Greenhouse vs Indoor Grown THCA Flower
Greenhouse-grown THCA flower is presented as a more-affordable option that offers nearly the same level of quality as indoor-grown bud. How does greenhouse THCA cannabis compare to indoor-grown weed in the categories of potency, quality, and safety, however? Is greenhouse-grown flower just as tasty as the indoor-grown equivalent? We’ll answer all these questions and more in this in-depth guide comparing indoor-grown and greenhouse-grown THCA weed.
What is THCA?
Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) is the chemical precursor to delta-9 THC. Featuring a unique chemical structure, THCA is regulated separately from THC. Combined with statements from the DEA, the 2018 Farm Bill indicates that THCA is industrial hemp, not marijuana. As a result, products containing this cannabinoid — which offers the same effects as THC when used with a method involving the application of heat — have recently become quite popular online.
What is THCA flower?
THCA flower is cannabis flower containing high concentrations of THCA and low concentrations of THC. In most ways, THCA flower is identical to the type of THC flower you can buy at medical and adult-use dispensaries.
The only difference is that THCA flower must be bred to contain less than 0.3% THC to remain compliant with federal law. Conventional THC flower contains mostly THCA prior to being smoked or otherwise heated, but it also contains around 3-6% converted THC, much higher than the federal limit established by the 2018 Farm Bill.
Unlike the case with CBD flower, in which cannabis is bred to contain another cannabinoid entirely, THCA flower contains all the same cannabinoids as THC flower in roughly the same ratios. By keeping the converted THC concentration under 0.3%, THCA flower is treated the same as CBD flower for the purposes of online sales.
What is greenhouse-grown THCA flower?
THCA flower can be grown in a variety of ways, greenhouse cultivation being one popular approach. When growing THCA flower in a greenhouse, the goal is to provide cover from the elements with some sort of translucent barrier material that allows light through but traps heat and blocks wind.
Greenhouses can be constructed using a variety of different materials, and they can range from the very rudimentary to highly complex, offering nearly indoor-level environmental control. Put simply, greenhouse-grown THCA flower is higher-quality than outdoor-grown THCA flower but lower-quality than indoor-grown buds.
What is indoor-grown THCA flower?
Considered to be the gold standard of cannabis cultivation, growing THCA buds indoors provides complete protection from the elements along with total control over lighting penetration and light cycles. While costlier to the producer, growing cannabis indoors provides unparalleled levels of quality control, resulting in the best THCA buds you can buy online or anywhere else.
Some experts contend that greenhouse-grown weed offers nearly the same level of quality at a much-lower energy cost. It’s a fact, though, that even the best greenhouse cannabis will never achieve the same level of quality as indoor-grown THCA weed.
Greenhouse-grown THCA flower vs indoor-grown THCA flower
Now that we have a basic idea of the attributes of each type of cannabis flower, it’s time to compare greenhouse THCA weed and indoor-grown THCA flower side by side:
Quality
There’s no denying that the quality of indoor-grown cannabis is a tier higher than that of greenhouse-grown THCA weed. The quality gap between these two types of cannabis flower is much smaller, though, than the gap between indoor-grown and outdoor-grown THCA buds. Some would contend that greenhouse-grown cannabis is actually the same quality as the indoor-grown equivalent, but it’s a fact that more-comprehensive environmental controls result in better buds.
Potency
The potency of greenhouse-grown THCA flower is usually somewhat lower than that of indoor-grown buds, but not by very wide margin. The highest level of potency achievable in greenhouse-grown flower is around 20% THCA, for instance, while you might be able to get 25% THCA or higher out of indoor-grown cannabis. The potency difference between the two categories of cannabis is not particularly wide, however.
Aroma
In the realm of aroma and flavor, it’s undeniable that indoor-grown THCA flower tastes and smells better than the greenhouse-grown equivalent. Cannabis grown in greenhouses is at least partially protected from the elements, however, resulting in greater expression of terpene-rich trichome oil sacs than is found in the outdoor-grown equivalent. Indoor-grown weed will taste the best, but even connoisseurs won’t notice much of a step down with greenhouse-grown THCA.
Safety
There shouldn’t be any relevant safety difference between greenhouse-grown and indoor THCA flower since both types of cannabis are grown in climate-controlled conditions. With outdoor-grown flower, cross-contamination from neighboring fields can be an issue.
If a cannabis producer takes the effort to grow its THCA buds inside or in a greenhouse, they are also most likely savvy enough to avoid introducing any contaminants during the harvesting and curing process. Indoor-grown cannabis might technically be the safer option, but the safety of greenhouse-grown THCA flower is nearly the same.
Price
Greenhouse-grown THCA flower is usually offered at a significantly lower price than indoor-grown cannabis because it costs quite a bit less to grow cannabis in a greenhouse compared to full-indoor cultivation. In this way, greenhouse-grown THCA has the clear advantage over indoor-grown THCA flower, which offers an even-higher caliber of quality but at an increased cost. If you want to save on weed, choose greenhouse THCA flower, but if you want the highest level of quality possible, go with indoor THCA cannabis.
