Hello there, we’ve curated a couple of DIY grow tents and DIY grow boxes that you can fashion out for a start and indulge your plant growing fantasies with.
If you’re not sure whether you need a grow tent or not, remember that using one helps you control temperature and humidity, given your plants the perfect environment.
A tent with reflective walls will also redirect a lot of light back towards your plants, light that you would have lost due to open space. You can craft out all sorts of mini growing spaces from the DIYs on this list and for different budget ranges too. Take your time to find what appeals most to you and build a safe haven for your plants.
Table of Contents
1. DIY Cheap Grow Tent $2
This DIY lives up to its title as you’ll be spending just $2 to get what you need. The project focuses on amplifying your light efficiency without any extra wattage. The two major items you’ll need are Mylar and a hula hoop that’s big enough to fit around your light. Mylar is a highly reflective and lightweight material that helps make your light more efficient. The hula hoop is used to hang the Mylar. The rest of the materials you can easily source at home.
You’ll need to test the light you’re using before you start crafting and you can do this using a Par Meter. Tape the Mylar to the hula hoop, as much as you need for the number of lights you have and you’re all set.
2. DIY Easy Grow Box
If you wish to know how to set up an easy-grow box without hassle, this is the video for you. There is an odd aspect to the video--the tutor first displays the finished product, and then rips it open, before proceeding to build another from scratch. A novel approach, if you ask me. This tutor is quite meticulous; he draws out the plan for the box in detail, on paper before he starts building.
Therefore, you can see the dimensions in print and adjust them to your liking before you begin. That simple act could forestall any errors you would have had while building your Grow Box. For this project, you would need PVC pipes, Velcro, Corners, Reflective bubble wrap, and PVC cutters.
3. DIY Grow Tent for Indoor Plants
Here, the tutor shows you how you can build your entire tent for indoor plants for just $3. The setup is supposed to reduce wasted light and eliminate the use of costly materials in the grow tent production and is good for both seedlings and fully mature plants.
Jumbo-sized reflective sheets are used alongside the light setup which utilizes metal dowels from which elastic cords attached to the reflective sheets make it easy to roll them up when not in use. For this DIY grow tent for indoor plants, the weight of the pant pot was used to straighten the reflective sheets and keep them upright. If you’re building this for smaller plants, you’ll need something of significant weight to use instead.
4. How to Make A Grow Tent
This is a much bigger grow tent that’ll allow you to use it for more than one plant, a definite win! You can use pots for a smaller tent and a bigger hydroponic rig for a larger tent. For this DIY grow tent you need supports and plastic sheeting to create the outer frame of the tent that encloses the area and creates a temperature-controlled environment.
Other supplies you need include fans, measuring tape, lights, and a dehumidifier. After creating the enclosed space, the next steps are setting up the fan for proper ventilation and lighting source. Do not forget the dehumidifier to regulate the amount of humidity your plants are exposed to; choose your humidifier based on your tent size and the amount of humidity you’ll be putting in.
5. DIY Grow Box
You’d be spending about $50 dollars if you have to buy all the materials for this DIY grow box from scratch and far less if you can salvage them from materials you already have lying around the house. For the frame box, the materials will depend on what size you desire to have, the one in this DIY grow box is 33’’ tall x 18.5’’ wide x 18’’ deep and can house a plant growing up to 24”. The beautiful thing is how you don’t need much; equipment-wise. All you need is a drill, circular saw, knife square, and measuring tape.
6. How to Build A Grow Tent Under $100
While $100 may seem like a lot of money, in the world of grow tents it’s more or less a walk in the park. You can attest to this if you’ve ever tried to purchase a grow tent at your local store or via online stores. This tutorial will walk you through the steps to make a DIY grow tent under $100, one which is just as good as all the fabulous company made versions.
To build your DIY grow tent, you’ll need black and white poly (must be black and white as one side reflects light while the other absorbs it), some pretty strong tape, an adjustable rack, velcro, or cable ties, and of course, your lights. Use as many racks as you think you need, adjusting them during assembling to properly accommodate the sizes of your plants. One of the best parts of this DIY grow tent is how you can keep adjusting the rack as your plants increase in size.
7. How To Build A Grow Tent | For Beginners
Again, ignore the tutor’s choice of plants if you’re looking to just grow your own food, spices or house plant as this DIY grow tent is reliable for other plants as well. It doesn’t require a lot of effort and is definitely cheaper than a ready-made grow tent. It’s also easy to assemble and requires minimal tools and experience. Before you start putting this DIY grow tent together, be sure to select the perfect location in your space. Avoid spaces that are not insulated like attics and spaces that are susceptible to dampness like a basement, especially if you’re not using a dehumidifier.
The bonus for this tutorial is that it provides resources not just for a DIY grow tent, but also for a grow box and a grow can for smaller areas where a grow tent might not fit in but you still need to flex your green thumb.
8. How to Build an Effective Grow Tent
This is a truly cheap and effective grow tent. For this project you’re going to need an adjustable shelving unit, feel free to use any rack of your choice. This is one area where you shouldn’t be afraid to splurge a little. Adjustable shelving units are more expensive than PVC pipe but are by far easier to set up than their cheaper counterparts. Consider it a little price to pay for your comfort. You’ll also need black and white poly, strong duct tape, cable ties or velcro, about four LED lights, and a fan.
The first step to this easy DIY is assembling the rack. Kudos to you if you have a ready-to-go shelving unit already, if not you’ll have to craft one out of PVC pipes; be sure to make the top shelf as small as possible. After that major part is done, you just need to position your fan properly, hang up your black and white poly and make any modifications if necessary.
9. Building A DIY Grow Tent
In building this DIY grow tent, take extra care to be sure all the necessary factors are in place; i.e. ample lighting proper humidity, temperature, and ventilation. This grow tent will need PVC pipes for the skeletal frame, panda paper a.k.a. panda film (another name for black and white poly as referenced in the preceding DIYs), LEDs, fans and a hand saw for cutting the PVC and duct tape.
It’s a simple DIY grow tent where you just have to assemble the frame, cover it with the panda paper (white side inside the tent and the black side facing outside) by attaching them to the frame with the duct tape. Don’t forget to create a door on a side of your choice by cutting a straight line down and attaching a Velcro or zipper to it.
Conclusion
Building a grow tent might be a bit complicated if you have never done one of these projects before. However, the tutorials in this article will help you in your quest to build one. All you have to do is pick a preferred DIY grow tent project and begin building.
Have you ever made one before? Share your experience with us in the comments section below.
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