Indoor Grown Weed vs. Outdoor vs. Greenhouse: Comparing Methods and Choosing the Best

Weed has been cultivated in different parts of the world since 4000 BC. Today, cannabis farmers and horticulturists have gifted us with over 700 types of cannabis strains. All because they’ve dared to devise new ways of growing pot indoors and outdoors.

Cannabis is a hardy plant that withstands the harshest environments. However, it also enjoys controlled habitats where light intensity is calibrated delicately to its liking. Different growing conditions yield different plant characteristics, albeit small. 

Considering these factors, it’s natural for people to develop a preference for a particular type of growing condition—indoor, outdoor, or greenhouse. 

Let’s examine the differences between the three from a tune of growing methods, the plant characteristics each method brings out, and more. 

Indoor vs. Outdoor vs. Greenhouse Weed

Weed is mainly grown in three ways: indoors, outdoors, and in a greenhouse. Aside from location, the main difference between these growing methods is the type of light used.

An indoor setup uses synthetic light, a greenhouse setting uses natural sunlight with light deprivation, while outdoor cultivation uses all the power of sunlight. Temperature, humidity, infrastructure cost, management style, and production differences are secondary to the variance of each growing setting. 

If the indoor and outdoor setups are the extreme ends of the cannabis growing spectrum, the cannabis greenhouse sits in the middle. It borrows the good features of indoor and outdoor cultivation, such as the use of natural light and the advantage of the controlled type of setup. 

What is Indoor Grown Weed?

The indoor-grown cannabis method gives growers complete control over the whole cultivation process. From lighting to air circulation, the setup is organized to mimic the outdoor growing of weed but in a controlled and consistent environment. 

The setup is usually indoors to allow full control over the weed production process. It can be inside large grow tents or hydroponic farms. The main perk of growing weed indoors is that you can grow weed all year round, unlike outdoor cannabis cultivation, where you’re at the mercy of nature (changing weather, pests, etc.). 

To summarize, here are the pros and cons of growing marijuana indoors. 

Pros	Cons
Easy management of external factors like insects	Expensive infrastructure and hardware cost
Full control of the growing setup	Huge carbon footprint
Yields higher levels of THC due to the controlled introduction of carbon dioxide	Potentially fewer terpene development
Enhanced security and privacy
Multiple harvests in a year
New hybrid cannabis strains grow better indoor

Outdoor Grown Weed

Growing weed outdoors is exactly what it sounds like—growing cannabis in the open field, basking under natural sunlight and open air. It’s the least expensive among cannabis growing methods, harnessing the power of nature instead of setting up LED grow lights, fans, and tarps. 

The obvious disadvantage of growing weed outdoors is you have the least control over the environmental setting. The cannabis plants are forced to brave through extreme temperatures, harsh winds, storms, pests, etc. 

When handled properly, though, despite the uncontrollable factors, outdoor-grown cannabis plants have more grow room and triggers to express their genetic potential. This is brought upon by a broader and more penetrating spectrum of light from the sun. 

Here are the pros and cons of growing weed indoors. 

Pros	Cons
Least expensive way of growing weed	Least control on environmental factors like pests and diseases and the changing weather
Small carbon footprint	Quality is subject to fluctuations
Uses the full power and spectrum of natural sunlight	Less privacy and security
Has a wide room to realize the genetic potential of weed	Limitation of harvests in a year
More grow space for weed to thrive

Greenhouse Grown Weed

The greenhouse method of growing weed features the best of both cannabis indoors and outdoors. You grow cannabis inside a tent that is translucent enough to let natural sunlight pass through and feed the plant’s leaves. 

Accordingly, you can also block out the sun with tarps, tricking the cannabis to bloom faster. Meanwhile, temperature and humidity are controlled by HVAC or manual venting. Many greenhouse facilities also supplement C02 to encourage the increase of THC levels in trichomes. 

Greenhouses are typically well-sealed, preventing pests and fungicides from wreaking havoc on cannabis plants. They can also extend growing seasons, stretching a year-round production of cannabis buds. 

The practice of growing weed in the greenhouse is widespread in America. About 41% of cannabis growers in the US use greenhouses as part of their cannabis cultivation. 

Here are the pros and cons of growing cannabis in greenhouses. 

Pros	Cons
Harnessing of natural sunlight makes the setup energy-efficient	Lesser control over the weather and sunlight compared to the indoor setup
Cheaper than an indoor ganja setup	More expensive than an outdoor setup
Offer controlled environment
Sustainable approach
Smaller carbon footprint than indoor weed
Tricks cannabis to flower faster
Extend growing seasons

Comparing Indoor Grown Weed vs. Outdoor vs. Greenhouse

Now, let’s compare indoor, outdoor, and greenhouse growing of weed through costs, quality, yield of cannabis plants, and their impact on the environment. By the end of this section, you’ll come closer to zeroing into your preferred cannabis growing setup. 

Cost Analysis

Before we decide which is more cost-efficient and expensive, let’s examine the factors affecting the cost of setting up each growing method. 

Production Factors	Indoor	Greenhouse	Outdoor
Lighting	Expensive	Free	Free
Climate (HVAC, CO2 introduction, etc.)	Expensive	Minimal expense	Free
Space, Structure, & Equipment	Expensive	Expensive	Minimal expense
Labor	Expensive	Expensive	Minimal expense
Land & Water	Expensive	Expensive	Minimal expense
Pest Control	Minimal expense	Minimal expense	Expensive

Ranking the three setups, we can deduce that the indoor setup is the most expensive, followed by the greenhouse setup, with the outdoor setup being the cheapest way to grow cannabis. This is also aptly reflected in the cannabis market, with indoor weed costing between $300 and $800 per pound, $200 to $500 per pound for greenhouse-grown weed, and $100 to $300 per pound for outdoor-grown cannabis. 

