Grow Box vs Grow Tent

People with no outdoor spaces in their homes can still grow their favorite flowers, fruits, or vegetables. The need to consume organic food is increasing; therefore, you may opt to grow a few plants at the comfort of your home, which is where a grow box and grow tent come in.

Using a grow tent or grow box, you can transform your small space into an amazing indoor garden and nurture any crop. But when you think of grow tent vs grow box, which is better and why?

Grow Boxes

Grow boxes are similar to Grow cabinets and are either entirely or partially confined systems used by growers to plant crops indoors within tiny spaces. A grow box typically refers to a kit invented to provide you with everything you may require to begin growing plants indoors. The grow box comes with a small enclosed compartment for your crops and all the necessary apparatus you will need to start growing.

Therefore, there’s no need for assembling before using. Lack of outdoor area and the growing interest to plant crops such as herbs, vegetables, or flowers makes it essential to use grow boxes. A grow box is made of durable material, which can be metal or wood.

Grow Tent

A grow tent is a compact tent consisting of reflective interior walls and an integrated venting system whereby you grow your plants inside. Their design allows you to attach lights from the ceiling and fix fans to the side walls. The exterior of the grow tent is made of thick waterproof reflective canvas materials that help in letting in the light. The material used is somehow sturdy yet collapsible, making it easier to dismantle the tent. Grow tents come in different sizes, and you can purchase the size that will fit any available space in your home.

Now that you know the basics let’s get into grow box vs grow tent and discover which is better than the other.

Grow tent vs grow box: Why a tent is better?

Of course, there are advantages and disadvantages to any product, and these aren’t any different. To better compare the two, let’s first consider what makes a grow tent better than a grow box.

1. Easy installation

A grow tent usually comes with the reflective materials installed, grow lights, and fans. Assembly is pretty easy because all you have to do is install your tent, and you are good to go. You can be done in literally a few minutes, and you don’t have to worry about building anything.

2. Space

Grow tents come in different sizes, usually ranging from a small 2 by 2 tent to as large as 20 by 10 tent. Depending on how many cannabis plants you want to grow, you can basically buy whichever size you prefer. Also, grow tents offer a better range in terms of expansion when adding the number of plants you have comes. In fact, you can easily use the same tent for expansion or rearrangement by purchasing additional equipment.

3. Highly customizable

As you work on your indoor garden, you keep noticing things you need to improve and change to make your cannabis yield better. With a grow tent, changing your grow lights, ventilation system, and other growing gear is pretty straightforward. For instance, most tents have generic access points to increase ventilation and air circulation. Also, you can easily remove and add plants as you wish, which is an advantage.

Gardening requires you to constantly check on your plants, especially when using large growers. Luckily, you have more than one access point when using a large tent, so you can easily access your garden and equipment.

4. Energy efficiency

Utility bills are not what they used to be some decades back, and whenever you add anything that will likely increase this bill, you must think of efficiency. A growing tent usually offers better air movement and has better vertical height, so your plants and grow lights have enough space between them. This means your plants won’t suffer from heat damage, and you can easily maintain optimal temperature and thus increase the yield per plant.

Grow tent vs Grow box: Why a grow box is better?

A grow box or grow cabinet may be smaller than a grow tent, but it also comes with several benefits. Here are some of the reasons why you should purchase grow boxes.

1. No setting up

Setting up a grow tent can take a chunk of your time, especially if the manual is not straightforward. Grow boxes come with all the basic devices and connections in place. You can go straight to growing your cannabis without worrying about assembly and manuals. Since everything is already fitted, that also minimizes the chances of errors during assembly.

2. Compact space

Space is one of the most significant differences when it comes to a grow tent vs. grow box. However, the size of grow boxes might be an added advantage for anyone dealing with space constraints. Grow boxes are perfect for cannabis indoor growing in small spaces. You can place the growing equipment in any part of your house where there are basic cannabis growing conditions, such as good lighting. Here’s another thing, since they occupy minimal space, you can have more than one grow box in your house.

3. Ventilation

Did you know a grow box comes fitted with a high-tech filtration and ventilation system? Every grow box features an in-built fan that keeps the box well-ventilated. Humidity and temperature are well-regulated to maintain the quality of the cannabis plants inside the box. Keeping the box odor-free is also one of the many advantages of the fan.

