Micro-growers know: growing cannabis in a stealthy space is an art and a science. One of the best, most versatile, and easiest options is to retrofit a computer tower. Hide your operation in plain sight and harvest a personal stash of quality bud!
Although cannabis is seeing swift legalization and acceptance across many areas of the world, other regions still frown upon its use and cultivation. People growing the herb in these areas often look for strains that offer stealthy traits such as compact size and fast flowering time. Occupying the other end of the spectrum when compared to towering sativa giants, some cannabis strains have been purposefully bred to maintain a tiny stature, making them easy to conceal and manage. Such a small size enables growers to cultivate these dwarf varieties in incredibly hidden places ranging from kitchen cupboards to cardboard boxes.
This form of cultivation is known as micro-growing; it’s an artform in itself, and is a technique that was developed to achieve good yields in the most unexpected of places. Micro-growers get very creative when it comes to the location of their grow. However, these is one location that beats all others when it comes to stealth grows: computer towers!
A computer grow box is essentially the outside skeleton of a tower, with all of the wiring and hardware removed from the inside. The interior is swapped out with a light, a pot or a hydroponic box, a fan, and potentially a monitoring system to track humidity and temperature.
COMPUTER TOWERS FOR ULTIMATE DISCRETION
Setting up a micro-grow within a computer tower is as stealthy as it gets. Visitors are not likely to show any interest in a random computer unit sitting on a desk, and will ask fewer questions in comparison to coming across a large grow tent with a ventilation pipe sticking out of it. Setting up your PC grow box next to your actual computer setup, along with monitors, a mouse, and speaker, will make it blend in entirely with the environment.
A computer tower is a small space, so realistically, growers will only be able to cultivate one plant or two extra-small plants in such an environment. This also means yields will be relatively small. However, if discretion is your top priority, then there really is no other option. Plus, it’s enough to end up with a small personal stash on a regular basis.
Modified computer towers can be purchased that are ready to grow in. Alternatively, you can make your own with ease.
LIGHTING
Adequate lighting is one of the most important components of a cannabis grow and will greatly determine the quality of the yield. Because computer towers have little surface area, LED lights are probably the best option here. They put out only small amounts of heat in comparison to other light sources, lowering the chance of excess heat buildup, which is detrimental to plants and may pose a fire hazard.
LED lights are also relatively cheap to run and won’t make as much of a dent on your electricity bill. Moreover, LED lights come in small and portable sizes, making them a great match for a computer tower growing operation. A single light can be fixed to the inside roof of the computer tower, or LED strips can be placed on the roof and walls.
ODOUR CONTROL
It’s no secret that cannabis is a smelly plant. This aromatic herb has perhaps one of the most recognisable scents within the plant kingdom. No matter how discreet your growing setup is, if it isn’t sealed and odour-proof, then it will still be easily detectable. For this reason, it is important to use carbon filters or gel systems within your grow to make sure that the odour is absorbed or masked.
Sealing the inside of your computer tower with duct tape is important to help to minimise the smell. Lining the inside with reflective material, such as foil, will also help to prevent any light from leaking out and raising suspicion. Gel blocks can be placed inside the grow space to help absorb pungent aromas from the air. Small and almost silent PC fans can also be used for air exchange to keep fresh air moving through the unit.
CHOOSE YOUR STRAIN WISELY
Different cannabis strains vary massively. Some have been bred to explode to towering heights of 3m, whereas others have been carefully modified over time to remain tiny. You’ll be wanting a strain with the latter trait for your computer tower grow space.
LST FOR INCREASED CONTROL AND YIELD
LST, or low stress training, is a perfect technique to get the most out of these small varieties. This method allows growers to shape their plant by bending and tying growth, therefore maintaining more control over its stature. The main stem is tied down to the soil line, allowing branches to grow off of it vertically, forming a bush. This allows bud sites far more access to light than they would have in a vertical growth pattern. Defoliating plants during the grow cycle will also let more light in, resulting in larger buds and bigger yields.
