Growing cannabis has become a trend among cannabis enthusiasts especially in areas where the use of cannabis both for recreational and medical use has been legalized. Cannabis is a very versatile plant that can be cultivated in different growing environments.
Indoor growing has also been very popular as it allowed growers to cultivate cannabis discreetly inside the house using a vacant space, a nook, closet, or grow tents. Grow tents, in particular, can be bought or you can learn how to make a homemade grow tent using inexpensive yet durable materials.
In this article, we will give you easy ways and tips on how to make a homemade grow tent that will be the perfect grow pace for your cannabis plant indoors.
What is a Grow Tent?
A grow tent is a compact and portable tent (just like a regular tent) that is made of flexible materials. It has a reflective wall that prevents hot spots. An ideal grow tent has a room where you can set up fans, grow lights, carbon filters, and other equipment needed to recreate an ideal growing environment for the plants.
Grow tents should be lightproof and waterproof and can fit in space inside your home. They come in different sizes and heights. If you are planning to buy a grow tent, the first thing that you need to consider is the type of strain that you are growing as well as the number of plants that you need to grow as this will help you determine the size and type of grow tent that you will need.
Grow tents are popular for indoor growing because they are easy to set up and they are compact. It wouldn’t be hard for you to transfer them just in case and they keep your plants secured.
How to Make a Homemade Grow Tent?
Grow tents are available commercially and they are sold under different brands. They come in different sizes yet they all have the basic features that you need in order to grow your plants indoors.
The good news though is that you can make a homemade grow tent and you can personalize it and use materials that you think will be best for your indoor garden. You can also use affordable yet durable materials so you can save money without compromising the quality of your tent.
Things You Need in Making a Homemade Grow Tent
- PVC pipes ( 19mm)
- Straight pipes (16x)
- T-fittings (4x)
- Corner Fittings (8×90-degree)
- Cross Fittings (1x)
- Panda Film
- LED Grow lights
- Fan
- Carbon Filter
- Thermometer
- Humidity Gauge
- Timer
- Hand saw
- Duct tape
- Velcro
Steps to Create a Homemade Grow Tent
Step 1: The first thing that you need to do is to gather all the materials and tools that you need. This will save you time and energy.
Step 2: Assemble the frame. making sure that you have everything that you need, it is time to assemble your tent’s frame. You will be using the 16 straight pieces of pipes and then the 4 T-fittings that you will be using for the verticals, 8 for the tent’s roof, and then another 4 for the base. Connect the pipes using the fittings as you build the frame of the tent. Make sure that you will have a strong cross fitting in the middle for it to hold the lights and the fans that you need to install.
Step 3: Cover the tent. After building the frame, it’s time to cover the tent with the fabric. First, you have to cover it with the panda fil on the inside and with a black film on the outside. To do so, start by wrapping a single piece of panda film on the three or four walls of the. Make sure to secure the panda film to the pipe intended for the opening of the tent. After that, cover the top part of the tent with the film with at least 3-5 cm overlapping the wall. Make sure that there are no leaks for light. Cut a piece of film that is long enough from the middle of the roof to the base of the tent. This will be the opening of your tent. Secure this with duct tape. Secure the PV pipes using Velcro.
Step 4: Install LED lights. In installing LED lights, make sure that it is secured and properly placed on top of the grow tent. If possible, make sure that it can be adjusted. Make sure that you have the power chords in place and organized. Check for any seal and leakage. If there is leakage, make sure to cover it with duct tape.
Step 5: Install fan, carbon filters, and other equipment like thermometer and humidity gauge. As mentioned earlier, make sure to have a strong vertical line on the upper portion of your tent as this will hold the lights and the fans for ventilation. Carbon filters should only be installed if you are to address the strong odor of the type of strain that you are using. If there is no need for it then you don’t have to install it. Keep a space thermometer or humidity gauge to keep track of the temperature and the humidity.
Factors to Consider When Setting Up Your Homemade Grow Tent
Size
The size of the grow tent will depend on the number of plants that you want to grow as well as the space you have and your budget.
Lightproof
Light plays an important part in the growth of your plants. Make sure that there is no other source of light aside from your grow lights.
Airflow
An ideal grows tent must have a good ventilation system allowing a good flow of air which the plants need.
Waterproof
An ideal grow tent should be waterproof so that any spills won’t cause damage to the plants.
Grow tents are very popular for indoor growing and knowing how to make a homemade grow tent is an advantage especially if you want to personalize your grow tent basing on your needs and what suits your grow space. Building your own grow tent will also test your creativity, save you money as you can use inexpensive yet durable materials.