Grow tents were designed to streamline the growing process for home growers, and they do it perfectly well. A well-made grow tent can set you free from any reconstruction works within your property as everything from support poles to ventilation ports is always included. Tents are also almost effortless to maintain and simplify the creation of proper permanent conditions multiple times, no matter where you place them. Growing experts from 420growradar.com explained what things you should consider to get the model that suits your growing needs the best. Below are the essential considerations in detail.
Initial Space
Making sure that you have enough space for your future garden is the most important thing to do before choosing a tent. If you are not limited on space, you can opt for a tent of, perhaps, any size. However, you may live with someone who won’t like the idea. If this is the case, you need to find an appropriate closet and measure it accurately. Small tents are usually more difficult to find, so precision is very important.
Next, figure out the required size of the plants needed for healthy growth. If your tent is too small for the specific strain you wish to grow, the quality of the plant will most likely be poor. Moreover, it can stop growing and die during one of the stages if the minimum requirements of the plant are not fulfilled.
Size & Type
Now, you have to select the type of tent that will work for you the best. There are standalone models that let you grow one or several pots during all the stages, and all-in-one kits that have different sections for reaching different growing goals simultaneously. The size and height of your tent depend on the space you have, your growing demands, and the strains you wish to plant.
If you are short on space, you should never sacrifice height and choose those tents that provide extra space above the plant’s peak. This is needed to maximize the height of the adult plant and to hang the light far enough from the plant and wall fans to make it feel unrestrained and give away a better product at the end of each cycle. Besides, it’s important to make sure that all the additional equipment and tools fit inside the tent as well.
Durability
In most cases, a higher cost for the same tent model means higher durability. However, sometimes the main price driver is the brand. To avoid problems, you should look for tent models that are made of thick materials, have enhanced zippers, strong seals, and, what’s even more important, thick poles or the rack. It’s also a good solution to pay a bit more to have metal connectors between the poles, as they are always stronger than plastic. Still, some models feature strengthened plastic connectors that can carry the required workload without wearing off too fast.
Initial Environment
It’s nearly impossible to completely avoid wear and tear, but you can achieve minimal wear off speed. While a tough material seems to be the perfect solution, it’s not the only one. You should also consider the surrounding environment. It’s important to put the tent in a place where the chance of collisions is minimal. If you put it in the hallway, in the middle of your room, or on the edge of the table, you shouldn’t blame the manufacturer if your tent wears off too early or even tears down in a moment.
The next point you have to exclude is the chance of inflammation. You should think well to minimize it. Of course, you will need electrical fans and lights to be on inside the tent 24/7, which already brings in the potential of fire. Fortunately, the chances of this are very low, and so are the chances of the sockets in the room will ignite. Nevertheless, it’s highly recommended to put the tent away from wall sockets to address this particular source of potential spark from the outer side of the tent.
Finally, you have to ensure that the air circulates well enough outside the box. If it’s too tight, you may notice the smell of damp after some time as the plants produce quite a lot of moisture. If it’s not circulated well enough, be sure to face mildew one day. Make sure that the seals are tight enough as well.
Important Extras
All grow tents on the modern market come with reflective linings to boost the light performance and energy efficiency of the unit. Manufacturers offer different proprietary and high-tech materials to provide better light performance, so compare the reviews to make sure that the mark-up is worth that light power increment.
The next feature to look for is fire-resistant components and mildew protection. Most manufacturers offer both features, but it’s important to check their presence anyway. Going further, try to ensure that the tent model you choose doesn’t have light leakages. It’s a very common problem that’s usually caused by weak zips.
Another important aspect is the ease of access to plants. While most budget tents require you to open the entire door of the tent. This isn’t crucial, but the fewer times you open it, the better. That’s why a tent with a window is a good investment. At the same time, the door for the item must be broad and high enough to let you take out all the plants without the chance of hurting them. Regular tent cleaning is necessary, so easy plant removal is a good feature to have.
The next feature, which is even more important for cleaning, is the removable tray. It has to be made of waterproof reflective material and feature high sides to keep all the moisture inside. It’s also very good when manufacturers equip the tray with some kind of velcros or other holders to prevent the bottom from sliding when you take the pots out or put them back in.
Easier Than It Seems
With all this new knowledge, you can easily make an expert choice that will match your growing needs. The last but not least thing to remember is to check out as many real user and expert reviews as you can to get an unbiased opinion about the tents that may seem good enough at first sight. Keep growing and enjoy perfect plants all year long.