4. Flexibility

As a cannabis grower, you need flexible growing gear. What does this mean? Before the yield can thrive, you need to start by growing the seedlings. These seedlings will then grow and develop leaves and flowers. Therefore, you need equipment that can accommodate the plant in all these stages. Grow boxes are excellent at accommodating cannabis in all these stages. The only downside is you can’t grow many plants because of insufficient growing space.

Here’s a tip. You can also rely on grow boxes to create an indoor garden for your vegetables and fruits, in case you didn’t know. Talk about killing two birds with one stone.

5. All-year-round use

Because grow cabinets are indoor growing equipment, they are perfect to use all year round. You can grow your cannabis all year round. During the cold season, you only need to crank up the heat, provide adequate lighting, and wait for harvest time. How exciting!

Grow tents vs Grow box: which one is better

Using a grow tent or a grow box guarantees the quality of your cannabis harvest. Both types of equipment are well-ventilated, portable, and excellent for indoor growing. But which one is better? Here are the pros and cons based on different features.

The pros and cons of using grow tents

Pros

  • One of the primary advantages of grow tents is the affordability. Grow tents are available in different sizes, which means the price range varies. You can purchase a grow tent that costs $50 compared to grow boxes which go for $100 and above.
  • When it comes to grow tents vs. grow boxes, the former is more spacious and accommodates more cannabis plants. Each cannabis plant is well-spaced and aerated. You could also plant more seedlings compared to using a grow box.
  • Portability is also one of the main advantages of grow tents. A grow tent features light materials, which makes them portable. Since the manufacturer doesn’t set them up, you can disassemble the parts and move your indoor garden.
  • The features in a grow tent are customizable. If you don’t have any space constraints, you can extend your tent by connecting it to another tent. You can also incorporate new features, such as grow lights, fans, and other related equipment.
  • Lighting in a grow tent is more effective. The larger space promotes air circulation and light distribution. Grow tents feature a heat mitigation system, which enhances energy efficiency.

Cons

  • The only drawback to using grow tents is the need for adequate space. If you’re gardening in small indoor spaces, a grow tent might not deliver.

The pros and cons of using grow boxes

Pros

  • When you purchase a grow box, the setup comes fitted with all the necessary devices. All you have to do is plug it in and start growing. That’s convenient.
  • Grow boxes feature inbuilt fans, which tend to keep the interior odor-free and well-ventilated.
  • Because they are small, grow boxes can fit in any space indoors and outdoors.
  • Most grow cabinets feature secure locks, which keep intruders away.

Cons

  • Grow boxes are small, which restricts the number of plans you can grow inside.
  • Grow boxes are more expensive. To purchase a grow box, you need to visit the website, pre-order, and wait for the grow box setup. Most companies only put together a grow box after purchase. That affects the price and affordability.
  • Grow boxes come with fitted gear, making customization impossible for a cannabis grower.

Overall, grow tents are better than grow boxes in terms of the price range, customization, flexibility, and room for gardening. If you want to have a cannabis growing experience, grow tents are the better option.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What Size Grow Tent do I need for 12 plants?

Different tent sizes are required per the number of cannabis plants to be grown. One can easily figure out how many plants can fit in their tent by approximating the amount of room the plants will cover versus the Grow Tent size. Tent size recommended for growing 12 cannabis plants is 60″*60″*80″.

2. Is a Grow Tent Necessary?

For people with limited outdoor space, the Grow Tents may need an indoor garden to grow their plants. Indoor growing is beneficial since one can use a small space to grow their plants and get maximum yields and quality since you can control the growing environment.

3. How many plants can you fit in a 10*10 grow tent?

For a 10*10 tent, you will be able to grow 100 or more small plants, but it would be advisable to have lesser than and leave some room for easier access to each plant. Also, you can have about 25 sizeable weed plants or four enormous cannabis plants.

4. Do grow tents keep the smell in?

No. Grow tents aren’t smell proof. However, to control the smell, growers incorporate carbon filters, direct exhaust aeration systems, air fresheners, and odor-absorbing gels. Don’t worry, you can still create an indoor garden, but don’t forget to smell proof. 

About the author

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Brad Smith

Brad Smith is an experienced interior designer and the founder of OmniHomeIdeas.com. With a Master's degree in Interior Design from Pratt Institute and a passion for creating safe and healthy living spaces, Brad shares his expert insights and innovative design ideas with our readers. His work is driven by the belief that home is where every story begins.

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