At Paradise Seeds we naturally have a lot of conversations with novice growers who are thinking of starting their first grow. One of the frequently voiced doubts that people have is whether they have enough space to place - and perhaps more significantly hide - a grow tent. So this month we are going to take a look at how to set up a small space cannabis stealth grow.
There’s an old German proverb that says ‘fear makes the wolf look bigger’, and this is a state of mind that many novice growers find themselves occupying before they take that leap into cannabis growing! You know the feeling – it’s the one that strikes worst late at night when the mind races as it imagines everything that can go wrong. With the ‘cannabis fear’ this usually involves a SWAT team landing on your roof and being marched out of the house handcuffed in your underpants while the whole neighbourhood watches...!
So to overcome this fear, why not start a small space cannabis stealth grow?! This is the perfect way for a novice to ease their way into growing and will keep that fear in its box! Done right, this method can also deliver a surprisingly healthy yield per space ratio too. The thing about growing small is that it takes a different mindset to the traditional cannabis grow and, depending on the size of the grow space, bespoke equipment.
What are the Advantages of the Small Space Cannabis Grow
Space is the obvious answer. Unless you can hide it away in an attic, even a small grow tent with 1m x 1m x 2m dimensions looks huge once you unpack it and place it in a small spare bedroom! However an equally significant advantage is the ‘stealth’ element. Whether it’s a small apartment, a room in a shared house or starting a set up in the family home, sometimes living space circumstances call for a more imaginative approach to growing cannabis.
What is the Best way to Grow Cannabis in Small Spaces?
The main problem that growers have with such limited grow space is the natural tendency of a cannabis plant to reach for the light. Consequently, this type of grow needs to keep a sense of perspective and requires constant management. Focusing on one or two plants and managing it/them well is the best way to achieve great results. One consistent bit of advice from tiny space cannabis growers is to ‘pre-empt’ the plant’s next move at every stage of growth.
This means overriding the natural impulse to let plants grow a little taller before putting them into flower. It also means being quite brutal with training during the veg stage – removing big shade leaves that are preventing the light from getting to bud sites and selecting branches to focus on growing, while removing those smaller insignificant branches (another top tip – you can always be more brutal with topping and training than you think!). Many growers working with small spaces will use training techniques such as LST and Scrogging to maximise their coverage of a limited surface area.
What Equipment Do You Need to Grow in Small Spaces?
Growing in a small space requires the use of LED lights. Unlike HPS they will not produce the kind of heat that will a) burn your plants and b) risk burning down your house! One of the great grow developments of the industry, LEDs provide growing options that were unthinkable a few years ago. Due to their versatility they come in all shapes and sizes and are perfect for a small space cannabis stealth grow.
The cannabis hardware industry keeps on innovating and there are a number of custom small grow products out there. A mini grow tent is probably the cheapest option (a common size is approximately 60cm x 60cm x 120cm), however with limited DIY skills there are options to build a stealthy small space grow room using every day furniture lying around your house - even a simple waste bin can be turned into a grow space (welcome to the wonderful topic of space buckets!)
We recommend that you check out the work of Paradise Seeds collaborators, Super Green Lab in this amazing Ninja grow video and watch as a simple Ikea bathroom cabinet is transformed into a small cannabis grow space that is capable of yielding 50gms of cannabis.
What are the Best Cannabis Plants to Grow in Small Spaces?
There is no golden rule on this - any cannabis plant can be trained. Nevertheless sativa strains, by their genetic nature, will stretch for the light and restraining them requires proactive management. Due to its short and stout growth pattern, an indica variety, such as Ice Cream, Californian Gold or El Dorado OG will avoid this problem.
Alternatively, a big yield Autoflower variety such as Auto Kong 4 or Auto Wappa is a good bet for a small space cannabis grow. Genetics will restrict the height of the plant and in terms of easy management, cannabis plants don’t come any easier than an auto!
Think Outside the Box!
One thing we have learnt at paradise over the years is that big things often come in small packages! For the home grower, quality is often more desirable than quality and therefore finding a long term growing solution that fulfils self sufficiency needs doesn’t have to be an ‘off the shelf’ solution. Using your imagination to get creative with your grow environment is not only practical, but also opens up a whole new world of cheeky fun!