Grow Q&A: What Can I Yield From One Pot Plant?

Dear Dan,
What is a realistic expectation of dried weight per plant? — Rogue Maple

Dear Rogue,
There are so many factors that will determine how much dry flower you ultimately harvest from a plant. It’s difficult to predict without some determining components, but I’ll take a stab at it.

Obviously, indoor and outdoor yields will also vary, so I will give you a few scenarios and hopefully answer your question satisfactorily.

Indoors, under 1000-watt HPS lighting, at an average of a 4-week vegetative time and with your plant in a 5-gallon bucket, you should yield approximately one quarter of a pound (112 grams) of dry flowers per plant, assuming everything goes as planned and environmental factors and feedings are dialed in.

Outdoors, the sky’s the limit, literally! If you start a seedling indoors during the winter, vegetate the plant until its ready to go outside into full sun in the spring, you can harvest multiple pounds of dry bud from your plant. I’ve seen outdoor plants that produced 10-14 pounds, but keep in mind, that they were properly watered and fed, as well as provided with plenty of loose airy soil for their roots to expand. Some form of trellising is also absolutely necessary in order to keep the heavy branches upright.

One thing I always advise people is not to try to predict their results before they’re done. It’s the old adage of “counting your chickens before they hatch.” I’ve witnessed too many people spending money they don’t yet have because they’re convinced that their future harvest will provide. Then, they’re disappointed when the bounty doesn’t live up to their expectations. Instead, work hard to make improvements with each grow cycle and you’ll see your yields and quality improve.