Grow Room Odor Control Methods For Cannabis

Grow room odor control can be dealt with in many ways. Cannabis plants produce prodigious amounts of unique and delicious terpenes, and their odor can be quite strong.

You can take basic steps to minimize the aromas of your growing plants.

When Does Cannabis Start to Smell?

During the early stages of a cannabis plant’s life, there is no detectable cannabis odor.

Once you germinate seeds, plant them, and have young plants, odor levels remain very low most of the way through the vegetative phase of growth.

Late in veg mode, when the plants are a foot or slightly taller, odor continues to remain minimal with most strains. At this stage of the grow, however, you can monitor emerging odors quite easily.

Take your index finger and very gently rub it against the main stem of the plant, supporting the stem so it doesn’t bend or become damaged in any way. Then give your finger a sniff. Even at this early stage, you will most likely detect a musky, sweet, and/or skunky aroma.

The sweet dankness you detect from the main stem is an indication of things to come. The plant, regardless of its sex, is starting to create terpenes.

These terpenes will become increasingly evident as the plants grow, particularly with female plants with large flowers.

When you put the plants into the flower phase by cutting back on their daily exposure to light (12 hours of light to 12 hours of darkness), terpene production really starts to kick in.

Once your plants reveal their sex (assuming you’re growing normal rather than feminized seed), you will soon end up with female plants that will produce sticky, dank flowers rather quickly.

By a few weeks into flower, the odor of your grow may be quite strong.

As the flowers start to swell and put on a frosty coating of trichomes, terpene aromas will rise steadily.

If you can smell it, others most likely can, too. If keeping your grow undetected is necessary, there are some steps you can take to minimize the smell.

Choose Your Strains Wisely

When it comes to aroma, all strains are not created equally. Some are much more pungent and aromatic than others.

Skunky indica strains like Afgooey emit the strongest cannabis odors, while sweet sativa-dominant strains like Jack Herer and Pineapple Punch are less likely to draw attention to your grow.

Although strong terpene aromas are usually a telltale sign of potency, numerous outstanding strains deliver in the THC department without making your house reek like a skunk.

New cannabis strains are created each year, so there are more choices now than ever before. Whether you go with an old-school favorite or a popular new strain, you will have plenty of options.

High Odor Cannabis Strains

Here’s a list of strains with some of the strongest and most pungent strains available:

Low Odor Cannabis Strains

Low odor strains are especially helpful for outdoor growers who have limited odor management options available.

If you’re looking for a strain that produces the least amount of odor, check out these low odor strains:

How To Keep Your Cannabis Grow Room Odor Free

For home growers, one of the first steps toward creating an effective odor mitigation plan is to check your garden’s temperature and relative humidity.

High temperatures and relative humidity can worsen any pre-existing odor problems in your grow during the flowering stage.

Plants in their vegetative stage won’t emit nearly as much odor as when the plant begins to bloom and grow trichomes.

Fluorescent and LED lights produce less heat than high intensity discharge (HIDs) or ceramic metal halide bulbs. Make sure your lights aren’t too close to your plants to avoid overheating your buds.

In order to keep both humans and plants healthy and to avoid drawing unwanted attention, it is essential to control the odor in a cannabis grow room.

Here are a few efficient techniques.

Air Filtration

The most popular and efficient technique is to use carbon filters, which work by trapping odor molecules in the activated carbon as air flows through them.

Select a filter for your grow area that is the right size and capacity.

HEPA filters

These remove dust and pollen from the air, which can cause an unpleasant smell. Although they provide many advantages, they are not as good at controlling odors as carbon filters are.

Ozone generators

These produce ozone, which is an effective oxidant that degrades smell molecules. Ozone, however, can be dangerous to people and plants, so use it with caution and according to safety precautions.

Airflow

Install exhaust fans to get rid of the grow room's odor-filled air. Make sure there is enough airflow by arranging and configuring the fans correctly.

Intake fans

Add intake fans to exhaust fans in order to give plants fresh air and avoid negative pressure, which can attract unpleasant smells.

Air purifiers

Although they are not the only answer, air purifiers can aid in further cleaning the air and removing odor molecules. 

Odor neutralizers

Rather than hiding odor molecules, these products neutralize them using chemical or natural substances. Select secure and eco-friendly solutions.

Sprays and gels

You can use odor-neutralizing sprays and gels directly on surfaces or in combination with ventilation devices.

Plants

You can cultivate a variety of odor-masking plants surrounding the grow area, including as lavender, rosemary, and basil.

Sealing the grow room

You may stop smells from escaping by caulking any openings or crevices around windows, doors, and air ducts.

Negative air pressure

Make sure exhaust fans remove more air from the grow room than intake fans do. This will keep the air pressure in the grow room negative.

Retain proper hygiene

To get rid of odor sources like plant detritus and spilt water, clean the grow room and its equipment on a regular basis.

Biosecurity

Put biosecurity measures in place to stave against illnesses and pests, which can lead to offensive odors.

While you are growing your cannabis plants you may want to enjoy the flavors of your grow room by smelling your flowers, but not sharing the aroma with your local community!