Yo, what’s good, it’s your boy Dan and today we’re gonna talk about the age-old debate of indoor vs outdoor weed. You feel me? Now if you’re a seasoned grower, you know that the environment has a major impact on the end product. But what are the real differences between indoor and outdoor buds? Let’s find out.
First off, let’s get one thing straight – this isn’t a black and white issue. There are a ton of factors at play here. For example, a grower using industry-standard nutrition programs under HID lamps indoors is gonna have different results than someone using a low-powered CFL with no feed. Same goes for outdoor grows – a grower in sunny California with an automated irrigation system will likely produce better flowers than one growing in the UK with high humidity and cloudy skies.
That being said, there are some telltale signs that you can use to differentiate indoor from outdoor buds. Size is probably the most obvious one. Outdoor plants have more room to spread their roots underground and expand their canopies above ground which means they can grow bigger than their indoor counterparts. But size isn’t everything. Indoor buds are typically smaller and denser due to the constraints of containers and growing tents. However, skilled growers can produce high-quality cannabis in any environment.
What about color? Cannabis flowers grown outdoors tend to be darker shades of green compared to those cultivated indoors. They also have a worn and sun-baked look that makes them lose some of their color which is dependent on where they’re grown. Flowers grown in Southern California appear more brown and baked than those further north. Indoor plants have it easy in comparison – they maintain their bright and vivid shades of green in the comfort of growing rooms, away from excess light exposure and tough weather conditions.
Now let’s talk flavor. Sunlight and microorganisms play a huge role in the taste of your buds. UV radiation is crucial to life on Earth but it does some damage too. Different organisms have developed strategies to protect themselves from these wavelengths of light. Cannabis plants shield themselves from UV radiation with their own form of sunscreen – resin loaded with secondary metabolites such as aromatic terpenes. These molecules create the many flavors within cannabis, including those of fruit and earthiness.
Some indoor growers use lights that emit UVA radiation which helps encourage terpene production without the harmful effects of UVB exposure. However, flowers grown outdoors often provide superior flavour because of UVB exposure which may increase secondary metabolite production, resulting in tastier buds.
A richer diversity of microbial life in well-established garden beds also helps to drive terpene levels through the roof, resulting in more scrumptious flavours for outdoor buds. Beds that receive plenty of compost, mulch, and organic matter are havens for beneficial microbial fungi and bacteria which act as an extension of the root system and ferry in nutrients from afar, in return for plant sugars created during photosynthesis.
But can growing outdoors change the potency and effects of cannabis? Yes! A host of cannabis phytochemicals underpin the effects of cannabis which include terpenes that bind to cannabinoid receptors and synergise with cannabinoids to alter the effects of a cultivar (by way of the entourage effect). THC levels are driven by exposure to UVB rays which means outdoor growers equipped with genetics expressing high quantities of THC can push their crop to the psychoactive limit!
Ultimately, it’s possible to grow top-tier cannabis in most environments as long as you have good genetics, healthy soil, and a little knowledge. While outdoor settings offer natural sunlight and an abundance of microorganisms, indoor grow rooms allow for almost total control over environmental factors which means some of the best weed available stems from indoor growing operations.
So there you have it folks! The difference between indoor vs outdoor weed isn’t just about size or color. It’s about flavor, potency, effects, quality – all these factors come into play when choosing how to grow your cannabis plants. But at the end of the day, it’s all about finding what works best for you! Stay lifted y’all!