News

Pip the Herb-Connect seedling mascot dips the probe of the 5-in-1 Digital Water Quality Tester Pen into a glass filled at a running kitchen tap, its backlit screen glowing, a limescaled kettle and potted herbs beside him.
Is UK tap water OK for plants? What you need to know
UK tap water varies enormously by region, and what's in it can affect your plants more than you might expect. Here's how to know whether yours is a problem —... Read more...
Pip the Herb-Connect seedling mascot holds a measuring tape across the carpet in front of two open grow tents, one small and one large, an LM301H EVO 85W Quantum Board LED grow light hanging inside each above potted basil.
What size grow tent do I need?
Choosing the wrong tent size is one of the most common and costly mistakes in indoor growing. Here is how to work backwards from your plants to find the right... Read more...
Pip the Herb-Connect seedling mascot stands with a suitcase by the door, looking back at Self-Watering Plant Pots on a kitchen windowsill, one cut away to show the cotton wick drawing water from the reservoir up into a basil plant's soil.
Who waters my plants when I go on holiday?
Two weeks away kills more houseplants than any pest or mistake. Here is what actually happens to a pot left alone, and how one grower worked out a system that... Read more...
Pip the Herb-Connect seedling mascot reaches for a plug-in mains timer at a wall socket, its cable running up to an LM301H EVO 85W Quantum Board LED grow light over basil seedlings, half the grow tent lit like day and half like night.
Do I need a grow light timer? Hours of light by stage
Wondering whether a timer is really necessary, or whether you can just switch the light yourself? Here is what actually happens to plants when the schedule wanders — and how... Read more...
Pip the Herb-Connect seedling mascot looks doubtfully between two grow lights on a bench: a flimsy purple marketplace panel on the left and a proper LM301H EVO 120W Quantum Board LED grow light with dimmer dials on the right, seedlings under each.
Is a cheap grow light from a marketplace any good?
That '1000W' panel for a tenner looks tempting when you're staring at a higher price tag. Here is what the numbers actually mean, and what you are really choosing between. Read more...
Pip the Herb-Connect seedling mascot stands in the doorway of a bedroom wardrobe converted into a grow space, an LM301H EVO 85W Quantum Board LED grow light glowing over pots of basil and mint on the wardrobe floor, a clip fan in the corner.
Can I grow plants in a wardrobe or small flat?
A flat-dweller's guide to growing indoors when space, smell, heat and noise all matter. One illustrated story, real problems, real answers. Read more...
Pip the Herb-Connect seedling mascot holds up a basil leaf with curling edges inside a home grow tent, an INKBIRD inline duct fan smart controller showing temperature and humidity on the pole beside him and a duct fan running overhead.
Why are my leaves curling at the edges?
Curling leaves are one of the most common signs that something is off in your growing environment. Here is how to work through the likely causes — heat, humidity, airflow,... Read more...
Pip the Herb-Connect seedling mascot stands inside a grow tent whose walls are drawn slightly inward, looking up at a 4/6 Inch Carbon Filter hanging above him, ducted to a 6 Inch EC Inline Duct Fan and out through a sealed port in the wall.
How Do I Stop My Grow Smelling Out the House?
Smell escapes because the tent is pushing air out, not pulling it in. Negative pressure, a filter on the inside, and the four gaps everyone forgets. Read more...
Pip the Herb-Connect seedling mascot stands beside four pieces of kit laid out in buying order on a wooden floor: an LM301H EVO 85W Quantum Board grow light, a 6 Inch EC Inline Duct Fan, Fabric Grow Bags with Handles and a 5-in-1 Water Tester Pen.
The Order You Wish You'd Bought Things In
Most first indoor grows go wrong in the same four steps, in the same order. Here is that story, and the shopping list it produces if you skip to the... Read more...
Pip the Herb-Connect seedling mascot kneels inside a grow tent holding a length of silver ducting between a 4/6 Inch Carbon Filter with Reversible Flange and a 6 Inch EC Inline Duct Fan, comparing the two flange openings.
How Do I Match a Carbon Filter to My Fan?
Flange size, airflow rating and which way round they go — the three things that decide whether a filter and fan work together or fight each other. Read more...
