MEGA Guide on Growing Weed In a Greenhouse

 

So, you’re considering a weed greenhouse but aren’t sure if it’s the right idea? You’re not alone, especially if you’re a beginner grower. While greenhouse growing is fun and rewarding, it requires a few skills. Journey with us as we tell you how to grow weed in a greenhouse.

 

A manual on growing greenhouse marijuana

Cultivating cannabis is a wonderful activity that can take place indoors, outdoors, or both: via a greenhouse. It doesn’t have to be huge; whatever size fits your needs, space, or budget. You’re going to need a few things. First, you need a greenhouse. Size and materials will depend on your budget and your space. There are many places online to purchase materials or a fully built greenhouse for weed.

 

Next, you'll need marijuana seeds. To harvest your favorite strain, check if it’s the right match for greenhouse growing.

You also need top-quality soil, the right equipment, and knowledge of greenhouse growing. These things become part of a long list that will expand as you become more familiar with greenhouse growing. 

Knowledge needed ranges from basic cultivation to understanding which are the best strains for a greenhouse. Growing this way is better suited to those with some experience.

Finally, there are many reasons people enjoy growing in a greenhouse, including the many benefits.

 

 

 

Benefits of growing cannabis in a greenhouse

Growing weed in a greenhouse has many benefits. Let’s look at some of them:

• Extend your growing cycle. You can extend the cultivation period into the fall and winter seasons. By adding more light on overcast days and heating for colder days.
• A microclimate for your weed. Growing weed in a greenhouse provides the perfect microclimate for growing cannabis. A greenhouse can sustain higher average temperatures.
• Cultivate year-round. In a greenhouse, you have complete control. The walls of the greenhouse lock humidity and heat inside: promoting year-round growth.
• Consistent harvests. Most commercial medicinal growers use greenhouses because of their reliability in producing consistently high yields and quality marijuana.
• Energy-efficient. Growing cannabis in a greenhouse is vastly more energy-efficient than growing indoors. That’s because a greenhouse uses natural lighting.
• Your plants are protected. The elements won’t harm your cannabis, so you can rest easy when a storm is brewing. It also protects marijuana from pests and diseases
• Inexpensive. Greenhouse grown weed is a cheaper form of cultivation. And it is more cost-effective to purchase/build one than to set up an indoor system.

  

Building or buying a greenhouse for weed

 

Deciding which route to go when growing in a greenhouse is essential. You can build or buy one. Buying one is convenient. It comes as a kit that you assemble yourself; however, even though it’s convenient, it’s more costly up-front.

Building a greenhouse takes skill and time. Choose suitable materials and learn how to assemble one. A little mistake like not sealing it properly can have dire consequences, like your plants freezing in winter.

 

The benefits of building a weed greenhouse

 

Building a weed greenhouse offers the benefit of being cheaper. This option requires a few key components:

• Choose the right location. Environmental and geographical factors play a role when building a greenhouse. For example, the materials used for one in Colorado may not be suitable in another location.
• Temperature control. Greenhouse heating and cooling systems must meet the needs and controls of each grow zone. On average, the temperature should be between 65–85° Fahrenheit.
• Control humidity. Design your greenhouse in a way that you can monitor air moisture levels. Dehumidifiers are an option, and you can use misting systems to create more humidity.
• Install proper ventilation. Adding vents on the roof, sidewalls, or installing rollup sides will work perfectly. You need a system that removes hot air from the greenhouse. Many growers like to use airflow fans.
• Install blackout curtains for the flowering stage. Make sure to cover the greenhouse well, including the entrance and vents.
• Make provisions to incorporate carbon dioxide into your greenhouse. Cannabis grown in a greenhouse thrive on CO2. Use liquid CO2 to boost plant growth.

 

 

 

An essential part of building a greenhouse for weed is using suitable materials.

