I Have a Small Tent: How to Grow Discretely in an Apartment
As the song goes, not everyone is lucky enough to have a balcony. Some are even so unlucky as to have a tiny apartment and curious neighbors. Even so, there's no need to lose heart and give up hope for those desired three plants. Higarden advises on how to grow indoors inconspicuously yet effectively.
When we talk about discrete indoor growing, we certainly don't mean a few pots hidden on a balcony or windowsill. We're talking about growing under artificial lighting in a special grow tent – a grow box. In it, you can hide not only the plants but also most of the equipment, and if you want, you can even set it up so that your mini-grow room looks like a wardrobe from the outside. It's important that no light or odor escapes and that the operation is as quiet as possible.
Which grow box to choose and where to place it
How big of a grow box do you need? It probably goes without saying that the smaller the grow tent, the easier it is to hide from prying eyes. However, if you don't want to grow just herbs but have a taste for something more aromatic, you'll need a tent with a footprint of at least 40x40 cm and a height of 120 cm. One smaller plant, such as an autoflowering variety, fits comfortably in such a space. If you want to grow more plants, you'll need at least a square meter of growing area. Remember, the larger the tent, the noisier the operation will be.
If you want to grow inconspicuously, you might pay a bit more for a grow box. Cheaper grow tents may serve their purpose, but they often leak light through the seams. Premium brand grow boxes are made so that not a single ray of light gets out.
And where to put the grow tent? An ideal place for a grow tent is a well-ventilated dark room, such as a pantry. But if you don't have a choice and must have the grow box in the bedroom, for example, you can disguise it as a wardrobe. Just make sure to leave openings for the exhaust fan and air intake.
You might be interested in: What are the ideal conditions for indoor growing
How to ensure quiet grow box operation
Many a sleeper is disturbed even by the hum of a refrigerator, and the buzzing of fans in a grow room can be just as annoying. Quiet and reliable fans are essential, and it's not worth skimping on them. Modern fans with an EC motor are slightly more expensive than the older AC type, but their operation is incomparably quieter. Another advantage is low consumption and easy speed control.
Essential equipment for a truly quiet grow box is a noise silencer, which is fitted to the exhaust ducting right after the fan. It's a good idea to hang the exhaust fan on rubber straps, which reduce the transmission of vibrations. When installing air ducting, keep in mind that every bend increases the noise of the flowing air - so try for the shortest and straightest connections possible.
You might be interested in: How to choose quiet ventilation ducting for a grow box or grow room
Odor under control
In addition to noise, the pleasant scent of flowering plants can give away your grow room. Current medicinal varieties have an aroma that can pass through three doors, so it's essential to use a carbon filter when growing them. This cleans the air leaving the growing space and neutralizes the characteristic odor.
The filter must match the fan's capacity, and all connections must be well-sealed. Don't forget that carbon filters wear out over time and need to be replaced after two to three cycles. A small investment for a peaceful sleep is worth it.
In the period just before harvest and during drying, the plants will be in full bloom, and simple air filtration may not be enough. Don't forget to equip yourself well in advance with odor-neutralizing gels, which create another layer of defense against uninvited noses.
You might be interested in: How to correctly choose a carbon filter for your fan
Suitable varieties for small tents and how to tame them
Although almost anything can be grown under artificial lighting, if your goal is inconspicuousness, leave tall and wild-growing sativas for greenhouses. Compact indicas or autoflowering varieties thrive best in a small growing space. These usually don't grow taller than a meter and have a short growing cycle.
A small space has its limitations, and if you want to get the most out of your plants, think ahead about the plant's shape. During the vegetative phase, try to make the plants grow wider rather than taller to fill the entire growing space. Remember that after switching to bloom, plants quickly stretch in height. To prevent them from outgrowing the grow lights, you can prune them, or bend or weave them into nets.
You might be interested in: How to prune and train plants
Are you just starting with growing and don't know how to coordinate all the components? Stop by and see us at Higarden.cz. We'll help you choose a quiet fan, a light-proof tent, and other equipment for discrete growing. You can find useful tips and advice on indoor and outdoor growing on our Higarden blog.