Should I smoke indoor-grown or greenhouse THCA flower?
With all the differences between indoor-grown and greenhouse THCA flower in mind, which option should you choose when it’s time to select the buds you want to smoke? If you’ve never tried either kind of THCA cannabis before, our first suggestion is to buy a little bit of each for comparison purposes.
If you’re the type of person who just cares about getting high and doesn’t usually pay attention to the flavor or particular qualities of a strain, greenhouse THCA flower could be the best option. For those who love the process of getting to know a strain and want to experience every last terpene, though, the enhanced quality offered by indoor THCA flower will have greater allure.
The third option: Outdoor-grown THCA flower
Before we finish out, it’s important to officially acknowledge that greenhouse-grown and indoor-grown THCA flower are not the only two options for you to choose from. You can also smoke THCA cannabis that was grown outdoors without any protection from the elements at all, but there are some significant disadvantages to smoking outdoor-grown flower.
In addition to the problem of pesticide cross-contamination we discussed earlier, outdoor THCA buds also taste considerably worse than both greenhouse and indoor weed. A large portion of the trichome oil sacs in the buds of outdoor plants burst prior to harvest, reducing potency and considerably damaging the flavor of the weed.
Summary: Indoor vs. greenhouse THCA flower
In the end, it’s very difficult to say whether indoor or greenhouse-grown THCA flower is objectively better. The taste and potency of indoor THCA weed can’t be beat, after all, but greenhouse THCA flower compensates with its considerably lower price point.
Our suggestion is that in situations where you are buying lots of weed to roll into joints or smoke at a party, go with greenhouse-grown THCA flower. When you want to bask in the benefits of cannabis and get to know a strain deeply, though, choose indoor-grown THCA weed.
It’s worth saying again that you won’t know how these two types of cannabis truly stack up until you try both greenhouse and indoor THCA weed for yourself. Give both types of THCA cannabis a shot to find out which one you’ll like smoking the most in the long term.
Greenhouse vs indoor THCA flower FAQ
Learn more about the differences and similarities between greenhouse and indoor-grown THCA flower in the FAQ section below:
1. Can you buy greenhouse THCA flower online?
Yes, you can buy greenhouse THCA flower online due to the 2018 Farm Bill. The best provider of greenhouse-grown THCA flower on the internet is Secret Nature with excellent strains to choose from like Cherry Cough, Gorilla Cream, and Gelato. Secret Nature greenhouse-grown THCA flower ships to all 50 states and comes with third-party lab reports.
2. Can you buy indoor THCA flower online?
Yes, indoor-grown THCA flower is also available online due to new interpretations of United States industrial hemp law. The premier provider of indoor hemp flower online since 2017, Secret Nature can be trusted to supply the best indoor THCA flower available on the internet or anywhere else.
3. Is greenhouse-grown considered “indoor?”
No, greenhouse-grown cannabis is usually not considered to be in exactly the same category as indoor flower, but it’s closer to indoor quality than outdoor-grown buds. Technically, greenhouse-grown weed is grown under a roof, which might lead some to call it “indoor-grown.” Greenhouses are not airtight, however, and they experience significant fluctuations in temperature based on environmental conditions.
4. Indoor vs. outdoor trichomes, which type of flower has more?
Between the two, indoor-grown flower certainly contains higher concentrations of trichomes than outdoor-grown buds. That’s because indoor-grown cannabis is sheltered and protected throughout its maturation process, something that cannot be said for outdoor buds, which are exposed to the forces of nature. Wind, rain, and other elemental forces have the ability to burst the delicate “skin” of trichome oil sacs, resulting in outdoor-grown flower containing fewer intact trichomes than the indoor-grown equivalent.
5. Is greenhouse-grown THCA flower lab-tested?
Yes, THCA flower should be tested by an independent lab whether it’s grown in a greenhouse or anywhere else. Independent lab tests are the best tools at your disposal as a consumer trying to figure out if a THCA flower product you’re considering is high-quality and high-potency. Make sure to review the specific lab reports for the batch of flower you’re considering purchasing.
6. What is the best greenhouse-grown THCA flower?
Often containing more than 20% total cannabinoids and offering looks and aroma usually only found in indoor weed, Secret Nature greenhouse-grown THCA flower is the highest-quality and most-affordable greenhouse THCA weed you can buy online. Secret Nature greenhouse THCA flower will make you rethink greenhouse weed — you might even mistake these buds for indoor cannabis.
7. What is the best indoor THCA flower you can buy online?
Secret Nature consistently takes first prize with its top-tier, artisan-quality indoor cannabis strains. Recently expanding into the realm of THCA flower, Secret Nature has already produced some of the most beautiful and potent strains to ever contain high concentrations of THCA and less than 0.3% THC.