Quality & Yield

Because the cultivation technique between indoor, outdoor, and greenhouse varies significantly, it’s not a shock that each setup produces cannabis plants with very different quality and yields. Here’s a look at the differences in quality and yield between growing methods:

Quality and Yield	Indoor	Greenhouse	Outdoor
Color	Vibrant hues	Intermediate vibrancy	Darker shades of green and brown
Size	Smaller and compact	Intermediate-size	Larger and robust
Trichome density	High	Intermediate	Low
Cannabinoid content	Focus on THC content	High levels of THC and other secondary cannabinoids	More variability in cannabinoid content
Terpene profile	Less diverse	Consistent rich and diverse terpene profile	Complex and diverse
Aroma	Stronger aroma	Intermediate	More complex and layered
Potency	20-30%	15-25%	10-20%
Average Yield	0.5 to 1 pound per plant but offset by multiple harvests per year

Impact on the Environment

Overall, to grow weed indoor has the biggest negative impact on the environment because of its reliance on manmade power, such as artificial lighting, climate control, and extensive use of electricity. This huge dependency on non-renewable energy contributes to a large carbon footprint, straining the environment.

In contrast, growing cannabis outdoors is the most environmentally friendly because it uses renewable energy, such as the sun’s light, live soil, and the open air. However, it’s not without its faults. The excessive use of pesticides to control insects contaminates land and water nearby. 

A greenhouse provides a middle ground for harnessing renewable and non-renewable energy. Despite the use of supplemental lighting and slight climate management, a greenhouse is an environmentally friendly setup for growing cannabis. 

Factors to Consider in Choosing the Best Growing Method

Now that you know the differences between indoor, greenhouse, and outdoor cannabis growing, it’s time to determine which best suits your needs. In this section, we’re compartmentalizing them into four factors: goals, budget, location, and legality. 

Goals

One of the main factors to consider when choosing the best growing setup is your list of goals. For example, if your primary goal is to produce dispensary-grade cannabis flower, you need indoor cultivation’s full control over the growing environment to achieve such high quality cannabis production. 

On the other hand, if your goal is to produce cannabis buds with a diverse terpene and cannabinoid profile perfect for extractions, infusions to edibles, and the like, outdoor cultivation should be your choice. 

If you want to acquire the best qualities of both indoor and outdoor cannabis cultivation but at an average level, use the greenhouse setup. This has moderate to high yields. 

Budget and Capital

Indoor growing weed requires a big upfront investment. The area’s lease, lighting setup, water, and climate control take a huge chunk of your capital. Maintaining the operations is also not cheap. However, the cost comes at a steady pace, unlike outdoor cannabis, where you always need a contingency fund in case of an emergency. 

If you’re in an experimental phase with little capital, outdoor cultivation is the cheapest option. You don’t need to spend much upfront or during the cultivation process. Greenhouse cultivation offers moderate costing with a compromise between indoor and outdoor budgeting. 

Location & Climate

Climate and location play a huge role in growing cannabis. It’s what sets high-quality yields apart from low-quality yields. So take your time making this decision. If you’re lucky enough to have found a place with a favorable climate and less chance of unpredictable weather, outdoor cultivation should be one of your options. 

Alternatively, if you’re situated in a harsh environment with unpredictable weather and you don’t want a headache, go for indoor and greenhouse cannabis cultivation. 

Legal Regulations

Cannabis farming laws vary by state, and most cultivators would need to secure a cannabis farming license before moving forward with the growing setup. Depending on your state, some have more strict compliance with outdoor cultivation, while others have looser rules on indoor cultivation and vice versa. Other states don’t allow cannabis farming at all. 

Recommendation for Growers and Weed Users

Let’s start by saying there’s no perfect way of growing cannabis. Manmade or grown in nature, it’s impossible not to encounter any growing mistakes and issues along the way. So, as a rule of thumb, choose from personal preference, goals, budget on hand, location, and legal regulations. 

Going in-depth, there are seldom-seen truths about cultivating cannabis indoors, outdoors, and in greenhouses that only experienced growers live to tell the tale. Let’s start with cleanliness and safety. 

Many indoor cannabis consumers like the fact that what they’re smoking is not laden with heavy loads of pesticides. With outdoor-grown cannabis, farmers occasionally spray pesticides to ward off spores, molds, and insects. Unlike fruits, where pesticides are easily washed off, they get stuck in sticky trichomes of weed. 

Other experts argue that greenhouse cannabis cultivation is the most sophisticated if not the best, method. Artificial light simply can’t duplicate the depth and complexity that sunlight triggers in the terpene and cannabinoid profiles of cannabis plants. With the power and nutritiousness of the living soil, greenhouse cultivation is quickly becoming a farmer’s favorite. 

For consumers and growers who admire sturdy cannabis plants and are champions of sustainability, outdoor cannabis is their first choice. 

Here at The Hemp Doctor, we’re aware of the daunting task of choosing between indoor, outdoor, and greenhouse cannabis flowers. Each seems to have endless distinct strengths and trade-offs. To spare you from overthinking, here’s what we recommend—THCA ZAZA flowers grown indoors. 

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