are complete beginners, the easiest way to start is by growing in pots in a soil mix or coconut substrate. These methods do not differ much from traditional growing, for example in a greenhouse or in a bed. The difference is that in a growbox you have every aspect of plant life under control, from temperature to the amount and colour of light. Once you have mastered the basics, you can try more advanced techniques such as hydroponics or aeroponics.

For growing medicinal plants or fruiting varieties, you will need larger pots with a volume of roughly 5-15 litres. The more space you give the roots, the more water and nutrients the plants can absorb and the more they can grow. Pot size can also be a good way to keep plants under control and stay within legal limits. For growing in coco or soil, the most suitable option is plastic pots, but you can also use fabric pots, which are suitable for growing in flood trays using the ebb & flow method.

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Fertilisers and plant nutrition

In addition to water and light, plants also need nutrients – especially nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). Some growing substrates do contain a certain amount of nutrients, but when growing in pots the plants quickly exhaust them. In order for your plants to make the most of the energy from the light and reward you with a rich harvest, they will require regular fertilisation.

The type of fertiliser and the frequency of fertilisation depend on the medium used and the growing style. When growing in soil, you can use the widest range of fertilisers – from fully organic solid or liquid products to fast-acting mineral fertilisers. You will need specially designed fertilisers for growing in coconut substrates or hydroponics.

Nutritional supplements and various additives to support growth and protect plants are a chapter in themselves. Solid results can be achieved even with basic fertilisers, but every grower who is serious about growing should have several products in their equipment. When growing indoors, we recommend using preventive protective sprays based on natural ingredients, such as CannaCure and others. To increase yields when growing medicinal plants, it is advisable to use PK boosters to support flowering.

Measurement and environmental control

The basis of success in indoor growing is careful environmental control. Plants thrive best at temperatures in the range of 21–26 °C and humidity of around 60% during vegetative growth and 40-50% during flowering. More advanced growers also monitor the pH and EC of the nutrient solution, which allows them to dose fertilisers precisely. Too acidic or too alkaline a nutrient solution can block nutrient uptake. EC (electrical conductivity) shows the concentration of mineral salts in the water.

The basic tool for measuring the climate inside the growbox is a reliable thermometer with hygrometer with external probe. Place it in a visible spot at mid-height in the tent. Then use the external probe to measure the temperature at the tops of the plants. To measure pH and EC, you will need a pH and EC metre.

Whether you choose a simple growbox set or put everything together yourself, the most important thing is to learn to understand the needs of the plants. With quality equipment and a little practice, indoor growing will quickly draw you in.

Are you unsure about choosing equipment for growing plants, or are you looking for tips for those who are just starting with indoor growing? You can find all this and much more on our Higarden blog!