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One could argue that the world is in some ways divided in two: people who have back yards with tall fences — and the rest of us. But just because someone doesn’t have their own secluded homestead doesn’t mean they can’t become a cannabis grower in their own right.
Indoor growing is an easy and fun way to grow your own cannabis without needing any outdoor space, seclusion, or a dependable climate. One way to give yourself a leg up though, is to look for seeds that are known to grow well indoors.
Why should you grow marijuana indoors?
There are a number of benefits of growing cannabis indoors, but the main one is control.
With an indoor grow you take full control of the growing environment the plant is exposed to, including light, airflow, nutrients, and water.
Also, an indoor grow allows you to shield the plants from the prying eyes of your neighbors — and should keep the odor of cannabis flowers from carrying across your back yard over the next fence.
Indoor grows can also be highly productive in quite small spaces so they can be ideal for people who don’t have a backyard but can grow weed in a closet, empty cupboard, or grow box in their house or apartment.
What types of strains are best for growing indoors?
Though there are many exceptions, for the most part there are certain attributes to look for when selecting a cannabis strain to grow indoors.
Plants that grow short and bushy tend to be better for confined indoor spaces, especially grow tents and grow boxes. The strains that tend to be popular with small scale indoor home growers also tend to shave a short flowering time.
Basically, one should consider looking at three main attributes when selecting an indoor strain:
- Grow height/size
- Flowering time
- Yield size
Typically indica strains will be more likely to be short and compact, while autoflowering strains will reach flowering at a quicker pace.
What is the best yielding indoor strain?
The yield you get from your indoor grow depends on a variety of factors ranging from light to nutrients to how well you tend them between seed and harvest. Nonetheless, certain strains have gained acclaim for being effective at producing high indoor yields.
Take for instance the delicious-sounding Strawberry Kush. An indica-dominant hybrid, the strain grows short and compact and yields between 16-23 ounces per square meter (about 1 pound to 1.5 pounds)
Or take the old school cannabis classic White Widow. This well-balanced hybrid is easy to grow and can yield over a pound per square meter. It’s also a short, compact plant, and thrives when grown indoors.
Keep in mind that there are no standards for strain names: no regulator is checking to see if the White Widow sold by one grower is the same as that from another grower. When looking at a strain for its characteristics or chemical profile, it’s more accurate to call it a cultivar or chemovar, respectively, although strain is more common and well understood.
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Easy to grow and compact (30-50 inches high)
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High yield (around 15 ounces per square meter)
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Short flowering time (7-9 weeks)
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Easy to grow
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Grows tall with very high yield (around 21 ounces per square meter)
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Short flowering time (7-9 weeks)
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Easy to grow and compact (2-4 feet high)
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Short flowering time (9 weeks)
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Sizeable harvest (around 18 ounces per square meter)
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Highly potent with very sticky buds
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Easy to grow, though relatively tall (70-90 inches)
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Flowers in just 7-9 weeks with high yield (20 ounces per square meter)
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Grows short and flowers in just 8 weeks
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Yields around 16 ounces per square meter
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Produces dense, heavy buds
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Grows short and flowers in only 8 weeks
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Around 16-23 ounces per square meter
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Potent and suitable for beginner growers
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Very potent
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Easy to grow
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Flowers in only 8 weeks - with a solid yield (14-19 ounces per square meter)
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Easy to grow, average sized
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Flowers in only 8 weeks
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Around 12-13 ounces per square meter
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Easy to grow and short
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Flowers in 7-9 weeks
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High yield — over a pound per square meter
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A classic indica landrace strain
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Easy to grow and relatively short
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Flowers in 7-9 weeks with large, resin-covered buds
The best weed strains to grow indoors
Northern Lights
- Easy to grow and compact (30-50 inches high)
- High yield (around 15 ounces per square meter)
- Short flowering time (7-9 weeks)
Few cannabis strains have been as legendary for as long as Northern Lights. This potent indica-dominant hybrid is believed to be of Afghan and Thai landrace origins, and is known for producing a strong, relaxing high — and for being quite easy to grow.
