S01E01 – Asking the Right Questions
Everyone has to start somewhere.
In the opening episode of The Great Indoors, we meet the people behind the grow. Host Karlos introduces the series before sitting down with expert grower Ian Collins, whose 30 years of growing experience will help guide the growers and review their decisions throughout the journey.
A Friendly Rivalry
We then meet our two beginners. Jasmine arrives with some gardening experience but admits she’s previously managed to kill a cactus, while Sarah is completely new to growing and somehow managed to kill cress while growing it with her daughter — something Ian still can’t quite believe.
As the friendly rivalry begins to take shape, Ian predicts Jasmine will take a more methodical approach, while Sarah’s enthusiasm may lead to a little more chaos along the way. But before anyone starts building tents, choosing lights, or buying equipment, Ian explains that every successful grow starts with the same thing: Asking the right questions.
What you’ll learn
This episode covers some of the most important decisions you’ll make before starting your first grow:
- How to define your growing goals
- Choosing the right space for your setup
- Understanding how space affects plant numbers
- How lighting choices influence the rest of your equipment
- Setting a realistic budget
- Common mistakes first-time growers make
- What to focus on during your first grow
The Five Questions Every Grower Should Ask
Throughout the episode, Ian explains that before buying any equipment, every grower should take a step back and think about what they’re actually trying to achieve
What do you want to achieve?
Whether you’re looking to learn a new hobby, produce quality results, maximise yields, or simply enjoy the process, your goals should shape every decision you make.
What space do you have available?
Rather than choosing equipment first, start with the space you have. Your available space will influence almost every other decision you’ll make throughout the grow.
How many plants do you want to grow?
Once you’ve identified your space, you can begin planning how many plants it can comfortably support and what size setup you’ll need.
What technology do you want to use?
Lighting is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make. Whether that’s LED, HPS, bar-style lighting, or another approach, your choice will influence ventilation requirements, filtration, environmental controls, heating, and air movement.
What’s your budget?
Understanding your budget helps you build a setup that works for both your goals and your pocket. Ian explains that setting a realistic budget from the start helps you prioritise the equipment that matters.
Ian’s Advice for Beginners
For first-time growers, Ian’s advice is refreshingly simple:
- Don’t try anything fancy.
- Don’t worry about chasing huge yields.
- Don’t focus on producing the perfect crop.
Instead, focus on getting to the end of your first grow.
Learn how your plants behave. Get used to checking them regularly. Build consistency and confidence. Growing isn’t something that happens on its own; it requires care, attention, and patience.
Ian encourages new growers to focus on understanding the basics and enjoying the process. Every grow is an opportunity to learn, and the knowledge you gain from your first grow will help shape every grow that follows.
Most importantly, enjoy the journey. Take the time to observe your plants, understand how they develop, and appreciate the satisfaction that comes from nurturing something from start to finish.
Common First-Time Mistakes
Throughout the episode, Ian highlights some of the most common mistakes new growers make:
Overwatering
One of the most frequent mistakes beginners make is believing that more water means more love. In reality, overwatering can create more problems than it solves.
Chasing Results Too Early
Many beginners become focused on yield, quality, or advanced techniques before they’ve completed a single grow. Ian’s advice is simple: focus on finishing your first grow successfully.
Inconsistency
Plants thrive on routine and consistency. Regular checks, stable conditions, and paying attention to small changes will help you spot issues before they become bigger problems.
Expecting It to Happen by Itself
Successful growing requires effort. You can’t simply set everything up and expect great results without putting the time in.
Why We Grow
Growing isn’t just about equipment, technology, or chasing bigger yields.
For Ian, it started much earlier. Learning alongside his dad and developing a passion for growing that would stay with him throughout his life. Many of the lessons he shares throughout the series — patience, consistency, observation, and enjoying the process — are values that were passed down long before he became the expert we see today.
Looking back, it’s not the equipment or the harvests that stand out most. It’s the time spent learning, experimenting, solving problems, and sharing a hobby that sparked a lifelong passion.
Whether you’re growing your first plant or your hundredth, the satisfaction comes from the journey. Watching something develop, learning from mistakes, improving with every grow, and ultimately creating something you’re proud of.
Because at its heart, growing isn’t just about the end result.
It’s about the love of growing itself.
