Grow Tent vs Grow Box
If you have a green thumb but no garden, a grow tent or grow box could be the perfect way to pursue your interests indoors. Both of these methods have some major differences, even though their basic purpose is similar.
If we have any interest in growing weeds, plants, and even herbs indoors, we should take a look at which option is better for us. When we understand the different aspects, we would be able to make a better choice between the two.
The Basics:
The basic definition of a grow tent is a portable, collapsible room where one could set up a sort of indoor greenhouse. The tent itself it usually comprised of a thick, waterproof material like canvas. It is then stretched over a sturdy metal structure.
Inside, the material would ideally be reflective in order to make maximum use of the grow lights you use. It would not just reflect the light more towards the plants, but also almost double the amount of light itself.
A grow box, though, is more of a kit to start growing projects indoors. This comes with a growing space that is enclosed and on the small side. If the grow box is a bit high-end, it would come with automated growing equipment. All you need to do then is set everything up and let the gear do its work. You may have to plug in some wires before things get growing!
The Similarities:
Both grow tents and grow boxes are like rooms for growing in themselves. They don’t require the use of a garden or the outside sun/weather
Both setups are independent, so there’s no need to change up a huge section of your house or apartment for growing purposes.
Differences Between Grow Tents & Grow Boxes
There are several differences between grow boxes and tents, both subtle and apparent. This is why a home gardener should look closely at just what they need such a growing space for and decide accordingly. Two of the main differences are:
1. Additional Equipment:
Grow tents are simply metal structures with a canvas stretched out on top. It would require one to make additional purchases for equipment like grow lights, fertilizer, etc.
Grow boxes, on the other hand, come all ready to set up. They are fully equipped with everything one needs to start their gardening almost immediately.
2. Sizes Available:
Grow tents have a wide range of sizes. They could be a mere two by four feet or larger than twenty by ten feet. This gives one a lot of room to develop as an indoor garden before they move on to bigger sizes. In fact, some grow tents even come with a height extending kit so you can make your existing tent taller if necessary.
Grow boxes, though, are quite a bit smaller than the larger grow tents available. They may come in some sizes, but these aren’t as varied or convenient as grow tents. Hence, we may find ourselves limited by a small grow box when we really want to expand to a bigger indoor growing space. Buying more grow boxes is always an option, but it’s not always possible to plug them all in.
Which One to Choose?
We should now focus on what we actually need a grow box or tent for. You need to consider both your cultivation aims as well as their requirements. This means that there are limitations to what you can grow in your living space. You may need the growing to be discreet, or not take up too much space. If this is your main hobby though, you may want to spread it out all over the place.
The Pros and Cons of Grow Tents
The biggest advantage of grow tents is that you get to be flexible. There are a lot of sizes available, and we can have one in any area we like. Since it’s portable, we can also change up its place provided it doesn’t disturb the plants.
Plus grow tents are quite a bit cheaper than grow boxes, since they don’t have any growing equipment other than the canvas and structure.
However, the downside here is that we would have to buy more gear in order to get our growing started. This would take time, money, and effort – not to mention the added hassle of installing everything. If your growing project is a secret one, purchasing and ordering several times could also rouse suspicion. Read here for the best grow tent reviews.
The Pros and Cons of Grow Boxes
The main pros of grow boxes are that they’re easy to use and can be set up in one go. The equipment would usually be included with it, so all you have to do it set up plug in, and start sowing!
Along with convenience, grow boxes also give us privacy. All you receive is just one item, which usually wouldn’t rouse any suspicions. This also means you only have to put in some grunt work once.
On the other hand, grow boxes do tend to limit a budding gardener. They come with their own gear, so you can’t expand the space or the efficiency of your setup. Grow boxes are also on the more expensive side, so you can’t always afford to get more than one.
Conclusion:
When we consider both growing options, the reasons for choosing one over the other is usually up to the buyer and their needs. Space constraints and nosy neighbors may lead to your investing in a grow box. However, wanting to expand your growing setup should have you springing for a grow tent.
At the end of the day, the choice is entirely up to the goals of the gardeners themselves. They are the ones who would decide based on several factors such as space, time, quantity of planned crops, and the budget they’re working within. No matter which one you choose, you can be sure of keeping yourself happy and occupied with an indoors growing setup!