Just picked up a grow tent - Need Tips on Using it

[rh340b]

I just picked up a grow tent with reflective inside. I have the light and a Fan and a temp/humidity gauge. But I do know know how warm, humid, or how to use the fin. Any suggestions would be a big help.

[rainbowgardener]

I never heard of a grow tent before.

Is it one like these:

https://www.greners.com/I/grow-tents.html

Is it hydroponic? (I.e. are your plants growing in water or in soil).

What is the point of it? Is it just for starting seeds or like a mini greenhouse for growing things? Would you only use it indoors?

Sorry, I can't help, but you can help educate me, so I keep up with technology of growing things, thanks

[rh340b]

it is just like one of those. I am only going to use it in door to started by flowers and veg. I will be planting in soil.

[rainbowgardener]

So, since I start about 500 plants from seed indoors under lights every winter/spring without anything like that (including without humidity domes), what is the purpose of this, how does it help?

[floridahillnursery]

WOW that looks fancy. good luck

[floridahillnursery]

Hello, I believe he is trying to create a specific enviroment. Humidity domes/grow tents are like little greenhouses so I guess one would ask why greenhouses, and the answer would be "Controled enviroment".

[DoubleDogFarm]

Hello, I believe he is trying to create a specific enviroment. Humidity domes/grow tents are like little greenhouses so I guess one would ask why greenhouses, and the answer would be "Controled enviroment".

Eric

[rh340b]

I picked up the grow tent just because I live in Wisconsin and I would like to start my seeds and have my plants ready to transplant in the garden. I would like them to bigger and fuller so I have flowers right away in the spring and tomatoes etc are larger and fuller. I just thought the tent was a good way to try to do that

[applestar]

I suppose this would be like a small plant room inside the house.

I start my plants in the unheated garage and in the dead of the winter, the temps can get as low as 28 or even 24 (when it's -5°F outside). I've had to cover the entire set up with large bubble wraps and plastic sheeting.

I use a mirror on one side, plus mylar windshield sunshield and aluminum foil to reflect the lights back to the plants. This, along with the bottom heat, helps to keep them a little bit warmer as well.

So a pre-fab tent like this *could* potentially help in that kind of a situation.

I don't have a basement so the one lighted set up I have in the house is embarrassingly bright (I'm sure my neighbors wonder what I'm doing) -- again this kind of light blocking tent might be the answer.

That said, enclosed space like this will need airflow and you'll want shelving to maximize the space. Increased humidity without airflow is the bane of seedlings as it encourages damping off fungus. Light fixtures generate heat that will be trapped inside and can actually be more than you want unless you ARE indeed setting this up in an unheatd space. At that point, you'll need to vent the excess heat. If you use high wattage light as opposed to fluorescents, you could cook your plants (and melt the tent).

Different seedlings have different germination temperature requirements and seedling stage temperature requirements. Seedlings are hardier in cooler temps than you might think, and grown in gentle warmth, can end up as wimpy seedlings that will not adapt to being planted out in the cold as early as you may want. It will take extra time to harden them off.

So, what kind of seeds were you thinking of starting?

[floridahillnursery]

Hello rh340b, Applestar is right heat build up will need to be addressed but it sounds like you have electric fan ventilation. Here is a picture of our "special conditions" room. We have 15-6 bulb 4' t-5 H.O. lights with digital cool operation ballasts on shelving in a climate controlled enviroment. T-5 lights are fairly cool running bulbs. I have seen LED lights but havent heard enough positive feedback to peek my interest. For these growing conditions we use 100% sterile medium and add full spectrum synthetic nutrients when the plants produces true leaves. Humidity domes are used in the innitial sprouting phase and then removed to let the seedlings harden. Domes/ humid enviroments increase the growth rate of seedlings by approx. 30% At times we have delayed the removal of domes in the past to push the seedlings harder when needed but sterile synthetic nutrients are needed to achieve this as organic nutrients tend to create a fuzz farm. Hope this helps.

[img]https://i1145.photobucket.com/albums/o519/floridahillnursery/CIMG1816.jpg[/img]
Cuttings under T-5 H.O. lights. these plants are destined to be grown out and hacked into lots of little plants. mua ha haaa.

[DoubleDogFarm]

Cuttings under T-5 H.O. lights. these plants are destined to be grown out and hacked into lots of little plants. mua ha haaa.

Eric

[rh340b]

Thanks for all you help. I should have done a grow room I have a room that would have been great in the basement. I do have a grow light and a vent for ventilation. I still have to work on the shelves. I will take pictures as I go and post them. Are the plants you posted ones you are growing now?

Thanks again

[floridahillnursery]

Hello, Yep the picture is current. That cultivar is passiflora edulis, purple possum. They will be planted in large containers this spring. They multi branch and grow approx. 30+ feet in a year. We can squeeze around 150 plants from each mature vine per year. Passiflora has a lifespan of around 5 years and my mother plants are getting a little tired and these are their replacements. We would love to see some pictures of your current set up. It would help us greatly in determining the best practice for your situation. If you need help posting pictures just ask I just learned how myself.