GARDENING IN GROW TENTS
Grow tents are a convenient way to convert an indoor
space into a contained area for year-round gardening.
Here are some points to ponder when planning a grow
tent garden.
1. LOCATION IS EVERYTHING
Select a location that can be dedicated to the tent for at
least a few months. The area will require power and easy
access to water, so keep those needs in mind. Make sure
the electrical circuit selected can handle the demands of
the equipment you wish to use, and accidents and spills
happen, so avoid putting the tent over carpet or hardwood floors when possible. If the location is too obtrusive, it may become an obstacle to everyday life, but if
it is too awkward to get to, it discourages frequent visits
and encourages neglect.
2. ALLOW FOR ROOM TO GROW
Your indoor garden will take up more space than just
the grow tent itself—you’ll need somewhere to store
extra supplies and equipment. The ballast for your
lighting system, a reservoir, AC unit, nutrient storage
and excess grow media are just a few items you may
need to allot extra space for. An organized garden takes
up less space than an unorganized one, and a defined,
dedicated area near the tent for items such as those
mentioned above can keep garden-related clutter from
spreading throughout the rest of the room.
60
Maximum Yield USA | December 2015
USING MORE THAN ONE TENT ADDS
VERSATILITY WHEN GROWING SHORT-DAY
PLANTS, SINCE ONE TENT CAN BE SET TO
SUMMER LIGHTING AND THE OTHER TO
FALL LIGHTING CONDITIONS TO ENSURE
CONTINUAL HARVESTS.”
3. CONSIDER USING TWO TENTS
Consider using one small and one medium tent as an
alternative to a single large tent. Using more than one
tent adds versatility when growing short-day plants, since
one tent can be set to summer lighting and the other
to fall lighting conditions to ensure continual harvests.
If plants are introduced to the fall tent over a period of
weeks, then the harvest will be spread out over a period
of weeks. Having multiple tents also makes recovery
easier if one of the tents has a catastrophic failure.
4. …OR JUST ONE BIG TENT
Also consider the opposite—one large tent versus
multiple smaller tents. Canopy control is easier when
all plants are the same age, and the harvest can be
potentially condensed to a single event. Certain growing
techniques are better suited for single-tent gardening,