Learning how to grow weed does not happen in a day. It’s a process that will require you to take time, energy and money to set up properly. The amount of information available on the subject of growing weed can be overwhelming and convoluted, so we’ve broken it down into the major components to make digesting the new information easier. In part one of our "How To Grow Weed Indoors" guide, you'll learn everything you need to know about the process of preparing your indoor space, and choosing the light setup best suited for your needs.

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Picking Your Space

Growing weed indoors means you will have the advantage of a hidden-away grow site and a controlled climate. Once you’ve nailed your method, you can maximize your harvest and reap the benefits. But first, you need to pick a space you want to dedicate to growing your crops.

Anywhere indoors that fits your needs is fair game. You can begin growing in a small closet, a basement, or even a guest room that doesn’t get much attention. Make sure you consider your options fully, as you will need to adjust specifications according to the room you choose. While you can grow weed indoors in any suitable place, there are a few things to keep in mind when choosing the right space.

cannabis irrigation system iStock / OpenRangeStock

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Size:

If you're just learning how to grow weed, you don’t need to go all out for your first time. In fact, you will save yourself a lot of stress if you don’t bite off more than you can chew in the beginning. You can always expand your space to accommodate more, but this should come after you’ve successfully taken care of a few plants. Like any plant, marijuana is susceptible to pests and conditions that can effectively wipe out your crop. Losing a couple of plants as you learn the ropes will be less painful emotionally and financially than losing a whole garden.

You’ll need a room with decent height, as cannabis plants love to double or even triple in size. The taller the ceiling the better, because you don’t want your plants clashing with the lights.

Temperature:

Marijuana plants can be fickle, and if you aren’t growing in a temperature they thrive in, the plants will become stressed out. The lights you add to the setup are going to increase the temperature as well, so choosing a cooler space is a good idea. Any room that is humid or warm is going to create problems for your plants.

Ventilation:

Ideally, you will choose a room that offers easy access to fresh air. This can be a window in the space or an adjacent room you can cycle air through. Access to fresh air from outside is the best option, and if you can choose a cool space with a window, you should be off to a good start. As you start to expand your operation, you may want to invest in a proper ventilation setup, but that won't be necessary if you're just learning how to grow weed. 

Lighting:

Your plants will be exposed to a light cycle, and preventing light leaks is imperative to proper flowering. Make sure you choose a space that can easily seal away light.

Discretion and Convenience:

You’ll have to make a judgment call here based on the setup of your house. You probably don’t want every person who enters your home to know you are cultivating cannabis, so choosing an area that doesn’t immediately scream “I’m growing weed” is a good idea. Depending on your state’s laws, you may be required to keep your cannabis in a locked-away area.

While it’s important to choose a space that is discreet, you don’t want to make accessing your operation too difficult. You will need to check on your plants often, so be sure to place them somewhere you can easily access.

Choosing Your lights

Above all else, the lighting you choose for your indoor weed operation is going to make or break your setup. It’s important to choose the best quality possible. Let’s look at the most common options available.

led Grow light marijuana plant, cultivation of cannabis iStock / Yarygin

High-Intensity Discharge (HID) Lights

These are a common choice, and pretty standard when it comes to growing weed indoors. They are great for growing cannabis, though they are known to get very hot and usually require an exhaust fan to keep the temperature under control.

HID lights can be broken down further into two types:

Metal Halide (MH)

These produce a soft, bluish light that vegetative plants can’t get enough of. The light can be used throughout the whole harvest, including the flowering stage.

High-Pressure Sodium (HPS)

These lights are more commonly employed for the flowering stage because the yellow light encourages high bud production. The lights get the best yields per watt of energy, making them a top choice for efficient production.

If you can’t get yourself a combination of the two, start with HPS lights as they are more energy-efficient.

Fluorescent Grow Lights

These lights are easy to get ahold of, produce little heat and use little electricity. They can be positioned close to plants because they don’t produce a lot of heat, making them a good choice for a shorter room.

Fluorescent lights are not super efficient for growing weed since their light can’t travel too far down into the plants, though. They are affordable and don’t require a ventilation system, but it’s important to consider your unique set up before throwing down the money for fluorescent lights.

LED Grow Lights

LED lights tend to use less electricity and run cooler, allowing growers to sometimes skip a ventilation system altogether. They’re easy to set up, and just need to be plugged into the wall and hung over the plants.  For small harvests, or for people just learning how to grow weed, they can be a good choice without any complications.

The cost of LED lights can make other choices more favorable, especially when considering how many low-quality LED lights are available on the market. If you decide to go with LED grow lights, do some thorough research on the ones you want. They can be a great addition to your setup, but you have to be careful to buy good quality.