My First Growbox: Equipment for Beginner Indoor Growers

Thinking about starting indoor growing? To avoid common beginner mistakes, we have prepared an overview of the basic equipment your first growbox will need.

How does indoor growing differ from growing in a garden, on a balcony or a windowsill? The main difference is the quality of the environment in which the plants grow. Indoor cultivation consists of creating controlled conditions for healthy and rapid plant growth. In practice this means plants are enclosed in a special tent or grow room where they grow under artificial lighting in a strictly controlled climate. Because of this, indoor cultivation can be done much more efficiently than when you depend on the whims of the weather. In an indoor grow room your plants get a “sun” shining on them every day from morning till evening, a pleasant breeze and water and nutrients as needed. The enclosed environment also means a lower risk of pests and molds. In the following paragraphs we will guide you step by step through the basic equipment you will need to get started.

OUR TIP! If you don't want to pick every component separately, we've prepared convenient growbox sets that just need assembling so you can start right away!

You might be interested in: Legal cultivation from 1.1.2026: Overview of laws and rules

Grow tent

The basic structural pillar of your indoor grow room is the grow tent – growbox. You can think of it as a fabric wardrobe where you hide your plants and everything they need. It is possible to grow plants under artificial lighting in a garage or a specially adapted room, but in a smaller dedicated space it is much easier to maintain stable and controlled conditions, which are the foundation of success. In addition, light and odors do not escape from a growbox and the plants are not bothered by external influences.

Before buying a growbox, decide where you will place it. You will need access to electricity and fresh air. The room with the growbox should have a stable room temperature and should not retain humidity. A suitable place is a larger pantry or living room. We do not recommend growing in a cellar or attic, where it is much harder to maintain suitable conditions for healthy plant growth.

How large a growbox should you choose to start? If you are beginning, a small to medium tent with a footprint of 60×60 cm to 120×120 cm will be sufficient. You can easily fit 3 plants in such a tent, which is the limit set by law from the new year.

You might be interested in: Buying a growbox from A to Z

Lighting for growing plants

Light is the primary source of energy for plants and without it they simply won't grow. In indoor growing, sunlight is replaced by special grow lights. In the early days of indoor growing, growers used various types of high-pressure sodium lamps, which are now replaced by LEDs. LEDs are significantly more efficient, safer, have a long lifespan and offer spectra tailored to plants.

Power and size of the fixture must match the grow area and the type and age of the plants. Lights up to 100 W are suitable for seedlings, herbs, salads, germination and cloning. For growing medicinal species we recommend choosing an LED fixture with at least 100 W. The power of the light also determines how large an area it can effectively cover. The higher you hang an LED module above the tops, the less energy the plants receive from the incident light. Therefore, choose the LED power according to the grow area you want to illuminate.

You might be interested in: The most important criteria for choosing grow lighting

Ventilation and odor filters

Plants in an enclosed grow tent quickly consume oxygen and humidity inside increases. Without adequate ventilation molds would multiply quickly and plants would suffer from heat from the grow lights. Every growbox must be equipped with an exhaust fan placed at the top to carry "used" air out of the grow space. Fresh air intake can be passive or you can use an additional fan for this purpose. For smaller tents this is usually not necessary.

Most growers of medicinal plants also use activated carbon filters that neutralize odors coming from the growbox. The capacity of the carbon filter should be slightly greater than the maximum power of the exhaust fan. We recommend replacing the filter with a new one every two to three grow cycles.

In addition to the exhaust fan you will need a smaller circulation fan that moves the air inside. A gentle breeze strengthens stems, helps prevent molds and avoids pockets of hot air under the grow lights. Position the circulation fan so air flows just above the tops of the plants upwards.

You might be interested in: Where and how to properly position fans in a growbox or grow room

Growing medium and pots

Indoor growing has many forms, but if you're a complete beginner, the easiest way is to start growing in pots in the soil mix or a coconut substrate. These methods are not very different from traditional growing in a greenhouse or garden bed. The difference is that in a growbox you control every aspect of the plant's life, from temperature to the amount and color of light. Once you master the basics, you can try more advanced techniques like hydroponics or aeroponics.

For growing medicinal or fruiting species you will need larger pots of roughly 5–15 liters. The more space you give the roots, the more water and nutrients the plants can absorb and the larger they can grow. Pot size can also be a way to keep plants in check and stay within legal limits. For growing in coconut or soil, plastic pots are most suitable, but you can also use fabric pots, which are suitable for ebb & flow flood tables.

You might be interested in: When fabric pots are better than plastic ones

Fertilizers and plant nutrition

Besides water and light, plants also need nutrients—especially nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). Some growing substrates contain a certain amount of nutrients, but in pots plants will quickly deplete them. To make the most of the light energy and reward you with a rich harvest, your plants will require regular feeding.

The type of fertilizer and feeding frequency depend on the medium and growing style. In soil you can use the widest range of fertilizers—from fully organic solids or liquids to fast-acting mineral fertilizers. Special fertilizers are needed for growing in coconut substrates or hydroponics.

Supplements and various additives for growth support and plant protection are a chapter of their own. Good results can be achieved with basic fertilizers, but every grower serious about growing should have a few specialized products. For indoor growing we recommend using preventive natural-based protective sprays such as CannaCure and others. To increase yields when growing medicinal plants, it is useful to use PK boosters to support flowering.

Measuring and environmental control

Careful control of the environment is the basis of success in indoor cultivation. Plants thrive best at temperatures between 21–26 °C and humidity around 60% during vegetative growth and 40–50% during flowering. Advanced growers also monitor the pH and EC of the feed water, which allows precise dosing of fertilizers. Too acidic or alkaline water can block nutrient uptake. EC (electrical conductivity) indicates the concentration of mineral salts in the water.

The basic tool for measuring the climate inside a growbox is a reliable thermometer with hygrometer with an external probe. Place it in a visible spot at mid-height in the tent. Use the external probe to measure the temperature at the plant tops. For measuring pH and EC you will need a pH and EC meter.

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

Are you unsure about choosing equipment for indoor growing or looking for tips for beginners? You'll find all that and much more on our Higarden blog!