Equator grow 1st timer

[swimmingjoker]

Going to be my 1st time growing and would appreciate some advice as I have not found much tips on growing near the equator.

I live near the equator and at the top of a 20 storey apartment and my only immediate neighbours are below me.
I am considering either an 'outdoor' setup with a sealed greenhouse on a 3x10 balcony or an indoor setup in a 10x10 room where I can replace the window with polycarbonate to let uv rays through.

My main concerns that are at the top of my head are humidity/mold and smell. Thinking of varieties to grow, durban poison comes to mind since I'll be looking for mold resistance and sativas are able to tolerate the high humidity climate. Either setup my current plan is to treat it like a sealed box with ventilation in and out with activated carbon filters and disposable desiccant nearby.

Was hoping to take whatever advantages I can out of my living situation and natural climate.
However, I've gotten some advice on other forums to forget about outdoor since the smell will still tell tales even at that height.

Planning to dedicate a room for growing running an aircon 24/7. Thinking of either installing windows to let more light in to hit all the plants or a grow tent which seems a bit ironic given the natural lighting.
Regardless, a light source has to be installed since I need light 24/7 till the veg state is done right?

 

[Bapple]

Hello Swimmingjoker and welcome!

Not sure why you were advised to grow indoors, you're on the top floor and the only reason cannabis stinks up a storm is when there is no free airflow and / or growing a load of plants. I am an outdoor grower and can only ever really smell my plants when I am right beside them and I have a really keen nose. I had four Auto plants all flowering at the same time early summer and I could only smell them when I was beside them.

I would grow them on the balcony myself, but without the greenhouse idea - buy yourself a couple of Jasmine and Honeysuckle plants for the balcony and even if you got a particularly hot and still day, the smell of those two confirmed smellies would mask the smell of your grow. On the 20 th floor I can't see how the neighbours would be an issue, but you will have to worry about the smell in your flat if you have the balcony door open while they are flowering.

Hope you get your grow on soon and share it with us here, whether you decide to go indoors or out.

 

[swimmingjoker]

Hi Bapple, you are literally the 1st person to tell me that outdoor smell will be ok.
Not sure about autoflowering , yield isn't a big problem rather I have to continuously buy seeds rather than cloning.

Hmm sometimes I think whether a place with a rooftop garden would have been better or worse since light is needed for the veg state.
Maybe a transfer outside into greenhouse covers once it hits flowering and then the natural light cycle would handle everything.

Anyways my plan is to remodel a room with multiple windows so artificial lights are on at evenings/night.
Then I would have to consider keeping it indoor with a ac + ventilator that may raise flags on my bill.
or 'outdoor' where my windows are open but covered with bug meshes to allow air circulation but may raise flags on smell.
Probably need to have buckets of desiccant lying around, humidity regularly ranges between 70-90%.

Quite keen on the 'outdoor' method since it doesn't raise flags via electric bill but I'll probably need to run some tests on smell with my neighbours below.
They seem pretty friendly but I don't want them getting too friendly having to invite them up haha.

 

[Bapple]

Hey swimming!

Most people grow indoors for obvious reasons, and their experience of the smell is from that viewpoint. I have been a serious non 420 gardener for over twenty years. I particularly like smelly flowering plants like Daphnes, jasmine, honeysuckle et all. Freesias for example have an intense perfume which you have to get close to them to perceive outdoors. But take just one flower and put it in a vase indoors and the minute you open the room it's in the smell will hit you smack in the nose.

I look forward to watching your grow, give me an invite if you decide to start a journal. Good luck