Marijuana Grow Room: Checklist for Indoor Growing

With the marijuana industry continuously expanding and providing endless opportunities for enthusiastic business owners, the space is becoming ever more competitive. People want to be able to produce the best bud for their customers. This requires extensive knowledge in marijuana agriculture practices and growing equipment.

For many, this means establishing a grow room for their plants rather than attempting to grow the plants in an outdoor space. If you are new to growing or are looking to improve your operations, here are the important steps to setting up an efficient cannabis grow room. 

What Is a Grow Room for Indoor Cannabis Growing? 

A grow room is essentially an indoor home space dedicated solely to the growth and production of marijuana. Grow rooms are typically large spaces containing a variety of technological systems designed to produce the largest yield from crops and protect them from dangers that they would typically encounter in a more natural environment. If you are looking to produce a large number of crops year-round and efficiently, a grow room is the best option for you. 

How to Set up a Grow Room? 

Setting up a grow room is a process that takes time, care, and the proper equipment. If you are interested in setting up your own grow room, here are some things you are going to need in order to ensure the best care for your plants and produce the highest quality bud. 

Lights

Much like you would expect if you were growing your cannabis outside, grow lights are a key component to keeping your plants alive and thriving. Here are some of the lights that you will need to use when you set up your grow room. 

LED or HPS

LED lights are highly recommended for your grow room as they are energy-efficient. They also won’t get as hot as other light sources that are often purchased for marijuana plants. That said, LED lights aren’t as intense as other light sources and are better for the vegetative stage of your plants than for the flowering stage.

Another choice that is considered to be highly effective for a better yield are high-pressure sodium (HPS) lights. However, they may be hotter and cost you more money when it comes to cooling. You could also choose from other light options such as light emitting ceramic (LEC) and ceramic metal halide (CMH) lights. These can reduce electricity but will often be quite hot as well. 

Lamps

The lamps that you use in your grow room setup can be quite large. They will need to be properly maintained in order to make sure that your plants are getting the right amount of light and aren’t at risk of becoming too hot during the process.

For lights that stand up, make sure to keep them on a level surface away from any potential dangers such as water or high heat sources. For lights that hang over plants, keep them a safe distance away from the plants themselves. Make sure they are properly supported by the right chains and hooks so that they do not break or fall while they are suspended. 

Reflectors

You want to make sure that your plants are getting as much light as they possibly can and this is made possible through the use of reflectors and reflective surfaces. When lights are hung above or around your plants, make sure to include reflectors around the plant’s immediate surroundings to help direct the light towards your plant.

Also, make sure that use reflectors made of mylar or foylon. Although it can seem logical, it is important that you do not use mirrors or aluminum foil as these methods are both ineffective and dangerous. 

Wall Color 

When it comes to the colors of your walls, you are going to want to make sure that the color you choose doesn’t absorb too much light. For the walls in your grow room, it is generally recommended to use flat white paint as this is the most reflective paint color. If you can find any paints that are designed to be reflective, these will work as well. 

Ventilation & Air Circulation 

Air within your indoor grow room serves two purposes: to make sure that your plants are getting enough oxygen and to keep them protected against the heat of the lamps in your indoor grow setup. You are going to want to set up several fans to keep air moving around and install an air conditioning system that keeps things cool (but dry). You should also see if you can install fans close to your lamps to cool them down as they work. 

Watering System

Watering your systems by hand is not an efficient method unless you have a relatively small grow operation. Therefore, you are going to want to look into watering systems that will allow you to either get the water to your crops more efficiently or will allow you to let the system do the work on its own.

Many grow rooms will use hydroponic systems as they are extremely efficient and reduces both water consumption, the need for pesticides and Plant Growth Regulators. However, you can also use other methods such as drip irrigation and flood tables to give your plants the proper care. 

Temperature

Although you are growing your plants inside, they are still going to expect the same kinds of conditions as if they were growing outside. This means that you are going to want to keep your space at room temperature during the day and drop it to the low 70s or high 60s at night to simulate the temperatures they would experience outdoors. It is important that you do not go too high or too low or you run the risk of stunting or killing your plants. 

