Tips on Growing Cannabis In Tiny Spaces
The rise of at-home cannabis cultivation took flight in the 70s and 80s when indoor cannabis cultivation became normalized. Continued rapid changes in both the legislative sphere and the technological realm have changed the approach we take to cultivating our marijuana plants from the comfort of home.
With housing becoming more expensive and space harder to come by, many growers are looking for ways to grow cannabis in tiny, spare spaces in their homes. While it is important to have enough room for your plant to flourish, it is possible to have a satisfactory grow from the comfort of home while limiting your space.
Today, we are going to explore how you can set yourself up for success in a tiny grow space before developing a list of tips and tricks that will fuel your efforts.
How Small Can My Grow Space Get?
If you’ve seen a fully developed cannabis plant in the wild, then you know that they can become gargantuan bushes with sprawling branches. Meticulous trimming and pruning can help to control your cannabis, but only so far. While our focus is on small growing spaces, you still will need at least an area measuring 2′ x 2′ x 4′ to find success.
When you provide your cannabis cultivation area with the appropriate 2′ x 2′ x 4′ space, you’ll also need to make sure you give them the following
- Room to Grow – The more your plant can grow, the more it can produce buds, and the larger your yields will become. Height is more important than the width and this can become a hard line to balance in small spaces due to heat produced by lighting.
- Sterile Growing Environment – Keep your space small and clean to retain a sterile growing environment. Proper drainage is important because standing water can lead to pests and potential diseases.
- Proper Ventilation – Without proper ventilation, your cannabis plants won’t be exposed to the fresh air that they need to survive. Proper ventilation and a continuous exchange of air are required for your plants to thrive. Depending on the heat, you might also need to incorporate an air conditioning unit or heater to properly regulate the climate of the room.
Tips and Tricks For Growing Cannabis in Small Spaces
Once you’ve managed to appropriately address the prior points, you are ready to dive into the world of cannabis cultivation in your new small space. To find continued success in the field, we’ve outlined a few tips and tricks you can put into play to help you grow and become more successful than ever.
Add Intake Fans to Your Space
One of the easiest ways to dramatically improve the quality of your cannabis cultivation is by adding an intake fan and an oscillating fan to your room. An intake fan is required to constantly deliver fresh air to your plant. Utilize a micron filter to avoid any potential pests and problematic particulates coming in from the outside air.
If you have space for a small oscillating fan, set it at canopy level near your plants. The cool air will keep the canopy moving, the leaves stimulated, and the roots strong. You will want your plants to slightly tremble from the breeze as that is a sign of excellent airflow.
Light For Success, Understand Your Limitations
When grown in a large space where you have room to work, high-intensity discharge lights are the ideal choice for lighting your plants. High-Pressure Sodium and Metal Halide bulbs are the common choices for cannabis growers in the industry.
Unfortunately, high-intensity discharge lamps provide a ton of heat and, as such, can become quite problematic for smaller gardens. Instead of overloading your plants with too much light and heat, causing serious issues along the way, opt for a more heat-neutral lighting option.
Micro-growing professionals can opt for compact fluorescent or regular fluorescent lighting as an alternative to hotter HPS and MH bulbs. There are also high-powered LED lights that provide a full-spectrum experience without all of the heat associated with those HPS lights.
Track technology and find the right piece to suit your needs. Depending on the size of your gardening area, your lighting needs will vary.
Consider Using a Growing Dark Room
One of the easiest ways to create a self-contained growing space is through the use of a grow tent. Also known as a Dark Room, grow tents are made from vinyl, mylar, and a host of durable and reflective materials. Grow rooms offer places to hang your lights, seams for ventilation, and even a zipper and lock for absolute privacy.
The best grow tents on the market offer both mobility and security, mixed with a bit of your discretion. Grow tents can protect your plants from pets, pests, and the elements as well. You can also use a bit of elbow grease as well as your DIY skills to make your own dark room from the comfort of home.
If you don’t have access to a tent or simply cannot acquire one, you can utilize a closet in much the same way. Common thinking suggests that a 3×3 closet can be lit by a roughly 400w light. Utilize the air-cooling technology we’ve alluded to above to eliminate heat and reduce stress for your plants.
Embrace Odor Control
Small gardens can still create big smells. Make sure that your small grow room is outfitted with a carbon filter to properly scrub the air of particulates while reducing the overall odor in the room. Carbon filters can be placed between inline fans to create an air filtration system that works in anything from the smallest to the largest spaces.