Blue Dream
- Easy to grow
- Grows tall with very high yield (around 21 ounces per square meter)
- Short flowering time (7-9 weeks)
The next cannabis superstar on the list is Blue Dream. For years one of the more popular cannabis strains with consumers, it’s a potent, sativa-dominant hybrid that can provide an energetic high as well as some of the “couch-lock” sensation people often don’t associate with sativa-dominant strains (though this assumption isn’t based on scientific evidence). Blue Dream is typically described as a mix of Blueberry and Haze, and is known to grow best indoors, where growers can keep it safe from pests, and keep this tall growing plant away from the watchful eyes of the neighbors.
White Widow
- Easy to grow and compact (2-4 feet high)
- Short flowering time (9 weeks)
- Sizeable harvest (around 18 ounces per square meter)
If you traveled to Amsterdam in the 90s, chances are you remember smoking this strain in a coffee shop somewhere next to a canal. White Widow is a potent, well-known old school cannabis classic that is tailor-made for growing indoors. The plant grows short and compact and has a short flowering time and high yields, checking off all the boxes.
Gorilla Glue 4
- Highly potent with very sticky buds
- Easy to grow, though relatively tall (70-90 inches)
- Flowers in just 7-9 weeks with high yield (20 ounces per square meter)
Gorilla Glue has been a favorite with growers in recent years for obvious reasons. It is a potent, heavy hitting strain that produces some of the most resin coated, sticky buds (hence the name) that you can find anywhere. The strain is also considered easy to grow even for beginners, and did we mention all that resin?
OG Kush
- Grows short and flowers in just 8 weeks
- Yields around 16 ounces per square meter
- Produces dense, heavy buds
OG Kush is part of the genetics of more strains than arguably any other cannabis variety in recent years. The hybrid is synonymous with high grade West Coast cannabis strains, and is known for producing dense, frosty buds and a truly blissful high. It can be more susceptible to pests and mildew than other strains, but with an indoor grow you should be able to exert more control over the conditions. Also, it grows compact and produces a heavy yield of truly legendary weed.
Strawberry Kush
- Grows short and flowers in only 8 weeks
- Around 16-23 ounces per square meter
- Potent and suitable for beginner growers
The product of two blockbuster strains — OG Kush and Strawberry Cough — Strawberry Kush is a delicious, well balanced indica-dominant hybrid that produces a great head high and true body relaxation. It also grows very short and compact and produces a very ample yield — making it perfect for indoor grows.
Bruce Banner
- Very potent
- Easy to grow
- Flowers in only 8 weeks – with a solid yield (14-19 ounces per square meter)
Bruce Banner is another strain whose name gives away what you should expect — truly awesome levels of THC, and a high that can be incredible — and won’t leave you green and angry. The origin of Bruce Banner is often described as quite similar to Strawberry Kush (a mix of OG Kush and Strawberry Diesel), but anybody who has tried this strain knows it’s one of a kind. And with very high THC (often over 25%) and a short flowering time, it’s a great indoor option.
Zkittlez
- Easy to grow, average sized
- Flowers in only 8 weeks
- Around 12-13 ounces per square meter
Why not grow your own rainbow inside your apartment? Named after the candy, Zkittlez is known for being one of the fruitier, more delicious strains around, combining everything people love about Grape Ape and Grapefruit. It’s also a very nicely-balanced indica-dominant hybrid, and one that shouldn’t give you much trouble. It also grows pretty short and produces a nice, if not record-breaking yield.
Wedding Cake
- Easy to grow and short
- Flowers in 7-9 weeks
- High yield — over a pound per square meter
Call it Wedding Cake, call it Pink Cookies, one thing’s for sure — it’s a cannabis dynamo and a former Leafly strain of the year. This cross of Cherry Pie and Girl Scout Cookies is a well balanced hybrid that includes the genetics of both Indica and Sativa powerhouse strains. Wedding cake is considered easy to grow indoors, it doesn’t stretch too high, and the yield is quite generous.
Hindu Kush
- A classic indica landrace strain
- Easy to grow and relatively short
- Flowers in 7-9 weeks with large, resin-covered buds
Like a classic landrace indica, Hindu Kush is a hardy, durable plant that is easy to grow indoors or outdoors (if you’re in a dry climate). It doesn’t grow as squat as other indica strains, but it is a compact plant, with a short flowering time, an ample yield, and large, frosty buds that produce a truly relaxing and bliss-inducing high.
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