 

• Pop-up greenhouse. This can be bought pre-built and often comes with a few shelves, a bare frame, and a cover. Perfect if you have limited space.
• Polytunnel greenhouse. Probably the most well-known type of greenhouse for growers. It’s in the shape of a tunnel and is often used by commercial cultivators. It offers lots of space and is easy to assemble.
• Lean-to greenhouse. The perfect greenhouse for cannabis growers with a small garden. A lean-to greenhouse is usually slanted and built against or onto an existing structure.
• Gable greenhouse. It can be built in any dimension and offers enough space to hold your equipment.

 

The types of materials you need depend on location, sunlight, and climate. If you want to start simple, there’s no need to spend a lot or go for top-shelf items. Some popular greenhouse coverings include polycarbonate, plastic, glass, and polyvinyl. For the frame, the materials you choose depend on the greenhouse you’re building. PVC piping is often used to build a polytunnel because of its flexibility. 

You want your greenhouse to last, so invest wisely in the frame materials. Greenhouse plans can be purchased online from various merchants, including a list of materials needed. Building a weed greenhouse is fun but not easy. If you aren’t thorough when building, your future grow could be a failure.

 

The benefits of buying a weed greenhouse

Buying a greenhouse is convenient but can be costly. It’s a good investment for cultivators who want a taste of greenhouse growing. Pre-built greenhouses come in many shapes and sizes. Some builds include Gothic, Arched, Tunnel, and Lean-to. It’s best to buy from a reputable company that understands your needs. Be clear about what you’re growing, your budget, and your space. Pre-built greenhouses come in various materials, and their price will range according to the materials they’re made from.

 

Growing marijuana in a greenhouse

 

Can you successfully grow weed in a greenhouse? Most certainly. Cultivating cannabis in a greenhouse has many perks, including higher quality and quantity yields. Generally, weed cultivation involves many variables that need to be kept in check. The same goes for growing marijuana in a greenhouse. It may seem slightly easier because of the control over the microclimate, but it’s not.

 

 

You need to understand the methods of cultivating indoors and outdoors and how to combine these for greenhouse growing. To successfully grow in a greenhouse, take note of the following:

• Picking the right strain. Choosing the right strain is essential; aim for feminized or autoflowering seeds.
• Plan your grow. Natural light is the primary source of energy for your ganja. Ideally, you want to be ready when temperatures start rising in spring. You don’t want to introduce your plants to the greenhouse when there’s a chance of frostbite.
• It’s best to germinate your seeds indoors. Use low-powered CFLs to help your seeds germinate before moving them to the greenhouse.
• Gradually introduce seedlings to the greenhouse. Let them get used to the environment for a few hours each week. This keeps their stress levels low to avoid any hiccups.
• Supplement their light. For overcast days, ensure you’ve installed the best lights for indoor cannabis in your greenhouse, so your plants stay healthy.
• Cover to force flowering. We’ve mentioned blackout curtains earlier. Use these to induce flowering and keep out any light pollution from outside sources.
• Keep an eye on the temperature. Temperatures fluctuate considerably; installing a thermometer in your greenhouse is an excellent way to keep track.
• Install a fan. Humidity in a greenhouse can cause your harvest to get moldy; installing a fan can prevent this.
• Figure out a watering system. Decide if you’ll water your plants or install a drip irrigation system manually.
• Keep your greenhouse clean. A dirty greenhouse attracts pests and disease; clean up and check for damages after each harvest.

 

Best strains for greenhouse growing

We’ve gone through the technical list; what’s truly important, however, is choosing the correct strain. As mentioned, the best options are autoflowering or feminized seeds.

Autoflower strains do well if you’re opting only to use natural sunlight. That’s because autoflower strains don’t require a set light schedule to switch to vegetation and flowering. They’re perfect for year-round growing as long as the conditions are right in the greenhouse. Since autos are smaller, they are perfect for growers with more miniature greenhouses.

