Cultivation

How Many Cannabis Plants Can You Fit in a 4×4 Grow Tent?

February 25, 2020

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Those who aspire to grow cannabis plants often do it in a confined space such as a grow room, or in most cases, a grow tent. These are important because they ensure that the growers get their privacy as well as are able to create the perfect space with the optimum conditions for growth of their plants. However, the one challenge that growers (especially the first-time growers) have is that they may not know how many plants will they be able to fit inside their grow tent (or how big a grow tent they need for their plants).

Over the course of this article, we shall attempt to answer exactly that question with the help of a detailed look at grow tents and what are the different types of these tents available out there. We shall also be looking at the different styles of growing marijuana in grow tents, which will give you a real idea of how many plants can one fit inside a tent! For the purpose of this article, we shall be talking only about the 4 x 4 grow tents because they are considered to be ‘standard-sized’ as 2 x 2 is a little too small and 8 x 8 would be a little too big for most growers.

Apart from answering the basic question of how many cannabis plants can you fit in a 4×4 grow tent, we shall also be looking at other elements that go inside a grow tent such as lights, air circulation, nutrients, etc. The most important part of this write-up, however, is the part where we discuss the different styles of growing marijuana inside a grow tent as the number of plants that you can grow depends a lot upon which technique of growth you are using! However, before all of that, let us start with the most basic questions:

What is a Grow Tent? Why is it Important to use One?

A grow tent is basically a small, enclosed environment created specifically keeping in mind the needs of a plant. The biggest advantage of using a grow tent to grow cannabis is the fact that it can allow you to simulate just the perfect conditions needed for your plant to grow. The grow tent also gives you privacy as your cannabis plants are not growing out in the open, but are enclosed within that.

Grow lights are an important part of growing plants indoors and grow tents help magnify the effect of grow lights. Grow lights ensure that the plants are getting proper light (and some amount of warmth) which helps them with photosynthesis and the creation of chlorophyll, as well as for the overall growth as the shoot tends to grow towards the direction of the light. Grow tents have a reflective interior (usually mylar, 95%-100% reflective) which help ensure that all the light bounces back on to the plants.

A grow tent is also beneficial for growing marijuana because of two more reasons: first off, pairing it up with a carbon filter will make sure that the strong smell of marijuana, which is typically a ‘tell’ that someone is smoking/growing weed will be contained, and secondly, the fact that a grow tent is an enclosed environment keeps pests and insects away. This is a big relief for growers as pests are one of the biggest problems that they face while growing outside and they can damage their plants easily! Hence, grow tents are quite important.

What are the different types of Grow Tents?

Grow tents can be differentiated based on three factors: how big they are, how many compartments do they have, and where they are kept. Let us take a closer look at the different types of grow tents based on these factors:

1. Grow Tents Based on Size

The first differentiation can be made based on the size of the grow tents. The smallest of these grow tents come out in a 2 x 2 setup where the length and the breadth are 2 feet by 2 feet, and the height is usually somewhere between 4.5 feet to 5.5 feet. Then there are 4×4 grow tents, which are quite important as they are the most common types of grow tents as they are neither too small nor too big. These grow tents usually go up to a height between 5.5 to 6.6 feet. There are also 6×6 grow tents but they haven’t really caught on that much. Then there are the really large grow tents which are 8×8, 10×10 and 12×12 (these can also be in different combinations such as 8×10 or 10×12). These grow tents usually have a height of 6.6 ft (or slightly more).

2. Grow Tents Based on Compartments

Some grow tents even come with compartments – especially the bigger ones. A 10 x 10 or a 12 x 12 (or even some smaller tents at times) feature different sections. These might be one big grow room split into two large sections where you can grow two different kinds of plants. However, another interesting compartment based setup is that where growers get to grow plants in different stages of their growth cycle! For instance, there will be one big main compartment, but on the side there will be two floors of a ‘nursery’ area where germinating seeds as well as seedlings can be kept and provided a different kind of setup suitable for their growth – basically, these allow you to grow plants in two different stages of their growth inside the same grow tent.

