In or Out? Sungrown vs. Indoor Cannabis Cultivation

Photo by Tina Gordon

By Sarah Russo

Most agricultural crops throughout the world are grown solely outdoors: grapes to make wine, for example. It wasn’t so long ago that cannabis was exclusively grown outside as well. That changed because of marijuana prohibition and the need to avoid detection by surveillance helicopters and police. Indoor cannabis cultivation took root in a big way in the United States during the 1980s when the Reagan administration escalated and militarized the war on drugs. Frequent law enforcement raids that targeted outdoor gardens inadvertently helped to jump-start a cottage industry of innovative products and accoutrements for growing marijuana indoors—all manner of nutrients, soil amendments, special lights, and various gizmos to control temperature and moisture. Cannabis, a versatile botanical that can thrive under a diurnal or 24-hour light cycle, adapted well to the new indoor environment.

But which cultivation method produces better cannabis—sungrown or indoors? Is there an appreciable difference in quality between the two? Some cannabis consumers swear by indoors; others prefer outdoors. Here is a breakdown of the pros and cons of each.

Article originally appeared on Project CBD. |Versión en español