Outdoor VS Indoor Weed

For decades, the cannabis community has a long-standing argument over which is better between indoor and outdoor cannabis. 

Many centuries ago, cannabis cultivation began, however, its roots started very simple as cannabis or marijuana plants grow naturally in the wild. This was before it was discovered more than a century ago, way back when people did not know its potential. 

However, fast-forward to the present day, people are divided into a very popular argument about Outdoor VS Indoor Weed. Because of technology and the continuing legalization of this plant in many countries around the world, cannabis cultivation was introduced to two innovative ways; outdoor and indoor growing. 

Outdoor VS Indoor Weed, which is better?

Originally, cannabis was grown outdoors, however, people adapt to indoor growing for a more discreet and more advanced way of growing it. Many believe that indoor growing yields equally as how cannabis is grown outdoors. 

Aside from outdoor and indoor cannabis cultivation, in recent years, greenhouses became a great choice for many cultivators as well. Greenhouse growing is a popular alternative that harnesses the benefits of both indoor and outdoor growing using artificial as well as natural methods in cannabis cultivation. 

Because of outdoor and indoor growing, cannabis nowadays comes in different varieties that contain different therapeutic, psychological, and physiological effects. 

However, the big question for many cannabis consumers wants to know which is better between cannabis that is grown indoors and outdoors. 

To put it simply, the difference between an outdoor and indoor cannabis is how it is grown, what method the cultivator followed, and some important contributing factors that affect its quality and other traits.

To learn all of it here is a helpful guide that will walk you through important details about the difference between outdoor and indoor cannabis. 

Physical Appearance

There are few differences between cannabis that are grown indoors and those that are grown outside. However, if you take a closer look, cannabis grown outdoors are usually have darker colors and has usually had a weathered appearance. This is because outdoor growing has to endure various elements, most particularly sunlight, as well as rain, wind, humidity, and of course, pests compared to indoor cultivation. Cannabis that is grown outdoors has a darker color, but it’s lighter compared to indoor cannabis. Its buds are packed loosely. Outdoor cannabis plants usually do not have a strong, pungent smell. Instead, it has an aromatic smell of wood, pine, grass, and pepper, and those that reflect the environment where it is being grown. 

Indoor cannabis, meanwhile, has lighter color, usually bright green while others have brighter colors such as red, orange, and purple. The buds and flowers in indoor cannabis are packed tightly while it produces more trichomes than cannabis that are grown outdoors. Indoor cannabis plants have a wonderful scent that will surely satisfy your palate. You can smell flowery, citrusy as well as an aromatic scent that is satisfying to smell. 

Taste and Flavor

Despite enduring the different elements of the outdoor environment, cannabis that is grown outdoors has a rich flavor profile, which is packed with subtleties and hints of unique flavor. Again, the outdoor environment played a crucial role in adding more flavors to outdoor cannabis. This, however, doesn’t have a scientific meaning, but rather considered as a phenomenon called “terroir” which is very common for vegetables and fruits that are grown outside. Terroir is highly recognized in winemaking, and it is well-known in most vineyards. 

Outdoor VS Indoor Weed, Which is more Potent?

Regarding this one, there’s no distinct difference between the two. This is because the potency of cannabis is always determined by the THC level present in the plant, which is also a product of different contributing factors, but this does not include if they’re either grown outdoors or indoors. However, indoor cannabis cultivation gives the grower more focus and time to incorporate different techniques that help the THC level increase. Indoor growing is easier to handle since there are fewer cannabis plants that can fit in a limited space compared to an outdoor cannabis plantation. Also, another contributing factor is that indoor growing has don’t have to endure the outdoor elements which help the flowers to bloom pristinely compared to cannabis that is grown outdoors. 

Indoor growth enables the grower to create a controlled environment wherein they can add more methods that further enhances the potency of the plants. They can control the amount of light, the temperature, the humidity, and other factors in an ideal environment. 

Comparing the Aesthetics

Cannabis connoisseurs are very meticulous when it comes to the overall quality of the cannabis. In dispensaries, a lot of connoisseurs prefer indoor-grown cannabis since these are usually expensive than outdoor-grown cannabis. This is because they always tend to choose the one that has the most pleasing aesthetics and has the most aromatic scent profile. However, this does not mean that indoor-grown cannabis is better than its outdoor counterpart. The majority of cannabis users are always drawn that thoroughly engages their senses, which is why indoor-grown cannabis is slightly popular than the ones that are grown outdoors. 

Cost comparison between indoor and outdoor cannabis growing

According to statistics, 8% of California’s usage in its household energy comes from indoor cannabis cultivation. To further understand the cost and the energy consumption of indoor cannabis growing, it consumes 200-pounds of coal just to grow 1lb of cannabis. Indoor cannabis growing is not practical at all since it costs a lot of money to grow and further enhance the plant, it also consumes a lot of energy. If you’re planning to grow cannabis inside your crib, you should expect a high monthly power bill. 

Outdoor and greenhouse cultivation, meanwhile, is proven to be more efficient with energy since these methods harness the energy and resources available in its environment. It uses natural sunlight instead of Ultraviolet lamps use naturally fertilized soil instead of artificial fertilizer, it mostly uses rain to water the plants, and it uses the climate and the temperature of the environment rather than installing an air-conditioning unit.

Which causes more impact on the environment?

For obvious reasons, indoor cannabis growing has more impact on our environment because it uses a lot of electricity, water, soil, and equipment to yield a high-quality crop than outdoor-grown cannabis. Many indoor cultivators get rid of their used soil after they harvest their crop and purchase a new one, unlike outdoor cultivators that use the same soil they cultivated since they started. Indoor grown cannabis also needs more power for filtration before it can be dumped into the local sewage. 

Conclusion

There is more to the common debate about Outdoor VS Indoor Weed, but the great thing about cannabis as a consumer, you can enjoy both without getting rid of the other. There are many strains you can choose from as products of both outdoor and indoor growing that further widen your option and improve your experience a lot better. Just make sure you choose a cannabis brand that takes care of the environment!