3. Grow Tents Based on Location

Based on whether you are growing your cannabis plants indoors or outdoors, you can use either an indoor grow tent or an outdoor grow tent. An indoor grow tent is the regular grow tent that we have discussed above and you know about. An outdoor grow tent is different as it is basically an outdoor greenhouse which can be set up to provide a shelter and a space for plants to grow in.

Now that you know what are the different kinds of grow tents, let us now attempt to answer the primary question: How many cannabis plants can you fit in a 4×4 grow tent. To answer this question, we shall be taking a closer and detailed look at the different methods of growing plants inside a grow tent.

How Many Cannabis Cannabis Plants Can You Fit in a 4×4 Grow Tent?

There are a number of factors which decide how many cannabis plants can fit inside a 4 by 4 grow tent. However, one of the biggest factors is that of the method of growing that a grower employs. Here is a look at four of the most popular ways in which marijuana/cannabis can be grown inside a grow tent:

1. Sea of Green: Under this method, you get 1 Square Feet per Plant

This is a method where growers tend to force their plants to enter the flowering stage much before their natural timelines allow them to. To enter a flowering stage basically means that you alter the lighting setup to 12/12 (12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness). Unlike your usual methods, the Sea of Green method is about growers forcing plants to enter the flowering stage just two weeks after they enter the vegetative stage.

The biggest benefit of this technique of growing marijuana is that it brings you early flowers which means it gets you an early harvest too, which basically comes down to the fact that you can grow more flowers per year. In this method, when the canopy of buds start to form, you need to start trimming out the leaves so that the plant’s energy can be focused more on the buds than on the leaves.

If you go by the 1 plant per square feet logic, you can grow about 15 to 16 plants inside a 4×4 grow tent.

2. Screen of Green: Under this method, you need 4 to 6 square feet per plant

Often called the SCROG method, this one has a much larger space requirement when you compare it with the Sea of Green method above. This method is all about the horizontal training of your plants. In SCROG, you place a horizontal screen above the plants which spreads the tops. When you spread your plant in this manner, it helps improve the growth of buds on branches which would otherwise have been slower or neglected.

As plants grow, they will keep reaching for the screen at the 8-12 inch height above them. However, once they approach the screen, you will need to manually push them back to have them grow across the screen until all the empty space below is filled! Once 50-60% of the area has been filled, you should then try and force the plants into flowering by changing the lighting pattern to 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness.

Considering that it needs a minimum of four square feet per plant (you get 0.25 plants per square feet), in a 4×4 grow tent you will be able to grow about 4 plants in all.

3. Topping: Under this method, you need 2 to 4 square feet per plant

Topping is one of the simplest methods of growing (it is actually a form of pruning) which ensures better growth of your marijuana plants. Under this method of growing plants inside a grow tent, each plant requires about 2 to 4 square feet to grow and the idea here is to just cut the plant at right times. If left undisturbed, the top of the plant (the cola) tends to grow really big. Here, you split the plant’s top in such a way that it is forced to grow more than one cola, which means multiple branches.

From one you get two colas, from two four, and from four eight and so on and so forth. The idea here is to ensure that the plant that you are growing grows in the shape of a reverse christmas tree where all the important elements of the plants (the flowers) are growing at the top where they can get the maximum possible light. This isn’t really a method which needs too much time or know-how and this is simple pruning.

In this method you can grow one plant per 2-4 square feet, meaning that those wondering how many plants can you fit in a 4×4 grow tent can fit about 8 plants (maximum) and 4 plants (minimum) if they choose to do topping.

4. Low-Stress Training: Under this method, you need 2 square feet per plant

When you are topping your plant (or using any kind of pruning technique) you are basically putting a lot of pressure on your plant which is not suitable for its growth. This method basically makes use of the simple idea that the farther the light is from the plant the lesser its intensity becomes. Under Low-Stress Training (LST) method of growing marijuana inside a 4×4 grow tent, the idea is to slowly move the top of the plant out of the bottom areas so that it can get better access to the grow light.