Humidity 

Some strains are resistant to pests, mold, and other crop issues but other marijuana plants can be devastated by these types of problems. This is why it is important to make sure that your grow room doesn’t become too humid so as to avoid these crop killers. Make sure that your temperature is kept down and that you have the proper ventilation systems to keep airflow consistent. If the humidity gets too high, you can easily lose all of your crops. 

Nutrient Delivery

Speaking of humidity, systems that are designed to deliver important nutrients to your plants via drip or spray systems can often result in higher humidity levels. Like most living organisms, marijuana plants thrive best when they have nutrient solutions applied to the soil. This will often include nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Besides preventing the immediate area from becoming too humid, you will also want to make sure to measure the nutrient levels in the soil of your plants. If the soil is too nutrient-rich, the soil can be toxic to the crops and kill them. 

Security 

Marijuana is a booming industry because it is profitable. This means that your plants are not only at risk of potential dangers in nature but dangers from those seeking to take your crops for their own purposes. Grow rooms should always be hidden away to prevent anyone from taking notice and trying to break in.

Along with hiding the grow space, you should also make sure to install cameras around the building and install security systems that will keep people out and alert you if anything should happen. Keeping your plants healthy and safe is your number one concern when you own a grow room. 

Checklist Before Setting Up Your Grow Room

Learning how to set up a grow room can be extensive and overwhelming with all of the best practices and equipment that you have to educate yourself on. Before you start trying to scoop up the products mentioned above, however, you will first need to secure the right area for your growing purposes. To get you started, here is a brief checklist that will help you will need out of your space. 

Plan Your Space 

You will first need to figure out both where you want your grow space to be and what you are able to afford in terms of renting or owning space for your grow operation. You will need to preferably choose a space that is more remote than the average building but still allows you to easily access and secure it. It will also need to be large enough and customizable enough to fit your desired grow operation. Once you have found your space, you will need to focus on the following points: 

Lightproof

All indoor grow spaces should be completely lightproof as these spaces are designed so that you can control all aspects of the growth process. Make sure to cover any areas where light can come through. The only light that should be present within your room comes from the lamps that you set up. Any external light can affect the efficacy of the light set up. 

Airtight 

Much like with the light, the environment in your grow room is established to meet the needs of your plants. Having an area where air from the outside can get in can create changes in temperature and affect the growth of your plants or waste energy when you are running your air conditioner and other systems.

Additionally, outside air could potentially carry contaminants into your space that could affect your plants or allow pests and other unwanted guests into the grow room. Make sure to seal your space before beginning your grow operation and aim to establish a grow room that has no windows that would allow such instances to occur. 

Waterproof Floor

Watering your plants can get messy. It can result in a lot of water runoff that may remain stagnant if it is not taken care of. If you have a floor surface that is not waterproof, this can result in mold growth that can then infect your plants.

It is important that you focus on establishing waterproof flooring that will prevent this from happening. You should also make sure that you clean and dry these surfaces frequently. You can also find an area for the water to run off into to prevent any accidental mold growth from taking place. 

Cleaning

Another important point to mention is that you need to clean your grow space carefully before you begin setting up. Any previous contaminants that have been left in the space have the potential to do serious damage to your plants if they are allowed to continue growing in the space. Every square inch of your new location should be scrubbed and disinfected before products are brought in. 

Dedicate Time to Growing

Setting up a grow room is a serious investment and you will want to make sure that you have the time, resources, and focus to see that your operation is successful. If the proper care is not taken, you run the risk of losing your crops, which can be costly in the long run. If you plan on setting up your own grow room, take the time to research everything that will go into it and make sure to invest in the right resources that will allow your plants to thrive.

Once you are set up, take care of your plants and take the time to ensure that they are getting the care that they need in order to provide the best yield possible. If you do everything you are supposed to do, you can expect to see amazing results when you are finally able to harvest your crops!

Conclusion

Grow rooms, no matter what size, are resources that will give you full control of how your plants develop over time. If you are someone who plans on running your own marijuana business and needs to start growing their own products, knowing how to start a grow room and learning more about the equipment required to grow weed is of the utmost importance. Start with this guide to get a better idea of everything that will be required for your own operation before you begin.