Marijuana Yield Calculator
Estimate how much dry bud your grow can produce, indoors or outdoors, using conservative real-world ranges.
Realistic indoor yields by light type
Dry weight per square foot of flowering canopy. 1 oz per sq ft is about 305 g per square meter.
| Light type | Autoflower (oz/sq ft) | Photoperiod (oz/sq ft) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality full-spectrum LED | 0.5-1.0 | 0.75-1.5 | Top results need even 800-1,000 PPFD in flower |
| HPS or CMH | 0.4-0.8 | 0.5-1.25 | Strong output, more heat to manage |
| Budget LED | 0.25-0.5 | 0.3-0.75 | Varies widely; judge by measured PPFD, not claimed watts |
| T5 fluorescent or CFL | 0.15-0.3 | 0.2-0.5 | Fine for seedlings and clones, weak in flower |
Realistic outdoor yields by plant size
| Plant size at harvest | Typical setup | Dry yield per plant |
|---|---|---|
| Small: under 3 ft (90 cm) | Autoflower or late-planted photoperiod, 5-10 gal (19-38 L) pot | 1-4 oz (28-113 g) |
| Medium: 3-5 ft (0.9-1.5 m) | Photoperiod in a 15-25 gal (57-95 L) pot | 4-12 oz (113-340 g) |
| Large: 5-8 ft (1.5-2.4 m) | Photoperiod in 50+ gal (190+ L) or in the ground, full sun | 12-32 oz (340-907 g) |
| Very large: over 8 ft (2.4 m) | Full-season photoperiod in the ground, long warm summer | 24-48 oz (680-1,360 g) |
How the estimate works
The calculator starts from the ranges in the tables above. Indoors, it scales the per-square-foot range for your light and seed type by your canopy area, meaning the floor space your plants actually cover, not the full size of the tent. Outdoors, it works per plant, because sun, soil and season vary too much for a per-area figure.
Results come back as a low-to-high range of dried, cured bud. Fresh harvest weight runs roughly four to five times higher, since buds lose about 75 to 80 percent of their weight as they dry.
Treat the low end as a realistic first grow and the high end as what an experienced grower gets with strong genetics, even light and good training. These ranges don’t assume added CO2 or commercial equipment.
How to increase yield
- Improve light first. Measure PPFD across the canopy. Aim for 700-1,000 µmol/m²/s in flower and fix dim corners by raising, moving or adding light.
- Train for an even canopy. LST bends branches outward so more bud sites sit in the strongest light. A SCROG net takes that further, holding 8 to 20 tops at one height.
- Dial in climate. Keep VPD around 0.8-1.2 kPa in veg and 1.0-1.5 kPa in flower so plants keep drinking and feeding steadily.
- Give roots room. Indoor photoperiods do well in 5 to 7 gallon (19-26 L) containers, since cramped roots cap plant size.
- Flip at the right moment. Switch to 12/12 when the canopy fills about 70 to 80 percent of the floor. Plants fill the rest during the stretch.
- Start with productive genetics. Strains from our high yield collection raise the ceiling, but they still need the basics above.
Yield questions, answered
How much does an autoflower yield?
Indoors, a healthy autoflower usually produces 1 to 4 ounces (28-113 g) of dry bud, or about 0.5 to 1 ounce per square foot under a quality LED. Outdoors in full sun, 1 to 4 ounces per plant is typical, with strong genetics and long summer days pushing toward the top of that range.
How much will a 4x4 tent yield?
A 4x4 ft tent has 16 square feet (1.5 m²) of floor. Under a quality LED, photoperiod plants commonly yield 12 to 24 ounces (340-680 g) per run, and autoflowers about 8 to 16 ounces (227-454 g). First grows often land at or below the low end.
How much does a plant yield per watt?
Growers often quote grams per watt. Under modern LEDs, 0.5 to 1.0 gram per watt of actual draw is a realistic range, and experienced growers can go higher. As a rough check, a 480-watt LED at 0.75 g/W points to about 360 g (12.7 oz) per harvest.
Why is my yield lower than the estimate?
The most common causes are weak or uneven light, too little veg time, small pots, heat or humidity stress, pests and harvesting early. Genetics matter too. Compare your setup with the targets above, change one thing at a time, and track results across grows.
Is yield measured wet or dry?
Yield figures, including this calculator's, are dry weight after drying and curing. Fresh buds are mostly water and lose about 75 to 80 percent of their weight as they dry, so 20 ounces (567 g) of trimmed wet bud usually ends up around 4 to 5 ounces (113-142 g) dry.
Now put your harvest on the calendar
Pair your yield estimate with a target date based on your germination day and seed type.