You will need to use springs and wires so that the plant basically spirals and the buds get better lighting. More light results in better growth which results in better flowers. Unlike other methods where you cut them or use complex mechanism, this is simply twisting and adjusting portions of the plant in a manner that certain areas get better light and grow better.

In this method of growing marijuana, 2 square feet of space is needed to grow one plant. Hence, the answer to the question ‘How many cannabis plants can you fit in a 4×4 grow tent’ under this method would be 8 plants!

Final Observation: How Many Plants Can You Fit in a 4×4 Grow Tent?

After all is said and done, you can grow around between 4 to 16 marijuana plants inside a grow tent depending on which method you choose. Each grower has their own preference but most of them prefer to grow between 8 to 12 plants in their grow tent because this gives each plant enough space to grow in.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Get the Best Grow Tent

There are a number of things that you need to keep in mind before you buy your grow tent. Here are some of them:

Number of Plants: You need to know how many plants you will be growing and whether they will fit in the size of the grow tent that you are planning to buy. You also need to know which method of growth you’ll be using to ensure that your grow tent will accommodate the number of plants that you are planning on growing.
Growth Stage of Plants: Are your plants seedlings/germinating or are they in the growth stages? Do you require a grow tent with a nursery or would getting a single-chamber grow tent suffice for you? These are the questions that you need to ask yourself before you buy a grow tent. Know that multi-chamber grow tents are also available where you can grow plants in different stages of their life cycle inside the same tent!
Reflectiveness: How reflective is the inner layer of the grow tent? You need to check this and check the reviews of the grow tent so you get a better idea as to how your grow tent will help you in maximizing the efficiency of your grow light.
Canvas Material: Make sure you are getting a grow tent with a thick canvas to avoid any light leaks! Most grow tents are made of Oxford 600D canvas which is pretty good for ensuring that light remains inside.
Pole and Zipper Strength: The poles around which the canvas will be set up need to be strong so that they can carry the grow lights and the carbon filters and anything else that might be hung on them. Similarly, make sure you are getting a grow tent with good quality zippers because these tend to break rather easily and cause a lot of problem to growers!

Can You Grow Marijuana Without a Grow Tent?

Yes, you can grow marijuana without a grow tent. While a grow tent is one of the best options that growers have, there are other ways in which this can be done as well. Growers can choose to grow in a grow room, which is like a much bigger version of a grow tent, or they can choose to grow inside a greenhouse, which is like a mix between indoor and outdoor mediums of growth! In addition to that, growers might also choose to grow their weed completely outdoors under the open skies and the sunlight! However, grow tents are usually preferred by growers as it gives them better control when it comes to growing marijuana.

Growing Marijuana Indoors vs Growing Marijuana Outdoors

Lastly, growers need to know the difference between growing their weed indoors vs growing it outdoors. Why a large number of growers, over time, have moved from outdoor growing to indoor growing is because growing your marijuana indoors will give you a much greater level of control over the weed that you are growing because unlike outdoors growth, you can control the factors of growth such as lighting, water, air circulation etc.

While you are not sure how many hours of light you’ll be getting or if there’s going to be a thunderstorm that will damage your plants when growing them outdoors, there are no such reasons to worry when growing them indoors as you can just simulate the perfect conditions using grow lights and air filtration systems! Furthermore, there is no danger of insects attacking your plants while growing them indoors inside a grow tent. Using a grow tent also maximizes the efficiency of grow lights because of the reflective surfaces. Hence, it is considered better to grow marijuana indoors than outdoors!

Conclusion

To conclude, we hope that this article helped you get a much better idea on how many cannabis plants can you fit inside a 4×4 grow tent. Using the data you now have on 4×4 grow tents, you can actually even measure it for grow tents of other sizes if you prefer using larger or smaller grow tents. We have also provided additional insights on growing marijuana indoors and how to choose the best grow tents for your needs. Do let us know over mail or in the comments if there are any more details that you might want to know more about!

Happy Growing! 🙂