Many people are now choosing to grow their own cannabis, and this includes a rapidly growing community of greenhouse growers. For many, it is simpler to grow cannabis seeds in a greenhouse than to create an indoor grow room. Greenhouse growers find it easier than growing cannabis seeds outdoors.
Greenhouses provide more shelter and protection for your plants than if they were outside, exposed to harsh weather conditions, severe winds, and predators. You also have the opportunity to start planting earlier in the year and extend your harvest season.
Use feminized or autoflower seeds to take advantage of the many benefits of growing cannabis in a greenhouse, which include higher quality plants for growers in colder northern European climates.
Cannabis seeds and greenhouses
Heating your greenhouse ensures that your Cannabis plants will have the optimal temperature for growth, even during unanticipated cold spells or storms. You can also germinate your seeds earlier when they are indoors. To learn more about how to properly germinate cannabis seeds, read our helpful guide below.
By growing cannabis seeds in a greenhouse with adequate thought and planning, home-growers can safely grow their own recreational or medical marijuana. Greenhouse-grown cannabis is incredibly potent when grown from high quality seeds, which explains why more people than ever are taking up this method of cultivation. Not to mention the numerous benefits that come along with it!
Autoflower seeds in greenhouses
By growing autoflower plants in a greenhouse, farmers can expect larger harvests, averaging 100g (dried buds) per plant. Additionally, greenhouses provide a degree of weather protection from conditions that might be harmful to the crops–such as extreme low temperatures or harsh winds.
Autoflower seeds have a growth cycle of approximately 100 days when grown in a greenhouse. That is significantly shorter than feminized cannabis seeds, which means that it is even more crucial to optimize the growing conditions and environment to maximum harvest quality and quantity.
Greenhouses have many benefits that make them great for cannabis growers. They protect your plants from high winds, damaging rain and low temperatures. Insects and pests can be easier to deal with in a greenhouse because they are contained.
Feminised cannabis seeds and greenhouses
Feminized seed varieties thrive in greenhouses. Usually, they will continue growing until they sense the reduced daylight hours, and will start blooming around August–depending on your specific variety. In northern hemisphere countries, greenhouse growers usually plant feminized seeds between April and October.
If you live in an area with climates that allow it, you can start planting your seeds indoors in a greenhouse as early as March or April. By doing this, you are getting a head start on the growing season because the plants are protected from bad weather conditions.
As a result of having a greenhouse, you can grow larger plants which have an earlier start and finish time than if they were grown outdoors without one. Many growers who use photoperiod feminized seeds routinely harvest several hundred grams, or more, of dried buds from a single plant. Plants can easily reach 2-3 metres tall and just as wide in greenhouses. Greenhouses also protect your plants from the autumn/winter storms. This ususally allows the greenhouse grower to expand their choices with later blooming cannabis strains .
How large do cannabis plants get inside a greenhouse?
So long as the greenhouse grower has access to quality soil and starts with good cannabis seed genetics, then their plants can reach impressive heights by the end of the growing season. Indeed, some growers have reported witnessing single plants filling small greenhouses and producing several hundred grams of excellent weed per plant. Of course, high-quality cannabis seeds come at a higher cost but they offer significantly superior results in the long term.
As mentioned earlier, some greenhouses have windows that can be opened to let any monster plants grow out. But a safer option is to use cord to try to ‘tie down’ the plants if they do start growing massively. The photos above showcase what occurs when a prolific strain starts turning into a large bush that wants to grow as high as a small tree–the plant becomes too tall for the greenhouse. With ideal soil conditions, temperatures and care, theplant then thrives as if in the jungle rather than garden in northern Europe.
Extravagant growth like this does not usually occur when farmers use cheap cannabis seeds and grow them in poor quality conditions with badly prepared soil. To get a plant as big as seen in the pictures requires properly dug, well prepared nutritious soil at the start of the season. The Dutch Passion Shaman variety was bred specifically for outdoor/greenhouse conditions to provide growers with heavy harvests.
Shaman is a powerful strain of skunk/purple skunk that quickly grows into a bush. In 2006, it won the Dutch Passion photo contest award for its size (3 metres tall and 2 meters wide). The downside to this strain’s potency is that it often overpower security measures like tiedowns or greenhouses – in one instance, a grower had to remove a pane of glass from his greenhouse because Shaman got too big! Despite these obstacles, growers can still harvest an abundance of top quality cannabis with proper planning.
