IKEA Grow Cabinet- Do you need one?
If you’re a plant lover who’s spent any time on social media, you’ve probably drooled over those gorgeous IKEA greenhouse cabinets. But do you really need one, or is it just another plant trend? Let’s break it down.
As with most plant-related things, making sure your plants are happy and thriving depends on a variety of conditions, specifically temperature, humidity, and light levels. The IKEA Grow Cabinets are great for controlling all of these conditions and can be helpful if you live in an area where one or more of these conditions straight up does not exist or changes drastically throughout the year.
Here in NJ, summers can get warm—perfect for letting tropical plants thrive outdoors. But winters? That’s another story. With temperatures often dipping into single digits, a grow cabinet becomes the ultimate winter sanctuary. As fall rolls in, it allows you to bring those sun-loving plants inside while keeping them warm and happy.
Some plants demand humidity—looking at you, Pink Princess. Without the right moisture levels, new leaves can get stuck, leading to some serious plant drama. (Been there, done that.) A grow cabinet makes maintaining humidity so much easier, especially with a mini humidifier, a wet tray of sphagnum moss, and a few plant buddies sharing the space. Adding humidity to the small area of the cabinet is WAY easier than keeping a whole room humid (another shout-out to those dry Jersey winters!).
Let’s talk about light. By this point you’re probably aware that different plants require different amounts and different types of light. This is another area where the grow cabinet comes in handy. Installing grow lights in the cabinet is fairly simple, and you can even set them up on a timer or two to automate when they turn on and off. Grow lights are great because unlike sunlight, you can control the amount and TYPES of light your plants get. Grow lights also make it more difficult for your plants to burn, since they’re mostly giving off just UVA and UVB rays instead of just a ton of heat and direct light.
Having all of these variables under control will absolutely lead you to a higher success rate with growing, caring for, and even propagating your plants, especially if you live in a non-tropical climate with drastic weather changes throughout the year.
While the ability to control all of these different variables is great and simplifies care for a lot of plants, the IKEA Grow Cabinet setup doesn’t come without its drawbacks.
For starters, it can be a bit cost prohibitive. Of course you’ll need the cabinet itself, as well as all the accessories- about 6-8 grow lights, extension cords, timers, a hygrometer, fans, acrylic shelving, etc. Depending on your accessories, you’re already looking at around $500.00 to just get a Milsbo ready for set-up. Fortunately, most of the accessories are fairly inexpensive and can be found on Amazon or Etsy (thank you, internet).
Cost Breakdown:
IKEA Milsbo Cabinet: $299 (before tax & shipping)
Grow Lights (6-8): $10-$30 each
Accessories: Hygrometer, fans, timers, acrylic shelves (~$150+)
Total Estimated Cost: ~$500+
Then there’s the set-up itself. While setting up your cabinet isn’t difficult, it does take some time and a little logistics. Set up can be a little confusing at first, but fortunately there are tons of videos and IG reels out there of people setting up their own cabinets that may be helpful to you.
So let’s recap the pros and cons of getting a grow cabinet in your space:
Pros
Easy to control variables like temperature, humidity, and light
Makes plant maintenance and care easier
Aesthetically pleasing in the home and a great conversation piece!
Cons
Can be cost prohibitive
Requires some time and logistics for setting up
Purchasing my own IKEA grow cabinet was one of the best decisions I made for myself and my plants. In my home in NJ, controlling all of the different variables would be near impossible without it. I also don’t have nearly enough flat surfaces in my house to hold all of my plants, so I really appreciate that a piece of furniture can turn into a home for many of my leafy friends. In fact, it even created MORE space for me to keep plants (and who doesn’t need an excuse to buy a new plant?!). While a grow cabinet can be seen as an investment because of the time and money required at the outset, it is something that can be done in pieces and over time.
For me, this cabinet was worth every penny—not just for my plants, but for the joy of seeing them thrive. If you’re on the fence, start small! You can gradually add accessories over time and customize it to fit your space.
Thinking of setting up your own? Let me know in the comments, and feel free to shoot me an email or DM on Instagram for help getting started!
My home cabinet setup
