Difference Between Indoor and Outdoor Weeds (and Why It Matters)
Newbies buying legal marijuana are faced with a veritable encyclopedia of new terms and options when all they are trying to do is buy weed. Gone are the days when you made do with what the guy you knew had on hand; Now, buying marijuana can be as difficult as you want (if not more). For everyone but the hyper-initiated, wading through the menu at the local dispensary is like diving into literal weeds, and there is much more to watch out for than the difference between indica and sativa. True marijuana aficionados know that even the smallest details are important, such as how the cannabis plant was grown. But the difference between indoor, outdoor, sun-grown, and all other categories of buds means next to nothing if you’re a beginner or even a seasoned drinker suddenly blessed with choice.
Getting good anti-weed advice is a way to break lingering drug taboos and hold the budding industry accountable, so it’s worth learning about some of these subtle points. So, today I’m going to explore the main differences between indoor and outdoor cannabis as far as you, the buyer, are concerned.
These plant categories may eventually become preferences, and while some people are firmly part of a team indoors or outdoors, many simply want to try the products and are open to a new experience every time they light it up.
Why is this a problem at all?
Before the ban, both medicinal and industrial cannabis grew everywhere, even as a weed (hence its nickname). Cannabis seeds and smoking accessories appeared thousands of years ago on different continents, and for centuries it has grown in the fields like all other plants.
The culture of urban eradication in the mid-20th century eventually spread to California’s secret weed valleys as law enforcement chased and jailed cannabis cultivators. Sam Ludwig, president of Aster Farms , a sustainable cannabis company based in Northern California, is well aware of this fact – some of his family members have paid a price to support the growing outdoor cannabis movement NorCal.
As a third generation cultivator, he can attest to the fact that “cannabis [only] is grown indoors due to the ban – raids and imprisonment that began in the late 70s and are still [persisting] nearly 50 years later. “.
Growing indoors provided secrecy … until the police eventually found ways to track these operations as well . While indoor growing may have been a game changer in terms of securing black market supplies, it has also changed the way we use the cannabis plant by standardizing the growth of highly active plants (which is why you often hear that today’s weeds are much stronger than that. that boomers smoked in the 60s – probably it is ).
Products sold on dispensary shelves these days usually advertise the growing method on the label, both a marketing term and a practical indicator of what’s inside a can, bag, or tin box. While we are not advocating preference for one herb over another, there are certain things you should know as a consumer before purchasing.
Growing indoors is control
First, it’s important to note that cannabis cannot be grown outdoors anywhere. In a weed-rich state like California, the wet north, with its forests and ravines, is very welcoming for the outdoor cannabis growing season, while its arid south is the center of indoor growing.
Robert Masterson, a cultivator at A Golden State , told us that a standardized methodology is their motivation for indoor cultivation. “Indoor cannabis can have the ideal amount of light per square foot and a unique spectrum of different light sources to maximize terpenes and efficacy,” he said. “Not all indoor cultivators have complete control over their environment, but if done correctly, they can achieve the highest genetic potential of a particular cultivar.”
This means that, using data and technology, cultivators can fine-tune every element of the process for each variety, in pursuit of the holy trinity of higher yields, higher efficiency, and individual sensory qualities. For some consumers, this is exactly what they are looking for.
While myths that “today’s” THC levels are higher than ever have been circulating since the mid-2010s, this push was driven by consumers, not technology. In 2015, The Atlantic reported that “the shift towards high activity may have more to do with modern market forces than with the younger generation of marijuana enthusiasts.”
The flavor and high THC content is due not only to indoor growing, but also to more stable growing conditions. However, as Masterson told us, “Not all houseplants are grown equally. Make sure you choose a brand that really understands what they are doing. Cannabis production in a controlled environment is more expensive. Retail store prices usually reflect that. ”
Highly visible OID fan Justin Bieber was recently spotted cleaning at the new Wonderbrett store in Hollywood, a brand known for its home growing methods. We asked company co-founder and cultivator Brett Feldman what sets his nuggets apart from the larger market.
“What I love about our facility and our work is that we were able to improve the indoor process to provide a stable and high quality product,” Feldman told us via email. “We have the ability to achieve this quality over and over again, without any of the problems of guesswork or gambling.”
Not all cultivators consume too, but Feldman has tips for indoor bud lovers. First of all, at higher prices, the quality must correspond to the cost. In addition to proper packaging and relative freshness, he strives for “meticulous attention to detail when it comes to top shelf flowers and how to protect the flower. It could not be damaged, so the flower looks very fresh and intact. He was not broken. The crystals still shine and shine. “
Outdoors can be quality too
The corporatization of cannabis is costly to the ecosystem, regardless of the cultivation method. While manufacturers such as A Golden State and Wonderbrett are striving to find environmentally friendly utilities and reduce their impact, many home growers simply use as much plastic, electricity, water, fertilizer and resources as they think they can. necessary to obtain the highest possible yields and THC.
This is why Raven Duquette Robinson , co-founder of Community Gardens in Oakland, California, is involved with #teamoutdoor. “It’s like the Twizzler vs. Red Vine argument. I support outdoor cultivation because it is more affordable – and in any case, the weed should be grown outdoors; the room becomes over-advertised and is harmful to the environment. “
She told us: “Based on the rules and how we should pack, keep records and receipts for legal cannabis production, there is a lot of waste generated, especially when it comes to packaging. Indoor energy waste unnecessarily increases the environmental impact of the entire industry. It takes a significant amount of energy to grow a plant [indoors] and I find it inefficient and unnecessary because they can grow outdoors in sunlight. “
Sam Ludwig agrees with Robinson’s thinking that nature creates the best weed. “Home products will always look sexier with a denser texture and more visible trichomes on the outside, but home products tend to have shallow heights and reduced medicinal properties,” he said. “This plant has been growing in nature for millennia under the sun, moon and stars, not indoors, in a windowless room [lit] with LEDs.”
Together with Aster Farms CEO Julia Jacobson, Ludwig’s wife and resident mud researcher, they redesigned outdoor work a little differently: “At Aster, we grow living soil in the ground, filled with insects, fungi and bacteria that break down organic matter to feed plants. We nourish the soil because it nourishes the plants. It’s just a different top-down approach and we believe it produces a superior product with superior effects. “
Cannabis names could change the industry
One final point to note, as the potential for federal cannabis legalization transcends the ban horizon, is the sense of place that outdoor weed cultivation epitomizes: there are distinct outdoor growing areas, especially on the west coast, that produce incredibly unique cannabis from – for their soil, sun, weather and methods of their care. This is why there is a movement to create protected cannabis regions like the Emerald Triangle in California or the Willamette Valley in Oregon. As with wine-growing regions, the land and climate of cannabis growing areas can really make a difference.
Wine, marijuana and hospitality expert Rachel Burcons is one of those publicly promoting cannabis appellations. Burkons maintains an Instagram account @smokesipsavor, which showcases all the pleasures of the California land and gives recommendations for a mix of regional products, including cannabis.
At the Cannabis Drinks Expo this year, Burcons told us, “When we talk about wine names, we say,“ Okay, it’s going to be very hot and dry, ”or“ It’s going to be foggy in the morning, ”and so on. of these appellation-specific factors affect the overall taste and characteristics of the wine – the same applies to cannabis. “
The real takeaway for you, the buyer, is to simply try different offers and stick with what you like. Indoor versus outdoor contrast is a great place to start your cannabis exploration journey, whether you love to dabble or love every day. Researching what makes plants thrive is a great way to convince yourself to grow some, but it all starts with choosing the right one at the pharmacy.