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Ask Erik: RAW! - Growing Expansions, Part 1: Managing Your Hydroponic Mistress ^Featured

Written by Erik Biksa
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Part of expanding your hydroponics growing business might be managing your loved one’s fears about the risks involved.

Q:

I want to move from growing in my closet to a larger op, but my girlfriend is worried about the greater risks. How do I set her mind at ease?

A:

While the question is brief, the answer of course is all about the details.

Risks can be minimized with careful planning and building from the experience you have gained from indoor growing on a smaller scale.

There’s no dodging the fact that a serious indoor grow expansion is going to involve some substantial money. Unless you have a skilled grow room construction team at your disposal or have budgeted to purchase a pre-fabricated “grow-built” shipping container, an expansion will also involve a serious commitment of your time.

A partner can be your best friend or your worst enemy in your growing endeavor. If they are on board with the idea, you may literally have an extra set of hands and eyes working towards the same goal - a beautiful thing. On the other hand, experience has often demonstrated that if they are feeling second banana to your grow gig, it’s likely they may try and throw a wrench in the works, which could prove to be devastating to both you and your grow.

You have already made the decision to go ahead with the expansion, so it seems likely that you are enjoying some of the benefits that being a grower can offer. Perhaps your girl is able to enjoy some of these benefits to?

If that’s the case, remind her that greater rewards may come with greater risks. And risks can be minimized with careful planning and building from the experience you have gained from indoor growing on a smaller scale. You made it this far already, so if the road looks clear ahead, why not keep going? Just like your relationship.

Before you disappear for the next week or month at odd hours to locate, source materials for, and construct your new grow, make sure that there is a level of peace between you and your partner with what’s about to begin. Your partner may not want to know anything at all about your venture, in which case you are good to go, so long as your girl is prepared to share you with your grow construction project for the next little while.

If they are going to be involved, it’s usually a good idea for it to be as clear as possible what everybody’s role is going to be and what will be expected of them. To be realistic, it may be a good idea to have a “doomsday” plan between the two of you if there are ever any serious problems with your relationship or the grow. Again, experience demonstrates that when one falls the other usually does too.

Come back next week, and we will talk about what in fact are some of the risks involved, and how you can manage them to minimize any strife with your girl while keeping your growing experience pleasant and profitable in your quest for bigger yields.

Cheers, Erik Biksa