Can You Grow Plants at Home?

Many people don’t realize that you can grow plants at home at any time of the year.

What’s more, you can even grow the most exotic plants indoors — ones that would not survive in our climate under natural outdoor conditions.

To do this successfully, you’ll need a few specialized items available in stores commonly known as growshops.

The most important element is, of course, light — it must imitate the strong sun that plants receive in their natural environment.

Which Grow Light Should You Choose?

Light sources designed for indoor growing include:

1) HPS – affordable and powerful, but produces heat

HPS is the most affordable and efficient lighting option, usually available in higher wattages, but it also produces a lot of heat.

Typical wattages include: 100W, 150W, 250W, 400W, 600W, 1000W.

These lamps come in two main types: HPS (more red light, color temperature 2000–2300K) and MH (white-blue light, color temperature 6000–6500K).

HPS works best for flowering or fruiting plants, while MH is ideal for green plants when maximum vegetative growth is the goal.

Both types require ballasts and reflectors and are usually available with an E40 socket type.

This socket is included in most reflectors sold in growshops.

2) LED – the most expensive, but efficient and modern

The second type of lighting (and usually the most expensive) is LED grow lighting. LEDs are known for low power consumption, high efficiency, often adjustable power output, low heat emission, and long lifespan.

3) CFL – energy-saving lighting for small spaces

The third option is CFL energy-saving lamps. They are designed for smaller grow areas and come in different color temperatures.

They produce very little heat, so they can be placed very close to plants. However, they are fragile and easy to damage.

Even if you already have artificial lighting, you will definitely need a timer to control the light schedule — turning the lamp on (day) and off (night).

The number of light hours must be adapted to the plant so it receives a day length as close as possible to its natural environment — “under artificial sun”.

The simplest options are mechanical and digital timers. They work отлично for this purpose, and mechanical ones are especially easy to set.

Remember that indoor grow lights are extremely bright. In a home environment, the glow coming through windows can be very strong, and after dark the room may become uncomfortable due to the intense light.

Additionally, regular walls and furniture absorb a lot of light energy, meaning it isn’t used efficiently. To improve reflection, you can use reflective films such as Mylar or DIAMOND.

However, if you’re not dedicating the whole room to growing, covering everything in reflective foil is not the best solution. That’s why a grow tent — also known as a growbox — is the perfect alternative.

What Is a Growbox?

A growbox is a specialized tent designed for indoor cultivation. It comes in many sizes — from 35x35x90 cm up to 600x600x250 cm.

What does a growbox provide?

Maximum light reflectivity and optimal use of your grow light’s power.
Interior lined with special reflective material for strong light diffusion and reflection.
Reflective lining covers the walls, bottom, and ceiling.
Ceiling bars allow you to hang a lamp, carbon filter, CO₂ bags, climate monitor, and fan.
Special sleeves for ventilation ducts and electrical cables (top and bottom openings).
Viewing window for quick checks without opening the tent.
Zippers, near-total lightproof design (about 99.9%), easy setup and storage, lightweight and portable.