25 Item Checklist to Start an Indoor Cannabis Grow

There comes a time in most cannabis lovers’ lives when we think about where the bud we love so much comes from and what it would be like to grow our own.

For some, it is a conscious decision to make sure that they know exactly what goes into their bud and, thus, into their bodies. For others, it’s for the pure enjoyment of taking their cannabis hobby to the next stage.

Cultivation is a guaranteed way to have a hands-on learning experience when getting to know this incredible, versatile, and rewarding plant. 

With so many different seed varieties on the market – why would you not want to?

It’s pretty easy in the late spring to put a seed in a pot outside and let nature do its thing, with you just making sure to water and feed it often enough. You can end up with some very enjoyable flowers – the only issue here is you have to wait until the summer ends, which only comes around once a year.

Growing on your window sill can be fun but isn’t likely to get you more than a few buds, at most, because the sun won’t give your plant enough power to produce much when it’s coming through the double-glazing.

So how do we go about growing some of that sweet high-grade indoors?

If you’re thinking about starting an indoor cannabis grow, here are the 25 things you need to check off your list to start an indoor cannabis grow.

#1 Time

Ah, time is the one thing we all need but don’t have enough of. Unless you’re in jail, this got dark. Anyway.

The flowering period of cannabis is usually from 8-12 weeks. That’s already 2-3 months! Then you have the vegging time, which can be from 4 weeks upwards, depending on how big you want your plants. So if you are going to grow, make sure you have 3-4 months where you are going to be in the same place and able to tend to your plants in a way that won’t let them suffer.

Growing indoors is a similar kind of dedication to keeping a tropical aquarium tank. 

When thinking about growing something indoors that naturally belongs outside, you must consider replicating nature to ensure that your plants survive and, secondly – it’s suitable to produce some excellent end product. 

#2 A Tent

This is a sealed space to contain and control your growing environment, and they come lined in reflective material. There are many sizes available, from something that would fit under a table to something that will go on top of one. Then you have tents that will sit in the corner and others that take up a whole room. Tents can be better than using an entire room because they have purpose-built holes in them for ventilation and allow you to pack down a room if you are renting an apartment and have an inspection or move where you are living without much hassle. 

#3 Extractor Fan

This is necessary for exchanging the fresh/waste air in the grow space and helping control the smell, temperature and humidity. 

Complete extraction kits are available online. It is vital to match the correct size carbon filter for your fan and to get the right size ducting. You’ll need tape and possibly some cable ties or another set of pulleys to secure it. A fan on the outside of the tent reduces heat inside the tent.

#4 Carbon Filter

This is essential to remove the smell – it’s nice to be a good neighbour. You will want to replace it every year to 18 months to make sure you are not leaking out any sweet hums of weed. You can also replace the carbon inside to avoid throwing away the whole unit.

#5 Reflector/Light Hood

An even spread of light to reach every corner of your tent is important. There are a lot of different styles. If you don’t have heat issues, then a standard adjustable reflector works just fine, but if you have heat issues, enclosed hoods that hook into your extraction system are probably what you need. I recommend purchasing the adjustable clicking pulleys to hang the lights on, which makes altering the height as the plants grow much easier.  

#6 Bulb(s)

Having the right power bulb for the space you are using, and the right spectrum light for the photoperiod the plants are on will make all the difference to your growing experience and the bud you finish growing. You can’t start an indoor cannabis grow without them.

High-Pressure Sodium (HPS), Metal Halide (MH), Ceramic Metal Halide (CMH), Compact Fluorescent (CFL) and Light Emitting Diodes (LED) are all suitable options and available in different light spectrums for different times of the grow cycle. 

#7 Ballast

This power brick converts the voltage from the main power to what the bulb needs to emit the correct light spectrum. Analogue ones are pretty cheap these days, but there is a growing range of digital ballasts to choose from, some of which you can vary the power output on. 

#8 Oscillating Fan

Perfect for helping to move the air around the tent/room, so it doesn’t stagnate or create any damp spots. When the plants have this, it also helps strengthen the stems and branches. 

#9 Humidity/Temperature Controller

If you aren’t able to check your garden frequently throughout the day and you have changes or swings in temperature and humidity at night, these devices can be absolute stress relievers.

They allow you to plug in a heater, fan, humidifier or dehumidifier and set the temperature/humidity parameters for them to turn on and off automatically when needed. It is important to note that as your plants change size, the humidity levels change, too, so it is crucial to monitor this through your first few grows. The time of the year and outside temperature can affect your humidity levels from one day to the next. 

An example of a dual controller is the Inkbird range which has several temperature humidity controller options. This one sadly is not available anymore, but very similar or updated ones are for sale. 

#10 Humidifier

This is used to help increase the air moisture level. If there isn’t enough moisture in the air, the plants will lose water quicker than they can drink it and dry out. If the air is too dry, it will also make the soil dry out faster.

