Indoor VS outdoor - differences

ooof-da

ooof-da

Well-Known Member
So I have only grown outdoors and I have only around 8-10 grows under my belt. I waited for my state to be legal for various reasons before I started to grow and I chose outdoors because of power costs where I live (CA, USA) are expensive @ 26 ¢/kWh. Now I am curious if there are benefits to indoor. I can see one of the main differences is the bugs (good and bad) because they are all over my garden all the time and there is absolutely no way to control them outdoors where as indoor it would be possible. Another is the elements like rain, sun, and wind which for me the wind is a serious factor that tripped me up for at least 2 grows….but indoors you create these things so control is baked in the plan as long as your planning is solid it seems. Size is also one main difference I see because an 8-10 foot tall plant is no drama outside where inside my ceiling is only 8’ not accounting for lights and stuff.

Is the bud better indoor or what are the differences in your opinion? How many kWh per sq/ft are required for an average grow? Would you start indoors w/ soil or something else?
 
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VaSmile

Well-Known Member
All the baked in controls you mentioned will result in better faster buds but a smaller harvest). You control size by pot size and flipping your lights when your plants are the right size. You don't need to put a lot of power out in your veg cycle. For bloom cycle 30-60w per square foot so a 3x3 is 9²feet. need 300-450w
.45x12x70(guessing bloom cycle) =378 kwh
X.26 and you'll spend about $100 per bloom cycle on power
 
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Phytoplankton

Well-Known Member
I love growing outdoors, but recent events have moved me indoors the last several grows. I’m growing indoors in Northern Ca., so I know your issue with power costs. Not sure of your provider, but I have tiered pricing, so I have my dark period during the highest power cost times (4 pm.-9 pm). With LED lights your sweet spot is 30-40 watts per square ft, any more than 40 and your just wasting money for little or no return. Growing indoors is a little more hands on but it does have advantages too. Due to water quality I’m not able to grow in anything but soil, it works fine, coco is another good option, if you have the right set-up.
 
ooof-da

ooof-da

Well-Known Member
Phytoplankton said:
I love growing outdoors, but recent events have moved me indoors the last several grows. I’m growing indoors in Northern Ca., so I know your issue with power costs. Not sure of your provider, but I have tiered pricing,
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I have PG&E. I see what you mean about working with the tiers
 
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VaSmile

Well-Known Member
That's an example. Lots of exponets to plug in
1kwh=1000w run for 1hr
Indoor growers run their lights at night for many reasons. For this conversation late night hrs are nonpeek usage hrs and you may pay less then your standard rate at those times
Know the flower time of what your running 8weeks is 56days 14weeks is 98
Know your square footage.
Plus account for the power usages of fans and any automated systems you run
Square footage x .05x 12hr x days in bloom xcost per kwh
 
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rkymtnman

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
ooof-da said:
So I have only grown outdoors and I have only around 8-10 grows under my belt. I waited for my state to be legal for various reasons before I started to grow and I chose outdoors because of power costs where I live (CA, USA) are expensive @ 26 ¢/kWh. Now I am curious if there are benefits to indoor. I can see one of the main differences is the bugs (good and bad) because they are all over my garden all the time and there is absolutely no way to control them outdoors where as indoor it would be possible. Another is the elements like rain, sun, and wind which for me the wind is a serious factor that tripped me up for at least 2 grows….but indoors you create these things so control is baked in the plan as long as your planning is solid it seems. Size is also one main difference I see because an 8-10 foot tall plant is no drama outside where inside my ceiling is only 8’ not accounting for lights and stuff.