Pip the Herb-Connect seedling mascot reaches up on tiptoe towards the dimmer dial of an LM301H EVO Quantum Board LED grow light glowing softly above him at night, a shelf of herbs under a Mini Full Spectrum LED Grow Light behind.
What Does It Actually Cost to Run a Grow Light?
Work out your own running cost from the wattage and your own unit rate — plus the three things that make it smaller than you fear, and how to match... Read more...
Pip the Herb-Connect seedling mascot listens, head tilted, to a 6 Inch EC Inline Duct Fan hanging on rope ratchets above him in a home grow tent at night, an INKBIRD smart controller showing temperature and humidity on the tent pole beside him.
Will a Grow Tent Fan Be Too Loud for a Bedroom?
No inline fan is silent, but the gap between a well-chosen setup and a badly-chosen one is the gap between a background hush and a machine you hear through a... Read more...
Pip the Herb-Connect seedling mascot stands in a grow tent beside a Kinscoter 5L Ultrasonic Air Humidifier, its display reading 75% as a plume of cool mist rises toward the grow light, with potted basil around them.
What Humidity Should My Grow Tent Be?
Humidity in a grow tent isn't one fixed number — it changes with your plant's growth stage. Here's the full breakdown, plus the cheapest way to actually control it. Read more...
Pip the Herb-Connect seedling mascot rests a leaf-hand on the washable pre-filter sleeve of a 4/6 Inch Inline Fan Carbon Filter mounted inside a grow tent, with ducting running up to a ceiling vent.
Do I Actually Need a Carbon Filter for My Indoor Grow?
Not every indoor setup needs a carbon filter, but if odour is a concern, nothing else does the same job. Here is what carbon filtration actually does, how long it... Read more...
Pip the Herb-Connect mascot dips the 5-in-1 Digital Water Quality Tester Pen into a glass of water; the backlit screen reads pH 6.5.
What pH Should My Water Be for Indoor Plants?
pH affects which nutrients your plant can actually absorb, regardless of how much you feed it. Here's what range to aim for, where UK tap water usually sits, and how... Read more...
Pip the Herb-Connect seedling mascot presses a leaf-hand to the wall of a black fabric grow bag holding a healthy tomato plant, air passing through the breathable fabric, beside a plain rigid pot.
Fabric Pots vs Plastic Pots: Which Should You Use?
Fabric and plastic pots both work, but they suit different plants, environments and watering habits. Here is an honest comparison so you can choose the right one. Read more...
Pip the Herb-Connect seedling mascot dips a leaf-hand into the waterlogged soil of a drooping potted plant, water pooling in its saucer, beside a thriving herb in a white self-watering wick planter.
Am I Overwatering My Plants? How to Tell for Certain
Overwatering kills more houseplants than drought, and the symptoms look almost identical to underwatering. Here is how to tell the difference and fix it. Read more...
Pip the Herb-Connect seedling mascot stands on a bench in a grow tent, looking up at two different LED quantum board grow lights, with rows of basil below and carbon filters and ducting overhead.
LM301H EVO vs LM281B: Which LED Board Should You Buy?
An honest comparison of LM301H EVO and LM281B quantum board diodes — what the efficiency gap actually means in a real grow tent, and how to decide which one is... Read more...
Pip the Herb-Connect seedling mascot reaches a leaf-hand up toward a switched-on LED grow light panel, with a tray of young basil seedlings on the soil below and a visible gap of light-filled air between them.
How Far Above Plants Should a Grow Light Be?
The right grow light height depends on your plant's growth stage, the light's power, and — most importantly — what the plant is telling you. Here's how to read those... Read more...
Pip the Herb-Connect seedling mascot holds a measuring tape across a grow tent while a 6-inch inline duct fan runs overhead, ducting curving away on both sides, with basil and lettuce growing below.
What Size Extraction Fan Do I Need for My Grow Tent?
Work out the right extraction fan size for your grow tent using simple volume maths, and understand why a fan with a controller will always outperform one that's too small. Read more...
Pip the Herb-Connect mascot switching on the LM301H EVO 120W LED quantum board grow light above a tray of tall, leggy seedlings in a grow tent
Why is my seedling tall, thin and falling over?
A tall, spindly seedling that flops over is showing a classic stress response called etiolation. Here is what is causing it, how to rescue the plant, and how to stop... Read more...