Home Growers Corner
New Year, New Gear – Prepping for Your Grow
Skip the Bells and Whistles! by Gerry Donovan, contributing writer
You’ ve finally decided to grow indoors and now need grow equipment. Growing outdoors and indoors are two different animals. The biggest difference is“ control,” control over the environment and animals. A storm won’ t come and blow over your indoor plants, and no caterpillars or deer should find their way into your indoor garden either. Also, air quality can be an issue in urban outdoor environments, and I don’ t like the idea of a bunch of crap wafting onto the buds I’ ll be consuming. One of my sayings is,“ I like to grow indoors for smoking, and outdoors for fun!”
Pros:
● Easy Temperature Control.
● Out of the way – no nosy eyes peeking.
● Usually, good access to water, ventilation, and drainage.
Cons:
● Washer and dryer
● Cannabis will taste like detergent and dryer sheets.
● Water, musk, mildew, leaks.
● Possible mold contamination.
● Cannabis will potentially taste musty or like wet dog.
This audience is based in the Midwest, and there are two types of basements here— new and old. A well-built, finished new basement and an old, dry basement have all the pros and none of the cons of an older wet basement. If no“ good” basement area is available, consider a less-used bathroom, spare room, closet, or climate-controlled garage.
Growing outdoors versus indoors has challenges to overcome, including the environment, weather, and intrusive animals.
Your New Year Resolution:“ In 2026, I’ m going to grow the Cleanest, Best weed I’ ve ever had.”
The Where
So, moving on inside, you’ ve cleaned out that“ perfect spot” in your basement, garage, shed, attic— but have you picked the ideal location? Before we cover the gear, let’ s talk about choosing the best spot in your home to grow. Most people will default to their basement as their preferred grow spot. Let’ s talk about the pros and cons of the basement option.
( Note: All my previous articles are accessible on our website evolutionmagazine. com in digital format. If I have previously covered a topic, I will note that in the following. Please check out any of my past articles for more growing-at-home information.)
The What
It is said,“ All you need is a seed!” to start growing; as true as that may be, I’ m going to break down all the gear that is needed for a well-controlled indoor cannabis grow. This is not a deep dive into every detail, but an overview of the necessary components and equipment to turn your indoor garden into a“ pro-grade” grow.
Equipment � Checklist— Home Growing Gear
Grow Tent: You are essentially creating a contained plant-specific micro-environment. Easy to control temperature, air quality, and maintain cleanliness.
Two tents: One veg tent for starting seedlings, young plants, and keeping mothers, and one for plants in flower.( A third tent is nice if you want to keep mother plants completely on their own.)
Lights( Do NOT skimp on lights) Full-spectrum LED.
● Size / power should be maxed for your tents.
22 January 2026