There are many opportunities to set up a greenhouse for growing plants at home all year round. Craftsmen adapt an old closet for this, equip a garage with lamps and heating, or put pallets right on the windowsill of an apartment, providing a sufficient amount of light. But the most practical, convenient and compact way is to buy a special grow tent. Let’s figure out what it is, what are its advantages and how to choose the right model.
What is a grow tent
A grow tent is a tent equipped with special lighting, ventilation and an irrigation system for indoor cultivation of various crops. This is not just a structure, but a full-fledged technology, in which all life support systems are provided for growing in greenhouses.
There are many types of such devices, different in shape and size. Generally, grow tents are used in combination with a hydroponic or aeroponics system.
Grow tent device
The tent is a kind of greenhouse, a module, which is a frame in the form of a square. The latter consists of steel or aluminum tubes connected by corners. From above, the awning is stretched with black material, which provides opacity and is characterized by dimensions from 30 to 290 cm. The dark structure does not look very aesthetically pleasing in the living room of an apartment or private house, but it is not a brand and is suitable for installation in garages, basements and attics.
Awnings of all sizes and designs have technical sleeves for mounting equipment, and special holes for pulling wires. To get inside, at least one opening is equipped with a door tightly fitting and snapping on the lock to avoid light penetration.
Design advantages and disadvantages
The main advantage of a grow tent is an environment that is isolated from external influences, which makes it easier to control the growth of seedlings. You no longer have to design greenhouses on your own, being in a constant search for the necessary parts, cut out ventilation or other openings and puzzle over the question of how to equip light protection.
Other indisputable advantages are:
- The opportunity to do gardening all year round, regardless of the weather outside the window;
- Climate regulation available. You can always set a new value to three main parameters: light, illumination and humidity;
- Compact structure and ease of installation. This also includes a relatively light weight – at any time, the structure can be removed or moved to another place;
- Durable and easy-care material of the frame. Not easily soiled, easy to clean;
- Air is supplied to the tent and leaves it by passing through special openings. The fabric does not allow it to pass through, allowing you to avoid getting any odors outside;
- The presence of a reflective layer inside, which gives the plants the maximum amount of light.
Your sprouts are reliably protected from temperature extremes, climatic precipitation, insects and mechanical influences.
What are the grow tent
All formats of grow tent production can be divided into several subtypes:
- Economy class. They use thin and not strong fabric, there are a minimum of technological sleeves, there is no convenient bag that serves as packaging. The frame does not support more than 5 kg of equipment. Despite the weak previous characteristics, the design is characterized by water resistance, the presence of a reflective surface, strong locks. This option is suitable for those new to buried ground farming, people on a tight budget, or those who don’t want to invest a lot in an untested business.
- Hobby. Already equipped with a large number of technical and adjustment arms, in comparison with the previous version, with a strong tarpaulin fabric and a weight bearing of up to 20 kg.
- Professional grow tents have even more holes, thus allowing the use of more different equipment for growing. The frame profile is already designed for 50 kg of weight, the upper fabric is strong and can be used for more than a dozen years.
- Full cycle stations are solutions for those who have decided to seriously engage in crop production. To exclude interruption of the process, such awnings are divided into several sections. In the first, the vegetation process takes place, in the second – flowering. This makes it possible to create a completely different microclimate and light regime required for plants. Recent developments have led to the creation of 3-section plants, where another section is reserved for mother crops.
- Sproutlers are designed modules for germinating sprouts from seeds until they are fully rooted. The second name for such constructions is propagators. They allow you to place the container in several levels, thanks to the presence of shelves and do not exceed 120 cm in height, which makes them convenient and compact.
- Dryers. These are specially delighted modules where you can quickly dry your freshly harvested crop. The awning dryer will protect food from light, provide access to fresh air and remove moist air from using equipped windows. Of course, you can dry the harvested crops in any other place, but if you need to immediately dry a large volume of products, such a grow tent will become an irreplaceable thing.
How to choose the right grow tent
The variety of offerings on the market today can be easily confusing. The choice of a grow tent should be based on needs, goals and the budget allocated for the idea.
First you need to determine the number of future plants. Each of them needs 0,36 m² of area for comfortable accommodation. Accordingly, an awning 60×60 cm is enough for one sprout.If there are 3-4 of them, you will need a module measuring 120×120 cm.
Further, they rely on the exactingness of crops and, accordingly, the amount of space for the installation of equipment that supports life and development.
The material of the awning also matters. If you plan to use it for more than one season, then you should opt for a more durable and dense fabric.
Conclusion
Due to the simplicity of installation, operation and use of the grow tent, not only experienced gardeners, but also novice growers can count on a good harvest. The convenient design will greatly simplify the process of growing the desired crops.
