10 Top Tips for Producing Big Yields In Small Indoor Spaces
With energy prices on the rise and even more pressure on home growers to produce large yields, it can be a difficult and expensive time for a home grower. Knowing all the tricks and tips to grow large yields is important when the goal is to fill up as many jars and tubs as possible with your own personal smoke. In this article we provide 10 top tips on how to produce the biggest yields indoors in small spaces, covering air flow, cannabis boosters, big yielding strains and much more!
Top tip #1 - Sea of Green method
It does not matter if you are growing inside a converted wardrobe, a small attic space, or inside a small-sized grow tent with one light inside, filling the grow space is key. My personal favourite way of doing so is to use the Sea of Green method, which uses a high volume of smaller plants. The benefits associated with SOG are that you will have a tent full of buds, the vegetative growth time is reduced to 14–21 days, and the plant height remains around 80-120 cm tall.
Top tip #2 - Big yielding strains
You can only get so far with small-yielding strains, or plants that take so long to flower that it is not even worth it once the electric bill arrives. Big yielding strains will be one of the easiest ways to dramatically increase yields and production level. Not every strain will yield the same amount or flower in the same amount of time, so take the time to find which seed banks or breeders offer the largest yielding hybrids.
Top tip #3 - Good quality air flow
When cannabis plants do not have a good quality air flow around them, their growth and production ability will be somewhat limited. Good quality airflow simply means that there is an oscillating fan inside the grow space that keeps the air currents blowing around and makes the air inside feel fresh. How much air your extractor pulls out of the grow space will also be a reflection of the overall air quality and how much carbon dioxide the plants will have access to per hour.
Top tip #4 - A small vegetation room
If you have always planted seeds, grown them out, flowered them over a 12-week period, harvested them, and repeated the process, then a vegetation room will be a game changer for you. The benefits of having a separate area or room to start seedlings or clones inside while you are flowering your main tent will be the ability to rotate the crop, dramatically reducing harvesting time between crop cycles. You can use a low powered LED, CFL or 250w MH as a low budget scenario and keep plants growing slowly.
Top tip #5 - PK Boosters
Boosters specifically designed for increasing buds and flower production can make a massive difference to the final yield total. It is during this time that cannabis plants require much higher levels of Phosphorus and Potassium to encourage flower production. PK boosters will deliver the right balance of nutrients in liquid form and should be used from week 3 onwards until the final two weeks, when flushing your crop will enhance the final flavour and smoothness.
Top tip #6 - Top quality grow lights
Growing cannabis requires high intensity lighting, and a top quality grow light will make a world of difference when working in a small space. I would recommend LED grow lights, as they are highly efficient and provide the optimal spectrum for cannabis plants during the growth and blooming phases. Avoid cheap LED lights, and if you are opting for metal halide or high pressure sodium lights, then use at least 600 watts for the best results.
Top tip #7 - Beneficial microbes and fungi
This tip is for soil growers who love the idea of working with beneficial microorganisms and root inoculates. It is actually the microbes and fungi that eat the soil and in return provide easily digestible nutrients for the plants, so the goal is to keep the microbes and fungi happy with carbohydrate rich food, resulting in much bigger yields, faster nutrient uptake and availability, and a prolific root zone. A great tip is to make an aerated microbe and fungi tea and to feed your plants every 2–3 weeks to keep the root zone supercharged with beneficial microorganisms.
Top tip #8 -Black strap molasses
Black strap molasses are basically pure sugar, which means they are rich in carbohydrates. When mixing molasses with water and drenching the soil, the beneficial microbes and fungi are able to use the carbohydrates as a food source. Molasses are an excellent way to ensure the soil food web thrives and there's never a shortage of food for the beneficial microorganisms and the plant’s roots. Make sure that you only use a small amount of the molasses, always dissolve it properly in warm water, and stir well before adding to your water.
Top tip #9 - Fast flowering strains
As an indoor grower, the more harvests you can achieve in a full year, the better, and one way to significantly increase that is to use fast flowering strains. Many strains available on the market can flower within 49–56 days, giving an indoor grower a quick turnaround before their grow space is ready for the next round of plants. Combining the Sea of Green method with a fast flowering strain is a recipe for success and will also reduce electricity bills and nutrient usage.
Top tip #10 - Tying plants down
There are many different ways to train cannabis plants that can change the growth structure and shape during the vegetative stage. By tying plants down, you can increase the number of flowering sites and also allow more direct light to penetrate the canopy, as well as reduce the final height. Indoor spaces with limited height will greatly benefit from tying plants down, which will also result in a larger yield.
My conclusion
By taking the above tips on board, you will be able to keep a constant crop rotated, produce the biggest buds possible, and always have a room with buds drying out. Being as efficient as possible with your time, nutrients, electricity and crop rotation will pay off massively in the long run. Good luck hitting those record-breaking yields and never running short of top quality home-grown medicine.
S
Stoney.Tark
