Grow Milkweed Plants in four seasons

Exactly how much does winter suck?

WINTER SUCKS ENOUGH TO GET A GROW TENT!

Hanging on to what you grew in the summer sun is a wonderful dream. Bud's, blooms and photosynthesis in December shouldn't be a daydream. Don't let the fall time change get you down. Stop fretting over decumbent stems. Despite the darkness and cold weather; you can grow all winter! Let's Hang On to what we grew in the summer.

Giving the orchid you got in July a home for the winter sound's nice. Is it practical? Can that giant milkweed really get giant-er? Don't let your temperamental houseplant take that prime spot in front of your only south facing window. Can you give your plants a tropical vacation that lasts all four seasons? You betcha!

Today's blog post is to give a detailed answer to the questions I get from friends. Thank you JoAnn Mathieson and everyone else for all the wonderful questions. I will show you the exact items I am using. I shared a video of my Grow Tent on facebook and thought you would find this information useful. Most, if not all, of the products I acquired were purchased on amazon over many years. The product links on this page are affiliate links. When you click thru an affiliate link and purchase the Item, I receive modest compensation from the seller. There is no additional cost to you.

a botany lesson by The Berenstain Bears

How an Endless Summer Works

image source https://multidict.net/clilstore/page.php?id=3708

You could fly your plants to the equator. Sadly, buying your plants a round-trip ticket to the equator is not a practical solution. So what are the minimum requirements for your plants to grow thru the winter?

Plants need four basic things to grow.

1. ​Air
2. Water
3. Nutrients
4. Light

How a grow tent will improve your odds of success

​Unlike a windowsill, grow tents use a reflective material inside to maximize and intensify the light. Walls reflect and diffuse the light, exposing plants to a greater concentration of light compared to growing indoors.

Your grow tent is extremely helpful when it comes to controlling the Air and Light around your plants. Protecting your plants from cold weather is the main goal. The air inside the grow tent will be maintained above a minimum temperature and below a maximum temperature that is set by you. Humidity of the air inside the grow tent is usually around 75%. Outside air humidity in Nevada is frequently below 15%. The higher humidity is an added bonus that makes the plants very happy inside the grow tent. The reflective material inside the grow tent maximizes the efficiency of the lighting. The grow tent is not a greenhouse. It can be placed where it gets no sunlight. A closet or garage are perfectly good locations for a grow tent. You will need access to an electrical outlet to power the lighting.

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12 Products to Grow Milkweed Plants in all 4 seasons

Select the largest grow tent you have space for

There is a grow tent for every space. The largest grow tent I could fit in my garage has a 48"x48" footprint and is 80" tall. If your space is smaller, get a smaller tent. Have more space? Consider getting a larger grow tent. 

48"x48"x80" Mylar Hydroponic Grow Tent for Indoor Plant Growing

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Sandusky Lee WS362474-C Chrome Steel Wire Shelving, 4 Adjustable Shelves, 800 lb. Per Shelf Capacity, 74" Height x 36" Width x 24" Depth, 4 Shelves

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48"x48" is the most space I could make for a grow tent. So thats what I got. The tent arrived in a box and was easy to unpack. The entire assembly took about thirty minutes. If you have a helper you could get it done faster. I also imagine the smaller sized grow tents would be faster to put together. Larger grow tents could require a helper. 

Shelving inside the grow tent is important if you get a tent 80" tall like mine. If you have a shorter grow tent you may be okay without shelving. Utilizing all the open space is the goal. Shelving helps get the plants close to the different light sources. 

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Place light fixtures over your plants

The number of options for lights is nearly unlimited. Select Fluorescent or LED. The important thing here is the light fixture should fit the grow tent. Add more lights if necessary. Keep the plants well illuminated.

Hydrofarm Agrobrite FLT24 T5 Fluorescent Grow Light System, 2 Foot, 4 Tube

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LED Grow Light for Indoor Plants,YGROW Upgraded 75W Growing Lamp Light Bulbs with Exclusive Full Spectrum for Greenhouse Vegetables Plants from Seeding to Harvest
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While the debate over T5 Fluorescent lighting verses LED lighting seems to go on forever. I decided to use both. On the top I have a fixture with four T5 Fluorescent tubes . On the bottom I have a 75W LED Grow Light. 

The important thing when selecting a T5 bulb is that the bulb emits 6400K (Kelvin) because this is what the plants need for photosynthesis. For the LED light look for "Full Spectrum". The output looks a little crazy but the plants love all the different colors in the light.

