HELP! automated growing

[gozinte]

Has anyone try the "automated" cabinets/tent/ box, not sure how to call them, like grovo, seedo or cabigrow?

Just checked them I am not sure if it is really worth it, it seems like they will save a lot of time and make better plants, but it seems to good to be true?

what is your experience with them?

[Ckbrew]

I tried setting up a coco/perlite hydro with automated watering. Big plans with a reservoir, pumps, valves, tubing, ring watering, drain collection. Had it all planned out. Then reality set in. Barriers I ran into. Different strains may have different watering n feeding requirements. All plants need to be the same age. Feeding requirements change as the plant changes so system needs to be constantly tuned. You still have to tend to the reservoir and drain collection on a regular basis. Turned into a lot of time and work to save time and work. Now I'm not saying that it can not be done, I'm sure it can. I would reserve this for a larger commercial grow set up. The reality is that if you only have a small number of plants a fully automated system is over engineered. Imo it is just easier to do it by hand.

[DeadlyFruit]

I haven’t tried one but I did read an article. My understanding of the automated cabinet grow box things (at least the one I read about) was that they grow a single plant and you can dial it in for specific strains (the company has a list of strains and it changes the lighting, water and nute feeding schedule accordingly. You use their nutes and you control the box from an app on your phone. The reporter who did the article said it did grow a plant but they may not be as good as a manual grow. They advertise a smell free environment which wasn't the case and occasionally something would happen to the internet connection causing problems. I question how well the pre-programmed water, feeding and light schedules work given each plant even within the same strain is a little different but on the plus side the enclosed climate controlled environment should reduce the number of problems related to molds and pests.

In short, it might be a fun experiment but it would be an expensive one. I am happier doing the work of growing myself as it is a hobby that gives me stress relief beyond just using the product of my labour but everybody has different motivations.

[gozinte]

this is the most positive comment that i have ever read about those cabinet, It seems like a lot of people hate them

[DeadlyFruit]

LOL if my comment was the most positive people must really hate them. Honestly, I think they are for people who have plenty of money and little interest in gardening but still want to know where their bud comes from. They are hoping the plant grows itself… unfortunately it won’t trim and cure so they still have to do the part that is the most work.