The first important question to consider for anyone thinking of growing cannabis is whether to grow it indoors or outside, but there’s really no such thing as a “best way to grow.” In this article, we’ll explore the pros and cons of growing cannabis indoors versus growing it outdoors, so you can choose the one that’s right for you.
Indoor Cannabis Growing
Indoor growing is the most popular way of growing cannabis, we can grow plants in grow rooms, and grow tents. Indoor growing creates a stable, controlled growing environment for plants.
Advantages of growing indoors:
- Environmental control: Growing cannabis indoors allows for better control of the environment, including factors such as temperature, humidity, light, and air circulation. These factors are very important for growing cannabis, so grow indoors to ensure optimal growing conditions.
- Safety: Growing cannabis indoors can better protect cannabis plants from external environmental disturbances, such as weather, pests, theft, etc. In addition, indoor planting can avoid accidental discovery by neighbors or passers-by.
- Higher Yield and Quality: Due to the controlled environment, indoor cultivation of marijuana can achieve higher yields. That’s because when grown indoors, cannabis gets more consistent light and nutrients, which promote faster growth and higher yields.
- Annual planting and harvesting: indoor planting is not affected by the natural growing season of plants, and can be planted on an annual basis, so you can enjoy multiple harvests every year.
- Shorter growing time: When growing marijuana indoors, by precisely controlling the growing environment, the plants grow faster. In addition, indoor planting space is limited, and plants usually grow smaller, which shortens the planting cycle. Marijuana grown outdoors is affected by the natural season, generally from spring sowing to autumn harvest, and will experience a longer growth time.
- Flexible settings: When planting indoors, you don’t have to worry about changes in the outdoor light cycle affecting your crops, so you don’t need to plant in a specific growing season, and you can start your planting journey anytime, anywhere.
- Indoor marijuana growing has been legalized in more states: More states have legalized indoor marijuana growing than outdoor growing.
Disadvantages of indoor growing:
- High initial cost: Indoor cultivation of marijuana requires the purchase and installation of cultivation equipment, such as lamps, ventilation systems, and water treatment equipment. These devices need constant maintenance and updating, so the cost is relatively high.
- High energy consumption: Growing marijuana indoors requires a lot of electricity to drive equipment such as lamps and ventilation systems. This increases energy consumption, leading to higher electricity bills.
- More maintenance: Indoor planting requires more care and maintenance than outdoor planting because water and nutrients cannot be replenished naturally, they need to be added artificially, and the planting environment also needs human control.
Outdoor marijuana cultivation
Cannabis plants are naturally grown in the wild, and cannabis grown outdoors has a more natural taste and smell.
Advantages of growing outdoors:
- Natural light, less energy consumption: Growing cannabis outdoors can make full use of natural light, thereby reducing energy consumption and costs. Additionally, natural light can enhance the quality and flavor of cannabis.
- Low cost: Compared to growing cannabis indoors, the cost of growing cannabis outdoors is lower. This is because outdoor growing does not require the purchase and installation of extensive equipment.
- Not limited by space, high yield per plant: outdoor planting tends to grow larger plants, which means higher yields. Cannabis grown outdoors usually has more room to grow, and all the sunlight it needs to thrive, which is usually more intense than artificial light.
- Low maintenance: Cannabis plants require less care in their natural environment, and most of the nutrients and water are provided and replenished by the growing environment.
Disadvantages of growing outdoors:
- Weather restrictions: Growing cannabis outdoors is subject to weather restrictions, such as temperature, humidity, and rainfall. These factors can affect the rate and yield of cannabis growth.
- Difficulty in environmental control: Compared with indoor cultivation of cannabis, the environmental control of outdoor cultivation of cannabis is more difficult. This is because the outdoor environment is unstable and it is difficult to control factors such as light, temperature, and humidity.
- Higher risk: If the planting site is not well planned, there is a risk of being spotted by passers-by, or worse, by thieves.
- Restrictions on growing seasons: Outdoor planting requires a longer growing cycle and slow growth, and most strains can only be planted once a year. Plants must be planted at a specific time of year and are usually only harvested once a year.
- Planting site restrictions: For those who live in cities or particularly dense areas, outdoor planting is unlikely to be possible. Most states that allow cultivation only allow it to be grown indoors.
- High probability of occurrence of pests and diseases: Outdoor planting is an open space, and plants are more vulnerable to diseases, pests, and animals.
- Environmental impact: Outdoor growers may be tempted to use pesticides or fertilizers which, if not properly controlled, can negatively impact surrounding ecosystems and pollute groundwater.
Overall, there are pros and cons to growing cannabis indoors versus growing it outdoors. Growers, they need to consider their own needs and conditions and choose the most suitable planting method for them. Regardless of the option chosen, growers need to abide by local laws and regulations and take the necessary safety measures to protect themselves and their cannabis plants.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us!
And be sure to check out our other blog posts for useful tips on becoming a great grower!
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