I am trying to compare my results which I have by yield by plant, to what seed banks list as max yield. They would list say 800 grams per square meter and all I have are actual yield numbers by each plant. If I just do a straight compare I seem to have about 1/10 of the expected yield so I am trying to reconcile the two. Any help understanding how they arrive at their figures can really help me better project expected performance. Thanks in advance for any help on this!
5 Likes
Present day marketing? Most of those estimates would be on the upper end of yields possible. Average grower, not so much. Environment is everything.
9 Likes
Yeaā¦ they like to fudge numbers to get people to buyā¦
Iāve never seen one plant yield 28oz everā¦most definitely not indoors
6 Likes
Most yields are totally dependent on the grower, not what the bank tells you. Even with autos. Training, lighting, feeding etc all play a big role in yields so not even sure how to approach this topic. This is why I stopped weighing my harvest some time ago.
12 Likes
I am trying to figure this out because I live in Missouri in the US and we have just voted in recreational use here. As part of that legislation a new type of cultivation license became available called a micro license. I have been wanting/planning to go commercial and these changes to the law make it much more possible. Still going commercial means writing a business plan and projecting yield becomes a critical part of that plan. We have a limitation on this type of license being limited to 250 plants and I am planning on growing that many in a hydroponic set up. I plan to do this in a leased warehouse of approximately 10,000 sf somewhere but I donāt have that located yet. As you can see there is some significant investment required and I am a little guy wanting to play in a big market so I need to be able to sell the idea to others.
3 Likes
Ha, this last summer I over planted because it can be a harsh environment outside here on a normal dry year, and I also let some volunteer seedlings do their thing.
Then we got, really intense hot mornings with afternoon storms/rain (no hail this year after the first one) and the plants blew up. I harvested 10 lbs. for the first time in my life. Ironically, I broke my leg at the end of August and had to harvest everything alone on my crutches and it sucked, lol. Also, you gotta be careful for what you wish for outside. That was a lot of trimming for me, all alone, and my curing suffered as well. Itās really dry here, humidity wise, and planning is key for top shelf product. I need to create a room for curing that will incorporate a small humidifier. Itās a lot of work for one person, though. Iām gonna go back to a smaller, better quality finished product.
But, I canāt lieā¦ itās hard to not let a pot plant fully express itself outside. I love seeing them get so large. 
6 Likes
I agree with everyone else itās not necessarily a realistic number. I have generally found though with at least within the same breeder you can at least use it to distinguish a high yielding strain from a low yielding one. Thatās about it
3 Likes
Donāt believe anything they tell you. Theyāre just trying to sell you something. Donāt go off their yield size, THC %, flower timeā¦
2 Likes
16 plant sog under 1000w hid with CO2 and add 20% when they talk about yeilds itās always per m2 under 1000w not per plant.
5 Likes
Thank you! That is very helpful!
1 Like
Just to be clearā¦you have grown cannabis plants before, right?
7 Likes
Scaling up in size tends to be more complicated than people think. Your yield is one part of it
Space for vege resources
Space resources for flower
Drying space
Trimming/ processing space
Labor costs
Product testing costs
What are you capable of doing yourself?
What are you going to need to have others do?
Couple things to think about
7 Likes
In this day 'n time, DONāT forget Security!!! SS/BWā¦mister 
5 Likes
There are too many variables in determining yields : cultivator, growing methods, light. medium, nutrients AND genetics are just a few ,not counting enviroment. Again most of breeders strains when growen are growing under āperfectā conditions with seasoned cultivators - have seen $15.00 up for seeds> this is to add what @Emeraldgreen mentioned
I have been growing under a cultivation license since medical marijuana became legal in this state so I have a few years experience. I have been growing in soil and I donāt have any personal experience with hydroponics yet but am doing the research now. To date the largest yield I have had from a single plant is 76.4 grams. That is fully trimmed and cured bud and the strain of that plant was 420 Carat from Amsterdam Marijuana Seeds.
1 Like
Use half the estimated numbers and you should be close.
