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If you’ve ever looked at your stash—after a particularly indulgent dispensary spree—and thought, “Damn, I really need to learn how to grow cannabis for myself,” you are not alone.
Likewise, if you went full plant parent during lockdown and at some point thought, “Dang, I should apply these greenery skills to growing my own cannabis,” your reasoning is likely sound.
Considering the long winter ahead, now seems a good time to explore indoor grow systems not only to experiment with home growing beyond houseplant propagation, but also to establish a year-round harvest to supplement dispensary hauls.
To that end, we took a deep dive into the quest for the perfect indoor grow system based on criteria like ease of use, simplicity, discretion, and cost-benefit ratio when it’s time to harvest. Here are a few of the top picks:
A Pot for Pot
A comprehensive grow kit perfect for the houseplant aficionado who has no need to be discreet, a Pot for Pot comes in sizes appropriate for windowsill, balcony or outdoor growing.
The kits also come with a step-by-step guide, a fabric pot and drain saucer, a germination kit, and an objectively intense soil package that includes enriched soil, diatomaceous earth, a bacteria-based rooting booster, coco bricks, and separate pearlite topsoil. The whole shebang guides users through the entire grow process, from sprouting to harvesting, with the energy of an elder hippie/neighborhood green witch.
The complete kit includes natural soap and neem oil (for your plant’s leaves), custom trimming scissors, a hybrid watering can/spray bottle, a three-part clip-on smartphone macro-lens for bud close-ups, and a seed coupon worth $40.
Pros: Affordable (kits range $40-$300); generous yield (28 grams to 1 pound); mini, small, medium and large kits each contain all the bonus amenities.
Cons: Indiscreet, no odor control.
Get it from: apotforpot.com
TheBudGrower Starter Indoor Kit
For grows that require some measure of discretion, a tent or cabinet kit can be a surprisingly affordable solution. TheBudGrower starter kit, for example, is a coat closet-ready tent kit that includes a 2-by-2-by-5-foot Mylar tent with a multiport, carbon-filtered ventilation system, Fox Farms growing mix (a top choice mix for established growers), a 150-watt bulb, and a reflective hood. It also comes with an essentials package that contains a humidity monitor, 5-gallon reusable fabric grow pots, a custom 24-hour light timer, and even glass jars for your harvest.
The complete kit retails for $450, which may feel like a large investment up front for users on leaner cannabis budgets. Personally, when I saw how many discounts I’d racked up at my local shop for hauls that met or exceeded $200, I figured a savings goal of $450 was doable, especially when the return on investment is anywhere from 10 to 14 ounces of homegrown flower.
Pros: Relatively affordable, smell-proof, fits in a standard closet.
Cons: Considerable assembly required, though there are tutorial videos.
Get it from: thebudgrower.com
Grobo Grow Box
For grow newcomers with a considerable budget, Grobo is the best-reviewed stealth grow box system on the market. While a typical tent system is designed for function, the Grobo feels designed for both function and contemporary home décor. The case looks more like an ultra-slim IKEA wardrobe than an indoor grow house, which is a feat considering the unit contains a 10-liter hydroponic tank and five different nutrient modules. The prerequisite carbon-filtered ventilation, LED lighting and air circulation are all automated to maximize yields, and the functions are all accessible via smartphone app.
Starting at $2,000 for a cabinet that measures 14 by 14 by 48 inches, the Grobo Grow Box reportedly runs whisper quiet, emits very little odor, and produces harvests that could pay for the unit in less than two years. An ROI calculator on the website further breaks down the cost effectiveness of a stealth box for those who can afford the upfront investment.
Pros: Contemporary furniture aesthetic, automated hydroponic system, automatic locks keep out curious pets and inquisitive kiddos.
Cons: Very expensive.
Get it from: grobo.io