Plant Yields, Seeds & More

Hey there Nico, I just read “How to Grow Just One Pot Plant in Your Home” and I have a few follow-up questions:

1. Approximately, how many ounces [per growing cycle] can I expect one marijuana plant to produce?

2. Would you recommend buying the seed and, if so, from what source [I live in Arizona]?

3. I desire a very high sativa result.  Can you suggest the best variety of seed?

Thanks for the help!
– William B. via NicosNuggets@hightimes.com

Hello, William. I am so glad that you find our site engaging and that you feel confident enough to write in with some follow-up questions. I am happy to oblige!

Your first question is actually quite tricky. There is no real way to know how much yield to expect from one single plant, as there are so many factors that go into a plant’s development and production. Of course, the size of your plant is one aspect that factors greatly into estimating its production. And there are a whole host of factors that will determine its size!

For indoor growers, there is a general rule of thumb that many growers subscribe to and it is in regards to lighting – or more specifically, your wattage. On average, assuming no problems and everything going according to plan, you can expect approximately .5 grams (one-half gram) per watt of light. Of course, this can vary greatly depending on other grow conditions, plant size and genetic stock. Some growers get less than the .5 gram/ watt while others claim to get two grams/watt!

_{Container boxes like this one allow for larger plants and yields.}

As far as plant size goes, there is another rule that my colleague Danny Danko often preaches: More root, more fruit! Simply put, your plant can only get as big as your root system will allow for. The bigger the root structure, the bigger the plant. This leads directly to container size – bigger plant containers will lead to bigger root zones and thus bigger plants and larger yields.

However, all this is meaningless if your garden conditions go sour. For instance, if your garden temps are routinely too hot (say ,over 85 F) or routinely have very low humidity (under 25 percent, for example) these problems could severely affect your yield.

As far as seeds go, I always recommend growing from seed whenever possible. Of course, there are a slew of issues here as well. How do you know the seed is what you want, or what the seller claims them to be? How do you buy seeds? What strains are best?

These questions and more are often asked by growers and the answers are not easy to come by. The best way to buy seeds is directly from a breeder. Unless you live in a medical or legal state in the U.S., the only way to do this is online or by traveling far and away. Forums and seed store websites can be hit or miss. And shipping is always a concern, especially if it is international. In the past, growers had to trek to Canada or Europe in order to procure seeds from reputable seed banks. Now, however, this is a bit easier for Americans as one can travel to California, Colorado, Washington and so on, to purchase seeds from dispensaries directly.

In terms of strains, the most popular strains are always listed and written about in High Times or on HighTimes.com, especially after a Cannabis Cup when the coverage of the competition’s winners is at its peak. Luckily, we have between five and seven Cannabis Cup competitions per year, all around the world, so the best strains are being constantly found, analyzed and covered. As far as top sativas, keep an eye out for Haze varieties and sativa-dominant hybrids such as Strawberry Cough and Blue Dream. If you want to go pure sativa, this will be harder to come by, but look for a Durban Poison, Nigerian, or pure Mexican. And remember these strains will grow taller, require more space and will likely flower for much longer than their indica counterparts – somewhere on par with 10 to 12 weeks… But the wait will be worth it!

Thanks for reading everyone and remember: Grow… And help the world grow, too!

Got questions? Email ‘em over to Nico at NicosNuggets@hightimes.com and be sure to put “Nico’s Nuggets” in the subject line!