The age-old debate among cannabis connoisseurs over which hemp flower is better, indoor or outdoor, continues. Ultimately, the answer to this ancient quarrel is subjective in nature. Today, however, we offer you the opportunity to decide once and for all which flower has the power.
As they say, the proof is in the pudding. The true test of hemp flower isn’t decided by whether it was cultivated indoors or under the sun, but by its ultimate character, properties, and effect.
The Hemp Flower Thought Experiment
So what are the criteria exactly for top-shelf hemp flower and which growing method produces the best of the best?
Typically, this is where the debate descends into factors such as CBD potency and terpene profile. But the truth is that both indoor and outdoor cultivars produce potency and aromatics that are extraordinary. There is a lot of nuance in that argument. Regardless of the indoor or outdoor aspect, critical factors such as soil health, airflow, and spacing have a huge impact on quality, potency, and terpene profile outcomes.
So, we’re going to make a fun little thought experiment to help us figure this out.
Let’s assume one master grower cultivates just a few hemp plants for flower, and for the sake of argument let’s say our grower is the best at what he or she does on the planet. The grower cultivates four hemp plants inside and four outside that are identical. Both of the grows have identical genetics, soil health, are fed identical nutrients, and so on until all variables are controlled for except for being outside or inside.
Which plants do you think will produce the best hemp flower, the indoor or outdoor ones?
Indoor vs. Outdoor Hemp Flower Quality
Cultivating hemp indoors requires a lot of inputs and costs. Growers essentially have to control every aspect of the indoor environment to optimize growth and chemical synthesis.
An indoor hemp flower crop is easily compromised if all the inputs aren’t calibrated and functioning properly. If all is running smoothly, however, indoor growers have the potential to produce some of the best strains on the planet.
Growing hemp flower outdoors is another ballgame altogether. While there are fewer variables to control, being outside also means there are fewer variables that are under the farmer’s control.
Outdoor cultivators have to keep a watchful eye on weather such as wind, rain, heat, and cold. Note that there’s not much you can do about it if it’s too hot or humid outside.
If it’s not the weather there are always risks of mold and pests that can easily destroy an entire hemp flower crop.
So how do we truly decide once and for all which environment produces the best hemp flower? How about a little anecdotal example to help us get through this thought experiment?
Hemp Flower Clones
Imagine you were born inside, which you probably were. Imagine you spent your infancy only indoors and never went outside. Your entire life is spent under artificial lights in a room without windows with everything you need to be supplied to you.
Now, imagine you have a clone. Yes, another you, just go along with this. Your clone, however, was born outside and lived his or her entire life outdoors under the sun, moon, and stars, never knowing what it’s like to live inside.
The outdoor clone is well taken care of and also supplied everything needed to thrive. Remember, you are clones and everything is the same about you except being inside or outside.
How would your outdoor clone be different than the indoor you?
The outdoor clone might be a little more robust and tough from adapting to strong winds and the harsh sun. Not being limited to a container, the outdoor clone might have deeper roots, allowing it to grow bigger and stronger.
Does any of this give outdoor hemp flower an ultimate advantage of indoor? That’s hard to say, really, which is why the debate rages on. The skill of the grower, quality of genetics, and growing methods all play a crucial role in the outcome of any hemp flower – regardless of the environment.
Perhaps, though, there is one aspect of quality that the outdoor hemp flower possesses that the indoor flower does not. What could it be? It’s vital life force!
Vital Life Force of Hemp
Plants are alive, right? Indoors, hemp is given a life of luxury and ease. Outdoors, hemp plants face adversity forcing them to stand tall in the wind, shift towards the sun, and reach their roots further into the soil for nutrients.
This gives them an extra character in their ultimate essence, vitality, and life force. That life force essence stays within the hemp flower after harvest and throughout the curing process.
This is where we can test the true quality and character of the vitality between indoor and outdoor hemp flowers.
Once cured and dried, an indoor flower loses its life force exponentially faster than an outdoor flower. Of course, this assumes that both flowers are of the same quality and that they were processed in exactly the same way.
Set an indoor hemp nug next to an outdoor nug on a table exposed to the air and light. Both will eventually lose their potency, color, and aroma from exposure to the elements.
The outdoor hemp flower will stay fresher and retain more aromatic terpenes longer than the indoor bud. The indoor will begin to turn brown and crispy days, maybe weeks before the outdoor nug begins to lose its vitality.
This is because outdoor has more life force! It received its life energy directly from the sun, moon, stars, and earth and was strengthened through adversity.
Vote with a Comment
There’s no doubt that indoor hemp flower cultivators produce super heady buds rich in flavor and potency. But will it still be as “super-duper” after a week or two in your stash jar?
What do you think? Is outdoor the ultimate winner of this battle, or is does indoor have the upper hand when it comes to quality control?
Let us know in the comments section below, we’d love to hear from you and thanks for reading! If you’ve enjoyed this article please share it on social media with friends that you think would like to join in on the debate.
