Whenever I plan a grow, I like to think about the 4 essential elements needed in every garden:

Light, Environment, Nutrition and Love!

We can use these fundamentals to make a shopping list for a new garden.

Below are some basic recommendations for a 2 x 2.5’ grow tent setup. These recommendations and their underlying concepts can be applied to planning a larger grow too. (You usually just need a BIGGER version for a bigger grow.)

If you need help planning your garden or want to discuss your options, feel free to get in touch with us via the contact page. We would love to help you plan a new garden or upgrade your existing setup!

Scroll down to the bottom of the page for a compact list of all the stuff mentioned in this article.

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Light

AC Infinity S22. A great light for a 2×2!

Light is the engine that powers your grow. The quality and quantity of light in your garden goes a long way towards determining the quality and quantity of your harvest. Don’t go cheap on your lights! Invest in good lights that will last you for many years. I recommend BRIGHT WHITE LEDs that mimic the color of sunlight.

AC Infinity and HLG both have great lighting options for a 2×2. AC Infinity lights are IP65 water resistant and pair with AC Infinity’s UIS control system. HLG lights are extremely bright and some of the most efficient grow lights on the market. Both companies make excellent lights and offer great customer service and support.

Check out the options available from both companies. Compare features and prices to find the best light for you! If you need a more personal lighting recommendation, get in touch to setup a consulting appointment. We’d love to help!

Your grow will also need a timer to control when the light is on, adjustable rope hangers to adjust the hanging height, and a power strip to provide power to the lights and the rest of the grow.

Recommended Light Options:

AC Infinity IonGrid S22 (130watts)
HLG 150 Patriot (150w)

Also needed:

Adjustable Rope Hangers- Ac Infinity Rope Hangers

Digital Timer- Nearpow timer or AC Infinity UIS enabled lighting controller controller

Power Strip- Tripplite power strip with 15’ cord

Environment

AC Infinity Cloudline fans and smart controllers are great for managing your grow environment.

Your plants need the proper environmental conditions so they can grow and thrive. Temperature, Humidity, CO2, Air Movement and Odor Control are all important. The better you can dial in your environment, the happier your plants will be.

A ventilation fan removes excess heat and humidity from the garden while also bringing in co2. Using a ventilation fan with a smart controller allows you to dial in your growing environment. Odor control is handled by a carbon filter attached to the ventilation fan.

A small oscillating circulation fan inside the tent helps creates a little bit of air movement within the plant canopy. A little bit of wind (but not too much) helps plants grow stronger and creates a healthier grow environment.

We will also need something to measure our temperature and humidity. A basic thermometer + hygrometer can do the job, but I highly recommend upgrading to a “grow monitor” that will track and log these conditions over time. AC Infinity’s smart controllers include a temp+humidity readout on the screen, and can even track your conditions over time. You can even adjust your AC Infinity UIS compatible grow equipment via an easy to use app!

Pulse Grow Monitors also offers excellent garden stand alone garden monitors. Their products feature super accurate sensors, advanced data logging capability, alerts and other features.

Depending on your setup, you may want to invest in a grow tent. Tents help provide a safe and secure environment for your plants to grow. Tents also block out light, allowing you to control the photo period inside. This is essential since most cannabis plants need an uninterrupted dark period every day in order to flower. If you plan to grow in a room or closet that’s already enclosed and totally dark, you might not need a tent. If you are growing in an area with some ambient light, a grow tent will be needed.

AC Infinity Tents have a single door design and pair nicely with AC Infinity fans and ventilation controllers. They also offer 2 chambered tents for added grow flexibility.

Gorilla Grow tents have a double door design for better access, and offer advanced features like adjustable height.

Advanced tools like humidifiers or air conditioners may be needed for larger grows or to further dial in conditions when ventilation is not enough, but we shouldn’t need any of that for a small 2×2 or 2×4 grow.

Tent (optional but strongly recommended)

Single door tents- AC Infinity Cloudlab

Two chamber tents- AC Infinity 2-in-1

Double door tents- Gorilla Grow Tent Original

Budget Double doors- Gorilla Grow Tent Lite

Ventilation

Ventilation Fan- AC Infinity T4 with smart controller

Odor Control- AC Infinity Carbon Filter

Ducting- AC Infinity 4 layer ducting

Circulation Fan- AC Infinity Clip Fan

Combination Thermometer + hygrometer- Accurite digital Hygrometer & thermometer

Optional but Recommended-

Pulse Grow Monitor

Optional but possibly needed depending on setup-

Humidifier- Air Innovations Humidifier

Dehumidifier- Fridgidaire Dehumidifier

Air conditioner- Mini split recommended (call a pro!)

Heater- Radiator style electric heater

Check out our Grow Tent Ventilation Guide to learn more about managing your environment.

