Found this old thread, decided to resurrect it and try to make a point.
I used to grow hydroponic weed with HPS and LED lights. It was a modest but very successful clandestine operation.
Anyway, I was certain that only indoor weed could produce the extreme THC content, mainly because I believed it's essential to keep the temperature in the low 70's to maximize terpenes.
Well, I now see that I was dead wrong, and the entire industry is about to be shaken up.
Red Dirt Sungrown grows 30+ strains in greenhouses and sells it for $45/oz ($52 with tax). They're a successful nursery business (many years of managing greenhouse operations) that started growing recreational weed in 2018. Like many Oklahoma growers, they have a huge operation with 50 acres of enclosed greenhouse space.
Oklahoma’s Oldest and Largest Commercial Greenhouse is now Oklahoma’s largest licensed grower of Medical Marijuana. Try Red Dirt Sungrown.
www.reddirtsungrown.com
Guess what? The intense sunshine apparently adds more flavor (and entourage intensity) than the high heat takes away.
It stands to reason when you think about it. Imagine Acapulco gold growing somewhere outside Acapulco. Arguably it has the most memorable flavor of all, but think of any premium old school fertilized strain you like. Then imagine the same plant, in the exact same conditions, except unfertilized. Wouldn't it have to be better than standard fertilized gold? Absolutely, it is, and for 25-50% of the cost of indoor weed.
Do a side by side blind taste test and I believe most people will be shocked by the extreme pungent smell and powerful punch from professionally grown greenhouse weed. Even if they aren't sure which is actually better, everyone will choose the one that costs 75% less. I'm finding that, for whatever reason, no matter which strain you choose, it has a much better entourage effect. The real kicker is that it's just better IMO, so I'm reaching for it much less often. My consumption rate decreased immediately when I first tried it. I've been monitoring my consumption rate for over 50 years, so it's obvious to me that it's better.
Bought this stuff called Sherbet Cookies yesterday for $51/oz out the door. It's a sativa hybrid with 24.18% THC, 2.13% terpenes that works very well in my portable flower vaporizer (the notorious io) with amazing sweet terpenes and abundant vapor at each temperature setting.
In theory, indoor growers; 1. take great care to select the ideal strain, then they 2. do everything required for 100% optimal growth, then they 3. harvest properly and at the right time, 4. handle it correctly (i.e. cure, store, get it to market when ready, etc.). Greenhouse growers do exactly these same things for less than half of the cost, maybe only 25% of the cost in some cases. The only differences; with indoor weed you get artificial lights, much lower temperature and a shortened season, with greenhouse weed you get the most intense direct sunlight imaginable, high heat and a natural full growing season.
Have tried 4 of their strains thus far. All were exceptional. I'll never pay 3x a much for indoor weed again.
It's unfortunate that so many determined and dedicated growers have invested huge sums (their life savings?) in unsustainable climate controlled lab-like indoor facilities, when it turns out that nature grows better weed. Get ready. Sooner or later, one way or another, most of us will happily switch back to sun grown weed if offered at the actual lower price.
BTW, Red Dirt offers the Acapulco Gold strain but it was sold out, of course.
Sorry I typed so much. I'm freshly convinced that indoor weed is unsustainable (by some estimates it requires 70x the electricity per pound produced), with a similar strength, and costs 3x what properly grown greenhouse weed costs. Big changes coming down the pike.