Is the bud better indoor or what are the differences in your opinion? How many kWh per sq/ft are required for an average grow? Would you start indoors w/ soil or something else?
Click to expand...
check out some pics of @doublejj outdoor grows. if i could do something like that here, i'd never think of growing inside
 
thumper60

thumper60

Well-Known Member
ooof-da said:
So I have only grown outdoors and I have only around 8-10 grows under my belt. I waited for my state to be legal for various reasons before I started to grow and I chose outdoors because of power costs where I live (CA, USA) are expensive @ 26 ¢/kWh. Now I am curious if there are benefits to indoor. I can see one of the main differences is the bugs (good and bad) because they are all over my garden all the time and there is absolutely no way to control them outdoors where as indoor it would be possible. Another is the elements like rain, sun, and wind which for me the wind is a serious factor that tripped me up for at least 2 grows….but indoors you create these things so control is baked in the plan as long as your planning is solid it seems. Size is also one main difference I see because an 8-10 foot tall plant is no drama outside where inside my ceiling is only 8’ not accounting for lights and stuff.
Is the bud better indoor or what are the differences in your opinion? How many kWh per sq/ft are required for an average grow? Would you start indoors w/ soil or something else?
Click to expand...
If you got the time look into light depo indoor quality with very little cost other than time. can be as easy moving6-10 plants in-out of a shed or out building.
 
natureboygrower

natureboygrower

Well-Known Member
conor c said:
The complete control and the fact your resin heads get to develop without rain and with less risk of pests less risk not full proof there tho of course but less likely that is the only benefits to indoors really i can think of
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I actually get higher yields pressing my outdoor over indoor for rosin.

That being said, here in coastal New England, it's hard for outdoor to reach its full potential like indoors. I prefer my indoor but will always have an outdoor grow. They just look too good on the property not to.
 
natureboygrower

natureboygrower

Well-Known Member
tree beard said:
I used to grow outdoor, but got sick and tired of the wind, rain and bugs fucking up my plants, EVERY SINGLE TIME.. Last year about 3 weeks before harvest, we pretty much had a hurricane come through and destroyed my entire grow. Never again...
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Yeah it's real hit or miss for me too. Hurricane winds start coming in Sept/Oct just as I'm trying to finish things up. It's more the cold nights with nightly dew that cause problems, but I've built a frame over the top of the garden that I put plastic on come Sept. I believe covering them while they're trying to finish up is a necessity in October at my location.
 
ooof-da

ooof-da

Well-Known Member
natureboygrower said:
Yeah it's real hit or miss for me too. Hurricane winds start coming in Sept/Oct just as I'm trying to finish things up. It's more the cold nights with nightly dew that cause problems, but I've built a frame over the top of the garden that I put plastic on come Sept. I believe covering them while they're trying to finish up is a necessity in October at my location.
Click to expand...
I am pretty lucky with the weather here as it stay’s decent into mid-November typically.
 
tree beard

tree beard

Well-Known Member
natureboygrower said:
Yeah it's real hit or miss for me too. Hurricane winds start coming in Sept/Oct just as I'm trying to finish things up. It's more the cold nights with nightly dew that cause problems, but I've built a frame over the top of the garden that I put plastic on come Sept. I believe covering them while they're trying to finish up is a necessity in October at my location.
Click to expand...
I tried doing that last year and the storm ripped it to shreds, along with the plants.

Since switching from that point on, I find my life to be a lot less stressful
 
C

conor c

Well-Known Member
tree beard said:
I used to grow outdoor, but got sick and tired of the wind, rain and bugs fucking up my plants, EVERY SINGLE TIME.. Last year about 3 weeks before harvest, we pretty much had a hurricane come through and destroyed my entire grow. Never again...
Click to expand...
Lol heres like that alot of the time we got lots of wind rain and bugs deer rabbits etc its a killer our growing seasons short too cos im far north id say its why your best putting out more than you plan to harvest to account for losses but it is heart breaking to lose a full grow man it sucks
 
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grayeyes

Well-Known Member
I typically start them indoors as the temp is going to be in the mid to high 60's. Not the best temp for veg growth. I will usually grow them to a bit more than 12-14 inches then sex them by a 12/12 light regiment. By about 6 to 8 days they show me who they are going to be and I decide what I am going to do.

Next, the days have started to warm up. So then they go outside for flowering and finishing. I find the taste to be much better outside then in. Also the long FREE light helps bring better blooms than inside. When they ripen up then I harvest. I have never done the acapulco gold method of letting the dry outside in the sun while still rooted. To me that dirt weed taste can be saved for someone else.
 
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