Home hydroponics: how much space do I need?

Many home hydroponic gardeners miscalculate how much space is needed to produce a successful harvest. It will depend on the crops you intend to grow, but the space should be large enough for the plants, storage, high intensity lights, fans, exhaust fans, electrical wiring, and more. Surely, a hydroponic system will not fit under the kitchen sink and the smallest practical hydroponic garden will be the size of a clothes closet.

Grow tents are about the size of a clothes closet. They are light-proof enclosures designed specifically for an indoor hydroponic garden. Grow tents can be set up anywhere there is enough space, in the attic, greenhouse or garage. They come complete with many features to enhance your plant’s growing environment.
Manufactured from 100% lightproof material, they typically have a highly reflective coating with access holes for intake and exhaust fans, lightproof vents for good air circulation, and accessories for electrical installation and plant support. .

A typical grow tent is 1.2m x 1.2m x 2m high. This size of grow tent will have light proof ventilation fins, an intake and exhaust fan and could accommodate a four pot hydroponic garden with a 600 watt grow light. Hydroponic gardens need adequate space vertically and horizontally. If plants are overcrowded, they won’t produce enough crops to be worth your efforts and expense. A grow tent or clothes closet hydroponic garden of this size will not hold up in terms of cost versus performance. If you want a hydroponic garden that will pay for itself, you’ll need at least twice this size with, of course, increased lighting and ventilation.

Return on investment is not the only reason to increase the space needed for an indoor hydroponic garden.
Two other important reasons for providing adequate space for plants are proper air exchange and humidity and temperature control.

The most important source of nutrition for healthy plants is not the nutrient mix but the carbon dioxide in the air. In a typical plant, water represents approximately 95% of its weight. The remaining 5% is made up of dry matter in the form of carbohydrates, converted by the plant from carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Therefore, it is important to maintain adequate air exchanges in the growing environment so as not to deprive plants of this vital source of nutrition. Ventilation and air circulation are vital to control humidity and temperature.

Plants often grow best in an environment with 40-75% humidity and a temperature between 18-23°C. If you can’t control these two factors, you are likely to experience problems with disease, stunted growth, reduced yields, and pest infestation.

So, be sure to consider the plant’s environment above the waterline in terms of ventilation, humidity, and temperature control before taking over your wife’s walk-in closet, if you dare.