The outdoor season is ending … but growing doesn’t have to!

Autumn has a bittersweet feel for growers. The outdoor harvest is approaching, and we will finally be able to enjoy the fruits of our work. On the other hand, many of us will miss growing during the winter. Yet it does not have to be that way at all. Indoor growing, that is, growing plants indoors under artificial lighting, makes it possible to harvest all year round. Do you not feel confident enough to try it? In the following lines, we will convince you that getting started with indoor growing is not difficult.

There was a time when setting up an indoor grow room required weeks of preparation, months of saving and years of perfecting the right technique. Over time, however, this growing method developed from a dubious hobby into a lucrative industry. Today, artificial lighting is used not only to grow exotic plants, but also tomatoes, strawberries, herbs and, in short, a large proportion of the food on the shelves of our shops. Modern indoor growing equipment is much more advanced and several times less expensive than it was years ago. Almost anyone can therefore get started.

What indoor growing involves and what you need to get started

Anyone who paid attention at school knows that plants need water, nutrients, air and, above all, light to live. Without it, they would not be able to photosynthesise, that is, convert light energy into sugars, which they use to power their metabolism. The foundation of every indoor grow room is therefore a light source that replaces the sun. 

In the past, high-pressure discharge lamps were used for this purpose, similar to those you may know from old street lighting lamps. Pioneers of indoor growing discovered that these lamps had the right spectrum for plant growth. However, discharge lamps had several disadvantages. They were expensive and inefficient, wore out quickly and could explode. In addition, it was necessary to switch between lamps for growth and flowering during the growing cycle.

In recent years, discharge lamps have largely been replaced by LED grow lights. LED grow lights are more efficient, last much longer and are safe. In addition, LEDs have a better light spectrum that resembles natural light, so a single light is sufficient for the entire growing cycle. Last but not least, working with LED modules is easy, and anyone who can operate a light switch can learn to use them.

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In addition to grow lights, you will need a grow tent – growbox in which to place the plants, light and other equipment. In theory, it is possible to grow plants under artificial light in a darkened storeroom or garage, but this is often impractical. It is easier to maintain complete darkness in the enclosed space of a tent, which is important. Many plants need an appropriate day length and uninterrupted darkness in order to flower.

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Another indispensable pillar of every grow room is the ventilation system, which maintains the right climate inside the tent. An extract fan positioned in the upper part of the growbox expels air outside so that it can be replaced with fresh air. Without an extract fan, moisture would accumulate in the tent. Circulation fans are positioned inside the tent, where they circulate the air.

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In addition to the light, tent and ventilation equipment, you will need a few more items: a timer, several metres of ducting, cable ties, a odour filter, pots, growing medium and fertiliser. If you are just starting out with growing or simply are not technically minded, do not worry. We have put together complete indoor growing sets in various price categories, which only need to be assembled and connected. You do not need to choose or work anything out. Plug them into the mains and start growing!

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What about the price?

How much does it cost to purchase and operate an indoor grow room? The total price and electricity requirements will depend primarily on the size of the tent and the light output. The larger the growing area and the more powerful the light, the higher not only the yields, but also the purchase price and operating costs.

The price of the cheapest sets with a growing area of up to 1 m2 is around CZK 5,000. In such a box, you can grow one to three small plants. Standard-sized growing sets with a growing area of 1 to 2 m2 cost approximately CZK 10,000 to 15,000. The most expensive growing sets cost tens of thousands of Czech korunas.

The basic rule of indoor growing is that the greater the light output, the higher the expected yield. On the other hand, this logically also means that the grow room will consume more electrical energy. To give you an idea, we have prepared an overview of the estimated operating costs of our sets. (For an indicative calculation, an electricity price of CZK 6/kWh was used.)