Traditionally, there are two methods in which you can grow marijuana – indoors and outdoors. Growing indoors is something that many growers prefer because it gives them a much greater level of control over the weed that they are growing. When you grow indoors, there are a lot of options that open up to you. The most popular one is the most expensive as well – where you buy a lot of stuff such as grow tents, grow lights, inline duct fans, and a number of other elements and set them up together in order to grow your weed in it. However, one of the best and the most cost-effective ways to grow your weed indoors is by building a DIY Cannabis grow box.
In this article, we shall be exploring all the aspects of a grow box – what is a grow box, what are the differences between a regular growth setup and a DIY box, and most importantly – how to build a DIY cannabis grow box. We shall be looking at the pros and cons of setting up this grow box and talk a lot about how it can help you save on a lot of costs! Let us first begin by looking at what a DIY grow box is:
What is a DIY Cannabis Grow Box?
A DIY cannabis grow box is a ‘do it yourself’ setup where you can create a safe space for your plant in a quick and efficient manner where it will grow properly. You must know one thing – when you are growing in a grow box, you are making something which is good enough for the growth of your plant, but not the perfect scenario. Growing your plants in a proper grow tent is always better. However, the grow boxes are a great option for those growers who are just starting off and don’t want to spend too much.
Grow boxes are also a good option for those growers who are growing on a very small scale and do not really want to invest a lot of money in a heavy setup. Ideally, this is a great choice for personal growers who want to grow like one or two plants for their own personal consumption and not at a large scale. For a small scale, grower buying a full-fledged growing setup would make no sense because the cost of growing the plant would be far too high as compared to the output that they’d be getting out of it. Let us now cut straight to the chase and answer the main question at hand. How in the world do you make a DIY cannabis grow box?
How to Build a DIY Cannabis Grow Box?
A cannabis grow box is quite easy to build at home. It will take some time, but can be assembled with ease even by those who aren’t really of the crafty bent of mind. All you need to do is to imagine a proper growth setup and replicate it on a smaller and more homely scale. In order to build a DIY cannabis grow box, you need to have the following things at your disposal:
- A large cardboard box
- A roll of aluminium foil
- Small fans
- Grow lights
- A Boxcutter
- Pens, Pencils or Markers
- Duct Tapes
- Black Chart Paper
These are the things you would require to set up the grow box. In addition to this, you will also need the potting soil, marijuana seeds, and basic nutrients.
1. Setting up the Box
Let us now get into the details of how to set it all up together. The cardboard box that you have should be big enough to cover your plant fully as well as have a few extra feet of space so that the plant can grow easily and the light isn’t too close to it either. Under ideal circumstances, this box that you will be using to grow weed in should be taller in height than compared to its width. Now you will need to begin the cutting out of some parts. First off, you will need to create a ‘door’ using which you can look inside the tent as and when you want. Make sure you’re cutting it properly in a hard ‘D shape’ so that it fits back smoothly. The next step will be to cut out the holes that you need in this box as per the need of the ventilation which we will discuss in the next step.
2. Providing Proper Ventilation
There need to be holes for the purpose of ventilation – for the fresh air to get in and for the stale air to move out. This is very important. For that, measure the diameter of the fans and cut out two holes in the box – one a few inches below the top of the box and one a few inches above the base of the plant. These will act as inlets where you will fix the fans which will circulate fresh air inside the box so that your plant can benefit out of it.
Apart from this you need to make another hole – one from where your grow light’s power cord can go out. Make all the measurements and it is best advised to make that hole towards the top of the box so that your light can fit in properly. The holes for the fans as well as the power outlet need to be made using the box cutter that we have talked about above. The box cutter needs to be handled with extreme care as it is a very sharp tool. Make sure you’re focusing only on cutting the box while you do it. After cutting the holes, make sure that the fans are fitting perfectly in them.
One more thing that you need to be aware of is that you will be fitting two fans in the setup – where one of them will be blowing the air inwards while another will be blowing the air outwards. While fitting your fans, later on, make sure that you are fitting the fan that is blowing air inwards on the bottom of the setup while the fan that is blowing air outwards is made to sit on the top. The logic behind this is that hot air rises to the top and then it will be blown out of the system while the cool air from the bottom will get blown in. Make sure you are setting up the fans this way only.
3. The Inner and Outer Layers
Once all the cutting part is done, the next thing that you need to do is that you should start lining the inner side of the cardboard with aluminum foil. You need to make sure that you are lining the entire inner side of the cardboard with the foil. When you use a regular grow tent – this would usually be the inner mylar layer which is a very reflective surface which helps the plants grow in a better manner. However, when you grow in a DIY grow box which you have made by yourself at your home, you should use an aluminum foil which is actually quite inexpensive and can be used easily too as it is a light substance. You will need to cut out the holes in the foil as well. The extra portions of the foil can be folded outwards so that there’s no space for any light to pass through. On the outside, use the black chart paper to line the box completely so that it covers it completely. You should do this in such a way that no inch of the cardboard remains visible – inside or outside.
