CBD Indoor, Outdoor and Greenhouse: any differences ?

Differences between outdoor, indoor and greenhouse CBD varieties

You've probably heard of outdoor cannabis or indoor or greenhouse strains. But do you really know the difference between these different types of crops? If you don't know or you're just curious and want to know more, this article is for you.

We hear these words on every cannabis lover's lips, but what do these 'labels' of outdoor, indoor and greenhouse mean? Is there really a difference in taste and cost between them? We'll explain the advantages and disadvantages of each method here, so that you can better choose your flowers according to your taste.

The outdoor CBD Buds

This is the traditional method. What could be more normal for a plant, after all, hemp grows in the wild, and it can even happen that you come across some plants by chance during a walk in the forest. Cannabis is an annual plant, once the flowering phase is over, it spends the winter as seeds, which will then give rise to new plants. The latter needs precise conditions to be able to develop naturally: a good sunshine, a soil rich in nutrients, fresh air, a clement temperature (not too hot, not too cold), and a certain quantity of good quality water, like the water of the glaciers of the Valais mountains. 

It requires little equipment and resources to grow, which lowers production costs and the price of the finished product. As a result, outdoor CBD flowers are generally the cheapest on the market. But does cheaper mean lower quality? It all depends on the conditions in which they are grown. If pesticides are used to eliminate pests, it is likely that traces of these pesticides will be found in the flowers when they are harvested. This is why we grow our varieties using permaculture, which means no pesticides or chemical fertilisers, using only what nature gives us to grow our beautiful plants. If you're curious about permaculture, check out our article on the subject.

Another advantage of outdoor varieties is that they generally produce much larger heads than indoor or greenhouse varieties. Thanks to the sun, photosynthesis takes place more efficiently than with UV lamps, which allows the terpenes in the plant to develop better and improves the final taste of the flower. But this method also has its drawbacks. We talked about pest control before, but being outdoors, the plant is also at the mercy of the elements such as frost, drought and disease. There is also the problem of male plants, which are difficult to spot and must be quickly removed from the females. If this is done too late, they will fertilise the females, which instead of producing flowers will produce seeds.

Some examples of outdoor CBD varieties: Chill-bud - Lemon Gelato - Floki

The indoor CBD Buds

The indoor method originated in the early days of cannabis prohibition. It mainly benefited the illegal cannabis market, before being adopted for light cannabis or CBD. The big advantage of this method is that the grower has total control over all aspects of his production. Temperature, light, humidity, ventilation, nutrient rich soil, nothing is left to chance. In addition, unlike outdoor production, indoor varieties can be grown all year round, ensuring a constant harvest and income for the grower. This method is particularly suitable for regions that are inhospitable to outdoor cannabis cultivation, such as Scandinavia, England, and parts of Canada. 

But while this method has its advantages, it also has its disadvantages. Although being indoors avoids the risk of disease and pests, it should not be forgotten that there is no such thing as zero risk. If an insect were to get into the plantation, it would be much more difficult to get rid of it than it would be to get rid of a disease. Indoor cultivation also prevents animals from damaging the plantation, such as deer that love cannabis leaves, but tend to damage the rest of the plant by helping themselves to the leaves.

But one of the main problems with this method is its cost. Buying or renting the premises, buying all the necessary equipment and using a lot of electricity, which leads to a large bill every month. These different charges help to explain why indoor varieties are often more expensive than outdoor varieties. They often produce smaller buds and do not benefit from natural sunlight, but being able to control every aspect of its growth can influence flavour and terpenes.

Some examples of indoor CBD varieties: Royal Candy - Super Silver Haze - Mojito

The greenhouse CBD Buds

As far as the greenhouse is concerned, it can be said to be a kind of fusion between outdoor and indoor. The cannabis plants are grown in large glass tents. In this way, they enjoy the benefits of the sun, like an outdoor plant, helping it to develop its terpenes better. And as it is in a box, it is then possible, as with an indoor, to control all the other conditions that will help the plant, and especially its flowers, to develop better: Ventilation, humidity, temperature, etc. It is even possible to manage the time of exposure to the sun by covering the box with a tarpaulin for example.

Another advantage of this method is that the production costs are much lower than with an indoor plant, without all those energy-intensive UV lamps. And if we use solar panels to run the few electronic devices needed, our carbon footprint is close to zero! And as with indoor, the risk of getting pests and diseases is almost zero. But then again, if an insect or disease were to get into the greenhouse, it would not be easy to get rid of it.

Some examples of greenhouse CBD varieties:  Black Widow

The differences between outdoor, indoor and greenhouse in brief

So that's it, we've given you an overview of the different ways to grow cannabis. As you can see, each method has its own advantages and disadvantages, which will suit some varieties better than others. In the end, you should also keep in mind that each flower is different and can therefore produce different flavours and effects from one plant to another. If you have enjoyed this article and it has whetted your appetite, don't hesitate to visit our online shop to discover our different CBD flowers, whether they are outdoor, indoor or greenhouse!

Do you like our blog posts? So don't hesitate to show them to your friends and if you want to read more, just click on the links below:

- Some interesting questions about CBD / Cannabidiol

- Why grow Cannabis and CBD at altitude?

- What is permaculture and does it help for growing CBD?