Should I buy a grow tent/use mylar/etc

[power270lb]

So I've made it into year 2 and now entering my second Winter. This is my setup, I have a ton of mylar I plan to hang from the ceiling to wrap around my setup but wanted opinions first. There's a beautiful 5x5 grow tent from AC Infinity but I started growing indoors (wish summer didn't end) so no reason I can't be successful again. Only difference is I have way more plants this time and they're much bigger. The seedlings all take up size now so I'm just looking to maximize growth. The window is East facing and I get light 7-8ish-12-1ish but it's not enough not even close. Should I move the tables to the window, move the lights and use mylar leaving the window open or just use mylar all around?

 

[parhamr]

Let’s think ahead to the problems you’ll be needing to solve: humidity, air flow, pests, and ease of maintenance access.

A grow tent can ensure higher humidity, redirect airflow around the trees, provide a containment area in which to safely enough nuke pests (like scale and spider mites), and within the tent your plants could all be at waist level for ease of access.

The tent isn’t a magic bullet, but it would do alright for you. The mylar could support you in solving some of the above problems, but I think the grow tent is more germane to your needs and less finicky.

The window alone is absolutely not enough light. If you’d like more proof of this, try to find a good enoygh “light meter” app for your phone and compare how much the window versus lights provide. Those are decent lights and they appear to have the right spectrum you need.

 

[River's Edge]

So I've made it into year 2 and now entering my second Winter. This is my setup, I have a ton of mylar I plan to hang from the ceiling to wrap around my setup but wanted opinions first. There's a beautiful 5x5 grow tent from AC Infinity but I started growing indoors (wish summer didn't end) so no reason I can't be successful again. Only difference is I have way more plants this time and they're much bigger. The seedlings all take up size now so I'm just looking to maximize growth. The window is East facing and I get light 7-8ish-12-1ish but it's not enough not even close. Should I move the tables to the window, move the lights and use mylar leaving the window open or just use mylar all around?

Give due consideration to the amount of indoor grow space you create and the effect of humidity on the room/building. Often ventilation and humidity in the surrounding area can become a serious issue as we expand. A reasonable percentage of an indoor space may not be the issue that increasing space creates. Been there, done that, created that problem. Had to change rooms to alleviate the issue!

 

[Maiden69]

Last year I had a small corner in the house with my trees with a few grow lights on them, I only had 1 ficus and a few cuttings, I lost a large Liquidambar Orientalis cutting because it dried out when I left the cover open in the small propagator my mistake. This year I have a few more trees so I bought a 4x2x5 Vivosun Mylar grow tent to keep them all inside once the weather decides that it will be winter here... the lowest we had was 38 degrees and I left all my trees out, since it is just for around 2-3 hours before dawn. I bought it mainly for propagation, to keep inside the house as my garage sees temperatures above 80's as the garage doors face south and it doesn't have any insulation overhead or on the walls.

My biggest issue was watering or misting the trees, as they were sitting in my study. I think if you can manage that, and keep the humidity up you will be fine.

 

[BrianBay9]

I used a grow tent in Wisconsin winters. I thought it was great and my tropicals loved it. Just the lights kept the temp between 80 - 90 F. Humidity was 70 - 80% just from regular watering. Definitely need a fan for air circulation and venting. I started without the fan and grew a great crop of fungus within days. With the fan, problem solved.