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Warm the grow tent with space heaters

A grow tent is not the same as a greenhouse. A greenhouse gets heat from the sun. A grow tent needs a heater. Select a heat source that will raise the temperature inside the grow tent safely and efficiently. 

Lasko Model 100 MyHeat Personal Space Heater, Black - Compact Size, Ideal for the Desk or Around the Home Office

VIVOSUN Durable Waterproof Seedling Heat Mat Warm Hydroponic Heating Pad 10" x 20.75" MET Standard

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The grow tent is up and the lights are on. The weather outside is probably very cold. It 31 degrees F and snowing while I write this. In my garage it's in the upper 40s. Too cold for tropical plants to thrive. Heat is required unless your grow tent is indoors. I'm combining two heat sources. At the bottom of the grow tent I have two Vivosun Heat Mats with water on top of them. On the rack I have a Lasko Model 100 space heater. The temperature inside the grow tent is 63 degrees. When the lights come on tonight the temperature will go up.

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Automate the temperature and lighting

Technology makes the grow tent go. Automate the temperature and lighting. The digital timer and temperature controller ensures plants receive even lighting while preventing drastic changes to their environment.

myTouchSmart 26898-P1 Indoor and Outdoor Digital Timer, Plug-in, Two Grounded, Weather Resistant, Custom Countdown, Christmas Lights,  1-pack

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bayite Temperature Controller BTC201 Pre-Wired Digital Outlet Thermostat, 2 Stage Heating and Cooling Mode, 110V - 240V 10A

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Temperature control seems fundamental to the success of plants in the grow tent. Selecting the right equipment to control temperature was overwhelming for me. I settled on the baylite Temperature Controller. The heating switch and built in temperature probe are perfect. The ability to control cooling gives me the option to continue growing into the summer. 

Automating everything is wonderful. Put the grow lights on a timer. You can use the same timer for Christmas lights. The myTouchSmart Digital Timer works great. I've got my plants on fourteen hours ON and 10 hours OFF.

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Mitigate potential problems with circulation

Don't grow in a static environment. Air circulation is absolutely necessary inside a grow tent. It's a proven fact that plants grow stronger and healthier stems when exposed to moving air. 

Portable USB Fan - Personal Desk Fan with 1.4m USB Cable, 6 Inch Mini Fan USB Fans for Desk, Quiet and Powerful, Perfect Office Fan USB Personal Fan for Home & Office in Hot Summer Days

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​Habor Digital Hygrometer Indoor Thermometer, Humidity Gauge Indicator Room Thermometer, Accurate Temperature Humidity Monitor Meter for Greenhouse, Mini Hygrometer (2.3 X 1.8 Inch)

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Air circulation is taken for granted outside. We all feel a breeze. Plants also get a breeze. If you take a plant and move it into the grow tent or start seedlings without a breeze. They will suffer. Leggy seedlings and fungus are likely to be the leading problems in a grow tent without air circulation. I've got one Portable USB Fan running 24/7 and it provides air circulation.

Curious about the humidity and temp inside the grow tent? Place a Harbor Digital Hygrometer inside. You can peek thru the view window anytime and know the exact temp and humidity.

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Power the grow tent with safe electricity

Supply electricity to the grow tent without creating a fire hazard. A 15 Amp extension cord could be excessive. I'd rather be safe that sorry. Don't overload outlets. Never plug a surge protector into another surge protector.

SIMBR 25 FT 12/3 Extension Cord Outdoor/Indoor, Electrical Cord with Lighted 3 Outlets, 3 Prong, 15 Amps, UL Listed, Power Your Garden and Farm

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Belkin 3-Outlet USB Surge Protector w/Rotating Plug– Ideal for Mobile Devices, Personal Electronics, Small Appliances and More (1 Amp, 918 Joules)

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The SIMBR Power Cord and Belkin 3-Outlet USB Surge Protector really bring the whole grow tent together. Everything needs power to run. Lets review what needs power.

• T5 Fluorescent lighting
• ​LED lighting
• baylite Temperature Controller
• ​Lasko Model 100 space heater
• Vivosun Heat Mats
• myTouchSmart Digital Timer​

​​Start with the end in mind. Place your grow tent in close proximity to power.

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The basics

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1. Grow Tent
2. Wire Shelving
​3. T5 Fluorescent Grow Lights
4. LED Grow Light 
5. Space Heater
6. Heat Mats
7. Digital Timer
8. Temperature Controller
9. Portable Fan
10 ​Digital Thermometer/Hygrometer 
11. Extension Cord
12. Surge Protector

Flowering and Fruiting. Gomphocarpus physocarpus 11/29/19