Part of the fun that comes with growing indoors has to do with all the neat equipment and set ups available to the indoor gardener. There are so many different options and methods, that it can be overwhelming as to where to even begin with your set up, and what equipment you may need to take you from seed to harvest.
Fret no more! Let's talk about what you need to get started.
The main thing to keep in mind is that you will need to recreate the outdoor environment indoors. This means creating a replacement for the sun, wind, rain, and air.
Create the environment
To recreate the basic outdoor environment you will need 3 main things:
Grow Tent - Every serious indoor garden needs a grow tent to help control humidity, temperature, and other aspects of the climate for your plants. They come in different sizes to fit the space you have available.
Grow Lights - Plants will need an alternative to sunlight when growing indoors. Using your budget and your grow space, calculate the amount of light you will need and purchase safe, quality agriculture grow lights to place inside your tent.
Air Circulation System - Your plants will need fresh air, and you may need to control the smell from your garden. You will need three main pieces of equipment to make this easy and efficient. Specifically, you will build a circulation system using an inline fan to pull air through a carbon filter and out of an air duct inside of your tent to keep fresh air on the inside for your plants, and fresh smelling air on the outside for you and your neighbors.
Choose and prepare your medium
Will you grow hydroponically (water) or in soil?
Hydro: Use equipment to grow hydroponically, or using systems where the plant is grown without soil. Instead, plants grow in running water with added nutrients for plant growth and development.
Soil: Use compost and other amendments to grow plant in "dirt". Comparable to maintaining potted houseplants or container vegetable gardens. Plant is fed using topped compost and supplemental nutrients.
Nutrients
N - P - K
All plants need nutrients to grow big and healthy, similar to how humans need different vitamins and minerals. Your plants will need to be fed Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K) over the course of its life. Many companies make complete nutrient kits that contain all the nutrients and explain the feeding schedule for best results.The type of nutrients will depend on whether you have a hydro or soil grow, and the stage of the plant life.
Stock up on management supplies
Being prepared helps minimize disastrous pest or health problems
Monitoring Tools: Keep an eye on your plants health by using monitoring tools to measure things like temperature, humidity, and pH. Examples include investing in a pH meter and a hygrometer.
Pest Management: Have equipment and supplies on hand to be able to respond quickly to any pest emergencies. Learn about preventive management to maintain long term healthy gardens. Examples include Neem Oil, Fly paper, and plant trimmers.
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