Buy the Screen Before the Frame
The mesh does the work. The frame holds the mesh. Spend money in that order. A roll of trellis netting in 5 ft by 15 ft size costs $8 to $15 at a garden center. A frame costs $10 to $20 more.
When to Start SCROG: Timing the Screen Right
Mesh opening size decides how the setup performs. Openings of 2 to 4 inches hold branches flat. Openings of 6 inches let tops fall through the screen. Openings under 1 inch trap fan leaves and slow the harvest.
what size scrog net for 4x4 tent
Parameters to Fix Before You Buy
- Tent footprint. A 4x4 tent needs a 4x4 screen plus 6 inches of slack per side for mounting.
- Screen height. Set the screen 8 to 12 inches above the pot rim, or 20 inches above the floor.
- Plant count. One plant fills about 4 square feet of screen. A 4x4 screen holds 4 plants.
- Load. A filled screen of stems weighs 1 to 3 lb. The frame carries that load for 8 to 12 weeks.
- Material. 1/2 inch PVC schedule 40, 2x2 lumber, or metal tomato cages.
Cheap Builds
- PVC frame. Four lengths of 1/2 inch PVC and four 90 degree elbows. A 10 ft pipe costs $4 to $6. Total: $14 to $22. Add a center tee if the span passes 3 ft.
- Lumber frame. Four 2x2 boards at 8 ft cost $3 each. Wood screws cost $1. Total: $15. Lumber holds more weight than PVC pipe.
- Tomato cages. A 42 inch cage costs $3 to $6. Set one cage per plant and wrap netting around the top ring. Total for 4 plants: $20.
- Eye hooks and bungee. Four hooks cost $4. A net costs $9. Total: $13. Use this on a tent with steel poles.
Pitfalls
- 1/2 inch PVC sags. A 4 ft span bends under 2 lb of canopy. Use 3/4 inch pipe or a center support.
- Net tied to tent poles moves when the tent moves. Bolt the frame to the floor tray instead.
- Topping stops too late. Fill 70 to 80 percent of the screen before the light flip. A full screen at flip becomes a dense block at week 3.
- Autoflowers give a fixed flower window. Photoperiod plants give more time to fill a screen.
- Dense canopy blocks airflow. Put a fan below the screen and strip leaves under the net.
- Harvest takes longer with a fixed net. Use clips on the mesh so you can lift it off the canopy.
- Check state law. Cannabis remains a Schedule I substance under federal law.
Order of Purchase
Buy the net first. Then the frame material. Then the fasteners. Then a second fan. A $30 setup covers a 4x4 tent. Money above that goes to airflow and light, not to the screen.