#11 Dehumidifier

Too much moisture in the air can cause your plants to get bud rot and become useless. Getting an unexpected patch of rain towards the end of flowering could ruin everything just from an extra 10% humidity. For this reason, having a dehumidifier in your grow space is always good. 

#12 Heater

Plants can’t grow when temperatures drop too low; winter and night can be too cold for your plants, and they could get root shock. Small oil heaters, greenhouse heaters or even electric mattress topper heaters can be effective in an enclosed space to stop the roots from getting too cold. You don’t want them to go below 18 degrees, or they will shock and stunt growth. 

#13 Surge Protector(s)/ Extension Cable

You will have several plugs to plug in with varying watts and voltages, so using surge protectors is a safety precaution you should try not to skip over. Fire and wire safety is paramount. 

#14 Timer(s)

To get your plants to flower, you need to change the time the light is on. These are available in analogue and digital. 

#15 Training Net/Stakes

Plants can sometimes produce flowers and colas that are too heavy for their branches. To make sure they don’t fall over and break, you can use nets that stretch over the grow space and support the plant’s structure – you’ll want this in place before they get too big, though. You can also use traditional stakes and ties on any at-risk branches as you see them if you don’t use a net. 

#16 Pots

You will need these to grow. Traditional plastic pots work great, but some pots also encourage vigorous root growth, such as felt pots, which are also easily washable. 

#17 Trays

Sitting your plants on trays stops your tent floor from getting unnecessarily messy and risking any leaks from runoff. It can also stop the soil in the pots from drying out. 

#18 Spray Bottle

Foliar feeding your plants and replicating dew at the start of their light cycle is a good way to keep them healthy. A standard trigger spray works well, but a pump-pressure one makes the job much easier. 

#19 Bucket

You will need an adequate size vessel to mix up your plant food in. As your plants grow, they will require a greater amount of water so get something that will be big enough to make as much as you need – there is nothing worse than mixing up the food several times if you are brewing an oxygen tea.

#20 Watering Can

Some people are perfectly happy using a cup, but using a rose end to sprinkle the water can ensure that the medium is spread evenly and doesn’t run down any cracks in dry soil. This can save a lot of backache!

#21 Air Pump & Oxygen Stone

Your soil loves aerobic microbes, and your plants’ roots love oxygen. So, oxygenating your water before your plants get it can increase the microbial life in the food, leading to healthier soil and giving the roots the o2 they require. Adding oxygen to a food mix is often referred to as “brewing a tea”. 

#22 Soil

There are many different soils available in most grow shops and garden centres which are suitable for growing and will have enough life in them for the first 4 – 6 weeks, so you just have to feed them water. It needs good drainage and aeration. Woody/barky soils are not desirable as they dry out too fast. There are now soils available on the market that have been designed from scratch specifically for cannabis so that you can just feed water and a few microbial teas throughout the cycle, which means you do not have to use any bottle-bought nutrients. 

#23 Nutrients/Feed

If you are using plant food to ensure you have a bountiful crop, you will likely use several different products. Most feed is made for either the veg or bloom cycle, which requires you to change when you switch to the 12 hours of flowering time. The three main compounds that your plant needs are Nitrogen (N), Potassium (P) and Phosphate (K). Before you start an indoor cannabis grow, know what strain your growing and its nutrient needs.

Veg feed will have higher N levels, and bloom will have higher P and K levels. Calcium (C) and Magnesium (M) are also essential, but the water and soil often have enough of this not to have to add it too often. There is almost an endless list of macro and micronutrients that cannabis plants require to do their best, boost their immune systems and increase terpene production, so please keep following the Seedsman grow blogs to keep learning more. Things like food waste compost and earthworm castings can boost the life of soil lacking and are relatively cheap or easy to make at home. 

#24 Dustpan and Brush

It’s good to keep a clean and tidy space. The messier a grow space is, the higher the chance of pest or mould contamination will put your plants at risk. 

#25 Towel

For mopping up any accidental spills – it’s good to have one on hand just in case. 

Final Points

Right, that’s everything you will need to start an indoor cannabis grow, and things you will want to consider along the way of your home-growing journey to grow successfully. 

Depending on the size of your grow space, and if you decide to buy either budget or branded equipment, you will be looking at a setup cost between $350 – $1000. That is about the same as spending £20 a week for a year on buds someone else has grown.

The Seedsman Blog has articles that cover every step of the way, so don’t worry, just type your query into the search bar, and you’ll find the info you need. We’re here for you!

Oh, 1 More Thing

You can’t start an indoor cannabis grow or any kind of cannabis cultivation first without the right seeds! Check out Seedsman for the world’s largest collection of cannabis genetics from breeders worldwide, sent straight to your door!

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