Nutrition

Your plants need nutrients to grow and thrive. There are many different forms of plant nutrition, the important thing to keep in mind is that your Media, Nutrients, Additives, and Microbes all need to work together as a system. I recommend picking a “nutrient system” and sticking with the recipe until you get the hang of it. Once you understand the system you are working with, you can make small changes to make it more your style, or learn a new system if you want to change things up.

Generally speaking,

Media provides structure for roots to hold on to, and acts like a battery to store nutrition.

Nutrients are food for your plant. They charge up the battery and power plant growth.

Additives are optional add-ons that aid growth or improve plant health in other ways.

Microbes help balance pH and make nutrients more plant available.

Try to follow a feeding chart and choose stuff that’s designed to work together!

Example nutrient plan:

Media– Coco fiber

Nutrients– New Millennium liquid nutrients

Additives– Silica, New Millennium Winter Frost and Ruby Fulvic

Microbes– Recharge Soil Microbes

Check out our Nutrient Guide to learn about 3 different nutrient systems I recommend for new and experienced growers.

Love

Love is all the care and attention you put into planning your grow and caring for your garden. This includes all sorts of different things like planning your garden, watering your plants, transplanting, trimming, cleaning, pest control and MORE! This might sound like a lot, but don’t worry, it just takes time and practice!

To provide this care, you will need some basic tools and supplies. You will also need to make decisions about things like what kind of seeds to buy. The decisions you make and the level of care you put into your garden all play a part in making it to harvest.

Here’s a list of tools to help you care for your plants. In time you may find you need other things, but this list should be enough to help you get started.

Seeds– Start with GOOD QUALITY genetics. Does not need to be super expensive, but don’t sell yourself short by going to cheap either! Invest in something good. You will spend a lot of time and effort caring for your plants, so make sure they are something you are EXCITED TO GROW!

Some affordable seed breeders to check out- Jinxproof Genetics, Irie Genetics, and Homegrown Natural Wonders

Pots– You will need a few different sizes. Some small pots for seeds, medium pots for baby plants, and some big pots for going into flower. Fabric pots and other breathable pots are a good choice because they help air prune the roots and reduce the risk of overwatering. I personally like Grass Roots Fabric Pots.

Trays– It’s a good idea to get some trays to put under your pots. This will help catch any excess water and keep it from making a mess. Make sure you always empty the trays after watering your plants, we don’t want plants sitting in a puddle getting soggy. Seedling trays Larger Saucers

Watering can– You will need a way to water your plants. This can be a complicated irrigation system, or you can keep things simple and hand water. A watering can with a shower head type nozzle will help SLOW DOWN your watering. This will help ensure your pots are evenly watered, and will reduce the risk of overwatering. Watering can with shower head

Pump sprayer– Pests and pathogens are EVERYWHERE, so it’s important to take steps to protect your garden. Doing a weekly preventative spray during VEG goes a LONG WAY towards helping prevent pest issues. Even just spraying weekly with cool soapy water will help wash off dirt and pests and keep your plants healthy. Chapin Pump sprayer small Chapin Sprayer Large

Sticky Traps– Sticky traps help catch pests, but more importantly they work as an early warning system and can help you monitor pest populations in your garden. Pest issues are MUCH easier to deal with if you can catch the problem early, so put some traps out and check them regularly. Sticky Traps

Cleaning supplies– Keeping your grow clean helps prevent pests and other issues. It also makes your grow a more pleasant place to work. Make sure you’ve at least got a good broom and dust pan and a bottle of cleaning solution to use in your grow. Its a good idea to have dedicated cleaning supplies that are just for your grow. Having cleaning supplies handy will help encourage you to keep your grow area clean! Dust pan + brush Broom Tweetmint Enzyme Soap

Pruning Scissors– You will need a good pair of pruning scissors for pruning your plants and for trimming your bud after harvest. Its a good idea to have a couple pairs and to keep them clean! Fiskar Pruning Shears

30x/60x Scope– Its essential to have a little magnifier to check trichomes and inspect leaves for signs of pests or other problems. Pests can be REALLY SMALL, so it’s important to have a powerful magnifier on hand to help spot them. 30x/60x scope

Notepad and camera– Its a good idea to take notes while you are growing. This can help you remember what you did, and help you plan for the future. Having a camera handy in your grow can help you document any problems so you can get help. It will also allow you to take and share pics of your garden, which can be a lot of fun! A clip on macro lens turns any cellphone camera into a powerful tool for photographing bugs or checking trichomes. Notebook Clip on Macro

Check out the FREE Integrated Pest Management Guide for more info on pest prevention.

Get in touch if we can help!

Thanks for checking out this list! Keep in mind, these are just some basic general recommendations. If you want more detailed help with your grow or want to discuss your options, feel free to get in touch to set up a consulting appointment! We would love to help!

Please share this article and GrowersLove.com with the cannabis lovers in your life!

Help me spread the joys of growing cannabis across the universe!

Thanks for reading and good luck on your gardening adventure!

GROWERS LOVE!

-Andrew

Aka Soup the Gardener

Founder of GrowersLove.com