What Is Indoor-Grown CBD Flower and Why Does It Matter?
When it comes to CBD, there’s no one-size-fits-all. Across the market, there are all sorts of factors that can determine how effective a particular product might be for you – from the strain of hemp used, to the cultivation methods, to how the CBD is extracted and processed.
One of the variables that we wanted to talk about in this instance is the way in which CBD flowers are grown – specifically, the difference between indoor and outdoor CBD flower growth.
While something like this might seem like a small detail, on the contrary, it can have a big impact on the final product’s quality and consistency, making it a key factor to look into if you’re a first-time user looking for particular effects or benefits.
Indoor-Grown CBD Flower
So let’s start by looking at what it means to grow CBD flowers indoors. For those unfamiliar with the process, the products available in our CBD flower shop have been cultivated in a controlled environment, such as a greenhouse or indoor growth facility.
This setup allows growers to carefully regulate factors like light, temperature, humidity, and airflow – all of which can significantly influence the plant’s development and cannabinoid profile.
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Light
Light is one of the most crucial factors when it comes to growing indoor CBD flowers. Different types of grow lights, for instance, provide varying light spectrums, all of which have the ability to control flower development and influence CBD levels.
To give an example, if a grower were to use full-spectrum LED lights that mimic natural sunlight, this would produce a more balanced cannabinoid and terpene profile, which contributes not only to the potency but also the aroma and flavour profile of CBD flower. On the other hand, if a grower were to use an HPS light, it would emit a warmer, more intense light, mostly in the red and orange spectrum, meaning denser bud growth but a less diverse terpene profile.
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Temperature
Temperature is also important, as it directly affects the plant’s metabolism, growth rate, and the development of terpenes and cannabinoids. When hemp is grown indoors, growers can maintain an ideal temperature range – ideally around 21 to 29 degrees – during the day and slightly cooler at night.
This consistency then reduces plant stress and helps encourage optimal bud formation, which is particularly important for ensuring flowers reach their full cannabinoid potential. If temperatures are kept too high for too long, of course, it can quickly lead to heat stress, causing the plant to wilt and ultimately reducing resin production, which negatively impacts CBD concentration and quality.
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Humidity
In the same vein, too much moisture in the air can lead to mould and bud rot, especially in dense, resin-rich flowers that retain water more easily. On the flip side, if the air is too dry, the plants can become dehydrated, leading to stunted growth and a reduced production of essential oils, which are responsible for both the potential therapeutic properties and the distinctive aroma that CBD flowers are known for.
That’s why indoor growers pay close attention to relative humidity, adjusting it along with the temperature throughout the plant’s life cycle. During the vegetative stage, for instance, slightly higher humidity levels are needed to support leaf expansion and nutrient uptake. In the flowering stage, however, humidity is lowered to prevent moisture buildup and to encourage more resin – and therefore more CBD – in the buds.
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Airflow
Lastly, indoor CBD flowers are highly dependent on proper airglow. Growers typically use a combination of oscillating fans and ventilation systems to keep the air moving throughout the room, not only mimicking the natural breeze plants would experience outdoors but ensuring that temperature and humidity stay uniform across the entire crop.
Proper airflow also plays a role in terpene retention. If the environment in which the CBD flowers are growing is poorly ventilated, this can cause heat and humidity to build up around the buds, degrading delicate aromatic compounds and reducing the flower’s overall quality. But through a balanced airflow, cultivators can preserve both the potency and the flavours that define high-end indoor CBD flowers, ensuring the benefits of growing them indoors are fully met.
Indoor vs Outdoor CBD Flower
With this in mind, let’s move on to those benefits. For users of CBD flower, indoor-grown plants often contain higher and more consistent levels of cannabinoids, including CBD itself. This means that the therapeutic effects are generally stronger, and you can get a more predictable experience from batch to batch.
As we mentioned previously, controlled environments also preserve delicate terpenes – the compounds responsible for scent and taste – so the experience of actually taking CBD can be a little more full. That’s not to say you won’t be able to get the flavour of an outdoor-grown plant – on the contrary, some outdoor CBD flowers are known for developing uniquely rich and earthy terpene profiles. But the indoor conditions are more predictable, which means you’ll have more consistency in the flowers you’re buying.
This becomes especially important if you’re using CBD flower for a particular benefit, of which there are potentially many. Let’s say you’re trying to manage anxiety or help with sleep, and you’ve found that CBD can be beneficial in achieving it. If this is the case, earthy and rich tones aren’t really what you’re looking for – you’re looking for consistent, reliable effects that you can count on each time. Indoor-grown CBD can provide that consistency, making it easier to find the right strain and dosage for your specific needs without the guesswork.
On the other hand, let’s say you’re looking for a CBD flower that can both help manage mild back pain and provide a more natural, robust flavour experience. In this case, outdoor-grown CBD flowers might be the answer, not just because natural sunlight develops a richer and more complex terpene profile, but because outdoor cultivation encourages the plant to express more of its natural characteristics.
But really, the same effects can be achieved with indoor CBD flower – and, again, with far more consistency. This is why so many users prefer indoor options, and why we offer a carefully curated selection of indoor-grown CBD flowers, helping to deliver reliable cannabinoid levels and terpene profiles that make the shopping process as easy as possible.