So you have never grown in Hydro but plan to lease a 10,000 square foot building to do a 250 plant Hydro grow. I donāt want to sound negative here but that sounds like a bad plan. Folks work years dialing in hydroponic systems and learning how to grow properly with them. My best advise is hire a consultant with a proven track record. Even that is nowhere near a guarantee but would be a start. Best of luck with your venture.
8 Likes
Dude your spot Fing on . Full on hydro is not a set n forget system . Ran dro for a couple decades. Took many many fails and shit grows to get dialed in . Dialed in dro produces very well , and good product too . If done well .
In that scale you talking about 1000ās of gallons , huge tanks, filters, pumps , timers , mixers, feed n drain pipes. EVERY one of those gotta be nailed or your spinning your wheels .
My biggest setup was 8 8 site water farms . While working a full time job . Was very productive , but it can become a nightmare . Running perfectly smooth , it is so time consuming just doing water n nute changes , between fixing leaks and broken pumps. When something goes wrong in full dro , the issue explodes QUICKLY and effects the entire crop . I got sick of it and the work involved , so I stopped dro around 2000 .
I went to Colorado , bought a high buck tour and went to ALL the grows. Met the growers , got full tours by the workers , and saw what happens in THE MONEY GRAB. It is not about the plant at that level , not ONE BIT . Itās about $$$& Yields n time n costs, thatās it .
Everyone was the same . Saw 11 , all 11 the same . All told me running organic, lmao, while walking by 50 gallon drums of 3 Part GH nutes in plain wrapper. Lol!! All STUNK of the NASTY NUTES, I KNOW that smell too well , ran it myself for ages. All had the unmistakable smell of high humidity and pest spray. Some the peppermint smell , most the smell of foliar sprayed mite sauce .
They all ran SOG , plants Jammed , mostly flood n drain tables with rock wool cubes . Plants ran 8 weeks no matter the strain .
Plants were straight up poles , big fat top buds , no training . Ppm levels were off the scale , all the plants were pushed hard to their limits . It showed , Not unhappy plants, but not what I would call a great plant .
All 20 stains looked the same . All were grown the same .
Not growers fault but the way the bud is handled after leaving is sad.
EVERY sample I bought , and was over 1000 dollars worth of 1/8 z bags , was bone dry , round 40 percent when placed in bag with meter . All hard as shit , they all push pgr bullshit looking for hard buds n weight , had 15 percent of its should have smell , and all tasted. Of synthetic nutes. Amazing thing was 2 or 3 were actually still pretty good , one Blueberry tops shelf. Rest were bunk I didnāt care to smoke .
They have the genetics , was clear to see , but in order to make money they do what they do .
I got to go to a private party , met the owner / growers of some of the grows I visited . Sampled their personal smoke , which was head n shoulders above what I bought .
Their smoke didnāt come from their commercial rooms , but from another separate grow , yeah .
Before you jump , go visit big commercial indoor grows. See whatās involved .
As to O.P. āS question , only way to use their numbers is for comparison only . Which strains typically yield more, and thatās about it . Plus ya canāt trust 90% of what they say .
Ever gets legal here , Iād run an ELITE BRAND, grown in soil , with octopots .
Yeah 400 octopots under a sea of lights with an auto fill system , yield would be a non issue .
Good luck on your venture , you can NEVER make it , if you DONT TRY . 100 percent of the ones that make it ā¦ā¦. Started somewhere and TRIED . Good for you
8 Likes
Yeah @Jetdro , itās certainly not an easy venture, especially without experience with that style of growing. Most of the industry is run by those with very deep pockets who can absorb the losses. Also as you say, big productions are not about the weed but rather the profits. All the good weed is home grown or craft cannabis growers who value quality over quantity. Also most places that legalize get high prices, get flooded and then the bottom drops out. Hard for a 250 plant grow to complete with a 2500 plant grow. Itās just such a tough market to break into.
2 Likes
Was about to ask @marksaxton the bigger question:
Why are you thinking to do this?
Now is the time to get OUT of the āweed gameā. 
3 Likes