Top 5 Indoor Growing Gadgets You Can't Miss

Indoor cultivation is an art that can take many years to master. While you can learn the basics from books, some tricks you have to discover for yourself or pick up from more experienced colleagues. We asked seasoned growers what must not be missing from their equipment, and we have also selected five of the best tips for you that will take your cultivation to a higher level.

pH and EC meter – When cultivating indoors, it is very important to pay attention to the quality of the water you use to water your plants. pH meters are used to check the acidity of the nutrient solution, which affects the plants’ uptake of nutrients. An environment that is too acidic or too alkaline prevents plants from taking in important nutrients. An EC meter (conductivity meter) is indispensable for correct fertiliser dosing. With this device, you can find out how many dissolved salts (nutrients) the water contains. Investing in a pH and EC meter will save you a lot of trouble and money. Incorrect pH or overfeeding with mineral fertilisers can easily deprive you of the entire harvest.

You may also be interested in: What you need to know about the water you use for watering

Heating – A stable and controlled temperature is the key to high yields when cultivating indoors. A large difference between night and day temperatures, or a temperature that is a few degrees lower, affects plant metabolism and, above all, how quickly they absorb nutrients. Tube heaters are especially useful in the winter months, but you will also use them to balance temperature differences when the lights are off and when they are on.

Dehumidifier – Excessive humidity in the growing space is a common source of problems indoors. Mould and many pests thrive in a humid environment, and plants cannot transpire sufficiently. Dehumidifiers are especially useful in the second half of the growing cycle, when plants consume large amounts of water and at the same time need a drier environment for ripening.

You may also be interested in: Advanced climate control – VPD and transpiration

Support nets – Less experienced growers often misjudge how much their plants will grow after switching to flowering. By the time the tops are almost brushing the grow lights, it is often too late to bend or trim the plants. In the best case, overgrown plants can mean losing the best part of the harvest; in the worst case, there is a risk of fire. That is why our sales staff often advise customers to buy a support net with their new grow box, which gives the grower greater control over plant growth. Support nets also serve as support for ripening tops weighed down by flowers.

Sprayer – Many growers regularly mist plants with water or treat them with preventive sprays. If you are just starting with indoor cultivation, then the idea of regularly treating your little garden with a small hand sprayer may not seem like much hard work. Experienced growers, however, know that investing a few hundred crowns in a quality pressure sprayer pays off many times over in saved time and effort.

Are you only just starting to grow and looking for tips on basic equipment? Take a look at Buying a grow box from A to Z and at other articles on the Higarden blog, where you will find everything about indoor cultivation under artificial lighting.