Veteran Grower Challenge: Best/most efficient way to beat cold?

My friend is new to growing, and is a bit impatient to start a grow op. No indoor alternatives exist.

My friend is looking to grow in a shack outdoors during New England winter. Size is about 10x10, no insulation or heat to speak of. He's got a 5x5 flower and a 4x4 veg tent available, so they should fit side by side within. So far, he's looking at these measures to beat the cold:

1. 1 1/2" insulation board around the grow tent, with a hole cut for the fan/exhaust.
2. Elevating the pots (milk crates or something) to keep them from being in contact with the cold floor.
3. Using a space heater on a thermostat (which hopefully won't burn everything down) to keep things at the right temperature.
4. Maybe a humidifier to counteract the space heater?

Also if, because of the extra insulation or equipment, both tents can't fit in the shack, one may have to go outside. At that point, is a winter outdoor tent grow even feasible? Should I tell my friend to wait for the spring?

What are the increased risks of growing like this, beyond the obvious threat of cold temps/frost?

Will this work or not? That's his question!

Insulate and heat the shed, seal the shed as best as possible, then heat the shed with the space heater, both tents benefit. Many of us grow in winter most of us prefer indoor growing in winter. We can crank up the lights. Atent outside in winter. Impossible

Thanks, Tim!

Any recommendations for reliable space heaters? He doesnt want his initial investment going up in flames...

You want electric hot oil radiators. They heat a room evenly for the most part. Your gunna need a few of them, and you may have more issues than you thought.

Without insulation your gunna end up just wasting power and the heaters will have hardly any effect. Power goes off once and your garden is dead.

Depending on your lights, that might provide heat too.

You could always do without the tents. Fill the shack with lights and plants and heaters and veg for as long as you can with 24hr light. The lights will help keep warm if your insulated. Then just make sure you got some airflow.... I hope this shack has decent electric service.

A 4x4 and 5x5 tent is fine. Use the 4x4 for veg and when you flower them move them all into the other tent and ditch the 4x4. With both in there you wont have room to move around in the shack, or room for anything like fans, heaters, a water tank, and god only knows what else.

the shack doesnt have outlets, but up to a few extension cords running from different outdoor outlets can reach it. will using an extension cord cause any issues with the heater? I've heard some of them must be plugged directly into a socket, and are more likely to cause fire if plugged into an extension cord.

as for lights, he's looking to use LEDs, either Lumigrow pro 325 or something comparable. how many of those do you think he'll need

Yeah dude.... With all the shit your gunna need running in there, this is a bad idea. Fans, HID lights, heaters, all in a confined space plugged into extension cords in the snow..... I just dont see how it could go wrong.

You can't run heaters and lights and timers and fans all from long extension cords,

You could if you purchased contractor grade electronic housings with large wire and such but I know it would be cheaper for you to run Romex wire yourself, but I am guessing that's out of range for you

OP pm me

Lol I'm new I don't know how to PM, gimmie a minute

Tim Fox said:

You could if you purchased contractor grade electronic housings with large wire and such but I know it would be cheaper for you to run Romex wire yourself, but I am guessing that's out of range for you

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He might be better of with a small generator, unless he has electric experience. It will be costly but not as bad as hiring an electrician and trying to explain why he needs heaters in a shed

This is going down hill fast

Insulate the shack well, or it will be soaking wet inside from condensation.

Just use one tent for your veg, don't bother with a second one. Be sure it's light tight while still being actively ventilated. Exchange its air with the rest of the shack's continuously.

Run your flower schedule from 8pm to 8am, so it's on through the coldest part of the night.

Actively ventilate the veg tent and run the lights in it on an 18/6 schedule, with the six OFF hours from 2 am to 8 am. This means there is never a time when no lights are on. You could run your veg 24hrs on, not a problem.

Buy a space heater, but set it so it only comes on if temps drop below 55. The lights should do a decent job of maintaining warmth.

You will want an exhaust fan for when temps get too high, install it near the peak of the ceiling and make sure the exhaust path has a spring loaded trap door so cold won't seep in. Run it on a thermostat like normal.

Finally, get a remote temperature alarm that will send a text or email if temps go out of range up or down. Test it and make sure it works; it's your last defense against dead plants.

Run a dedicated 240V@30A line out to the shed. You can split 120V from it for small stuff.

If you're planning to run LED panels you may have trouble generating enough heat for this to work.

This is one time where the inefficiency of HID lighting works to your advantage!

i am not sure if he has the where with all to run romex wire and hook up breakers and outlets?, I think that is why he wanted to use extension cords,, the generator is the worst idea, talk about loud and constand, beside they have peaks and dips in power and pulsate, stuff drives electronics batty,,
also sounds like he doesnt want to work on the shed, maybe its not his shed?,, or he rents?

Tim Fox said:

i am not sure if he has the where with all to run romex wire and hook up breakers and outlets?, I think that is why he wanted to use extension cords,, the generator is the worst idea, talk about loud and constand, beside they have peaks and dips in power and pulsate, stuff drives electronics batty,,
also sounds like he doesnt want to work on the shed, maybe its not his shed?,, or he rents?

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My generator suggestion was assuming he was in a rural area where the noise wouldn't be a problem. The peaks and dips arent a problem if you buy a genny that produces more power than you need.

A dedicated line is by far the best bet, if you can do it.

Hmmmm maybe a telsa powerwall? Lol

mollymcgrammar said:

My generator suggestion was assuming he was in a rural area where the noise wouldn't be a problem. The peaks and dips arent a problem if you buy a genny that produces more power than you need.

A dedicated line is by far the best bet, if you can do it.

Hmmmm maybe a telsa powerwall? Lol

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Power wall still has be plugged in somewhere. I have actually thought of using a pair of electric cars to power a remote op; every time one runs low, drive to a charger, and alternate cars!

I would love to see that haha

mollymcgrammar said:

I would love to see that haha

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My thinking was to use two Tesla Model S P85 cars. One is always plugged in- and therefore discharging to run the op- while the other is available for errands and to drive to a charging station someplace. It would be easier if there was a power wall, would really only need one car.

This would pretty much require the use of every power saving trick in the book from LED lighting to passive environmental control.