Growing in the frigid cold garage, make/heat a "lung tent"??

TurboTokes · Jan 18, 2019

I'm not going to be able to grow inside this winter but don't want to throw in the towel. I have a 2 car garage but it would be unreasonable to heat the entire garage and it isn't well insulated.

How feasible would it be to put a smaller tent inside a bigger tent? I only grow for personal in my 2x4' tent usually. I'm thinking of placing the 2x4x5' tent inside a 4x4x6.5' tent, and using a small electric heater to maintain the temps.

Does anyone have something like this? how is the heat sorted? I was thinking I could have a "veg" light in the open side, but outside of the smaller tent, which would help with heat, but I'm unsure if the air has to be "fresh" cold air etc.

How would you guys handle this?

Lucky Luke · Jan 18, 2019

TurboTokes said:
I'm not going to be able to grow inside this winter but don't want to throw in the towel. I have a 2 car garage but it would be unreasonable to heat the entire garage and it isn't well insulated.

How feasible would it be to put a smaller tent inside a bigger tent? I only grow for personal in my 2x4' tent usually. I'm thinking of placing the 2x4x5' tent inside a 4x4x6.5' tent, and using a small electric heater to maintain the temps.

Does anyone have something like this? how is the heat sorted? I was thinking I could have a "veg" light in the open side, but outside of the smaller tent, which would help with heat, but I'm unsure if the air has to be "fresh" cold air etc.

How would you guys handle this?

How cold with the ambient shed temp be? I seethe odd 0c and grow ok using no heater apart from the lamp.

TurboTokes · Jan 18, 2019

Gets down to -10c in there in the middle of winter Im sure.

I dont get how you would be OK with no heater at freezing temp, especially when the lights go off

xtsho · Jan 18, 2019

I put an oil filled heater in my tent which is out in an unheated garage. I actually started a similar thread some time ago. https://www.rollitup.org/t/growing-in-unheated-garage.980062/

JohnDee · Jan 18, 2019

Turbo,
Since tents aren't insulated, you would be hard pressed to keep things warm. My initial thought would be to make a little "room" using rigid foam insulating board. Then have your heater and tent inside that. It would be fairly easy if you have a corner available.
JD

It's not oregano · Jan 18, 2019

Coming at it from another angle, what about running autos on 24/0 so no cold lights off periods?

Merlin1147 · Jan 18, 2019

Wrap the tent in layers of bubble wrap.

Skoal · Jan 18, 2019

I would build a box for the tent. And insulate the box. Just use 2x4. And then place tent in there. Possibly run a heater as well. Kinda like making a small room in the garage for the tent. Like a closet or something.

Ryante55 · Jan 18, 2019

TurboTokes said:
I'm not going to be able to grow inside this winter but don't want to throw in the towel. I have a 2 car garage but it would be unreasonable to heat the entire garage and it isn't well insulated.

How feasible would it be to put a smaller tent inside a bigger tent? I only grow for personal in my 2x4' tent usually. I'm thinking of placing the 2x4x5' tent inside a 4x4x6.5' tent, and using a small electric heater to maintain the temps.

Does anyone have something like this? how is the heat sorted? I was thinking I could have a "veg" light in the open side, but outside of the smaller tent, which would help with heat, but I'm unsure if the air has to be "fresh" cold air etc.

How would you guys handle this?

You could probably spend like $60 at home Depot for some 2x4 studs and a sheet of the thick reflective foam insulation

Lucky Luke · Jan 18, 2019

TurboTokes said:
Gets down to -10c in there in the middle of winter Im sure.

I dont get how you would be OK with no heater at freezing temp, especially when the lights go off

yea that's cold, cold. I have no experience in that kinda temp.

My tents in an old bathroom that's in the corner of the shed. Its not fully sealed but does help a little, as does keeping the pots up off the concrete floor. Root temp is the key at lights off.

Ryante55 · Jan 18, 2019

It's not oregano said:
Coming at it from another angle, what about running autos on 24/0 so no cold lights off periods?

Or 2 small rooms running on opposite light cycle

Ryante55 · Jan 18, 2019

TurboTokes said:
Gets down to -10c in there in the middle of winter Im sure.

I dont get how you would be OK with no heater at freezing temp, especially when the lights go off

Damn that's really cold guess I didn't see this post you probably need a heater use a gas heater to heat the garage the co2 the heater puts off would be good for the plants

CanadianDank · Jan 18, 2019

Sorry I couldn't read through this without letting you guys know, it was -30 this morning as I left for work.

I hear it's supposed to get really cold later in the month.

myke · Jan 19, 2019

2x6 walls floor and roof,R24 rookwool all around.Then put tent inside so the space between is the lung room.

JohnDee · Jan 19, 2019

myke said:
2x6 walls floor and roof,R24 rookwool all around.Then put tent inside so the space between is the lung room.

@CanadianDank

I grew up in Northern Minnesota and we would get 30 and 40 below zero weather. I think what myke said is probably your only hope...
JD

TurboTokes · Jan 21, 2019

But doesn't the lung room also need a fresh air exchange and would still be I taking that frigid air?

Bookush34 · Jan 21, 2019

TurboTokes said:
But doesn't the lung room also need a fresh air exchange and would still be I taking that frigid air?

i agree. to have proper ventilation you will have a very hard or expensive time keeping the room warm.

personally in this situation i would run autos at 24/0 and not have to deal with lights off crazy temp drop.

dial in you ventilation to get the temps you want

what lights are you running?

Fatmat19 · Jan 21, 2019

Bookush34 said:
i agree. to have proper ventilation you will have a very hard or expensive time keeping the room warm.

personally in this situation i would run autos at 24/0 and not have to deal with lights off crazy temp drop.

dial in you ventilation to get the temps you want

what lights are you running?

Just how much ventilation do plants require? I’m growing in an insulated attic which obviously isn’t 100% air tight but as close as I could as I’m dealing with winter temperatures. The space is so small I figure just opening the door once a day when I check them is good enough. Plus with 18 hour day the plant should give off a little co2 I figure...

Bookush34 · Jan 21, 2019

Fatmat19 said:
Just how much ventilation do plants require? I’m growing in an insulated attic which obviously isn’t 100% air tight but as close as I could as I’m dealing with winter temperatures. The space is so small I figure just opening the door once a day when I check them is good enough. Plus with 18 hour day the plant should give off a little co2 I figure...

Given that a plant can use more CO2 then what is naturally found in the air and do better in co2 enriched environments. Any thing less that constant air flow would have negative effects.

How much I don’t know.

myke · Jan 21, 2019

Only options you have are to spend money,either insulation of the whole garage.Which is a good thing if you own.Or you pay for heat in the lung room.

Growing in the frigid cold garage, make/heat a "lung tent"??

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