Photo-feminized strains can grow in a greenhouse, but their cultivation is trickier. These strains rely on a set light schedule to flower, meaning their success depends on the seasons. This constraint can be overcome by adding artificial lighting and light-proofing to control development. Natural light can interfere with plants' growth if these precautions aren’t adhered to.

Growing marijuana in a greenhouse is rewarding if you know what you’re doing. Once you’ve set up your greenhouse, the next step is to choose suitable strains. Understanding which strains to grow in your greenhouse is critical for a successful harvest. Picking the right strain can be tricky, so we’ve provided you with some of our favorites:

 

Critical Mass Autoflower

 

This auto is a perfect indica, feminized strain. Flowering takes 56–63 days and yields a moderate THC level of 16–20%. Critical Mass Auto offers a relaxing high and is excellent for unwinding after a stressful day. Yields are high for this autoflower; expect 10–14 oz./m² indoors and 3.5 oz./plant outdoors. When puffing on this lovely strain, expect tastes and aromas of spice, wood, and pine.

 

Gorilla Glue #4 Feminized

 

This feminized strain is a genetic mix of Chem Sister, Sour Dubb, and Chocolate Diesel. A pretty hybrid that takes 8–9 weeks to flower. She makes up for this with high THC levels of 26–28%. Her CBD levels are low, at less than 2%. Gorilla Glue #4 has been touted by users to relieve pain, stress, insomnia, cramps, and migraines. Her yields are high, offering growers 16–19 oz./㎡ indoors and  21–22 oz./plant outside. One puff, and you’ll experience aromas and flavors of herbs, pine, chemical, sour, earth, and cheese. 

It’s an excellent strain for greenhouse growing because it’s feminized and safe to grow with others.

 

White Widow Autoflower

 

If you’re looking for an indica dominant strain, look no further than White Widow Autoflower. This strain is perfect for growing in a greenhouse and takes only 56–63 days to flower. White Widow has moderate THC levels between 16–20%. Expect a balanced, relaxing, physical, and cerebral high after a toke of this strain. This auto yields 11–16 oz./㎡ for indoor growers and around 3 oz./plant outdoors.

Finally, this strain offers users sweet, herbal, and citrus flavors and aromas that add to an ever sweeter high.

 

Blue Dream Feminized

 

Fans of Blueberry and Haze get ready for a perfect blend of these two genotypes. Blue Dream is a sativa dominant strain that takes 8–10 weeks to flower. THC levels are moderate at 16–20% and a low CBD level of less than 2%. She offers a balanced, euphoric, cerebral high and is a worthy strain to help get work done calmly. Expect high indoor yields of 14–21 oz./㎡ and the same per plant outdoors. If you already have a greenhouse outdoor grow setup, Blue Dream is ideal, especially if you want high yields from your greenhouse.

One toke of this, and you taste and smell hints of blueberry, berry, earth, sweet, tropical, and vanilla.

 

Jack Herer Autoflower

 

An indica/sativa dominant strain that takes 56–63 days to flower. Jack Herer Autoflower is not your guy if you’re looking for a high THC strain. This one offers a moderate 10–16% THC level. Although THC is moderate in this strain, the high you’ll experience is a euphoric and cerebral one.  It grows better indoors with yields of 12–14 oz./㎡ indoors and 3 oz./plant outdoors. The smoke you can expect is sweet and hazey.

 

A successful greenhouse grow is one step away

Greenhouse growing may not be everyone's cup of tea, but there’s no doubt in our minds that it’s a great way to grow marijuana. We strongly suggest building a greenhouse if you're able to. The results are rewarding when you watch your plants flourish in something you built. Keep your region and climate in mind when purchasing materials or a greenhouse. There will be a few extras to add, but it’s still cheaper than growing indoors.

So, should you consider growing cannabis in a greenhouse? Absolutely. Your plants will experience a plethora of benefits. 

The convenience of having an outdoor experience indoors is enough of a reason to build a greenhouse. Check out other indoor seeds perfect for beginner greenhouse growers.