Cannabis genetics and greenhouse growing
Always remember that some plants will grow just as wide as they are tall if given enough sun, good soil, and plenty of root space. A few seeds could provide you with a year’s worth of medication or recreational weed, making the cannabis seed an excellent investment. Get a good variety to get the most bang for your buck. With cannabis seeds, there is no need to compromise quality over quantity. feminized greenhouse cannabis seeds from Dutch Passion, you’re guaranteed amazing results. Shaman, Durban Poison, Passion #1, Frisian Dew and Frisian Duck are all excellent choices that have withstood the test of time among growers. For potency, quality pest/mold resistance and vigor these varieties can’t be beat!
Greenhouse grown cannabis versus outdoor cannabis
Many cannabis growers who start out growing outdoors eventually move to greenhouse production. Greenhouses allow for more potent crops, with higher THC levels and better terpene profiles, due to the protection they offer. Whether you are working with a large commercial budget or a small set-up with just one or two plants, the quality improvements can make a big difference. Cannabis plants that are grown in greenhouses have much better conditions and, as a result, are usually healthier. They aren’t subject to the same level of damage from aspects like cold weather or storms, and it’s easier to prevent problems with pests and disease. Your buds will also mature under far superior conditions than if they were outdoors.
Growing cannabis seeds in a greenhouse with artificial lighting
In order to provide the optimal amount of light for plant growth, many greenhouse growers supplement natural sunlight with artificial light on cloudy days or in cooler climates. One type of popular grow light is an LED which can be set to turn on and off based on surrounding ambient daylight levels (PPFD). Another option, particularly in colder climates, is HPS lighting which offers both intensity and heat. By using supplement lights, you can essentially create longer daylight hours. For example, this would come in handy if you were growing autoflower seeds in a greenhouse and wanted 18-20 hours of daily light. In this case, artificial light would be used to provide the plants with their desired 20 hours of daily light while also yielding optimized results in terms of quantity and quality.
By using a greenhouse, expert growers are able to produce larger plants with an increased lifespan. Thanks to the additional safeguards given by the structure, planting can happen sooner and harvest times can be extended. The typical conditions found inside of a greenhouse (better than those outside) foster improved plant health which results in higher yields and more potent agriculture overall. Plants grown outdoors without these benefits generally have poorer yield rates and lower quality crops.
Where to locate your greenhouse?
The location of your greenhouse is key. You want to make sure it is in a place where smells or sight won’t tip off anyone, and you also need to consider the climate. If it’s typically cold where you live, try to put the greenhouse in a spot that gets sunlight most of the day. If you live somewhere hot, like a desert, then placing the greenhouse under some trees for shade during the hottest hours could be beneficial.
If you’re a greenhouse grower in the Mediterranean, you might want to consider putting your structure in a cooler, northern area of the garden where there’s some shade. Keep in mind that when temps get up to 40-45ºC, they become harmful.
If you own a greenhouse, it’s advantageous to have a hosepipe/water connection close by. This makes watering your plants less time-consuming and more effortless, which is ideal on sweltering days. No one wants to make multiple trips from their house carrying a watering can when they could be doing other things.
Greenhouse options for cannabis growers
You can find greenhouses in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and price points. The most affordable ones are made with a flexible transparent plastic mesh sheet that stretches over a small plastic or metal pole frame. You can get one of these for as little as €20, but it can only accommodate one plant. Some greenhouses are designed to be leant against an outside wall of the house so that heat from the dwelling helps keep the greenhouse warm. There are also models available for people who live in apartments and have small balconies. No matter your budget or space, there is a greenhouse out there for you made with polycarbonate material. Polycarbonate greenhouses use toughened ‘unbreakable’ transparent plastic panels instead of glass. This type can be especially useful if you are worried about safety or have small children around often.
Growing cannabis in a greenhouse. Easy and effective cannabis growing
You don’t need a lot of money or space to set up your own cannabis greenhouse. In fact, more and people are doing it as a way save money in the long run. Whether you’re a first-time grower or someone with years of experience, setting up a greenhouse is within reach.
The more professional greenhouse grower will take care to introduce new, good quality soil/fertilizer each year and keep the greenhouse clean and tidy to minimise potential for pests and disease. Some growers use strategically placed fencing and shrubs to make the area inaccessible to unwanted visitors and invisible from prying eyes. Greenhouses are cheap; small low cost plastic ones can be bought for around a hundred euros. Even cheaper models are available that have plastic covers. Polycarbonate greenhouses come in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit anyone’s budget, and they can be found almost anywhere. Some modern polycarbonate greenhouses are even opaque for instant privacy and have lockable doors. Plus, investing in high-quality cannabis seeds from a reputable company is key to growing connoisseur-worthy Cannabis plants at home.