The benefit of these two things is that when you put the aluminum foil on the inner layer of the cardboard box, you are basically ensuring that the light that comes out of the grow light gets amplified and reflected properly and reaches your plants from all angles. Considering grow boxes are smaller and more compact spaces compared to a grow tent, having a reflective layer would have a much greater effect on the plants. In addition to that, the outer black layer will make sure that there are no light leaks happening and that all the light is trapped inside the cardboard. This gives a triple layer protection to the plants.
4. Getting the Lighting Right
Up next you will need to put in your grow lights. Remember the hole that you had cut out for the power outlet? Take the grow light inside the box and then take the power cord from inside-out then keep pulling it up till the light reaches the top of the box. It is now that you will make use of the duct tapes to ensure that it stays there. Finally, there will be quite some space once the head of the power cord has passed through the hole that you have set up. Make use of the duct tape and the aluminum foil to fill that space up as well and tape it together to ensure that no light leaks out.
The lighting in a grow box doesn’t really need to be powerful given how small most grow boxes are. You can fit in an LED light with the least wattage you can find. A 150W LED grow light would also be a little too much for a grow box but would suit your needs. If you are using a larger cardboard then you might need to use a stronger light but most growers don’t grow beyond one or two plants inside a box and that would be just enough.
Up next is a light check. Turn off all the lights in your room, and then switch on the grow light. There’s almost a 100% chance that there will be some light leaking out of it – especially from the area where the door and the ventilation holes are. Don’t fret too much over it but if you feel the light that is leaking out more than it should, or from areas where it shouldn’t be leaking out from, then check it out and use more duct tape and chart papers to patch that area up as well.
5. Setting up the Plant.
Now that everything has been done, put the plant inside your grow box and let it grow. The process and phases of growth will pretty much be the same as they are for a regular growth under a grow tent. However, given the limited size and growing space, the plant’s growth will also be quite limited. Make sure you’re providing all the nutrients from time to time and most importantly, keep it clean. If there are any spillages or soiled spots, make sure you wipe them clean.
Pros and Cons of Growing Marijuana in a Cannabis Grow Box
Now that you are properly aware of how to grow weed in a cannabis grow box, let us take a quick look at some of the pros and cons of doing so:
Pros
- Growing your weed inside a grow box is much cheaper in comparison to growing it in a proper tent.
- When it comes to saving on the space occupied by a grow tent, a grow box is a great option as tents can be pretty big.
- Grow boxes are very easy to assemble and anyone with practically any level of skills can set up one.
- Grow boxes are a great option for small-scale growers who are growing just one or two plants for their own personal consumption and don’t want to do it out in the open.
Cons
- Not suitable for people who want to grow larger number of plants
- The size is one of the biggest limitations as the limited height of these boxes restricts the growth of the plants as well. The overall yield in these grow boxes also tends to be much lesser in comparison.
- The lack of strength is also a problem that many grow boxes face. You can’t use heavy grow lights or carbon filters in them as they might collapse.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cannabis Grow Boxes
1. Is it legal to grow weed indoors?
The answer to this question varies from region to region. In some jurisdictions, you are allowed to grow marijuana at home while there are others where you aren’t. In some places you are allowed to grow it only for medicinal purposes and with a prescription. Then there’s also the restriction to the number of plants that you can grow so there’s that as well. A good practice would be to check the laws with your local authorities before you start growing weed indoors.
2. Does weed grow better in a box or in a tent?
Weed grows better in a tent because there’s more space and better equipment that allows it to grow better.
3. What is the cost difference between growing in a box and growing in a tent?
There’s a difference of at least a couple of hundred dollars as growing in a tent is more expensive. This is because you’ll need to purchase a lot of other equipment which tends to cost a lot and requires a larger space and consumes more electricity also.
4. How long does it take to set up a cannabis grow box?
A cannabis grow box can be properly set up and set to function in about 40 mins to an hour depending on your skill level.
Conclusion
We hope that this tutorial on how to build a DIY cannabis grow box has helped you do exactly that. By the time you’ve reached the end of this article, we hope you’ll be able to make one at your own home. The best part about this is that almost all the main parts (except the light and the fan) can be found in any common household, making it easier for growers. Do let us know in the comments or drop us a mail if there’s anything more that you would like to know about growing marijuana in a DIY cannabis grow box.
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