The growing interest in cannabis cultivation has diverged its course outside commercialization. Several cannabis enthusiasts across the globe are ready to get their hands dirty and grow their cannabis gardens.
At a commercial level, setting up a growing area is a huge endeavor and requires large-scale resources. But a small grow room to accommodate a few plants can be quickly erected anywhere with much ease. Whether in your basement, terrace, or even a closet, the right tips and tricks can promise a healthy yield and a successful harvest for your efforts.
Here we five essential tips to keep in mind while setting up a grow room anywhere.
1. Carefully Evaluate The Size
Building a grow room for marijuana is relatively easy as you can convert any space within your home for this purpose. But before you even begin preparing the area, access the size you are converting. At the beginning of the cultivation, you might feel like you can accommodate many seedlings within the space. But cannabis plants proliferate into large, tall, bushy plants. Depending on the strain, they may grow up to a height of 6feet in some cases. Over time your grow area will become extremely crowded, making it increasingly difficult to keep it clean. Also, overlaps of canopies will shadow light exposure to other plants that could cause stunted growth of buds and significantly lower potency.
A simple method to access the actual capabilities of your room is to compare the size with commercial grow cabinets. You can understand the ratio of the size of the cabinet to the number of plants it can accommodate. Use this ratio to calculate how many plants your grow room can support.
Also, consider important factors like the average size of several systems you need to fit within this space. Explore the size of hydroponic systems required for your space at Hydro Store. Remember to take hydroponics, lights, ventilation systems into account while calculating the capabilities of the grow room.
2. Create A Nurturing Environment
Creating the optimal indoor environment for the cannabis plants to grow is the most important aspect of setting up a grow room anywhere.
Starting with temperature and humidity control, balancing the appropriate levels at different stages of growth is crucial. Weed plants in the vegetative stage typically require 20 -30 degrees Celsius temperature when the lights are on and 13-20 degrees Celsius when the light goes off. The temperature requirement changes to 18 – 26 degrees Celsius as the plant matures to the flowering stage. Similarly, the optimal humidity range starts at about 70% during germination, elevates to 40-60% during the vegetative state, and reduces to 40-50% during the flowering and harvest stage.
Keep these values in mind while setting up the growing area. Utilize an exhaust fan at the top of the setup and a filter-infused air inlet on the floor to improve air circulation. It will help maintain the temperature levels in the area. Creating proper outlets for excess water to leave the room is essential to balance humidity levels.
3. Let There Be Light
Lighting is the soul of any grow room. Planning a well-structured lighting setup for the grow space ensures healthy growth and ample yield. There are four major options for lighting your grow rooms. – Incandescent bulbs, HIDs, LEDs, and fluorescent lights. Each of them offers different advantages based on the capabilities of your room.
Incandescents – Although a budget-friendly option, incandescents are not independently efficient and require to function in combination with natural sunlight to support growth. They also cause excess heating and therefore need placement at a large distance for the best benefits.
HIDs – HIDs include high-pressure sodium and metal halide lights. The former contributes more blue spectrum that supports the vegetative stage, whereas the latter with an orange-red spectrum works best during the flowering stage. The setup also produces lots of heat and hence requires complementary temperature control systems for best results.
Fluorescent – Known for their versatility, fluorescent bulbs offer a broader spectrum of light and produce less heat, thus keeping the plants safe.
LEDs – LEDs are a relatively new choice for growing room lighting. They consume less power and do not cause excessive heat dissipation. They are slightly expensive but generate savings in the long run, along with providing unparalleled value for your room.
Research these lighting systems to make the best choice for your requirements.
4. Consider The Power And Security Requirements
Grow rooms depend on a variety of systems like lighting, water supply, air circulation, humidifiers. Providing proper power supply to these systems is necessary to ensure safe and hassle-free cultivation.
Avoid using extension cords and install wall sockets with 3-prong receptacles. In case you have to use an extension cord, invest in high-quality, heavy load-bearing cords, preferably with water resistance for improved safety. Do not use all the receptacles of the cord simultaneously to avoid overloading it.
Also, consider the necessary security measures for your grow rooms. Keeping the room locked will help you avoid unnecessary run-ins by children or guests at home that could wreak havoc on your plans.
5. Nutrition And Hygiene Are Critical
Nutrient requirements of the plant need to be a priority throughout the growth. Plants intake nutrients through water. As the humidity levels influence the water uptake, be careful to maintain optimum levels to feed the plant properly. Also, a vigilant inspection of plant health can help you identify deficiency early and take necessary countermeasures to cope with the problem.
Cannabis requires a dominant concentration of nitrogen during vegetative stages, whereas it craves phosphorus and potassium during the flowering stage. Invest in soil testing equipment to regularly assess the needs of the plant and feed appropriately. Don`t forget to measure soil pH as it directly influences nutrient uptake of the plant. Hydroponic systems require 5.5-6.5 pH, whereas soil as the medium will require between 5-6.
Cleanliness is an important consideration for grow rooms as it has several implications for the health of cannabis plants. Dirty rooms with stagnant water and rotting leaves on the floor become breeding grounds for pests. They will increase the risk of infestations and also cause a foul smell.
Further, these rooms can suffer from extreme humidity that can affect the quality of buds. Therefore, make drainage provisions within the room. Clean the area often and keep the place clean and tidy.
Conclusion
These are some of the important points to keep in mind while planning and setting up grow rooms. Considering these factors while engineering the room will help you avoid mistakes that could cost your harvest. This way, you can reap healthy benefits from your cannabis plants anytime, anywhere.
