Yield
Definition: Yield is the amount of dried, trimmed cannabis flower a plant or grow space produces at harvest, usually measured in ounces per plant outdoors or ounces per square foot indoors. Genetics set the ceiling, while light, training, veg time, and growing skill determine how close a grower actually gets to it.
How Yield works
Yield numbers only make sense when you know what’s being measured. Always compare dried, trimmed flower. Fresh buds lose roughly 70 to 80% of their weight as they dry, so a wet harvest weight looks far bigger than the final result.
Realistic ranges
| Setting | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Indoor, first grow | About 0.25 to 0.5 oz per sq ft |
| Indoor, experienced with quality LED | About 0.5 to 1.5 oz per sq ft |
| Outdoor autoflower | About 1 to 6 oz per plant |
| Outdoor photoperiod, full season | From a few ounces to over 1 lb per plant |
Outdoor results swing widely with season length, sun, container size or in-ground planting, and weather at harvest.
What moves the number
- Light: total daily light, or DLI, is the biggest driver indoors.
- Canopy management: training such as SCROG spreads bud sites evenly under the light.
- Veg time: photoperiod plants grow larger with longer veg; autoflowers can’t be extended.
- Ripeness: harvesting inside the harvest window lets buds finish bulking.
- Environment: stable temperature, humidity, and feeding avoid stress losses.
Reading strain specs
Breeder yield figures are best-case estimates from experienced growers. Use them to compare strains, not as a promise for your setup. Our yield calculator can help you set a realistic target for your space.