Many home growers cultivate cannabis for the flavor and effect and an increase in yield is always a bonus. These tips will help beginning growers produce the most significant yields indoors.
Photo: Stoney Tark
High-Yielding Genetics
A great place to start is to work with high-yielding cultivars. Many seed banks offer large producers, and you will always have a better chance of chopping down big flowers by starting with the right genetics. Many breeders also offer high-yielding varieties that are ready to harvest in less than nine weeks.
Plant Training
Applying plant training techniques is one of the easiest ways to really take yields to the next level. These techniques do not cost anything and make a massive difference. I recommend completing all plant training during the vegetative stage and pruning from the top node downwards one week before inducing flower production.
Sea of Green Setups
Sea of Green (SOG) setups keep the vegetative period short and allow you to grow a high volume of smaller plants. The turnaround time is much faster than the typical 6-week veg and 8-week flower regime, resulting in lower electricity bills, fewer nutrient requirements, and more harvests per year.
Large-Sized Pots
When growing in soil, the bigger the pots, the larger the root mass will be. If you have the patience and can grow a plant in a large pot (13 gallons or more), you will have no problems producing a large yield. The only downside to using large pots is that you will need to vegetate your plants for at least eight weeks to make it worthwhile.
Hydroponic Systems
New growers should start in soil with organic nutrients and challenge themselves with hydroponics after they gain more experience. There are a few easy-to-use hydro systems that can be placed in small grow spaces. If you want to make the most of your grow room, consider a single deep water culture (DWC) bucket or a small nutrient film technique (NFT) table.
Photo: Stoney Tark
Light Intensity and Penetration
Cannabis plants require a specific level of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) light to photosynthesize. In some cases, an increase in light intensity can make a massive difference to how much a plant can bulk up and yield. Buy a light meter, measure the PAR your grow light produces, and check the readings at different levels in the grow space.
Nutrients and Boosters
Whether you use soil or hydroponic systems, ensuring plants have the optimal levels of primary and secondary nutrients, as well as trace elements, will help them produce the biggest flowers possible. If you are not sure how strong or weak your nutrient solution is, buy a digital electric conductivity (EC) pen and follow the nutrient company’s recommended dosage.
Monitor the Root Zone
Roots tell you what you need to know about plant health, and they should be frequently monitored. A well-established, prolific root zone allows plants to maximize nutrient uptake, especially when growing with organic microbial inoculants. Producing your own organic, aerated teas supercharges the organic growing medium.
Screen of Green
Using a screen to train your plants improves canopy spread and light penetration, and is one easy way to increase yields. You will need to create a frame around the plant, which is inexpensive and easy to install. MSNL explains how ScrOGs can be implemented cheaply, easily, and quickly in almost any cannabis cultivation setting.
Take Your Indoor Garden Further
If you want structured guidance beyond trial and error, Oaksterdam’s Home Grow course walks you through setting up and running a productive indoor garden from seed to harvest. When you’re ready to turn that experience into job-ready skills, the Live Commercial Horticulture Worker program adds live instruction, hands-on learning, and the practical training you need to step into a professional grow with confidence.
Use code “tark10” at checkout to save 10% on your enrollment in either course.