Vision but not light blocking window treatments?

So I live in Massachusetts, where weed is now legal, and would like to try my hand at growing this spring. (Just casually, nothing fancy.) We have an old house with a solarium (sort of an attached indoor greenhouse) that we never use. It gets plenty of light, has lots of space, and is well ventilated. It's ideal for growing plants and would save a lot of money and setup on grow lights and vents. However, it is facing the street and Massachusetts state law says that the plants cannot be visible from the street with the naked eye.

I was wondering if there are any window treatments, covers, film, ect. that can block the vision though the window on the outside but not block the light. Most privacy window treatments I looked up claimed that they also block light, others I am just unsure. Has anyone used a privacy window treatment to grow marijuana? I understand an ideal method might not be possible but if it just blocks 'some' light, that is ok as long as it is enough to grow and cannot see in from about 30-40ft away.

I have not found much for this method, probably because most places (and until recently) it would be illegal and very risky to try growing by a window. I suspect there will be a lot more Massachusetts people asking about this. Just growing a casual pot plant by a window is appealing.

I'm sorry but I don't have a suggestion for your window dilemma but I would suggest that you get your grow going as soon as possible because it won't be long before our wonderful commander and chief and his gestapo attorney general shuts down the legal states. It's just a matter of time.

You can use a frost film on the windows that are facing the street up to a height that blocks the view. A reputable tint shop would have it or even Home Depot/Lowe's. Just Google "frost film for Windows"

you could try opaque greenhouse film

CBDeez said:

You can use a frost film on the windows that are facing the street up to a height that blocks the view. A reputable tint shop would have it or even Home Depot/Lowe's. Just Google "frost film for Windows"

Click to expand...

^ this

Build a wall, that seems to fix anything.

If you can remove the glass you could always sand them to create an opaque effect

Are you sure that frosted glass does not block too much incoming light? They seem to block a lot. Also, they seem to make the view "fuzzy" but not completely blocked. Not sure if a big blob of green will count as 'viewing from the street'. Either way, I can go ask greenhouse home depot people for some more information. I was just wondering if people had grown under these conditions before and what their experience is. I could do a basement grow like most people but be a shame not to use my resource just because it is facing the street.

If the room is like I'm imagining, there should be glass panels for a roof which would provide ample light for your garden. The frost white film (opaque white) should also block more than enough view to meet the requirements of the law.

There's pics online

Moldy said:

Build a wall, that seems to fix anything.

Click to expand...

ya a GREAT wall

Mirror Tints

CBDeez said:

If the room is like I'm imagining, there should be glass panels for a roof which would provide ample light for your garden. The frost white film (opaque white) should also block more than enough view to meet the requirements of the law.

There's pics online

Click to expand...

Yeah, there are not roof windows. It is an old fashion Victorian house (150+ years old)and the solarium just has it's 2 exterior walls as floor to ceiling windows. I think you are thinking of a modern style. So these windows that would need to be obscured and would also be providing the plants all their sunlight as well. I could supplement with grow bulbs if I had to but at a certain point a basement grow room might be more feasible.

So here is what I learned. My question is odd enough that when I google it that, even for just regular plants, the only response I can find is "IDK probably". No one saying "I've totally tried that and X". It would appear that there are no magic window treatment that allows for privacy without blocking light. To block vision you have to block light and vice versa.

Obscuring Green house film only blocks 12% of incoming light but barely obscures the image.

Mirror windows, like they use in office buildings, still reflect a lot of light and they do not work at night. Turning a light on at night will expose the room. also expensive.

the windows are about 8 feet tall so I think the best idea might be to obscure the lower half with window frosting (or just wax/rice paper or something cheap) and leave the top ones clear to allow in more light. Then I'll just need to keep the plants from growing too tall, but that would be another topic to look up/ post about.